Blue

Ash had been playing video games as long as she could remember, and she loved them, but that didn't mean she was very good at them. She flinched as her spray of gunfire hit Carrie. "Sorry."

"Oh my god," Carrie shouted through her mic.

"Sorry," she repeated as Carrie began to swear a lot, her voice growing distant.

"Now you've done it," Harper chuckled.

"Done what?"

"Is your door locked," Duke asked.

"No, why?"

"Oh, no reason."

Before she could question it anymore, her bedroom door swung open, and Carrie pounced at her, knocking both her, and the chair to the ground. She grabbed Ash's arms, and pinned them to the floor as she sat on top of her. "I love you so much, but I want to strangle you right now."

"It was an accident."

"That's three accidents in thirty minutes. I thought you said you were good at this game."

"I said I played a lot of it, not that I was good at it."

"How can you play it a lot, and not be good at it," she asked, getting off and helping her to her feet.

"Look on the bright side, it could've been worse."

"How?"

"It could've been four times."

She pushed her back to the ground. "I hate you."

"No you don't."

"I hate that I love you," she said as she left.

Ash got to her feet, and put her headset back on. "A little warning would have been nice."

"We thought you'd like to learn the... kinesthetic way," Harper explain.

"Yeah, that's it. I'm sure you two had a good laugh at it."

"No," Duke insisted, failing to completely hide his giggling.

Ash's own laughter was stopped by a slight stinging in her arm. She looked down to find a small drop of blood running from the place Carrie had grabbed her. "Why are her nails always so sharp?"

"Tell me about," Harper complained.

"Tell you about what," Carrie asked, having returned to her room.

"We were talking about you, not to you."

"Oh is that right?"

"Yeah it is."

"Big words coming from the girl at the bottom of the scoreboard."

"I am not at the..."

Ash knew what the silence meant, but she checked anyway, and let out a little giggle.

"You we're saying," Carrie teased.

"Shut up."

Ash peaked out from behind the car. She watched as Klarion's blast struck Fate, and sent him crashing into the middle of the street. She reached into the pocket of her hoodie, and pulled out some smoke pellets. "I was wondering why I packed these, guess it was fate." She chuckled to herself, and tossed them.

As the street was enveloped in smoked, she ran, and grabbed Fate as Klarion began blasting randomly into the smoke in hopes of striking his wounded adversary. She quickly dragged him into a nearby alley, narrowly dodging some of Klarion's pot shots, and set him against a wall. "You don't look so good," she said as she crouched down in front of him.

"I will heal."

A blast struck the mouth of the alley, showering them in dust. "Kind of need you now though," she said, reaching for his helmet.

He clutched her arm. "No."

"Zatarra's hurt."

"Yes, but-"

"No buts, let me help."

He loosened his grip on her, and allowed her to remove the helmet, leaving Zatarra looking up at her. "I know your much too stubborn for me to convince you to stop, just be careful."

"Of course."

She placed the helmet on her head, and Fate took control. "I'll keep her safe."

"Wow," Ash muttered as she looked around the seemingly endless darkness. The only thing she could see was a screen of sort, and on it was what her, or should she say Fate's, eyes could see.

"I can't explain the details right now," he stated as he flew out of the alley, "you'll just have to trust me."

"I do."

He flew to the middle of the street, and used his magic to disperse the smoke. Immediately Klarion locked gaze on him. "There you are. I see you found a new host, I hope their ready for round two," he shouted as he threw a fireball.

Fate brought up an ankh shield, blocking the attack. "Are you?"

- - - - -

Cassie looked at her phone, then around the restaurant. "Late as usual," she chuckled. "I wonder what it is this time? A pretty flower, a puppy maybe, or something shiny in a grate perhaps." Her attention was drawn to a nearby TV. On the screen Fate flew around the sky, dodging blast from Klarion.

She instinctually went to jump up, but stopped herself. "Fate, and Zatarra are more then capable of handling it." She went back to picking at her meal when a thought crossed her mind. "Ash wouldn't, right? She knows not to bite off more then she can chew. Who am I kidding," she muttered as she jumped up, and grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair.

She was half way to the door when she glanced back at the screen, and stopped. Something about Fate wasn't right. It was hard to be sure with how quick he moved, and how shaky the camera was, but she was certain he was shorter then normal.

- - - - -

Klarion's blast struck Fate's helmet. He recoiled, but recovered almost immediately, Ash however, didn't. She fell to the ground. "Yeah, Fate, I would love it if you didn't do that. I have a date, and Cassie would be very upset if I missed it because I'm dead."

"I'm trying." Something on a nearby rooftop caught his eye, a small ginger cat. "There you are," he whispered as he shot a blast which sent the small cat flying.

"Teekl," Klarion shouted as he rushed to them.

Ash gasped. "Fate, that's just a kitty!"

"That is no kitty."

"I know, but it looks like a kitty. Do we have to hurt them?"

"Yes," he said, following after Klarion. He landed on the rooftop behind the boy, who was crouched down, tending to Teekl. "Your fun is at an end for tonight."

Klarion looked between him, and his injured friend. "Spoil sport," he shouted as he disappeared in a sudden fiery blaze before Fate could make another move.

"Did we win," Ash asked.

"For now."

"Yay. Now, I was trying to keep my babbling to a minimum while you were focusing, but what do we look like?"

He looked down at his standard blue, and yellow costume. "I look as I always do."

"You can't change your costume?"

"I can. I choose not to."

"Not wanna go fifty-fifty with me?"

"No."

"Not even like a bat symbol on the chest?"

"No."

"A spiky cape?"

"No."

"Spoil sport."

His helmet appeared in front of Ash. "It is time for me to release your body."

"Your a floating hat now, that's cool."

"I am not a hat."

"Well, all the same, I had a great time here today, feel free to possess me any day of the week. Just give me a two day heads up, so I can make sure I don't have a date or something planned for that day."

"Goodbye, and good luck."

"Did you just wish me good luck on my date?"

The helmet disappeared, and the world reappeared as she was given back control of her body.  Zatarra appeared on the roof in a poof of smoke. "Are you alright?"

"That felt weird."

"We should get you looked over."

"Maybe later," she said as she rushed off towards the fire escape."

"Where are you going?"

- - - - -

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Ash said as she sat across from Cassie.

"No biggie, I'm used to it, you're very distractible, and I love that about you. So, what was it this time?"

"Oh nothing, let's just get this date started."

"You're eager."

"I just think this is going to be a great date is all."

"And why's that?"

"Fate."

"Since when do you believe in fate?"

"It was just a joke, don't mind it , you wouldn't get it."

"I might, you never know. Anyway, you missed the strangest thing on the news earlier."

"Oh, what happened?"

"Fate, and Klarion were fighting, what's new, but I noticed that it definitely wasn't Zatarra under the helmet." Ash didn't respond, but instead took a sip of her water, while avoiding her gaze. "Yeah, this person was about your height, your build, and they even took a nasty blast right where you have that graze," she said as she leaned across the table, and pushed her hair aside.

She chuckled nervously. "Funny."

Cassie laughed as she sat back in her chair. "You want to talk about it?"

"Only if you want to hear about it, and you promise not to tell my dad?"

"Duh, and duh"

Harper, and Carrie looked away from the screen as Duke re-entered Harper's room. "Where's Ash," Carrie asked from the floor.

"She must be asleep," he said as he sat back down on the bed beside Harper. "I knocked, but there was no answer."

"You two start without us," Harper said as she jumped up, and tossed her controller onto the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be back," she said, ignoring the question as she headed down the hall to Ash's room. She knocked on the door. "Ash, are you awake?" No response. "I know you're awake, either open the door or I pick the lock again.

She listened closely to the footsteps approaching the door. She heard the lock click, and the door cracked open. She was pulled in, and Ash quickly locked the door again. "Ash, what the hell is-" She gasped as she noticed Ash's black eye. "Who did this to you?"

"Harper, it doesn't-"

"Don't you dare say it doesn't matter. Was it Leslie?"

"No, of course not."

"Ash, if she hurt you-"

"She didn't! She didn't show up," she explained, rubbing her arm. "Frost did. She kicked me around a little, and told me to stay away from her"

"I know she doesn't like you hanging out with her, but I didn't think she'd do this."

"I guess hanging out on patrols was fine, outside of that, not so much."

"Does Leslie know?"

"I don't  think so."

"We should tell Bruce."

"No! This is my problem."

"Bruce won't be mad about Leslie, you know that right?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she muttered as she sat down on her bed, and placed her head in her hands, "I'm not going to see her anymore."

Harper hunched down in front of her. "That's it? You get one threat, and you quit? That doesn't sound like my little sister."

She looked up. "What do you want me to do, fight her? Frost is protecting her, that's all that matters."

"No, it's not, you, and Leslie are friends, Frost doesn't get to end that just because she doesn't like you. You know where they live, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll go see them, and talk it out."

"What if Frost was telling the truth, what if Leslie really does just want me to stay away?"

"Do you really think that's true? I mean she's basically been begging you to tell her who you really are just so you could hang out more."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So that's settled, we'll go see them tomorrow, alright?"

"You don't have to come."

"Oh I'm coming, I'd like to have a word with Frost about this," she said, gesturing to the black eye. "Speaking of which, what are you going to tell the others happened?"

"I don't know," she muttered.

"Lets just tell him I hit you."

"What?"

"While we were sparring obviously. Just tell him I hit you a little harder then I meant to."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, now come on, we've got to get an ice pack on that."

- - - - -

The next night they, traded places with Cass, and Steph for patrol, and headed to Leslie's. The two sat atop the building adjacent to their apartment. "Is she home," Harper asked as they two looked in the window

"I don't know, I don't see anyone. I'll go knock."

"Knock? I thought you said you usually go in the window."

"Frost is just looking for a reason to skewer me, I don't want to give one."

"Good point, let's go."

"I think it's better I go alone."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but it just seems like a good idea."

"I would disagree, but alright, I'll be here if you need me."

"You always are."

Ash made her way across, and climbed in an open window to the hallway outside Leslie's apartment, and gently knocked on her door. After a second, the door flew open, and she was pushed against the adjacent wall. Frost grabbed the scruff of her suit. "I told you to stay away."

"I just want to talk."

"I already told you Leslie doesn't want to see you."

"I'll believe that when I hear it from her."

Frost tossed her aside. "Go, before I hurt you again."

"I'm not leaving."

"Then I'll make you," she stated, knocking her down the hall with an ice blast.

"Bluebird, I might need that help," she whispered into her comm.

"On my way."

Frost picked her up again, and slammed her against the window at the end of the hallway, cracking it. "Last chance."

"Alright, alright, just put me down."

Frost dropped her just as Harper swung in, shattering the window, and kicking Frost to the ground, as she rolled a few metres down the hall. "I told you, I should've  come in with you," she said as she stood up.

Ash scrambled to her feet. "Yeah, yeah, I told you so's can wait till later."

Frost stood between the two, and faced Ash. "You brought help?"

"I'm stupid, not suicidal."

"So what now, you arrest me?"

"I just want to talk to Leslie."

"You stay-"

"What's going on," Leslie interrupted them as she stood at the top of the stairs, a grocery bag in one hand.

The three lowered their stances and looked at her, each trying to think of how to explain the situation. "Bluebird got a little trigger happy when she saw Frost," Ash quickly lied.

"I did?"

Ash glared at her. "Yes, you did."

"I did."

"No one's trying to kill anyone," Leslie questioned.

"Not any more."

"Good, why don't we go inside?"

Frost sighed. "Fine."

The four went into the small apartment. Frost took the grocery bag from Leslie, and began putting them away, while Ash, and Leslie taking a seat at the table, while Harper stood, unable to find a third chair,

"Sorry," Leslie apologized, "there's rarely more then two of us here."

"That alright."

She turned back to Ash. "So what are you two doing here?"

"We were in the area, and figured we'd drop in, patrol's been boring tonight."

"And all that out there?"

"Like I said, Bluebird got a little trigger happy when she saw Frost, we were expecting just you."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Harper apologise as she slammed her foot down on Ash's.

"I was out getting groceries," Leslie explaining, "if I'd known you were coming, I'd've been here."

"I thought I'd surprise you," Ash said after she had successfully kept herself from yelping, "my mistake."

She leaned in close to the two and whispered. "Frost didn't hurt you, did she?"

"Not Frost, no."

"Good. Sorry, I didn't even offer you tea or anything."

"Tea would be nice," Harper said.

"I'll put on the kettle," Leslie said as she tried to stand up.

"I'll do it," Ash said, beating her to the punch. "You two just chat, not too often you two get to talk."

Harper took a seat as Ash made her way to the kitchen. She put the kettle on then leaned against the counter beside Frost, who was crouched down putting groceries in the freezer. "Want a hand?"

"Not from you."

Ash glanced to the table, making sure Leslie wasn't listening, but she seemed completely focused on her and Harper's conversation. "Look, I know you don't like me-"

"What gave it away?"

"But I like Leslie, and she likes me, we're friends, I know you don't like that, but your going to have to deal with it."

Frost suddenly stood up, startling Ash and causing her to take a step back. "I know that, and that's the only reason you're still standing here, the only reason I'm giving you this chance, but understand this, Bat," the name was said with such spite it caused Ash to finch, " if you hurt her, get her arrested, or even so much as give her a bad day, I will kill you."

"I... I don't know what you think I'm up to, but-"

"But, nothing, you're a vigilante with a secret identity, you have nothing to lose, so I don't trust you, period. I promised I'd protect that girl and if it means killing you, Bluebird, even Batman, I won't hesitate."

Ash finally managed to regain her composure, and stood up straight, face to face with Frost. "I don't care if you don't trust me, Leslie does, and if you ever threaten my family again, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your days in Belle Reve."

"You've got a backbone kid I'll give you that, it's just too bad I don't believe a word of that."

"Believe what you want."

"I will, and I believe you're a threat to her, she doesn't see that yet, but when she does I'll be there."

"That won't ever come, I promise."

"You better hope not, because I'm holding you responsible for anything happens to her with you, and anything any of the Bats do to her, do you understand me?"

She gulped. "Yes."

"Good." She took a step towards Ash, causing her to take a step back, and bump against the counter, then leaned in really close to Ash. "Kettles boiled."

Frost chuckled to herself as she went back to the putting away the groceries. "Oh ha ha, at least you have a sense of humor," Ash muttered as she made four cups of tea leaving one for Frost, and carefully bringing the other three to the table.

The three chatted for about an hour, before Harper and Ash decided that they should get back to patrol. "We're still on for Saturday," Leslie asked as she walked them to the door.

"Oh definitely," Ash confirmed.

"Maybe Bluebird could join us."

"I might just take you up on that offer," Harper said.

Ash tossed the cash she kept in her belt to Frost as they left. "That's for the window."

Harper looked at her curiously as they headed down the stairs. "No way that window cost that much."

"I know, but hopefully the extra money will keep them out trouble for a little while."

"That's wishful thinking."

As they reached the door, Harper turned, and punched Ash's shoulder.  "Ow! What was that for?"

"For blaming me for starting the fight"

"If we got Frost in trouble with Leslie, that really wouldn't have bode well for me."

"And why did I have to get the blame, why not you?"

"I don't want to get In trouble with Leslie either."

"But it's alright if I do?"

"Yes."

"You think we sorted that out?"

"I think Frost gets that we're friends, and that she'll have to kill me to keep me away from her."

"That's what I'm worried about."

"I can handle myself."

"Since when?"

Ash giggled. "Race you to the clock tower?"

"You're on," Harper agreed, and they both took off running.