"See you all Monday," Lilith said as she turned to head into the forest.
She and the rest of the gardening club had stayed rather late after school to set up for the school graduation the next day.
"You're not really going to walk home alone are you?" Lance asked Lilith, Lilith paused. "That was the plan," Lilith nodded, Tucker had stepped forward just as Conner spoke.
"I'll walk her," Conner said, "You guys are worry worts I can walk myself home," Lilith sighed, "Oh come on Lilith we're girls we should always have a strong escort for dark nights," Musa said as she took Edwin's arm. "Knight in shining armor at your service," Edwin said with a smile, "Fine Conner can walk me home since we live near each other," Lilith said trying not to notice that both Lance and Tucker didn't like her choice.
"See you guys," Conner said moving to walk with Lilith. Lilith glanced back only once to see Lance watching them leave.
Lilith sighed in relief when she entered the forest out of everyone's view. She even took off her gloves and let her bare hand brush along with the trees as she walked with Conner.
"Well we may have all lost the science fair, but at least we all passed," Conner said, but Lilith only nodded. Thinking about how the science fair at the fact that Meg's friends seemed surprised that her project seemed mostly unscathed. Lance had lied to her, she knew the table didn't give out. She just wondered if he had used magic at school to fix it.
Had he learned magic from Morgana Lay Fay as Constantine suggested? Mostly she really wanted to ask him more questions, and wondered if she should?
After a long walk in silence, Conner suddenly grabbed Lilith's arm moving to stand in front of her.
"Okay that's it, I know you're upset. Please tell me what has really been bugging you," Conner pleaded, Lilith bit her lip and looked down. "It's nothing really," Lilith muttered, "If it was nothing plants wouldn't be growing where your stepping," Conner said pointing at the ground behind her. Each spot she had stepped in now had overgrown grass. Lilith sighed, clutching her skirt
"I-I-I-" She stammered, "Lilith, I'm not very good at this whole friend's thing but I'll try to help," Conner said softly leaning over slightly to look at her face.
"S-someone found out, that-that I'm Jewel Weed," Lilith blurted not realizing she was saying it until the words were already out of her mouth. Conner stared at her. "Wait really?" He asked, Lilith, nodded, "During our fight the other day my-my mask vanished, someone, saw." Lilith muttered, looking at her feet her entire body shaking.
"Who?" Conner asked, "Mayhem, and Prince...It was Prince's magic, it made my powers shrink." Lilith said quickly her voice barely audible but Conner heard it all. "The villains know who you are?" Conner asked softly, Lilith licked her lips and nodded again.
"We need to tell Batman-" Conner started but then paused, "-But if we did he'd kick you off the team."
Lilith nodded, "Probably but that's not why I haven't told him." Lilith said, "The whole moving thing?" Conner asked and Lilith nodded slightly, "I know it's petty but I'm mad at him and father, I also think it'll be okay." Lilith said, "What makes you think that?" Conner asked, "I don't think they're all that evil and with me moving, well..." Lilith trailed off not sure where she was going with it.
"Right," Conner nodded then added, "Also your mother already knows who you are and where, so if a villain was going to do anything she'd probably already have done it."
Lilith perked up as he said this, "What?" Lilith asked looking at him, "Poison Ivy, you said she recognized you in your first fight if she wanted to do something she would have by now right? I doubt she kept it from other villains, they'd probably send someone to watch you. She did break out from Arkham again this morning," Conner shrugged, Lilith stared up at him.
"You think she-she might have planted someone near me on-on purpose." Lilith said, "You weren't thinking that, were you?" Conner asked, "No," Lilith squeaked, "I made this worse didn't I?" Conner asked, "No," Lilith squeaked again.
"Sorry," Conner said, "I need some tea," Lilith sighed, moving to step around him.
"Lilith it's fine Batman would be watching you too, if the villains tried something he'd stop it. I'm sure," Conner said grabbing her hand to stop her. She nearly jumped when his skin touched hers. She had forgotten she'd taken off her gloves. His touch was warm, Liliths shoulders relaxed as his grip softened.
"You're right wonderboy," Lilith sighed, as Conner pulled her hands together between his. "Your hands are freezing," Conner said cupping her hands in his and softly blowing warm air on her hands. Lilith couldn't help but watch him do this. His lips were so close to her fingertips.
"I do rarely take off my gloves I suppose even a warm night like this is rather cold to me," Lilith said softly, "Go thing I'm immune," Conner said, "To the weather?" Lilith joked, and Conner laughed softly still holding her hands.
"I should just put them back on," Lilith blurted, pulling her hands from his nervously shoving them in her gloves.
Connor said nothing as they went back to walking. In fact, neither said anything all the way back to her cottage.
"Night," Lilith mumbled as she went inside, Connor could only manage a wave as she closed the door. He stood staring at the cottage for a moment before turning to head back to the cave.
Connor was glad it was so late by the time he got there. Meg was in her room and he snuck right past it to head into his. Still trying to avoid the conversation he needed to have with her.
***
"How did she do it? How did she do it?" Lilith muttered as she sat on her window sill. The strawberry bush outside her window reached up and grew a few berries as she climbed out the window.
Lilith moved to sit in the garden while her father was fast asleep in the living room. Flowers grew around her in a circle as she closed her eyes.
"Mother, Mother...I need you, sorta." Lilith muttered, a soft breeze blew through the trees and when Lilith opened her eyes she was rather surprised to see she was still alone. "Mother!" Lilith shouted standing and stomping her foot. Putting her energy into the plants, willing them to relay her message.
"I thought you said I could talk to you whenever!" Lilith shouted, looking around. "I see you're just as patient as Harley," Ivy sighed, Lilith jumped and spun around finding a pollen version of Ivy. "This power isn't exactly easy, even for me," Ivy complained.
"Mother," Lilith said softly, "Hello child," Ivy smiled, "Mother did you send the young anti-justice league to my high school to watch me?" Lilith asked, Ivy, sighed and shook her head. "Blunt just like your father, you'd think you'd have gotten something from me besides your powers." Ivy sighed, "Mother," Lilith complained, "What?" Ivy asked defensively, "Did you send me to that dance that day knowing Prince and Mayhem would be there? And force them to become my friends?" Lilith asked stepping towards her mother.
"Lilith, what kind of villain do you think I am?" Ivy argued as she crossed her arms, "A sneaky, dishonest, noisy one," Lilith snapped, "This is not what I meant when I said you can talk to me anytime," Ivy sneered, "Mother are you going to answer my questions or not?" Lilith asked hands on her hips.
"Are you going to stop being a bratty teenager?" Ivy snapped back, "You know what mother, your right I shouldn't have called you. Obviously, you're too busy being a supervillain to even try being a mother." Lilith said turning to start stomping away. "Lilith darling," Ivy said her pollen self appearing in Lilith's way.
"Mother," Lilith sighed, "Fine, no. I didn't know," Ivy shrugged, before adding. "Well at the time."
"So they knew I was Jewel Weed?" Lilith asked, "Of course not, I'm not stupid. I found out only a few weeks ago they knew you," Ivy said, "Then why do they want me to join them?" Lilith asked, "Wait! That sneaky witch Morgana is after you?" Ivy half cursed, "You didn't know?" Lilith asked staring at her mother in disbelief.
"Of course not, I wasn't planning on not letting any of them use you for your powers. That's my job," Ivy said looking away almost sounding offended. "That almost sounded motherly," Lilith snorted, "Lilith whatever you may think of me I am your mother," Ivy said, "Thanks for the reminder," Lilith sighed, rolling her eyes.
Lilith licked her lips, "So you really haven't stuck your nose in my life? Other than the attacks on the city?" Lilith asked, "Of course not, I spent my time taking down companies that are poisoning the earth, and fighting Batman." Ivy reminded her. "Right, and this whole big bad thing, coming to destroy the earth? It's real?" Lilith asked, "If Morgana says it's going to happen it will," Ivy said, "Really, and you're not strong enough alone?" Lilith asked making Ivy pout.
"Darling child, from what I remember. The spell used is very delicate and according to her. Her powers and mine didn't mix, think water and oil. Like what was just spilled in the Gulf of Mexico," Ivy explained, Lilith sighed and looked away.
"I want to believe you," Lilith said slowly, "Morgana may be a tyrant but she's not about to let the earth get destroyed before her grandson can rule it." Ivy said, "So Prince is her grandson, her real grandson?" Lilith asked, "I don't know, why don't you ask him. If you really know who he is," Ivy said, "Okay I'll talk with them, I'd rather not let the world end." Lilith sighed, "You really are a goody-two-shoes, sometimes I really wonder if you are mine." Ivy said reaching out and touching Lilith's cheek gazing at her softly.
"I look far too much like you to not be," Lilith muttered, "You are beautiful, my flower," Ivy said, "Thank you mother," Lilith said as she turned red, "Now how is it going with that Superman child?" Ivy asked moving to half sit on the strawberry bush. Or look like she was, she basically was just floating above it as dust.
"Superboy mother, and-" Lilith paused, "Oh I know that look something good happened," Ivy said excitedly, "How are you more teenager like than I am at times?" Lilith giggled, "Blame it on your father's genes now tell me, do you need a little love dust?" Ivy asked her hand turning a soft pink for a second as she wiggled her figures at Lilith.
"No!" Lilith shouted, "I will not turn to dirty tricks."
"Oh come on, I have a light dust that just makes people act on their desires." Ivy said, "Mother if he likes me I'd rather he tell me on his own terms." Lilith argued, "Fine, but something did happen?" Ivy asked, Lilith grimmest and nodded.
"He insisted on walking me home and held my hand," Lilith said a smile spreading across her face. "That's wonderful darling, I'm sure he's just shy. He'll admit he likes you soon enough," Ivy said confidently, "The other two aren't as shy," Lilith muttered, "Two? Do you have two more vying for your heart? I'm so proud!" Ivy said jumping up, "Mother it's complicated, Conners is the only one who can really touch me. I shouldn't even think about the other two, I shouldn't even be thinking about Conner." Lilith sighed as she moved to climb into her room.
"Lilith my flower," Ivy said blowing into Lilith's room after her, "What?" Lilith asked, "How do you feel about these, other two?" Ivy asked, "Well... Lance is, super sweet...Tucker is really amazing," Lilith paused biting her lip Tuckers' songs echoed in her head.
"Oh? Do I need to look into these two? Make sure they're up to par for my little flower?" Ivy asked smiling, "Mother, stay away from them." Lilith insisted, "Fine," Ivy shrugged as she looked around Lilith's room.
"This isn't where we met last time," Ivy said, "And?" Lilith asked as she sat on her bed. "Nothing," Ivy said softly, "Mother, promise me that you won't go snooping around them?" Lilith asked, "Fine I promise," Ivy said, "And no powdering them either," Lilith said, "I won't powder Tucker and Lance if you insist." Ivy said, "Goodnight now mother," Lilith said moving to slide under her blankets. After getting no answer Lilith looked up to find she was by herself again.
"Goodnight Lilith," Lilith muttered to herself sarcastically.