Scarlet Justice: Identity - Young Justice Fanfiction

Very Necessary

Dick's Pov

"Why didn't you tell anyone that the situation was this bad?" Tim was leaning on Cassie with his arm draped across her shoulders. "Why weren't we briefed on this?"

"Because I didn't tell the League," I mumbled as I stared into the space she had just been standing in. A part of me wanted to bolt off, but the other part hated that I was still searching for her.

"What?" Conner was almost yelling in my ear. I winced and turned away from him. "Wait, no, explain yourself."

"I don't need to," I responded quietly. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but I wouldn't right now. "We should focus on getting Tim back to the Hall."

"I can wait," Tim interjected, limping over to stop me. He looked concerned, not angry, and actually, quite the opposite of the look Artemis was shooting my way. "Talk to us."

"This is my mission, I have it under control," An argument was starting to form in my head. I needed to keep a cover for Kristen to make sure I could keep intel flowing for the League. If only they knew I was keeping intel from them.

"It sure doesn't sound like control from the looks of it," Jason was helping Artemis secure the unconscious gang members, and he stuffed his hands into his pockets as the two finished. I was actually surprised he hadn't killed anyone, but I didn't snap at him. I also didn't think Artemis needed to know that at this point in time.

I stormed away from the Team, starting to make my way back to the zeta-tube a few blocks away. I brushed off the shouts of my teammates behind me and I definitely ignored Jason's questions. It wasn't worth retelling the story.

"Just go home, Jason, we don't need you in this," I said over my shoulder. For a second, the comments stopped and I thought I had escaped the ridicule but I thought wrong, naturally.

"No, you are not just going to put me off like last time," Jason stepped in front of me, stopping my dramatic exit in its tracks. "This is important to you, I can tell that much, and for right now, we can put aside our differences and work this out."

"Work what out?" I shouted, shoving him away from me. He stumbled back and almost immediately after, Artemis and Conner were right next to him, trying to get in between the two of us. "The crap that we dealt with when you left? When you traveled off with Bruce? The funeral? You were the one that walked away, you were the one that was upset. I made a lot of mistakes Jason, and yes, granted, letting you leave was one of them, but you need to understand that it's been years. Years. A lot has changed."

He was silent. And he better stay that way. But Artemis wasn't standing for it. "I'm going to need you to calm down. Whatever had just happened back there? It wasn't your fault, it wasn't any of our faults. Kristen is being brainwashed, that much is certain now. And I finally understand why the League was hesitant about putting you on the mission."

I raised my eyebrows. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you aren't fit for the job. That you shouldn't be the one working on finding Kristen and feeding the League intel. You're too emotionally attached and I think Diana and Bruce, and the entire League knows that."

I opened my mouth but then shut it again. I looked to Conner but he looked down at his feet. "Look, Dick, you know I want her back just as much as you do, but that thing, that thing you just tried to convince yourself was real? It may look like her, but that is a complete shell of the real Kristen. And you damn well know that. Maybe you don't want to admit it to yourself, but I'm telling you this now because you might just get us all killed."

I flinched. Images of the Bane mission flashed by me. I was certainly speechless, and Artemis could tell what she said went over the line. She reached out to maybe take back what she had said, but I shook my head violently.