Winter's Ballad: Growth & Love

by Cinderella Girl626

All her life Samantha Freya has quietly followed the instructions of those above her. But when the world gives her the chance to be the leader of her own life, will the poise sidekick of Ice Maiden, Winter, break out of her pod of obedience and listen to her own wants? Perhaps, if she gets some help along the way. -Sort of Back-

11. Drop Zone Pt 3

Hi, everyone! Sorry, this has taken so long to get out. A lot of stuff has been going on from my grandpa finally passing away (on my twin sis and me's birthday no less), trying to prepare for the fall college semesters' deadlines, trying to pack things for moving and a lot of family turmoil. It has been nothing but hectic and stressful the past month. I don't like to make excuses, but in this case, I'd like to think my absence this time was warranted.

I'd also like to use this chance to thank everyone who's been reading, favoriting, and following my story. There isn't much to go off of with what I have submitted so far, but I'm happy that people are getting a kick or enjoying my fic so far and the journey of Samantha Freya/Winter so far. I really want this to go well and make this a story that people can look back on and be like "yeah, that story was pretty awesome. I'll read it again when I need a pick me up" or something like that. ;3

Now, is there anything else I need to update on before we get this started?

Winter: *raises hand* Didn't you have to say something before about...*looks at the piece of paper in hands, eyebrow raised* Ship names? What are you coming up with behind my back?

CinderellaGirl626: Aw, don't be like that. It's a lot of fun. So far we've got SuperWin, SuperIce, and SteelIce as some suggestions. Do you like any of them, Sammy?

Winter: *blushes and crumples up paper into a ball* O-Of course not! I'm not some love sick teenager who thinks up childish names for a relationship that doesn't even exist. They're stupid and I don't care. *throws paper over shoulder and huffs*

CinderellaGirl626: *sticks tongue out at Winter* Fine, whatever. For now, let's get on with the chapter and see some action and development. ;3

---

"So, do we all agree on the plan?" Winter asked, eyes darting to each team member in their circle.

"Covered all the outcomes we can think of. We're prepared." Robin spoke first, a satisfied smile on his face.

"I've got our mind link set up and operating." Miss Martian beamed.

Superboy shrugged, looking back at the rest of his team mates. "Yeah. Got it."

Aqualad nodded, moving his gaze among the rest of the group. "We have done all that we can. The only way we can fail is if we do not cooperate with one other."

"Oh C'mon. After that heart to heart, we all had, our bonds or whatever had to of skyrocketed. This'll be a piece of cake." Kid Flash added, giving a thumbs up.

Sighing, Winter moved a few strands of hair from her face but smiled nonetheless. "That's the kind of bravado that's going to get us into bigger messes." She shrugged her shoulders though, adjusting her red hood over her head. "But I guess bravado is just the same as confidence. And I think we could all use a little tonight."

Turning on his holographic computer on his hidden wrist computer, Robin stared down at the digital clock illuminating the cave. "Let's go. We'll need all the time we can get."

Each member of the team nodding in agreement, Robin took up the charge and ran off down the cleared tunnel of the mine, the rest of the group following behind towards the unblocked entrance.

"Sportsmasters' the supplier slash buyer, but it still doesn't track. He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula. Or to get Kobra to do his dirty work." Robin spoke up to his team mates, scrolling through venom formulas he had stolen.

"And neither of them have the chops to bond Blockbuster with venom. That had to have taken some serious nerdage." Kid Flash added, speeding over to look at Robins' "borrowed" notes.

"So there's more to this that we're missing?" Miss Martian questioned, flying alongside her team mates as the sight of the mines' entrance way came towards them.

Aqualad, noticing a figure standing at the front of the entrance skidded to a halt, the rest of the team doing the same and stopping behind the leader. Looking up at the form obscured by the moon's light the figure stepped towards them to reveal Bane, smirking and holding a small device in his hand.

"I believe the expression is tip of the iceberg," Aqualad concluded, his eyes glaring at the masked villain.

Blocking the entrance for the young heroes, Bane chuckled and opened his hand to drop a small metal device that was in his hand, the object joining a pile of similar devices on the ground.

Eyes shifting downward to the pile on the ground, Winter couldn't help but bite her lip in frustration. What else did this guy have up his sleeve?!

"Halt, Ninos. I'm feeling...explosive." Bane said.

Raising her head to look at the roof of the mines' entrance, the ice user and the rest of the team noticed small charges lining the edges of the entranceway.

Winter could already feel a clutching feeling inside her stomach just seeing the blinking lights.

'Great. I knew I was forgetting something.' Winter commented through the mind link.

"You betrayed us. Why?" Aqualad asked, feigning ignorance.

'Robin, do you have anything that can disarm them?' Aqualad asked.

'Sure, but I can't move fast enough to stop the crazy masked wrestler from pressing that button. We need to secure it.' The boy wonder replied, eyes narrowing in on the device in Banes' hand.

'Kid, get the device out of Banes' hands. You'll need a running start.' Aqualad ordered, eyes setting onto Bane who was monologuing his scheme.

"I wanted my factory back. So I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying. And if the latter, the Justice League would certainly come to avenge their sidekicks. And when the smoke cleared Santa Prisca would be mine once more." Bane proclaimed confidently.

A bit disturbed by the thought out plan Bane had, Winter, mustered a light chuckle, eyes glaring at the villain. She'd need to help keep Bane distracted if their hastily made plan was going to work. "Sounds like you really thought hard on this. Too bad you screwed it up yourself back at the factory. We're all too smart to get ourselves killed."

'I'll take care of the charges as a backup. Just keep him distracted long enough and I'll give the signal to move.' Winter added, her eyes momentarily shifting upwards to look at the blinking charges before moving back to Bane.

Smiling evilly, Bane raised his hand that held the charging device up for the heroes to look at. "My plan may have gone a little off track, but blowing you all up in this mine should have the same effect."

'Now!'

Ordering Kid Flash to make his move, Winter threw her hand up into the air, the glow of her powers raging around her fingertips. A blast of cold ice releasing from her hand, the ray coated the charges covering the archway, the devices blinking lights and noises slowly dying out and malfunctioning from the freezing temperatures.

"Oh no, you don't!" Bane exclaimed, seeing Winter freezing the charges. An evil smirk growing on his face and ready for the next scene to play out in front of him, the villain hastily pressed his thumb down hard...

Only to feel his finger press down on his skin.

"What?! But how?" The masked villain asked, eyes glued to his now empty hand.

"Got to be faster than that. Won't be able to do much without this little trigger thingy." Kid Flash joked, the speedster standing a few feet away from Bane with the charge trigger in his hand.

Anger rising within his veins and realizing his plan was falling apart, Bane moved on to a more familiar phase of his plan and roared at the speedster before stepping towards him. Yet, once again Bane's plan was foiled; this time by Winter as she shot another ray of ice towards Bane's feet.

The cold ice crawling up his body and encasing his form, Bane yelled as the ice finally stopped, leaving his body safe for his shoulders and head encased in ice. Hoping to wriggle out of the icy prison, Bane growled beneath his breath and glared at the young heroes as he continued to struggle. "You'd all be pieces if I had my trigger!"

"Dude, stay whelmed. You've already lost this fight." Robin commented, smirking as the group surrounded their newest prisoner.

"I don't think he's gonna shut up anytime soon." Kid Flash muttered, handing the charge trigger to Aqualad. "What are we gonna do with masked popsicle here?"

Disarming the trigger, Aqualad shifted his gaze from the device to Bane. "We cannot waste any more time."

"We could just leave him here. Winters' ice won't melt with how chilly it is outside tonight and he can't really get off the island." Miss Martian suggested, eyes gazing at the ice surrounding Bane.

Shaking her head, Winter walked a bit closer to the steaming Bane. "True, but I don't like leaving him on his own. We should at least take extra measures. Given he's already been willing to mess up our plans, betray us, and kill us. Something quick but efficient so we can get back to the real threat."

Hearing the group talking amongst themselves, Bane glared at the teens surrounding him and roared at them. "Take whatever measures you like Ninos. You can't get rid of me that easily!"

Eyebrow raised at the verbal challenge given by Bane, Winter turned to look over at Aqualad and Robin, the three leaders sharing eye contact for a few moments. Silent words exchanged between them and nods from each, Winter smiled and nodded herself before moving back to look at Bane with an unsettling smile of satisfaction.

"I'm glad you're so confident about that. This'll make the next part a lot more enjoyable." Winter explained, a small smirk replacing her smile.

Grinning evilly, Bane sneered. "What are you going to do, chica? Slap me for hurting your pride earlier?"

For a moment Winters' smirk faltered and shrank to a thin line of contemplation, her mind processing the quip Bane had retorted. However, unlike before when she'd be taken in by his insults, this time she didn't show any signs of uncertainty or fear. Her form exuding confidence and strength, Winter closed her eyes for a moment, only to open them and show the same mix of strength and conviction within her ice blue orbs. "Lucky for you, I'm not so callous as to hold petty grudges or use force out of revenge. You may have gotten the better of me earlier with your insults, but I won't be taking those lies to heart this time, Bane."

"Oooh," Bane spoke with sarcasm as he leaned his head best he could towards Winter, hoping to agitate her. "I'm shaking in my boots."

Feeling her lips curl into a smirk, Winters' eyes glistened with a playful twinkle. "I hope so. While I'd love to have a little payback for your choice of words earlier, I promised someone he'd get the honors next time you annoyed him. And I'm a woman of my word."

With that said Winter stepped back from Bane, her spot quickly filled in by an excited looking Superboy.

"I hope you rethink your actions the next time you try to betray our team," Winter concluded, crossing her arms over her chest and watching Superboy ready his fist.

Cracking his knuckles and smirking at the trapped villain who'd been ruining their plans, Superboy moved his arm back to reel back a punch, his eyes staring right into those of his frozen target.

Banes' sneer fell just as the strong fist collided with his face.

The force of the punch making a cracking noise from flesh hitting against flesh, the villain was shattered out of his icy prison from the attack and skidded onto the dirt ground unconscious, shards of ice along the ground and on his chest.

The team watching the sight in a slight mix of awe and wonder, Kid Flash broke the silence when he zoomed over to the downed Bane and smiled. "Nice punch, dude."

"He's not going to get up from that for a while," Robin added, rubbing his own cheek at witnessing the strength of their ally.

Frowning at the result of Bane, Miss Martian shrugged and floated over to Robin and Kid Flash. "I suppose...that's one way to make sure he doesn't interfere."

"Been waiting to do that all night," Superboy said, rubbing his sore hand. "He's still tough to punch, even when he can't move."

"Most likely some after effects from using venom for so long. May not be as beefed up as he usually is, but his skin has gotten a lot tougher from it. Trust me." Robin added, tying up Bane's limbs and heading back to the others.

"At least he's taken care of. And he's stopped talking." Winter muttered thankfully, eyes gazing at the tied up Bane and over to the rest of her group. Yet, she felt her ice blue eyes drift unintentionally over to Superboy again. As much as she wanted to scold herself for her attention being deterred, the ice user noticed the super clone rubbing the hand he'd punched Bane with.

"Is your hand okay, Superboy?" Winter asked, the ice user walking over to check on her team mate.

Blue eyes meeting her own, Superboy turned his head to look at Winter and shrugged. "Sort of. It stings a bit and feels warm."

"You might have punched Bane a little bit too hard then," Winter spoke, eyes gazing down at the hand Superboy was scratching at. "Here, let me see."

Bending down to grasp the injured hand and get a better look, Winter began to slowly rub her right hand across the knuckle of Superboy, letting the chill of her powers conjure on the surface of her skin and settle on the stinging muscles of her friend.

"Does that feel okay, Superboy? It isn't too cold for you?" Winter asked, striking a simple conversation.

Superboy said nothing at first, his gaze still set on the joined hands. Thankfully he responded moments later. "I'm not feeling any more pain. I think it's working."

Winter nodded, lessening the effect of her powers on Superboys' injury. "Good. Just tell me if it gets to be too much."

The conversation ended momentarily after that, the sounds of Aqualad and Robin discussing segments of their plan together and Miss Martian and Kid Flash inspecting the unconscious Bane keeping the two distracted from their mutual silence. And then, Superboy suddenly spoke again.

"I'm glad."

Winter moved her gaze upward, the sound of Superboys' voice breaking her away from her silent task.

"Glad?" Winter questioned. "For what?"

"You don't look as sad as you did before," Superboy answered casually.

Her hand freezing in place at the words, Winter felt taken aback by Superboys' simple comment. A small feeling of warmth rose up in her chest, a mix of surprise and embarrassment swelling through her veins.

"Oh," Winter mustered out, her gaze sticking to Superboys' hand so her flushed face could not be seen. "Yeah, that was an embarrassing moment for me; getting caught up in Banes' insults and words. I shouldn't have even listened to him in the first place."

Her eyes still stuck on his healing hand, Winter took in a deep breath and moved her gaze upward, her eyes settling on Superboy who looked down at her. "Thanks again, Superboy. For what you did earlier. I didn't think I'd need it, but your words really helped me get my head on straight. So...yeah." She concluded as she stood back on her feet, unable to figure out any other words to say and showed a grateful smile to the clone.

Nodding, Superboy smirked at Winter. "No problem. Thanks for letting me get the last punch in on Bane."

"It was nothing. I wouldn't be doing a good job as a leader in training if I didn't keep my promises." Winter responded, moving a hand up to hold in a laugh.

Superboy gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Told you you'd make a good leader."

The warmth of embarrassment inside her morphing into that of satisfaction, Winter felt a wave of relief swell through her body and her shoulders fall to a relaxed position.

"I shouldn't have doubted you." She answered, feeling her smile grow as she finished the last touches to Superboys' injury. "How does your hand feel now? Still stinging?" Winter asked.

Superboy shook his head, making no move to break their prolonged contact.

"It's good. Doesn't hurt anymore."

Winters' hand unconsciously gripped Superboys' a bit tighter at the response.

"Good. I'm happy to hear that."

Feeling like her gaze was stuck fully on Superboy, a voice in the back of her mind scolded her faintly about what she was doing. More importantly, what she was feeling.

Was it wrong that deep in the back of her mind somewhere Winter wanted the two to stay like this? Smiling and supporting each other? Just staying the way they were? That familiar warmth she experienced before in the factory reappeared once more when she felt her hand still in Superboys'. The way it made her skin tingle and make her stomach drop at the same time.

How could holding someones' hand make her feel like she was going insane, yet want to keep doing so?

Winter wished that Ice Maiden had given her more clear advice about her feelings when she had asked.

"Are you done helping Superboy, Winter?"

"What?" A new voice suddenly snapping Winter out of her stupor, the ice user looked over to Aqualad who stood alongside Robin nearby, the two staring at Superboy and her. "S-Sorry. You said something?"

"We asked if you and Superboy are good to go? Or are you a little busy?" Robin asked coyly, his masked eyes clearly staring at the two heroes clasped hands.

Her gaze moving down to Superboys' and her own hand still together Winter quickly took her hand, placing it at her side rigidly and grasping at the red frills of her stealth outfit. "N-No! I-I mean...yes. I-I mean we aren't busy, and yes we're both ready to depart."

Curse her nativity for getting lost in her thoughts again!

Aqualad raised a brow at the reaction of Winter, but let the moment pass and gave an affirmative nod. "Alright. Then let us join the others."

"Of course," Winter answered, watching Aqualad and Robin, who gave a playful chuckle as he walked off, head back to Miss Martian and Kid Flash. Turning her head to look over and make eye contact with Superboy, Winter coughed to clear her throat and the tension in the air and motioned with her hand for her secret crush to follow. The two soon made their way to the rest of the team.

Yet again had Winter found herself getting distracted by her team mate.

For a moment her thoughts went back to what Ice Maiden had spoken to her at the ice rink hours ago. Of how she would know if she liked someone, didn't, or was truly in love with someone. However complicated that discussion had been and how mature the words were, Winter knew one thing was clear.

She needed to figure whatever these feelings she had for Superboy were and soon. If she didn't, who knew how many more times she would end up getting distracted at the wrong time.

---

The sounds of machinery and engines roared throughout the small venom operations compound. With the appearance of the nuisance Bane, but also a surprise visit from sidekicks of the Justice League appearing on the island, Kobra could not let any slip ups come through during one of the most crucial operations of his cult.

Not when the buyer was already here and ready.

He would not disappoint his client's higher ups. With the amount of money Sportsmaster and whoever it was he was working with being given to him and his members' efforts to help transport the newly experimental Venom, Kobra himself was not willing to let any nuisances ruin his plans or reputation as a formidable threat.

Especially not those under the age of eighteen.

Eyes scanning across the helipad area of the factory, the tall, pale cult leader watched alongside Sportsmaster as a group of his followers alongside his bodyguard, Shimmer, head towards him.

Bowing to his superior with great haste, one of the cultists' raised his head to speak. "The helicopter is operational, exalted one."

Turning his head to give a nod of respect to Sportsmaster, the fellow masked villain made no sounds of thanks or gratitude. Taking his first step towards the large aircraft to make his escape, Sportsmaster stopped momentarily as a short gust of wind began to pick up in the air.

"Is something wrong?" Kobra asked, annoyance and concern mixed within his question.

His question was quickly answered, yet not by the armored man. Speeding through in a quick blur of black and red, Kid Flash skidded straight through the groups of lined Kobra cult members, his feet screeching hard on the concrete of the landing pad before moving again without time for the cultists to spot him.

A couple agents knocked down from his attack, members lifted their guns in an attempt to shoot the blurring teen but found their eyes were too slow to catch sight of the speedster before they themselves were knocked down, bullets shooting in the air as they fell hard on their backs.

Glaring at Kid Flash every few seconds he could see him, Kobra turned his gaze to Sportsmaster. "Take the shipment!" He yelled, his voice crying out above the loud bangs of gunfire. His warning taken by Sportsmaster, the villain gave a silent nod and ran off towards the roaring plane.

The bangs of gunshots ringing in the air, a booming sound accompanied it off in the distance. Superboy, jumping into the air from the forest landed hard into the helipad area. The impact shaking the ground beneath him and creating a miniature crater where he stood, the teen looked up towards Kobra and the familiar figure of the Venom enhanced bodyguard, Mammoth.

Blue eyes sticking to the Kobra soldier, Superboy smirked. "Go again?"

A monstrous snarl escaping the sharp toothed mouth of Mammoth, the beastly bodyguard took on the challenge, stomping his way towards Superboy as fast as his muscled legs could move.

Kid Flash rushing by to push down a cultist that was in the way, Mammoth reached a clawed arm out to grasp at Superboys' head but roared as a pressure knocked him off to the side. Sliding across the battlefield and raising his large arms up to block the attack, Mammoth roared and glared towards his newest attacker, that being Aqualad who's arms were aglow from the use of his powers.

Making no time for Mammoth to try and find a weak spot, Aqualad pushed the water he was controlling further towards the large beast man, the water crashing against the villain harshly to keep him at bay.

"Sorry. Not the plan." Superboy called to Mammoth with a grin, happy to see the strategy the group had devised was working.

Growling loudly at both Aqualad and Superboy, Mammoth gritted his large teeth as he tried to stand his ground against the rushing water pressing on him. Finally able to keep himself standing, the large creature began to take a step every few seconds, fighting against the water.

"We can't have that!" Rushing onto the battlefield towards Aqualad in a quick sprint, Winter with black cape flowing behind her maneuvered close by to the Atlanteans' side before jumping a few feet into the air. "I'm borrowing this, Aqualad." Turning her eyes down to the flowing water between Aqualad and Mammoth, Winter threw her arm in a quick swipe, conjuring a blast of freezing cold temperature to collide with the water she was heading towards and smiled at the water pillar now turning into ice.

Landing on the slowly freezing water, Winter pushed her body forward to grind on the newly made ice column. Her small body speeding downwards toward Mammoth, the ice user focused on her target who was clawing at the ice growing on his chest and jumped into the air, moving her leg upward to kick Mammoth square in the jaw.

The bodyguard growling in pain as he snapped off the chilling ice, Winter landed one foot back onto the pillar before continuing the motion in a hasty, yet steady acrobatic cartwheel backward towards her allies. Making her way back to the origin point of the water, Winter moved her hands downwards one last time onto the ice and called on her powers to raise the temperature of the water within. Pushing herself upwards off of the pillar, Winter landed on her feet alongside Aqualad as the once durable pillar of ice shifted in a flash to its original state of flowing water.

"He's all yours," Winter said, her gaze shifting to Aqualad who began to regain control of the now unfrozen water.

Taking his water bearers upwards to move the water towards himself, Aqualad gave a confident nod and turned his attention back towards the momentarily stunned Mammoth. Calling upon his Atlantean magic to move the water back to his control, Aqualad gave out a short battle cry as he pushed a large wave of water back at Mammoth like he'd previously done, the water hitting its mark.

Taking the opportunity of surprise, Aqualad glared down at the roaring giant as he called on his magic, this time electrifying the water cascading Mammoth. The current of energy making its way towards him, the large brute was electrocuted moments later, falling to his knees in pain at the high voltage.

"He is down for now. I will continue the fight to keep him busy. Help the others." Aqualad commanded, motioning for Superboy and Winter to head off further into the battlefield.

"You've got it, leader," Winter responded, giving a light wink to the Atlantean. Turning on her foot to head off to another part of the battle, Winter motioned for Superboy to follow, the two running off as they kicked down a few cultists and dodged a few bullets on the way.

Running off across the landing zone to try and maneuver around the cultists that were growing in numbers, Winter stopped quickly and jumped to the side, a bullet narrowly missing her left shoulder. Rolling on the ground and moving back to her feet, the ice user was just about to move her hand up to create a wall of ice, but gritted her teeth at the sight of four gunmen a few feet away, barrels pointed towards her.

Feeling her breath catch in her throat as her mind flashed back to the similar situation with Kid Flash, Winter felt like time had slowed down as she ducked down low to the ground to try and cover herself from any potentially deadly ammunition.

The sounds of guns cocking and bangs of gunpowder blasting through the air, Winter yelped in fear at the sounds but realized she had felt no pain come towards her despite the continuous sounds of bullets being fired. Raising her head up despite the potential danger, the ice user felt her eyes widen at the sight of Superboy crouched in front of her, back facing away from her as he took on the hailstorm of metal shells rocketing through the air.

"S-Superboy!" Winter exclaimed, realizing her team mate was protecting her.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Superboy shut his eyes for a moment, only to open them and look down at Winter. "You okay?"

Unable to form words at the moment, the ice user hastily nodded but ducked closer to him as a bullet whizzed close by her face. "Yeah! Nothing's hit me yet!" She yelled over the gunfire.

The sounds of bullets rushing past her, Winter clawed at the dirt beneath her fingernails at the predicament the two were in. Her eyes shifting downwards at her hands and taking a moment to look side to side, Winter breathed in a couple deep breaths to regain her focus.

Pressing her hands hard into the dirt on her right-hand side, Winter began to freeze the ground nearby her, watching as frost began to coat the dirt and grass near her and Superboy's position. Calling upon her powers further, the ice user soon moved her hands upwards, watching as a large wall of ice sprouted out of the ground like a tree. For a moment the cultists stopped shooting their guns due to the awe at the sudden wall of ice appearing.

Taking the split second chance she had, Winter climbed back to a crouching position on her feet and grabbed onto Superboy's shirt. Tugging hard, the ice user pulled Superboy with her into a quick roll on the ground, moving behind the makeshift wall of ice for cover just as a bullet was shot at them again.

Adrenaline pumping through her and her heart beating a mile a minute, Winter took the moment of reprieve from the bullet storm to collect herself. Leaning on the wall of ice behind her, Winter sighed and turned her gaze to her fellow hero.

"Superboy, are you alright?" Winter asked, trying to check to see if there were any extensive wounds on the clone.

Scratching at his back, Superboy growled as he showed off his shirt covered in bullet holes. "I'm fine. Those guys just ruined one of my shirts."

Sighing in relief at no sight of blood or holes in the teens back, Winter shook her head. "We can go shopping for another one, I promise. But we need to finish this mission first." She explained, turning her head to the left-hand side of the wall to try and get a better look at the cultists' position.

"I better go give em double for that," Superboy concluded, getting up to head back into the fray.

"Wait," Winter exclaimed, grabbing onto the clone's wrist to stop him. "Don't be reckless. You've already taken enough damage from them and we don't know how much firepower they have in there."

Stopping to look back at Winter and listen to her advice, Superboy grunted beneath his breath. "Fine. What's the plan?"

Feeling a burst of nervousness pour within her chest at the sound of Superboy asking for a plan, Winter felt her throat go dry. Biting her lip uncertainly, Winter gazed at the wall of ice the two hid behind.

"I would use my Frost Step to speed over there and freeze their guns, but with a number of bullets being shot towards me, one hit or slip and I'm dead. Not to mention I've used it about more than twice today. I don't know how much energy I have left to even use it." Winter commented, reaching her hand out to touch the thick wall of ice, only to pull it away at the feeling of a bullet hitting the other side.

Her hand going back to touch the wall of ice, Winter played scenarios in her mind over and over as she tried to come up with some sort of plan for them to use. Slowly rubbing her hand across the icy surface, the ice user could make out the forms of the cultists beyond the ice, their blurry figures in the far off distance.

Superboy had already taken damage. Even if he was near invulnerable, she couldn't risk him getting hurt just to make a plan work for them. She had her Frost Step, but with the amount of time she'd need to recover from using it before countering, the cultists would already have guns pointed and ready to fire at her. And they wouldn't show mercy the way things were looking.

However, if she could get them distracted long enough and she and Superboy worked off each other one after the other...

"That might work," Winter muttered to herself.

Superboy, who'd been crouched nearby the right-hand side of the wall to try and get a look at the cultists from afar, turned his head to look at Winter who'd spoken. "You got a plan?"

"I think so," Winter responded, catching Superboys' gaze. "You remember how I used my Frost Step to help us dodge that cave in?"

"Yeah. I've never moved so fast before." Superboy said, his hand reaching up to scratch at his head, mimicking when he had ruffled snowflakes out of his hair.

"That's the idea. If we time it right I think I can get us both over there without those goons seeing us, but I need you to help me. Once I deactivate my powers I'll need to regulate my body temperature back to normal, so I'll be open. Once that happens, help counterattack. I'll back you up while I recover." Winter explained, moving back from the wall and heading towards Superboy.

Nodding at the plan being listed out to him, Superboy kept his gaze on Winter as she stopped to stand next to him. "Got it. Just warn me when we go."

"Don't worry. You'll know when." Winter added, clasping her hands together and activating her powers. Her powers glowing within the space between the palms of her hands, the light swirled together and grew outwards until it formed a small orb of ice appeared between her hands.

Eyebrow raised at the ice ball, Superboy spoke up. "What's that for?"

The newly formed ball of ice to Superboy, Winter took his free hand and placed it around her wrist. "A distraction to deter the guns away from us. On my signal throw it as hard as you can into the air. I'm going to speed off right after, so be ready."

Not making any other comments about the plan or the orb now placed in his hand, Superboy stared at the object for another second, only to move his eyes back onto Winter and nod. "Ready."

Smiling and giving him the same nod, Winter turned her head back towards the edge of the wall she'd be running towards. Inhaling a deep breath to relax her nerves, the ice user began to build up the cool energy within her for the third or fourth time that night, digging her boots into the ground and shifting back and forth on each to steady herself.

"Alright. We're good to go. On my mark." Winter spoke in a quiet whisper, loud enough for only the two of them to hear. The sounds of gunshots still ringing in the air, Winter moved her left hand up to grip over Superboys' that was clasped to her wrist, helping to keep him close to her.

"...Go!" Winter exclaimed loudly.

Pulling his arm back with the orb of ice in hand, Superboy growled out loudly as he called upon his strength to throw the makeshift distraction up into the air as far as he could. Moving his arm forward and throwing the ball upwards, the ice ball flew high into the sky, causing the cultists from afar to momentarily stop their shooting, their eyes drifting upwards to the unknown object. Unsure if it was a threat, the cultists targeted the orb and began firing.

"Here we go!" Digging her boots into the dirt of the ground and crouching low to prepare herself, Winter activated her ability as she took her first step forward. Feeling her body turn icy cold as per usual effect and feeling her body become lighter, Winter gripped tightly onto Superboys' hand upon her arm as she and the super powered teen disappeared into thin air, their forms shifting into a gust of snowflakes and chilling gusts of wind.

Pushing herself forward through the chilly whirlwind engulfing herself and her comrade, Winter eyed down the cultists ahead of her, their movements moving in slow motion as if water engulfed their bodies. Seeing the two getting closer to their destination, Winter took one final step forward and pushed the edge of her feet hard into the ground, feeling her boots skid against the dirt. The draining effect of her power crushing down on her body, Winter turned her head back to look over to Superboy, the teen gritting his teeth from the sudden increase of speed, but for a moment looked at her with a strained smirk.

Feeling a rush of energy flow through her despite her fatigue, Winter turned her head back towards the cultists as the two heroes finally skidded behind the group, unaware of their arrival. The veil of cold wind and snowflakes disappearing from the two, Winter felt herself falter for a moment as her knees buckled from the lack of energy, the ice user gritting her teeth as the two reappeared like a magic trick.

"Superboy, help me take them out!" Winter called out, swinging her arm in front of her to shoot a weak arc of ice towards the backs of her enemies.

Hearing the sudden call of the young teen, the cultists stopped their shooting to turn back, eyes widening at the sight of their targets now suddenly behind them. Turning their guns towards them, two cultists cried out as the ray of ice connected with their guns, the barrels freezing shut and feeling their feet freeze to the ground.

Using the moment of surprise to make his move, Superboy let go of Winters' wrist, rushing towards the frozen cultists with a hard ram of his shoulder. The force knocking the first one back into the one next to him, Superboy then moved towards the other two, his hand grabbing onto one of the guns and crushing it in his hands. Throwing the scraps off to the side a quick jab of two punches connected with a cultist, and with faster reflexes took him by the shoulders and threw him onto the last standing enemy.

Feeling her legs regain their strength, Winter stood up with a shaky start and rushed over to Superboys' side, checking the downed cultists for any signs of struggling. Thankful this small fight was over Winter flicked her hand out towards the discarded weapons, freezing each one solid.

"There. Fewer bullets shooting at us." Winter commented, blowing a strand of unkempt hair out of her face. Moving her gaze to her team mate, Winter gave a quick thumbs up. "Nice team work."

Smashing one of the frozen guns beneath his feet, Conner nodded "Guess we're not missing something so important anymore, huh?"

Smiling, Winter couldn't help but nod in agreement. They had really improved since the last time they'd teamed up together.

Raising her head up, Winter looked out at the mess raging on so far. Everyone was scattered across doing their part of the plan, their own battles and tricks being played out on the battlefield.

Aqualad was taking care of Mammoth on his own.

Kid Flash was rushing across the field to take away all of the cultists dangerous toys.

Miss Martian had been tasked with setting up an extra charge they'd been able to salvage from Bane to stop the Kobra Venom shipment.

And Robin had tacked himself to Kobra, knowing he had the most experience fighting against him and knowing his techniques.

Everyone but her and Superboy was split up, having their own roles to play. They'd agreed on who would do what before they initiated the plan, all but Winter and Superboy who decided to move around the battle if help was ever needed. What would their next move be?

She was a leader now. Those choices were up to her.

"I need to find out the situation," Winter muttered to herself, realizing the most important thing was to get a status update.

'Status report.' Winter called to the team in an authoritative voice via their mid link.

'Takin' on the bozos with guns still. I can do this all night.'Kid Flash answered cockily.

'Mammoth and I are still engaged in combat, but I am wearing him down.' Aqualad added.

'I've got my sights on Kobra. Been keeping him busy, but I'm not doing any real damage. I could use some help.'Robin called out.

'Superboy and I are free. We'll come by for backup, Robin. Miss Martian, how's the charge going?' Winter telepathically called to the female heroine.

Miss Martian not answering at first, the ice user felt her lips turn downwards into a frown. It was only seconds later that a familiar voice popped into her head, dissuading her worries.

'Setting it now. Sportsmaster hasn't caught on yet, but we need to hurry. He'll try to leave any sec-ah!'

Feeling her blood run cold at the sudden cut off of the communication, Winter whipped her head sharply towards the roaring plane still grounded in the distance. Eyes narrowing to try and spot the battle going on up ahead, the taller form of Sportsmaster shooting at Miss Martian made the ice user clench her teeth tightly.

"Superboy, help Miss Martian! I'll go after Robin!" Winter ordered. Throwing a blast of ice at the ground ahead of her, Winter turned and sprinted off in the direction she had seen Robin run off and jumped onto the newly coated ground, skating at high speeds past broken crates, rubble, and unconscious cultists.

Please be okay, Miss Martian.

The body of the large factory building coming closer into view as she skated further through the wreckage, blue orbs narrowed in on the tall, and very pale figure of Kobra. Winter had never met the foe before until this night, and seeing him every few times on the mission and hearing about his cult from Robin hadn't given her a very good image of what the villain was like. His cloaked physique hadn't made helped her impressions either.

Yet seeing his muscled, stout form of the cult leader handling a tight grip on Robin's ankle and lifting him at least a foot or two in the air, the ice user made a mental note to not underestimate the villain.

"Hey! Pick on somebody your own size!" Winter yelled at Kobra, jumping off the ground and throwing a round kick towards the villains' chest.

Robin taking his chance to flip out of the cult leaders' grip, Winters' attack collided squarely into Kobra's muscled body. Making no signs of pain or recoil at her attack, Kobra just stared at his newest opponent, red eyes burning holes into her.

Gritting her teeth and hastily using her strength to push herself off the villain, Winter flipped backward and landed next to Robin, lifting two fists in front of her and standing in a fighting stance.

"You weren't kidding when you said you needed a hand," Winter muttered beneath her breath to Robin, her gaze never leaving Kobras' form as she shook her foot. "Gah! Feels like I just kicked my foot right into a stone wall."

Letting a nervous snort, Robin smiled and looked to his team mate in the corner of his masked eyes. "Guess he's got more time to exercise than most."

Like his namesake, venom dripped from within his blood red gaze, Kobra glaring downwards at the two heroes opposite of him. "What is the matter, children? You look disconcerted."

Matching the glare with her own, Winter breathed out a frosty breath as orbs of white light glowed within her hands. Opening them for a moment and closing her fingertips around the orbs, the light shaped itself into an elongated form in her hands, stretching a bit past her forearms before stopping and exploding in its usual flurry of light and snowflakes. Gripping the handles of her ice weapons tightly, Winter threw her arms up in a defensive position, revealing a pair of ice crafted tonfas.

"Worry about yourself, Kobra." Winter retorted, rushing towards him with weapons in hand. "Robin, Angel Wing!"

"You got it!" Running behind Winter and pulling out a pair of explosive Batarang, Robin took aim and swung his arm out, releasing the explosive projectiles towards Kobra.

Moving his arm up to protect himself, the projectiles whizzed past Winter and struck the tall cult leader, exploding on impact and creating a large smokescreen of fire and smoke.

Sprinting in with his vision clouded, Winter dragged her feet into the ground and ducked downward, skidding towards Kobra and taking aim at his chest. Tonfa neatly guarding her right arm, Winter rammed right into the villain's chest and continued the assault by retaliating with a second jab to the chest with her left fist, doing the same as she switched to each fist and rained down an assault of punches.

Robin heading in soon after, the boy wonder closed in towards Winter and made a quick jump. Landing on his team mates' shoulder to boost him upwards, Robin vaulted off of Winter into the smoke screen and raised a leg up to press a dropkick downwards on the distracted Kobras' head.

Absorbing the jabs made by Winter like a sponge, Kobra made no move to retaliate for a time. It was only after the fourth punch that he moved his arm outwards, his large hand catching Winters' fist. Feeling the ice user fight against his grip and try to continue her attack, Kobra moved his gaze upward to see Robin in the air, aiming a kick down towards him.

"Simpletons. To think you could beat a God." Kobra spoke out to nobody in particular. Calling upon his upper body strength to grip Winters' hand tighter within his own, Kobra turned his body and pulled Winter along with him, spinning and throwing the ice user off to the side. Moving just enough to narrowly miss the attack made by Robin, Kobra heard the boy slam his foot on the ground behind him. Rotating back around to face him, Kobra moved a leg up and forced a strong side kick into the boys' chest, knocking the smaller teen off his feet into the ground nearby Winter.

Covering her body with her arms to save herself from any long term damage, Winter collided with the ground hard but turned herself upwards to stick her boots into the ground and stand back up. Pushing her braids out of her face and readjust her cloak from the mess Kobra had thrown her into, Winter turned her gaze to Robin who'd landed on his feet nearby her, the boy wonder wiping his face from dirt caught on him.

"Robin, you okay?" Winter called to her team mate, taking in a few deep breaths while gripping the breaking ice tonfa's still in her hands.

Turning his gaze to her, Robin gave a thumbs up to Winter. "Never better. But I'd seriously like to get this situation whelmed."

Laughing at the strange play on words Robin was used to making, Winter crushed the ice weapons within her hands and looked back at Kobra. "Me too, but hand to hand combat isn't working on this guy. At least for me."

"Keep at him. We'll wear him down even-" A sudden explosion cut off Robins' voice, the sound shaking the ground beneath the two heroes feet and turning their heads.

Looking off to where the sound seemed to originate from, a cloud of smoke, fire, and debris collapsed downwards into the forest of the island, remnants of the helicopter Sportsmaster had come in crashing into the Venom factory, setting it aflame.

Unable to hold in the smile on her face, Winter moved her gaze to the boy wonder. "Looks like Miss Martian and Superboy got their end of the plan done with a bang." Letting her words process, Winter scowled at her choice of words. "Ugh, I can't believe I just said that."

Matching her smile, Robin nodded and turned back to face Kobra. "Better than saying it was explosive." Robin joked, using Banes' previous play on words for his own use.

"Don't you start too. Or I won't hear the end of it once Kid catches wind of your puns." Winter poked back, focusing her thoughts on creating a new pair of ice weapons. Imagining the familiar look and feel of the modified ice knuckles she used back in Star City, Winter moved her hands over her opposite ones to coat her fingers in ice, moving them around every so often to help get a feel for the still new weapons.

Finishing the last touches with the barrel like mod on her wrist, Winter flexed her fingers within the ice knuckles and waved her hands over each barrel, stocking them with well-portioned ice shards. Moving her hands up in a boxing position, Winter breathed out a cold foggy breath. "I'm ready for round two."

"So am I," Robin added, taking out batarangs and placing them between his fingers.

Taking no chance for Kobra to try and flea, Robin ran towards the cult leader in haste, weapons ready to fire. Throwing waves of them towards the villain as he rushed towards him, the boy wonder headed into a large cloud of smoke and heat, keeping himself low to the ground to dodge any attacks to his upper body. With projectiles of ice striking the villain from a distance, Robin closed in on him with a hardened flat palm, ready to strike his chin upwards through the smokescreen.

His vision stuck in a focus of adrenaline and tunnel vision, Robin choked out a cry as Kobras' unused hand shot out from the side, grabbing the smaller boy at the scruff of his uniform. Pulling the boy over his shoulder, Kobra slammed Robin hard onto the dirt ground. The breath knocked out of him from the impact, Robins' body jumped off the ground for a moment before landing with a thud, the boy groaning from the pain radiating through his body.

"Robin!" Witnessing her team mates' collapsed state, Winter hastily shot out ice shard after ice shard at Kobra's form, hoping to distract the villain from continuing any more harm to the younger teen.

The ice shattering like glass against his skin and failing to cut him, Kobras' red eyes moved away from the battered Robin, staring off at the large factory bonfire beyond him before shifting to meet the glaring blue of Winter. "The time to play games is over."

"Who said any of us were playing!?" Winter yelled at Kobra, her assault of ice shards concluding after throwing her last one. Her mind befuddled with anger at the villain, the ice user concentrated her powers into her body, crouching low to the ground and taking aim dead center at Kobra ahead of her.

Feeling her body begin to drop once more to freezing cold temperatures and willing her body to ignore the cold pain that was starting to set in on her muscles, Winter clenched her teeth in pain but still took a step forward, pushing herself to sprint in a whirlwind of snowflakes with the help of her Frost Step.

Her gaze set on Kobra from the very start, Winter continued her dash towards the villain.

What would she do once she got close enough? Freeze his hands? His feet? Incase him in an icy prison as she did to Brick in Star City? There had to be some way she could stop this lunatic before he did serious damage to her and Robin!

As her last thought went through her mind as Winter spotted herself just two feet away from Kobra, Winters' racing mind went to a screeching halt.

"Ah!" A striking pain radiating through her arms and legs, Winter couldn't help but feel her concentration weaken from the pain, the ice user shifting her eyes to check on her limbs for any damage. Uncertain of what caused the pain before, Winter cursed mentally at the sight of ice coating parts of her arm and legs, noting that the ice had not been there before or during the battle.

Of course! Now of all times for Frost Step to backfire on me!

Her limbs beginning to feel heavy and sting her muscles, Winter couldn't help but feel her Frost Step collapse all around her, making the ice user reappear nearby Kobra. Feeling her legs were becoming heavier and stinging from the freezing pain on her skin and muscles, Winter watched as she felt her legs falter in step, causing the ice user to slow down her pace towards the observing villain.

Seeing his opportunity to counterattack against the now open hero, Kobra gave a cold unmerciful glare to Winter as he raised a knee towards her, his leg connecting hard into her stomach. Knocking the wind right out of her, Kobra continued the assault by swinging his arm towards her side, pushing her off her feet and watching her collide hard onto the dirt ground,

"Ugh!" Landing hard on the ground and moving her stinging arms as best she could around her stomach area, Winter coughed out the pain in her chest to try and regulate her breathing; eyes squeezed shut from the combination of aches running through her. Groaning as she rolled on her back to try and help her herself recover, a sharp pain crashed on her chest. Gasping out a painful cry and moving her tired hands to grasp around whatever it was on her, Winter willed her eyes to open through the cloud of discomfort and spotted the blurry figure of Kobra standing above her.

Boot atop the ice users' chest, Kobra stared down at the beaten teen, slowly starting to apply pressure onto his boot and crush Winters' chest cavity. "I am plagued by mosquitos!"

Doing her best to keep herself from blacking out from the tough ability to breathe, Winters' pained expression turned to a discomforting grin, keeping her eyes locked on the blurry looking Kobra. "Well, we try our best. Wouldn't...be heroes if we didn't ruin the bad guys' plans." She finished, gasping for more oxygen.

"And we're all mighty concerted over your pain!" A familiar voice yelled towards Kobra.

A small projectile flung into the face of Kobra, the small object exploded to release a greenish gas into Kobras' face, making the cult leader cough out the noxious fumes. Swatting the gas out of his face and taking a moment to step back from the toxic air, Winter took the opportunity of Kobra's foot getting off her chest to roll out his way, landing on her chest and do her best to push herself off the ground.

"Need a hand?" Wincing a the bruise that was likely forming on her chest, Winter looked to her right to see the concerned face of Robin at her side, offering help. Seeing the rest of the team rush over to their aid, Winter couldn't help but smile a bit at the cavalry coming to their rescue.

Taking the kind gesture and getting pulled to her feet by the thirteen-year-old, Winter held an arm around her waist and focused her eyes on Kobra. "It's over, Kobra. Your operation has fallen through and your cult is done."

"You're outnumbered. Make the smart decision and surrender, less you want another fight on your hands." Aqualad spoke authoritatively.

"With more than just a one on two fight," Robin added, moving his hands to his utility belt in case a new fight was imminent.

The team banded together and standing to face Kobra on his lonesome, the cult leader shifted his gaze to each member of the team, as if he was assessing their abilities and conditions. Silence communicated on both sides, Kobra opened his lips to speak.

"It seems you are correct. I am outnumbered." He spoke, eyes narrowing at the observation. Yet, as soon as he said this, the cult leader took one step back. His first step soon becomes two, then three, until he made his way back into the dark forest of Santa Prisca. "Another time then."

Robin, seeing the villain make his escape, rushed towards the cult leader as fast as his legs could take him. Making his first step into the forest, the boy wonder felt his eyes widen at the sight of bushes, leaves, and trees across the landscape. Kobra ghosting through the darkness and perhaps long gone, Robin sighed and headed back to the rest of the team.

"He's gone. Probably had a backup plan set in case something like this happened." Robin spoke, walking back to the team with an irritated look on his face.

"I doubt that crazy pale vampire knew we were going to do something like this to his operations. He never saw it coming." Kid Flash spoke up with a cocky grin, turning to look at the burning Venom factory in front of the group.

"I'm just surprised we finished this without getting ourselves killed," Winter spoke, wincing at another sting of pain from the injury Kobra had inflicted on her chest area. "I was hoping to walk out of this with just minor bruising for a recon mission. Not fatal situations and another mission ending with explosions and more bruising."

"Agreed. I am sure that all of us did not expect this to be the result of our mission." Aqualad added with a hint of uncertainty, his gaze set on the flames of the factory.

"Do you think Batman will be mad about this?" Miss Martian asked, worry evident in her question.

"Mad?" Kid Flash repeated with skepticism. "Why would he? We just ended an entire manufacturing operation of Venom! He'll be glad we helped to slow down the Venom trade."

Raising an eyebrow at the confident words of Kid Flash, Winter stared out at the burning factory the group had made, contemplating the situation the group had been in the entire night. Biting her lip, she turned to look over at Aqualad and Robin, the two also staring out at the burning building.

"So, would you guys call this? The first success or failure as leaders?" Winter asked her fellow co-leaders, walking over to stand next to the two heroes.

Letting out a nervous chuckle, Robin rubbed his nose with a gloved hand. "On a scale of overwhelmed and underwhelmed, I'd say we hit the whelmed mark."

A stern gaze still on the burning building, Aqualad spoke. "It could have been much worse. Nobody was seriously injured and the buy was compromised and ended. We've even found out the identity of the buyer." Turning to face Robin and Winter, the Atlantean nodded in affirmation. "This mission was a success, though with minor bumps on the way."

"So, half-half. I can live with that." Winter answered back, smiling with relief and sighing. Taking a moment to breathe in and relax her still adrenaline high muscles and aching body, Winter frowned a little at a thought crossing her mind. "So, how do we break the news to Batman without making him madder?"

Showing a large grin to both older teens next to him, Robin moved his arms out and wrapped them over Aqualad and Winters' shoulders. Pulling them in close in a semi hug, the boy wonder smirked. "That's not really my problem. Since you two are leader and co-leader, you're automatically the right guys to explain this mess to Batman!"

Watching the younger boy laugh and walk off from the two, Winter couldn't help but glare at the smaller detective in frustration. H was going to leave them with the dirty work!? "Why that little-"

Ready to try and go after Robin, Winter felt a hand rest on her shoulder to stop her. Halting in her movement and putting her foot down, Winter looked behind her shoulder to see Aqualad holding her back.

"Let him go. We chose to be the leaders of this team. That means we take on the responsibilities of both success and failures of this mission." Aqualad explained, turning Winter around to face him. Doing his best despite the situation the two teens would later be in, Aqualads' lips curved to a small smile. "What is that phrase? It comes with the job?"

A tired chuckle escaping her, Winter shrugged and scratched the back of her head. "You're right, as much as I hate to admit it. I asked for this." Looking behind her shoulder to see Kid Flash and Robin discussing their portions of the mission, Winter shook her head. "He's off the hook for now. Besides, he's already Batmans' partner. We might as well save him from an extra lecture."

Sighing a resting her hands on her hips, Winter showed an eager yet uneasy expression to Aqualad, along with a smile. "So, you ready to face the music?"

With no verbal answer as her response, Aqualad's eyes connected with Winters' own. The two leaders staring at each other and communicating with silent eye contact, Winter could tell that she and Aqualad had come to the same conclusion.

Explaining the mission in full to Batman was going to be more painful than any bruise they'd gotten that night.

---

-Mount Justice

July 23rd, 9:30 EDT-

"Now that you've all received medical attention, I want answers. Now." The deep voice of Batman demanded.

Samantha, her hair still its pure white and eyes light blue as per her usual appearance with the team, the ice user stood next to Robin in the row the team had been made to form once arriving back into Mount Justices' briefing room.

The team had made their way back to Happy Harbor after a long stretch of flying and resting from their wounds. Sadly, the resting would have to be put on hold for the dark knight himself once they'd arrived back at the base. Quickly contacting him after the mission was complete and getting the necessary treatment each member of the team had needed, the young heiress (still in their uniforms) stood side by side with one another to debrief the veteran of their first recon mission.

Well, perhaps it wasn't best to call it a recon mission anymore after what details they had already laid out.

"You've already explained to me your excuses on what needed to be done to finish your mission, but choosing what to say to save your skin will not be tolerated in these circumstances," Batman explained, walking back and forth in front of the group.

Her body still tired from the mission, Samantha still did her best to stay standing without faltering. If anything, the seriousness in Batmans' tone was making Samantha stay awake and alert more than the adrenaline was.

"Before this mission even began, I said to you all that a leader would need to be worked out amongst all of you," Batman began, stopping momentarily to face the group and eye each one of the team members. "Who is the leader of this team?"

"I am," Kaldur spoke up, in his voice as he stepped forward beyond the rest of the group. "though I did not act alone in making decisions for this mission and the teams' efforts."

Eyes narrowed down on Aqualad, Batmans' lips formed a thin line. "Explain."

Taking her step forward, though wincing a bit in pain as she did so, Samantha kept her hands steady on her side and pushed up the best mask of confidence she could in her state. "I assisted Aqualad, Batman. When it came time to choose a leader, we all agreed Kaldur was the best choice after we deliberated on who was best suited out of our candidates. However, after some more talking and cooperation, it was decided amongst the team I would co-lead the team in Aqualad's absence."

"You'll want to count me in too," Robin spoke, taking his step forward with his fellow leaders, who in turn turned their gazes to the younger hero. Eyes staring straight, Robin spoke. "I was named third in command for the team behind Aqualad and Winter. We all agreed that to help optimize the mission success rate, all leaders would help to sort out the plan and name each position and team up the group would be in to stop the buy from going down."

Saying his piece, Robin turned his head ever so slightly to look at Winter and Aqualad. Giving them a playful wink to convey his willingness to help take the blame, the boy just as quickly turned back to stare at his mentor with a mask of determination.

Watching the two detectives in a deadlock of stares, Samantha felt nervousness bubble up inside of her as words formed in the back of her throat. Now that she was a leader, confidence would need to be shown to prove she was capable of making tough decisions. If she didn't try to justify or defend her choices, she'd only make herself look uncertain in the eyes of their veterans.

She had to say something. If nothing else, to at least show Batman they didn't mean for the mission to turn out so crazy.

"Batman," Samantha spoke up, feeling her throat clench on her words as she tried to speak up. "We swear that we did not mean for the mission to conclude the way it did." The ice user spoke, her hands gripping on the frills of her combat skirt.

Breaking away from the eye contact he and Robin shared, Batman turned his gaze to Samantha and walked a few steps toward her. "Really?" He asked, no words faltering or shaking like her own.

Breathing in to help herself steady herself beneath Batmans' gaze, Samantha nodded without a flinch. "No, sir. With our cover blown and Bane forcing us out after betraying us, we had no choice but to stop the buy from going down ourselves. If we didn't, Sportsmaster might have gotten away with a very large supply of Kobra Venom. More damage would have been caused to innocents if more were to have escaped Santa Prisca."

"So you think your ends justified compromising your identities, mission and the lives of your team?" Batman asked.

Her body tensing a bit at the question, Samantha couldn't come up with the words to answer and broke her eyes away from Batmans'. The responsibility that Batman was weighing down on the leaders was hard enough to think about before the mission had even started. Now that everything had been said, done and ended just hours ago, did the decisions and choices made really justify everything the group did?

Would their answer determine whether or not their team would still get missions? If she could even be called a leader?

I have to answer truthfully. If I don't, what's the point of being a leader if I'm not confident in what I do or what decisions I make?

Alright, Samantha. Time to call upon your speech skills you've honed since you were four.

Finding the strength within herself to raise her eyes back to look at the cowled eyes of Batman, Samantha showed a burning conviction similar to Kaldur and gave a slow nod. "For this mission, I think so. But next time we won't put ourselves or the team in a kind of situation where we might risk our lives frivolously." Feeling like she finished her piece, Samantha stepped back into line with the rest of the team.

"I can promise that as well, Batman," Kaldur spoke, gaining the attention of Batman. "This was our first true mission for the league. While it was not as properly executed as what the Justice League is capable of, we managed to defeat a strongly armed cult, learn the identity of the buyer and end the manufacturing of Venom in Santa Prisca. I would say we've accomplished more than what we set out to do when we left." Kaldur finished, stepping back into line with Superboy, Wally, and M'gann.

Nodding at his fellow leaders' words, Robin took this last moment to stare at his mentor and father figure. Feeling like he should say something, Robin instead opted to stay quiet, the two detectives keeping eye contact before Robin stepped back into line.

"Have you now?" Batman asked, walking away from the team. His back facing the group and the dark knight silent for a good three minutes of what most likely was contemplation, the veteran hero finally turned back around to stare at the younger heroes. Walking towards Aqualad and staring down the Atlantean, Batman spoke up.

"A simple recon mission," Batmans' strong voice boomed through the room. Walking along the line of disappointed looking teens, Batman stared at his protege. "Observe and report."

Heading down to Samantha who stood next to Robin, Batman continued. "You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes." He spoke, leaving to walk down the rest of the line to stare down Superboy, M'gann, and Wally. "Until then..."

Samantha felt her head drop down a bit, her eyes staring down at her feet. As well as she thought she'd spoken, the ice user could feel something bad was coming their way. The group had botched the mission a little bit and done some crazy things in the span of a couple of hours. If she were him, she'd punish the group, and judge them for what they'd done that night too.

"Good job." Batman finished, his voice uplifting for a moment compared to his deeper reprimanding tone earlier.

Samantha felt her head shoot back up to stare at Batman, the same action being done so by the rest of the team. Sharing looks of confusion and surprise with her fellow team mates, Batman took their silence to speak again.

"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is how you determine success. And how you choose who leads determines character." Batman concluded, nodding to Kaldur, Winter, and Robin.

Feeling her body lose the weight of uncertainty from her shoulders, the ice user looked over to Kaldur and Robin, the three showing matching smiles of relief and happiness at Batmans' approval.

"For now, you all deserve a break. Your next mission won't be for a while. Use your time to reflect on your actions from this mission and rest both physically and mentally. I will call when I determine a new mission for you all. Until then, dismissed." Batman finished, walking away from the uniformed teens towards a Zeta tube, his form disappearing moments after.

The team still standing side by side with one another in silence, eye contact was the only sign of communication shown between them all.

That was, until a certain someone spoke...or rather, yelled.

"Woohoo!" Wally exclaimed, jumping up into the air with glee. "I can't believe we just got approved by Batman!"

"Guess we did something right," Superboy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You heard him. Batman must have seen the hard work we put into this mission. Plus the great team work we accomplished." M'gann said, placing a hand on her chest as she let out a comforting sigh. "We couldn't have done it without our fearless leaders." The martian added, she and the other members of the team moving their gazes over to Kaldur, Samantha, and Robin.

Scratching his cheek, Robin shrugged and chuckled. "Fearless isn't exactly the word I would use."

"I'd say bruised better fits our description right now," Samantha muttered, wincing a little from her chest wound. "Still, thanks for the support. This was a team effort though, not just ours. We start them together, we end them together.

"Always as a team," Kaldur added, stepping out to turn and face his fellow heroes. "Even with our mishaps on the way to this mission, we ended with success. The new road ahead won't be easy, but we'll be more prepared next time. For now, let us all agree that we've done good work tonight."

Unable to hold in a snort, Wally shook his head at Samantha Kaldur's words. "Leaders of the team and already giving us the motivational speeches? Cheesy."

"Dude, don't rain on their parade." Robin hushed the speedster, elbowing his best friend in the ribs.

"Ow. What'd I say?"

Rolling her eyes at the two teens banter, Samantha shook her head. "How about for now we all just get some rest? I'd rather not see someone collapse in the briefing room from over exhaustion. Plus it's just an hour away until past morning. Let's get some sleep, team."

A chorus of tired agreements and a grunt from the team, the teens all gave a relaxed smile and headed down the hall towards the showers, bedrooms, and any other place the teens wanted to collapse and rest.

---

Cleaned from a shower and clothed in a simple white nightgown and shorts combo after the group had gone their ways, Samantha sat alone on the couch of the bases' living room, her white hair clinging to her back in a wet mess.

Her thoughts sluggish from getting a moments reprieve, Samantha lazily traced her thumb around the phones' keypad that sat in her hand.

"I need to give him my status report," Samantha muttered to herself as if trying to convince herself to do her task. Closing her eyes and digging deep inside to find the courage to do what needed to be done, Samantha pressed her thumb down on buttons in a familiar sequence before raising the phone in her hand up to her ear, the ringing of the phone trying to connect keeping her company.

One ring...

Two rings...

Three rings...

Yet, the sound of the dial tone couldn't keep her busy for this long. Even if the sound was a comfort compared to the silent living room, waiting this long with the sound ringing in her ear and anticipation was beginning to feel a bit like torture.

However, just as she was about to hang up and retreat to call another day, the sound of the phone on the other line picking up rang in her ears.

Moving to sit up straighter in her seat after routines of doing so in her fathers' office chair, Samantha adjusted herself and clutched the phone tight to her ear to hear every word of the next conversation. Feeling energy rush through her, Samantha spoke up with haste. "Father, I'm back from-"

"I'm sorry, my lady. It's only me."

Her mouth hanging open for a moment, disappointment weighed on her as she closed her mouth and felt her shoulders slump. "Oh, hello Reginald. Is...my father there?"

The young Freya prayed mentally she hadn't sounded disappointed.

If she had, her kind butler didn't make it known to her.

"Unfortunately he's unavailable, my lady. An important meeting with some clients or whatnot called the master out of the home. He did not tell me when he'd be coming back, so I assume he will not be returning for quite a bit of time." Reginald's' voice traveled through the line, a regrettable tone laced in his words. "Did you need to speak with the master?"

Thumb rubbing against the phone, Samantha spoke up. "I wanted to give him my status report. You know, the ones he always asks for after I finish a mission and stuff like that."

"Ah, I see. I thought your father always wanted to hear those in person?" Reginald questioned.

Her head dipping low at Reginalds' inquiry, Samantha felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. Her butler was correct. Call it a paranoia of people listening in on their conversations or the predilections of a business man far too used to his daily activities and important lab data for important eyes only, her father had always asked for her reports on her hero activity to be spoken to him in person in his office.

Everybody had secrets. Her father just happened to have more than the average man.

Especially when their daughter can shoot ice out of their hands and works with people that some equated to gods.

"I," Samantha spoke, trying to find the words she wanted to say. "I know. It's just this time...I was really excited and happy about what happened tonight. I wanted to tell him as soon as possible. So, I decided to call. But if he isn't there, I'll wait until-"

"Nonsense," Reginald answered, making Samantha shift her gaze to the phone as if Reginald was speaking right next to her. "I may not be your father or the person you intended to speak with when you called, but if you are as excited as you say you are, I'd love to hear another one of your accounts of your missions, my lady. You always make them sound so whimsical and powerful. That is if you're alright with me being your audience for another tale."

A small tingle of joy running through her body at the kind words, Samantha was unable to hold in a small laugh. Leaning back onto the couch cushions to relax her tired body, the ice user spoke up. "No, it's okay Reginald. I'll just hold it in until I get home. If I'm going to do my usual report face to face with my father, the least I can do is be with you when we talk. I can tell you about it over some tea when I get back like usual. If that's okay with you?"

"That sounds wonderful as always, young mistress. Will you be returning soon?"

"Not today. I sustained some injuries from the mission, so I'll be resting at the base until I recover a bit more. Won't be more than two to three days at the most. Could you tell my father for me?" Samantha asked, her free hand instinctively rubbing her bruised stomach. Wincing at pain radiating from her own touch, Samantha spoke hopeful. "Umm...but leave out the injury part? Maybe say something about the League needing me for something?"

"Of course. I'll conveniently leave out and add some details for you, but please do rest as much as you can. And give my warmest regards and congratulations to your team mates for a job well done." Reginald concluded, a casual laugh traveling to Samantha's' ear.

"I will. Thank you, Reginald. I'll call when I come back. Goodnight...or good day." Pressing her thumb down on the end call button, Samantha pulled the phone away from her ear and placed it on the coffee table in front of her.

"That could have gone better," Samantha muttered quietly, laying back on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. Deciding it was best to finally get some well-deserved rest, Samantha closed her eyes and slowly let the silence of the room begin to encroach her.

"Samantha? You're still awake?"

Eyes opening wide and a jolt of surprise running through her to shock her systems awake, Samantha turned her head sideways on the cushion of the couch to face the direction M'gann's voice had come from. Spotting the martian girl dressed in what appeared to be very girly pink pajamas, Samantha greeted her fellow female team mate.

"M'gann. Yeah, I am sort of. I could say the same for you." She said surprised, moving her head to follow the martian walking over to the couch.

Taking a seat next to the ice user, M'gann smiled and nodded in agreement. "I thought so too, but after cleaning myself up and remembering everything we did tonight...or this morning, I couldn't get to sleep. I think my body is still trying to relax after all of those explosions and cave ins we survived."

Adjusting herself to a slouching position on the couch, Samantha grinned at the observation. "I'm glad I'm not the only one. Even with the experience I have doing long missions, my body still can't calm down fast enough." Samantha concluded with a slight pout.

Giggling at the face her friend was making, M'gann pulled her legs close to her chest and hugged them close to her. "I'm sure once Batman gives us more missions, we'll both get used to it."

A groan escaped Samantha's mouth, feeling her muscles ache at the comment. "I'm okay with Batman waiting for a little to give us another mission. I could use a few days to rest."

Watching Samantha slink down into the couch, M'gann lightly face palmed. "Hello, Megan. I shouldn't be trying to rush us into another mission after what we went through. Everyone needs some rest after that battle with Kobra and Sportsmaster. Especially Robin, Kaldur and you. Wouldn't be a good idea if our leaders were too tired to give the orders."

"True," Samantha added. It still felt like a dream to her in the back of her mind. The team had done something amazing that night and helped to accomplish something for the league. Even being praised by Batman for their efforts despite the slip ups and unorthodox methods to get to their goal.

And even now the craziest thing Samantha couldn't believe was that she'd gotten her second wish granted.

She was a leader now. Kind of.

Not the go to leader, but a leader nonetheless. It seemed like every day that was passing her by Samantha was being given more opportunities and responsibilities. More trust from the adults in her life; her own friends and team mates. It was so new to her, yet felt so empowering and exciting.

I have to do my best to be a good example for the team. Aqualad said I have a good grasp at gaining the trust of my team mates but learning the ropes of being more confident and authoritative will take some time.

Trust.

Quietly, Samantha's eyes wavered to the martian sitting next to her.

She'd made a promise that night. Due to her own forgetfulness, M'gann had been an accidental audience to Samantha's strange and inner most thoughts about a certain blue-eyed super clone. And with that mistake came the promise to explain herself after the mission was over.

She would have died on the spot if she could have.

Or something less extreme. Freezing herself solid?

But she was getting off track. Or...was she? Would M'gann even want to talk now after all the turmoil and danger they'd just pulled themselves out of? Was it the right time to talk about it? Explain her thoughts to her kind friend and apologize for the even darker ones the martian didn't know about?

Would that ruin her relationship with the martian? Or strain it? Should she hold some things back? To suppress any chance of the conversation ruining their new bonds in galpalsness. If she tried and failed, working on the team together could bring some awkward conversations and potential danger.

Yet, if she didn't tell the truth how could her team mate trust her? It wasn't like M'gann was keeping some huge secret from her.

Samantha groaned, moving a weak arm up to place her hand over her face. A headache beginning to grow from her rapid thoughts, the pale ice rubbed her forehead.

"Samantha? Are you okay?" M'gann asked, looking to the confused ice user. "You're groaning. Is your stomach still hurting from your bruise? I can get some medicine."

Hearing her friends' concern, Samantha shook her head to quell the martians' uncertainty.

She knew what she had to do. It wouldn't make this next conversation any less awkward though. Or confusing.

"No, I'm fine M'gann," Samantha spoke, her voice a bit quiet, but continued to speak otherwise. "Uhh...since we're both sitting here and unable to get to sleep right now, this might just be an opportune time for me as any to explain my actions earlier during the mission." The ice user began, trying to figure out the words she wanted to use. "More specifically in the mines. When you heard some...accidental thoughts of mine. From the mind link?"

Her usual smile disappearing and replaced with a look of confusion, M'gann was silent for a moment, trying to recollect the portion of the mission Samantha was talking about. "Oh!" She gasped, realizing what she'd meant. "I'm sorry about that still, Samantha. I didn't mean to listen to your thoughts-"

"No, it's was mine," Samantha replied, raising her hand up ever so slightly to motion M'gann to stop apologizing. "I should not have been so careless as to let my mind...wander the way it had during the mission. It was silly of me, not to mention stupid since I'm the one who suggested the mind link in the first place. It's my mistake I need to learn from, not yours."

Smiling, M'gann nodded and rocked back on the cushion of the couch. "Alright. I don't hold it against you at all though, Samantha...But, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything." Samantha answered, giving the martian next to her her undivided attention. Before she'd reveal the other thoughts she'd had, she would answer M'gann's question. It was the least she could do.

Silence hung in the air for more than five seconds, the ice user awaiting the question. Watching the martian shift around in her seat, looking a little uncomfortable as the time passed, M'gann finally spoke. Her words came out in a small mumble, but Samantha swore she could hear every word as clear as crystal.

"Do you...like Superboy?"

"I," Samantha tried to answer as she would usually during a normal conversation, but realizing she could only get past the one word, the ice user's mouth closed shut.

That question again.

Could anyone answer that question so easily as M'gann had just asked it?

She didn't know the answer to that and even more she was unsure if any response would be as truthful or correct as she wanted it to be.

Samantha barely knew herself.

Words echoed in her mind, advice from Ice Maiden the day before. The difference between liking and loving someone. How you just...knew that feeling deep inside was real or not. It honestly flew over the young heroine's head when she'd listened the first time, ever so desperately trying to wrap her head around the complexities of love at her young age. To know such a complex yet simple feeling.

She wishes she was able to answer as easily as M'gann had asked.

Seeing the silent confusion on her friends' face, M'gann rose her hands up and shook them to wave away the question. "I-I'm sorry. I'm asking something so personal, right! Hello, Megan. Forget I even ask-"

"No," Samantha spoke up, cutting M'gann off. The two heroines making eye contact, Samantha felt her mouth hang open as if more words would come out after she'd spoken. Her lips pursed together as words tried to form and fumble out, the ice user continued. "I promised I'd answer whatever you asked of me. It'd be rude to take back my word."

Sitting up straight and resting her hands on her lap folded together, Samantha inhaled a deep breath to relax her body which felt like it was collapsing on itself. She never thought she'd be having this conversation again.

Not with another girl her age.

Not so soon.

And this time, she couldn't hide her identity about it.

"I...don't know, to be honest," Samantha answered, feeling like weights had been lifted off her shoulders and back at her answer. "I've never felt something like this before. For someone. I'm...happy to be around him. I enjoy having conversations with Superboy and want what's best for him. The way he looks at me when he's happy is nice and sometimes I glimpse a smile when he's learning about something new. He makes my day so much more fun when they used to be so boring. He's my friend...but," Her voice gave out, again the words lost to her.

"But?" M'gann quietly repeated back, hanging on the word as she awaited her friend to finish her thought.

Ice-blue eyes drifted to her hands, a faint memory reminding Samantha of when she and Superboy had held hands during the mission. That spark that struck her and the warmth she encountered yet again from the contact.

It really did feel like magic. Or something far beyond what she could understand.

Face moving downwards in an attempt to hide the blush creeping up on her face, Samantha did her best to continue. "But...I would not be opposed," Samantha shook her head. "I would be...happy if our friendship was deeper. Deeper than any other relationship he has with anyone. Which is why...I also need to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" M'gann asked, her face falling into a confused expression. "Why?"

"I...thought terribly of you, during the mission," Samantha explained, hoping her next explanation did not completely destroy their friendship. "I noticed the way you looked at Superboy sometimes in the beginning. Your comments too. I thought about how much I hoped you'd stop. Looking at him the way you were, making those...comments about how he looked."

Eyes closing shut in frustration, Samantha gripped tightly to the ends of her pajama shirt. "I...I don't know why I thought of you in such a terrible light. I didn't want to. I asked myself why the thoughts even crossed my mind. I couldn't figure it out. You did nothing wrong after all. There was no reason to be mad. But, I think it may have been because of Superboy."

"I was...jealous," Samantha answered. "I got jealous of you getting close. You looked at him the same way...I did sometimes. And when you talked about how he looked, I just got angry at you. You didn't know or do anything wrong, but I thought terribly of you nonetheless."

Loosening her hands from the cloth in between her fingers and raising her head to look at the uncertain face of M'gann, Samantha bowed her head deeply once again to the girl, a motion she was used to when apologizing to her father.

She never thought she'd be doing the same to a team mate.

If only she'd had more time to talk with Ice Maiden. How did jealousy work? What was she supposed to do if she was jealous of someone else? If it was her own friend?

"That's why I'm apologizing, M'gann. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have thought terribly of you even when you did nothing wrong. You all talked about how I'd make a great leader because I have your guys' trust. I wanted to keep to that, so I thought it be best to tell you instead of keeping them a secret. So, I understand if you're mad at me. Hate me. Or don't want to talk to me for a while."

Samantha kept her head down to M'gann, her eyes closed shut in quiet anticipation.

"Samantha."

Her eyes closed even tighter, body turning rigid at the martians' voice.

Here it comes.

Scooting over to her friend on the couch, M'gann reached her hand out and rested it on the ice users' left shoulder. There was no tight grip, a slip of the hand, or even a slap. It just sat there.

"Samantha, it's okay. I'm not mad."

W-What did she say?

Unsure if she should, Samantha slowly rose her head up to look into the green eyes of her fellow heroine. Concern written on her face rather than the anger Samantha had expected, M'gann showed a small smile. "I accept your apology."

"W-Why?" Samantha couldn't help but ask. The conversation had steered in a direction Samantha was glad for, but her confusion as to how it had gotten there was what made her skeptical. "I mean, I'm not trying to sound rude M'gann. I'm happy you forgive me, but I don't understand why."

Her cheeks lighting up with a hint of red, M'gann pulled her hand away from Samantha's shoulder and leaned back into the couch cushion to get comfortable. "Well, I don't see why I should get so mad at you. Everyone gets jealous, right?"

Eyes widening at the simple question, Samantha moved to sit straight up, eyes widely staring at the martian girl from Mars.

How can somebody be so understanding and nice?

"And," M'gann spoke again. "You did something I'm sure not a lot of people would do. You admitted something that you could have kept secret. It may not have been something major, but you did it regardless because you wanted to be honest with me. I didn't even have to use my telepathy."

For a moment, M'gann's voice trailed off, eyes narrowing down to the ground.

There was something about the way M'gann had looked during that moment. Something that made Samantha feel a bit worrisome. Was there something she wanted to get off her chest too?

"M'gann?" Samantha called.

Her green eyes widening back to realize where she was again, M'gann chuckled and lifted her head back to look at Samantha. "Thank you, Samantha. I forgive you, and I'm glad you told me. I've...never had someone jealous of me before."

M'gann's laughing calling to something deep inside her, Samantha felt her shoulders slump down and feel her once tense muscles unwind. Slowly feeling her quiet voice let out her own chuckle, Samantha's energy came back as the two heroines began to laugh together in the quiet of the living room.

How could these two super powered girls have such a serious conversation and apology, only to end it with laughter and a joke soon after?

"T-Thank you. M'gann. I promise I won't think that way of you again. Unless it's warranted." Samantha answered in between laughs and a joking wink of her eye, resting a hand on her ticklish chest from her laughter.

Smiling and calming her own laughter down, M'gann nodded. "I'll also make sure not to make those comments about Superboy either." Her smile growing a little as her hands rested in her lap, M'gann twiddled her fingers around. "After everything we've talked about, I mean from being jealous of me and how you want to be close to Superboy, it sounds like you really do like him. You may not be sure yourself, but I can tell."

A blush creeping up on her face, Samantha's gaze lowered as she too fiddled with her fingers. "I...I can't say, M'gann."

"But there's nothing wrong with liking someone. It may be a bit weird to feel, but I can tell you really care about him. Robin, Wally, and Kaldur told me about how you all rescued Superboy from Cadmus and how you've been helping him adjust. Why don't you just tell him how you feel? I'm sure he'd be happy to hear it." M'gann asked.

W-What?!

"N-No, I couldn't!" Samantha hastily answered. It wasn't a matter of fear of rejection or the awkwardness of being on the same team if that did occur.

Okay, maybe some of that was it, but it wasn't the entire reason.

"M'gann, I can't do something like that," Samantha answered. "I mean...don't you like Superboy? After the way you looked at him and made those comments about him at Santa Prisca..." The white-haired teen couldn't help but let her voice trail off. Just talking about it was making her feel awkward and nervous.

She barely knew the feelings she was experiencing over a boy, but to have to compete with a guy with her own friend who also liked him? She didn't want something like that.

"If you like him, I won't stop you if you want-"

"No, it's okay," M'gann answered back, cutting Samantha off. The martian blushed too, a nervous smile appearing on her face. "I...have liked him since I met him. Superboy seemed like an interesting person, but I'm not fully sure about my feelings either. I just wanted to know more about him. After hearing you talk about him and the way you feel though, I can't say that my feelings are the same as yours."

Moving a strand of hair behind her ear, M'gann continued on. "I've only known Superboy for a week or two compared to the time you and the others have known him. I can tell you really like him, Samantha, compared to what may just be a crush for me.

So, I'm willing to step back. You were here first after all. I can even help you and Superboy get together."

"M'gann..." Samantha spoke, her voice trailing off.

"Not to mention that my uncle would probably be mad if I was thinking about boys more than doing my superhero work and getting more adjusted to Earth. Hello, Megan. Bad idea." The martian added with a smile and laugh.

"M'gann, I don't think I'm going to get together with Superboy anytime soon." Samantha mustered out, her voice a bit shaky at the simple comment made by the martian.

"What? Why not? Don't you want him to know?" M'gann asked incredulously.

Did she? Would he even understand if she told him her feelings? The feelings she couldn't describe and made her feel weird and squirmy?

No. Samantha Freya had to be realistic.

Superboy was still learning. There's no way she could just confess something as dramatic and powerful as liking or loving someone to someone emotionally hard as Superboy. They didn't help Superboy escape to fall in love. He got out to make his own choices, make his own life of his own free will.

What she wanted, wasn't what he needed.

"I can't. These feelings are still new to me. Superboy has only been out of Cadmus for about nearly a month and even then he's still learning about people, society, and emotions too. If I can barely figure them out, how could I expect him to know how to understand love or even my own feelings?" Samantha answered honestly.

"O-Oh," M'gann spoke, nodding in affirmation. "I...never thought about it like that."

"I'm...happy enough just being his friend and being by his side right now," Samantha answered. "Seeing him happy and helping him learn about the world is enough." She explained, nodding to herself as she finished. "As it should. We're here to be heroes after all."

Nodding in understanding to Samantha, M'gann stretched her body and got up off the couch. "Just don't wait too long, okay? If you do, I might just have to help push you guys together."

"M'gann, I'm fine," Samantha spoke up, her face flushing red.

Chuckling, the martian nodded and walked out of the living room. "Alright. I'm gonna go to sleep. Thanks for telling me all of this."

Watching her leave, Samantha nodded. "Yeah, thanks for listening, M'gann. We're...still friends, right?" She asked uncertainly.

"Of course," M'gann answered cheerfully, waving bye before walking out of the room.

Eyes still stuck to the doorway M'gann had walked out of, Samantha made no movement to get up from her seat as M'gann did. Sitting quietly by her lonesome, the ice user leaned back into the soft couch cushion, feeling herself sink into the softness.

"Love...its is a form of emotion that makes you think of someone else. You want them to be happy rather than yourself."

"I can even help you and Superboy get together."

Samantha combed her fingers through her white hair and carefully stood up off the couch. Holding in a wince and placing an arm around her waist to cover her bruises, the ice user step by step made her way out of the living room.

I promised I would help Superboy make a life for himself. I won't force my feelings on him when he's still learning. Still trying to figure out the things, his family, his place in the world. I'll help him any way I can.

Because he's my friend.

---

-Location Unknown

Time Unknown-

"All I recovered is a single ampoule of Kobra Venom," Sportsmaster explained from behind his mask, eyes gazing to the row of monitors staring it him from every direction. Holding the metallic vial filled with the powerful steroid in hand, Sportsmaster lifted it up higher for the rest to see.

Lights flickering on to show whited out forms occupying each screen, each person of each monitor stood or looked a different way, even with the light obscuring their true appearance.

Sportsmaster never liked it much, but he'd keep his mouth shut for the sake of the money he'd need. Eight monitors. Eight bosses to have to report his failure to.

"Peut-etre. The drug can be reverse engineered. Mais, what of our young heroes? First Cadmus, then Mister Twister. Now, Santa Prisca." One member asked in a mix of English and French.

"They are almost as much of a pain as the real Justice League." One commented.

"Surely they do not plan to get in the way of every operation we are proceeding upon. Even those children cannot be that naive." The third member added.

One member moving in their monitor to adjust themselves, their picture disappeared to show the forms of the team, a screenshot of them from Mister Twisters' camera. "From their activities so far, I'd have to disagree with that. They'll do whatever needs to be done for the senior heroes. If not to prove themselves, to the very least uphold the justice they cling to."

Another spoke. "Once is happenstance. Two is coincidence. But three times is enemy action, and enemies of the Light must not stand.

The voice of the Light's leader booming through the dark conference room, the monitors slowly began to shut off one by one, adding to the darkness of the room.

A final monitor and Light member active, the form turned their attention to Sportsmaster.

"Send the vial in a secure channel to the lab. You'll be given further instruction at a later time."

Just as quickly as the Light member spoke, the monitor flickered off.

---

Ugh! Finally done! I'm so sorry again this took so long. With the family stuff going on and moving, it made it really hard to find the time and energy to write this. The last part with Samantha and M'gann was the toughest of them all to write, so I hope it came out well. I've been rewriting this and editing for a while to make the conversation seem fluid and normal, without it seeming rushed or showing strange out of character behavior.

God, I hope it came out well. TAT

Well, I'll try to get out the next chapter as soon as I can. I hope it is shorter than this one. I keep saying I'll write shorter chapters, only to bring out large ones like these after months. I'm such a hypocrite. XP

Please enjoy and review when you can.

Next Chapter: Just Friends