[TO BE REWRITTEN] LEGENDS NEVER DIE {Trollhunters/Young Justice}

73 BARBARA 73

THE LAKES WEREN'T sure how to feel, that much was clear. Jim was pacing the living room and Barbara was in the basement in a painting frenzy, her nerves completely fried.

She didn't realize until she was done what she had painted. Her, holding two sets of hands, both five year old boys, who looked so similar they had to be twins-- black, mostly tamed hair, big blue eyes and huge smiles stretched across their faces as they grinned at each other, pulling her along.

Her breath stuck in her throat, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, only for her to be snapped out of it by the sound of one of Claire's portals opening. Her head snapped to look towards the noise, which came from the living room. Hastily, she chucked a sheet over it, darting up the stairs and tossing the door open, practically scooping Connor up in a hug. "Oh! You're alright! Thank God!" She cried out.

Connor seemed taken aback, the others only being mildly surprised after having been there to hear the Lakes talk about Connor, or in Megan's case, simply knowing Connor well enough to know what he was making, even if he himself didn't.

"I-I'm fine, Dr. La--"

"Stop. None of that formal stuff. Once this talk is done there's going to be another, much longer and serious talk, is that clear?!"

Connor just blinked in surprise, nodding.

(Though no one noticed, Claire, Eli and Megan were all smirking at each other with a knowing look) Steve nudged Eli curiously. 'Later,' He mouthed. Steve nodded and straightened again.

Jim then spoke up, sounding a little nervous. "Alright, so-- um... well... Trolls exist. I'm their protector." He says bluntly. "Just like humans, Trolls can be good or bad. Though, most just want to be left alone. Those are the good ones. They're like Maul-- they eat recycling, dirty socks, cats, the occasional taco--" That one caught Megan off guard. "--but the bad trolls... the GummGumms... they've got a thing for human-- but that's why I'm here. I'm a peacekeeper, warrior, leader-- y'know, everything a teenager shouldn't be-- the usual." Jim remarks sarcastically, something Claire knocks him upside the head for. Jim lets out a small 'ow' before hopping right back in. "Their leader and most of their armies are locked in a hellish landscape only known as the Darklands, though that doesn't mean GummGumms can't get out. There's an entire sub-breed of Trolls: Changelings." Jim groans. "You're most likely going to hear them called 'impures' by Trolls. Most Changelings are only out to help themselves, but there are exceptions..." He grimaced. "...Like... Mr. Strickler..."

Connor exploded. "What?!"

Jim (surprisingly) jumped to his defense. "Connor, mom was the one who suggested the binding spell and Strickler only agreed because it justified anything I did that might seem suspicious otherwise. Trust me, I hate it, too-- the first time this happened, it was a move against me, so trust me, I get how infuriating it is, but by doing this no one can make a play on us unless we want them to, protecting the Trolls. You, we would've trusted with this a long time ago if it weren't for Megan, but she's more of a 'side-of-life-in-general' person and now that she knows, it opens doors." Jim explains calmly. "Now we have people on the inside who know. We're not asking you to lie," Jim amends quickly. "just for you to help. Please."

Megan and Connor exchanged glances, Megan more uncomfortable than Connor, but both determined. "We'll do it."