An actual season 2 fic! Woohoo me! Also Bats and the others are still out in space just so you all know and this is right after they take down the Reach . Anyway that's all I have to say so on to the story! Oh wait another thing is if this seems anti- La'gaan, well I don't really like him... so yeah...
Disclaimer~ As of now... no Young Justice nor its characters are mine, the very near future... who knows XD
Chapter 1~ Gone
Kid Flash's POV
I pace back and forth nervously in the newly fixed Hall of Justice. The entire team was here, even those considered 'traitors' along with both Zatanna and Rocket, the latter feeling as if they were still part of the team and wanted help comfort and patch up everyone. Everyone except Nightwing, M'Gann, and Kaldur were here anyway. Those three were in the Watchtower to lay down explaining what they had concocted, Leaving Artemis and I to explain it to the Team. We had already finished our part, met with mixed reactions. Only La'gann and Conner had already known, at least knew bits and pieces, and the rest were still in shock.
"Hey babe it'll be okay." Artemis comforts from my left, laying her hand on my shoulder. I sigh, fingers twitching from my anxiety. It wasn't entirely by choice that the three in the Watchtower were chosen to explain to the League, Nightwing had been badly injured in the fight, taking a brunt of the damage from Black Beetle as the rest of us fought the rest of the Light, a mind/beetle controlled Blue Beetle, Green Beetle, and the rest of the Reach. Kaldur had stayed to explain while Dick was in treatment and M'gann to protect the Atlantean from the League while he explained his actions, since no one was sure of Dick was going to wake up.
"But what if it's not Arty? The last words I said to him were so negative, so full of hate and if he doesn't pull through..." I murmur, unable to forget how bad he had looked when we had finally found him, though I knew everything would have been much worse if he hadn't taken out Black Beetle, we wouldn't have been able to win.
"He'll be fine, he's Nightwing right?" Artemis replies, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze.
"Recognized Miss Martian B05, Aqualad B02, Nightwing B01." The Zeta announces as if to prove her point, entire team turning to face the new arrivals, Artemis and I included. Nightwing leads the way, the limp painfully obvious in his step, Aqualad and Miss Martian close at his sides in case he faltered. The bird themed hero's suit was still bloodstained from the battle, bandages peeking out from its many tears, showing he at least had received some treatment. The exhaustion was visible in his features, mingling with pain, but he pushes forward nevertheless until he's standing before the gathered heroes. They stare at him expectantly, some looks accusing, others sympathetic and worried, the last filled with utter betrayal. The former Bat protégé's gaze sweeps over them all before he takes a deep breath.
"None of you will ever fully understand how truly sorry I am for putting you through everything I did." He begins in a soft voice, due in part to the cut across his throat, yet strong with conviction. "However I believe what I did was necessary despite the grief it caused, and I don't regret it." La'gaan's face instantly flashes with anger and he jumps to his feet, mouth opening up to object.
"Let him finish!" Conner snaps before the Atlantean has a chance to speak. La'gaan scowls but slowly moves to sit back down, crossing his arms across his chest. Nightwing gives the Kryptonian a small nod of thanks before continuing.
"I do regret not telling you all sooner but I didn't want to risk the plan being discovered, so I held my tongue." He continues. "But now that it is all over I step down from my position as leader and tender my resignation from the Team. I am deeply sorry for all I put you through...goodbye." He finishes with finality; communicator dropping to the ground. He turns and walks straight out of the door, without so much as a glance back. We all stare after him in disbelief. No one had expected him to quit.
"Nightwing!" Robin shouts, the first to snap out of the daze. He sprints to the entrance where the original Robin had just exited and peers out of the door, ignoring the rain that soaked his hair. "Nightwing!" He screams desperately, preparing to run into the downpour but Batgirl's hand on his arm stops him.
"Robin wait we should think of a quick search plan before dashing out into the rain. If not we'll never find him..." Batgirl advises, voice betraying her worry.
"Find him?! Neptune's Beard why should we bother wasting time to try and find that traitor?!" La'gaan exclaims standing again, anger getting the better of him as usual.
"Because that 'traitor', as you say, is our friend and leader!" Conner replies, glaring at the younger of the two Atlanteans.
"Former leader." La'gaan sneers. "He just quit." Conner's fist clench and the rest of the Team exchange uneasy looks, not sure whose side to take. I glance to the entrance and notice Batgirl and Robin had already disappeared, no doubt to look for their fellow Bat. I decide against bringing it to the other's attention, giving the two time to hopefully find him and bring him back.
"He's still our friend and he's hurt." Conner growls quickly losing his patience.
"Speak for yourself, traitors are no friend of mine." La'gaan sneers. Conner narrows his eyes in anger and goes to punch the smug Atlantean, but M'Gann intercepts him.
"Conner stop, this isn't going to solve anything." She pleads and the clone's fist lowers. However La'gaan's words hadn't only angered Conner, and we are all caught by surprise as my girlfriend draws her bow, nocks an arrow, and fires at La'gaan's feet within a space of a few seconds. Her ash colored eyes are ablaze with fury as she stomps forward to confront the outspoken Atlantean.
"You have no idea what Nightwing has been through during the Invasion! He didn't tell you guys because he was trying to protect Kaldur and I, because if we were found out we would have been killed, this time for real! No amulets, no happy ending!" She shouts, nearly spitting in his face. "He was still wracked with self- doubt and loathing, always debating on whether or not he was doing the right thing, keeping it from you guys to protect us! Distraction nearly got him killed in Bludhaven and Gotham multiple times as he worried over Kaldur and I, over all of you. He hardly ate, hardly slept, and felt just as much grief over my death along with overwhelming guilt for doing it despite the fact his decisions saved the world!" The archer rants. I stagger back in surprise at this news.
He nearly died... multiple times? Yet all I ever did was yell at him, I had no idea how he really felt. I even missed the anniversary of his parent's deaths! What kind of supposed best bud am I... I swear if... when he gets back I will make it up to him. I tell myself as Artemis pauses to let her words sink in.
"Not only all of that but he had to juggle his responsibilities as leader of this ungrateful team, duties in Bludhaven and Gotham, two cities a majority of you wouldn't been able to handle even when at top performance, and he had to deal with all of this alone!" She continues, a quick glance sent my way which I avoid. "Nightwing has sacrificed so much for this Team, nearly his life, for you guys and you repay him by turning your backs on him when he's hurt, when he got hurt saving you all from Black Beetle! He saved you that night, many times before, and you won't help him because of some plan you didn't like, the plan that potentially saved millions of lives?!" She shouts. "Besides it's not like he acted alone, Kaldur and I agreed to go undercover and all three of us plus Wally agreed to keep it quiet. And without Aqualad's and my intel, countless more lives would have been lost, and without out sudden changing of sides members of this Team would have been killed." She finishes with a final glare at La'gaan before yanking her arrow from the ground and stepping back. "Now with or without you I'm going to go find Nightwing." She says, her gaze sweeping over the crowd judgingly. There is a tense silence before Kaldur steps forward.
"I'm in as well. Artemis is entirely right, it was not all Nightwing to blame." The ex- manta agent agrees wisely.
"I'm in." I step forward to stand beside my girlfriend who gives me a dazzlingly beautiful smile as I pledge my support.
"Me too." Beast Boy says meekly, stepping forward to join us, M'gann and Conner at his heels.
"I'm in. I know what's it's like to not have any other choices, whether by design or because the scarab taking control, at least what he did helped people."
"Well if Blue's in so am I." Impulse agrees quickly dashing over to join us. The future kid seemed to be nervous, shuffling from foot to foot at superspeed but I pushed it aside as the rest of the Team, even La'gaan, trickled to our side.
"Alright let's get going..." Artemis orders, taking the lead towards the door, no one mentioning the lack of Batgirl and Robin. We step out into the downpour, instantly becoming soaked and begin our search in the woods. The search doesn't last long however, cut short by the reappearance of Batgirl and Robin, both thoroughly soaked but empty handed.
"Batgirl did you at least see him?" I call. To my disappointment the redhead shakes her head.
"No... it's like he's completely disappeared... without a trace..." She answers, voice betraying her defeat as she wraps the shaking Robin in a hug.
"Miss. Martian try to contact him with telepathy." Kaldur orders, falling back into old habits. Megan nods once before concentrating her eyes glowing white, before shaking her head in defeat.
"Nothing... as Batgirl said it's like he completely disappeared. There's is no way he could have gotten out of my range this fast, not while on foot, especially with those injuries." She says nervously as I glance around the forest.
"Guy's something is very, very wrong here..." I whisper, picking up a torn piece of dark fabric snagged on bush. I slowly turn it over revealing a bloodied, but recognizable blue bird, from Nightwing's suit. Very, very wrong...
Hey guys I hoped you all liked and nobody was too OOC or anything... also sorry for the lack of some of the characters like Bumblebee and Wondergirl, but the Season 2 cast is so not whelming as is a hard to write with so many characters... I'll try and included everyone a bit more but I'll probably have lots of the original team and maybe some Bat fluff... anyway please please...
REVIEW
~Lakeshine