Chapter 24: Wedding

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other."

Mario Puzo

Chapter 24: "Wedding"

(Saturday-May 17, 2014)

Dani stood in a light blue dress that went past her knees but shill showed her mechanical leg. Her hair was pulled up into a long pony tail so that her slender neck and bare shoulders, "You look beautiful, Mom."

Vision looked through the mirror in her changing room to her daughter. Her feminine frame was covered by a beautiful wedding dress. The smile she gave was as pure white as her dress. Her voice came out teasingly, "I know."

Dani hid her giggle behind her hand, "I've been a bad influence on you."

Vision turned around to face her, "The worst. But I love you anyway."

"Love you too," Dani pulled her adopted mother into her arms, "I can't believe today is actually happening."

"Neither can I."

"No, really. I mean, you've delayed this like a dozen times."

Vision's smile fell.

"I mean, some of the reasons were legit, but a lot of them were just so stupid. You had this completely planned out for years, but you just had to get everything perfect."

Vision released the hug, but Dani just held on like nothing was wrong.

"My bet was that you were never going to get married. You'd just keep postponing it forever. I always hoped I was wrong, of course. But you're such a control freak, Mom, that no one even criticized me for making that bet."

"Alright," Vision pulled back and gave her daughter an annoyed look, "I get it."

To Vision's shock, Dani wasn't grinning like a mad person. No. Instead, tears were streaming down her face.

"Gah…I…I looked at the charts," Dani's lips trembled as she spoke, "Wulf would have won the bet."

Vision's expression dropped.

"And…And if you waited another two months, Greta would have won…" Dani sniffed, "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bringing up sad things like that on your wedding day. But…I wish they could be here to see it."

"I do too dear, but I'm sure they're looking on happily from the other side," Vision gently squeezed the halfa's left hand as she used her other hand to wipe away the tears.

Dani nodded, "As they should. Not like the marriage is needed at all. It won't change anything. We're still all be living like a family."

"Yes, I suppose being married to your father won't really change our day to day lives," Vision admitted, "But I supposed even I dreamed of getting married as a little girl. That seems so long ago now. My father…my birth human father always said that I'd marry a prince. Considering Vlad's wealth, I think he would quality to those standards back then."

"Would that make me a princess?" Despite her puffy eyes, Dani did her best to give a charming face.

"That's how Vlad sees you. And how Victor does as well," Vision noted, "Granted, you're more violent than the average princess, but that adds to your charm."

"Yeah, it does," Dani laughed, "You know…One thing will change after today."

"What's that?"

"You and Dad can work on making me a little sister without those out-of-marriage restraints you held before."

"Dani!"

"You do know that you could have started earlier? No one would have judged."

"That's…That's just not how I do things."

"I know," Dani grinned, "But I had to use that card before the day was up. Cassandra said it was hilarious and that her…that her mom always fell for that one too."

"Hmm…" Vision looked away mischievously, "Well, just for that, I won't let you help pick out names when the time comes."

"What? No!"

"Well, don't you look dashing?" A familiar voice caused Joel look up from fixing his tie. Standing outside the entrance to the cathedral, the youngest halfa had been watching the many guests of the wedding slowly pile through the entrance.

Joel smiled at his friends, "Dashing, eh? That's a strong word to describe it. I don't think I look that way at all."

"The man makes the clothes, right?" Mary noted with twinkle in her eyes as she stepped forward to help Joel with his tie.

"Don't argue with her, please," Freddy pleaded with a dread-filled look, "I really don't want to deal with her trying to convince you about this all day."

"I wasn't planning on it," Joel chuckled, "Thanks, Mary."

"No problem," Mary stepped back and glanced at her boyfriend, "Deal with me, eh?"

"God…" Freddy face palmed, "I just can't win."

"Don't worry," Mary giggled in amusement, "I'll let it drop, sweetie."

"I'm glad you two could make it," Joel shook his head at their familiar antics. He missed this, "How have you two been?"

"Normal. Average. Boring," Freddy stated, "And that's not even counting the BS around Jason's death. So overall…"

"Pretty sucky," Mary finished.

Joel nodded, "Yeah…Jeeze, everything's been a blur since the funeral. It seems like it was yesterday. Have you managed to get Donna to talk at all?"

"Talk? No. Cry into a gallon of ice scream? Yes," Mary's usual upbeat expression was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, that's something at least," Joel sighed.

"Hey, let's not dwell on that, alright?" Freddy interjected, "Jason wouldn't want us to be sad during a wedding. He'd want us to sneak in some booze and get wasted."

Joel snorted, "Remind me how you were pure enough of heart to get the powers of Shazam again?"

"Purity is relative," Freddy joked, "Which is fitting considering the people in this wedding."

"Speaking of which," Mary grabbed Freddy's arm and began to pull him into the cathedral, "Let's head inside before it starts. I want to meet up with our friends and get some good seats."

"Right, right," Freddy glanced back at Joel, "You coming?"

"In a minute," Joel eyes some late arrivals stepping up to the entrance, "I've got something I need to do first."

Stepping forward, Joel moved to meet the newest arrival halfway. He then gave a small bow, "Your majesties."

"Joel," Aquaman smiled at the young hero, "It's good to see you. Please stand, you don't have to treat me like a king on land. We're comrades here. Not only that, I'm your guest in this dimension."

"I have to disagree," Joel stood up from his bow, "A king's a king no matter what…You know what, I think the Fright Knight has been influencing me too much."

Aquaman chuckled, "I have heard that knight speak. You do sound like him."

"That doesn't make me feel better…" Joel's eyes drifted to the women that stood by Aquaman's side, "Queen Mera, how have you been?"

Mera just continued to look forward with a dead look in her eyes.

Aquaman sighed, "The same. I thought that this wedding might bring some light back in her eyes."

"I'm surprised that Kaldur, Tula, Garth, or La'gaan aren't escorting you," Joel's eyes snapped to the hook that now replaced Aquaman's missing hand, "Not that you need protection. It's just that they're very loyal."

"I ordered them ahead," Aquaman noted, "They should enjoy this time with their friends and their youth. Both can be very fleeting. The gods only know what I would give to spend more time with my son…"

Joel gained a guilty look.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up," Aquaman rubbed his face with his still intact hand, "Let's stay focused on the joy of today."

"How is Lady Vision doing?" Mera suddenly spoke up. Both men's eyes snapped to the woman. Her eyes hadn't changed, but there was no questioning that she spoke.

"Good…" Joel answered, "She's been ready for this day for a while.

Mera's next words came out as a small whisper, "I remember my wedding day…I was so happy…She should hold onto this as long as she can. Soon, the happiness will fade away into nothingness."

Danny's eyes swept across the crowd of people. His comrades and friends filled the pews in the rather large cathedral. He stood at the forefront of the church, right beside a rather nervous Vlad. The different members of the ceremony were making their way down the aisle. Leaning in to the older halfa, the best man whispered, "Calm down. Everything's going to be fine."

"That's what you say when something's about to go horribly wrong," Vlad hissed back.

"Only during battle, Vlad."

"This is an internal battle, Daniel."

"One that you have no choice but to win. Because if I can't force you to stay put, then Vision will have to track you down and bring you back. And that will make things a hundred times worse," Danny noted with amusement in his voice.

"Right," Vlad mentally pictured the version of this wedding where he was tied up and had a shotgun pointed at his head, "Good point. You better stop me from running then."

"Don't worry. I got the shotgun ready."

Before Vlad could respond, music blared from the organ. Danny gave a small glance to see that Ember winked at him as he gave a silent thank you for signaling the beginning of the ceremony. Signaled by the organ music, everyone stood and turned to the entrance. Slowly, Vision stepped out for everyone to see. Colossus was squatting down and trying to make himself as small as possible in order to allow Vision to hold onto his arm as they made their way down the aisle.

As they carefully making their way down the aisle, everyone took in the sight of Vision's beauty. She almost glowed, which wasn't all that strange considering her ghostly nature. This glow, though, was different. It was a glow of pure joy radiating off of her.

When they reached the alter, Colossus smiled down at Vision. Before he could speak, Vision spoke, "If you say that you never thought this day would happen, I will throw you out of my wedding."

Colossus was silent.

"Thank you, Uncle Col," Vision floated up and kissed Colossus on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Little Vision," Colossus gave a small chuckle as he stepped away from Vision and made his way to the large spot reserved for him off to the side, right next to the equally giant Pandora.

Stepping up to Vlad, Vision smiled and allowed him to reach up and lift her veil. Vlad gave her an equally bright, if not a bit shaky, smile. Together, they turned to the marriage officiant Frostbite. As the leader of his own village and a well-known figurehead in the Ghost Zone, he was one of the few ghosts that had gone out of his way to be ordained to conduct weddings.

Having spent over a month recovering from his fight with Gluttony, Frostbite had regained a thinner version of his ice arm in addition to regaining some of the muscle mass he lost. Luckily, he now looked healthy instead of being a thin fury, even if he wasn't the wall of muscle he was before the fight. Smiling brightly at Vision and Vlad, he began to speak, "Dearly beloved…"

The ceremony passed in a blur for the participants. This was especially true for Vlad. Even though Frostbite spoke for several minutes, it only seemed like few seconds. He was only rocked out of his daze when Frostbite reached the end of his speech and the rings were placed on their fingers.

"I believe that you two have your own vows?"

"Yes," Vlad reached into his suit to pull out his prepared speech. He paused though and left it in his pocket. No, this had to be done from the heart, "Vision…Until the day I met you, I never thought that I would ever be in a relationship that completed me so much. You challenge me mentally and emotionally to be the best I can be. For years, I wanted no needed a family to help drag me out of my darkness. You did that and then some. I have no idea how I can ever repay you for all you've done for me, but I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to."

Vision just smiled, "Vlad, you don't have to repay me for everything. Despite my aversion to people pointing it out, for most of my life, I never thought this day would happen. Very few people were ever willing to question me and try to walk on equal ground as me. You were the only one to even try, and now I wake up every day knowing that I'm not alone in my path. Through everything that's happened, you've been there to be my rock, and I can only strive to be the same for you. I love you, Vlad."

"I love you too, Vision."

Frostbite coughed, "No kissing yet, you two. There's one last thing. Do you, Vladimir Masters, taken Vision to be your as your wife, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do."

"And do you, Vision—"

"I do."

"Um…I didn't finish—"

"I do. I think we're all tired of waiting for the end."

"O-okay then. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now—"

Vision grabbed Vlad and pulled him into a searing kiss.

"Okay I give up. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Masters…who are still kissing."

Everyone stood up and started clapping. Still, the newlywed couple continued to kiss.

Dani, the maid of honor, leaned in and whispered, "Pst, Mom. I know I joked about you working on making me a sibling, but can you wait until you're behind closed doors?"

Hours later, the wedding reception was in full effect. The entire ball room was packed full of tables and people. Despite the large amounts of chatting going on throughout the room, the music was still loud enough for everyone to hear. From the stage, Ember and her band were playing music that Vision has specifically picked out. Not even the free-spirited Ember had the guts to deviate from the list on Vision's wedding day. That was basically asking for an ass kicking.

Despite all the celebrating throughout the room, though, there was a bit of discourse. Roy Harper, or at least the clone of Roy Harper, stood in front of Danny. His eyes were still covered to protect his identity, but Danny still knew who it was.

Danny sighed, "Jeeze, Roy, can't you just enjoy the day? It's the wedding of two important family members to me, and despite what you think, I'm not doing Godfather favors for people."

"I've enjoyed enough days," Roy noted, "While the original Roy Harper has been locked away. I can't stand it anymore. I need to find him yesterday."

"Still…" Danny looked across the room, "Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

"No," Roy hissed, "It can't."

"Fine, fine, ruining today for me like an asshole," Danny gave Roy a deadpanned look, "I still don't have any info."

"You're lying!" Roy snapped.

"Stay quiet, idiot," Danny noticed as a few eyes were drawn to them, "And I'm not lying. The Light hasn't made any moves since the Sorcerer Initiative, and you know it. And I used up all the spies and secrets I had in the Light to stop that Initiative. So no, Roy, I'm not lying. There's literally no info for me to get."

"I know that you've still been communicating with them," Roy stated.

"Yeah, I have to keep up appearances with them," Danny explained, "And I can't do that by outright asking, 'Hey, is the original Roy Harper alive? And if so, where are you keeping him?' Yeah, that'd go over so well."

Roy looked over his shoulder to the table that he interrupted Danny from getting to, "And what about her?"

"She doesn't know," Danny quickly defended his girlfriend.

"Really? The person closest to Vandal Savage doesn't know where his most secretive projects are?" Roy's voice was laced with skepticism.

"No, she doesn't. I've asked, and I trust her," Danny felt the annoyance growing in the back of his mind.

"Well, you're the only one," Roy's eyes widened when Danny grabbed him by the collar.

Danny's eyes had a hardened look, "Be careful what you say. I would trust her with my life."

"Well, maybe your life doesn't mean as much as you think," Roy glared, "You're risking more than yourself by trusting her."

"And you're risking more than yourself with your obsessive quest to find a person that's probably dead. And after today, I may rethink my position of supporting it. I've funded your little game for years, provided you with all the information I can, and defended you when others criticized you because I understand the sensitivity when it comes to clones, but…" Danny got right in front of Roy's face, "You still don't have an ounce of real gratitude in your body. You still can't give me a break and always question my methods when it doesn't immediately get you what you want. Well, guess what. You're on your own now. Here."

Danny pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket and shoved it into Roy's chest, "That's this?"

"The last lead I've got right now. I was going to follow up on it starting tomorrow, but now it's your problem. I'm washing my hands of it," Danny growled.

Roy opened the piece of paper, "What's this? Cheshire? You expect me to work with her?"

"Like I said, it was only a lead. I wanted to get some more spies, but now she's your problem. Who knows, maybe she'll pull that pole out of your ass, and you'll actually get laid," Danny quickly brushed by Roy and made his way to his original destination, "Lord knows you need it."

As Danny slid into a seat next to Jenifer. Said woman gave him a questioning look, "What was that?"

"That was Roy being a little bastard as always, and me finally getting sick of it," Danny rubbed his temples to calm himself, "I'm done with it for now. Let's just enjoy ourselves while we can."

"While we can, huh?" Jenifer leaned her chin onto her palm and leaned forward onto the table. Her purple dress moving with her to emphasis the delicate frame of her body, "Happiness is fleeting. Today won't last forever...But we can extend it. Let's take a vacation."

"A vacation?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Jenifer smiled, "We both have been working too hard. Let's just tell everything to shove off for a week and go to a beach for a week."

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't think that will happen," Danny noted, "Even if Fenton could get away with that, Phantom couldn't. I have to help everyone deal with the Black Lanterns."

"Please, Vision and Vlad are going on their honeymoon for a week. Batman and the League is still pissed at you. The Green Lanterns and the Light won't be ready for a while. So why not? Let's take a week for ourselves and enjoy life."

Danny's face twisted in thought, "Hmm…A week to ourselves…You put up some good arguments. Alright, let's do it."

Jenifer giggled and leaned into Danny to enjoy their closeness, "I knew I could talk you into it."

"You are good at that," Danny noted, "I'm glad you came. Considering that this is Vlad's wedding…"

"I don't care about that," Jenifer noted, "I'm here because of you. Even if he's my birth father, that doesn't matter to me at all. And don't try to convince me otherwise."

"I don't plan to," Danny noted, "I just want to enjoy today."

"Good," Jen sighted in satisfaction. She then gasped as she felt Danny hand gently squeeze her thigh, "Oh…That kind of enjoyment."

"Yeah," Danny's smirk mirrored Jenifer's own signature mischievous smirk, "You know…The tablecloth does hide a lot…"

Joel silently slid into the seat next to Donna, ignoring the pained knowledge that the seat had been reserved for Jason, "Hey."

The Amazon looked over to the halfa. Heavy bags hug under her eyes giving her an exhausted look, even though her makeup and black dress made her look like the demi-goddess that she was, "Hello, Joel. How art thou doing this day?"

"As good as I can get, but I think I should be the one asking you that," Joel noted calmly.

Donna shook her head, "I have been trying to enjoy the festivities. This is the first wedding I have ever experienced after all, but all the romance in the air…it makes me long for Jason."

Joel silently nodded.

"Not that he was ever good at romance. He always was so awkward with expressing his feelings, but he did so in such an earnest way that I found it so endearing," Donna gave a fond smile at the memory, but it quickly faded, "Today, I'm sure that he would be trying to drag me out to the dance floor to show me his 'awesome dance moves' while constantly whispering how he would make the wedding even better."

"He might have even popped the question as a joke," Joel noted.

Donna hid a laugh, "Yes, then I would accept, and we would be engaged to his complete shock. My sister would have a heart attack, and my mother…Athena knows what my mother would do."

"I imagine that Jason would be trying to protect his manhood from her," Joel chuckled.

Donna nodded, "Indeed."

A silence fell between the two heroes, well as much silence that could occur at a wedding reception. Still, both of them remained quiet as the outside noise flooded around them. They allowed their memories of their fallen comrade to fill their thoughts.

"Tell me," Donna suddenly spoke, "How long does it take for the pain to fade? Losing someone thou loves like this with so much potential for the future…How long will this feeling last?"

Joel reached into his pocket to pull out Greta's silver necklace, "It's a slowly but surely thing. Eventually, the pain will recede into a fondness of their memory. But in the end, I still miss her every day. Just like I do Cujo and Jason. Just in a different way."

Donna slowly nodded, "So much death…Part of me expected it. As an Amazon, war and death has been preached to me like a near religion. But I find all this…as just too much. We are fighting a never ending war, and we keep losing our soldiers. And those are the best case scenarios. I mean, what purpose did Jason's death fulfill? There was no great sacrifice. It was all just chaos and madness."

"Some would argue that's life in a nutshell," Joel noted.

"That wasn't what I was led to believe," Donna's expression dropped forward, "And what makes it worse is the circumstance around it. He was betrayed by his mother. What absurdity. I was always taught that in Man's World's greatest corrupting factor was man, but the women seem to be just as cruel."

"Such is gender equality," Joel noted bitterly, "We're all equally terrible."

Donna just shook her head bitterly, "Man's…Human's World is such a frightening place. I know that's why we work to make it better, but the weight really gets to thee."

"It does," Joel's eyes dimmed in thought.

"I've…I've been thinking of returning to Themyscira. At least for a time," Donna mentioned, "I need to straighten things out in my head with some time off. I know people might call me a coward for abandoning the fight, but I need to find some part of myself that I'm missing. Get back to my roots and mature a bit if you will."

"I don't think it's cowardly. We all have a choice in this, Donna," Joel gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "If we keep fighting in this type of work simply out of obligation, we're likely to get ourselves killed."

"Then why do you keep doing this?" Joel and Donna's eyes snapped across the table to see that Cassandra had silently slid into her seat during the conversation.

"Excuse me?"

"You keep fighting, even though you detest violence? Why do you tempt yourself to lose yourself to the killer instinct? Why do you fight when the only thing you have to fight for is obligation?" Cassandra questioned.

"I…want to help bring peace…" Joel noted meekly.

"Peace is the time after war to prepare for the next one," Cassandra gave him a hard look, "Tell me, has any of this ever made you happy in the end? Do you feel like you're at peace with yourself?"

Joel slowly shook his head.

"I thought so. Look, this type of business was made for people like me," Cassandra looked to both of her friends, "But it's not for everyone. You know that. You just said it after all. Then why aren't you following your own advice?"

"My…my family needs my help," Joel said tersely, "Sure, I'd like to just get up and leave. Part of always wanted to travel the world, but they need me."

"So it is obligation," Cassandra shrugged, "That's fine, but I don't think that's the way for anyone to be happy, Joel. I don't think that's what anyone…your mother, Greta, Cujo, Jason…would want."

"Come on!" Dani giggled as she dragged Victor onto the dance floor. Said mechanical man looked reluctant to do so to the point that he nearly tugged his collar off in nervousness.

"I, um, I'm not the best dancer, Dani," Victor stated even as he gently laid his metal hands on her delicate hips.

"Don't worry," Dani gave a mischievous smile, "I got some tough toes."

With that, she used her considerable strength to begin to move the larger man. Despite Victor's nervousness and tendency to look down at his feet, he quickly got used to the beat of the song that was ringing out through the room. The two of them smiled as they swiftly moved across the dance floor. Victor's smile fell, though, when his metal foot stepped onto Dani's own artificial limb causing a large clang of metal meeting metal to sound out.

"Oh, damn, I'm sorry," Victor immediately apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Dani's grin never dropped, "Not like I felt it."

Victor's face twisted into a strange conflicted look, "Does it ever bother you?"

"Sometimes, I do miss feeling the grass between my toes," Dani admitted, still forcing Victor to move to the song, "But I don't regret what I gave it up for. Does it bother you?"

"No, of course not," Victor sighed even as he continued to spin gently with the music, "But that part of you that's missing…That's most of me you know. I just…It doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to. But I'm worried. I'm not fully a man. I don't know…"

"Let me stop you there," Dani gently interrupted the man, "Victor, you have stuck by my family before you could even fought. And the moment you could make a difference, you plunged headfirst into our complicated shit. Without you, hundreds of more ghosts would have died from Morgan le Fey's attack. If you weren't there, Nyx might not have been saved. When I was taken by Brother Blood, you took charge and helped save me. In my opinion, Vic, you're all man."

Victor's face lit up with a light blush, "Geeze, do you have to say it like that…"

"Hahahaha!" Dani laughed at his bashfulness, "You're such a boy scout. I'm surprised that Nyx has never pointed that out when she learned that we were dating."

"I'm sure she thought it," Victor mentioned.

"Yeah," Dani looked across the room to her friends all sitting at the same table, "It's been a wild ride. But we're all together again, aren't we? Just like the old days."

Victor looked to them as well, "Yeah. Damn, who would have thought that things would have gone this way four years ago? We went from being a couple of kids playing in the park to some of the best superheroes around."

"That's the way to think," Dani encouraged, "We're the best. Nothing can stop us now."

"It does feel that way, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Dani gave the most serene smile of her life, "My friends all back together. I'm so happy. I'll remember this forever."

"Torch! Torch, please!" Dora blushed as Torch tried to persuade her to dance, "You know that I only know how to dance classically."

"Torch knows…" Torch grinned as the music suddenly slowed down to a more formal version of music, "And Torch knows the song schedule."

Dora hid a giggle behind her hand, "The perks of having your sister as the head musician, no?"

"Indeed," Torch guided her away from the table and began to guide her into a waltz.

Dora blinked as they smoothly glided across the dancefloor, "I didn't know you could dance so well."

"Torch can't," Torch winked over to Ember who returned the gesture, "Luckily, Ellie's powers let her control Torch's movements to the beat of the song."

"That's quite handy," Dora gave him a pleased look, "I'm happy that you and your sister have managed to work things out."

"Torch is too. He missed having her around," Torch chuckled, "We were inseparable as kids, you know. Thick as thieves in life. Not so much in death. Things have changed, though. With Dad finally dealt with once and for all, Torch can finally stop worrying about keeping his family secrets."

This caused Dora's expression to drop, "Yes, the death of a complicated and burdensome family member does make things easier."

"Ah, Torch almost forgot," Torch nodded slowly, "Your brother. With you being Doctor Fate and all, you really never had the chance to get closure with him."

Dora sighed, "Indeed. I don't regret my time with Nabu. I experienced many things that have broadened my horizons, but still…my brother was always in the back of my mind."

"Family tends to linger in our minds," Torch noted, "Torch is willing to help you the best he can."

"I know, but let's think about that later. We will have to deal with the Black Lanterns soon enough. Let us enjoy the moment where Torch can actually dance."

"No arguments from Torch's end."

Tula gave a small smile as she saw her friend approach the table. Despite Nightwing's pep talk the minute before, she still felt the nervousness flutter through her stomach, "H-Hi, Barbara. How are you—Stupid question…"

Barbara shook her head. She used her strong arms to maneuver her wheelchair to the open spot at the table, "You don't need to be nervous, Tula. It's still me."

"I-I know, but I am not used to dry land customs for addressing such situations," Tula rubbed her hands together nervously.

"Most people try to dance around the topic, but I'd prefer if we just got it out of the way," Barbara's eyes swept across the table where the more senior members of Young Justice looked on, "I'm crippled. No more walking. End of story. Let's move on."

Miss Martian was frowning, "But can't we use magic to help you heal?"

Barbara shook her head, "Trust me, I've looked into it for a month straight. Besides for some sacrifice rituals involving trading my soul or some virgins, and I'm sure as hell not doing that, there's nothing. And before anyone asks, I've also been talking about it for a month, so I need a change in topic. So please, let's talk about anything else. Conner, how are Wolf and Sphere doing?"

Conner coughed into his hand, "They, um, are fine now. Wolf's injuries are all healed up, and whatever Trigon's presence did to Sphere's circuitry seems to have cleared up."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Everyone just looked straight ahead until Raquel spoke up, "Hey, Barb, I don't think you met Noble. Say hi, Noble."

Said man quickly jolted out of his stupor. He was a rather thin man with squared glasses. The chocolate skin of his brow seemed marred from worry of things that extended far past Barbara's new crippled state, "Hello, It's nice to meet you, Batgirl…err, Barbara. Which one would you prefer?"

"I think we all should get used to calling me Barbara instead of Batgirl," Barbara bit her lip at the thought.

"Oh, yes, I…I didn't consider…" Noble's eyes drifted across the table, "So, Raquel has told me a lot about you all. Kryptonian. Martian. Atlantian. So many different cultures. What are those like?"

Superboy snorted, "Krypton was gone long before I was around. Kal El has taught me some things from his space archive, but I'm not the best person to explain it."

"And I haven't been back to Mars in years," M'gann said not wanting to drift into the topic of how she was often discriminated against on her own planet for being a White Martian, "But what about you three? How is Atlantis doing?"

"Everything is stable," Garth stated immediately, "With the help of the yeti ghosts, our border is secure, and our people are quickly recovering from the Sorcerer Initiative."

Nightwing tried to ignore the odd quickness to the response, "That's good. And how is Aquaman doing? Tula, you were in charge of his healing and rehab, right?"

"Yes," Tula nodded, "He has recovered back to near perfect health—"

"With a still missing hand, of course."

Everyone's eyes snapped to the new voice. The Atlantians quickly stood, "Your majesty."

Aquaman quickly waved them down, but Kaldur still continued, "We are sorry to be talking about you behind your back. They were just curious about your health."

"I understand. Do not worry, I am not angry," Aquaman gave a tired smile, "I just came by because I wanted to have a word with Kaldur if I may."

"Of course, my king," Kaldur quickly moved to follow his king. As he moved away, he heard Conner mention that they couldn't get away from they just couldn't get away from the awkwardness. The Atlantian found himself agreeing with the clone.

Kaldur followed his king out of the reception and into the hallway. Once they moved far enough away that they could only barely hear the music, Aquaman stopped his walk. Stopping as well, Kaldur stood patiently for the older Atlantian to say something.

"Kaldur…" Aquaman did not turn, "The reason I wanted to talk to you is a personal one, and I do not know how to address it?"

"Is it about the Queen, sir?" Kaldur questioned, "Has the wedding not cheered her up as you had hoped?"

"Unfortunately not," Aquaman let out a sigh, "She started talking again. That is something at the very least, but that is not what I felt the need to address."

"You do not have to force yourself, my king," Kaldur saluted the Leaguer, "We can postpone this if you wish."

"No, no, I have postponed this for far too long," Aquaman turned to give Kaldur the most despair filled look that he had ever see the king make, "With everything going the way it has, I will need to rely on you more than ever. I trust you with everything…except one truth. And it is not fair for me to hide this anymore. Perhaps this would have been better with your parents around, but I need to do this know before my courage slips once more."

"My king, I do not understand," Kaldur's eyebrows arched down in confusion.

"I do not wish to break the trust that you have given me for so long, but it must be done for the sake of Atlantis," Aquaman took a deep breath, "Kaldur…For all your life, we have lied to you about your lineage."

"W-what?"

"You…you are adopted," Aquaman took in Kaldur's shocked expression, "Your real parents…well…Your father is…Black Manta."

It was at that moment that Kaldur's entire world shattered before him.

"I see…" Zatanna noted as she frowned down at her hands on the lap beneath the table. Her hands clenched at her silver dress, "That's…that's a lot to take in."

"Considering that I know your secret, I thought it would be best if I didn't lie to you," Youngblood responded.

"I…Thank you for trusting me like this," Zatanna was incredibly pale, "I know that it was wrong of me to ask—"

"No, I brought it up first back at Brother Blood's church anyway. Besides…" Youngblood quickly interrupted her, "I've kept this a secret for so long…it feels good to tell someone the full truth for once."

"Rack!" Polly cried from the ghost's shoulder, "This is a make, and you know it."

"Someone has to know," Youngblood hissed over at him, "If we're forced to break the seal one last time, someone has to be able to warn our friends. Especially Dani. If Mom ever found out about her…"

Polly was silent at that.

"That…That kind of blows my secret out of the water," Zatanna chuckled, "At the least…it does make me feel better about my life."

"It should," Youngblood agreed, "You can't let what Klarion did to you stop you from doing what you want with your life. Unlike me, you're free to choose whatever you want. If you eventually do want kids, there are other ways to make it happen. Hell, technology might even advance enough to help heal what you lost. You have a bright future. Don't forget that."

"I won't," Zatanna nodded, "And if…if worst comes to worst, I'll make sure to warn everyone. Thorn will be dealt with before she can go on her rampage."

"Thank you," Youngblood smiled at her, "And possibly goodbye, miss magician. I'm glad I could meet someone that kept onto the joy of childhood for so long. I'll let you get back to your date."

"Yeah," Zatanna looked over to see Constantine at the bar, "He's likely to get a buzz going and embarrass himself if I don't stop him."

"We wouldn't want that," Youngblood chuckled as he turned to float away. The thoughts of the burly Brit drunkenly doing magic pallor tricks greatly amused him.

"Before you go," Zatanna stopped him before he flew too far way, "As a piece of advice in case the Black Lantern thing does force you to break the seal again, I would suggest not ripping up that letter in your coat. Give it to her. At least you'll get closure, then."

"Closure…" Youngblood nodded and began to float back to his table once more, "That sounds nice."

As he floated back to his table, Youngblood was immediately addressed by Nyx, "What'd Sabrina want with ya?"

"It had to do with what happen with Brother Blood and Lust," Youngblood slid into his seat, "It's a personal thing."

Nyx nodded at that. Her more biting side wanted to press forward, but considering her own situation with brain control, she decided against it, "Yeah, I hear ya. That reminds me, though, how are your brothers doing, Gloom and Doom? Last I heard, they were being observed at a hospital."

Rachel gave a small smile, "They're doing well. In fact, it seems like Father influenced them more than we thought. They don't remember anything. With Trigon's sins removed, they're surprisingly normal people."

"So…They don't remember anything they did?" Youngblood blinked at her.

"No. Everything's a big blur to them. They don't have a trace of demon in them anymore and don't even remember who Trigon was. They were probably some of his biggest victims in all this."

"So, you going to stay in touch?" Nyx leaned in to question the demi-demon.

"No, they don't even know that I'm their sister," Rachel's expression fell a bit, "Hanging around them…telling them what happened would devastate them. I don't want to put that guilt on them. Better just to let them normal lives."

"Can you live with that? I mean, they are your family," Youngblood noted.

"Yeah, but I have to do what's best for them. Not what's best for me," Rachel explained.

Nyx and Youngblood both nodded at that. Both were very aware of the danger of burdening family like that. Deciding to let the topic drop, they all turned back to watch the scene that they had been looking at before Zatanna approached the table. Dani and Victor were still moving joyfully across the dance floor. They seemed really happy.

All three of the friends smiled at the scene, happy for their friends. Youngblood's smile quickly dropped, however. He looked over to Nyx, then out to Dani. His chest tightened as he looked at her, knowing how blissfully ignorant she was to the feelings of those watching her dance with her boyfriend. Slipping his one real hand into his pocket, Youngblood fingered the letter that seemed to weigh him down even more now that Zatanna had spoken with him.

Slowly, he removed his hand from his pocket and left the letter where it rested. This was best for Dani, even if it burdened Youngblood even more than he was before he met the female halfa. Ignorance was bliss, and he couldn't take that bliss away from Dani.

Colossus reared his head back in laughter. Unlike the other people in the room, he had forgone a chair and was instead sitting on the floor. Even then, he still towered over everyone else, "AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I can't remember the last time we had a celebration like this!"

"That's because you got drunk off your ass," Pandora noted as she took a sip of her class of wine.

"Oh, right! AHAHAHAHAHA!" Colossus brought up a jug of whiskey and began to take deep gulps.

Frostbite shook his head, but he had a small smile on his face, "You never change old friend. At least we have that to rely on. Especially in these last few years of rapid change. Who would have thought that all this would happen? I know that Scribe…"

The table went silent for a moment but the bride herself would not allow that, "None of that now. The Ghost Writer would not have wanted us to mourn him anymore. Instead, let's remember him for the good times."

"You mean the times were we tried to drag him out of his library so he could actually do something," The Fright Knight's gruff voice came out in a drawl snicker.

"Hmm…" Colossus stroked his chin in thought, "He never did fight with me. That's something he passed onto his apprentice. I'm surprised you didn't invite the boy, Vision."

Vlad, who had remained silent as the others remembered their old friend, decided to speak up, "We tried, but it seems as though Poindexter has disappeared completely."

Pandora shrugged, "Scribe did that from time to time as well. I'm sure that he'll show up again."

"Do you think it has anything to do with Jester's mirror?" Frostbite questioned, "From what I heard from the Superboy, the voice and powers that came from the mirror was a lot like Jester himself."

"Jester…what was he like exactly?" Vlad questioned, "You hardly speak of him."

"He was our brother in everything. Out of all of us, he was the only one ever filled with joy. He delighted in making others happy. Perhaps that's the reason he's the only one that's ascended out of all of us," Fright Knight suggest, "But despite his namesake, he was no fool. Perhaps he did place a bit of himself into the Mirror of Memories and hid that bit away until it was needed."

Pandora nodded, "That's as sound of an argument as any. Perhaps that's why he hid the mirror in the first place."

"Damn, I just realized that I outlived both Scribe and Jester," Colossus's brow raised in shock, "I never really thought about it until now. I was sure that I'd be the first to go. I was always aged the oldest, and nowadays, I need a nap after every fight."

"And it was those two. The most peaceful out of all of us," Frostbite mentioned, "Whoever would have thought."

"I do wish they could have been to the wedding," Vision let out a small sigh, "Jester would have put on such a show, and the Ghost Writer would have described the event with such elegancy.'

"Don't fret, my dear," Vlad gently held his new bride, "I'm sure that their memory and the memory of this day will be remembered for a long time. And I might not have known one of them, but from I've heard, they would have loved this event."

"Here, here," The Fright Knight slammed a fist on the table in agreement.

"Let us drink," Pandora raised her class, "To Jester. To Scribe. And especially to the newlywed couple. May your love burn forever."

"I'll drink to that!" Colossus raised his jug again and poured the liquid down his throat.

"Colossus! Go easy on that!" Frostbite warned, "We want you to have some memory of this day."

"No, let him drink," Vision's eyes twinkled, "Perhaps if he gets drunk enough, we could get him to dance."

"My lovely Vision, I do believe you have had enough champagne," Vlad teased, "You know that if Colossus tried that, the entire place would come down."

"That's why we'll save for when we're about to leave," Vision smiled, "We'll end the reception with a bang. After all, my wedding day can't finish without something getting destroyed. It's just not in our ghostly nature."

As the table was filled with laughter, all the ghosts lifted up their drinks and drank in both celebration and remembrance. The only exception was the Fright Knight, who prided himself on staying on constant alert. As such, he was the only one to notice when Joel slipped away from his own table and out the door.

"My apologies, but I'm not sure I understand the technicalities of it all. It goes over my head…" Amorpho calmly floated next to a table. His shade covered eyes took in sight of what was perhaps the most 'normal' group at the wedding.

Silas chuckled, "I suppose it would I barely understand it myself. But after the le Fey attack, we were pressured to start developing a way to prevent unsanctioned travel between the human world and Ghost Zone. The Dimensional Stabalizer does that. It basically sows the random portals that pop up between our worlds shut."

Amorpho gave a displeased grunt, "I don't know if I like the idea of my movements being limited and monitored like that."

"We only plan to use it for emergencies like with le Fey and Trigon," Nicolai noted, "But if people like G. Gordon Godfrey had their way, we would make it permanent."

"I see…"

"Please, boys," Elinore sighed as her eyes drifted away from her son dancing with his girlfriend to the men at their table, "Do we absolutely need to talk about work today?"

"Especially for the people at this table who don't particularly care about your projects," Harriet lifted her glass of champagne to her lips, "Can we talk about anything else?"

Damon chuckled with an amused tone, "And what exactly would we talk about at a wedding for two ghosts?"

Harriet blinked and chugged her glass of champagne, "I have absolutely no idea. God, when did my life become consumed by this stuff? I used to live a normal life."

"Normal is boring," Amorpho argued, "If you ever tried to leave this type of life, you would realize how much you missed the extraordinary. Trust me on that."

Artemis and Wally slid into the seats across from Jenifer. Said woman was slowly dipping strawberries into chocolate she collected from the buffet's chocolate fountain. Each bite she took, she gave a small squeak of satisfaction.

"Hey, Jinx…Jenifer," Artemis corrected herself, "Have you seen Danny? We need to talk with him."

"He went to the bathroom," Jenifer noted. A small blush covered her features.

"Oh," Wally nodded, "Well, we can wait."

"It might be a while," Jenifer savored the taste of sweetness in her mouth.

"Well…It would give us time to apologize. Yes, us, Kid Mouth," Artemis elbowed her boyfriend before he could speak up, "We didn't exactly treat you right during the whole Trigon thing."

"Hmm…" Jenifer had a blissful look on her face.

"Sorry for not trusting you," Wally let out a sigh, "We know that at the very least, you care about Danny. That's something obvious to even me."

"It's, uh…It's okay…" Jenifer bit her lip.

"No, it's not," Artemis shook her head, "I should know better. With my family, I shouldn't be judging anyone. If you want to be with Danny, we're willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. You won't willingly hurt him."

"T-thanks…" Jenifer's face was even redder now.

"Of course, we might have to work on things to trust you on missions or things like that, but we're willing to try," Wally smiled at her.

"Y-yeah that would be…" Jenifer trembled, "That would be, oh God…awesome."

To Artemis and Wally's confusion, Jenifer stopped shaking and took a deep breath. They shared a look and were about to ask what was wrong when Danny slid into his seat. To their shock, though, he didn't come from the bathroom. No, he slid up from beneath the tablecloth. Both of Artemis and Wally instantly became a shade paler.

Danny licked his lips, "Thanks you two. I was really worried that you would never trust Jen at all. Good to see you coming around."

Wally let out a snort, "Really, Bro? You have to word it like that?"

Danny's grin was obviously the answer.

Artemis coughed, "Well, uh…Turnaround's fair play I guess. You have covered for us before…or a lot. Can we consider everything even?"

"Totally…" Jenifer leaned back in her chair. A satisfied smile graced her lips as she turned to Danny, "You were right. Chocolate does make everything better."

Danny's grin only grew. He looked to Wally, "So what you'd want to talk about?"

"What I wanted to…Oh!" Wally nodded, "It was about the Speed Force. I was hoping that we could talk about running more tests so I could try to get it working again. If I could get it going again at will, we'd have a huge one up on the enemy."

"Yeah, we'll work on it," Danny agreed, "But let's worry about that later. Right now, I really just want to enjoy the day."

"We can tell," Artemis rolled her eyes. She stood and moved to pull Wally up as well, "Come on, Wally. After this, I need my vibrator."

Danny scoffed, "I could have lived a happy life never knowing that."

"Well that's what you get~" Artemis gave him a sly look as they walked away, "Next time, you should find some place at least a little private like us."

When they were gone, Jenifer turned to Danny, "I feel bad for them. Looking down on us…They'll never know that rush…" Jenifer paused. As her high began to come down, her mind suddenly realized something was missing. She suddenly moved her hips a bit, "Hey, did you steal my panties?"

"Yep."

"Idiot, I'm wearing a dress. What if something happens and my skirt comes up."

"I thought you liked the rush of being caught doing something wrong."

"That's not the point."

"Oh, Jen, don't lie," Danny smiled, "That's always been the point."

The Fright Knight took audible steps as he made his way to Joel who stood at the side of the building. Said halfa was leaning against the building staring into the swirling void that was the Ghost Zone. Fright Knight called out to the teen to get his attention, "Joel."

Joel's sharp eyes snapped to full ghost, "Fright Knight, what are you doing out here?"

"I thought that I could use some air," Fright Knight explained as he stepped beside the halfa, "What about you? What has you so upset?"

"I'm not upset," Joel sighed and turned back the swirling void, "I'm just thinking, you know, about everything. Why I keep fighting when I don't really want to. Even after all this time...All the people that we lost even if I fought my hardest…It's disheartening. I don't know if I can keep doing it."

"Then perhaps you should take a break," Fright Knight suggested, "I know that Lord Phantom and Lady Spirit would support it. After everything you've gone through, a few months of clearing your head might do you some good."

"I want to, but…I don't feel like I can yet," Joel noted, "Something in my gut says that I need to harden my heart for just a bit more. Besides, I can't just walk away. If I'm not around to get my ecto boosts to keep me stable, I'll dissolve in a few days."

Fright Knight fingered the blade that he still had hanging by his side, "Perhaps there will be a way soon enough. You never know what the king is working on. Perhaps he will find a way to stabilize you for good."

"Maybe," Joel agreed, "But I don't think I should get my hopes up. Doing that always leads to disappointment…"

Out of the corner of his eye, the Fright Knight saw a few of the young people on his king's Team walking around the building, "Perhaps we should take a walk and continue this talk, young knight. You can tell me more of your perspective on these matters, and how you are dealing with the Boy Wonder's passing."

Also seeing Mal and Karin nearby, Joel nodded, "Yeah, I'd like that."

As they moved away, Mal and Karin continued the conversation they were having, not even noticing as the ghosts went in the opposite direction. The anger flashing on Karin's face made drew both of their focus away from everything else, "Mal, you need to tell me what's wrong. You've barely been talking to me for a month."

Mal rubbed the back of his head, "Babe, I'm sorry…I've just been thinking."

"About what?" Worry flashed through Karin's chest, "About us? Do you want to…break up?"

Mal's eyes widened, "What? No. I love you. It has nothing to do our relationship. I guess I'm just not used to being so useless."

"Useless? You're not useless," Karin argued.

"Really? I seemed pretty useless when you were captured by a crazy cult," Mal shook his head, "I couldn't do anything, and it sucks."

"Everything worked out," Karin said with a terse tone, "We all contribute in different ways, Mal. I mean, my suit lets me shrink. I wasn't able to do anything against Trigon, but that didn't stop me from contributing in a different way."

"But I feel like I should have a different role than I do," Mal rubbed his temple to prevent a headache, "I feel like I need to do something…more. I don't know what, but there's something. I just need some time to find it. To think. Can you give me that?"

Karin sighed, "Fine. Take all the time you need to…think. I'm just going to go back inside and enjoy some of the buffet."

"Are you mad?" Mal questioned.

Karin glared at him, "I'm not mad."

"You look mad."

"I'm not mad," Karin hissed. She took a calming breath, "I'm just not used to you acting so wishy washy. Come find me when you're willing to talk instead of think."

Giving Mal one last look, Karin turned and walked away. Mal watched her go feeling a large pit in his stomach. He had really been ignoring Karin for the past month. It wasn't done out of malice. No, he was just distracted by his growing insecurities and the possibility of change brought by the book left to him from Poindexter.

Reaching into his jacket, Mal pulled out the book and a pen. Opening it, he began to write, 'I'm tired of this. You need to tell me about the horn now.'

Mal had to wait a minute before he got his response.

Yes. You're right. I'm sorry for postponing this for so long, but I had to wait for the right time.

'Right time for what?'

For you to see the greater picture. With the end near, I don't have the time to teach you anymore. Are you ready?

'Yes. I'm ready.'

Are you sure? There's no going back from this.

'I'm sure. Tell me the truth.'

There is no tell. I can only show.

To Mal's shock, a hand popped out from the book. It grabbed him by the face and pulled him into the book. In a blast of light, Mal's massive form was pulled straight through the pages. Then, the book seemed to collapse into itself, leaving no trace of anything behind and no witnesses who saw what happened.

Mary bowed her head to the Box Ghost, "I-I don't think that we've properly met. I'm Mary, and I…I kind of knocked your eye out…"

"I'll take my part of the blame," Freddy grimaced and looked away, "We were really inexperience in our powers…which we don't have anymore, so beating us up would be like kicking a three legged puppy."

Box Ghost chuckled. He held a fidgety Box Lunch in his arm. Said little girl was trying to reach out to play with the food on the table but was held back because her father didn't want her to get her white dress dirty, "Don't worry. I'm glad that you stopped me. Who knows what would have happened if you heroes hadn't been there to stop me and save my family. That reminds me, we should go thank Zatanna again…Dear?"

"Look at that…" Lunch Lady was glaring at the buffet table, "All the fruits and vegetables…not enough meat…"

"Cheese cubes!" Box Lunch giggled as she pointed down at the plate in front of her.

Box Ghost sighed, "On second thought about saving the family things…Kidding, kidding."

Freddy gave a small smile, "Well, I'm glad you're so cool about it. Considering the stories I've heard…"

"Being a dad changes you, kid," Box Ghost laughed, "I don't go around telling people to 'beware' anymore."

"Beware!" Box Lunch clapped her hands, "I love bewares! Do it again, daddy!"

Box Ghost got right up to her, "Beware."

"Yeah!"

From across the table, Johnny smiled at the scene. It was oddly uplifting to him for some reason, even if his chest felt tighter. Beside him, Kitty's fingers began to twitch. She leaned into to whisper in his ear, "That seems…familiar."

"Really? I don't think so. It's sweet and makes me feel…" Johnny paused as he assessed the feelings in his chest, "Wanting? Is that a feeling? Like I'm missing something…"

Kitty nodded as she watched the little girl play with her father. No noticed as her hands slid beneath the table, and she began to clench and unclench her hands. Oddly enough, the wood above her fingers gained small gashes every time her fingers twitched.

Jenifer hummed as she exited her bathroom stall and made her way to the sink. She kept her satisfied smile firmly in place as she began to lather her hands, "No use hiding. I know you're there."

Ember stepped around the corner leading to the door and leaned against the wall, "Hey there, Jenifer. Long time no argue."

"Shouldn't you be on stage, pop star?" Jenifer still hadn't looked up. Her eyes were focused solely on rinsing the soap off her hands.

"Even rock stars need bathroom breaks," Ember's eyes never left Jenifer's smiling face.

Jennifer giggled and turned off the water, "Oh? And do they also wait until their old flame's current girlfriend's alone to decide to take their bathroom breaks?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Ember's words came out as dull droll.

"I'm sure," Jenifer happily dried her hands, "What did you want exactly? I don't think Vision would appreciate you starting a fight today."

"Trust me, I know," Ember examined her nails, "That's why I won't fight you today. I'm here to give you a warning."

"Again? How many people do I have to get warnings from," Jenifer shook her head in amusement. Turning to the ghost, she placed a hand on her hip and smiled, "Danny's a big boy. He can make his own decisions. And trust me, he's made his decision already today."

Ember examined the satisfaction in Jenifer's eyes, "I can see that. But I'm not warning you to not hurt Danny. I already did that with Valerie a long time ago. That's because I saw her as someone that Danny could be with for the rest of their lives. Danny would grow more and more attached to her over time. You, though, I don't believe that for a second."

Suddenly, Jenifer's expression, "Excuse me?"

"You and Danny have a shelf life," Ember's eyes shined with amusement, "It's common sense. That's why everyone's giving you warnings. That ship has already sailed though. You are going to cause Danny pain, because I can see it in your eyes. You're a person that delights in evil, and if that hasn't died down after knowing Danny for years, then it won't ever change. And when either Danny or you finally admit it, which will be soon, then it will be over. Love between justice and evil doesn't work."

A sudden twist in Jinx's expression made Ember blink, "Oh my God…Pshhahahahahahahaa! You…you actually believe that you can drag Danny down to your level, don't you? Your mission hasn't change in all the years you've known him. Oh, oh Lord, that's hilarious…I can't breathe…"

Jenifer got right in Ember's face, "Shut your mouth."

"Girl, you are really deluded," Ember shook her head, "Don't worry, I won't talk to Danny or anyone about this at all. I know how it will look. Me being his ex after all. Instead, I'll just watch you crash and burn."

"Then why did you say that this was a warning?" Jenifer questioned.

"Easy," Ember pushed Jenifer back and made her way back to the door. Looking back she flashed one large smile, "I plan to make a move when you ultimately break up. I thought I'd be polite and give you a heads up."

"You broke up years ago. Danny moved on. Why haven't you?" Accusation dripped from Jenifer's voice.

"I did because my obsession was set. Now, though…things have changed. I learned about my past and kept my sanity. That means I'm now one of the few ghosts strong enough to change what I want," Now it was Ember's turn to look satisfied, "If Val was still alive, I never would have thought about going back to Danny, cause she made him happy. But if he's going to be single soon…Well, we were a good match before. We supported each other. The only thing that separated us was our obsessions. With that problem out of the way...why not have my cake and eat it too?"

Danny silently stood. Seeing that Jenifer had returned from the bathroom and Ember was still taking a break, it was as good as a time of any for this. Raising his glass, he loudly tapped it with a spoon to get everyone to turn their attention to him, "Alright. As best man, it's my job to give a toast, isn't it? Don't worry, Vlad. I'll only embarrass you a little bit."

Chuckles spread through the room.

"When I first met Vlad, he was a fruit loop—"

"You said only a little bit, Daniel."

"Don't worry. I won't go into the details," Danny waved him off, "We were enemies and fought a lot. Things change, though, and now we're good friends. We've both evolved from who we were, and I think that's the whole point. Who we are now is not exactly who we were before because we all help make each other better. And no two people make each other better than Vlad and Vision."

Said newlywed couple reached over and clutched each other's hands.

"You two are both controlling, manipulative, and a bit too proud for your own good, but you keep each other in check," Danny's grin grew, "Hell, you make the other actually tolerable people, and that's saying something."

Another round of chuckles sounded out through the room.

"Joking aside, though," Danny stated when the chuckles died down, "Vlad, Vision, I love the both of you, and I'm happy that you met each other. I've never met people who naturally clicked like you. I wish only happiness for the two of you," Danny raised his glass, "To Vlad and Vision!"

Everyone cheered and raised their classes as well. For the happy couple, the day had been perfect. Surrounded by friends and family they never thought they'd have, the two of them felt like the future was incredibly bright.

Everything about that day was just perfect for me. After so much suffering, that was my reprieve. Even as we remembered who was lost in that past year, we looked forward toward the possibility of the future. Life seemed to be filled everywhere, and the possibilities were so bright that we were blinded to the darkness that creeped right at our feet.

Such day of joy…The last day of joy…God, how often have I relived that day in my head? I lost count over the years. It's one of the few things that kept me going through the years. Mom…Dad…I love you both so much…I miss you…

No. Not just them. Everyone. I remember all of their faces. My family and friends. That was the last time we were all together, wasn't it? It was the last day any bit of my childhood and cheer was still alive, because the worst event in human history was waiting on the doorstep of the very next day.

The End…The final chapter of the Phantom Family…Earth's Blackest Night…It was finally there. Nekron was ready to move, but he gave that last day of great joy just so that he could steal that joy away. Personally, I don't know just how much he planned ahead, but in the end, it seemed like he knew everything that would happen, because…

The destruction of Hope, Cheer, and Endurance was all signaled at the end of that wedding. It had nothing to do with what any of my family or even Nekron did. No, the signal was caused by another outside force.

The opening of two sleeping eyes.

-From the personal memoirs of Danielle Masters

Deep within the Ghost Zone's medical facility, various robed ghosts were moving around checking the various machines and charts. Everything was calm as they moved around the various medical tubes that contained different ghosts. Oddly enough, though, the ghosts seemed to be slowing down. None of them noticed as their movements became more and more sluggish until they were all frozen.

Not only were the ghosts influenced by this strange phenomenon, the machines were affected as well. The sound was silenced as the machine's reading froze in place. Even the liquid inside the tubes holding the injured ghosts became completely immobile. It was almost like someone pressed the pause button on life.

Suddenly, one of the tubes shattered. Glass scattered across the room. The liquid in the healing tube spilled out and onto the floor. Nevertheless, the being inside the tube did not fall. He continued to float calmly in the now broken move. Like the other ghosts, he remained completely immobile like he was effected by the pause button as well. All that changed, though, when deep crimson eyes snapped open.

Clockwork was finally awake once more.