A/N
Whoooo! I'm done with chapter two... Again.
I apologize to those who don't care about a rewrite and just wanted me to add more chapters but this rewrite has an actual story line.
(Shock and Awe)
Barbara otherwise known as Batgirl was jumping up and down on Cassie's bed her face set in a very uncharacteristic smile.
"What happened next? Did they kiss? Please tell me they kissed."
Cassie shook her head.
"Nope, after that Conner left on sphere and La'gaan won't talk to me about it."
Barbara frowned,
"But it's obvious they like each other right?" Barbara asked.
"They do like eachother and when you think about it they have alot in common. But I'm not entirely sure they like like eachother."
Cassie replied, she really wanted to think that there was a clandestine romance going on between the two, but it was a lot of speculation no matter how you looked at it. It just wasn't likely in the slightest that anything was or would ever be going on between the two of them. And Barbara was taking this way too seriously.
"Like like eachother, what are you five?" The red head scoffed.
Cassie frowned and began playing with her hair.
"I agree with Cassie, I mean they could end up being best friends. Or they could end up dating, relationships aren't a science that can be predicted like the weather. At the end of the day you just don't know."
Both girls looked up as Zatanna was talking, she was sitting cross legged on the edge of the bed, idly flipping thru a magazine as she spoke.
Cassie gave a thoughtful nod and a grateful smile, while Barbara snorted.
"Love can't be predicted but it can be created, all you need to do is set the right mood." The red head challenged.
Zatanna rolled her eyes as Barbara began pulling equipment off her belt, which she hadn't been wearing when she came in, or five seconds ago for that matter.
"Give me a few hours for a plan and believe me, you can say goodbye to SuperMartian and hello to SuperLagoon."
"What?" Cassie and Zatanna both asked at the same time.
Barbara waved them off as she began drawing on a miniature pad, already miles away as she did what she did best.
"I'm gonna need your help for this to work." She said barely wasting the time to look up from her fledgling master piece.
Zatanna immediately replied with a "Absolutely not, do you remember the time when you tried to 'set the stage' for Robin and Flash."
Even Batgirl winced as she remembered that 'incident.' Before she shrugged it off and returned to her planning.
"That was just one time, and I've learned since then, when your dealing with two guys you have to be less subtle than we were the first time."
"You hired a marching band."
Batgirls eyebrow gave an involuntary twitch.
"I don't need your help, I'll just have Cassie help me."
"She's not going to help you, right Cassie."
Cassie looked between the two furious girls. "Weeeeell."
"You can't seriously be considering this. Don't you remember the incident."
"I wasn't here when whatever happened, happened. And you didn't see them when they were together like that, their may be something actually there."
Barbara gave a cheer as Cassie finished and with a smug grin returned to her work. But this was far from over Zatanna leaned over and told her exactly what happened that fateful day.
Cassie went from pink to red to white and then started over from the beginning as every gory detail was given. At the end of her story Cassie was sobbing into her pillow while Barbara and Zatanna gave her tissues to wipe her tears.
"Bar-sob-bara sob, what's sob wrong with you." Cassie asked thru her tears.
She seriously thought about the question for a while until she came up with a good answer. "I grew up in Gotham."
Zatanna regretfully shook her head in pity as Cassie's sob's grew louder.
In the end the only way too calm her down was for Barbara to promise not to intervene.
"Fine, we don't do anything until we know more. But if they really should be dating, you leave them to me got it. Yes, leave them to me."
La'gaan POV
La'gaan nervously paced back and forth in his room, his mind a complete wreck.
I can't like him, I can't like him.
I don't like him, what would Aquaman say?
I can't like him.
It had been two days since the Kryptonian that was causing his misery left on 'vacation.' And he had barely been gone an hour before he had set out to prove that any feelings he may have for him were well under control.
And after two days of training, bad cooking, and rigorous self denial practice. He had almost convinced himself that it was a lack of air combined with his emotional turmoil that had caused him to feel things he never would feel on a level his feeling shouldn't be.
And he was happy, surprisingly. He had proved he was master of his own emotions king of his own domain what's not to like.
And then this morning he overheard Nightwing say that Conner was coming back today, that news which shouldn't have changed anything in any way.
Had sent him to his room where he was now pacing madly and cursing every thought that had anything to do with him. He felt a knife in his belly, and a giddy impatient excitement for when he could see him again.
He threw himself on his bed focusing on the feel of the sheets instead of the chaos in his mind. It worked for a while as he caught his mind in circles thinking about the same things over and over, refusing to think about anything else.
He had a practiced ease to controlling where his thought went, even M'gann had noted it. So why couldn't he do the same with his emotions? What was the difference?
He huffed in annoyance as his thoughts strayed back to the Clone. He needed a more permanent solution.
He wearily stood up feeling like he ran a marathon, he slowly walked into the hallway and began making his way toward the training center, until he had a permanent solution that temporary one would work.
Conner POV
He held them both up to the light trying to see which was better, he carefully examined each detail on them before deciding that his first pick had been better.
He tossed the other snow globe back on the shelf as he put the superior snow globe over on the dusty shop counter. The woman behind the counter ignored him as she continued typing on her phone. He bit back his irritation at her and started looking for another souvenir.
Since his island was close to Hawaii, (give or take but I travel by Sphere) he decided to grab a few things from the island to take back for the others, which was why he had stopped at an old out of the way souvenir shop covered in tikis.
A lot of the stuff was cheap junk but they had some cool stuff, like the snow globes.
He was getting one for himself, one for Garth, and one for Bart.
Why only them?
Because he wasn't a clone of Bruce Wayne that's why, Garth was like a little brother to him and he really liked him. So he always grabbed Garth something when he went anywhere. And Bart because he would whine and complain if he didn't get something, and because it was something that Wally used to do, Conner smiled at the thought.
The two days isolation had done him good, he wasn't as upset as he was.
But he had a really bad ache in his neck, he needed to move a bed to his island before the next trip because sleeping on the sand was getting old.
He put another snow globe on the counter, the woman gave an annoyed sigh and shut off her phone before she started ringing up the total.
He let his eyes wander as she struggled with finding the bar code, when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something.
He walked over to see a snow globe sitting on the top shelf. He looked it over for a second, he thought he had seen them all when he was looking for a gift earlier. And how was it possible to miss this one?
It had a gold color with an intricate design inlaid along the side, and there was a city inside in perfect detail. Every fixture on the streets every building it almost looked like there was really people inside of it.
In front of the city in gold letters were the words 'Atlantis' he couldn't explain it but he absolutely couldn't leave without it.
He carefully took it and set it down on the counter as the woman impatiently took it and along with the others tossed it into a bag, before summing up the total.
"That'll be 1.300.45."
Conner felt his mouth hit the floor.
"The price tags said they were ten bucks each."
The woman gave an annoyed groan before she started unpacking the bag.
"These ones are ten dollars each." she said waving the first few in front of his face.
"But this one is a bit more expensive." She held up the last one turning it so that it caught the light.
Conner clenched his fist, "You can't seriously expect people to pay for that do you."
The woman raised an eyebrow at him.
"Most people would say that an affair of the heart has no written value, but I'm a simple woman, so money will do."
She casually began tossing the globe back and forth between her hands, her eyes lighting up in excitement every time Conner nearly rushed forward to grab it before it fell.
"Calm down boy, I just wanted to see if you would buy it. Like I said affairs of the heart usually have no written value. And this one is yours anyways. Way too much drama if you ask me."
She threw the globe at Conner who grabbed it and held it against his chest, feeling much better now that he had it back.
But the room had changed the shop counter was gone, along with the rest of the store leaving blank black walls, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring himself to stop clutching to the snow globe like his life depended on it.
"Why are you doing this? Who are you!"
The woman gave him a large smile,
"Don't You know?"
At his confused expression she broke into hysterical laughter.
"He doesn't know! He doesn't know!" She began repeating the same words over and over again.
The more she laughed the louder and higher her voice became, until it was the laughter of a child that surrounded him, her body changing from the shop keeper to a little girl. The room broke in around him and the floor fell away Conner was plunged into a dark abyss. And as he fell all he could hear was her whisper in his ear,
He woke up on the beach, he sat up abruptly only for the crick in his neck to throb in annoyance. He growled as he stood up entire body protesting against him, he needed a bed.
He looked over to where Sphere and Wolf were laying in the sand, all so peaceful. He needed to go back soon, but for now he would enjoy what he could.
He moved away from the water toward the grass line and stretched out against a very cozy tree in order to watch the sun come up, but as he sat down something caught his eye.
There was something buried here by the tree, he dug his fingers into the sand tying to get it out, when he finally managed to get it out he held it up for inspection it was a golden snow globe.
The detail on it was beautiful even if it was old and scratched up, nothing a little spit and polish can't fix.
Although he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he had seen it before, he looked at the large letters hanging in front of the city 'Atlantis' he knew he had to have seen this before somewhere.
In the end he decided he would remember later when it wasn't important anymore, but it would make a good gift for someone right now.
Thinking about gifts I should get Garth and Bart something before I go home.
As he studied the snow globe he didn't see the water near the island ripple as a woman who really isin't a shopkeeper descended lower back to the deep sea from where she came. And hopefully with her debt fulfilled, only time would tell.
La'gaans POV
La'gaan slowly peaked his head out from around the corner. The Kryptonian had supposedly gotten back already, now if he was careful he could avoid another conversation with him until he was certain he could control himself.
The coast was clear, he moved quickly into the room before taking a position at the next door. Okay, only two more hallways, three rooms, and a flight of stairs, stands between me and sanctuary. I can make it.
He barely slid the next door open trying to peak in, he could hear voices but he couldn't see anyone, he decided to risk it the only other way to his room would require him to backtrack thru the entire base.
He pushed the door open and at first thought that his fears had been completely unjustified, then he looked over at the other side of the room and there stood Garth, Bart, Artemis, M'gann, Cassie, and you guessed it Conner.
How he had missed all of them from the other room was beyond him, but there was no way he would turn around and go back. They had already seen him to go back now. That would be a cowards move. But they were in front of the door out of here, so impossible to just slip by fake casual like he wanted.
At the other side of the room Conner was handing toys out to the younger team members and they were treating him like he was 'Oh My God Santa Clause.'
He felt an overwhelming surge of affection for the Kryptonian at that moment, like an electric surge.
Because there was a man who could literally tear a tank in two but was terrified that two kids wouldn't like his gifts, there was something incredibly childish and funny underneath the whole 'bones for my bread' exterior.
It reared its ugly head at moments like this, when he turned into a stuttering, blushing, bumpkin. Basically a young version of Clark Kent.
The Atlantean immediately swung back around trying to take back every thought. He was feeling filled with unwanted emotions, emotions he needed to get rid of.
He clenched both fists to his sides and began a stiff march toward them. He needed to prove to himself that he was in control, that he could beat this. Confronting it is the only way.
La'gaan stood as close to Conner as possible, forcing down the fluttery feeling he was getting in his chest. He gave the others a strained smile as they started talking to him about... Something.
He tried to keep track of what they were talking about but all if his concentration was being put into not letting any of his thoughts about Conner loose. In the end he just started shaking his head and saying yes or no based on how badly everyone else reacted.
That was why when he was asked a question he ended up staring like an idiot for five seconds, before he even realized they were talking to him.
"Sorry what?"
Conner gave him a annoyed look before he repeated himself.
"I got something for you, but I left it in my room do you want to get it now or later?"
Dont say yes whatever you do don't say yes. He felt his mouth open and he was fully intending on saying anything that wouldn't get him stuck with the Clone, I have cancer, my friends mom is in the hospital, I would but Batman broke my face, I took an arrow to the knee, just don't ask me to go with you! But instead something completely different came out.
"We can get it now."
Curse you stupid mouth.
He followed behind giving a large berth between them, the last thing he needed now was to be close to him. His mouth had just proven who's side it was on.
He kept every snarky comment to himself for fear that Conner would use it as an excuse to start a conversation, although he seemed perfectly content to take the walk in silence. But if there was one truth about the clone it was that he was unpredictable and kind hearted.
Right now those were both very bad traits for the Kryptonian to have.
When they finally reached his room La'gaan barely came in staying just inside the door frame, not like it helped him the rooms were so small it hardly made a difference . As it was he was barely two feet away from the Kryptonian as he began rummaging through his drawers, looking for 'the thing he got.'
While he was doing that La'gaan decided to distract himself by studying the room, it was just as small as his room was but all over the walls there was a ton of pictures. None of them were in a frame of any kind they were just stuck on there at weird angles, he recognized some of the places and people. Superman at a baseball field, Robin starring bleary eyed from a sleeping bag, a few shots of Atlantis were scattered around too. But most of the people and places that were on his wall the Atlantean had absolutly no clue about.
Forests, deserts, schools. They sheer number of them was enough to drive most people insane.
"Got it!"
He nearly jumped out of his skin when the Krptonian nearly barreled into him hands concealing whatever he was holding.
"So what exactly is it?"
Conner gave him a sly grin, befor he unveiled his present. It was a snow globe, like the ones they have on tv sometimes, and this one was beautiful. Sure it was a little scratched up but that couldn't change the fact that it was amazing.
"Where did you get this." his voice was oozing with awe.
He felt Conners smile rather than saw it.
"It was buried under the dirt, like treasure."
"You found this in he dirt and decided to make it a gift."
"Cheaper than a thrift store."
Weither or not he actually found that funny or if the stress was finally breaking him, La'gaan found himself laughing so hard his sides hurt, he nearly collapsed on the floor. His sides aching as he tried to stand up straight.
It took him a while to get back under control but when he did he was sure that Conner would think he was weird now and want to avoid him like the plague.
Instead the Kryptonian was just watching him, an amused expression on his face, he seemed genuinely pleased actually.
"I'm glad you like it."
Just like that La'gaan felt his mood shift from happy to get out of there fast.
"See you later Conner I've gotta go, places to be, people to see, bye!"
The words flew out of his mouth almost as fast as his body ran out of Conners room, but as he ran out of the room he heard Conner laughing.
He heard his laughter follow him down the hallway, it followed him all the way back to his room, and then straight onto the bed leaving a pit in his stomache.
As he lay there he heard his laughter echoing in his head, along with the memory of the Kryptonian's grin when he had unveiled his present. This needed to stop.
He looked down at the snow globe and was struck with the urge to destroy it, to smash it into a million tiny pieces everyone would think he was crazy. But Conner would hate him, and hate was much easier to deal with than kindness. Destroying this may be the only way to reclaim my sanity.
He stared at it for the longest time, until he very carefully set it down on his counter.
He stood up and set off at a jog to the gym.
He needed a permanent solution. But until then this would do.
He was on fire, he took down Kaldur in under six minutes. And he fought Nightwing into a standstill. He didn't feel any of the pain their blows were inflicting, only that it wasn't enough. His every minute was robbed by thoughts of the Kryptonian he needed more, something that would force him to forget even if it only lasted a moment.
He threw himself into every test program they had, ignoring every scrape and laser burn until there was nothing left of him to hit.
Black Canary understood, she didn't question me, just turned on the next program calling out ways I could have done better. And treating my wounds when exhaustion forced me to stand still.
But the others were less understanding.
Pretending to turn in for the night and coming back only an hour later had been enough to get around them though.
He threw himself back into everything from the beginning, but this time Canary wasn't here to treat his wounds.
So only half way thru the cycle he wound up on the floor too tired to continue. And too stubborn to quit. This whole day had been a failure even now his thoughts went ahead and betrayed him. Mocking his mission, and only increasing his pain.
He tried rolling over so that he could at least get off his side, it had taken a rather nasty cut and he would rather not lay on it.
He winced in pain as he ended up on his back which was covered in scars of its own, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on ignoring the pain so that he could attempt standing up.
Clearly the gym wasn't going to cut it anymore.
Closing his eyes he focused on what he needed to do, just stand up.
He groaned in pain as his body refused to listen to him, instead reminding him that he had put it through unending abuse all day so it didn't owe him any favors.
Just then he knew someone else in the gym, just outside his field of vision. He could feel it in the prickle that went down his back.
He twisted his body around ignoring every feeling of pain it inflicted to see a pair of combat boots. He followed the boots up to the face of the person who was wearing them, and gave a low groan when he saw Conner.
"What do you want?" He challenged.
"Can you get up."
He didn't sound like he was asking a question. And even if he was the Atlantean couldn't answer him. His last maneuver finally taking a finishing toll on him. Leaving him too weak to do more than give a weak growl at him.
Conner sighed before picking him up bridal style and began carrying him to his room, the other teen weakly struggled in his arms, "Stop... you... Conner I don't need or want your help so you ca…"
"Shut up."
La'gaan immediately shut his mouth with an audible click. He was too tired to deal with this, he gave in for a few seconds and let himself relax in his arms.
And he very quickly fell asleep.
Conner POV
He carefully moved the Atlantean so that his head wouldn't hit anything.
Although it probably wouldn't make much of a difference the Atlantean was out cold, a knock on the head probably wouldn't do more than leave him with another bruise to treat in the morning.
He slowly moved down the hallway toward the infirmary, the training room was designed to never cause serious harm, but it also assumed you wouldn't be enough of an idiot to throw everything to the highest danger setting and never take a break.
Not even he could walk away unscathed from that.
He carefully laid him out on the medical table, treating his wounds with the limited knowledge he had in medicine.
When he was done he carefully picked up La'gaan who was still fast asleep and carried him to his room, when he got to the door he was faced with the dilemma of how to open it.
He couldn't move La'gaan enough to type on the key pad, the only way to free his arms enough would be to throw him over one of his shoulders, and even though that probably wouldn't wake him up he didn't want to hold him like a bag of potatoes.
In the end he decided to do what he did when he wanted to open the door to his room and didn't want to bother with the lock he just hoped it would work.
He kicked the wall just below the key pad, the door immediately spluttered open with an angry hiss. There was a foot shaped mark in that exact spot by his door.
He inched over and layed him down in his bed, the Atlantean immediately curled up against his pillows giving a happy sigh.
Conner watched him for a while before he turned his attention to the room, he had been in almost every room since they had moved there base here. But he had never been inside this one, it looked like his room but it lacked any form of character only having the basic necessities for a room.
The only personal touches were the snow globe that he had out on the dresser, and a conch shell.
He looked back down at the Atlantean, and not for the first time he felt a little guilty for how hard on him he had been. He took another look around the sparse room, maybe he could take him places sure he stood out in a crowd but so did Garth and we still find places he can go.
And maybe if he spent more time with him he could explain the electric jolt he had felt.
Flashback:
He had been talking to the others about what his island was like while Garth thanked him over and over again for his present with his infectious enthusiasm.
And just then La'gaan had burst through the door at the other end of the room, with his usual look of irritated and confused.
But unlike before, he felt a current travel thru his body straight from his head to his toes.
And he felt a giddy excitement the rest of the day, he had never felt like that before, it was strange to say the least.
Getting released into the world with absolutely zero emotional experience had taught him that when you don't understand an emotion pursue it until you do. Don't let it get away.
Attempting to understand all of his emotions was at first a chore, but then it became something of a hobby for him, there were hundreds of different emotions that most people ignored or labeled under one thing.
But even after years of life he didn't think he was even halfway done with experiancing his emotions.
He didn't understand what he was feeling for the Atlantean but he decided that he liked it, and that was better than a lot of emotions he had to learn at first.
So learning about this one wouldn't be so bad.
As he walked out of the room planning on different ways to explore his new emotion he failed to see the way the snow globe on the counter shimmered causing both him and the Atlantean to shudder.
He failed to see the woman who really wasn't and never would be a shopkeeper. Stare at both of them thru her eye in the globe before chuckling softly for it would appear that her debt would be paid and maybe she could finally be free.
