All characters, settings etc associated with Young Justice and DC, as well as Cheerios, are not owned by me. I merely own the plot and unfamiliar characters/organizations and am not making any profit off this fiction venture.

Some dialogue from Young Justice Episode 102: Fireworks.

Chapter Warning(s): violence, coarse language, verbal sexual harassment

Maelstrom

Kalladura'ham

"Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation."

Henry Ward Beecher

7

Project Cadmus, Washington D.C. : July 5, 2010 – 00:05 EDT

How many times am I going to be knocked out in one day?

This is just getting excessive.

Those are my first thoughts as I feel my consciousness returning and the sensation of water against my cheek. My eyes snap open and I take in Superboy kneeling, Dubbilex's horns glowing, Guardian shaking his head, and no one attacking anyone before I press my hands against the floor and push myself onto my knees. I grab my water-bearers cautiously and watch as Superboy stands, narrowing his eyes, "I choose freedom."

I stand, still not holstering my water-bearers, and look at Guardian who is now muttering to himself, "Guardian?"

He looks at me and states fiercely, "Go. I'll deal with Desmond."

I am clearly missing something, again, but I will go with it as long as I get out of here.

"I think not," said scientist growls from behind the genomorphs. The genomorphs part, revealing Desmond behind them – how he managed to sneak behind them I have no idea – who looks a little stressed, to say the least. "Project Blockbuster," he holds up a beaker filled with a shining blue liquid, "will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus."

Oh no. No. I do not like this…And he drinks it. Of course.

In my experience, oddly coloured drinks being ingested are a sign of impending doom. It is practically a rule of the superpowered world. You drink an oddly coloured liquid, you either die, get superpowers or turn into a raging mass of insanity and try to destroy everything in sight. The fact that Desmond just drank that is making me lean towards the idea that he has no idea what he's doing any longer and is just hitting the point of desperation and will likely turn into the latter option.

He buckles over, writhing. His glasses tumble off and he falls onto his hands and knees as his bones lengthen and thicken, his muscles bulge and twist, his hair falls out in clumps and his skin and clothing rip together in a joyous harmony of manipulated genetics and abominations.

Fuck.

Blockbuster!Desmond stands, he is definitely hitting nine feet, growling at nothing in particular, his skin now a hide of grey and red like the G-Trolls, his physique more similar to a troll's than a human's, his eyes red-and-black, his clothing utterly shredded but, miraculously, his pants managed to stretch enough to accommodate his lower body growing twice its size. I won't complain about that. I have no desire to see Desmond, Blockbuster or not, naked. No.

He leans forward, a smirk across his face. I snap up the water on the floor to my water-bearers, forming a couple of swords, and narrow my eyes at him, moving into a defensive position. Once again, I would prefer it if he hit me rather than Kid Flash or Robin.

"Everybody back!" Guardian orders before darting forward, only to be swatted away like an insect by Blockbuster!Desmond. He hits the wall and does not rise.

Well, he is definitely related to Roy. I discerned no plan from that little move.

Superboy growls and darts forward, again, like Guardian, and somehow manages to punch Blockbuster in the face. Blockbuster immediately punches back and I wonder why, exactly, the genomorphs don't just telepathically knock out Blockbuster now. They obviously are not on his side anymore.

Superboy shoots up, managing to get in a couple more punches before Blockbuster sends a serious punch against Superboy, sending him skidding across the floor. Superboy, unharmed, shoots up again and moves immediately to pound Blockbuster into the ground. Blockbuster leaps up, grabbing Superboy, and the pair crash through the ceiling, sending debris raining down on the rest of us.

"Well, that's one way to bust through the ceiling," comments Robin as I holster my water-bearers.

"You think labcoat planned that?" questions Kid Flash as Robin shoots his grapple-line through the hole and grabs Kid Flash.

The pair soar through the hole and I stare after them, my weariness with the repetitiveness of this mission reaching an apex, "I doubt he is planning anything anymore."

Which is why we should really have a plan, but, seeing as that is apparently not going to happen today I suppose I will just start hitting Blockbuster.

I hop up the level, through the hole and land on street-level in the facility's lobby to find Blockbuster grabbing Superboy, turning, and chucking him straight at myself, Robin, and Kid Flash.

"Oof!" Superboy collides with my gut, sending the pair of us careening over the hole and across the floor. We come to a stop with me sprawled across Superboy, mentally groaning, my knee somewhere by his neck and my forehead on the ground. Kid Flash grabs my arm and with his assistance I get to my feet, silently taking stock of how much of my body aches at the moment. Which is everything, really. I am never getting beaten up by a Kryptonian ever again. I swear it.

Superboy stands, with Robin's assistance, beside me, and all four of us stare at Blockbuster. Alright. Time to beat him, accept the lectures from our mentors, then go home and sleep.

Kid Flash darts forward, a blur of ketchup and mustard. He skids beneath Blockbuster's legs and with a nudge to Superboy we sprint forward, leap, and send our fists colliding against Blockbuster's face. Kid Flash trips him from behind, sending Blockbuster crashing onto his back. Blockbuster rolls, managing to block Robin's birdarangs, then promptly tackles Superboy into one of the pillars that surround the lobby.

I pull out a water-bearer as Superboy manages to get in a few good punches then promptly gets walloped himself. Blockbuster winds up to send another punch to Superboy's face but I interrupt, wrapping a water-whip around his wrist. He pulls his arm forward, pulling me towards him as expected. I vault off his face and turn the whip into a hammer as I land above Superboy on the pillar and promptly use gravity to my advantage to leap off it and send my water-hammer down to Blockbuster – ack!

He grabs my hammer and sends me hurtling to the ground, hard. I lay there for a moment, wincing, then catch sight of Blockbuster's foot. I roll, avoiding being stomped on as Kid Flash blurs past me. I get to my feet as Blockbuster turns, grabbing Kid Flash. My water-bearers forming twin maces fly out of my hands as Kid Flash suddenly collides with my stomach, sending me crashing into a pillar.

Ow.

A hand covers my face in the next instant and I feel the pillar break behind me then my back collide with yet another pillar while the massive grey hand still grasps my head like some sort of ball. I can't see anything but know enough to realize that Blockbuster has to be right in front of me so I grab his wrist, digging my half-bitten nails into his hide, and snap my legs up, kicking him in the face. He roars in response and promptly bites my foot.

Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. I have never had anyone bite my foot before. Oh Poseidon, that is disgusting, that is absolutely disgusting!

I kick him in the face with my free foot, dislodging my bitten foot from his mouth – I am going to wash that foot until it sparkles, I swear – and he promptly punches me in retaliation. Mentally, I swear, and snap my legs up again, wrapping them around his arm because he can't exactly punch me that way without punching his own arm and I doubt he wants to do that.

Suddenly, he releases me and I catch a brief glimpse of Superboy before I'm suddenly thrown clear across the room. I hit the wall then the floor, face-first, and just lay there for a moment, trying to get past having my foot bitten by Blockbuster. My skin crawls at the thought and I push myself onto my hands and knees, glancing backwards to see Kid Flash dodging Blockbuster and Superboy slowly getting to his feet. My water-bearers are still on the floor where they had fallen.

"Superboy! Aqualass!" Robin shouts.

I get to my feet, looking at Robin as he brings up a holographic representation of the building's pillars along with the words 'structural compromise'. I understand immediately and he points to the pillars that need to be destroyed. Superboy moves immediately to one of them and I skid across the ground to grab my water-bearers before I head to the other one and mace it to pieces.

"Shock him on the X," says Robin as he darts away from a chalk-drawn X on the ground.

I opt not to question the presence of the chalk and instead follow his directions and create a large puddle on the ground over the X and leading up to it. Kid Flash skids to a stop on the puddle, leading Blockbuster right to it. Superboy leaps forward on Robin's mark and punches Blockbuster to the ground an instant after Kid Flash darts out of the way. I send a surge of self-energy up my channels and press my fingers against the puddle, carefully manipulating the electricity to surge through the puddle and into Blockbuster.

I don't think I'll ever get used to the sound people make when they're electrocuted.

"Move!" Robin shouts.

Then the birdarangs at the top of the room explode. I was unaware that he rigged the room to explode. Would it kill him to let people know when he is rigging the room to explode? I mean really.

I head straight for the nearest exit, trailing Robin. A massive piece of concrete lands beside me when I come to the realization that there is no way we are getting out of here in time. I grab Robin, push him to the ground, and cover him with my own body, on instinct protecting his head and bracing myself for having a building fall on top of me.

I caught a glimpse of Superboy doing the same to Kid Flash. I swear I did.

For a moment, I can't breathe and I can't hear anything.

I hear my heart first, then Robin's breathing – thank Poseidon he's breathing – and then I feel the pressure of the concrete and plaster and steel against my back and my shoulders nearly buckle at the surprising weight. I grit my teeth though and stare at Robin beneath me. From my position, on my elbows and knees, his head pressed against my chest, I can only really see his shoulder and the top of his head but I can tell that he's curled into a ball, his instinct and training prompting him to protect his head and make himself as small as possible.

I can't figure out how to get the concrete off us without possibly dislodging a piece and making it crush Robin. I can feel two pieces of massive debris above us. One resting more on my back than anywhere else while the other is on my left hip and shoulder. If I move, one will shift and either slide off my left side or my right. I think I'm stuck. I am going to be holding this until someone else can lift the concrete off us then.

Okay. Okay, I can do that. I can do this. I can.

I exhale shakily.

I whisper, because it's too quiet to do anything else, "I cannot move or a piece will fall and I won't be able to catch it."

Robin shifts slightly beneath me, nodding, but remains silent.

Suddenly, half the weight scrapes across my back then vanishes and I move immediately, shoving the other half away and standing. Kid Flash is sitting up, wincing, with Superboy standing beside him, a couple feet away from us. He must have been holding up part of the concrete we were trapped under too.

My entire body aches but, beyond some scratches and bruises, the others seem fine, and while I can feel bruises forming across my back I am physically well. Panting, attempting to catch my breath, I remark, "We…we did it."

Holy shit.

We actually…

"Was there ever any doubt?" Robin chuckles, as he sits up while Kid Flash moves over to him. Kid Flash grins and they promptly high-five one another, then wince. I can see a bruise forming on Kid Flash's back through a torn piece of his uniform. There are some scratches on Robin as well. Superboy, besides some ruffled hair and a torn suit, seems fine.

I look down at myself when I catch my breath. I grimace at the sight. There are small spots of blood on my breasts from the syringes and one of my straps was torn completely off, revealing a torn bra strap and far more of my cleavage than I particularly want shown. I am missing the pants covering my right calf and there is a large chunk of fabric supposed to be covering my left thigh that is missing. Part of the right side of my shirt was ripped off, revealing the beginnings of a bruise on my back, and I am certain that my hair is a mess. I tug on my shirt to try and pull it up further to cover more of my chest as Superboy walks past me to stare at Blockbuster pinned beneath the rubble.

Kid Flash gestures to the sky and announces, "See? The moon."

Superboy looks up, his eyes widening, and I'm struck by the fact that this is the first time he's seen anything other than Cadmus. Wow. He looks mesmerized.

The moon does look magnificent tonight. Or…this morning. Whatever it is.

…wait. That is…

"And Superman," Kid Flash adds, watching as Superman appears in front of the moon and begins to descend toward us. "Do we keep our promises or what?"

Flanking Superman are the majority of the Justice League. I tense instinctively, recognizing that I am probably going to be fired now. As they land, Wonder Woman, Captain Atom, Zatara, Hawkwoman, the Green Lanterns, Batman, Black Canary…Annex, of course, I grow steadily more relaxed. Annex may fire me, if he wishes, but that will not stop me from becoming a hero on my own. I do not have to operate out of Atlantis. Certainly, Toronto could use someone. Perhaps I could return to Joa in Vancouver. And I know I can handle it, despite what people seem to think.

Superboy walks toward Superman and looks up at him, hopeful as he displays the 'S' shield on his chest. Superman tenses and straightens his shoulders as a glare settles on his face. I move forward immediately, disliking Superman's reaction wholeheartedly. I lay my free hand on Superboy's shoulder and squeeze lightly as Batman says, "Is that what I think It is?"

I shoot a frustrated glare at Batman as Kid Flash warns, "He doesn't like being called an It."

"I'm Superman's clone," snaps Superboy, shrugging off my hand.

Shocked faces spread across the League and I, unbothered by Superboy's shrugging of my hand, face Batman and Superman, silently daring them to try and insult Superboy with me there. I do not care that they are the Batman and the Superman. They have no right to start calling people 'It' or insulting them merely because of how they came into the world. If it was Annex who insulted Superboy I may have a more difficult time objecting, but I would still object. I would have to. If I didn't, I'd be no better than Desmond.

Instead of further insulting Superboy, Batman demands, "Start talking."

Some of the tension falls from my shoulders.

I glance at Robin and Kid Flash. They seem to silently vote me as spokesperson so I turn to the League and begin to explain, "You mentioned being suspicious of Cadmus. We believed it would be valuable for us to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the fire…"

With some interruptions from Kid Flash and Robin, I finally finish explaining the story as the Lanterns and Hawks fly away with Blockbuster safely contained. The message then is clear so us protégés move to our own area and allow the adult members of the League to converse.

"Are you all well?" I question immediately.

"Heh," Robin chuckles, "fine. Or, will be fine. Just a few bruises and scratches, nothing major."

"A-yep," Kid Flash nods in agreement.

Superboy doesn't respond.

"Superboy?" I inquire. "Physically, are you well?"

"I'm Superman's clone," he points out darkly and I have little doubt then that he can hear the conversation taking place between Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter, because his eyes flick back to them sharply.

"Superman can be harmed," I point out softly.

He grumbles, "I'm fine."

We fall into silence. Each of us, I presume, are wondering what will happen to us and what we should do. What we should say.

It takes another couple minutes before Superman walks toward Superboy and, awkwardly, says, "We'll a – we'll figure something out. The League will, I mean. For now, I, I better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away."

My frown deepens as Superman flies off. He has to be joking. As if the Lanterns and Hawks are incapable of keeping Blockbuster under control. Please.

"Cadmus will be investigated," Batman says, prompting us to turn to him, Flash, and Annex. "All 52 levels. But let's make one thing clear-"

"You should've called," Flash cuts in, crossing his arms.

After a quick Batglare to Flash, Batman turns back to us, "End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again."

No.

No, I am done with people underestimating me. I am done with people telling me I can't do something just because of my age, my sex, my race, my hair colour, my…whatever. I am done.

"I am sorry," I state, standing in front of Batman, "but we will."

"Aqualass," Annex says firmly, "stand down."

"Apologies my King, but no. I refuse to stand down any longer." I gesture to the boys, "We did what you trained us to do today. We came together and created something powerful, something important."

"If this is about your treatment at the Hall, the three of you-"

"The four of us," Kid Flash cuts off his mentor. "And it's not."

Technically, for me, it is the treatment I have received from everyone since I started, particularly in the past few months. The treatment that states I am unworthy, or without the necessary qualifications or training, or too female, too black, too blonde, too feminine, not feminine enough, something too less that makes me incapable of being a sidekick, much less a superhero.

"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us," says Robin, "or why teach us at all?"

"Why let them tell us what to do?" questions Superboy sharply. "It's simple," he strides forward, "get onboard, or get out of the way."

I can feel Batman glaring.

"Give me three days," Batman says.

I frown. Kid Flash shrugs, "Three days isn't so long."

Annex is shooting me a look. I move towards him as Kid Flash and Robin move toward their own mentors, but I pause halfway to Annex. I turn and look at Superboy, who promptly looks at the ground, having been left alone by Superman and now, nearly left by us. Guilt spreads through my gut.

"Superboy," I say, turning around completely to face him, "you may come with me if you'd like."

"Aqualass," Annex says, grasping my shoulder.

"I have a human family," I point out, shrugging Annex's shoulder off as I move towards Superboy with a smile. "I am certain that they would be happy to have you as a guest for a few days."

He stares at me, like a child who never learned that staring was viewed as inappropriate.

He questions, glancing between Annex, myself, and the other protégés, "Um…okay?"

"We should leave quickly then."

Zeelie Residence, Toronto, Ontario : July 5, 2010 – 01:02 EDT

"My apologies," I say earnestly as I greet my Aunt Peggy, Uncle Kaleb and cousin Pansy. All are in their pyjamas, Aunt Peggy in a pair of black pyjama pants with glow-in-the-dark designs on them as well as an old blue t-shirt, Uncle Kaleb in a pair of red plaid boxers shirtless and squinting at Superboy as he fought his exhaustion, and Pansy in a pair of striped red pyjama pants and a massive blue t-shirt that advertised a run her father had presumably been on.

Pansy shoots me a glare and rubs at her eyes, clearly disliking the fact that I dared to wake her at one in the morning.

"I told you it would be alright, didn't I?" Aunt Peggy says impatiently, gesturing for Superboy and I to follow her. "You're alright, Kalla?"

"Merely sore," I answer.

"Good," Peggy says, walking into Kodi's old room – which has changed little since he went to university – and opening up the closet. She explains to Superboy, "Some of my son's clothes should fit you."

She emerges from the closet with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, continuing, "You can wear these to sleep, take Kodi's bed." She pauses then questions, "Are you hungry?"

Superboy, still frowning, answers, "No."

"Okay. Well, sleep well. I'm going to bed. Kalla," she shoots me a look that clearly means that despite her agreement to host Superboy she still has not forgiven me for the one-in-the-morning phone call, "can help you with anything else. She knows where everything is."

She leaves quickly, passing Pansy hovering in the doorway.

Pansy looks more awake than she was when we entered and she eyes our torn uniforms dubiously, looking ready to say something. She remains silent though.

I turn to Superboy, "You are well to sleep here, in these clothes?"

He nods.

"Okay, I will be in the room to the right if you need anything," I explain. I leave with Pansy and head straight for the guest room that has, unofficially over the past few years, become my room.

"So…what happened?" Pansy questions as she shuts the door to the guest room behind her and I remove my waterpack.

I tug off my belt, careful to not activate the com-link in my belt as I have done in the past, and begin gingerly pulling off my shirt. "I am afraid I cannot tell you," I say, wincing.

"Thought so," Pansy says with a shrug, leaning against the dresser where I store some civilian clothing just in case. Her eyes widen as I toss my shirt onto the chair in the corner and she spots the six spots of dried blood on my breasts, "What the hell are those?"

I glance down at my chest and sigh, "Irrelevant."

"I'll grab the first-aid kit."

"I am not wounded."

"You have blood on your boobs. Go to the bathroom," she orders then turns sharply and leaves.

I sigh and oblige, heading to the nearest bathroom. Once there I pull off my pants, dearly wishing to have a shower but also wishing to sleep, soon. I suppose, however, that I will survive if I only wash my "wounds" then go to bed.

Pansy enters a moment later, sliding in through a crack in the door, the first-aid kit hanging from her hands. She opens it and pulls out a cloth which I promptly soak in the tap and use to clean the six injection points the syringes made.

Pansy, to her credit, does not mention that the source of the holes is rather obvious and that either I was injected by something or had something pulled out of me. Instead, she merely begins rubbing some cream on the bruises covering my back.

09:34 EDT

Pansy's dark braids are gathered at the back of her head in a thick ponytail that manages to brush across her shoulder where the remnants of a Canadian flag temporary tattoo are. She stares at me from the across the table, her cereal turning soggy, and frowns, "How do you get up so early? You went to bed at like, two."

"Training," I answer simply, taking another bite of my waffle.

"I am never joining the military."

"Good," her father says, taking a bite out of an apple. "Is Superboy up?"

Pansy and I shrug.

"You should probably get out of the house today," he adds with a significant look to his daughter. "Superboy seems a bit out of his element."

I snort.

"He doesn't even have a name besides Superboy, or any clothes for that matter," Pansy points out. She shoots me a frustrated look, "Where the hell did you find this guy? It's like he popped out of a hole in the ground."

"Essentially, that is what occurred."

"So, what, we have a bunch of Kryptonian mole people running around?"

"Absolutely."

She stares at me, "You know, there are times when I just can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic."

"Logic, I find, is remarkably helpful in such circumstances."

"You're the sidekick of a King of an underwater civilization that spans most of the planet, your mom does magic for a living, you were trained by a princess of a race of warrior women, you hang out with a guy who dresses up as a flying rodent, about five different aliens, and one of the most powerful magicians on the planet, and you know the spirit of a city. Logic does not apply to you, K."

I smirk into my waffle.

She glowers at her cereal, muttering, "I hate you so much."

My smirk simply grows.

"Is Kodi not staying here for the summer?" I question abruptly.

"He is. He's supposed to be here in a week," Kaleb answers. "Him and a group of his friends are driving here."

"University road trip," says Pansy, grimacing at her now soggy cereal. "Thankfully, Kodi isn't an idiot when it comes to driving."

I rise and deposit my plate, cutlery and glass in the dishwasher before announcing, "I think I will try to wake Superboy. Perhaps attempt to find him some more clothes."

"Dig through Kodi's closet," Kaleb recommends, moving into the living room to switch on the weather channel.

I acknowledge his suggestion with a nod then stride up the stairs, my bare feet comfortably cold against the carpet. I pause at the door to Kodi's bedroom and softly knock on it despite the fact that he likely heard me coming up the stairs. The door swings open after a moment, revealing Superboy, garbed in Kodi's sweatpants but lacking a shirt to my wary appreciation. I would be unsurprised if he got too warm during the night, it was a common problem for me as well hence my attire of a pair of pyjama shorts and a tank top.

"I apologize if I woke you," I say, pulling my eyes up from his collarbone to his eyes.

He shrugs.

"We are eating breakfast at the moment. Is there anything in particular you would like?"

"Uh…" he stares at me, "I've never eaten anything."

My eyes widen and I quickly backtrack, "Right, my apologies. If you come down with me I can show you some options and you can choose which looks the most appetizing."

"Sure, whatever," he grunts.

I move out of his way and gesture for him to walk ahead of me. He obliges and I shut the door behind him, pausing momentarily to take in the sight of the open closet door and bed that was definitely not slept in.

Quizzically, I follow Superboy down the stairs and question, "Did you sleep in the closet?"

"It reminded me of my pod."

"Logical," I comment.

"And the boy is up!" Pansy declares with a grin. "Thought Mom gave you a shirt."

"Got hot," Superboy explains tersely.

I promptly put Pansy into a light headlock as her mouth opens, a smirk flitting across her face and the words 'that's one way of putting it' on the tip of her tongue. With Pansy tugging at my arms I explain to Superboy, "In the cupboard over the stove is the cereal, there is also toast, waffles, I suppose we could make eggs as well. There is fruit..."

He looks a little lost, honestly.

"Perhaps we should start with the basics," I suggest. "Cheerios." I release Pansy and grab the yellow box, "Start with some cereal."

"And milk," Pansy adds, pulling the carton from the fridge.

I grimace.

"Are you lactose intolerant?" Pansy questions Superboy.

"Doubt it," he answers.

"I am," I explain as I grab a bowl and gesture for Superboy to pour his cereal. "That's why she's asking. It's a rather common trait in Atlanteans. Perhaps I should try to contact Superman and ask him of any dietary restrictions for Kryptonians."

"Do you shave?" Kaleb asks abruptly, having risen from the weather channel to head into the kitchen. "Because I doubt any of the razors in this house could cut Kryptonian hair."

"How does Superman cut his hair?" questions Pansy, frowning at the thought.

"I will try to contact Annex," I say. "You can eat, Superboy, I will be right back. If you do not like it, tell Pansy."

"Dude, I need to get dressed," Pansy protests weakly.

I roll my eyes, "You can wait."

I stop abruptly as I move to the stairs and pass the front door. Quickly, I backtrack and stare at the envelope resting on the front mat below the letter slot. I grab it and stare at my name on it for a second before flipping it over and ripping it open. A credit card is in the envelope along with a note saying 'For expenses' followed by Batman's emblem.

Since when has Batman known where my human family lives?

Stupid question.

I jog up the stairs and return to the guest/my bedroom. Within a matter of minutes I manage to get in contact with Annex and figure out that, to his knowledge, there are no serious dietary restrictions for Kryptonians. Regardless, I still contact the Watchtower where apparently Superman is on monitor duty.

::: Watchtower. :::

"Aqualass," I state. "Superman, sir, do you have a moment?"

I sense his hesitation but he eventually inquires, ::: Is this mission-related? :::

"In a way."

::: What is it? :::

"Do you have any allergies or dietary restrictions?"

Silence.

::: Not really…why? Is this about that boy? :::

"Superboy, and yes sir, I do not wish to harm him inadvertently."

::: I'm not allergic to anything. ::: he snaps, or, as close to snapping as Superman can get. ::: Are you sure it's a smart idea to have him there when you're the only one nearby who could take him on? :::

"If he wished to harm me or my family I am certain that he would have done so already. Additionally, I am capable of protecting my family if the need arises."

::: You were beaten pretty badly at Cadmus. :::

"He does not wish to harm my family or me. I am certain of that," I state, growing steadily more annoyed with both Superman's insistence that I cannot protect my family and that Superboy wants to hurt us.

::: How are you certain? Cadmus could have created him with the intent to hurt League members. :::

"I suppose then, it is good that I am not a League member," I point out.

::: If he does anything, call me. :::

"He won't."

::: If he- :::

"He will not. Call it woman's intuition, whatever you wish, but it will not come to that. Aqualass out."

I kill the connection.

I may have overstepped a boundary there.

I push that thought away and replace it with the more pressing issue of the clone in my cousin's kitchen. Quickly, I rise and return to the kitchen where Pansy has taken out her laptop and is showing Superboy her various social media accounts.

"Any allergies?" questions Pansy immediately as she pauses in showing Superboy a lolcat posting.

"None," I answer. "You seem to be doing well, so I think I will take a shower. Superboy, you should as well. Then we can go out and start getting you some belongings."

Pansy eyes the credit card in my hand suspiciously, "Where did you get that?"

"It was on your front mat," I explain. "The note said that it was 'for expenses'."

"Was it from Superman?" Superboy asks, hope lighting his face up even more than the laptop monitor.

"It did not say, I am afraid," I lie.

"Who else would it be from? Batman?" Pansy scoffs. "Guy's not exactly warm and fuzzy. He dresses up like a flying rodent for Pete's sake." She rises as I head out of the kitchen, "Nope, you're not going, I'm going. I get a shower. You show Superboy the black hole that is the Internet."

I relent and take her seat next to Superboy to continue perusing the Internet.

Toronto, Ontario : July 5, 2010 – 11:56 EDT

"Are you sure you just want these t-shirts?" questions Pansy, eyeing the pile of black Superman t-shirts in Superboy's arms. "They're kind of…boring."

He shoots a glare at her and tightens his hold on the t-shirts, "I'm sure."

She shrugs, "Alright, whatever." She turns to me expectantly, posing in the jeans she opted to try on, "What do you think? Is my butt beautiful in this?"

"It looks fine," I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "I believe it would be best if we paid now though and then ate lunch."

"Sure," Pansy agrees, bounding back into the change room. "You pay, I'll meet you out there."

I guide Superboy to the cashier and we quickly pay and leave the store with two bags filled with three pairs of jeans and a ton of black Superman t-shirts. In a matter of moments, Pansy is joining us and tugging her tank top impatiently over the waistband of her capris.

"I am going to introduce you to burgers," she informs Superboy as we head to the Food Court. It is when we are sitting with Superboy's burger combo in front of him, Pansy's Chinese food in front of her, and my sub in front of me that we encounter a problem.

"Hey babe," the boy who typifies the triad of Tall, Dark and Handsome, says, approaching our table and smirking at Pansy. Flanking him are two boys who would be called his lackeys were he a supervillain.

She stiffens immediately and I still in my movement to take a bite out of my sub. She turns a chilling glare to him, "Jason."

He leans on the table and his eyes travel from my ankles up my bare legs to the hem of my shorts and then up my jacket-covered torso to land on my face. He smirks, "Hey."

"Back the fuck off, Jason," Pansy snaps, losing her patience. "I said 'no' so get the fuck away and stop bothering me."

"You want me, babe, you know you do. That's all you were saying last week," he leans forward, his hand reaching out to her face.

She swats his hand away and I watch her opposite hand clench around her chopsticks, shaking, before she hisses, "I told you not to touch me ever again so back off."

He grabs her wrist.

I'm moving before my brain catches up to my body and my hand is wrapping around Jason's opposite wrist and clenching so tightly he should have bruises. He winces immediately as his lackeys move forward, prompting Superboy to growl and stand.

"She said 'back off'," I hiss.

"You've got a serious grip."

I promptly twist his wrist. He squeals in pain and Pansy sniggers as he nearly buckles over.

I grab his collar and pull him down to eye-level, "Back. Off. From this moment on, you will only be permitted to touch Pansy, or even speak to her, if she permits you. Am I understood?" He stares at me, wide-eyed. I tug on his collar, "Am I understood?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," he says, fear clouding his eyes. I release him and he staggers backward a couple steps, glancing at his lackeys who seem to be frozen either because of my display or Superboy's growling. "Bitch."

Pansy shoots up. My hand shoots out and I grab her arm, keeping her from punching him. I eye Jason, "If being a 'bitch' means I know what I want and what I deserve, and that includes respect, then yes, I am a bitch. Thank you for noticing. Bitches get stuff done, in case you have not noticed, you pathetic child."

"Leave," Pansy spits.

Hastily, Jason turns, gesturing for his lackeys. They make a hasty retreat.

Stiffly, Pansy sits. I return to my seat with Superboy beside me and look at Pansy, concern creasing my face, "Who was that?"

"Jason," Pansy says, stabbing her food viciously. "I went out with him, then dumped him last week when he tried pushing me. He didn't take it well."

My eyes narrow, "Did he try anything?"

"I punched him in the face and kicked him in the balls," she smirks. "Your lessons on self-defense paid off."

"I am sad you had to use them. May I punch him?"

"As much as I wouldn't mind seeing him with a broken nose or jaw, that would probably lead to a lawsuit and neither of us needs that."

I smirk into my sub.

Twenty minutes later the incident is pushed back while Pansy is attempting to find a Green Lantern t-shirt in Superboy's size. I am standing outside the dressing room as he tries on a pair of jeans I grabbed for him.

He steps out of the dressing room and I cock an eyebrow as he walks past me and stares at himself in the mirror. He tilts his head.

"The jeans look good," I comment. "Do they feel alright?"

"They feel fine," he answers distractedly, still staring at himself but not, I realize, at the jeans he's wearing.

I frown, "What is it?"

"I don't look like him, do I?"

I don't have to ask who 'him' is. I stand beside Superboy and stare at his reflection. I shrug, "You are not identical, but you also are not the same age as him and I'd imagine that you and him would age differently from, say, Pansy and myself."

"You think I'll look like him then?"

"Similar, likely," I answer truthfully. "Identical, in theory, but you will be leading different lives. Perhaps, you will receive a scar and he will not. Just because you have similar DNA does not mean that you have to be identical."

"We aren't cousins like you and Pansy," he points out.

"Pansy and I are not biologically related," I say. "Her mother's brother is my foster father, actually. He is not my biological father. I do not know who my biological father is."

"Is that a good thing?"

I turn to Superboy and look at him for a moment, trying to figure out what he wants me to say, what he needs me to say.

I answer candidly, "I do not know. There were certainly moments where I wished to know who my biological father was. I know that there is autism on his side of the family, which concerns my mother, so I would like to know, I suppose, for health reasons. But beyond that…before I was 8 it was just my mother and myself and we were…surviving. Then Calvin – my foster father – came into the picture and he was the first father-figure I ever really had. As far as I am concerned, Calvin is my father; that is all there is to it. It depends on you, I believe, whether knowing where you come from biologically is a good thing or a bad thing, or even necessary."

I hesitate then add, "For you, if you do not mind me saying, I believe that it is valuable information to know as much as you can, health-wise, about your "father". Seeing as you are rather unique on this planet. As far as having a relationship though…I do not believe it is necessary. I believe that biology does not automatically make you a family. Once that is worth having, at least." I squeeze his shoulder in what I hope is a reassurance.

He doesn't say anything.

"Found it!" Pansy declares, bounding over to us. She stops abruptly, the Green Lantern t-shirt hanging from her hand. She looks between us, her eyes narrowing suspiciously, "Were you making out?"

I turn to her, my eyebrows raised as I state sarcastically, "Absolutely."

I roll my eyes. Pansy rolls her eyes in return and tosses the t-shirt to Superboy, "Try it on. It'll be awesome."

Wordlessly, Superboy returns to the dressing room, lost in thought.

A/N: Sorry for the wait! I went through about three different versions of this, so that's my only real excuse. Well, that and ~feels~ for the last couple episodes destroying my ability to write coherently.

I'm going to try and integrate a few of the YJ comic scenes into this story. Certainly not all of them, mainly because I don't have all of the comics thus far, but I shall try!

Thanks Hybrid301, ViciousViper15, and Vanessa for your reviews! They made me all warm and fuzzy inside.