Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.
"WHAT ON EARTH?"
Conner's head snapped to the voice. Black Canary. And she looked shocked…and maybe a little upset. She walked over to them and snatched the child from Robin.
"Are you four insane? The League has been looking for her…not to mention YOU Superboy!" Black Canary reprimanded. "Annemarie needs proper care-"
"And you don't think we're good enough?" Conner demanded standing up.
He walked over and took Annemarie from Canary. Canary's cold blue eyes narrowed. Conner held Annemarie close to him…in a protective manner. Robin's jaw almost dropped. Kaldur stood up and walked over to Conner. He stood silently behind the Kryptonian teen. Megan had also appeared, also standing behind Conner.
Wally wisely chose to stay out of it.
Annemarie had woken and was clutching Conner's shirt, as if he'd disappear if she let go. She started to cry and Conner cuddled her against him, still glaring at Black Canary. The blonde martial artist touched her comlink and said, "Anne's been found. So has Conner."
"Are they at the mountain?"
"Yes."
"We're on our way."
Canary looked at them and then looked at Conner.
"She's going to live with a foster family. They'll take good care of her. Better care than we could," Canary said firmly.
"We'll just see about that," Conner grumbled.
He walked out of the room with Annemarie, Megan following him. Kaldur simply shook his head and said, "You're wrong about him. He can handle it."
Robin and Wally stood there looking back and forth between the retreating Conner and Black Canary. They couldn't believe what had just occurred.
Conner sat Annemarie down on the bed. He brushed the little girl's hair out of her eyes and whispered, "It'll be all right Anniebear."
"They wanna send me away!" Annie sobbed.
"No…no. I won't let them Annie," Conner said.
"Neither will I," Megan said sitting down next to Annemarie.
"It'll be all right," he said hugging her gently.
Annemarie cried in his shirt. There the three stayed for an hour talking to her about her fears. Annemarie was cuddled against Conner, Megan stroking her hair. The Martian wiped her tears away from her face. She sighed and said, "We'll just have to convince them."
Conner nodded before he suddenly said, "She's my little girl. She's more than a sister. I-I-I can't explain it, but I know she needs me…like a parent."
Megan sat there wide eyed. She opened her mouth and said rather slowly, "You consider her your…daughter?"
"I know I don't know what a father is like…" Conner said. "A real father, but maybe that's why…maybe I don't want her to end up like me."
Rejected and hurt….Megan thought to herself. She nodded and accepted that Annemarie was Conner's daughter. She'd heard it was called a paternal instinct. It was that instinct that drives a parent to care for their child or in this case an abandon child. Annemarie looked between Conner and Megan. What was going on?
"It'll be okay Annie," Megan said. "Con-Superdad's here for you."
Conner raised an eyebrow at "Superdad", but gave a dry chuckle all the same. Annemarie had smiled and started to sing, "SUUUUUUUUUUUUPERDAAAAAAAAAAAD!"
Megan and Conner both laughed, making the small child smile. Conner wrapped an arm around Megan and Annemarie and hugged them gently.
"What would I do without you guys?" he asked.
