{Working out the bugs}
It was Halloween!!! The one night of the year you could go around scaring people and not be branded a psycho.
But Lily wasn't really in the mood for celebrating, and the others could see it, they knew what happened in her garden with Victor, but this was a whole other level of being down. She wasn't putting up any decorations, or putting on her costume, she hadn't even touched her Jack o Lantern.
And well, Tim was not gonna have any of it.
"Lily, come it's time to go trick-or-treating." He peeked into Lily's room, she was sitting on her windowsill.
"I don't really wanna go anymore Timmy..." She replied sadly.
"Come on sis, we always go trick-or-treating."
"Well I'm not feeling it this year." She snapped in a less patient tone.
Tim came in with a bowl full of cute ghost marshmallows.
"At least eat something, you haven't had anything all day." Lily gave no reply, so that's how she wants to play?
"Fine, more for me then." There was about ten seconds of silence, then more talking from Tim, but it sounded really muffled.
Lily turned to face him and saw that Tim had stuffed his face with the entire bowl of marshmallows.
"Tim! Those are jumbo sized marshmallows, how did you do that so fast!?" She was simultaneously concerned and impressed.
The following muffled noises coming from Tim's mouth was enough to make Lily lose it.
Tim ended up getting a marshmallow stuck in his throat and Lily had to heimlich him.
"Why would you stuff all of those in your mouth at once?" She said with a chuckle.
"Well it got you to smile, so I think it was worth the chocking hazard."
"But given your line of work, don't you think it'd would be a little anticlimactic? The boy wonder dies at the hands of mushy ghost goodness."
The two shared a laugh.
"Thanks Timmy." Lily hugged him, Tim returned it.
A sudden chill went down Lily spine and her expression became serious.
"Lily? What's wrong?" Tim enquired.
"Something's wrong, I need to get to Conner and M'gann's house, right now!" Without further explanation, Lily rushed out the room, but quickly grabbed some the few marshmallows that didn't end up in her big brother's mouth or on the floor.
At Happy Harbor, Violet hid herself in the bathroom, Fatherbox went haywire and took over Victor again, but Violet wasn't able to use her powers so she ran.
She was trying to get her breathing under control when she heard the door in the hallway creak open.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Fatherbox's voice made her shudder.
A robotic hand crashed through bathroom door and unlocked it, Victor entered and saw nobody there, that was until he pulled back the shower curtain and found her cowering in the tub.
He found her, this was it, t was over.
"Hey! Gear for brains!" He turned and Lily blew the glowing pollen in his face.
Fartherbox only chuckled deeply as the pollen still swirled around him.
"Do you really think you're little light show can stop me child?"
"No, it can't stop you... but I can slow you down."
Just then he clutched his head screaming, the purple glow on his body flickering back to red.
"Victor?"
"Lily, Violet, Go! I'll hold off Fatherbox as long as I can!"
"Victor, please-"
"RUN!"
"Come on!" Lily grabbed Violet's hand, pulling her out of the tub.
Victor's arm moved on its own, grabbing Lily by the throat, Fatherbox regained control.
He flung Lily at Violet, sending them crashing into the hallway.
"Lily!" Violet quickly got and went to Lily, who was coughing horseily and and rubbing her throat.
"No more reprieves Motherbox, I'm coming for you."
Violet stood up, facing Fatherbox sternly.
"No Fatherbox, you are hurting Victor, he needs me, I may not understand all my new emotions, but helping those in need, that a Motherbox understands."
Fatherbox scoffed.
"You can't help him. You can't stop me. You have no powers. Nothing!"
"Nothing isn't the problem, the problem is that I have to much, all these new feelings can get in the way, but I believe they may also be a source of strength. I believe I have all I need."
Violet's aura returned.
"ENIERSTOHNN KAHHD-ZOHNN-TORRCH-HIERRO!" Lily covered her eyes from the bright purple light Violet cast.
When she opened her eyes, all the lights were back on and Victor looked... ok?
"Victor, are you... you?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, I'm back in the driver's seat." He replied, he then noticed the bruise on her throat. "Oh my god your neck."
"It's fine, it's not as bad as it looks." Lily assured.
"Here, let me heal you." Violet touched her neck and the bruise disappeared.
"Shame, it would've gone great with my zombie costume." You tried to lighten the mood, it managed to get a small laugh from Violet.
A few days afterwards, Victor went to visit Lily in her garden, when Lily saw him, she smiled.
"Do you wanna help feed the bunnies?" She offered, Victor then noticed some rabbits not far away from them, he knelt down and Lily put some food in his hand.
We all know rabbits are very skittish creatures, but these ones were keeping their distance on purpose, animal Victor passed either ran away or snarled at him, but he understood why.
"Hold out your hand." She spoke softly as not to frighten the bunnies, she lowered his arm to the ground, making a small trail of food leading up to it.
The bunnies got closer and closer until they were eventually nibbling out of Victor's hand, not matter what age you, the sight would be absolutely adorable.
"Wow, they don't usually warm up to new people so quickly." Lily said with contained giddiness.
"So how'd they end here?" Victor asked.
"Some greedy farmer forced them out of their burrow, so I brought them here so they wouldn't get hurt." Lily replied, frowning at their situation.
Victor took a moment before saying his next words.
"Lily, I really sorry tha-" Lily shushed him before he finished.
"You don't need to be sorry, you weren't in control of your actions, Farther Box did those things, not you, besides it's not you I'm mad at."
"Don't be too mad at Dick, I pushed him to ask for your help." Victor reasoned.
Lily smirked.
"Don't worry I'll forgive him eventually, but until then I full intend to mess with him by giving him the silent treatment."
"You're diabolical."
"I'm his sister, that's my job." They both chuckled, then fell back into silence, Victor smacked his lips a few times, genuinely not knowing what else to say.
"So you play football?" His prayers were answered when Lily continued the conversation for him.
"Hmm?"
"Last time you were here, you said you were training to be a pro footballer."
"Yeah, well at least I was. His face fell slightly.
"I always wanted to learn how to play, but I never really had the time."
"I could show you a few tricks I you want."
{Time skip}
"It's down to the final round, she's got magic in her feet, she shoots!" Lily managed to dodge Victor and sent the ball flying into the net.
"She scores! The crowd goes wild! How does she keep doing it?!"
"How indeed." Victor panted, hands on his knees, Lily had won... five times in a row.
"You sure you've never played before?"
"I'm a fast learner, did your dad teach you how to play?" Lily asked.
"Please if you weren't his latest research project, you didn't exist." Victor scoffed, Lily tilted her head, clearly needing more context. "My dad was always too busy working to come to any of my games, so I thought if I just buckled down and focused on winning, I'd get his attention, that's led up to this." He gestured to himself and made a fist.
"Well, now..." Lily pulled out one of his fingers so it was pointing at her. "You've got this." Victor's eye's widened.
"And if he couldn't see how awesome you are, then that's his loss." She hugged him, despite only coming up to his stomach. "You're not a freak, not to me."
Victor heart was definitely not melting and he was absolutely not about to start crying.
"I think we should get inside, there's like pollen in my eye or something."
Lily giggled. "Sure tough guy."
She gave him a playful punch, that was a lot harder than any of his sports friends ever were, he rubbed the sore spot on his arm, god this girl was way stronger than she looked.
{Patching Things Up}
(Premier Building)
Dick was sick, like really sick, he and Black Lightning snuck into a bad guy's home, their name was Granny or something and they brainwashed them, Black Lightning was fine but Nightwing got it the worst of it.
"His temperature's spiking, help me strap him down so he doesn't hurt himself." Dr. Jace exclaimed, Bruce helped her while you, Alfred, Tim and Barbara stood to the side, they were all worried, but none more than Lily.
He's been sick before, but never like this, Tim held her closely to help keep her calm, but it wasn't helping much.
"His brain is swelling, Dr Jace says we need ice to bring down his temperature." Bruce said to the others outside the med bay. "Ice is on the way." He reassured.
"What then?" Lily asked, now visibly crying, Bruce didn't answer.
The others came back with giant bags of ice and covered Dick with them, the rapid beeping on the heart monitor went down to a more stable pace.
"His temperature's down, he's stable." Lily never thought she'd be so relived to hear that.
"Take a break doctor, we'll call you if anything changes."
You weren't really listening, you just sat yourself next to Dick's side, gently stroking his sweat drenched hair, the other's left, leaving just you and Alfred with Dick.
Lily starting to sob gently, the last time she saw her brother, she yelled at him and threw him out of her garden, she didn't know if what was happening to him now was life threatening or not but she didn't want that to be their last interaction. She didn't want him to think she hated him.
"Dick, I'm sorry just... please be ok..."
She felt Alfred gently rub her arm, trying to comfort her, but they both heard yelling coming from the other room and he went to see what the ruckus was about, Black Lightning was the one yelling, something about all of them working together and lying to everyone.
Lily slide down the nearest wall to her, unable to control her breathing or her sobbing, she couldn't hear the rest of the argument, all she heard her heart was pounding and was barely able to take a solid breath through her tears.
"W-w-what can I do...?" She sobbed into her knees, everything... it was just too much, and she felt completely helpless to do anything. What could she do?
"Reach inside yourself." Her head flew up at hearing that all too familiar voice whispering her ear.
"Mom?"
She looked around, but it was just her and Dick.
She focused on what the voice said and for some reason, it helped her spirits rise and make her less scared.
She looked towards one of the bedside tables and a healing pods sprouted, bloomed and and opened on it, the glowing pollen swirling around and shining brighter than she'd ever seen before.
She scooped up the pollen in her hands, given what happened last time she used one of these pods, Lily knew it might not work or if it could even make things worse, but she had to try.
"Please help him." She whispered, and blew the pollen onto Dick.
He was enveloped in golden aura, Lily had all her fingers crossed, praying to whatever gods may be up there that this would work, Dick suddenly took a deep, clear breath, like he was finally able to breathe properly again, then the bright glow fade.
Lily rushed over in anxious anticipation, Dick stirred and groaned.
"Dick...?"
Then his eyes fluttered open and he smiled weakly.
"Hey sis..."
"Dick!" Lily lunged and hugged him tightly.
"I take it this means you're talking to me again?" He joked with slight rasp.
"Shut up birdbrain." She replied with a shaky laugh. "I'm just so glad you're alright."
They heard the arguing continuing outside.
"What's going on?" Dick enquired.
"They've been at it a while, something about you and the others orchestrating events to make the Outsiders look good."
"Dang it... Lil, help me up." She reluctantly got him up and helped him walked to the living room, most of the others were shocked and relieved that he was awake and as most arguments do, it didn't end well.
(I know more happened in the episode but I have the attention span of a guppy and I do like watching arguments, they make me uncomfortable.)
Black Lightning stormed out and Lily helped Dick back into bed.
"Now do you see why I don't join teams anymore?"
"Yeah, even I admit we kinda screwed up." Dick sighed.
"Trust goes both ways, you can't work together properly if you're always lying to each other."
Lily finished tucking Dick in.
"But, I knew about what you guys were doing and didn't say anything, so I'm no better."
"Sis, this all on us, not you, it wasn't fair to tell you to keep this all a secret from the others, even though you're not with the League or the team anymore they know they can still count you to help."
"It's not that- well it is, they did have a right to know but... I've looked up to all of you since I was a baby, and I just wish you could see each other the way I see you. You're strong, brave, a little stupid sometimes"
That made Dick laugh.
"But you're also kind and you want to protect everyone, so please let them do the same, you're just as strong as each other."
Dick raised his eyebrow with.
"You literally just healed me with magic pollen."
"I healed you... with my LOVE for my big brother." She squeezed him.
"Who has a wonderful brain."
"Stop it..."
"Big heart, cool hair, even when it's sweaty."
"Lily..."
"And who I know for a fact is ticklish, right on his side." She started tickling the side of his stomach and burst into a fit of laughs.
"Oh so that's how you wanna play?" Lily squealed when Dick scooped her up started tickling her back.
They eventually called a truce and stopped the tickle war.
Lily and Barbara didn't leave Dick's bedside once, so after two days, he finally managed to convince them to go home, but only after Lily made Kaldur promise to watch over him.
Lily was walking home when she heard screaming coming from a nearby alley, with a closer look Ultra Humanite attacking an old lady.
Immediately springing into action Lily quickly dealt with the villain and knocked out the giant, white ape.
That was easy... a little too easy.
She didn't give it a second thought as she ran to assist the old lady.
"Are you ok mam?" She asked.
"Oh yes, I'm alright dear, that brute came out of nowhere and attacked me."
As she helped her up, Lily got a better look at the lady's face.
"Hey, I know you, I've seen you on TV! You're Granny Goodness!"
Granny chuckled.
"That's me, oh I'm so embarrassed that you had to meet me like this."
"Don't be, it's still a pleasure to meet you."
"You are so sweet, and such lovely manners." Granny smiled.
"I was always taught to be polite and proper, oh I forgot to introduce myself, I'm-"
"Oh no need for introductions dear, I already know who you are, you're Lily Wayne, or should I say Wildflower."
Lily paused.
"I-I think you have me mixed up with someone else miss."
"On the contrary, I ran into your brothers a few days ago, what did he call himself again... Nightwing was it?"
If Lily's blood wasn't running cold before, it definitely was now.
"Him and some of your other hero friends snuck into my house and stole a Motherbox, seems only fitting we take something they value greatly in return.
She was so shocked in fact, she failed to notice Ultra Humanite getting back up, grabbing Lily and placing their hand over her mouth, Lily kicked and struggled trying to free herself from the giant ape's grip, but it was no use.
"You are going to witness something marvellous my dear, the will of Darkside, the era of Anti-life." Lily heard Granny say before she started feeling lightheaded from the lack of air, before blacking out completely.