how it all went down {batfam}

twenty

|DECEMBER|

Cam was decorating the manor. She was hanging a wreath on the door when she saw Clark and Lois pull up. Him in this ugly red sweater which Cam knows for a fact Lois picked out as a joke but he took seriously. But she had this stunning red velvet dress which is what all the girls were wearing for some read reason.

"Camilla!" Lois shouted running up the stairs.

"Lou!" she said running down the stairs to meet her. They hugged each other for awhile. Clark cleared his throat which caused Camilla to roll her eyes. "There's some sugar for you too, Kent." She hugged him but not as hard as Lois. "How have you been? It's been a good 6 months, right?"

"We wanted to visit but it was one fall after another. I am so sorry-,"

"Don't apologize, Lou. I've heard the same thing over and over again. Quite frankly I just want people to look at me pitiful and not say anything. Some situations were my fault, others...were out of my reach. But hey, the past is the past and I can't change it. Honestly I'm over it." She wasn't. She just decided to lie for Bruce's sake.

"That's good. I am so happy to see that you're well. You look different."

"Well I cleaned myself up. I stopped being Black Bat and gave that mantle to Cassie. She deserves it. Why don't you go in? I have some other special guests to greet." She hugged Lois again and patted Clark on the back.

"How are you Barry? Where's Iris?"

"She's sick. She sends her best. How have you been?"

"I've been great. New school. New friends. New adventures."

"That's awesome. I'll see you inside."

"My my. Is that Arthur and Diane?"

"How are you, Camilla?" Diana said hugging her. She felt Diana's warm embrace and smiled.

"I'm amazing, now." Diana laughed and pulled away.

'How's the school?" Arthur asked hugging her.

"New school, new friends, new adventures." They smiled and went inside. She did this with about twenty other guests until she decided to go inside. The place was filled with superheros. It was relaxing to be yourself. We had Starfire in the corner munching on pigs in a blanket. Conner Kent was snuggled with Megan on the couch. Cam looked around and saw how happy everyone was. But she wasn't.

"Nice party," Selina said sneaking up on her.

"Jesus," she said almost spilling her drink.

"How's Bruce?" Cam rolled her eyes.

"What's it to you?"

"Just want to see if he's done better than me." She looks around to try and find him but doesn't seem him. "So where is your old man?"

"I don't know. I've been greeting guests for the past 30 minutes." Cam took a sip of her drink. "Besides the only reason my dad doesn't date is because he hasn't found someone special like you." Selina's heart fluttered but she showed no emotion.

"Thanks. I'm going to find your dad," Selina said hugging her then running off.

"Cam!" Kara said walking up to her. "How have you been? How's the school?" They hugged while she gave the same answer.

"New school, new friends, new adventures."

"School has been pretty hectic. Derek was taken out and they fired Mr. Thomas."

"Good that son of a bitch deserves it."

"Right?! Turns out he was with about thirty other students. Half juniors half seniors. Crazy right?"

"Crazy." Cam sipped her tea while Kara went on to talk about her life. Cam just wanted to go in her room and sleep right now. But hearing her talk about school made her miss it. "-and then she punched him. Right in the hallway! In front of everyone! Can you believe it?"

"Not at all."

"Well I'm going to leave you be. Zatanna was looking for you though. I'd find her." She went off into the crowd leaving Cam alone, with her thoughts. She made her way into kitchen where Jason was drinking whiskey. Does he drink anything else? She made her way outside to the back porch. When she closed the door it was dead silent. The wind rustled the trees. The breeze felt cool on her face. It was the first time she felt alive. She tried to get her act together to not disappoint her father and she did. But at what cost? She lifted her sleeves and looked at the cuts. Countless nights spent in the bathroom crying. Being in the tub replaying what Joker did to her. It haunted her in every way. Hearing his eerie voice in her head while she made each cut.

The worst part was not saying anything. She couldn't tell Cassie, Dick, hell she couldn't tell Bruce the pain she was going through. He would probably give her a disappointing look and do the bare minimum. So she plastered a fake smile on her face and rehearsed what she would say to people.

"New school, new friends, new adventures," she said to herself. She did this for about an hour before the party started. "More like new school, no friends, and zero adventures." After awhile the girls true colors began to show. They didn't want her because she was new. It was because of her name. So she distanced herself and the girls noticed. So they stopped talking to her altogether. Instead nasty rumors spread about her. Se couldn't deny them. She found it best to not do that. It always comes back to bite her in the ass.