Lost Stars

Chapter Eight

-Athena's POV-

I punched the bag until my knuckles bled, and then I kept punching. I was picturing an albeit familiar boy. After Dick had come to visit, things had gotten heated. I was still angry. I didn't know who I was more angry at, Dick or myself. On one hand, Dick had forced me to talk about bad memories and accused me harshly, but on the other, he had some good points. It was like he had read my mind. He brought up all the guilt I had felt for leaving and had shoved it right out into the open.

Fuck him.

When I was done training, I climbed the stairs back up to civilization. I was gaining my physique back rather fast with the help of Bruce's personal gym and Alfred's cooking.

"Miss Athena, you look rather famished. Is the training going well?" Alfred placed three plates stuffed with food in front of me. I licked my lips and went hands first into slab of salmon.

"Yes it is, thank you Alfred," I chewed and swallowed quickly and loudly, "I think in about a month I will be back to normal. And then you won't have to take care of me." I smirked, taking a large swig of milk.

"It is no bother. It's really astonishing how rapidly you are recovering. A week and a half ago you couldn't even use your legs, now look at you!" Just to show off, I stood up and ran some circles around the kitchen. Alfred's cheerful laugh made me forget about Dick's meeting.

"Your meals are doing it all, Pennyworth. How many awards have you won for your cooking?"

He blushed and chuckled. "Not nearly enough, I would say."

I laughed and leaned back, taking a bite off of a scone. "Oooh, look who's got a bit of an ego!"

"Miss Athena, I have cooked for the Kings and Queens of the world as well as the heroes," he chuckled, "and I will tell you, no one has ever eaten as much as you do!"

I rubbed my flat stomach, barely feeling my ribs poking through. I took a large bite off of a chicken leg and burped as loud as possible. "Consider it a compliment, Alfred. I'll have you know I rarely ate what was provided for me at the League of Assassins."

Thinking back to Nothing Soup, my stomach craved for more of Alfred's delicious food.

"Speaking of the League of Assassins, what did they provide you?" I could tell by Alfred's face that he was trying to pry the information of what actually happened to me. I hadn't told anyone any details. Even when Bruce and Tim interrogated me, I only gave vague answers. Anytime I thought back to the tortures, I was at a loss for words. Talking about it made me feel like I was back there.

"Definitely not Caesar Salads and chicken," I finished off my plate with a last moan of delight, "your dinners just keep getting better and better! I have to go."

Before I could race down the hallway to change into my uniform, Alfred stopped me. "You aren't going to go out on patrol, are you?"

What Alfred didn't know was that I had been "going on patrol" ever since I got back. But, it was the first night I was going to be out in my costume actually participating in the action. I hadn't fought someone in over a week!

"Alfred, I am strong enough to go back. Don't try to stop me. It'll just be a waste of your breath. See ya!" I called as I slipped into my Nightingale costume.

It was a little loose, but it still felt right. It had been too long since I wore it. When I slipped on my mask and strapped in my weapons, I felt the power surging through me. I was back. The assassins couldn't stop me. I was Nightingale. No longer was I Victoria Smith or even Athena Thomas. I was Nightingale, the unstoppable fighter, feared by people all over the world. I was Nightingale, the crime stopping hero that Gotham had welcomed.