The silence was unbearable the only sound in the room was the light clinking of a tea cup as Mera placed it back on the table. Sheeva was trying to push down the unease she felt. Things weren't going the way she thought they would, Mera wasn't even watching her the Queen's attention was focused on what was left of her drink. Sheeva was feeling colder with every passing second.

"Tell me Sheeva how much do you know about La'gaan?" Mera asked.

"I'm not here to play games Your Highness." Mera ignored the Mermaid and continued.

"Do you know anything about his past? Or have you allowed yourself to trust someone who's history you know nothing about?" There was a tone of dissapointment in the Queens voice.

Sheeva balled her hands into fists her knuckles turning white. She knew the Queen was playing some kind of game but what could she do about it? Sheeva glared at the Queens winning smile, this wasn't going well.

Kill her. Attack her now and stop whatever she's doing to La'gaan. There was a quite lull in the room almost as if Mera was waiting for Sheeva to decide whether she wanted to talk or fight. But that smile as if the Queen already knew what Sheeva would decide.

Any match up of sorcery was heavily in the Queens favor. And she had the feeling that even if she could get the jump on her the Queen would be no pushover. But did she really want to talk?

'Not only are you going to let me continue your going to help me.' That's what Mera said and the Queen always kept her word.

But if she was dead. She couldn't possibly hurt La'gaan, there was the small matter of what would happen to Sheeva herself if she somehow managed to kill the Queen in the middle of the palace. But she would do anything for La'gaan there was no question no doubt.

If the Queen wanted to play dirty, Sheeva would kill her.

No, Sheeva didn't want the Queen to talk but she didn't have a choice.

"What is the point of this. I didn't come here for you to waste my time, or maybe you just can't help yourself." Sheeva glared at her trying to cover up the rising fear that coming here was playing right into the Queens hands.

Mera gave her a single withering glance her smile cracking.

"I never waste time dear. This will only take a moment." Mera put her smile back on.


Sheeva slowly shut the door to her house. It was almost morning but Sheeva wasn't tired her body buzzing with fear and shame about what she was going to do. The Mermaid stared at the sleeping La'gaan on the couch, he looked his age when he was asleep not even 18 years old. Blubber was half slumped in a chair on the other side of the room, a ray gun clutched in his tired hands his quite snore the only sound.

Sheeva checked that both he and Blubber were out of it before preparing for what she had to do. She grabbed a chair and a rag placing the rag on La'gaan's forehead and putting the chair by the couch she stared at La'gaan for a bit longer hoping to prolong the inevitable, but she had only a few hours till he woke up and couldn't put it off for long, and finally she pulled deep within herself her blue magic dancing on her fingertips. And with only a second of hesitation placed her hands on La'gaan's forehead.

His body jerked when her hands touched him his body pulling taught and his mouth opening in a soundless scream Sheeva winced as La'gaan's silent pain got worse, but refused to close her eyes. She deserved to be punished for what she was doing, even if there was no other way. And the heart wrenching agony of knowing she was the one responsible for this was a punishment. The young Atlantean's body started shaking on the couch his small body fluttering suffering spasms from the pain, Sheeva was forced to stop and get a grip on herself before she threw up. When she placed her hands back on La'gaan the reaction was twice as bad.

But what broke her was La'gaan's silent plea for help she could see on his lips as he whispered names that could stop the pain he was suffering through and his hand that was fisted in Sheeva's clothes seeking comfort from the one that brought his pain.

Sheeva closed her eyes her tears leaking out.

Eventually it was over, La'gaan's sweat soaked body was shivering on the couch and Sheeva threw a blanket over him before going to sit down in a corner. She chose the only corner in the room where she couldn't see La'gaan.

There was only an hour until the sun rose, and Sheeva spent it crying.


La'gaan's P.O.V.

He would never get over how impressive the Zeta buildings were in Atlantis, he still thought they were a massive waste of resources but Atlantean's teleported in style. La'gaan set the coordinate's for the base and started walking away.

The young Atlantean glanced back at his friends that were waving goodbye, Blubber giving him a conspirator wink and a smile that looked real and a little dark, as he slipped him a new going away invention, which was some sort of key chain... maybe? He thanked Blubber as he put it in his pocket.

And then there was Sheeva who had somehow gotten the Queen to leave him alone, he couldn't ask for better friends, he gave her a tight hug.

Out of everything that happened he was glad he had friends like these to come back too, even though Sheeva seemed a little out of it, he gave them a cheery goodbye before stepping back into his old life.

As soon as he arrived he took a second to get used to the air, his red eyes taking in the room around him. La'gaan the teenager stayed in Atlantis, La'gaan the soldier had returned. The young Atlantean was not at all surprised that there was no one here to welcome him home, to be honest most of the people probably hadn't noticed he was gone. He walked thru the crowded corridors giving a few polite Hi's whenever people acknowledged him, the only person who stopped him so they could talk was Artemis.

"Your different lately." She announced. Artemis swept her steel eyes over La'gaan before settling them back on his face. "You've been a lot happier and I don't now why." The archer concluded, she made a strange face almost like she was scowling at herself as if it would motivate her into figuring it out.

"Well I just got back from Atlantis that always puts me in a good mood, and I had a chance to see my old friends." La'gaan shrugged not quite sure what Artemis had meant by being happier, he felt the same as always.

The blond shrugged back before walking off, leaving La'gaan sorely confused. He wandered around a bit if anyone asked he was just enjoying home no one asked. But in reality he was looking for one black haired Kryptonian, he checked all the usual places but it didn't seem like he was around, and he didn't want to ask about him that seemed like crossing a line that would instantly alert the whole team that he liked Conner. Eventually he went to his room, planning on changing and then hitting the gym.

As soon as he opened the door to his room he both tripped kicked and hit himself. Conner was stretched out on his bed his shirt was probably in a corner because he wasn't wearing one. La'gaan is a stronger man the most and he did not end up staring at the shirtless Conner like an idiot, he did stare, but not like an idiot.

Conner smiled at him before leaping off the bed and giving him a hug.

"About time you got back, I've been camped out in your room since last night and your room is really boring. Can't you put a tv in here or something?" Conner half glared half smiled at the La'gaan squished in his arms, he was still upset that La'gaan had just left without saying anything, but it wasn't like they made an agreement to always say where they we're going. And even if he did have a contract like that La'gaan would never sign it. And he missed him, the Atlantean was good company. He didn't want to waste time arguing with him right now. Escpescially after what happened with Barbara this morning. The exact details were a bit blurry on that.

La'gaan was not thinking about how he had left Conner hanging without an explanation his mind wasn't even aware that the door was open and they were slightly in the corridor. He just knew that he really liked these hugs. That means that when he wasn't wearing a shirt and Conner wasn't wearing a shirt hugs could be really warm, and if La'gaan had to be honest with himself he had missed Conner a lot more than he thought he would.

The Atlantean allowed Conner to snuggle him in the empty hallway, but only because Conner wanted to he was a man and therefore snuggling was beneath him. But if Conner wanted too, that was fine. La'gaan gave a happy sigh as Conner made a rubbing motion with his hand on his back.

"Hey guys." Barbara said as she walked past them. The rubbing stopped and La'gaan turned to see the red head who was busy with her phone not even looking at them as she sent out texts to both Cassie and Zatanna about how right she was.

"It's so good to see you back La'gaan I was beginning to worry that Conner would be stuck in there waiting for you all week." She laughed at the Kryptonian when she said that.

Both La'gaan and Conner blinked owlishly at her. She raised her phone and they both heard it make the click sound that meant she had taken a photo.

"Thanks needed photo evidence. Well you two have fun." She wiggled her eyebrows at them and then she giggled. (there is nothing scarier than hearing a bat giggle) Barbara then walked away as if she hadn't noticed that La'gaan was wrapped up in Conner, with her usual polite wave before she wandered off.

La'gaan immediately stiffened and tried getting out of Conner's arms his still mostly turned off brain trying to find a way to explain what was going on to her. Any form of reasonable half lie or at least catch her and beg her silence. But Conner refused to let go and instead he turned around and dragged La'gaan into his room shutting the door.

"Conner we have to stop her! She's gonna tell and then, no! We have to stop her!" La'gaan was frantically trying to get around Conner who just stood in front of the door.

"Why won't you move?" La'gaan whined.

Conner went from looking stern to sheepish and slightly apologetic as he began stumbling his reply that was a lot of whispering and muttering but La'gaan got the picture. Basically Conner said.

"Barbara already knows, I kinda accidentally told her." Conner admitted.

La'gaan blinked twice "How do you even manage to do that." the Atlantean's voice was low and quite, but his eyes were on fire.

"She tricked me." Conner grumbled. "She came in here and she tricked me. She kept going on about a bet and then she said you were dating Cassie and I got confused and then... I'm sorry."

"But she already said she wouldn't tell so you don't have to worry about it." Conner finished.

That was the wrong thing to say,

Conner could see the rage bubbling up underneath La'gaan's skin, this wasn't good. Just then Conner realized he had moved forwards his arms wrapping around La'gaan before he could explode, and somehow he was whispering in La'gaan's ear that everything would be okay. It wasn't a conscience decision for him to do that. But that was one of the reasons he liked La'gaan when they were together he always felt better things like this he didn't have to think about like he usually would.

"Don't worry we will figure this out, I promise." Conner whispered into his ear.

And La'gaan relaxed into his touch.

Conner wasn't stupid, he knew how badly this could upset La'gaan he also knew how to stop it. Without letting La'gaan go he walked him to the bed he carefully put him down and climbed in next to him.

They fell asleep together wrapped up in eachother a mismatch of muscles and sharp angles. It was hard and the bed was too small and altogether painful sleeping in the same bed was perfect. They both fell asleep wrapped up in the other person Conner had his arms wrapped around La'gaan's chest like he was a large plush toy, and La'gaan had both of his hands in Conners hair.

They weren't happy they were content.


And still on the counter the snow globe gave a shine but this time more than one person was watching them, deep beneath the sea in a cave three people watched them.

The old hag danced around her globe hacking and cackling to no one in particular about how right she was how very right. Her clothes were torn and tattered and her face warped by blemishes and warts. Even her smile loped like a misshapen scowl.

Sheeva grimaced and tried to put more space between herself and the old woman not understanding how Mera could be so unaffected by the old woman. Mera was just staring at the screen watching the two of them sleep.

"They need another push, their not quite right the way they are. Fix it Hagartha." Mera said to the woman dressed in rags.

The old woman gave a despondent whine "But Hagartha tired. Boys too stupid."

Mera didn't reply and after a few seconds the old woman sighed and began summoning a spell, in the room the snow globe shimmered with an internal light before going dark once again. The two teenagers shivered in their sleep.

Mera nodded her approval and turned to leave the cavern Sheeva following right behind her. Everything was working for know exactly as Queen Mera planned it.

All that remained was for the two of them to become a little bit closer, and then nothing short of death would bring them apart. And please let that happen soon, she was a Queen not a matchmaker.


A/N

So I apologize for the time it took for this to get out. I have no good excuse and therefore put myself in the shame corner.

But from this corner I bring the next chapter, I may end up rewriting it as I feel it needs something though I have no clue what something is.

Im actually really proud if this and I hope you guys like it.

TTFN

Ta Ta For Now