"Did Raven really do this to you?" Diana asked, her tone steady but firm as she pushed Sarah's wheelchair a away from the doorway.
Sarah remained silent, her eyes vacant, staring off as though her mind had wandered somewhere else entirely. The silence stretched, and Diana's frown deepened. Part of her expected Sarah to suddenly lash out, but another part knew she wouldn't—not with Alex standing just behind them.
"…He wants me to prove his love," Sarah finally whispered, her voice slow and almost dreamy. "He's scared, so he's pretending he doesn't know me…"
Her expression shifted as though a revelation had struck, leaving her strangely enlightened.
"I don't think that's it," Diana said calmly.
Her words made Sarah's head snap toward her, ignoring the sharp crack of her injured neck. The motion alone should have left her in agony, but Sarah didn't even flinch. Love—or at least her twisted version of it—overrode everything else. Still, the sight made Diana's own neck ache in sympathy, the illusion of that pain crawling down her spine, though Sarah herself seemed untouched by it.
"Maybe after going through two breakups in such a short time, Alex wants nothing to do with love," Diana continued lightly. "You both put him through the worst pain he's ever felt. So how about you give him time to breathe instead of forcing him? Push too hard, and you might just make him hate you."
"You're just trying to sleep with him," Sarah spat, her eyes burning with raw killing intent.
Diana didn't flinch. Her voice remained steady, calm, almost measured. "You don't even believe that yourself. Alex got into serious trouble, and that's why he's staying at my place—for his protection. Someone already tried to take his life. He's going through more than you realize. If you truly loved him, you'd be smart about this. You wouldn't force something that isn't ready. Push him now, and you'll only make him hate you."
She leaned forward slightly, her tone sharpening. "And worse, you might get him fired if your actions interfere with his work." Of course, Diana had no intention of firing Alex—but if fear was the only way to make Sarah back down, then she was willing to let her think it.
"…You don't understand. We're meant to be together," Sarah said softly, her voice trembling with conviction.
Diana let out a quiet sigh, her patience steady but thinning. She wasn't trying to break Sarah—she was trying to save her. Yet the girl was walking a path that looked far too much like courting death.
"Then it will happen naturally," Diana replied evenly. "But right now, your actions look a lot like you're trying to force it. Give Alex time to heal, time to forget bad. Once the bad memories are replaced with better ones of you, do you know who he'll call first?"
Sarah's eyes widened, brightening with sudden understanding,
"He would call you—because you're the one he's spent the most time with. That bond should be special, so trust him. It might take a few months, maybe even a few years, but in the end, I'm rooting for you two. After all, boys always come back. You just have to let them make the first move. Otherwise, you'll look desperate—and guys don't value desperate girls."
Sarah nodded slowly, her eyes glimmering with newfound understanding.
In truth, Diana had no idea what she was saying. She was simply spinning words, crafting whatever would ensure Sarah never set foot on her doorstep again—or trouble Alex. Besides, with Sarah so injured, Diana doubted she could run anywhere, let alone cause chaos. With that thought, Diana reached out mentally, contacting Martian Manhunter and the others, instructing them to move in.
"Diana, we'll handle it from here," came a firm voice from above.
Raising her eyes, Diana saw Wonder Woman descending from the sky. Of course It was Martian Manhunter in disguise. She gave a small nod, then turned her gaze to where Superman and the Flash had already positioned themselves, surrounding Sarah on all sides. Sarah's eyes widened, panic flickering across her battered features as she realized she was trapped.
'Batman said to act like you're defending her,' Martian Manhunter's voice echoed directly in Diana's head. 'That way, she'll leave with a good impression of you.'
Diana frowned faintly. She didn't enjoy these manipulative games. Still, Batman had a point. If Sarah believed she had been abandoned outright, her resentment could grow—and should she ever escape, her first act might be to come after Diana.
"She did nothing wrong. She just came to apologize to Alex," Diana said firmly, her voice carrying both authority and gentleness. She placed her palm on Sarah's shoulder, the gesture soft yet grounding. Sarah, who had been ready to lash out, froze under the touch. How could she fight back now? The warmth of Diana's hand disarmed her completely, leaving her no room to act. Fear gnawed at her too—the thought that any misstep might somehow make its way back to Alex kept her still, silent in her chair.
"Diana, this is a matter for the Justice League," Wonder Woman said sharply. "We need to bring her in for questioning about Raven. Your task is to return to protecting Alex."
Diana's eyes softened as they met Sarah's wide, frightened gaze. Sarah sat in stunned silence, but as the pieces came together in her mind, it all began to make sense. Of course Diana was protecting Alex—many believed him to be the Grim Reaper, and if that were true, he would always be surrounded by danger. Thanks to Diana, Alex could live without that constant weight pressing down on him.
"Thank you," Sarah whispered, a gentle smile forming despite her pain. She truly felt relief knowing her boyfriend had someone like Diana by his side. Yes, the woman's beauty left her uneasy, almost jealous, but she pushed that feeling aside. As long as Alex was safe, as long as he could smile, it was enough.
Sure, the happiness Alex was feeling now was small compared to the happiness he felt with him—but that was fine, she would one day make Alex know true happiness. She could picture him sitting in that house, dreaming about the house he would one day buy for the both of them, filling it with laughter, love, and the hundreds of children she dreamed they would one day have together.
But first, Sarah knew she had to fix her mistakes. Right now, she was seen as a villain, and for Alex's sake, she wouldn't cause trouble. She would answer for her crimes, endure what needed to be endured, and once she could walk freely again, she would return to his doorstep. By then, she was certain he would have missed her.
***
"Looks like Raven really did attack her," Alex muttered, pressing a hand to his aching head as he glanced out the window. From there, he could see the Justice League making their presence known. He exhaled a tired sigh, still not understanding what had happened with Raven—but that wasn't his concern anymore.
Instead, his thoughts drifted to something else entirely. He really needed to buy a dirt bike soon. But first, more than anything, he needed sleep.
And sleep he did. Alex slept for nine full hours, not stirring until around five in the evening. Groggy but refreshed, he got up and dressed for the day. Before heading out, he sat down at his computer to clear through his work. He always preferred staying days ahead of schedule so he could free up more time for himself. And now, with dirt bike lessons on his mind, he wanted to make sure he carved out every spare moment he could.
After making several calls, arranging meetings, and tying up loose ends, he sent everything neatly packaged to Diana by email. With that done, he was officially free—unless Diana decided to call on him for something unexpected.
Still, Alex's value as an assistant went far beyond errands and scheduling. Long ago, he had combed through Diana's workload, streamlining it and cutting away the excess. He had lightened her responsibilities to such a degree that she could now spend hours at home, lost in her video games, without missing a beat at work. Because of him, she had the freedom to relax, something she had rarely been able to do before.
Alex hopped into his truck and drove off, heading straight for a dirt bike shop. Pulling into the lot, he stepped out with purpose and made his way inside. But disappointment struck quickly—the shop didn't carry the kind of monster machine he had in mind. That meant more driving.
He spent the next hour circling the city, checking one place after another until finally, he found it—the beauty he'd been searching for. It wasn't the top-of-the-line model he had originally imagined; the fully customized version carried a jaw-dropping price tag of over a hundred thousand. Instead, Alex settled on a sleek model priced at five thousand. Still expensive, but practical. He needed to think smart. The bike had to be fast, durable, and capable of launching off a cliff at high speed—not an indulgence, but a tool for exactly what he had in mind.
***
"I told you—allowing the daughter of Trigon, of all people, to walk amongst you, and something like this was bound to happen," said a blonde-haired British man. His tone was laced with smugness as he toyed with the cigarette between his fingers, exhaling smoke without a care. His gaze slid lazily toward Batman, the lack of respect in his eyes clear.
"We need to find Raven. Can you help or not?" Zatanna's voice cut sharply through the tension, cold and direct. She stood across from him, arms folded, her eyes locked on him. Her ex-boyfriend didn't meet her stare, choosing instead to glance away, as if avoiding her gaze might shield him from the past.
"No—and I've got no interest in getting tangled up in the mess you lot dragged yourselves into," Constantine said flatly, flicking ash from his cigarette with casual disdain. "That little monster you've got walking around? You think you can actually control him? Last I checked, I've already got a pretty punchable face. I don't need to find out firsthand what happens when the son of Death decides he wants to take a swing at me."
"Son of Death? I thought it was the Grim Reaper," Zatanna said in shock, her eyes widening.
Constantine shook his head slowly, smoke curling around his face as his expression turned grim.
"He's the offspring of the embodiment of life and death," Constantine explained, his voice calm but edged with warning. "Though he inherited mostly the death half from his mother. A quick heads-up: that kid once destroyed an entire universe trying to kill himself—only to reform here. Best not give him a reason to try it again. And that's especially for the Bat, who's got a bad habit of pushing too hard."
His gaze flicked toward Batman, though he deliberately avoided looking at Zatanna. He still loved her, even now, but he couldn't forget the cost of his choices. He had dealt with demons, bartered with monsters, all in an attempt to save her. In the end, innocents had paid with their lives—and that was something Zatanna would never forgive.
"How do you know this information?" Batman asked, his eyes narrowing.
Constantine remained silent, taking a slow drag on his cigarette. He knew the truth was one secret too much to share—not with Zatanna standing right there. If she ever learned he'd struck a deal with the devil himself, her hatred for him would only burn deeper.
"What else do you know about him?" Batman pressed, his tone sharp, refusing to let the silence linger.
Constantine exhaled a long stream of smoke, finally shifting his gaze. "Well, for starters, I'd like to keep as far away from him as possible. Because once he knows you exist, that's it—he can lock onto you no matter where you run. Past, future, another universe… it won't matter. He would lock onto you and kill you."
He flicked the butt of his cigarette to the ground and ground it under his boot. His eyes turned briefly toward Zatanna, his words heavy with unspoken warning. "So best avoid him altogether. Because at any moment, without hesitation, he could outright kill you."
"So… he could help us find Raven?" Zatanna asked softly, the thought slipping out before she could stop herself.
Constantine's eyes widened, his hands already flashing through a spell—but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, Zatanna vanished, teleporting away, her destination clear: Alex.
"What is wrong with her?!" Constantine shouted in frustration, his voice echoing through the dim room. Without wasting another breath, he snapped his own spell, teleporting after her, aiming for the closest point to where she might have gone.
Left behind, Batman said nothing. His eyes narrowed in thought before he stepped back into the darkness, his form disappearing seamlessly into the shadows.