Chapter 39

The tension in the Young Justice Hall was palpable. The revelation had hit like a shockwave, leaving Conner, M'gann, and Cassandra reeling. Artemis had never actually died. It had all been a carefully orchestrated plan—one that they were deliberately left out of.

They understood the logic of it. They could even admit that, tactically, it made sense. But knowing that didn't make the betrayal sting any less.

Conner stood rigid, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched so hard it could have cracked stone. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside him.

"You should have told us," he said, his voice low and controlled, but there was no mistaking the anger laced in his tone.

Nightwing opened his mouth to respond, but Conner cut him off, stepping forward.

"I get it. It was the best way to sell the plan. But you let us grieve. You let us believe we lost her. And you didn't trust us enough to be in on it?"

His fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms.

"That's not how a team works, Dick."

Nightwing exhaled heavily, looking genuinely guilty, but Conner wasn't done.

"You told us we were family. But you treated us like liabilities."

He wasn't shouting, but his words hit like hammers. He didn't need to yell. The hurt in his voice was clear enough.

M'gann didn't say anything at first. She just stared—her green skin slightly pale, her golden eyes shimmering with a mix of emotions.

Then she let out a shaky breath.

"Do you have any idea what that did to me?" Her voice was quiet, but it cut deep.

Everyone turned to her. Her expression was unreadable, but inside, she was struggling to hold back the pain.

"I thought I lost her, Dick. I thought my friend was gone forever. I felt that grief in every part of me, and you let it happen."

Her hands trembled slightly before she curled them into fists.

"I could have handled it. We could have handled it. But instead, you let us suffer because you didn't trust us."

She shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"That's not leadership. That's cruelty."

Cassandra – The Quiet but Cutting Words

Cassandra was the calmest of the three, but there was a sharp edge to her presence. She had been standing slightly behind Conner and M'gann, her arms crossed, her posture still, her lips pressed into a thin, firm line.

Then she finally spoke, her voice cool and even.

"You know what hurts the most?"

Nightwing turned to her, his expression pained.

"I expected this from Batman. Not from you."

A sharp silence fell over the room.

Even Conner and M'gann looked surprised by her words, but Cassandra wasn't done.

"You always said we were different from them. That we weren't just soldiers, that we were a family. But when it came down to it, you played us. Just like he would."

Her eyes narrowed, and for the first time, her voice dropped into something colder.

"You lied to me, Dick. And I don't know if I can ever trust you again."

Nightwing had been prepared for anger, for disappointment. He had even braced himself for harsh words.

But this?

This was worse.

Because it wasn't just anger—it was betrayal.

Conner's frustration.

M'gann's deep hurt.

Cassandra's cold loss of faith in him.

He had expected them to understand. And maybe they did.

But that didn't change the damage done.

He opened his mouth, trying to form an apology, an explanation—anything.

But no words would fix this.

And he knew it.

The air was thick with tension. Conner, M'gann, and Cassandra's emotions were laid bare, their disappointment in Nightwing clear. But before Nightwing could even attempt to defend himself, Aqualad stepped forward.

His expression was calm but firm, his voice carrying its usual measured weight.

"If you must blame someone, blame me."

That made everyone pause. Conner's jaw tightened, and M'gann's eyes flickered with confusion.

Aqualad met their gazes steadily.

"It was Artemis and I who convinced Nightwing to go through with this plan."

There was a small intake of breath, and Cassandra's gaze narrowed slightly.

"Wait… what?" M'gann's voice was quiet but sharp.

"It's true," Artemis finally spoke, stepping next to Kaldur. Her arms were crossed, and though she looked tired, her voice held no regret.

"This wasn't just Dick's decision. It was ours."

Conner's fists clenched tighter. He turned his glare from Nightwing to the two standing beside him.

"You mean to tell me… that you two planned this? That you made him lie to us?!"

Aqualad remained steady.

"We did what had to be done."

"No. You did what you thought was best." Conner shot back, his voice sharp.

His eyes burned with frustration. He knew Aqualad wasn't someone who acted recklessly. He knew Artemis had good instincts. But that didn't erase the betrayal.

"You let us mourn her." His voice dropped to something low and dangerous.

"You let us believe we failed her."

"We had to sell the illusion, Conner," Artemis cut in, her voice laced with a mix of conviction and guilt.

"If we let even one of you in on it, it could have ruined everything."

Conner let out a sharp laugh, but it was bitter.

"Oh yeah? And how do you know we wouldn't have helped? That we wouldn't have done our part? What, we weren't good enough? Not smart enough?"

His words were directed at all three of them now, but especially Aqualad.

"I thought we were supposed to trust each other."

"And I thought you would understand." Aqualad said, his voice finally carrying a rare edge.

For the first time, Conner saw something in Kaldur's eyes—something that looked like disappointment.

"We did not do this lightly, Conner. But sometimes, difficult choices must be made for the greater good."

M'gann had been silent, but now she spoke up, her voice strained.

"You keep saying it was the right decision."

She swallowed hard, her breath shaky.

"But do you even care what it did to us?"

Artemis opened her mouth, but M'gann wasn't done.

"I spent weeks grieving you, Artemis. I felt that loss in every part of me. And now you're telling me it was all just part of the mission?"

She looked directly at Artemis now, her golden eyes glistening.

"I get it. I do. But that doesn't make it okay."

Artemis's jaw tightened.

"You think I wanted to put you guys through that? You think it was fun watching you grieve me and not being able to tell you the truth?"

She let out a breath and shook her head.

"I hated it. But I did it because it was the only way to get inside and bring them down."

"So what?" Cassandra finally spoke again, her voice quiet but sharp.

Her gaze flicked to Aqualad, to Artemis, and then finally back to Nightwing.

"That's just how it's gonna be now? Lying to each other 'for the greater good'? Deciding which of us gets to know the truth and which of us gets to suffer?"

Aqualad met her eyes without flinching.

"If necessary."

Cassandra let out a slow breath, her arms still crossed.

"Then you've already lost our trust."

The words hung in the air like a dagger.

Just as the tension in the room reached its peak, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.

Superman entered, his presence commanding yet calm, his cape flowing behind him. His eyes swept across the room, taking in the tense faces, clenched fists, and the unspoken hurt that filled the air.

"Enough."

His voice wasn't raised, but it carried the weight of authority, instantly demanding attention. Everyone turned toward him, some with surprise, others with lingering frustration.

"I understand why you're angry," he began, his tone steady yet empathetic. "But you need to know… the League was aware of this plan too."

That statement made Cassandra's jaw tighten, M'gann's eyes widen slightly, and Conner take an incredulous step forward.

"You knew?!" Conner's voice was filled with betrayal, his fists clenching.

Superman nodded.

"Yes. The League approved Nightwing, Aqualad, and Artemis' plan."

His gaze swept over the team, especially Conner and M'gann.

"And if you want someone to blame, blame us too."

Conner stared at Superman, his expression unreadable at first. Then his lips curled into a humorless smirk, but there was no amusement in his eyes.

"So what, now the League just decides to lie to us too?"

Superman sighed, his expression weary but resolute.

"It wasn't about lying to you, Conner. It was about protecting the mission. About making sure the enemy didn't suspect a thing."

Conner let out a scoff, shaking his head.

"Right. Because we obviously can't be trusted, huh?"

"That's not it." Superman's voice was firm. "This wasn't about trust. It was about security."

"Funny, because it sure feels like you didn't trust us." Conner shot back, crossing his arms.

Superman's gaze hardened slightly.

"You think this was easy for any of us? You think I liked watching you grieve Artemis while knowing the truth?"

Conner's eyes flickered, but he didn't say anything.

Superman sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I get it. You're hurt. You feel betrayed. And you have every right to feel that way."

He looked at M'gann and Cassandra, acknowledging their silent but visible disappointment.

"But the reality is, sometimes we have to make hard decisions. Ones that hurt, ones that feel wrong. But they were made for the right reasons."

"And you expect us to just be okay with that?" Cassandra finally spoke, her tone cold.

Superman exhaled, his shoulders tense.

"No. I don't. But I expect you to understand why we did it."

M'gann had been quiet throughout most of the exchange, but now she took a deep breath, her voice soft but firm.

"Understanding doesn't erase the pain, Superman."

Superman's eyes softened, and he nodded.

"I know."

She wrapped her arms around herself, a small frown on her face.

"I just… I don't know how to feel about this. About any of this."

Superman sighed, his expression pained.

"No one is asking you to be okay with it immediately. But we do need to move forward. Together."

Superman looked at the three of them, his expression calm but serious.

"There's something else you need to know."

Conner, M'gann, and Cassandra stared at him, still simmering with frustration.

"You weren't left out because we didn't trust you." Superman said, his tone level but firm. "You were left out because, frankly… you're bad liars."

That statement hit like a slap.

Conner's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching.

"Are you serious right now?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Superman didn't flinch.

"Yes. Dead serious."

He crossed his arms and continued, his tone unwavering.

"The people who weren't told were those who—frankly—struggle with keeping secrets. The Reach, the Light, all of them have ways of getting information. Telepaths. Spies. Subtle manipulations. We couldn't take that risk."

Conner took a step forward, his jaw clenched.

"So you're saying I would have blown the mission?"

Superman sighed but didn't back down.

"I'm saying you wear your heart on your sleeve, Conner. You're passionate. You care. And that's one of your best qualities. But it's also why they didn't tell you."

Conner's anger faltered for a moment, his fingers twitching. Deep down, he knew… Superman wasn't wrong. He was terrible at hiding emotions. His face gave everything away.

But still…

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

Superman's eyes softened.

"I know."

M'gann, who had been quiet, finally spoke up.

"I'm a telepath." Her voice was cool, calculated. "You think I couldn't have handled myself?"

Superman turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"You're a telepath, yes. But you're also an empath. You react emotionally. If someone suspected you knew something, they could have pulled it out of you without you realizing."

M'gann's lips parted slightly, but she had no immediate response.

Because deep down… she knew he was right.

"You struggled with deception in the past, M'gann. Remember?" Superman said gently. "This mission couldn't afford any mistakes."

Her shoulders stiffened. A part of her wanted to fight back, to deny it.

But the cold, logical part of her mind agreed.

"So, what?" she muttered. "I'm too emotional to be trusted?"

"Not too emotional," Superman corrected. "Too open."

Cassandra remained still, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

Then, finally, she let out a soft, humorless chuckle.

"I suppose I should have expected that."

Superman turned to her, waiting.

"You all know I'm… still learning," she admitted. "That my skills aren't as refined as the others. I see now that I wasn't left out because of malice but because of efficiency."

She tilted her head, her golden locks shifting slightly.

"I understand the logic. But that doesn't mean I'll forget this easily."

Superman nodded, respecting her response.

"That's fair."

The room fell into silence.

They understood. They didn't like it, but they understood.

"This was never personal," Superman reiterated. "It was about protecting the mission. About protecting Artemis. About stopping the Light."

Conner exhaled sharply.

M'gann rubbed her arms, still feeling the sting of being left out.

Cassandra remained cold and quiet.

"…I need time," Conner finally muttered.

"Take all the time you need," Superman said, his voice kind but unwavering. "But don't let this break us."

They didn't answer.

But the weight in the air remained.

The mission had been a success.

But the cost?

Trust wasn't so easily repaired.