I don't own Young Justice.

A/N: The struggle had been so real. I have been trying to post, but the time just slips away. The summer is almost here and I only have a few chapters left in this story so hang on. Here we go.

Read. Review. Enjoy.

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THIRD PERSON POV

Alex had become a soldier with no emotion. He had had it in him from the beginning, but his homicide had pushed him over the edge. He was emotionless. Apathetic, not because he didn't care, but because it didn't matter anymore.

He was punished when he didn't perform to standard. He was placed in ISO, but no matter where he was he was isolated. His sister was dead, so he had really no reason to go on. Sierra had made him promise to keep the fight, but he couldn't. Alex knew he had failed her, but he had no motivation. He took his punishment without a word, turning into a robot emotionally to get them off his back. His family photo had even been taken and he truly had nothing left of his past to keep him grounded. He floated in the wind as those above him pulled his string.

Those in charge, especially B'rnazz, had recognized it and exploited it. The tasks became increasingly difficult. The more they broke him, pushed him to the point of no return, the easier he would be to command even without Wellsworth's mind control. But that would not be done away with, it might still be necessary if he gained a burst of courage. They had already lost Vanessa. The plan would work with one, but only if nothing else broke down.

He would be tested soon to see. The plan was about to take action. Everything had to remain the way it was or it would all go awry.

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VANESSA POV (FIRST PERSON)

For the next few days I stayed in my room. I felt like I had no one. M'gann was making an earnest effort to show me that she was on my side, for my good, but I could've cared less. I was just taking up air, living from day to day.

I suppose after a few days, M'gann became fed up with my apathy.

She knocked on the door. I stared at it debating whether or not to open it. After a more earnest knock, I opened the door.

"Vanessa, you can't live like this. I understand you're in emotional pain, but sulking in your room is not going to make it any better. You need to come out your room."

I stared at her before I took a step out the room.

"Happy now?" The air reeked of sarcasm.

She gave me a sly smile. I shrugged it off, not realizing what it meant. I nearly fell as I tried to step back inside. The door was closed.

"I can still open it."

I punched the code in several times. Nothing happened.

"I put in a manual override. You won't be able to get in until I let you. Now, go eat or watch TV or just sit at the counter, I don't care, but you need to get out of your room. You can go back after an hour."

"M'gann why won't you just-"

"Nope, I don't want to hear it. One hour and I'll leave you alone."

"Fine."

She nodded as I walked off.

The hallway seemed longer. I stared at my feet as I walked down alone. The dim lighting matched my mood. I didn't want to leave my room. I just wanted to be left alone to rot.

I continued to wallow in my thoughts as I was blindsided from the back nearly running into the wall next to me. A hand extended to help me up.

"Sorry. I didn't see you." Superboy said. I just shrugged and walked off. I could have gotten mad, but it wasn't worth it. What good would anger do me? I could see he was surprised by my lack of reaction.

Soon I had reached the kitchen. I didn't want to eat. I just needed somewhere else to sulk without being disturbed. But I knew that wouldn't happen as I saw Wally emerge from the pantry arms full of snacks and mouth full of food.

"Hey!" he said between chews. "We all thought you were dead in that room of yours. Welcome back."

I waved at him weakly and went back to mindlessly staring at my hand. But he wouldn't stop talking.

"You're not eating? When you first got here you and your brother nearly ate us out of house and home. And from me, that's saying something."

"Well he's not here and I'm not hungry," I said biting my tongue. Why couldn't they tell I wasn't in the mood?

"Are you okay? Look if this is about Artemis I can-"

"I'm fine. I don't need your pity. Don't want it. I don't want to talk to Artemis. Don't need her either."

"Well you know where everything is if you do need it." He took his box of Chicken Wizzies and walked out. I know he picked up on my emotional flare when he mentioned Artemis. She and Alex were sore spots right now. Any mention of either and my heart would immediately race. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself.

Fifteen or so minutes passed. I was bored, the time taking ages to pass. Moving to the couch, I reached for the remote hoping that television would pass the time faster and settle my mind a little, not that it had before.

I turned it to the first channel that I liked. I uninterestedly watched the show. About ten minutes later, Robin walked in.

"Hey Vanessa. I'm whelmed that you joined us today."

I waved weakly not looking away from the screen.

"What're you watching?"

The announcer spoke. "Now back to Spongebob on Nick." I pointed to the screen to confirm what had just been said. The episode started, but instead of leaving, Robin came to stand behind me. Why couldn't they leave me alone? When I wanted their attention, they were nowhere to be found. Now that I want to be left alone, I can't get away from them. And wasn't he supposed to be finding Alex?

Occasionally I heard him chuckle. While the show was funny, I wasn't in the mood to laugh. I wanted the hour to be over so I could go back to my room. After fifteen minutes, it was over. I stood to go when Robin grabbed me by the arm.

"Are you alright? Doesn't look like you're feeling the aster."

Where does he get these words from? "I'm fine. Just need to get to something in my room." He nodded and let me go.

It was quiet as I walked down the hallway alone. I could hear the main room as I made my way down. If I wasn't mistaken, it sounded like grunting or struggling. I changed my trajectory to head into the there.

There was a fight alright. Black Canary was going at Artemis. Training I suppose. The grunting increased in intensity as I got closer. I tried to stay in the shadows to avoid being seen. I wanted to see how well Artemis had recovered

The match was definitely giving Canary a work out. I could also tell that Artemis was a bit rusty.

"Good Artemis." Canary huffed out as Artemis blocked her hit. Artemis then struck at Canary a roundhouse kick that slightly clipped the heroine.

I moved a little to get a better view, costing me my cover. Artemis glared at me, letting her guard down. Canary caught her with an elbow to the head. Artemis fell barely catching herself before hitting the floor. She turned on her back, catching Canary's foot as it came to pin her, pushing it back.

As Canary caught her balance, Artemis back flipped to regain a standing position. She quickly grabbed her wounded side, but released as Canary struck. She blocked several more hits. Canary attacked as she blocked, hitting Artemis in the bruised side. The teen cringed. Canary quickly grabbed her flailing arms and pinned them behind her back, Artemis grunting in pain.

Canary released after the alarm went off signaling that Artemis had lost.

"Good job. You're recovering well. A few more sessions and you should be able to go out with the Team. But remember, keep focused. It could be the difference between life and death. But still good job. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an engagement I can't miss." Canary walked off the floor and passed me, waving.

Artemis watched her go before she eyed me down. She turned away obviously annoyed.

"Begin Green Arrow session," she said to the computer system. The floor whirled to life as lasers started shooting and opponent pillars emerged from the ground. She dodged and blocked with a ferocity I hadn't seen before, probably fueled by anger. Soon, people-like targets appeared from the ground. She grunted as racing for her arrows caused her to stretch the delicate injured muscle. She shot three at one time, quickly in order to dodge the lasers coming at her. As the arrows hit their respective targets, Artemis hit the ground, clutching her side.

I rushed over to her as she strained to get up. I extended my hand to her. She looked at it and proceeded to get up on her own, glaring at me the whole time.

She went over to the dummies to remove her arrows.

"Nice shot."

"I missed the bullseye."

"You still hit it."

"Hitting it and hitting the bullseye could be the difference between winning and losing. Or life and death."

I turned my head down. "Artemis, why won't you let me heal you?"

"I just want to make sure I keep my distance."

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You're sorry it didn't work out."

"No I'm really sorry."

"Sure you are."

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Because you had everything you wanted and you let it go. You don't know what you want."

"And neither do you."

"I want you out my life. And you? You want to be accepted and don't care who does it. You want to feel like you belong because you always think everyone's against you."

"You don't know me."

"You're life's not that complicated. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes."

I couldn't stand it anymore. She was going to hear me out.

"Artemis, I'm sorry. We haven't experienced the same things. I never will know what it's like to have my father push me past my physical limits. I'll never have a mother be sent to prison, and come back out handicap. I'll never know how it feels to have your sister and only friend leave you and have your life torn apart at 9 years old. I'm sorry all this happened to you. I should try to walk in someone else's shoes. Or maybe you should try and fit mine because where I'm standing, they're the same size. I don't know what I have to do to make you really believe I'm sorry. But if this is what it's gonna get me, I don't want your forgiveness or your trust."

I stormed off before she could say anything else. Steaming back down the hallway to my room, I bumped into Superboy again.

"Sorry Conner."

M'gann was standing at the door when I got there.

"Was that so hard?"

"Just open the door." I stepped in and collapsed on the bed.

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THIRD PERSON POV

Superboy walked in as Artemis finished her simulation.

"You can have it," she said shooting her last arrow. "I'm finished anyway."

"Nice shot."

"I missed the bullseye."

"You still hit it. Was Vanessa in here?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You know what's wrong with her?"

"Don't know, don't care." Artemis said as she walked off.

"You know, whatever you said to her made her different."

"What are you talking about?"

"Bumped the kid in the hallway twice, almost no reaction. No anger, nothin'. She even apologized. Not like her."

"What makes you think I did something?"

"She doesn't intentionally hang around anyone but you. You told me she was a lot like me. Ever think she's a lot like you?"

He walked away, leaving Artemis to her thoughts.

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"Find anything yet?" Wally asked his best friend.

Robin had left to work on finding Vanessa's brother as soon as she had left him in the den. She had always had more fight in her, and if this was keeping her down, he had to do something.

"Nothing. He has to be in their facility still."

"Or dead."

"I doubt dead. Vanessa was really certain he wasn't dead. But he's not showing up for some reason."

"Maybe a signal dampener."

"No. I could faintly trace Vanessa even in the facility. I'm running out of options. I've tried everything short of asking Batman for help."

"Perhaps you aren't looking in the right places." Aqualad said as he walked in.

"I don't know what else to try."

"In Atlantis, we cannot search for energy signature because the mystic field that surrounds the city interferes. His power has an electric base to it. The energy he emits should alter the magnetic field. While there are others that will, his should be the largest."

Robin typed in the data to specify the search. Within seconds, the boy came up, identified as the same disturbance that once appeared in the cave.

"Kaldur, you're a genius."

"He's on the move?" Wally asked.

"Then we better move quickly." Aqualad directed.

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VANESSA POV (FIRST PERSON)

I was nearly asleep when an urgent pounding came to the door. What did they want?

As soon as I opened it, Robin jumped in.

"We found your brother."