I hope this is enough Rie, to learn your divine and god-like ways.
i.
"She's dead, isn't she?"
Aqualad doesn't answer the archer, because answering her would mean agreeing. Answering her would mean giving up on M'gann. And he can't do that.
He knows that Artemis is hurting too. He knows that everyone is hurting. But it's his fault. He's the leader, and he should have thought up a plan. He shouldn't have let her run in there, half-cocked, no idea what was waiting for them.
It was so unlike her, but she'd wanted to be useful. She wanted to do something. So he let her.
Artemis leaves him, kicking up sand behind her.
He doesn't want to think about M'gann's body lying around somewhere, broken.
He wades into the water, ducking his head under the water. Sometimes he wishes he couldn't breathe underwater.
ii.
"No, no, no," Wally is panicked, scared. He struggles against the restraints, wishing that he could vibrate through them because god, if he could then he'd be able to get Robin and go—
Another strangled cry comes from the Boy Wonder, and Wally pulls fiercely against his restraints, yelling curses. Animalistic sounds come from his mouth.
Joker grins (well he's always grinning, but God, does he look happy now) and pulls Robin up by his hair. The younger boy glances at Wally, a small smile on his face.
"See ya around?"
Wally screams and cries and watches as Joker shoots his friends through the skull.
iii.
"How dense again?"
Cheshire cocks her head; sai's pointed directly over Kaldur's heart. Superboy is in the background, fighting off someone else, some other stupid henchmen, and Cheshire chuckles.
"I don't think it's dense enough to stop this," she purrs, the knife sliding over his uniform. A small tear appears.
By the time Superboy notices what's going on, he's too late.
iv.
"Roy?"
Wally's cries are loud in the hallway, and Roy rushes to the door, unlocking it and then pulling it open. "What the fuck is the matter with—Wally?"
Roy grabs the boy by the front of his uniform, pulling him into the apartment. His hands immediately search for cuts, scrapes, god a fucking hang nail, because Wally is crying.
The speedster doesn't move as Roy searches, and when the redhead finds a long, deep cut across his friend's back he stands up straight, eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"
He can't lose another friend. Robin and Kaldur…that was…they were his friends. They were his friends and he didn't join the stupid team and they died, and he won't fucking let that happen to Wally.
"Wally!" Roy nearly shouts, trying to get the sobbing boy's attention. "C'mon, you gotta tell me what happened, okay?" he's trying to be calm, but it's not working.
Instead of answering him, Wally leans forward, pressing his lips to Roy's. His lips are moist, and thick, and sad.
Roy stands there for a second, but quickly finds himself pulling Wally close, careful not to touch his back. He can't touch his back.
When they finally pull away, gasping, Wally stares up at his friend.
"I can't lose you too."
The blade the cut Wally's back open was poisoned. He dies three hours later.
v.
Her breathing is shallow, and his foot is pressing into her back, and she wants to go back. To go home and lie under her covers and pretend like her dad is home and everyone is happy.
But her dad isn't home; he's across the room, eyes wide open, forever staring into oblivion.
"I don't want to do this kiddo," Jade tells her, and Artemis can feel the cool blade pressing against her neck. "I didn't mind killing daddy-o, but you? Well your mom isn't going to be very pleased."
Artemis can't take her eyes off her father. She can't stop seeing the way he fell; she can't stop hearing the sound of his yell when Jade said she was going to kill her.
Jade must really be sorry—or she must really hate Artemis, because she's drawing this out. Maybe something inside her wishes that Helen would come. That Helen would get out of that stupid wheelchair and—
There is a place on your back. If you aim just right, you can penetrate someone's lung and heart. Death is instant.
Artemis knows the feeling.
vii.
The Superboy lashes out again, eyes glazed back over, fist smashing into Dinah's gut, and all Clark has to do is move.
But moving seems pretty impossible right now.
That kid—that weapon—he'd just wanted someone to look up to. Someone to praise and someone to love him. And Superman couldn't be that person. And now? Well now, the man of steel has to do something.
When he finally moves, after Superboy has plowed through Dinah and Ollie, and moved onto Barry, Clark's arm wraps around his throat, and he pulls, cutting off the boy's air supply.
"…please," the boy chokes out, eyes blue and bright and alien again. "I'm so sorry," Clark tells him, and with a sharp twist, he falls limp to the ground.
He doesn't miss the look of anger and hatred that Dinah gives him. Or the way his heart constricts painfully in his chest.
viii.
When he thinks back, he thought he'd be the first gone. He's reckless, and headstrong. He tried to be something he wasn't ready to be, and—for a while, it worked.
But he's about to die, now and he knows that it'll be good—Lian is gone, and he'll see her. Wally and Kaldur and Robin will be there too…
The light gets brighter, and the pain becomes incredible, and Ollie is yelling and Dinah is screaming, trying to stop his murderer, but all he can see is the smiling faces of those he loves.
And everything is okay, he decides.
i.
Batman is just about ready to call it quits, when footsteps pound through the hall. Barry immediately stops pacing, body vibrating, eyes locked on the tunnel.
Seven teenagers appear, Kaldur carrying a passed-out M'gann, Wally's arm wrapped protectively around Robin's waist. Artemis and Roy both try to keep Superboy upright, but his eyes are fluttering. Artemis' leg looks bad too, and Roy has cuts and bruises all over his face.
A loud cry echoes from the room, and the small girl runs forward, "Daddy!"
Roy grins, but doesn't let go of Superboy, and everyone seems to get the idea to go and help, so Barry rushes over to Robin and Kid Flash, while Ollie, Dinah, Hal and Superman all move towards Artemis, Roy and Superboy. Dianna and J'onn and Aquaman all move towards M'gann and Kaldur.
Its a few hours later, before everyone is feeling better. M'gann and Superboy sit up from their seperate beds in the medical bay, Wally, Artemis, Kaldur, Robin and Roy all perched on the two beds, Lian in Roy's lap.
Wally is going through a long story, hands moving dramatically as he recalls the teams mission.
The League is just happy they're all home safe.
There you go Rie. Teach me your ways.