Young Justice-The New Teammate

Chapter 44

Ilana squirmed in her bed as she heard Ian's and Dick's hushed voices, feeling their heartbeats rise and fall. She could feel Clark shift uncomfortably in the next room, obviously having heard Ian's comment about not being able to touch her. Dang it all. He was saying far too much. None of the League members involved needed to know what had happened. None of it had been their fault in the first place. Yet she could still understand her brother's slight animosity towards them, though she wished that she could ease his pain. She felt it too. Every time she thought back on that incident she would sometimes flinch away from Batman or Superman, both noticing yet being kind enough not to ask. She didn't dare tell them the truth, for it would hurt them and tear them up from the inside. It would break their naturally good hearts and she did not wish to burden them with something that had been out of their control. After Ian had passed his foolish comment and turned over, Ilana sent an invisible bolt of magic to him, signalling him to kindly shut up. He pretended to go to sleep, fatigue eventually lulling him into the dream he didn't want to enter. She too fought to stay awake, images of the death of her sister playing over in her mind whenever she closed her eyes after her encounter with that hated madman. Instead, she focused on Dick's heartbeat. It was slow, and steady, and strong. His breathing was even, his muscles tense and alert as he processed all that had happened. She could not deny her attraction toward him, something feeling as if it was pulling her to him. She knew he felt it too, his feelings obvious at his outrage towards Ian's flat-out refusal of him. She yearned for her sight, her mind once again trying to construct an image of him only to produce what she could only describe as a child's drawing instead. She frowned, shaking her head furiously in an attempt to get rid of the ridiculous image. She hated what she could tell she might feel for him, not allowing herself to even try and admit what her racing heart might mean whenever he cracked one of his jokes and she heard that laugh in his voice. She couldn't think of that. After all, she was meant to be betrothed to someone else, on a far away planet where she would give birth to the future queen. Not a very romantic and bright future, but it was still hers. It held none of the excitement and mystery like her relationship with Dick did where she was always left wondering if his actions to her was something done out of duty or more. Even if she wanted to let it play out, she would be leaving soon. By the time her and her brother's birthday came they would be gone within the week, setting off at lightning speed in order to marry her off to some powerful magical wielding stranger. She wanted to be able to stay here, with the team and get to properly know them. To interact with them and joke with them. And be a part of the team. Where she would be able to voice her thoughts without having second glances thrown at her, where she could remove her hood and walk about freely. But that was just a dream. She could not ignore all of the hurt this planet had caused her, directly or otherwise, the pain still fresh in her heart even after years had passed. Also, she knew her people would not stand idly by as their queen chose another planet, and she dreaded to see the consequences of her selfish actions. To her people and her planet, Earth and those who lived on it were nothing but a plague sent to destroy the universe. One more slip up on Earth's part, whether they wanted it or not, her planet would most surely wage a great war against them. Against the Earthlings that had taken so much from them. Images of the League fighting her people flashed in her mind, panic and fear gripping her. Shaking the thoughts she once again focused on Dick's heartbeat, seeing that his tensed muscles had relaxed into slumber. She listened to his heart, the beat a lullaby that set her off to a night filled of terror and death.

*so added in some romance, hope you guys don't mind. I think I'm probably gonna post that other story when I get the chance to put it from paper to keyboard so I will keep you guys appraised of it's progress as I continue to write this story. I hope you are all enjoying it. The story's climax should come soon, so please be patient with me until the end :) *