Canary Cry

Chapter 9: Infiltrator

Mount Justice

August 8, 09:58 EDT

"Any word on Goldfinch yet Kaldur?" M'gann asked as the team minus Wally made their way down to the beach. The young Martian girl having been checking in daily since they had all figured out that she was in trouble.

"Good question, I've been keeping my feelers out and I haven't gotten any kind of sign that they found her." Robin piped in, his worry clear. Superboy didn't have much to say on the matter and the leader sighed. As today was supposed to be fun, a distraction. But he couldn't blame them for worrying about a teammate. It just meant that they cared.

"No, I have not been informed but I'm sure we would have been told if something bad happened to her. I'm sure she is fine." The older Atlantean shut down the somber discussion topic, only getting slightly worried glances from the two younger teenagers.

~~*~~

The only reason Kate was even allowed out of the house at this point was because she was being chaperoned by Ollie and Batman and Red Tornado. The arrow carrying man and Dinah keeping a close eye on her ever since the stunt she pulled, having only really been back for about a day when Oliver wanted to introduce the team to Artemis. And he wanted Kate there to soften the blow as he was informed from Red Tornado that the team had been asking about the girl.

All day yesterday was filled with a lecture from Dinah and Kate promising to never run away again and apologizing. There may have been a couple of tears, but Kate won't ever talk about that. Dinah has essentially grounded her and given her just a bit stricter house rules about curfew (when not on a mission) and texting her to keep her updated and what not. All incredibly reasonable considering what she did.

Things were by no means back to normal, but they were on their way.

Which is how Oliver managed to pry Kate away from Dinah's hands and whisk her away to Mount Justice. As well as promising that other responsible adults would be there. She could hear the footsteps of the others coming from the hallway and Kate couldn't help but be tense.

Kate wasn't the most honest person; she lied a lot. To the people around her, to herself mostly, but still. She thought it would be fine but as soon as she saw Robin and M'gann light up at her appearance, the two of them rushing over with Superboy and Kaldur walking at a normal pace behind them, she knew she was in trouble.

"Kate!" M'gann went to give her a hug but pulled back at the last second, an embarrassed smile on her face, Robin bouncing on the balls of his feet as he grinned. Talking a mile a minute in more of a Wally fashion than a Robin one.

"Hey guys." Kate waved and Robin scoffed.

"Hey guys? That's all we get? Where were you? Tornado didn't budge and no one was telling us anything except any info on your whereabouts were on a need-to-know basis-"

"What he means to say is, it's good to see you. And welcome back." Kaldur interrupted Robin with a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Kate smiled gratefully up at the older boy.

"It's good to be back. Sorry I worried you guys, last-minute top-secret mission with BC." Kate shrugged and felt her stomach pull in guilt. All her teammates just accepted it like Ollie said they would. Believing her even when she was lying straight to their faces, because they trusted her. Even though she has done nothing to deserve it. She had never felt more like a fraud in her suit than now in this moment.