Becoming Nightshade

Jason perched on the edge of a rooftop, his eyes scanning the city below. The faint hum of traffic buzzed in the background as a flicker of orange light from a cigarette signaled Constantine's arrival. The older man stepped into view, his trench coat billowing slightly in the breeze.

"You're late," Jason muttered, his tone clipped.

Constantine exhaled a plume of smoke, his expression unreadable. "Patience, kid. Some things can't be rushed." He nodded toward Jason's phone. "You got the picture?"

Jason pulled out his phone and held up the image of Maggie's aura, the swirling purples and blacks unmistakable. "Yeah. Now tell me—what the hell am I looking at?"

Constantine took the phone, his eyes narrowing as he studied the screen. "This," he said grimly, "is why your gut's been screaming at you. That aura's not just Maggie's energy—it's corrupted. Darkened."

Jason's fists tightened at his sides. "So she's possessed? Is that what you're saying?"

Constantine handed the phone back, shaking his head. "Not exactly. Possession's too simple. This isn't a demon hijacking her body. This is something deeper—something that's tied to who she is."

Jason's brows furrowed. "You're talking about Lillyanna."

Constantine nodded, taking another drag from his cigarette. "I am. If Lillyanna's influence has grown strong enough to affect Maggie's aura like this, it means she's not just whispering in her head anymore. She's got her claws in deeper than we thought."

Jason's voice was sharp, almost accusing. "So what does that mean? Is Lillyanna controlling her?"

Constantine hesitated, rubbing his temple. "That's the question, isn't it? Right now, I don't have enough to say for sure. It could be that Lillyanna's steering the ship completely, or it could be Maggie's still in there, trying to fight her off."

Jason paced, frustration boiling over. "So what do we do?"

Constantine exhaled slowly, his tone measured. "I can talk to her."

Jason stopped pacing, narrowing his eyes. "You? Why would she even listen to you?"

Constantine smirked faintly, though his expression was laced with seriousness. "Because if Lillyanna's in control, she'll know exactly who I am. And if Maggie's still in there, well…" He trailed off, shrugging. "Let's just say I've got a knack for finding cracks in people's walls."

Jason crossed his arms, his voice filled with skepticism. "And if Lillyanna is in charge? What's to stop her from, I don't know, attacking you?"

Constantine's smirk widened, his usual cocky demeanor creeping back in. "She won't. Not yet, at least. Lillyanna's playing a long game. If she's in control, she'll want to keep up the act. Talking to me risks blowing her cover, and she knows it."

Jason stared at him, weighing the risks in his mind. "And if she does slip?"

"Then we'll know for sure," Constantine replied, his tone turning serious again. "But I need you to stay out of it, kid. If she senses we're working together, she'll shut me out completely."

Jason's jaw tightened. "You think I'm just going to sit back and do nothing?"

Constantine stepped closer, his voice lowering. "No, I think you care too much to screw this up. So let me do what I do best. You stay close, keep an eye on her, and wait for my signal."

Jason clenched his fists, his frustration barely contained. "Fine. But if anything happens to her—"

"Yeah, yeah," Constantine interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "You'll skin me alive or whatever. Noted."

Jason scowled but didn't argue further. "When are you talking to her?"

"Soon," Constantine said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, the faint glow highlighting the serious look in his eyes. "But I might need to bring the Bat and Nightwing in on the plan."

Jason immediately stiffened. "You want to involve Bruce and Dick in this? Why? I thought we were keeping this quiet."

Constantine exhaled a plume of smoke, his tone calm but firm. "Kid, this isn't just about keeping things quiet anymore. If Lillyanna's in control—or even halfway there—we're dealing with something bigger than a teenage rebellion. She's a Nightshade, and if we don't handle this right, it could spiral fast."

Jason's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "Bruce is going to flip if he thinks Maggie's not herself. And Dick… he's not going to just sit back and let you poke around in her head."

Constantine smirked faintly. "Oh, I know. That's why I'm not asking their permission. I'm telling them what's going on, so they don't screw up the plan by charging in blind."

Jason exhaled sharply, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine. Talk to them. But if they even think about locking her up or treating her like some kind of threat—"

"They won't," Constantine interrupted, his voice firm. "Not if we handle this right."

Jason nodded reluctantly, his mind racing. "When are you looping them in?"

Constantine smirked faintly. "Already have. Bruce is not exactly the ignoring type."

Bruce sat in his leather chair, the glow of the cellphone dimming as he finished reading the message from Constantine. His jaw tightened as he processed the cryptic but urgent words:

"You've got a problem, mate. Maggie might not be herself. Need to meet. The sooner, the better."

Exhaling slowly, he locked his phone and slid it into his pocket. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, but before he could dwell on it, the sound of light footsteps pulled his attention. He glanced up just as Maggie—Lillyanna—entered the room, her familiar smile in place.

"Hi, Dad," she said warmly, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Back from saving the world?"

Bruce studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "It went well," he replied carefully. "Just a routine mission."

"Good to hear," she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "We don't need Gotham falling apart while you're out saving the Justice League's ass."

Bruce gave a faint smirk at her usual banter, but his sharp eyes never left her. "How was your day?"

Lillyanna—playing Maggie perfectly—sighed dramatically as she sank into the chair across from him. "Pretty normal, actually. School was fine. Went dress shopping with Emily and Stephanie. They're still obsessed with the homecoming stuff."

Bruce nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Find anything you liked?"

She grinned. "Of course. I think it'll turn a few heads. Even Alexis will have to admit I'll look better than her."

Her tone was light and teasing, but Bruce's instincts nagged at him. Something about her demeanor seemed… too smooth, too effortless. He leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. "You seem to be bouncing back quickly after everything that happened."

Lillyanna raised an eyebrow, her smile faltering for just a moment before she covered it with a casual shrug. "Why wouldn't I? I can't let one bad night ruin my whole life."

Bruce's gaze narrowed slightly, though he kept his tone neutral. "Maggie, you know you can talk to me, right? About anything."

Lillyanna met his gaze, her eyes steady and calm. "I know, Dad. But I'm fine, really. You don't have to worry so much."

Her response was flawless, and Bruce hated that it was exactly what Maggie would say. But years of experience told him something was off—something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Well," he said finally, leaning back in his chair, "if anything changes, you'll let me know."

"Of course," she said easily, standing up and brushing her hands against her jeans. "Anyway, I've got homework to finish. Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Maggie," Bruce replied, watching as she left the room.

The moment the door clicked shut, Bruce's expression hardened. Pulling out his phone, he reopened Constantine's message and began typing a response:

"I'm in. "