Peace of the Jedi [Sequel to Sword of the Lanterns]

Chapter Twenty-Five-War

"How'd you find me?" She asked, leaning against Wally every so often as they walked.

"Carol said she mentioned that she and Hal really like that spot to you. When we couldn't find you anywhere else, figured it couldn't hurt to check it out. " Wally said.

"Ugh," Jaina's headache returned, and with it, the memory of why she chose that, of all places, to sulk in.

"You lied to us." She groaned, pointing at Wally. Well, one of the three Wallys she was currently seeing. 

Connor placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Wally, I know you already told me why, but Jaina needs to know."

Wally sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess 'Wing's not having a picnic explaining this to the freshman, either..."

"If I bought us lunch, would that make you more eager to tell us the whole thing? I'm starving." Jaina said, holding her hand.

Wally grinned sheepishly. "Well, it's almost dinnertime, but something to eat certainly wouldn't hurt."

After each getting their own personalized sandwiches at Subway, and after Connor forced Jaina to drink a bottle of water, they sat on a bench overlooking Coast City's beach. It was too cold for swimming, but a few people jogged this way and that. It was as much privacy as they were gonna get.

"Kaldur apparently came up with the whole thing." Wally started. "He told Rick about it, of course, early last year, so someone would know."

"Last year?" Connor sat upright. "You mean-"

"Yeah, after Tula died." Wally nodded sadly. "After the whole mess with finding out that Aquaman and his parents lied to him about Manta being his dad, after the whole crazy thing with Tiamat rising, and Tula letting herself die to stop him."

"Okay, I hardly have any idea what you guys are talking about- another explanation I believe I am owed at a later point- but for now I think I get enough to continue." Jaina glanced at Wally emphatically.

"Er- right." Wally licked some mustard and bacon grease off of his fingers.

He told them everything. Kaldur's stupid undercover plan. Nightwing's idea to give Kaldur some backup, with their only friend who actually knew what the supervillain underground was like. Faking Artemis's death.

"And M'gann probably fried his brain when she ran into him on the Reach ship," Connor growled. With a shout, he rammed his fist into the side of the trash bin next to the bench, but the most he disturbed were a couple seagulls.

"Uh, Supey?" Wally asked as Connor held his head in his hands.

Jaina studied her typically stoic friend warily. 

"It wouldn't have been the first time M'gann, uh, fried someone's brain, would it?" She asked quietly.

Connor sighed, lifting his face from his hands. He wouldn't look at Jaina or Wally. 

"She's never felt like she fit in. Her powers always made her so different from everyone, no matter what she looked like." He said quietly, staring out at the crashing waves as a salty sea breeze washed over the three of them.

"The first time it happened, it was an accident. We were interrogating a Bialyan general, and found out just what Queen Bee had done to Gar's mom. She loved Marie so much, and Gar's face for those first few days when he first moved in..." Connor trailed off, running his hand over his face. "She was so upset with herself that I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone, no matter what happened. I...I never expected that she'd make a habit of it. I don't think she did, either. It was just an easier way to get information, and easier to rationalize over time." He sighed.