Authors Note: Hello Loves sorry the chapters are taking so long but this is about the pace i will have to go while I'm in school (ugh) well onto the story thank you to everyone who reviewed and read the story please keep up with it
disclaimer: I do not own young justice
"Hey pass the chips, Supey?" Conner took the clear bowl and gave it to Wally, who grabbed a handful and tossed them in his mouth, continuing to press the clear buttons on his game controller. It was "game night" at the cave- but since there were six of them Artemis was teaching Conner a card game, while the other four played on the game station. Maria kart of something like that. To be honest, Conner hadn't been paying attention when they explained it.
Artemis had dealt the deck between them and was explaining the rules for a game called speed. She directed him in his moves for the first few games, then they picked up speed getting the hang of it. Now both of their faces were contorted in concentration, and their fingers flew picking up cards and placing them again. Occasionally one of the others would sit out their round of the game and offer to trade and play cards, but these offers fell on deaf ears to the other two teens. Conner and Artemis chatted easily as they did this.
"How was that art expo in Gotham?" Artemis shrugged and flipped one of her decks over, grabbing another card with nimble fingertips.
"It was okay, but I prefer an archery range. You would have enjoyed it . How was The Met?" Artemis had remembered that Canary brought Superboy to see The Metropolitan Museum of Art a few days ago. Conner had a natural affinity for art, often making at least one of his teammates join him on his expeditions to museums and galleries. It didn't bother them, the boy was always so interested even in the most boring things. His curiosity was infectious, and they found themselves all wanting to participate.
"It was nice. I liked the modern art section. Especially the Calder pieces. Central Park was nice," he commented, gazing back at the TV screen. Robin was cackling on the couch behind him. That usually meant mischief.
"Blue shell?! Cmon dude!" Wally groaned, as his player was flipped over. Robin simply giggled in response, dodging the pillow thrown at him by the speedster. Artemis laid her final card down and looked up at the other teen.
You wanna go for a walk? The moon is supposed to be huge tonight. It's really close to earth," Conner smiled briefly at the blonde and stood up, blocking the younger half of the dynamic duo.
"Supey move, I am trying to dishonor Baby Flash over here. Heavy on the dis," another pillow ended up near Robin's head.
"Kid Flash! It's Kid Flash! First the rouges, now you, is anyone gonna get my name right?" Wally grumbled, trying to will his car to go faster on the screen. Artemis tossed Conner his jacket and deliberately stood in wally's way.
"Don't worry Baywatch, I'm sure not everyone thinks your name totally sucks," she laughed teasing him, and Sha and Conner walked out into the brisk October air. It was good and dark out- lights from the small town glittering over the harbor. The moon stood out among the inky black night. Stars danced among the sky, cheerfully twinkling down on the two teens who slowly walked through the field.
"So... You've been talking with Black Canary a lot recently, huh?" Conner nodded, running his hand against the thick bark of an oak tree. He perked his ears up listening to her heartbeat. Artemis' heart was one of his favorites to listen to. Kaldurs was just a bit to slow, and Wally's was way to fast. Mgann's only beat once or twice a minute, and robins was impossibly soft. But Artemis, her heart was nice. It beat an easy normal rate, but it wasn't too loud or too soft. It was steady and sure, and almost reminded him of her in a way. The only heartbeat he liked more than Artemis' was Dinah's. Dinah's heart was a perfect beat, rarely ever changing how fast or slow it went. She kept a steady pattern that was soothing and easy to pick out amongst a large crowd. Whenever he felt himself getting angry or upset, he tried her breathing techniques and timed them to the rhythm of Dinahs heart. It didn't always work- but lately it had been easier to let go of his rage.
"Yeah I guess," they walked in silence for a while more, just looking up at the sky. That was another reason Conner liked Artemis. She never expected him to talk. The others all kept trying to have a conversation, filling his silence with their words. Artemis waited, and watched, knowing if she waited long enough Conner would speak again.
"She's been great. She helped me improve a lot, with like training and stuff," Artemis nodded slowly, hands inside her pockets. It was cold out, and frost nipped at her nose. Her breath blew out in a white smoke in front of her. This was the blonde's favorite weather.
"What sort of training do you think we are doing tomorrow?" She asked. Conner shrugged turning around, back to the gaping maw of the hangar. Wolf sat there, waiting patiently for the two teens, Sphere right after him blinking. Light poured from the hangar, but the two kept in the darkness of the night.
I dunno. Canary isn't going to be there. She and Arrow are celebrating their anniversary or something." They walked back in to see Robin running away from Kid as he chased the brunette around the room. His Wii-mote clutched tightly in his hand. They walked over to M'gann and Kaldur, who sat at the kitchen island.
"Um what's going on?" Artemis asked, Kaldur sighed
"I'm afraid our game night has not gone the way I planned. Would you mind intervening, Superboy?" Conner walked over to them and they both bumped into him as they ran. Wally feel to the floor, but the youngest flipped on his hands and landed on the back of the couch with grace.
"Supey, move, we are in the middle of a great chase scene," Wally complained. Conner raised his eyebrows silently. The others now walked over.
"How about we watch a movie instead? There isn't any competition in that," M'gann suggested. Wally flirtily grinned at her, and Artemis smacked him on the back of his head.
"Eyes on her face, Baywatch," they began to bicker, so conner walked away, over to where Aqualad and Robin were perusing their movie titles.
"Alrighty how bout it, Supes? D'you want something horror, funny, sad, uplifting?" Conner stared at the daunting pile of movies and shrugged hopelessly. Robin smiled at him and pulled out a DVD case.
"This one is perfect. Funny, heartfelt, it's even set underwater! Guys come here we found a movie!" Only Wally and Artemis walked over, the smell of butter and the sound of the microwave indicating where M'gann had wandered off to. Conner sat down at one end of the couch stretching his legs out. Robin and Wally sat in front of the couch, the youngest of the team resting his head on the Kryptonian's legs. Wally laid his head in Robin's lap. Robin almost instantaneously began to play with the gingers hair. Artemis curled up next to Conner on the couch, tucking her legs under her. Kaldur sat in the lone armchair. When M'gann floated in, three bowls of popcorn trailing her, she sat on the couch. She took up the final two spaces on the couch, throwing a blanket over her legs. The movie started up and Wally smirked up at Robin.
"Finding Nemo? Really?"
"It's a classic, Wall-man,"
"Whatever dude,"
Conner enjoyed the movie, it was a sweet kids movie. He liked watching his teammates fall asleep better.
M'gann was the first to go, falling asleep somewhere near when Nemo goes on his field trip. Wally was next, his hand dropping to the popcorn bowl limply. Robin followed him swiftly after, somewhere around where Nemo was initiated into the gang of fish. Artemis drifted away slowly, right about the jellyfish forest scene, her head falling onto Conner's side, her feet tucked under M'gann's blanket. Kaldur was still awake when Conner finally let his eyes droop. He never did find out what happened with Dory and marlin. And tonight he didn't have a single bad dream.
*"Momma, cmon you're so slow!" He jumped up and down in his spot, the sun beating down on him. His mother was walking up to him, her long white tunic swaying in the wind. She reached him and tousled his black hair.*
*"Patience my love. You lack it," he blew his bangs out of his face and ran in front of her. She laughed softly as they reached their destination. The sand was warm, and they both untied their leather sandals, leaving them at the edge of the beach. The crystal clear water splashed playfully at them.*
*The mother and son player happily that day, making sand castles and splashing in the cool water. As they walked along the shoreline, the boy looked up at his mother, hopefulness shining in his bright blue eyes.*
*"Momma, tell me a story?" She sat down on the sand and patted the sand next to her. He eagerly dug his knees into the sand, lying his side against hers*
*"Why don't I tell you the story of your name? That sound good?" He nodded and she began telling him a story, of a moon goddess and the boy who loved her. She went on to tell about the moon goddess' protective brother, and her promise to remain chaste. The story ended too soon for the boy as the sun sunk low onto the dancing waters. His mother picked him up and held him in her arms. She rocked him slowly and walked back off of the beach*
*"And that's how you got your name, Orion,"*
Conner woke slowly, drifting up from the dredges of sleepiness. The navy blue main titles played in the big TV screen. He looked around at his sleeping friends and closed his eyes, trying to will his dream back. All he could remember was the sound of waves crashing and a woman in a white dress. He couldn't remember any defining characteristics of the woman, only her dress and long black hair. Something about the dream had shaken him. Conner had to spend almost ten minutes willing away a burning in his eyes and an aching inside his chest. After he felt normal again, he looked around at his sleeping family. He got up, easily maneuvering Artemis to lie her head on the couch rest, and replacing his leg with a pillow under Robin's head.
Conner walked over to the kitchen getting a glass of water and rubbing at his eyes. Whenever he had the odd dreams, he got headaches. The brunette sat on the kitchen island, legs dangling over the edge. He took out his reflective phone and held it in his hands. Dinah had said to text him whenever he wanted, no matter the time. It was already eight in the morning, but he worried about bothering her. He typed out a text to her and sent it trying not to think to hard.
C: Dinah, are you awake?
Within seconds he saw the thought bubble pop up that she was texting back. A wave of relief washed over him. Dinah would know how to help. She could help him.
D: I'm up. What's up Conner?
C: I had another one of those dreams again
D: Another nightmare?
C: No, not a nightmare. But. A dream I can't remember, it was the same woman though
D: Do you know who she is yet?
C: No. But she's important. I feel like she is anyway. I don't understand though
D: Let the dreams play their course. Even if she doesn't turn out to exist in the world as a person she exists in your subconscious. She means something to you.
Even though Dinah wasn't in the room with him, Conner already felt better. A peaceful calm washed over him, and he basked in the lull of safety her advice gave him. Her words helped his troubled mind greatly. As they finished up their conversation with easy words about their nights, his mind went back to what he and Artemis had spoken about last night. Was he spending more time with Black Canary? Were Dinah and he becoming closer? What did this mean?
Conner would barely admit it to himself, but, this scared him. After Superman's rejection of him, Conner didn't want another mentor. He didn't want anyone else he could grow attached to, only to have them abandon him. But, the more he reflected on it, the more the boy realized that, even though neither of them had planned it, Dinah had become his mentor, maybe even something more.
And that terrified him.
Conner flipped through the various texts they had shared over the past few months and kept thinking about it. What did he have to be scared of? Dinah had been nothing but kind to him, even in the beginning when he had been nothing but rude. Dinah also took care of him. She made sure he had frozen meals when M'gann tried a "recipe", she went with him to buy new clothes, when his own fell in the line of duty. She saw him at least every other day and called him on days they didn't meet face to face. He trusted her and she trusted him. Even though all these good thoughts were there, the bad ones were too.
The ones that said he wasn't good enough, wasn't strong enough, fast enough. The ones that said Dinah deserved someone better to mentor. Someone who wouldn't lose their temper so often, someone who would listen better, do better, be better. These thoughts were the ones that kept Conner from completely trusting Dinah. From loving her. The ones that made him think that she would abandon him, and leave him even more broken then he already was.
Conner sighed and turned back to his teammates. His family. Them, he trusted. Fully, completely, with anything and pretty much everything. They had saved him, they had more than saved him. They had given him a choice. They were the first people to look at him like he was a person, like he mattered. They gave him hope.
Conner knew he would eventually have to make a choice about what to do with Dinah. He knew, eventually, there would be a crossroads coming. But at the moment, he couldn't seem to bring himself to care. He was going to have a mission today, he and his family were going to stop someone from doing bad things. A decision he had made all on his own. And that helped. At least a little bit.
so not to bad eh? Next chapter is fail safe! I have a new direction I want to take this please review till then stay safe doves!