Harper stood alongside the two teenagers as Rachel's father tried to convince the raven haired girl to join him. Gar had been listening to the conversation but Harper couldn't find it in herself too. Her eyes had been trained on Dick's motionless figure since she had saw him walk in. Black eyes and a stone cold face.
Her heart was thumping in her chest and all she could do was hope that he was fighting whatever darkness was in his head. She resisted the urge to run up to him and wake him up out of his trance but she couldn't. Rachel's father would kill her in seconds.
Gar's hand slipped into hers as he told Rachel's father that they'll pass. " Rach we gotta go." He told the girl before using his free hand to grab hers. Harper shivered as Dick's soulless eyes bored into hers.
" Run!"
The trio had turned down a corridor as they stopped to catch their breaths. Harper was constantly looking over her shoulder for Dick. She knew damn well Rachel's father would send him after them and they wouldn’t stand a chance against the crime fighter.
" No offense but your dad is an asshole." Gar panted.
" Tell me about it."
They heard a rumble before their heads swivelled to the side. They saw the corridor expand. The walls seeming to be never ending.
Harper groaned as it continued to stretch. " Oh you've got to be kidding me."
They started making their way down the corridor before Dick's voice boomed through the house.
" Rachel? Come out and play." He sang.
The group shared a look before Harper ushered the two teens into the bedroom.
" What is happening?" Gar uttered as he watched the portraits on the wall wail. The eyes on the pictures were clawed out as black streaks rolled down their cheeks.
" It's my father. He's doing this. He's trying to scare us." Rachel concluded after she had locked the door.
" Guess what? It's definitely working." Gar's voice hitched as his eyes widened. Harper pushed them behind her as a black mass started forming on the wall, it continued to grow until it engulfed half of the room before receding back into the walls.
" Okay, we need to leave and we need to leave now." Harper demanded.
" What the hell did he do to Dick?" Gar said as he glanced at the brunette. Harper gritted her teeth as Rachel placed her hand on her arm.
" Whatever he did to Dick, he wants to do to us as well. We have to get Dick back to normal. Harper you can reach him. He loves you. " Rachel said looking at the girl.
The brunette stared at the smaller and pale girl with full on bewilderment ." Me. I can't get through to him."
" Yes you can. Make him hear you. Harper you're our only hope at saving him. " Rachel persisted as they heard Dick's calls getting louder.
Dick started banging on the door as he tried to persuade Rachel. Harper shared a worried look between the teens as it went silent. They all jumped when they saw Dick's fist break through the door.
His eyes peered through the hole as he seemed to be looking straight at Harper.
" Let's talk"
Gar growled as he stood protectively in front of Harper, trying to shield her from Dick's sight. His skin turned green as his fangs extended when he roared at the Dick.
" Gar!"
His skin turned back to his usual colour when he heard Harper's call. He and Harper pushed the dresser in front of the door, hoping it would act as a barricade and allow them some time to escape.
Harper laughed as she saw the faces of her friends outside the house. " They came."
" We have to get to them before my father does." Rachel told them as the two followed after her as she crawled through the hatch that she found behind the dresser.
The group ran down the stairs and into the living room. Gar was panicking as he screamed how they were in a real life horror movie.
If they weren't in this situation Harper would have laughed and said that he had seen nothing yet. But instead, they were running for their lives because of Rachel's psychotic father and the love of Harper's life as he chased after them.
Rachel panted but she let out a relived breath as she saw the figures of their friends.
" Rachel. I think something's wrong." Harper muttered. The group turned to face the trio. Their eyes were black, just like Dick's.
" Aw shit." Harper muttered.
" Don't fight it Rachel." Harper spinned around as Dick came up behind them, his black eyes never leaving Harper's warm brown ones.
" Cue the final betrayl" Trigon nodded as the group moved forward. Harper had grabbed ahold of Gar and Rachel's arms as she pushed them behind her. She needed to make sure they survived, even if she didn't.
They backed up as Dawn swung at Harper. She managed to duck out of the way but Hank had managed to land a blow to her stomach. She doubled over in pain as the wind got knocked out of her.
Gar had tried to push through as he struggled to get to the girl who was getting ambushed by her friends.
Donna had just pushed him back, his head banging on the wall as his eyes fluttered shut.
Harper was pushed around in a circle as the people she loved continued to beat her mercilessly. Dawn had punched her in her chest before delivering her an uppercut. Harper's head jerked upwards as blood poured down her face. Her body was beaten and bruised as she struggled to stand.
Jason had grabbed her before he punched her square in the face. She tried to get through to them but blood filled her mouth as they continued to repeatedly punch the shit out of her.
Rachel was screaming as she tried to stop the torture on the brunette. She ran up to Dick who was smiling as he watched Harper get kicked in every direction. Her body laying in a hapless pile of brunette curls and blood.
" Dick, please listen to me. Back in Detroit, remember it was just you,me and Harper. I found you and asked for help and you said you would but you needed help. So you went and got Harper. You said you needed her. You promised ." She sobbed as she shook his arm trying to get through to him. " Please, if you can hear me now, help me. Please, please stop them."
Harper's hand circled around her stomach as her body curled in a fruitless attempt at protection. She had given up and was now taking the pain her friends were inflicting on her. She was tired and sore but she knew it wasn't them. They would never dare do anything to her. Her eyes began to flutter as the kicks continued to rain down upon her.
Dick looked at Rachel, he gave her a nod before walking towards Harper. She was rolled onto her side as blood poured down her face, she had a bruised eye and a busted lip.
She groaned weakly as Dick lifted her off the floor. Rachel sighed in relief as she felt as if she had finally gotten through to the man she trusted the most.
Harper tried to smile at Dick but it immediately slid off of her face as he grabbed her throat hoising her in the air. Harper struggled for oxygen as she gripped his hands. Rachel gasped as tears started falling freely down her face.
Her heart was broken as she stared at the brunette who had protected her at all costs. Who defended, loved and cared for her even when Rachel threw it back into her face. Harper had always been there for Rachel and it was killing her to see her is so much pain, all because of her. She had feared this moment since the beginning and now that it was a reality, Rachel was mortified.
Harper gasped for air as Dick's hand tightened around her throat. " D-Dick." She croaked.
His eyes twiched for a second before he threw Harper across the room, her back hit the China cabinet as the glass shattered around her as she dropped to the floor. Her eyes had shut as the glass embedded itself into her skin, the shards leaving new wounds on her already weakened body.
" No!" Rachel screamed as she ran to the girl who layed motionless.
" No, no, no."
She sobbed as she tried shaking the girl. Her hands were shaking as she ran her hands through the brunette's hair, something Harper used to do to her whenever she had nightmares or had trouble sleeping.
She stumbled to her feet as her father pushed forward, a smug grin on his face as he stared at his broken hearted daughter.
She let out a ear piercing scream as the glass shattered around her.
" Save her!" She begged.
" No. I saved the boy. I won't save her. I told you it would end. You should have listened to me. Maybe she could have lived. But now her death is on your hands." He told the girl who glanced at the brunette who was practically lifeless. " Your friends are murders, all because of you. You're a monster inside. A bringer of death. That's all you are. All you've ever been. Just...like...me."
Rachel continued to cry as she shook her head. " No, no. Harper said- Harp..."
" Harper is dead because of you. You never learn Rachel. Death follows you like a shadow. You can't escape it. Such a sad price she had to pay. I quite liked her. She was a real...spitfire."
" I can see it breaks your heart. Good." He gritted out . He pushed his hand into Rachel's chest and pulled out her heart. She gasped as his hand went through her.
Rachel choked as she collapsed to her knees, her heart gripped in Trigon's hand. He squeezed his fingers around it as he crushed the heart. He watched it disintegrate as he slowly transformed into his true self. Instead of a middle aged man he now had piercing red skin and eyes with horns attached to his head.
He placed the red stone that was once her heart onto her forehead. Her eyes turned black just like everyone elses.
" I understand now." She spoke as her voice grew distorted.
Gar's eyes fluttered as he started to regain consciousness. He transformed into a snake before slithering over to the wounded girl. The tip of his nose nudged her as he desperately attempted to wake the girl up. Her eyes flickered before slightly opening. Her vision was blurred as she saw a snake look into her eyes.
She could tell it was Gar from the way it was looking at her. Even as a snake he couldn't help the worry that overtook his body as he saw the state of the girl. She smiled at him before her eyes fell shut again. He knew she wanted for him to go save the others and that's exactly what he did.
He transformed back into himself as he approached Rachel who stood in a similar position to the others.
He grabbed her hand as Rachel gasped. " Rach, you're still you. Come back to me. I know you're still in there, Rachel. Please. Come back to us. To Harper. She needs you, just like how you needed her. You've got to fight it. Please don't give in."
Rachel gasped as her eyes turned back to her usual shade. She turned around to face the boy.
Rachel and Gar rushed towards Harper who was struggling to fight to stay awake. Rachel had grabbed her hand as she dropped to Harper's side. " Harper. I need you to get up. Please. You're too important to die. We need you, Dick needs you, I need you. I can't lose you Harper. I need you to come back to us. Fight this." Rachel pleaded.
" You're too badass to die Harper. Who would be Artemis if you died." Gar chuckled as he tried to get the girl to open her chocolate eyes.
They nearly broke down into tears when she didn't wake up. Gar had looked away as guilt penetrated his soul. She did what she did so they wouldn't get hurt. She was always looking after them and in the end, this was the end result. Gar's heart was in pieces as he looked at the woman that he idolised. When he saw her chest stop for a second he thought it was over. That he had just lost someone he loved. Someone he cared for. Someone like his sister.
Rachel on the other hand refused to give up. Harper was stronger than all of them put together. She wasn't going to die. Not here, not now. She gripped Harper's hand as she willed herself to try and heal her like how she did with Adamson back at the safe house.Her heart soared when she felt Harper lightly squeeze her hand.
" Oh don't look so sad. My friends are assholes. They owe me a lot because of this. I have blackmail for years. Plus Gar, I'm bloody irreplaceable." She said, her voice hoarse.
They chuckled in relief as they helped the girl stand. She leaned her body weight on Gar as they helped her limp towards Dick.
" I'm going to see if I can place you into Dick's mind ,get him and I'll bring you out. You've got this." Harper chuckled as Rachel placed her hand on her forehead. The room disappeared as she fell into darkness.
Harper opened her eyes to see Dick standing with his back towards her.
" Love the new look." He said gesturing to her face. " Could say the same for you" she retaliated.
" What are you doing here?" He snarled.
" I came here to save you."
He let out a scoff before gesturing to the place surrounding them. It was the Batcave only it was all destroyed. " Do I look like I need saving?"
" This isn't you Dick. This isn't the man I fell in love with." Harper muttered as she walked towards him.
" You would never kill Bruce no matter how insufferable he is,you would never do it. It's because you love him, no matter how much you will deny it." She told him as she inched closer. " Dick, I need you to come back with me. I need you to fight this. You're stronger than this. You're stronger than whatever spell Trigon has put on you." Her eyes watered slightly as she outstretched her hand. " Dick, I can't live without you. I need you to fight. Fight for me. Please Richard. I love you and I'm not leaving if you're not by my side."
She watched as the lights began to flicker before an overpowering flash of white brought her out of Dick's mind. She looked at Dick as his eyes turned back to the soft brown she had loved.
" Harper?" he whispered. She chuckled in relief sending him a small smile. " I've missed you." She smiled.
His eyes flickered over her face as he stared in horror." Did we do this. Did I do this."
" Hey, it doesn't matter. All that matters is getting the rest back and making sure Rachel's father is buried in the deepest pits of hell. No offense." She said glancing at the teen.
" None taken"
She happily gazed into Dick's eyes as he pulled the girl into a kiss. Their lips moved feverishly as their bodies fitted together like a puzzle piece. Two pieces forming a whole.
Rachel coughed allowing for the two adults to separate. They blushed a deep shade of red as they shuffled awkwardly under the teens scrutinizing stares. Only now realising that they had been there the whole time.
Rachel looked at the three most important people who she'd somehow managed to find. They smiled at her as she glanced outside where her father was before a burst of determination struck the girl.
" I think I need a minute alone with my father"