Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

A/N: You don't have to read this if you don't like it, don't hate just go away.

Chapter 13: Therapy

Mount Justice; October 23rd, 17:21 EDT

M'gann stirs her bowl of cookie dough silently, while Kaldur leans against the counter behind her, Wally slumps in one of the stools, Joshua sat on the side of him. Artemis leaned against Joshua's back, resting her head on his shoulder, and Robin was sitting on the couch. All of them silent and stuck inside their own heads.

In the Training Room, Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter, and Captain Marvel watch over the teens worriedly on the screens. They all turn an ear as they hear the Zeta Tube activate.

Recognized:

Batman 0 2

"How are they?" the Dark Knight asked. "I am still shaken by what you and I have wrought. One can only imagine how these youths fair." Manhunter says gesturing to the HoloScreens that they were watching the team on.

"I know our virtual reality training simulation went badly." He at least has the decency to look down as he greatly understates it. "But I'd had hoped the team would've rallied together by now."

Manhunter looks surprised, while Captain Marvel looks annoyed with Batman. "Trauma tends to linger, as I know you know, my friend." Batman appears unfazed by Manhunter's words before looking up with a curious raise in his cowl. "She has her work cut out for her." Manhunter says lowly. "Agreed."

Black Canary sits in a green chair across from Conner in his own green chair, she keeps her gaze on him while he looks down at his feet.

"I can only imagine how devastating it was losing your friends, in essence, your family, convinced all the time it was completely real."

She says, her voice wavering a little when she calls the team his family, but what is noticeable is that Conner's hands clench into fists when she reminds him that he only thought it was real.

"I'm sure it must have been horrible for you." She waits a moment, seeing how he'll respond. "I understand. You're Superboy, you're not supposed to have feelings of sadness or vulnerability."

Conner immediately stands up, hands clenched at his sides as he looks down at her. "You don't know what I feel!" He then stomps out of the room. She doesn't try to follow him out, simply calling out to him. "Conner!"

As the sliding doors open Conner shouts over his shoulder. "Just leave me alone!" She sat back in her chair, a worried look on her face.

Metropolis Park is calm and fairly populated since the weather is nice when suddenly a golden portal opens with a boom. A ship that looks like a car, though large, flies through the portal, raising a panic.

Conner's motorcycle kicks into gear, he lines himself up with one of the mountains hanger doors that was currently closed. "Red Tornado, hangar door." He says as he pulls out a bike helmet.

Before he could put it on, Sphere got in his way. Wolf walking up behind him. " Guys, get out of the way!" He shouts in frustration.

Sphere revs as Wolf sits at Conner's left, both Conner and Wolf watch intently as Sphere morphed into a tricked out Extraterrestrial motorcycle similar to the one he was on already.

Conner and Wolf stare in disbelief. "Hey Conner, you in h-" Joshua cuts himself off as he watches Sphere transform. While Joshua stood there, jaw dropped, Conner and wolf both climbed onto sphere's new cycle form.

As Conner drove Sphere up the ramp, the Cycle took off into the air pulling a shocked, but excited "Whoa!" from the teenage clone. "Welp, if he's going out, I might well go too." Joshua said to himself while walking out the door.

Batman runs to the open door, passing Joshua, bringing his hand to his cowl as he watched Conner take off. "Superboy, return to cave, now."

He heard an echo of his own voice and looked to the right finding Conner's earpiece on the ground. He picks it up, then sighs. "Legend, you-" he stopped seeing that Legend was gone as well. Under his cowl, Batman's eye was twitching in anger. Robin peaked his head into the garage, but immediately ran when he saw the anger building on the Dark Knight's face.

Artemis sighs. "Look, me dying during the exercise might have jump started things going south but I was coma-girl, I missed out on all the fun of forgetting it wasn't real, so no trauma. No need for the shrink-rap."

"You're too tough to need help." Canary rephrases, a disbelieving tone in her voice. Artemis looks away, bringing her feet onto the chair with her. "Whatever. Maybe."

"Or maybe too tough to admit you need help." Canary leans forward, elbows on her knees. "Artemis, it's not a sign of weakness to open up to your friends."

Artemis' fingers clench on her jacket, glaring at Canary, and her voice is tight as she nearly snarls out "I know that."

"But you still keep secrets from them. You even made one of them keep a secret too." She points out. Artemis' eyes go wide, and she is nearly ready to jump out of her chair. "How did you-". This place has camera's everywhere, I saw you and Joshua talk after the mission with Roquette." "You can't tell anyone. Not even him."

"I won't." Canary agrees. "But you should. You could start by admitting you're not really Green Arrow's niece. I sure Joshua would really appreciate you explaining it."

"Not really." Canary raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?" Actually, when I talked to him he said he was fine not knowing whyi wanted him to keep quiet. He just said it because we're teammates."

"You two seem close." Canary teased. "it's not like that. He treats everyone the same way, he even calls M'gann and I his sisters." Artemis said with a small smile.

"I still think you should tell the others the truth." Artemis' legs come off the chair as she scoffs and looks away. "Right. Can you imagine what Wally would do with that?"

"Interesting. So other then Joshua, the person you're most worried about is Wally." She observes. Artemis tenses for a moment, out of surprise before she relaxes and simply looks back at Canary, not saying a word.

Gotham City; October 23rd, 18:04 EDT

Joshua was walking down the street with a drink in his left hand and a burger in his right, he was just sightseeing with a smile on his face. He was enjoying being outside of the cave without being on a mission. After he finished his food, he walked into an empty park and sat down on a bench that was facing a small pond.

He looked up to see the clouds floating across the sky as he closed his eyes and took a sip from his drink. He glanced over at the street and did a spit take when he saw someone. He saw Cheshire, out of costume just walking down the street, he got up from where he was sitting and hid among the crowd while trying to following her.

"The heck is going on? What's she doing here? I've should find out?" Joshua said mentally as he followed her, doing his best to make sure she didn't see him.

"I was the general but behaved like a soldier and sacrificed myself." Kaldur admits strongly but loses a lot of his steam as he lowers his gaze. "I am not fit for command and must resign as team's leader." He closes his eyes, the hurt he felt was obviously on his features.

"Who do you recommend taking your place?" Canary asks casually, calm.

His eyes widened in surprise. Rather than let her sit in silence while he thinks this through for the first time.

"Artemis is too raw and untrusting. Kid Flash is too rash and impulsive. Miss Martian remains too eager to please. Superboy carries too much anger. And Legend tends to act more on emotion and instinct rather then logic and would sacrifice himself for others just as I did withoit hesitation."

"Making Robin the logical choice." Canary states. "But he is to young." Kaldur objects. "Kaldur, you're all young." She says as compassionately as she can, leaning forward to rest her forearms on her crossed legs and trying to meet Kaldur's lowered gaze.

"I cannot shift this burden to him. Not yet." Kaldur says strongly. Canary sits back upright, and Kaldur lets out a short emotionless laugh. "It appears I must withdraw my resignation."

Joshua stopped in front of a Hotel. "This is where she went." He walked into the building and took the elevator up to the third floor, which is where it stopped when Cheshire used it. After exiting the elevator, Joshua walked done the hall for about a minute.

He stopped at one of the doors. "The clerk said that this is the room." He thought before he quietly opened the door.

Walking in the room, he noted that the room was very spartan. Suddenly, he was up against the wall with a knife at his throat. "So handsome, you wanna tell me why you were following me?" Cheshire, clade in a loose green crop top t-shirt and black gym shorts, asked the super clone who was berating himself mentally.

Canary narrows her eyes at her patient. "So, you want me to believe that after everything you went through including your own death from fiery explosion, you're just peachy."

There is a distinct sound of popcorn being eaten, and the person is sitting in the chair upside down- shoed-feet on the top of the chair and everything.

"I'm fairly certain I never used the word 'peachy', but I think you got the gist." Wally says between munches.

"So, you really have no interest in confronting your extreme reaction to Artemis' death?" She asks right as Wally tosses a couple of pieces of popcorn into his mouth.

He chokes and forces himself upright as he continues hacking. After dislodging it he took in huge gulps of air before putting on a smile and resting his left arm on the armrest as he turns to look at Canary. Now sitting sideways in the chair. "I'd rather talk about you, babe." He said, tossing another bit of popcorn into his mouth.

"Wally, you're in denial." She deadpans. Wally puts his hands behind his head, drops his right foot to the floor. "I'm comfortable with that."

Joshua's eyes were locked with Cheshire's as she kept a hand on his chest and a knife at his throat. "S-sorry, I thought this was my room, I didn't mean to intrude." He says, trying to play dumb. He didn't want to use his powers to possibly hurt her and or expose his identity.

Cheshire chuckled, that chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh. "Did you really think I would fall for that?" she says after she stopped laughing. Joshua knocked the knife out of her hand and pushed Cheshire back. Cheshire grabbed Joshua's arm and flipped him onto the floor. She jumped on top of him. "I know it's you, Legend." She said as she straddled his waist, one hand on his chest to keep him in place while the other reached for another knife.

Joshua saw this and flipped their positions leaving him on top of her. Joshua leaped off of Cheshire when she smirked and tried to stab him in the eye.

"So, like I asked earlier, why are you here?" She asked as she got up, never taking her eyes off of him. Joshua looked back at her. "And why would I tell you?" He asked, taking a boxing stance.

"Hurt, try traumatized." Robin manages. "I had finally become leader and winded up sending all of my friends to their deaths. I- I- I know I did what I had to, but I hated it. When we started this team, I was desperate to be in charge. Not anymore. And- and that's not even the worst of it. Y- you can't tell Batman."

"Nothing leaves this room." Canary promises. "I always wanted, expected, t-to grow up and become him. And the hero bit? I'm still all in. But that thing inside of him?" Canary's façade cracks a little as she watches him look ashamed and sounded so nervous. "The thing that drives him to sacrifice everything for the sake of his mission. That's not me. I- I don't wanna be the Batman anymore." Robin can't look up from his hands.

Joshua and Cheshire were staring each other, the room around them looked like it was hit by a natural disaster. "Ready to give up?" Cheshire asked, readying her knife. "Not a chance." Joshua said as he dashed at her.

Cheshire used his outstretched arm as support to leap over him. Once she was behind him, Cheshire quickly turn and tried to stab him in the throat. Joshua duck the knife, turned and grabbed Cheshire's wrist. He then pinned her to the wall and glared at Cheshire who just gave him a sultry smirk. "Whoa, your aggressive today." Cheshire teased earning a growl from the clone.

Cheshire hit a nerve on the Joshua's arms making him stumble back in pain and let her go. She then tackled him to the ground once again.

"It was all my fault." M'gann whispers, before knocking the bud of her hand against her forehead. "Hello, Megan." She brings her right hand back to her knees to rejoin her left one.

"Who else could take a simple exercise and turn it into a nightmare that terrorizes everyone she cares about?" As she speaks her green skin tone fades to that of her alter ego.

Canary looked on in surprise. "You've turned white." Canary said. M'gann's now amber eyes shot open at Canary's for a moment, gasping before standing upright.

"What!" She then looks down at her hands, it takes her a moment to process what she's seeing. "Oh, you meant Caucasian." She slowly eases herself back into the chair. "Yeah, I'm fine being Megan, but I can't be trusted to use my other powers."

"M'gann, you're a Martian." Canary lets out a tiny chuckle as she points out the obvious. She then leans forward, threading her fingers as she rests her forearms on her knees. "Not using your natural abilities is like me refusing to speak." M'gann avoided her gaze. "Which by the way, I tried after my very first Canary Cry nearly deafened my entire first-grade class."

M'gann finally meets her gaze sadly. "I get how you feel, but not being yourself is never the answer and won't make your feelings of guilt go away. Learn from what happened, your uncle would be happy to train you." M'gann finally perks up a bit, looking back up. "Practice until you gain control and regain your confidence." M'gann had a small smile on her face at those words.

Joshua was on the floor and Cheshire was on top of him and straddling his waist again, holding a pressure point on his neck to make if hard fir him t move. She leaned in, her face inches from his. "W-what are you doing now?" Joshua said getting another sultry grin from Cheshire.

"Tell me why your really came here, If I like your answer then I might let you go, if not-" "You'll what? You and I both know that you can't hurt me, let alone kill me." Cheshire frowned at being cut off. "Trust me, I may not be able to kill you but that doesn't mean that I can't hurt you."

Joshua looked into her onyx eyes and could tell that she wasn't lying. Joshua sighed in defeat. "I came here because I saw you on the street earlier. I also wanted to know about your connection to Artemis."

Both were silent for a few moments. Cheshire smiled, leaned in, and kissed him. Joshua widened his eyes at this, but he didn't stop her. After a few moments, Cheshire broke the kiss, she got off of Joshua, she walked over to the couch and sat down. Joshua raised an eyebrow as he sat up on his elbows. "Sorry handsome, but I'm not gonna tell you anything. I'd love to continue but right now I think you should leave."

Taking a moment to think, he realizes that continuing this fight would be pointless, Joshua got to his feet and left.

"Hey." He stopped in the doorframe and looked back at Cheshire. "You better not do anything to hurt Artemis or I'll make you regret it." Joshua threatened. "Same to you handsome." Cheshire retorted. Joshua then left, not looking back.

Conner sits in the chair opposite Black Canary, looking at the ground between his boots. His forearms on his thighs and his hands between them.

"Here's the ugly truth. I wasn't devastated. Even with you, Superman, Tornado, the whole League dead. Even though I didn't save Wolf, watched Artemis and Kaldur die, and abandoned M'gann, I felt… at peace." Black Canary is shocked at that admission but doesn't show it, or stop him from continuing.

"See, from the moment I first opened my eyes in that Cadmus pod there's been one thing I've wanted and feared… to know what it is to be Superman; and I knew, and I was happy."

He meets her eyes for a brief moment before dropping them back down. "Everyone I care about was either dead or traumatized, and I was happy."

He raises his hands and looks at them for a moment, then dropping them back down. "How do I get past the guilt of that?" Finally, he raises his gaze and keeps it there. "How can I live with myself after that?"

Canary leans forward, her sympathy showing on her face as she places a hand on his knee. "I don't have any easy answers Conner, but one thing's clear; Admitting it is the first step."

At some point, his eyes had closed, but hearing that causes him to open them and look her in the eyes, this time Without his usual glare.

Later, Joshua entered the room, Canary watched as he sat in the chair. "What's on your mind?" Canary asked as she laced her fingers together. Joshua sighed. "When Icon died with the league, I was upset." He looked down. "I felt sad, but I couldn't show it. I wanted to cry or hit something, but I didn't."

Canary hummed in thought. "Why though?" She asked getting Joshua to look back up at her. "I… I was putting on a brave face. If the others saw me, one of their powerhouse's, the one who's always calm and collected, breakdown like that then they might not have been able to go on as they did." Canary nodded in understanding and leaned slightly forward.

"Joshua, I know it's hard for you to hide your true feelings in difficult situations, but it's just another part of the job. The best thing to do is to wait until the mission is over to let it out, and with your friends here you won't have to be alone. I know you enjoy being a big brother to the others and that just gave you more reason to do so." Joshua nodded his head with his head down.

Later they day, Canary looked over the camera feed and saw the team still moping together in the living area, that changed when Joshua walked in.

Everyone glanced over to him and he pulled out a party size pack of Oreos, but he had to immediately start running for his life as M'gann was trying to take the entire pack the others did their best to save their teammate.

All of them we're laughing, even Joshua, who was currently getting strangled by a near feral M'gann who was also laughing, they had forgottin' all about what happened in the simulation for the moment and were just having fun with each other. Canary smiled seeing this. "I guess they'll be alright for now." She said to herself.

Chapter end. Please review, it really helps.

P.S. This isn't my only fanfiction, the list is on my profile, tell me which one you wanna read in the reviews. Thanks for reading. Look it up, Martian Manhunter is addicted to not just Oreo's but also Anime.

P.S. This isn't my only fanfiction, the list is on my profile, tell me which one you wanna read in the reviews. Thanks for reading. Look it up, Martian Manhunter is addicted to not just Oreo's but also Anime.