Young Justice: Red Beetle

Chapter 51 - Orphan

—Remy

There wasn't going to be a body left, that's all I knew. I wouldn't even be able to look at her one last time. That made my already broken heart hurt. Cassie is gone.

We're in the destroy Justice Building now. Looking at the destroyed scenery. Jaime holds me in his lap while sitting on the ground. I'm just curled up, leaning my head against his chest and hearing his heart. After being torn away from him so long, this is the most comforting thing.

Bart is trying to hide his tears as he tries to get the Zeta Tubes going again. Barbara is still holding Tim's body, but Jaime angled his body so that I can't see him. Mev sits in front of us, talking to Barbara and Jaime.

Jaime's being strong for me right now. I'm grateful, because I'm slowly losing it. I don't cry now, but I'm numb and don't move. I only listen.

Jaime tells me everything about Wanda and Mev. It shocks me, knowing that Wanda didn't attack me just because she was with the Reach. I feel a glimmer of hope in my chest that maybe Wanda isn't so bad after all.

But her face when she attacked me still burns at the back of my mind. Hatred flares up in me at the thought of her.

I glance up at Mev, wondering how such a sweet and kind person like him could love a mean and cold person like Wanda. He's been wonderful so far, and as of now I consider him a friend.

Now that I know Wanda's side of the story, Mev quickly tells his. He tells us with much hatred on his face of how the Reach forced him into the time machine and back into this present time. They knew he was dangerous, powerful, so they had him sedated the moment they had him. He was unconscious for months, up until now. He's worried about Wanda, and what the Justice League and the Team will do to her.

"You have to understand, she didn't want to do this." He pleads, his chocolate brown eyes sincere. "She did it because they were going to kill me. I'm only alive because she did what she did."

It's silent for a moment. I can feel Jaime's tense muscles. He's thinking the same thing I'm thinking. Wanda was the one who got me on mode. She betrayed me.

"Remy," Mev asks softly. I look up at him. "I'm sorry for what Wanda did, but she had to. Please, don't hate her."

Deep down, I don't want to hate her. But I do, because she put me through my own personal nightmare. We became friends, and then she still did this to me. I don't know how to feel about her.

"I'll... I'll try, Mev, but no promises." I tell him softly.

"Remy," Jaime says softly, lowering his head next to my ear. His breath moves my hair. "You don't have to. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"I know." I say, nestling against him more. He kisses the top of my head, and I know he's scowling at the thought of Wanda. His arms tighten around me slightly in protection.

I notice Barbara, she's silent. Holding Tim in her arms like a child. She doesn't cry, but there's a certain brokenness that you can see in her eyes.

"I got it!" Bart yells. We all turn and look at the lone Zeta Tube barely flickering on. Jaime stands up with me in his arms, carrying me bridal style. Barbara does the same with Tim's body. Bart and Mev move to our side as we enter the Zeta Tube.

Coming out of the other end, we appear in the Cave with the whole Team gathered. The power is just barely flickering on. Nightwing, Artemis, Kaldur, M'gann, and Conner look at us all in surprise.