It was night at Plas-Tech, and Blight oversaw as shipments of polymer were loaded into the warehouse. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a worker attempting to hit the alarm. Blight stopped the man by throwing a ball of radiation at him. "I suggest you all keep your hands to yourselves from now on," Blight warned.

"Take my word. It's in everyone's best interest to have me out of your hair as quickly as possible." Blight's henchmen continued loading the canisters of polymer. As one thug was flying a forklift of cannisters, out of nowhere, Batman and Nightwing landed uptop it. The heroes easily hijacked the machine by Nightwing kicking the man off.

"Batman, Nightwing!" Blight growled. There was no way he'd let two sabotage his operation. Blight threw another ball of radiation, but this time aimed for the forklift. The radiation hitting the machine causes it to lose control. Batman and Nightwing jumped off in time as the forklift flew right into a stack of boxes, exploding on impact.

Blight sent multiple blasts at the duo, but they avoided them swiftly. He grew more frustrated as he saw the vigilantes smiling at his fruitless attempts.

Just then, another henchman chased down Batman and Nightwing on another flying forklift. They jumped up to some crates, and Batman threw an explosive batarang right in front of the machine. The explosion caused the driver to bail, but he couldn't escape the canisters of polymer that pinned him down.

Knowing it was time to make an exit, Blight blasted all the remaining polymer canisters. The building erupted into flames as the canisters exploded. The duo ran over where Blight had escaped by driving off. But they couldn't go after him, there were too many workers still trapped. Nightwing pulled out a gadget that once she threw to the ground, exploded into freezing spray.

With the fire out and workers safe, it was time for some investigating. The heroes walked over to the unconscious thug under the numerous canisters. Batman searched the man's jacket and pulled out a wallet. When opened, the wallet revealed an ID card from Wayne-Powers. "Wayne-Powers? Powers is helping Blight?" Batman muttered to Nightwing. "I wouldn't put it past him. Blight's definitely the man Powers would hire just to do his dirty work," Nightwing stated.

Shriek and Inque were good examples.

They'd need more evidence to be certain, but right now, Derek Powers was somehow involved in Blight's crimes. And they were determined to take both down for good.

~8~

Powers stormed into his laboratory fuming. "What happened? We heard there was trouble - aah!" Powers cut off a worried scientist by throwing him across the room. In his fit of anger, Powers walked up to his skin repair camber and slammed his fists onto it. "If we stick to proper channels of procurement, how long will the materials last?" He asked the head scientist.

His skin was breaking away too quickly nowadays as his condition and temper worsened. It was proving to be too difficult trying to sustain his image.

"You're burning through the skin too fast. And, if I may, Mr. Powers, it's not just the radiation. Your temper is out of control," the scientist answered hesitantly.

"I KNOW!" Power roared, "I know," he repeated softly. This was the last straw. He couldn't do this anymore. "I'm tired of this. I can't maintain the charade any longer. It's time I made new arrangements."

And he knew exactly the right person to be his successor. "Get my son Paxton on the line...I need to speak with him urgently."

~8~

Outside of Wayne-Powers, an angry crowd had formed to protest Paxton Powers' upcoming. Paxton had earned a bad reputation after he approved his company to dump waste into South America's waters. Needless to say, the people were not happy Paxton Power's had polluted their country. Word had spread, and now the people of Gotham gathered to protest.

Being a part of the board, Bruce was expected to attend Paxton's inauguration. And who to accompany him there but Terry and Eliana. "All these people are anti-Powers? Now I don't feel so alone," Terry commented as he drove past all the protesters. But then he squinted at one of the mob's signs, "Paxton?" He questioned, the name unfamiliar.

"Derek powers' son. Word is he's being promoted today," Bruce filled in. Eliana stuck her head up from the backseat, "As you can see, not everyone was happy with him in his last job," Eliana butt in.

Terry parked outside the entrance and turned to his mentor, "While you're in there, ask Daddy about his connection to glow boy. I'd love to finally nail this guy on something," he said bitterly. As if he forgot Derek Powers was responsible for his father's death. "I'll see if it comes up," Bruce replied before getting out.

As soon as the door closed, Eliana jumped forward into the front seat. Terry smiled fondly at the girl's actions. Lately, it seems everything she did made his heart flutter. "Let's watch, shall we," she pushed the button for the monitor, and it turned on showing the meeting. Terry and Eliana watched how Powers broke the news to the board members of Paxton's promotion.

Almost immediately, the board was in disbelief and disagreed on the idea. Suddenly, comotion was heard in the background, and two South Americans burst through the door. The South Americans started explaining to the board how Paxton Powers ruined their water supply. Derek Powers began screaming at them to leave, but the South Americans weren't finished.

During the argument, the teens noticed Paxton trying to shield his father from the cameras as if trying to hide something. That something was revealed after the South Americans dumped rotten fish on the board's table.

The putrid water splashed on Derek's clothes, solidifying his anger. He stood up, and everyone present in the room and watching the news couldn't look away from the sight. Derek's face was riddled with cracks that glowed neon green.

"Whoa. Powers is Blight," both Terry and Eliana exclaimed simultaneously. And by the looks of things, Blight was about to make a full appearance. Getting their spare suits in the car, the duo rushed to suit up.

And just in the nick of time too, as they burst through a window of the meeting room just as Blight was getting ready to blast Bruce. They kicked Blight to the ground while the energy blast knocked Bruce back after hitting the chair the old man used as cover.

Nightwing held down the struggling Blight while Batman started cuffing him. "Powers and blight. Just think, you're both of my 2 favorite people," Batman told the man.

Unfortunately, the cuffs didn't contain Blight long as he melted them and blasted Batman and Nightwing across the meeting table. When Blight sent another blast, Nightwing quickly held up a tray. While the blast still sent the duo into a wall, it was also reflected back to Blight.

Powers screamed as more of his artificial skin crumbled off, showing more of his neon skeleton. Covering his eyes in agony, Powers threw balls of energy everywhere before eventually running out the room.

Batman ran after Blight while Nigthwing went over to Bruce and helped the man up. "You alright?" she asked softly. He looked at her and nodded, "I'm fine, Nightwing." With that confirmation, Nightwing ran to catch up with her partner.

She found him looking out through a gigantic hole in the wall. It didn't take a genius that Blight had fled... again.

~8~

Blight had disappeared and had yet to be found despite police searches sweeping the city. The evening saw Terry, Eliana, and Bruce watching the news in the manor's living room. "By surprise and stunning the business world. As the manhunt for Derek powers continues, questions about what he is and how his transformation occurred remain unanswered," the newsman reported.

"You think he was born this way?" Terry asked out loud. Eliana didn't think so. As evidence, Powers couldn't control his Blight side very well. If he had been born that way, then he shouldn't have had a problem concealing his so-called "Birth defect?" And why reveal himself now? No, this was a recent development.

"I don't think so. The facts just don't add up," Eliana answered. It seemed Bruce knew the real answer. When didn't he? "Do you remember when Powers was exposed to nerve gas?" He asked Terry. Terry scoffed, "Sure, I remember. I threw it." How could he ever forget that?

"Powers would have been treated with radiation," Bruce started, "And combined with the gas, may have mutated him into this," Eliana finished, after seeing her mentor's train of thought.

There was a brief pause from Terry as his eyes widened at the implication of their words, "You mean I made him that?" He asked, wanting desperately to be told the opposite. "You may have," Bruce replied. It was poetic in a way. Bruce created his greatest enemy, The Joker, and Terry helped manifest his own.

Eliana expected Terry to feel a little put off from this information as it was a lot to take in. But to her shock, Terry didn't seem remorseful a bit.

"Good," Terry smiled.

He saw Bruce's hard stare and Eliana's horrific look. "Hey, this guy had my father murdered, and all he's done since is hide from the law. Well, no more hiding for Mr. Derek powers. Now, everyone can see what he is. Even in the dark," Terry snapped as he stormed out of the room.

"I'm worried about him, Bruce. It's not like Terry to be so vindictive," Eliana confessed, distraught from Terry's behavior. "You're right it isn't, but this case is very personal to him," Bruce reasoned. Eliana's eyes narrowed, "If Terry finds Powers....he'll kill him," she told Bruce slowly.

Bruce gave her a knowing look, "If I recall, not too long ago, you were about to do the same to your parents' murderer." Eliana looked at the ground in shame. She was a hypocrite.

"Perhaps Terry could use some guidance, guidance from someone he's close to." Bruce exited the room, leaving Eliana a lot to think over.

~8~

She found him sitting on the manor's grand staircase with his head in his hands. Taking a deep breath, she approached the troubled boy. "Hey, room for one more?" Eliana asked hesitantly.

She hoped he wouldn't turn her away, but if he wanted to be alone, she'd respect his wishes. Terry slowly looked up and wordlessly shook his head. Seeing the conformation, Eliana gently lowered herself onto a step just below him.

"Are you okay?" Eliana mentally slapped herself for asking such an idtoic question. Of course, he wasn't okay, and Terry made that very clear to her.

"Oh yeah, peachy, other than the fact that the man who killed my dad is still out there. Not to mention, he's also a raging energy monster. I can't seem to beat no matter how many times I face him. Yeah, Eliana, I'm doing "okay," Terry yelled.

Eliana flinched back at his harsh words and angry demeanor.

After that big rant, Terry took a couple of deep breaths as he regained his senses. He saw Eliana's hurt expression, and his anger melted. Oh gods, what had he done? He just screamed at the woman he loved for just trying to help him. He did the same to his father, and for the rest of life, he will always regret it.

"I-I-Ellie, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve my anger to be taken out on you, I know you mean well. It's just that...I thought I'd be over my dad's death by now, you know? I thought I fully mourned him. It's been almost a year since..., but a part of me still feels....incomplete," Terry rushed out.

Immediately, Eliana softened. She knew exactly what Terry was feeling, having gone through it herself.

"What you need, Terry, is closure. Without that, you won't be able to properly mourn and move forward. I know, I went through the exact same thing," she told him, placing a hand on his knee.

"I want Powers to feel the same hurt I feel. He deserves to die.... doesn't he?" Terry felt absolutely lost. Eliana shrugged, "I don't think anyone has the right to say who gets to live or die." Eliana understood Terry's battle of his morality.

A year ago, she faced the same conflict. So the next thing she did at that moment was tell Terry everything. From the day her parents died to tracking down Richie Mcvoy. At the end of her story, she was holding back her tears.

"I almost killed a man that night, Terry, all because I let revenge and hatred cloud my mind. Looking back...I don't even recognize myself. I still find myself battling my demons from that night," she concluded.

Terry didn't really know what to say. He just couldn't picture the girl in front of him doing such a thing. "What stopped you from killing him?" He didn't want to be insensitive, but he had to understand.

Eliana smiled at him, "A wise man once told me,"Justice not Vengeance." If I killed Mcvoy, I would've been just as bad as he was. And I realized killing him wouldn't have made me feel happier but worse instead. We always have a choice, Terry, and the ability to choose what's right," she said wistfully.

"How do you know that when the time comes, I'll do what's right? What if I don't?" His self-doubt was back again.

He's had a checkered past and made bad decisions. In the end, Terry didn't feel very confident in his abilities.

Then she cupped his face, and Terry felt everything fade away; suddenly, it was just the two of them.

"When I look at you, I see a kind soul who cares for the wellbeing of others. Who puts his life on the line every night in the name of justice. You doubting yourself shows me that you're a good person. That's what you are, Terry Mcginnis, a good man." Even if Eliana didn't know it, that meant a lot coming from her.

It's moments like these that made him fall in love with her all over again.

~8~

A little while after their heart to heart conversation, Terry and Eliana found themselves on patrol of the city. They still couldn't get a solid lead of Powers, and both were becoming frustrated. "Any hot spots yet?" Bruce inquired. "A trace here and there, but nothing fresh," Nightwing supplied. Powers could hide. She'd give him that.

"He might have been on the move earlier, but now he's holed up somewhere good," Batman added. "I think I know another way to find him. Come back, and I'll explain," Bruce instructed.

They were about to when an image caught their eyes. An image right from the past. Shine brightly in the night sky was the bat-signal.

"Actually, something else just came up," Terry told him. "What?" Bruce asked. "Look out your window. This one you have to see for yourself," Eliana smiled at the idea. Bruce would surely relive old memories.

They followed the traces of light to only end up at Wayne-Powers, or more specifically outside of Paxton's office. Purely out of spite, Batman threw a batarang at the signal, destroying it. "Next time, use email," Batman quipped, as he and his partner made themselves known. "Sorry, but we have to talk," Paxton responded seriously. He then held out his hand for either one of them to shake. They left him hanging.

With the awkward introduction out of the way, Paxton went right to business and invited them inside. Batman and Nightwing followed Paxton as he led them to some sort of machine. "My father's doctors have been working on this for a while. It's called a pinch cell. Turn it on, and it sucks up radiation like a sponge," Paxton explained.

"Get to why we should care," Batman growled. "I'm having a net built to connect to this cell. If you can find my father and lure him into the net, the cell can weaken him enough to hold him," Paxton answered. Nightwing folded her arms, "You want us to catch him for you?" She asked. She needed to understand his motives.

"His condition has affected his mind. There's no reasoning with him, even if we knew where he was. I know this is strange, asking you both. But from what I hear, you two may be the only ones who can find him."

Something was off about Paxton. His reasoning behind capturing his father made sense. A boy worried about his father. But there was an ulterior motive Paxton was hiding. All Eliana knew was that she didn't trust Paxton or his father.

They agreed and left. Flying through the air once more, as the duo figured out a plan. "Wayne, you get that? Powers' own son wants us to bring him in," Terry reported back, with a hint of malice. "Careful, Terry. You're sounding a little too vindictive," Bruce warned. "What do you mean? I'm just helping a guy help his dad. Except in my version, that help happens behind bars," Terry deflected.

Eliana stayed silent. She knew her conversation with Terry back at the manor made an impact on him. She was just hoping it was enough. But she knew full well what she had to do. If worse comes to worse, she'd have to save Terry from himself.

~8~

From his balcony, Paxton Powers could only watch as the heroes glided away. His plan had worked. He, of course, knew the vigilantes couldn't refuse the offer of hunting down his beloved father. "Mr. Mendez. How are the fish biting these days?" Paxton turned around to face his close henchman.

Mr. Mendez was none other than the same South American man who disrupted Derek Powers' meeting and got him to reveal his true colors. "That's what I was about to ask you," Mendez replied. Paxton's plan was in motion, but there was still one loose thread to tie up.

"Batman and Nightwing are in. But I doubt they'll cooperate when things hit the fan. Be ready to kill them, too."

~8~

"Looks like your hunch was right."

Bruce theorised Powers would have a close ally helping him even in the toughest of times. His assistant, Miss Winston, was just the person. So they tracked her to an abandoned nuclear submarine moored at the docks. "How'd you know?" Terry asked Bruce. Eliana thought by this point Terry wouldn't be surprised by her mentor's findings. "I've been reading people since before you were a person," Bruce said factually.

They watched as Winston disappeared into the submarine before turning their attention to a new arrival. Paxton Powers exited his car while his henchman unloaded the pinch cell machine. Nightwing had sent word to the rich man as soon as his father's whereabouts were confirmed. It didn't take long for the junior to come running.

They leaped off the building they were situated in and landed right in front of Paxton. "Set your machine in the main control room. We'll lure him there for an ambush," Nightwing explained. Paxton inclined his head in understandment.

Batman and Nightwing flew up onto the submarine and waited. Not too long after Miss Winston excited the hatch. "You don't want to be here tonight," Nightwing warned. The woman, now fearful, ran away swiftly. With her out of the way, the plan was in motion.

When the machine was set up, everyone took their places. All they needed was Blight. Accessing the subs security cameras and microphone, Nightwing let Batman take the lead.

"Ahoy Captain!" Terry's voice rang through the ship. From the cameras, they watched as Blight jumped up from his bed. "Batman. Where are you?! Show yourself!" Blight screamed. He walked through the subs halls, checking the rooms.

"I found you. Now it's your turn. I gotta say, a nuclear sub was smart. That's why I couldn't find your radiation trail. This whole tin can is still hot with rads."

"It's about to get warmer," Powers said as he blasted the doors to yet another empty room. "Turn right at the next hatch," Batman instructed. The heroes heard the doors to their room be smashed open but ran to hide. They wanted to surprise Powers after all. Finally, Powers entered the control room in fury.

"Why do you persist in tormenting me? All I want is to be left alone!" Powers growled.

"Can't let you run around like this. We've got rules about radioactive waste. And besides, this is personal."

"Who are you?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes," Blight answered desperately.

It was then that Batman stepped out from the shadows, "You killed my father," he responded venomously. Blight shrugged off the comment, "Do you have the slightest idea how little that narrows it down?" He patronized. Terry didn't care, "Too bad. It's all you get. Captain on the bridge!" He gave the signal.

Nightwing and Paxton's henchmen revealed themselves. Mendez came out from his hiding spot and shot a net at Powers, trapping the man while another henchmen plugged the rope of the net to the pinch cell. "Unh! What is this?" Blight said as he struggled to break free.

Paxton spun his chair around to face his father, "We never did go fishing together," he quipped. He got up and turned the machine on. The effects were immediate as Blight became weaker from the radiation being sucked away from him.

"Did you really expect me to believe you'd ever give me power? That I'd ever have an ounce of control as long as you were alive? You taught me by example, dad. The only way to get power is to seize it," Paxton smiled wickedly. He cranked up the machine up to full power, intending to drain his father to death.

Terry could only view Derek Powers scream in pain and slump to the ground almost out of life. Something in Terry snapped. Despite his hate for Derek, for his father's murder, his conscience forbids him from letting Derek die.

"Enough. Turn it off. That thing's gonna kill him," Batman commanded sharply.

"You want this as much as I do," Paxton reasoned.

"No. I wouldn't have agreed to this. You said you were gonna help him." It was the truth. Had Terry known Paxton's true intentions, he would've been less obliged to help. He wanted Powers to pay, but not like this. Not murdered in cold blood. Eliana was right. This isn't what he wanted.

"I lied," Paxton sneered before siginallyn Mendez to open fire. Batman and Nightwing jumped into action and took cover behind some controls. Mendez wasn't a good shooter, and one of the laser blasts hit the pinch cell machine. The machine short circuited.

Paxton kicked his father's unconscious form, and it began to raidate again. Seeing a fire extinguisher by her feet, Nightwing launched it at Mendez' feet. Batman threw a batarang at the extinguisher, which caused it to spray out its foam.

While Mendez was distracted by being sprayed, Batman kicked the gun out of his hands. Nightwing took down Paxton's other henchman along with Mendez.

At this point, Blight had revived. He stood up and released a blinding amount of radiation. The force caused everyone in the sub to be thrown into a wall. The submarine got damaged, and water started rushing in. In panic, Paxton fled in order to escape his father's wrath.

"PAXTON!!!" Blight yelled at the top of his lungs as he emitted more waves of radiation.

"Terry, Eliana, what's going on in there? The radiation is off the scale!" Bruce shouted in concern. "I think Powers is going critical. I've gotta do something, "Terry replied. But the submarine was already beginning to sink. They had to get out. Picking up one henchman, the duo ran to the subs exit. They could feel the sub tipping over when they jetted out.

Batman and Nightwing could only watch as the sub went up in neon flames and sunk into the water. Taking Blight with it. Derek Powers was no more.

~8~

Paxton returned to his office, where he was confirmed as acting chairman of the board now that news of his father's demise had turned up.

He was currently watching the news, as it showed rescue divers searching the wreckage. No doubt looking for the remains of his father. Of course, it wasn't hard to lie to the media about his father's demise. Only a few people knew the truth about what went down that same night.

"You made bad enemies tonight," a deep male voice called out.

Paxton spun around to see Batman without his partner much to his surprise. "What are you gonna do? Testify against me in that mask?" Paxton teased. "Oh, I wasn't talking about me. I'm the least of your worries," Batman smiled innocently.

"He melted with the sub," Paxton defended. His father was dead, and he was sure of it.

"Sure he did," Batman responded ominously, leaving Paxton on edge. Their feud wasn't over. It'd only just begun.

~8~

Derek Powers was gone, and Terry didn't know how to feel. After wanting to take down Powers for so long, having it be a reality...was strange. But standing in front of his father's grave right now was peaceful. This was the first time he'd visited his father since he was laid to rest.

Before, it was just too painful. He was reminded every day that his father's murderer was still free. But things were different now. It still hurt to look at his father's tombstone, but the pain subdued for once.

"Terry..are you alright?"

The soft voice of Eliana Gryason pulled him out of his somber thoughts. He looked to his left, where she stood. She laid some white roses on his father's grave.

"You were right. Closure helps. For the first time since my dad died, I feel complete," he expressed. He moved closer to her; their faces only inches apart, "And it's because of you."

It had always been her. The one person he could be himself with, who wouldn't judge him based on his past, who would be there to comfort him when he needed it. From the moment she walked into his life, it had changed for the better. She made him feel like he was more than he could ever be.

Eliana felt her heart beat faster when Terry moved in closer. She wanted to say something but found herself lost in his eyes. But after the events that just passed, maybe she didn't need to speak. Just being here with him was enough.

"Eliana...I love you."

Terry's heart stopped, and he began to dread confessing when Eliana didn't answer. She just stared at him blankly. What Terry didn't realize was that Eliana was fighting not to tackle him to the ground and kiss the life out of him. Fearing rejection, Terry started babbling some nonsense, which Eliana wasn't listening to.

Instead, she cut his rambles off by pressing a finger to his lips.

"I love you too." Oh, she hoped she wasn't dreaming.

Very slowly, they began moving their lips closer until they met. This kiss started off soft but then hardened and became passionate. Eliana cupped both Terry's cheeks, pulling him even closer if possible, while Terry settled his hands on her hips.

Eventually, they had to separate to, you know, breathe.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," Terry said, smiling so much his face hurt.

"I feel the same way. But let's not wait anymore." Eliana brought their lips together again. They savored the kiss, both feeling on cloud nine.

This changed everything.