Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. some of the teammates
A/N: Let's hope that Carrie pulls out of this quickly!
Chapter 12
"She's crashing!" Starfire panicked, allowing Miss Martian to intervene and fiddle with the medical machines that were going crazy.
Carrie's body was beginning to shake slowly as if it was going into shock. The tubes and wires connected to her body vibrated from the convulsions.
"What's wrong?" Beast Boy asked, leaning into the foot of the bed.
The door pushed open and Kitty pulled a young alien into the room. She pointed at Carrie's body.
Nightwing blocked the alien. "Kitty. What are you doing? Who is this?"
"Aqualad requested someone travel here as a matter of urgency. He can help!" Kitty feebly pushed Nightwing to one side. "Show everyone what you can do."
The young alien had a small plastic box on a chain around his neck. He placed a hand on Carrie's face and flinched as he drew the pain from her body. The alien's face contorted and twitched exaggeratedly.
"You can do it!" Kitty exclaimed, looking between the heroes in the room.
A silver light drew itself from Carrie onto the boy's hand. Stepping back, he placed his hands onto the box. The light transferred from the hand into the box before he staggered backward and collapsed into the chair.
"You did it!" Kitty squealed, turning her attention back to Carrie. "Now she just needs to wake up."
Nightwing patted the youngster on the back. "Let's leave them to it. Miss Martian, are you okay to watch her?"
The martian nodded slowly.
Carrie remained still. Beast Boy refused to leave despite feeling an agonising pain in his body. It was a long and silent wait. The alien requested that someone take him back to the transport up to the Watchtower.
"Beast Boy, why don't you-" Miss Martian started before noticing Beast Boy's expression. "Okay, I'll go. You tell me as soon as she wakes up."
He playfully stood to attention and saluted Miss Martian. "Yes Ma'am." Once they were alone, Beast Boy pulled a chair closer to the bed. Everything seemed to have worked, so why wasn't she awake?
"Okay Carrie- BB here. I'm not normally one for the sentimental stuff, but I could really do with you waking up and letting us know you're alright." Beast Boy dropped his head into his hands, leaning back in the chair. "Well, I had a mission to do and I'm not going to abandon it now."
An inaudible murmur escaped Carrie's lips.
"Carrie?" Beast Boy raised his head hopefully. "Carrie?"
"You promised."
A smile snuck its way across Beast Boy's face. "Yeah, I told you that we would see each other soon, and I meant it."
"Come here…" Carrie whispered, shuffling forwards to sit up. "There's something I didn't get to do earlier. Don't look so scared."
It wasn't fear that Beast Boy was feeling, it was confusion.
"You're not going to hit me or anything, are you?" he asked, cautiously standing up and moving closer. "Because I wouldn't put it past you."
"Stop talking, Beast Boy." Carrie winced as she moved, looking up at the tall, green skinned super. "You're going to have to meet me more than half way…" She smiled weakly, gripping the side of the bed for support. Her head tilted to one side as the pair leaned closer.
Closer and closer.
"Oh – god, sorry!" Miss Martian burst in through the door, frozen to the spot when she realised she had disturbed a moment between the pair. "Carrie, you're awake… How are you feeling?"
Carrie eased herself back down to the bed. "I've survived worse before."
"Perhaps you'd like to see some guests? I think Superboy could do with the rest bite." Miss Martian pushed open the door.
Carrie smiled when she heard the high pitched squeals of her little sister playing 'horses' with an uncertain Superboy. He appeared in the doorway with Millie on his shoulders holding handfuls of his black hair like they were reins on a horse.
Millie saw Carrie and screeched her name, pleading to hug her sister. "Carrie!"
"Oh Millie, I thought I might have lost you," Carrie whispered, wrapping her arms around the toddler. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, and so is everyone. You saved them…" Millie buried her head into Carrie's shoulder. "Superboy said you saved everyone- how did you do it?"
Carrie's pale eyes widened. "Because I am a very special girl, just like everyone here. Beast Boy here can transform into animals, Superboy is super strength and Miss Martian is psychic."
Millie sat up, alert and ready. "If you're psychic, then what am I thinking?"
Miss Martian chuckled to herself, walking towards the bed and lifting Millie up onto her feet. "Now are you sure that you want me to tell everyone what you're thinking?" She paused and looked into the child's mind when she got the approval. "You're thinking… Oh Millie, really?"
"What is it?" Beast Boy asked, smiling broadly as he felt Carrie leaning back into him.
"Millie wants to know if the family can keep Beast Boy…" Miss Martian replied. "She's always wanted to ride a tiger. But what if we need Beast Boy, Millie?"
The young child pouted and folded her arms in a strop.
"So Carrie, how are you feeling?" Miss Martian asked, checking over the scans and vital reports. "Everything seems to be back to normal from here."
"I just feel like I've been throw from the top of a waterfall and missed the water, but everything will be alright. The stem cell effect will activate when I've got more strength." Carrie's eyes felt heavy. "I'm sorry- I'm just very tired right now – perhaps I could rest for a while? Take Millie home for me, Beast Boy."
Beast Boy nodded, holding his hands out to Mille. "What animal will it be?"
"No- no animals, Beast Boy. Just you." Carrie's voice was firm and definitive which made Millie whine.
"You're no fun…" Beast Boy taunted playfully, lifting Millie up off the bed and into his arms. "What about the refurbished original Batmobile we have downstairs in the garage?"
"As the human you is fine, Beast Boy."
-o-
When Beast Boy returned from leaving Millie with the Boxhams – an event that was awkward and nerve-wracking, Beast boy returned to the Justice Hall to find a police blockade.
"Well this is going to be interesting…" he whispered, hanging back to determine what was going on.
Police Commissioner Gordon was at the front of the blockade with a megaphone in his hand, booming out instructions. "Justice League, we know you have the fugitive inside – if she comes out now, we can all just walk away."
Of course, thought Beast Boy. They still think that me and Carrie were behind those robberies that were staged when we were hiding at the cabin.
Knowing that he had to keep a low profile, Beast Boy used the garage entrance that was about a block away. As he snuck inside, he was met by Nightwing trying to get Carrie out of the building, but she was hesitant.
"No. I didn't do what they're saying I did," she protested, pulling back from him.
"Carrie. Gordon isn't going to let up now. We need you to be safe and out of Gotham. If you can allow us to buy you some time, we might be able to explain to Gordon that it isn't you that they're looking for and that you've repaid your debt to society by risking life and limp to protect Gotham City."
Carrie looked hopelessly at Beast Boy, pulling at the dark grey tracksuit that must have been thrown at her in the rush of the police arriving at the hall. "You're on my side, right? You don't think I should run away?"
"Carrie, I-"
"Please! I've spent my whole life trying to run and now that Metallica has finally gotten the message to back off, I want to start living a life where I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder. Surely you guys understand that?" Her head flicked from side to side, glancing between the two men.
The door that led onto the main corridors of the hall opened and Raven stood in the doorway. "You better hurry and make a decision, because Aqualad is about two minutes away from letting Gordon into the building." She looked down the corridor and quickly shut the door.
It was clear that the two minutes were already gone.
"Nightwing, I'll get Carrie out of the city," Beast Boy added, showing a sense of responsibility and determination to his superior and leader. "You can count on me." He held a gloved hand out to the older super. "Call it temporary leave."
Nightwing nodded, shaking Beast Boy's hand. "There's not much time. Get her out of the city whilst me and Aqualad work on calming down Gordon."
"What about Batgirl?" Beast Boy asked.
"Not back from a mission with Static." Nightwing paused. "Now go already."
Carrie glanced at Beast Boy darting for a speedy looking sports car and looked down at the ground. "Thank you for everything you've done, Nightwing." She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You've showed me there's so much more to being a super than hiding who you are or running from the bag guys. There's no way-"
Nightwing stopped her, holding her shoulders firmly. "There's no time, you have to go. Leave now. The League and Team will work on clearing your name."
Carrie staggered backwards, dashing over o the passenger side of the car. "Where are we going to go, Beast Boy?"
Beast Boy switched on the engine and put the roof on over the pair of them. "Praise the lord for tinted windows," he said, ignoring the question at hand. "Let's see how fast this thing can go."
Carrie rested a hand on his shoulder. "Beast Boy, you do realise we're supposed to be lying low and not drawing attention to us, so why don't we just play it safe and follow the speed limits?"
"You don't like me having any fun, do you?" Beast Boy asked, smiling across the car her. "So, Miss Boxham- anywhere you fancy exploring?"
"Anywhere…." Carrie murmured, staring over her shoulder through the windows at the Justice Hall disappearing from sight. Turning back, she heaved a sigh of relief. "You should just take me to the airport, Beast Boy."
"Why?" he asked, wondering what the answer could possibly be. "There's no need for you to fly away."
"I can't stay here."
"What about Millie, Carrie?" Beast Boy headed towards one of the bridges out of Gotham City. "We aren't going to go very far, I promise you, and as soon as we get the all clear from Nightwing, we'll return home."
"Promise?"
"When have I ever broken a promise to you?" Beast Boy asked calmly, reaching across the car to squeeze her shoulder.
"You've only made one promise to me…"
"Yeah- but I didn't break it, so my track record looks immaculate right now, don't you think?" He slowly retracted his hand and turned onto the bridge. "Who would have thought it…"
"Thought what, Beast Boy?" Carrie frowned, twisting around to look at him, admiring his green eyes. "Tell me."
"Look at you- pleading that I tell you what I mean. It's cute."
"Did you just call me cute?"
"Am I not allowed to?"
Carrie seemed stumped by the question. "Um, well I- oh stop it and focus on driving!" she squeaked, unable to hide her flushed cheeks and turning to look out the window. She watched the city getting smaller and smaller. "I know that they sent me away because the police think I'm a criminal and have gone in all guns blazing, but I don't like the thought of abandoning everyone."
"You're not abandoning everyone, Carrie."
"Why were you so willing to leave with me? And the honest answer. None of that silly part of the job deal." Before she even allowed him to answer, Carrie continued rambling. "Because whilst at first you were really annoying and didn't like you, I saw more of the good in you coming out. You risked your life to save mine and you agreed to just leave everything you've known in the last ten years. People don't just do that, or at least, no one I know would do that."
Beast Boy took the first exit after they were off the bridge. "There's something I want to show you, but you're going to have to trust me and hold on." He brought the car to a stop along the coast from the bridge and got out the car to grab a dark hoodie that had been stashed in the boot. "Are you ready, Carrie?"
She nodded eagerly, ignoring the concern that was bubbling up inside of her. Extending her hand out to Beast Boy, it was met by a dark green fur. "A gorilla?"
Gorilla formed Beast Boy carried her up to the top of the suspension bridge where he gently put her down and transformed back into his former self. He noticed her petrified expression as she was stood atop the platform.
"Fear of heights?" Beast Boy asked.
"Only just realising it now." Carrie stifled a nervous giggle, grabbing Beast Boy's arm and letting him guide her to sit down. "It's not so bad. Being up here, with you. I mean, the view here, is incredible."
"You're not so bad yourself." Beast Boy leant into Carrie, playfully nudging her. "Carrie- there's something I've forgotten."
"Oh god- what have you left behind?"
Beast Boy laughed and then smiled. "No- something we've failed at nearly three times and I'm not about to let something else interrupt us."
"I'd like that. And I like you…" Carrie whispered, leaning forwards and pulling Beast Boy towards her.
With nothing more than a few inches of air between the, a bright spotlight suddenly illuminated them from above and they could hear a helicopters hovering above them. Beast Boy groaned, lying down in the light as Commissioner Gordon's voice echoed down at them from the helicopter