Becoming Nightshade

The overcast sky cast a somber light over Gotham as Constantine leaned against a park bench, his trench coat flapping in the chill wind. His cigarette glowed faintly, the only warmth in the moment as he waited, his thoughts heavy.

He didn't have to look up to know she'd arrived. Maggie's—or rather, Lillyanna's—presence carried a weight that made the air feel sharper, colder. She stepped into view with a deliberate stride, dressed casually in a hoodie and jeans, but her eyes betrayed her—a gleaming, ancient sharpness that didn't belong to Maggie.

"John," she greeted, her voice light but tinged with something far older, something far more dangerous. "Always the dramatic rendezvous spots with you. You never change."

Constantine smirked faintly, flicking ash onto the ground. "And you do, Lillyanna? Don't think I didn't clock it right away. What's the play, love? Why now?"

Her lips curled into a faint smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Straight to the point. That's what I've always liked about you, John. No time for pleasantries."

Constantine's smirk faded, his eyes narrowing. "Cut the small talk, Lilly. You could've kept whispering sweet nothings and stayed in the shadows. But now you're taking control. Why?"

Lillyanna's smile widened, colder this time. She began to circle him, her movements deliberate, predatory. "You haven't figured it out yet? I thought you knew me better than that. Maggie…Like I was. So much raw potential. But she's drowning in fear, doubt, self-loathing. I'm giving her what she need...Space."

" My arse," Constantine shot back, his tone sharp. "You've always been good at twisting words to suit your needs. What are you really after?"

Constantine froze, his breath hitching as Lillyanna stepped closer, her hand reaching up to gently caress his face. Her touch was soft, familiar, and achingly reminiscent of a time he had buried deep in the recesses of his memory.

"I've missed you, John," she whispered, her voice tender and filled with a vulnerability.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, his mind swimming with conflicting emotions. The warmth of her touch was a stark contrast to the cold reality of what she'd become. When he opened his eyes again, they were hard, resolute.

"Don't," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight of sorrow and warning. "Don't do this, Lilly. You don't get to use the past to justify what you're doing now."

Her hand lingered on his face, her gaze softening as she looked at him. "You say that like it's so simple," she murmured. "But you can't tell me you don't feel it, John. That connection we had—it never went away."

Constantine froze as her lips met his, the kiss igniting a storm of emotions he had buried long ago. For a brief moment, he let himself get lost in it—the warmth, the familiarity, the bittersweet echo of a love that once defined him. The memories rushed back, unbidden: nights spent under starlit skies, whispered promises, and a passion that burned brighter than anything he'd known.

But then reality came crashing in.

In the faint crackle of the earpiece tucked discreetly in his ear, a familiar voice growled with barely contained fury.

"Get your fucking tongue out of my girlfriend's mouth."

Constantine blinked, his breath hitching as the voice cut through the haze. The sharpness of it snapped him back to the present, to the reality of what he was doing.

He pulled back abruptly, his breath ragged, his hands gripping her shoulders. His eyes burned with a mix of anger and sorrow. "No," he rasped, shaking his head. "This isn't real. It's not us. It's not you. Not anymore."

Lillyanna's gaze held his, a flicker of something between triumph and hurt flashing across her face. "You felt it," she said softly, her voice almost pleading. "Don't lie to yourself, John. You felt it. We can still have what we had. We can start again."

Constantine's grip tightened for a moment before he released her, stepping back as if putting distance between them would clear the haze she'd left in his mind. "We can't," he said, his voice firmer now, though the pain in it was unmistakable. "That life we had? It's gone, Lilly."

Her expression hardened, the vulnerability evaporating like mist in the sunlight. "I didn't destroy anything, John. While you… you turned your back on me. On us."

"I didn't turn my back," Constantine shot back, his voice rising, raw and sharp. His words echoed in the space between them, filled with an edge of pain he could no longer conceal. "I failed you.I made the choice no one ever wants to make," he said, his tone softer but no less raw. "The world was burning, Lilly. The stakes were too high. I thought I could …

He trailed off, his voice faltering as the memories clawed their way to the surface. The echoes of fire, screams, and her face—pleading, desperate—flashed behind his eyes. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening. "I thought there'd be time. Time to fix it. Time to bring you back. But there wasn't, was there? And now—" He swallowed hard, his gaze locking onto hers. "It feels like it's all happening again."

Lillyanna's expression shifted, the cold confidence cracking slightly. Her eyes softened, a flicker of the woman he once knew surfacing. "John…" she began, her voice almost gentle. "You made your choice."

He nodded, his voice gaining strength. "Yeah, I did. Because I'm not making the same mistake twice. I won't let you take Maggie."

Her face hardened, the flicker of vulnerability snuffed out like a candle in the wind. "Maggie isn't yours to save, John," she said coldly. "She's already chosen me. Just like I chose the Lilith before me back then. You can't stop this."

I can," Constantine said, his voice low and unwavering, his sharp gaze cutting through Lillyanna's cold confidence. "You're twisting her, Lilly. Just like Lilith twisted you. But there's still a chance for her, a way back. And I'm going to make sure she gets it."

As the last word left his lips, he subtly tapped the earpiece in his ear—a signal. Lillyanna caught the movement, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Before she could react, shadows moved in from all directions.

From the rooftops, Batman dropped down silently, his cape billowing like a dark storm. Robin—Jason—emerged from the shadows of a nearby alley, his expression fierce and his fists clenched, ready for a fight. Nightwing followed, his escrima sticks sparking faintly with electricity. And from the opposite end of the park, Catwoman sauntered forward, her whip coiled in one hand, a sly but focused look on her face.

Lillyanna's expression hardened, her glowing eyes narrowing as she took in the assembled group. "Well," she said, her voice dripping with disdain, "Isn't this a charming. What's the plan, John? Overwhelm me with brooding and theatrics?"

Constantine stepped forward, his smirk sharp as a blade. "Plan's simple, love. You step out of Maggie's body willingly, and we don't have to do this the hard way."

Lillyanna chuckled, the sound dark and humorless, her lips curling into a wicked smirk. "The hard way? You know I like it rough, John," she said, her tone dripping with mockery and innuendo.

Constantine rolled his eyes, letting out a slow, exasperated sigh. "Yeah, I remember. But trust me, love, you're not gonna like where this is headed."

Her smirk widened, and she tilted her head, her glowing eyes narrowing as she took in the team surrounding her. "Oh, I think I'll manage."

Before anyone could respond, the air around her began to shimmer, dark energy crackling like electricity. The ground beneath her feet scorched and blackened as the atmosphere grew heavy with her power.

"Here we go," Constantine muttered, stepping back and pulling out a small charm from his coat. "You lot better be ready!"

With a flick of her hand, the dark energy erupted outward, sending shockwaves through the park and throwing debris into the air.

Batman moved in first, his precision strikes aiming to subdue, but every time he closed the gap, she twisted away with an unnerving agility.

"Come on, Bruce," Lillyanna taunted, her voice layered with Maggie's, a haunting duality that froze everyone in their tracks. "Why hesitate now?"

Batman gritted his teeth as a blast of dark energy forced him back. He regrouped quickly, firing a grappling hook to steady himself. "We're not hesitating," his voice firm, though the subtle shift in his stance betrayed his struggle.

Nightwing darted in next, his escrima sticks sparking as he aimed a flurry of strikes. "Sorry, Maggie," he muttered under his breath as he went for her legs, hoping to ground her. But every swing felt like a betrayal. Lillyanna laughed as she dodged him effortlessly, her movements almost playful. "Oh, Dick," she purred, spinning around and blasting him with a wave of force that sent him sprawling. "Always the good little soldier. But you don't have it in you to hurt her, do you?"

Catwoman's whip cracked through the air, coiling around Lillyanna's wrist. "Maybe he doesn't," Selina said, her voice sharp as she yanked hard, pulling Lillyanna off balance. "But I don't have that problem."

For a moment, it looked like they had the upper hand. Batman and Robin moved in, working in tandem to flank her, while Nightwing recovered, his movements sharper now despite the internal conflict. But Lillyanna's power surged again, her shadows flaring with such intensity that it forced everyone back.

"You're all so predictable," she sneered, her tone dripping with mockery. "You hold back because you see her. Because you hear her."

Constantine stood at the edge of the battle, chanting under his breath, his hands glowing faintly as he worked a spell.

"Come on, Maggie," he muttered, his voice low and desperate. "Fight her. You've got to fight her."

Jason, meanwhile, wasn't holding back. He charged in with a shout, his fists swinging with all the rage and frustration boiling inside him as his knuckles hit landed on her jaw, and for a split second, Lillyanna's control wavered. Maggie's expression softened, her eyes flickering with recognition. "Jason…" she whispered, her voice faint, before Lillyanna snarled and regained control, blasting him backward with a wave of energy. Robin hit the ground hard, coughing as he scrambled to his feet. His chest heaved as he shouted, his voice cracking with raw emotion. "She's still in there! I heard her!"

Batman's voice cut through the chaos, commanding and precise. "Then we bring Lillyanna down—hard. Focus on containment. No one acts alone. We take her together."

Robin wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, determination flaring in his eyes. "Let's do this." he muttered.

Nightwing moved into position, his escrima sticks sparking faintly as he crouched low. "Catwomen, take her left. Robin, you've got the right. Batman and I will keep her focused on the front. Constantine, you ready?"

Constantine, still weaving his spell, shouted from the edge of the battlefield. "I'm bloody close! Just keep her off me!"

Lillyanna stood at the center of the chaos, her glowing eyes flickering as Maggie's presence tried to resurface. She tilted her head, her smirk widening as the team circled her. "Look at you all," she sneered, her tone dripping with mockery. "So noble. So determined. But it doesn't matter. She's mine!"

Robin charged first, his fists swinging with raw fury. He aimed low, forcing Lillyanna to evade and exposing her to Catwoman's whip. The leather coil snapped around her ankle, yanking her off balance.

"Gotcha," Selina purred, pulling hard and dragging Lillyanna to the ground. "You're not so tough when you're flat on your back."

But Lillyanna snarled, slamming a wave of energy into the ground that shattered the whip's hold and sent shockwaves rippling through the team. Batman leaped back, throwing a batarang aimed for her hands, but she deflected it midair with an almost lazy flick of her wrist.

"You'll have to do better than that, Bruce," she taunted, dark energy swirling around her like a storm.

Nightwing darted in next, his movements fluid as he aimed for her torso with his electrified escrima sticks. The charge connected, sending a jolt through Maggie's body. She stumbled, her glowing eyes flaring with rage as she swung at him with a burst of raw energy.

"Stay on her!" Batman barked, moving in to capitalize on the opening. He landed a precise strike to her shoulder, forcing her back toward Robin, who was already waiting.

"Sorry, Maggie," Robin muttered under his breath as he swung hard, landing a solid hit to her side. "This is for your own good!"

Lillyanna roared, her shadows flaring as she pushed them all back with a shockwave. But this time, the glow in her eyes wavered, and Maggie's voice broke through, faint and desperate.

"Help… help me…"

Robin froze for a split second, the sound of her real voice cutting through his fury.

Lillyanna's control faltered, her stance unsteady. Batman seized the moment, throwing a concussive grenade at her feet. The explosion disoriented her, and Nightwing followed up with a precision strike to her knee, forcing her down.

Constantine's voice rose above the chaos, the sigils around him glowing brighter. "Now! Get her pinned—don't let her move!"

Catwoman's whip snapped around Lillyanna's arms, binding them tightly. Robin grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to the ground, his weight pinning her as Nightwing and Batman closed in.

Lillyanna struggled, her voice a furious, guttural roar. "You can't stop me!"

Constantine stepped forward, his spell reaching its crescendo. His voice boomed with authority, layered with an ancient power. "You don't belong here, Lilly! Maggie's not yours, and it's time you bloody well let her go!"

The sigils flared, their brilliant light cutting through the oppressive darkness that surrounded Lillyanna. The dark shadows enveloping her began to crack and splinter, jagged fissures appearing like cracks in a blackened mirror. She screamed, a sound that was both furious and tormented, her voice overlapping with Maggie's—a horrifying symphony of defiance and desperation.

"No!" Lillyanna roared, her glowing eyes blazing, fighting against the spell. "She's mine! You can't take her from me!"

Constantine stepped closer, the air around him charged with power as he channeled every ounce of energy into his spell. His voice was steady, commanding, cutting through Lillyanna's fury. "You're done here, Lilly! Maggie's not your puppet, and she sure as hell isn't your second chance!"

The cracks in the dark energy widened, beams of light breaking through as the sigils glowed brighter. Her screams turned guttural, a mix of rage and fear as Maggie's voice grew louder, overpowering her.

"Help!" Maggie's voice called out, raw and pleading. "Help me!"

Jason's hands tightened on her shoulders, his heart hammering in his chest.

Lillyanna's grip on Maggie's body faltered, her movements becoming jerky and uneven as the cracks in the dark energy widened. Her gaze locked onto Constantine, hatred burning in her glowing eyes. Her voice a guttural growl. "I'm not letting her go."

Constantine's lips curled into a grim smirk, his voice steady as he stepped closer. "Who said anything about letting go?"

With that, he finished the spell, the final sigil blazing with blinding light. The ground trembled as the energy around Lillyanna shattered like glass, and Maggie's body convulsed violently. An unnatural scream tore from her throat, a horrifying sound that echoed with both Lillyanna's fury and Maggie's anguish. The light from the sigils flared one last time before exploding outward, and Maggie—her body slack—collapsed to the ground. The eerie silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the ragged breathing of the team.

Constantine dropped to one knee beside her, his chest heaving as he wiped a sheen of sweat from his brow. "Part one," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion, "is done."

Jason knelt on Maggie's other side, his hands shaking as he gently turned her over. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow but steady. "She's alive," he said, his voice cracking with relief. "She's okay."

Batman stepped forward, his gaze sharp and assessing. "For now," he said, his voice low and firm. "But Lillyanna's not gone."

Constantine lit a cigarette with trembling hands, the faint glow illuminating his weary face. He took a long drag, the smoke curling into the cold night air, before he finally spoke. "This was the easy part," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "The real challenge begins when we merge the two together."

Robin's head snapped up, his eyes wide with alarm. "Merge them?" he echoed, his voice rising. "What the hell are you talking about? We just fought like hell to get Lillyanna out of her!"

Constantine exhaled a plume of smoke, his gaze distant but resolute. "You don't think this is over, do you? Lillyanna's not gone, kid. She's fractured—part of her is still tangled up in Maggie. Kicking her out completely would destroy them both. The only way forward is… combining the two souls as one."

Nightwing stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "You're saying we have to let them coexist? How's that supposed to work?"

Constantine sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm not saying it'll be a bloody picnic. If we can help her take control of the bond, make it hers instead of Lillyanna's, then she'll have a chance."

Batman's voice rumbled low, calm but commanding. "What's the risk?"

Constantine glanced at Maggie's unconscious form, his jaw tightening. "The risk? If we fail, Lillyanna will take over completely. Maggie will be gone for good. And this time, she won't leave any cracks for us to get through."

Catwoman's voice cut in, sharp and skeptical. "And what if Maggie can't handle it? What if this bond, or whatever you're calling it, is too much for her?"

Constantine's gaze flicked to Selina, then back to the team as a whole. "Then we'll lose her," he said quietly. "And Lillyanna will become more powerful than she's ever been."

Robin shook his head, his frustration boiling over. "No. We can't just gamble Maggie's life on this!"

Constantine stepped closer to Jason, his tone firm but not unkind. "Listen, kid. I don't like it any more than you do. But this isn't about what we want. This is about what's possible. Maggie's soul and Lillyanna's essence are tangled together like roots in the same soil. We can't rip one out without killing the other. Merging them is her best shot."

Batman crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "What do we need to do?"

Constantine took another drag of his cigarette, his eyes narrowing as he considered the path ahead. "It's going to take time—rituals, spells, and more bloody patience than I usually have. Maggie's got to fight for control, and we've got to guide her through it. And we'll need to keep Lillyanna from taking advantage of the process."

Robin's fists clenched at his sides, his voice low but fierce. "And if it goes wrong?"

Constantine let out a long, weary sigh, his cigarette burning low. "If it goes wrong, we'll have to make the call. Save Gotham… or save Maggie. And I'll tell you now, it's not a decision anyone's going to like."

Silence fell over the group as the weight of Constantine's words sank in. Maggie lay still between them, her face peaceful but pale, as if even in unconsciousness she was fighting a battle none of them could see.

Finally, Batman broke the silence, his voice as steady as ever. "We prepare for the worst. But we fight for her."

Constantine nodded, flicking the spent cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his boot. "Right. Then let's get to work. Because this fight's just beginning."