Mimic

Uneasy Explanations

What's up gang (if you still exist). I'm going to try and finish this story since it's close to the end anyway and I still love Young Justice (season three !!!). Anyway, I'm going back and editing out some clutter, so if Tula and Garth mysteriously disappear (wink wink), that's why. 

We almost immediately told Bruce and Alfred. They both stayed scarily quiet throughout the whole story, Bruce having a stony expression and Alfred remaining unreadable. At some point, Dick took my hand and held on even as I finished. The silence that overcame the four of us was terrifying. Bruce turned his steely gaze from me to Dick.

"So what I'm hearing is that I was right all along about Julia being a double agent?" Bruce said. I blinked a few times to try and process if what I heard was correct. Did I truly just detect... joking in the voice of the man who I just confessed disloyalty to?

Apparently so.

Dick cracked a smile and said, "Don't flatter yourself B. We all knew she was up to something."

"Yet you invited her into our home," Alfred said, sending me a mischievous look.

I was still in shock. They were laughing? Smiling? 

"You're not..." I struggled to find the words.

"Julia," Bruce said with a surprising amount of tenderness, "I know I haven't been the most inviting person to you. But if I had known what you've been through... I am going to help you. We all are."

I wanted to thank him but I knew if I opened my mouth I would start to cry. So instead, I bit my cheek and let my family hug me. 

***

The Team didn't take it so well, but that was to be expected. I had manipulated them for months with the intent of killing them, that isn't something that's easy to stomach. There were even parts of my story that I couldn't manage to get out; Dick had to take over for me. I couldn't bring myself to look anyone in the eye. 

"I understand that you were not fully in control of your actions," Kaldur said, his words measured. I could tell that he was hurt but trying to appear stoic for the Team. "I'm sure that we are all hurt to varying degrees, but we must keep that in mind."

"You," Conner started, his voice quivering with anger, "came into our home. You trained with us, laughed with us, were one of us. You," he stuttered with rage, "you hurt M'gann!"

"Conner, please," M'gann said in a small voice.

"No, let him," I said. "I deserve it."

Conner took my invitation gladly. "You're a coward whose only interest this entire time has been yourself. You could've told us all these months ago but you didn't because you were so willing to try and kill us to save yourself up until the moment actually came."

He opened his mouth to say more but instead decided on storming out of the room. 

"I can't express how sorry I am," I said to everyone while staring at their shoes, "And I don't expect you to forgive me, because I wouldn't."

"Was anything real?" Artemis asked bitterly. "Was it all an act?"

"Most of it was real," I quickly said. "You guys really are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm just sorry that I've dragged all of you down and put you and your loved ones in danger."

"You haven't dragged us down," Wally said, abruptly standing up and surveying his teammates. "Honestly? I'd do this all again in a heartbeat. At the end of the day, you are my friend, and you did the right thing in the end."

"Julia," M'gann began softly, "We've all done bad things. And Wally's right, you're doing the right thing now, and that's what matters."

I was speechless. I knew full well that them saying this didn't mean all was forgiven, but this was a really big step that I was never expecting. 

"Yeah, well, you're still on my watch list," Artemis said coldly. "If you so much as breathe the wrong way, I'm taking you out."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," I said grimly.

At my side, I knew Dick was itching to defend me. Knowing he'd want to, I told him in advance that he had to let me find my own battles. And I didn't tell him this part, but I also didn't want him to be dragged down alongside me.

"Unless you guys have anything more to say, I think it's time for me to leave," I announced. "I'd... like to make this up to you somehow, but I don't feel like that's ever going to be possible."

I looked at Dick, who nodded his goodbye to everyone and then ushered me away. After we zeta'd away, we stood outside the Gotham phone booth for a while in silence. I had no idea what to say. It wasn't like everyone declared their undying hatred for me, but I'd never felt worse in my life. I almost wish that they had done that. I almost wish that they had killed me where I stood. But I knew that they would have never done that because they're good people. The only thing worse than betraying someone is knowing that you betrayed people who have done nothing wrong. There's no crime lower than that of hurting innocents.

Suddenly, Dick pulled me into a tight hug. We were about the same height, so my head was balanced comfortably on his shoulder and up against his own head. Alone, in an alleyway that was dimly lit by the setting Gotham sun, I let out all the tears that I had been holding in. Tears for my friends, and tears for me. And for the first time in a while, I felt some semblance of contentment.