(no subject)

[not_the_s]

Five minutes. That’s what he’d told Robin. He’d be five minutes there and back. He just needed to talk to this other Kon-el. Superman. Needed to talk to him about Lex Luthor and the part of Kon’s DNA that didn’t belong to Clark. Robin didn’t really understand, but it was something Kon had to do. Maybe he could come to terms with it if he had a talk with his other self. While he was stuck there. Hopefully not for much longer.

He wanted to go home. He’d been stuck in the future for months and, okay, maybe he’d actually gotten to like it there, but he’d chosen between the Titans and the Legion. It wasn’t really a choice, in the end. He belonged with the Titans. Id, Ego, and Superego. Bart, himself, and Tim. And Cassie, of course. Couldn’t forget Cassie. And Gar and Vic. And even Kory when she wasn’t trying to kill him because of Krypto eating her garden.

But he’d made the choice and now to be stuck ten years ahead of where he was supposed to be with people who said they were…them. Even Robin seemed to believe it, and it was pretty hard to pull anything past him.

He floated down the stairs, lost in thought, but stopped when he saw a picture on the wall. “Speedy?” There was an unfamiliar face and uniform. “That’s not Cissie. Who—?”

He went dead quiet at the sound of a voice. His voice, but not. Superman. The Kon-el from this time. It was coming from down the hall, but they weren’t making much of an effort to be quiet. And besides. Superhearing, anyone?

“We shouldn’t let them stay here.” He didn’t – Superman didn’t – want them there? Kon kept quiet and floated down the hall, keeping his ears open.

“Where else would we put them, Conner? The Phantom Zone? You know what happened when we imprisoned Brother Blood and Brainiac.” And that was Cassie. Kon didn’t like the sound of that. Why hadn’t they been turned over to the police? And what had happened to them that had put that note of concern in Cassie’s voice?

“I’m just saying, Cassie, I know what I was like. Each one of us knows what we were like.”

Yeah, so what were we like? Kon wanted to say. He continued moving closer, the voices getting a little softer as he got close enough to hear them without the superhearing.

“We were kids, Conner.”

And there was the door. Kon got as close as he dared and peered around the corner. There was Batman and Wonder Woman and Superman. The adult Gar and that fish-lady were there, too.

“Today we’re better,” Batman said. And didn’t that just sound creepy. Not older, not more experienced, but better. “We’ll handle this my way. It won’t hurt them, but it will get the job done.” Okay, it was official. He didn’t like this guy, even if it was Tim. Tim might have had his Batman’s protégé moments, but he never sounded quite so doom and gloom.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” the fish-girl said.

“Believe it, Lorena,” Batman returned. Lorena. Pretty name.

“Rrff…and what about him?” Obviously they were talking about someone. Maybe someone in the room, and Kon just had to see who it was. He sidled even closer, not even daring to breath in case Superman decided to pay attention to something outside the room.

“He’ll talk, Gar.” Even the original Batman never quite had that cold sound to his voice. Disinterested, maybe, but never cold. “He’ll tell us what Victor and the others are up to…or Superman will burn his other arm off.”

Finally, he could see who it was. Deathstroke. They were holding Deathstroke prisoner and he only had one arm. Carefully, still not breathing, he moved away from the door, flying so he wouldn’t be heard. And then, going down one particular corner, he dropped to the ground. He wasn’t sure whether it was the nerves or something more sinister, but he didn’t question it. Instead, he took off, running through the hallways, struggling to remember where they’d been. It was only when he was down one hallway that he realized that he’d been heading to his old quarters and these…these…bad guys had set them up in another section of the tower. Turning back, he retraced his steps, frowning to himself as he got lost.

Granted, it had been a while since he’d been to the Tower, but his memory couldn’t be that fuzzy, could it?

“Robin?” he called softly, flinching at the sound of his voice in the quiet hall. They could hear him, he knew they could. “Robin!” Nothing. “Tim! C’mon!” What did he care about secret identities in a place that was full of people who’d known him for years? Just as long as it got him his best friend, he’d be happy with that.

Comments

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

With the cold weather, laundry had seemed to multiply in bulk. Bart had taken the rather solitary job today because he needed time to think. He was folding everything back into wicker baskets, dressed in a set of gold sweats with red stipes along the arms and legs. Dick had helped select the last batch of clothing, and had color-coded a lot of it. It wasn't that he minded the colors, most of the time. Today, he might as well be wearing black.

But a voice out in the hall caught his attention. A very familiar voice, calling out a pair of very familiar names. Not remembering making the decision to stand, he rushed to the door, staring for a long moment.

"Kon...?"

[not_the_s]

Kon blinked and stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice. He knew that voice, but didn't. It sounded older and right now, older was bad. Older was very bad. His heart jumped into his throat. Another one of his best friends. First Tim being Batman and now Bart was, what? The Flash? "Stay away from me, Bart. I'm going to find Robin and you can't stop me."

He backed up a few steps.

If Bart knew, then the rest of them knew.

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

Bart hesitated, surprised by the venom in the words. It hurt, especially coming from that face, from his best friend. "What? Why would I stop you?" he blurted, taking a step closer, still disbelieving.

"You're here. You're really here..."

[not_the_s]

Kon kept moving until his back hit the wall. His hands curled into fists and he looked to either side, looking for a way out. He was stronger than Bart, sure. But Bart was faster. If the others didn't know already, they would within seconds if Bart ran off.

"Because I know too much. I'm warning you. Stay away."

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

Bart raked a hand through hair he probably should cut but hadn't bothered yet, caught between relief that his best friend was here, alive, and the fear that was very clear on Kon's face. He held his hands up, palms out, trying to look as non-threatening as he could.

"I...I think we had better talk, Kon. Because I'm really not sure what you're talking about. Things aren't what they seem," he said, slowly, evenly. "I know I'm different than you remember me, but I'm not your enemy. I swear I'm not."

[not_the_s]

"Different than I remember." Kon snorted. "Remember five minutes ago? Or did I forget that I saw you with the rest of the crowd earlier?" He was making the universal sign of surrender, but he wasn't moving back either. Kon had to do something now, before it was too late.

He bit back the 'I warned you' and instead just threw the punch, smacking Bart in the jaw. He was running before the fact that his fist hurt sunk in.

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

Bart was caught completely off-guard by the punch, slamming solidly into one side of his face. He felt his teeth cut into his cheek, tasted blood, and was too shocked to react. Kon had hit him. Kon had hit him. Kon had hit him.

But he couldn't leave his friend like this. "Conner, wait!" he said, shaking his head a little to clear it before starting after him. He'd get hurt, or hurt someone if Kon continued like that.

[not_the_s]

The sting of his hand should have been the first clue. The fact that Bart hadn't already caught up to him should have been his second. But Kon wasn't thinking so much as acting on instinct and that instinct demanded that he find Robin and figure out how to get out of here.

Of course, in a maze full of corridors that seemed to be bringing him around in circles and that didn't look like anything he remember from the Tower, that was easier said then done. Of course, it didn't help that it wasn't so much corridors as rooms and rooms that seemed to be full of machinery and junk.

He got to the end of the room and threw the door open. Caves. Since when did the Tower have caves? He hesitated less than a moment before running off into them.

[goldeneyedflash.livejournal.com]

It didn't take all that long to catch up with Kon, but he needed to end this before they both got hurt. Which meant using the training he'd spent every day for over a year working on. He had to get Kon to listen to him, and he really only had one chance for that.

Moving like slow lightning, Bart struck, taking Kon down, careful not to let him slam into the the stone floor, pinning him there with a knee in the small of his back, holding his hands by the wrist. Kon would only have had to use his strength to get free back home, but here, it would be just enough.

"Dammit, Kon. I don't want to hurt you. But running won't get either of us anywhere, and I'm not going to explain to Robin or Wonder Girl that you got lost in the caves. There's people living here," Bart gritted out, wanting this to play out any other way but this. "I'm not whatever it is you think. Grife, I'm not even a speedster anymore."

[thethirdwonder.livejournal.com]

Ever since yesterday, Cassie had been quiet and keeping to herself. She was still having trouble figuring out exactly what she should be feeling about the statue of Kon and she didn't want the boys to worry.

Of course, the moment Bart had come into her room and said Kon was here, she let out a loud girly squeal that she would normally be embarrassed over, threw on her winter clothes that included a leather jacket,red scarf and blue ear muffs and went running as fast as she could for the compound.

[needsarobin.livejournal.com]

With everything sorted for Kon, Tim figured that Bart probably had had enough time to get back to the treehouse and alert Cassie. Tim directed Kon toward the entrance, giving him the rest of the rundown on the island. "...but the dinosaurs are all wearing collars and they'll die if they cross the fence." Outside, the snow was crisp and powdered.

[not_the_s]

"Which means I guess I can't have a dinosaur as a--" Kon began, stopping in his tracks when he saw a flash of blonde hair. The flash became more than just that and he was running to her, catching her around her waist and twirling her around. She was heavier than he was used to, without his powers, but still light enough to do that much.

"Hey, Wondy," he whispered into her ear.

With all that had happened, he'd never really gotten a chance to say how much he'd missed her.

[thethirdwonder.livejournal.com]

Cassie hadn't even thought about, just running until she'd practically jumped into his arms, her own wrapped tightly around his neck.

He was here, solid and breathing. She'd never felt happier in her life.

"Took you long enough." She said fondly, hiding a sniffle in his hair.

[needsarobin.livejournal.com]

The blonde blur that zipped right up to them and tackled Kon wasn't even a surprise, except that Tim hadn't though she would be there this quickly. Standing back from them, Tim let himself smile. They were good. No fighting, no punching, no accusations of evil. She was young but they'd be okay.

Tim felt like a fist unclenched from around his heart. "I'll let you two...oh you're not listening anyway." He waved at their back and went back to work.

[not_the_s]

"Are too," Kon muttered, but as the words were spoken into Cassie's hair, he was pretty sure that Tim hadn't heard him. She was younger, they'd said, so she wouldn't remember that he'd asked her on a date. Wouldn't even remember their kiss on the top of the Tower.

But that didn't really matter at the moment. He had Cassie in his arms, so everything was right with the world.

[thethirdwonder.livejournal.com]

Cassie heard him too, but as much as she loved Tim, she didn't care what he said at that moment. Kon was here. He wasn't dead and she wasn't cheated out of that last year they would have had.

The last kiss she remembered was when they had been hunting Secret. Hunting down an out of control teammate who had a connection to death, it had been the perfect thing to do to to remember what it was like to live. And she hoped to repeat it often on the island.

[not_the_s]

"I'm glad you're here, Cassie," Kon said, pulling away enough to get a good look at her. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Grife, was he glad that she was here. "I think I may have done a very stupid thing. It was Bart. I don't know if it's bruising, yet, but I kind of punched him."

[cantstopmoving.livejournal.com]

Lifting his hands to his mouth, Dick blows out a breath to warm them and plows through the snow back to the treehouse from training.

Karo's training's coming along. Monet's too. Roy's better than he's ever been. Maybe better than he is at home. The regular hand-to-hand sparring and moving target practice have sharpened him, honed his skills.

His team's doing well, but he needs to book more time with Tim or find someone else who's as good as he is. He hasn't lost strength, but he's losing his edge. If it wouldn't mean they were stuck here, he'd beg borrow and steal for Connor or Bruce to train with. Maybe he'll try out that Teal'c Morgan's mentioned...

His gaze focuses on dark hair, shoulders not broad enough for Clark's, a face burned into memory, coming from the direction of home. His hands drop nervelessly to his sides.

"Conner?" he calls quietly, voice hushed in the snow, but he's already bounding through it, trusting his instincts even without confirmation. "Kon?"

[not_the_s]

Kon turned at the sounds of his name and a grin stole over his face. "Well, if it isn't Dick Grayson." Another familiar face was a welcome sight. Especially when it really was familiar and not like Bart, too old and too like their future selves.

"Conner Kent, at your service. I just showed up, so to speak. Tim gave me the dime tour of that Compound place and Cassie walked me to the treehouse."

He still wasn't sure what to think about all of this, so he didn't. He'd go with the flow until he was forced to dwell on just what was going on. And as far as he could see so far, he wouldn't have to dwell on any of it. Life just happened. Even Tim had settled, working in the medical clinic.

"And now I'm looking for something warmer than a sweatshirt, so I'm heading back."

[cantstopmoving.livejournal.com]

Kon. God. His eyes sting, even while his mouth's curving so hard his cold-nipped cheeks hurt.

Tim. Cassie. Compound. Treehouse. He hears. But Kon's voice is mostly drowned out by the echoes of memory. Isn't it cool? Yeah, Kon, but not as cool as him being here. Alive.

Dick sets a hand on his shoulder, resisting the urge to hug the kid. He might not know. They might not have told him. But Dick can't help saying, quiet and intense, blue eyes bright and smile brighter, "Damn, it's good to see you, Kon."

[not_the_s]

Kon's eyebrows rose at that. Dick was saying how good it was to see him? Tim, okay. Bart, fine. Cassie was expected. But Dick? And then it hit him. The statue and what Tim had said. Dick was there.

"I promise I'm alive and planning on making Tim's life as miserable as I always do, Dick. He kind of told me. About everything. Clark and Luthor being here. Me and that statue. The fact that, despite appearances, Bart isn't evil." He was still a little wary about that last one. He trusted Tim, he did, but you couldn't really get over seeing the result of your own handiwork.

[cantstopmoving.livejournal.com]

Dick probably should've warned before he yanked him in, but he can't help it. It's just really damned good to see him. So no warning, and all of his strength pulling Kon into a huge bear hug.

"Damn. I know I said that before but... last time I saw you. You..." Dick pulls back to look at him, eyes bright and shining. "Thanks. Even if you haven't done it yet in your timeline, just... thanks. You did good."

He's glad, finally, to get the chance to say that.

[not_the_s]

Oh. Crap.

Kon couldn't help a reflexive look back the way he came and he almost didn't want to look back at Dick. He already knew what he'd see. A man who was seeing someone that he thought was dead. More than that, someone he knew was dead. After a brief hesitation, he did look at Dick and even managed a smile.

"C'mon, Dick. Don't look like you've seen a ghost. It's only going to freak me out and we don't want that, right? Although I have to ask Tim whether they built that statue the size they thought my ego was."

[cantstopmoving.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Dick says quietly, affection flooding his voice. He remembers this. How awkward it is for the one who was gone. Donna. Hal. Ollie. "It's not ghosts. Just gratitude."

He pulls Kon in again and hugs him, but this time it's for Kon, whether he knows it or not. "We got tight, fast, at the end. I'm glad we'll get a chance to get to know each other for real this time. That's all."

[not_the_s]

"Oof." Kon wasn't really sure what to think about all this hugging. Then again, it was Dick and Kon had heard the rumors...

"How much of 'the end' are we talking, here? I don't even know what happened. Tim didn't really want to talk about it and Bart..." Maybe it was best that Dick didn't know that Bart had a Kon's fist-sized bruise on his jaw even if he was likely to see it the next time he saw Bart.

"I think if he could have gotten away with not telling me, he would have."