For The One Who Almost Lost Everything CHAPTER 5

A/N: The number of people fighting their demons is the magic #16. Zucco using Zatanna's magic and M'gaan's telepathy to personify the Team's inner demons is based on "The End Part 2" (Teen Titans), but I don't know what are the inner demons for some people. Defeating the inner demons is based on "The End Part 3" (Teen Titans). Superboy and Miss Martian's comments to one another comes from John Stewart and Shayera's little chat in "Divided We Fall" (Justice League Unlimited). The last scene is based on Wizardmon's death in "Wizardmon's Gift" (Digimon Adventure 01).

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Young Justice, the Young Justice wikia, DC comics, and the other fandoms that are referenced in the entire story.

Nightwing's imaginary friends huddle together behind Kid Flash despite their ill feelings towards him. Artemis notices this and stands close to her boyfriend in order to provide extra cover for them.

"So you're the one who killed Nightwing's parents when he was a kid?" Beast Boy asked angrily. Seeing the killer reminded him of how his mom was killed by Queen Bee.

"Actually, I'm not the real Zucco but a manifestation of your leader's darkness from deep within his subconscious. Every negative and nasty thought he had. Depression, rage, sadness, etc," said Zucco. "Thanks to how most of you treated him"-Zucco points his finger at Kid Flash-"especially you, I was able to grow stronger before the lightning gave me life. I didn't think you people would actually come here to help him and you're going to wish you never did."

"Unless you want to fight, you're outmatched. It's 16 against 1 so just give us back Dick Grayson already!" said Wonder Girl who was secretly itching for a fight.

Aqualad could see that Zucco's hands begin to give off a black aura. "Whatever it is that he has in store for us, it can't hurt us here as we remember that this is an illusion."

"Let me guess. You all think that I can't hurt you here as long as you remember that this is an illusion, right?" asked Zucco before giving an evil grin. "Care to test that theory?" Everyone charges towards Zucco except Raya, Raymond, and Zane who stayed put. Zucco blasts his dark energy at the charging heroes, propelling them back. This makes Miss Martian disconnect the mind link.

"And that was just me holding back," said Zucco as an dark aura glows around him. Before Miss Martian has a chance to reestablish the mind link, Zucco fires his dark energy at her and Zatanna who scream in pain as black lightning zaps them. Raya, Raymond, and Zane are so scared that they turn their capes into owl wings and fly up before Zucco could fire at Miss Martian and Zatanna.

"M'GAAN!" yelled Superboy before he and the others instantly suffer the same fate when black lightning extends from the 2 females to the others on the ground. The horrified trio watch from above as black smoke comes out of each hero's body and begins to take shape.

Nightwing's room

Superman brings coffee to Black Canary, Batman, and the Martian Manhunter. Suddenly, the Team begins to sweat and writhe under some sort of invisible torture for 4 seconds. The Martian Manhunter goes over to his niece and shouts her name twice in an effort to wake her up. The writhing suddenly stops before he could do anything else, making him and the others fear the worst.

"Wait," said Superman. He stares at each member of the search party briefly. "Their heartbeats are ok, but what was that?"

"I don't know, but I'm having a bad case of deja vu," replied Batman who caresses Nightwing's face. "Dick, where are you?"

Back in Nightwing's mind

Suddenly, the Team was propelled backwards. When the smoke cleared, the Team was looking at a team of inner demons who look exactly like the originals except they're black and white with red eyes.

Zucco gave an evil laugh that echoed and said, "I may be all mighty and powerful, but you are your own worst enemies."

Nega Wonder Girl flies forward and stops right in front of Wonder Girl. "Nightwing's not the only one with a nasty side," said Nega Wonder Girl in an sly tone as close to Wonder Girl's face as possible. She throws a punch that slams Wonder Girl against the ceiling. Suddenly, Nega Rocket blasts Rocket with purple kinetic energy instead of trapping her in a force bubble because seeing her suffer was more enjoyable than seeing a quick defeat. The other inner demons soon join in. Raya, Raymond, and Zane watch as the battle unfolds beneath them.

"What does Cassie even see in you? In fact, why don't you just give up already?" asked Nega Robin while they attack each other with their bo staffs. "I bet Batman is already prepared for the worst."

Nega Robin throws an explosive shuriken that knocks Robin off balance but Robin's demon quickly gets up and doesn't shut up. "After all, isn't that how you got this gig, replacement?"

Robin responds angrily by charging towards his inner demon with his bo staff like he's jousting but Nega Robin just move to the side and zaps him with his bo staff.

Wonder Girl hears Robin's scream and flies towards him in an attempt to intervene but her ankles get tied up by Nega Wonder Girl's lasso. Nega Wonder Girl then uses the lasso to toss and throw her opponent at the wall as if the whole thing was the hammer throw at the Scottish highland games.

Nega Wonder Girl mockingly asked Wonder Girl, "Are you worried about your precious Robin? Should I let him and the others about your true feelings?"

"No you won't!" responds Wonder Girl angrily who flies forward towards her inner demon with her fist.

Beast Boy changes into different animals to fight Nega Beast Boy but whatever animal he changes into, Nega Beast Boy changes into the same animal.

"Go ahead. Run back home to mommy," taunted Nega Beast Boy. "Oh that's right. You don't have a mommy."

Nega Zatanna and Zatanna fight each other by blasting energy beams at each other but Zatanna is getting weaker as Nega Zatanna continues to taunt her. "Er'uoy ticilpmoc htiw rieht setaf. That's why the 2 most important men in your life can't help you right now."

Zatanna narrowly avoids a magic blast from Nega Zatanna and tries to turn her demon's clothes into bindings so the demon would shut up but the demon breaks out of it. Nega Zatanna uses the same spell on Zatanna.

"Why do you even bother trying to save one of them? Dick tricked you. Used you. Admit it. You wanted him gone from your life. And now, he's gonna remain trapped in a dark place forever"-a glowing Nega Zatanna then said the next words individually-"Just. Like. Your. Dad."

A furious Zatanna breaks the bindings apart. "SHUT UP!" she yelled before retaliating by trying to fire as much magic at her demon.

Superboy rubs the back of his head after he managed to briefly escape the wrath of a ballistic Nega Superboy before the latter body-slams the former and pins him on the ground. "You remind me of Match," said Superboy as he struggles to get up but his arms and legs are being twisted by his clone.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Just know that with you gone and assuming she survives, M'gaan will be all mine," whispered Nega Superboy into Superboy's ear.

"Arrgh. No, she won't!" shouted Superboy before he breaks free, punches him in the face, grabs him by his legs, and throws him like a heavy metal ball in the Scottish Highland games. Nega Superboy's body hits Nega Aqualad. Aqualad tries to escape but Nega Aqualad uses a hard water rope to trip and toss him against the rocks.

"Sorry. Not fast enough. No wonder Tula chose Garth over you," Nega Aqualad said to Aqualad.

Aqualad charges forward with tears in his eyes and attempts to attack his inner demon with hard water constructs. Aqualad's demon continues mocking him. "Aww. Did I hurt your stupid feelings?"

The same thing is happening with Miss Martian and Lagoon Boy when their evil clones taunt them about their past relationships. Miss Martian and Nega Miss Martian turn into their white martian forms. Beast Boy is briefly distracted by the transformation because he never seen his 'sister' in her white martian form before. This allows Beast Boy to get scratched in the face by his demon.

"GARFIELD!" yelled Miss Martian who gets punched by Nega Miss Martian. Both try to mentally obliterate each other, but can't because they're evenly match.

Artemis tries to kill her demon with arrows but the clone either cuts them in half with her sword or dodges them. "What makes you think you're strong enough to defeat me when you're weren't strong to keep your old family together or to protect that troll from the horrible treatment he got?" the demon asked before blowing a raspberry.

The others are also having trouble fighting their demons because the demons keep taunting the originals and are evenly matched with them. But Kid Flash's enormous sense of guilt meant that he had the most trouble fighting his demon.

"You choose your stupid girlfriend over your best friend. Do you really think the one who supported your decision to leave the hero life behind even wants you anymore? Admit it. You wanted him gone after you blew up at him. Ignored what he was going through. All because you and Artemis didn't want to lose each other."

Nega Kid Flash lifts Kid Flash over his head with both hands and uses his superspeed to spin him around before tossing him at a wall.

"Did it occur to you before you first got your powers that Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris have been dealing with that risk everyday? No."

Nega Kid Flash slams and pins Kid Flash to the ground.

"Not surprising for the slowest speedster ever. Fast on your feet but not with your brain."

Nega Kid Flash uses a wristlock on Kid Flash. "Just give up already. After all, this whole thing is ALL. YOUR. FAULT!"

Kid Flash angrily vibrates using his superspeed and flips his demon over before trying to unsuccessfully kick him in the head.

"Oops. Too slow. Out of practice. I think your new superhero name should be molasses," Nega Kid Flash laughed evilly.

Zucco is watching and enjoying the free entertainment while Raya, Raymond, and Zane are floating above the fight. Zucco almost forgot that they were there so when he sees them, he fires his dark aura beam at them but they dodge it. The trio of redheads try to attack Zucco with everything they got. Raymond blasts fire from one hand and tries to drown Zucco in a ball of water with his other hand while Zane blasts sonic sounds and electricity from his hands, but Zucco manages to fly out of the way. Raya uses her telekinesis to throw rocks and boulders at him before burying under a pile of rocks. When the trio flies down for a closer look, Zucco rises from the rocks and hold his hands up like he's being arrested.

"Wait. I'm not going to fight back but I am willing to offer you a deal. I'll let you see Dick. You three can spend time with him for the rest of eternity and all you have to do is take down those who took Dick away from you. What do you say? You know you want to."

The trio looks at each other in deep thought. Meanwhile, the battle between the search party and their demons continues. Nega Beast Boy throws the original near Miss Martian. "I had no idea that I was this tough," said Beast Boy.

"No one can fight their inner demons alone, Gar," said Miss Martian. "Wait. That's it. Everyone! Switch dance partners!"

Everyone did as Miss Martian said. Lagoon Boy and Beast Boy defeat each other's demons first. Blue Beetle blasts Nega Bumblebee with his sonic cannon. Impulse uses his faster speed to punch and trip Nega Kid Flash. Zatanna uses her magic to short circuit Nega Rocket's belt. Aqualad uses his Atlantean sorcery to Nega Blue Beetle which cause Nega Blue Beetle's armor to lost structure before knocking the demon out with a large spiked hard-water mace. One by one, most of the inner demons were defeated. The last ones still fighting were those of Miss Martian and Superboy. Miss Martian telekinetically throws a boulder at Nega Superboy when he was about to smash his boots on her. She then uses her telekinesis to repeatedly smash Superboy's inner demon with the same boulder.

"You enjoyed that a little too much," comments Superboy when Miss Martian was finished destroying the demon.

"Just blowing off some steam. He did broke my heart after all," said Miss Martian softly.

Superboy throws a punch at Nega Miss Martian's face, knocking her out. "Likewise, I'm sure," he said softly. Suddenly, the inner demons turn into bodies of white light that return to their original host bodies.

"Neptune's beard! We did it!" cheered Lagoon Boy.

"Wait! Where are Raya, Raymond, and Zane?" asked Beast Boy. Then, Zucco blasts everyone against the rocks. He throws the weakened trio of redheads at Guardian and Bumblebee because the trio fought against Zucco instead of taking up on his offer.

While the red haired kids slowly get back up on their feet, Zucco focuses his anger on Kid Flash who was with Artemis. "Your victory only prolongs your suffering, but don't worry. I'll be sure to put you out of your misery," a grinning Zucco tells Kid Flash before summoning all his energy and aiming it at the couple. They, like the rest of the Team, were too weak from fighting their inner demons to get out of the way. Even the ones with inherent superpowers couldn't do anything.

Everyone is horrified by what happens next: the ray hits the red haired trio who managed to fly into the ray's path a mere second before the ray could hit Artemis and Kid Flash; the trio falls backward towards Artemis and Kid Flash. The couple see that the owl themed helmets are broken, revealing that they were wearing domino masks that are the same color as the 'X' on their gloves.

"You guys, please don't die! You're all going to be alright!" cried Kid Flash as the trio turns their eyes at him. "Listen. I'm sorry for accusing you three of being double agents."

Zane was about to say something, but dark shadows suddenly envelop everyone before anyone could respond. This causes them to pass out.