Soon after, the chaos had died down. The crowd finally seemed under control. People were scattered, some who still refused to leave and some who were lingering waiting to see what would come next.

Superman had radioed back informing them they were to return, the mission was over.

Megan sighed, "You ok?"

"Fine." Conner simply replied back.

And somehow she understood; this was his way of wanting to be alone. Megan turned her attention to the bio-ship and called it back. They were going home.

They were both just boarding when the news came in. She forgot who was at the other end of the radio link but it didn't matter as soon as the words sank in Megan fell to her knees.

"No," she didn't want to believe, she couldn't believe it, "it can't be."

"Megan?" Conner turned worried. "What's –"

The tears suddenly began to fill her eyes, "Gar."

Conner bent down to hold her as she finally said, "she's – Marie's dead."

He heard the crash clearly – it was just a few miles from where he had run off to tend to some animals.

But he knew something was wrong. The flock of birds quickly took to the air, heading for the direction where the noise had come from. As he made his way over he found himself running faster and faster, his heartbeat jumping up and down. The radio he was given to link him with the truck was failing, she wasn't picking up.

"Mom!"

And suddenly he broke through to the area where the waterfall resided. It felt as if his heart had stopped beating. He couldn't breathe he had forgotten how to. The world was in pieces and he stopped thinking.

Straight ahead was their truck, her truck. Except it had fallen taking along with him the only family he'd ever loved.

There were screams and tears of pain that followed, but everything became a blur, all the same. Someone must have stumbled along and heard the crash because he felt the presence of a stranger pulling him up and taking him in. What followed was a voice asking question after question.

Nothing mattered anymore.

'what is-'

He couldn't think.

'your name-'

Everything had come apart.

'kid?'

Somehow, that was the only thing he heard, except he wasn't a kid, not anymore.

"Garfield."

There was silence.

"Garfield Logan."

By the time they arrived there were a couple of Leaguers accounted for Black Canary, Superman and her uncle Martian Manhunter were among them. They all seemed slightly confused at their arrival.

Canary was the one that spoke up, "Megan is that –"

She dismissed the question and looked up at her uncle, "Where is he?"

He didn't remember the blankets being placed around him or the arrival of members of the League. Gar recalled a blonde woman trying to support him and assuring him it would all be alright. That he was safe. But they didn't understand.

And that's when he heard her voice, "Garfield?"

There was no strength left in him to look up so instead she came forward and bend down to meet his eyes.

"It's me Gar," she said, "I'm here."

His eyes finally focused and he saw before him the girl who had now become part of their family. Only it wasn't really her. Megan's hair it changed, it was no longer the long red that resembled – her. At the strike of the thought he burst into tears. The very same tears he had been holding back. He embraced her and drowned in the feelings he was harboring all at once. And she held him for what seemed like hours, she just held him there holding on because it was her he needed now most of all.

In the end all she said to him was, "it's going to be ok Gar, I'm here for you, I promise."

Megan had cried her own share of tears, feeling the loss, as it sank in.

'He misses you Marie, he's still so young.' Her thoughts hurt her even more knowing Gar had no one else he could call family anymore. 'That's why he needs you.' Somewhere deep in her thoughts she reminded herself of that, he still had her, and she would be there for him just as she'd promised.

They were back at the cave as Conner entered the kitchen joining her. "I set him up in one of the spare rooms." She nodded. "He's sleeping now."

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm more worried about him."

He was silent for a second, " doesn't change the fact you both lost someone important today."

Megan felt a single tear on her wet cheek.

"She'd called me her daughter – it had – it made me so happy." Her arms were hugging her tight and Conner moved in to hug her closely.

"And he still has you," he said, "and the Team - were all here for him."

She smiled at him, "I know."

Conner simply hugged her and slipped a single kiss on her forehead.

"You should get some rest."

"Yea," they let go holding onto just their fingertips, "I'm just going to check on him again."

He nodded. "Ok," he gave her a weak smile, "Goodnight."

"Nite."

The halls to the bedrooms were silent as she walked quietly into the room he'd said he put Gar in. Megan took a step forward and the door opened. In a corner there he was resting and hopefully dreaming. Free from nightmares he might face. As she got closer she could just make out his shadow but as she stood by his bed Megan finally got a look at him.

Silently she gasped.

Gar's skin – it had turned green.