I don't own Young Justice.

A/N: I'm back. Basketball has taken school's spot, but school is still fighting for first priority. I'll write as often as I can. But here is this update.

Read. Review. Enjoy.

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I woke up with a shock, energy running through my body, energizing me. I looked around. Alex wasn't in the room.

"He's on the other side of the wall. We can't let you two mess up data like that."

My body was shaking like I had stocked up on caffeine. B'rnazz continued.

"It's an adrenaline shot. It raises your pulse and senses. Maybe it'll help in your next test. Or not, that's for you to decide."

No sooner had he left had the beating begun. I was strapped to a chair with only my right hand free. We were supposed to answer the questions that pooped on the screen in front of us correctly in three seconds, otherwise we would feel more electricity in our bodies.

The adrenaline wasn't helping. I was struggling to concentrate, and for ten minutes, shock after shock ran through my body, even after the adrenaline wore off. By the time Alex and I were released, my body was physically worn out, but the test was far from over.

I was forcibly dragged back to my cell along with Alex.

"Fight."

That was the simple instruction we were given. From my position on the floor, I looked at Alex to get confirmation to follow the order or not. I guess we weren't moving fast enough for dear old "dad".

"Fine, you two don't want to fight? The loser gets to go a round with me, and I believe the expression is 'the gloves are off.'"

We stood and squared up to each other. I didn't want to fight Alex, especially after all the trauma he had just gone through. We circled around each other with nointention to swing first. But by the angry glares, we knewwe had better do something fast.

"Just hit me," Alex said.

"No."

"I telling you to beat me. I don't want you to go through what I did."

"Alex, no."

"Vanessa hit me."

I threw the first punch. He dodged it and moved backwards. He threw up a kick that was over televised, and I easily dodged it. The fight continued to go on like this, me barely hitting him or him avoiding my hits. I eventually pinned him to the ground, though neither B'rnazz or Wellsworth were happy.

B'rnazz dragged Alex out of the room, Wellsworth following close behind.

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THIRD PERSON POV

B'rnazz released the mess of a kid he had been carrying behind him into a separate cell from his sister, satisfied with the punishment he had just dealt.

"That was pathetic, Martian. I thought you of all people would have trained them better than that. I don't even know how to fight and I was quite unimpressed."

B'rnazz remained silent.

"You're not even going to defend yourself? The Light will love-"

"They weren't trying. Both are capable of far worse, but they were trying to protect the other."

"And how would you know something like that?"

"I've had to put up with their shenanigans for over three years. I come to learn a few things in those years."

"Really, like what?"

Again, the Martian fell silent.

"You wouldn't be trying to protect them would-"

"Alex, acrophobic. Vanessa, claustrophobic. When she is especially scared, she closes her eyes, scrunchesher nose and hums some stupid song."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Nothing that will benefit you or the Light." With that the Martian limped off.

"You know if you're trying to protect these two, it would be ashame if the Light found out."

B'rnazz stopped in his tracks and thought about this, before slowly turning back to the doctor who had began to smirk in victory.

"You think I'm afraid? You really believe fear is holding me back? I pity the fool who underestimates his query."

B'rnazz rushed Dr. Wellsworth, lifting him off the ground by his jacket collar, and cutting his air off.

"Does this look like fear to you? I will destroy your mind in mere seconds. And that genius level intellect will be dwindled down to that of a goldfish. So tell the Light, I'm not afraid of them either. I could destroy any of them by themselves, but they choose to stay as a group, rendering me outnumbered. Don't take my silence as fear. I may be fearless, but not stupid. So tell them, but know it is at your own risk."

B'rnazz released the doctor and limped off once again, leaving the doctor on the floor catching his breath.

PAGE BREAK

VANESSA POV (FIRST PERSON)

A day had passed since our series of assessments. I laid awake on the floor. Every time I closed my eyes, I was reminded of the incident with Artemis, the reason we were here. I never really thought the Team was coming, but the small hope that burned in my heart that they would, was starting to die as well.

With no one to confide in, I was left alone. As I looked around the cell, I was reminded of the picture Alex hid in the wall. I walked over and pulled it out, thinking of what we would be doing now if we had a normal life. The ideas comforted me.

We would be gathered around the couch, watching TV. I would have my own room, with toys. Lots and lots of toys. Mom would take me places to get away from the boys. Yeah, normal life sounded pretty good as it rocked me to a near sleep state.

Drugged by my own thoughts, I reacted little to the swinging of the door, indicating someone was entering. I remained unaware as he stormed up to me, only realizing the situation as he lifted me up and began yelling. It wasn't until he slammed me to the ground thatI had a full grip of the situation, my hearing miraculouslyturned on, and the abuse began.

"When I call you, you don't ignore me! Do you understand, you stupid-"

He noticed the picture I had clenched in my hand. He back slapped me, and snatched the photo out my hand.

"No B'rnazz please! It's all I have left. Please."

He kicked me off of him. The anger was just generating off his body. I had never seen him this angry.

He crumbled the picture, threw it to the ground, and backed me against the wall.

"Don't let me catch you with this again! Get up and follow me. NOW!"

I followed him, picking up the discarded photo behind me.

We walked the hallway in silence. My mind raced as I couldn't understand the connection to all of B'rnazz's recent actions. I wanted to ask him, but that was asking for punishment.

He must have noticed me looking at him from time to time.

"What is it Vanessa?"

I looked back in silence, "Nothing."

"I can read your mind."

I still said nothing.

"Fine."

The pain escalated quickly in my head, forcing me to take action.

"Okay, okay." I hesitated. "Do you...have you ever...you know...loved us?"

He gave me a look of disgust. As if he had heard the most absurd thing in his life. "Loved you? I've abhorred you from the moment we met. You brats have been the bane of my existence. A job I must complete, and nothing more. What would giveyou a crazy idea like that?"

"I mean...you've...I don't know, act differently around us. You didn't take Alex's food or the photo. You stopped Wellsworth from punishing him. And yesterday,I saw you when we were in the chambers. Youlooked...kinda...scared."

He stared at me in silence, an angry look creeping across his face. Then a half hearted laugh pierced his lips.

"You think that was love? A coincidence at best. I HATE YOU TWO! Do you see these scars and bruises? I have you and your stupid brother to blame. I wouldn't doanything for you. If you believe that's love... well, I can't really blame you. You were three when the only people that really loved you perished. Love is only for fairy tales, fanfiction. This is reality."

He pushed me faster and harder, clearly disturbed by the prior conversation.

PAGE BREAK

We entered another of the endless rooms in the facility. When we rounded it, I saw Alex strapped to an examination table with Wellsworth fidgeting in the back. I was quickly strapped down next to my brother. I saw him squirming. This had been a bad situation for him from the beginning, and I couldn't help feel I was responsible in some way.

"What took you so long Martian? The girl giving you problems?"

"It's not you're business. So don't stick your hand in anything that doesn't concern you. It might be severed."

"Is that a threat B'rnazz?"

"Interpret it how you wish, but remember my promise from our previous conversation."

Wellsworth glared at B'rnazz, but he stopped talking.

His mood quickly changed as he walked over to Alex, apparently fine fidgeting with his equipment.

"Well the time has finally come to give you naughty children what you deserve."

Alex continued to squirm, trying desperately to escape.

"Those cables are made of titanium, boy. Even if you used your super strength, you wouldn't be able to escape. But back to the matter. We're going to be doing some neuverkabelung, rewiring. It might hurt a lot so just prepare yourselves."

Wellsworth flicked a switch, and immediately, Alex yelled out in pain. He twitched with discomfort as whatever it was was being forcibly implanted in his neck. Then suddenly, the screaming stopped, and Alex's eyes rolled into the back of his head, as it slumped forward.

"You KILLED him!" I yelled, held back by the cables.

"Don't you listen child? I said neuverkabelung nicht tod und vernichtung. A slip of the tongue, only happens when I become frustrated. We are rewiring. He's not dead, as I explained earlier. But don't worry you will soon join him. Though it will not be much pain, since you already have the device, it will not escape you."

He flicked the switch for mine. Pain weaved itself up and down my body, and it didn't stop until everythingwent black.

PAGE BREAK

I woke up in a different room than I had pressed out in. The air was stale and had a feeling of fog or confusion. I looked around and found myself in a small containment cell, yet I wasn't worried. But deep down, I knew this was unnatural.

"Guden tag Vanessa. You're just in time. You see we were given instructions to redo all our test, and little time to do it. So, here is nummer eins."

It felt as if my body was being torn apart, but no cry escaped my lips. It hurt like crazy, but I couldn't find myself the strength to cry about it. Even as I found myself sitting in the container with no room to move, I felt an unsettling peace. I was unconcerned with the world our anyone in it, including Alex.

I finally gave in to the pain after what felt like ten minutes, though this time, I remained conscious, unable to support my own weight anymore.

Wellsworth helped me out, grin practically wrapping around his head.

"What did you do to us?" I asked weakly.

The grin continued with no answer. B'rnazz helped Alex out, and we moved to the next room, assessing our reflexes like before.

Again, everything seemed unnervingly easy. I knew there was something wrong, but everything physically felt wrong. I was able to dodge with ease, and answer the each question correctly. Sooner than expected, the rest ended and we were moved to our cell.

"Fight."

The word brought a severe case of deja vú as I squared up to fight Alex.

"The same consequence applies as last time," B'rnazz chimed, taking a sly glance in my direction.

Alex was gazing into my soul, but I didn't feel intimidated. He jumped at me, but I narrowly avoided him as I jumped to the side. He recovered quickly with a kick to the head, knocking me of equilibrium, and unableto recuperate fast enough, I was hit with a barrage of Alex's appendages, knocking me to the ground.

He was about to stomp my head when I grabbed his foot and threw him to the side. As he gained his balance, I ran to the nearest wall and launched myself from it. As Alex turned to block me, I caught him in the throat, bringing him to his knees. I landed and locked his bad arm behind his back, ready to dislocate it once again when Wellsworth yelled stop. B'rnazz pulled me off Alex. As I looked back at his tall frame, he eyed me down. Tearing away from his gaze, a cloud was lifted and I saw the situation for what it was.

"Astounding improvement. Exceptional results. This is... this is... unglaublich. B'rnazz let us go and tell the council. They will be most impressed. Quickly."

Wellsworth practically ran out of the room. B'rnazz followed suit, staring at Alex the whole walk out.

As the cell door closed, I ran over to Alex who sat stunned on the floor.

"Alex, are you okay? I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. How's your throat and your shoulder? Alex, I am so sorry."

I stuck my hand out to help him. He stared at it before helping himself up and walking over to the other side of the cell.

"Say something."

"Don't apologize. You were doing what you were told, as the Masters would have it."

Was this Alex? I was so dumbfounded, I didn't even know what to say. But he filled the space for me.

"Where did this hold come from?"

He was looking at the hole in the wall.

"I took the picture out to comfort me." I answered without really thinking. I took it out my pocket. "It's a little crumpled. We're not the only two to handle it recently."

He took it from me, but as he looked at it, no expression of recognition crossed his face. He looked back at me.

"Who are they?"

I don't know what the device did, but it was serious. Alex had never been this loyal to the Light or even faked it. His desire to have this family again was stronger than anyone I knew. If this device could take that away from him, make him a drone for their personal vendettas, then this had to be stopped soon. This was crazy. But was even crazier was that I had had this device way longer than him, yet I was unaffected.

"They're our parents. Its our family. You don't recognize yourself?"

He looked again, and seemed to be stuck on one thought. "This can't be our whole family."

"Why not?"

"Then who took the picture?"

I was about to answer when I realized, I didn't have the answer.

The door swung open, and the cloud of uncertainty filled my head again.

"Follow me," said the guard.

We did as we were told. By instinct I put the photo in my pocket.

We followed the guard to a dark room. He shoved us in, and locked the door behind us. As my eyes adjusted, I could see we were surrounded by trees as if we were in a forest of some kind.

Suddenly a shrilled scream broke the silence. As I turned around, I was confronted by a terrifying face I'd thought I'd never see again.