Off the Deep End

The Fix

And then she was unconscious.

"Neptune's beard let go of me!"

Barbara and Conner fought to keep L'Gann on the bed, his struggling was incessant.

"I've gotta save M'Gann!"

"L'Gann calm down, there's nothing you can do for her in your condition," Barbara ordered.

"then what about him! why isn't he rescuing her?" L'Gann scowled at Conner, "I know you dumed her, but do you really hate her that much?!"

"you have no idea what I feel for her!" Conner shot back. Barbara knew usually he could take the comment, but his nerves were frayed and his control on his anger was coming apart with it.

"you're right," L'Gann scowled, and Barbara tightened her grip on his shoulder, "because I would never abandon her to Kaldur and his flunkies, cause that's who took her!" he hissed, "Aqua-traitor and his ninja-cow Tigress!"

"enough!" Barbara cut in, and once the two boys saw he face they figured it was time to shut up and listen. She sighed, "I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but Aqualad is not a traitor."

"what are you talking about? He killed Artemis!"

"no, he didn't," Barbara said, bracing herself for this conversation. Conner had crossed his arms and was staring at her with fury, "Aqualad has been on a deep cover mission for months," she said, sitting down on the chair next to the head of the bed, "infiltrating Black Manta's troops, The Light and The Reach. We faked Artemis' death." Rubbed at her eyes, "she's alive. In fact, Artemis is Tigress. If she kidnapped Miss Martian there has to be a good reason."

"why am I only hearing this now?" L'Gann said, eyes narrowing, "I mourned Artemis." His hands turned to fist, "Neptune's beard, I tried to tear Kaldur limb form limb, you should have told me."

Barbara opened her mouth to explain, Conner stepped in.

"no." he looked between the occupants of the room, "Batgirl's our leader, we put our trust in her, I'm sure she didn't keep this form us, from all of us, without having reasons."

"look," she stood, "we will figure this out, together." She placed an hand on L'Gaan's shoulder, "in the meantime, get some rest."

She and Conner left the room silently.

"thanks for backing me up in there," she sighed.

"you don't eave a guy a lot of options." Conner turned on her, "you've no idea what your secrets have done to us."

"what does-"

"M'Gann believed Kaldur had killed Artemis," Conner spoke through gritted teeth, "so when she found him on the Reach ship, she fried his brain."

Barbara couldn't get the questions out, Conner kept talking.

"that's gotta be why Artemis grabbed her, to try and save Kaldur's broken mind, but M'Gann doesn't know how to do that, so Manta may just kill her and kill Tigress if she tries to save her and then we've lost all three of them because you though it was a bad idea to share."

He turned to walk away, Barbara stared at his back in shock.

"how long has M'Gann been destroying minds?" she asked.

Conner froze.

"how long have you known?"

Conner turned again, "don't make this about that."