The Hunt ⋆ Young Justice (o.h.)

nine : something amiss

( CHAPTER NINE : SOMETHING AMISS )

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"ATHENA?"

Hearne hesitantly wrapped her arms around the woman, still reeling from being wrapped in the arms of someone so suddenly. She locked her jaw, forcing herself not to give way to tears that threatened to spill. That was weak, she didn't cry, nor would she ever.

"I'm so sorry I made you do this," she said tearfully, "I should've known I was pushing you to do too much. I'm--gods, are you okay?"

"I am fine," Hearne assured her, giving one last squeeze before she pulled away. "I healed myself."

Athena bit her lip, her eyes rapidly scanning over Hearne, trying to map out everything--including the new mottled scar on her neck. "I shouldn't have made you do this. This was too much for you H--"

"Don't worry," Hearne said, cutting her off before she could say her name. "I can handle this. I was foolish, I let my guard down for a moment, and that was all it took for the Team to be captured and me to nearly be killed. It won't happen again."

The Team was staring at her now, as well as a few of the League, attempting their best to be discreet. 

"You know you don't have to do that anymore, right?" Athena whispered. "You don't need to apologize to me, you didn't make a mistake. You did good."

"I didn't," Hearne said, her eyes narrowed. "It was my fault. But it's fine, there was no need for you to come here, you can go home."

"I'm not going home," Athena stated. "You died. You healed yourself, but it happened. And you're not going to make me go away, not right now."

"Fine, but keep quiet."

Batman finished talking with Robin and walked over to the two of them. "Could I speak with you? Privately."

Hearne left wordlessly, and the two adults disappeared into the hall, far away to be out of earshot from prying Kryptonians.

"Was that your mother?"

She flinched at the sudden voice before relaxing once she realized who it was. "No, a friend."

"You two are close," Kaldur said--no, he stated it, Hearne could hear how he knew it. And it was clear. He was saying that she could be that close to someone, that it wouldn't kill her to do so, like she had been making it seem since she arrived. Infuriating.

"We are."

It was silent, filled with a slight tension, before he spoke again. "I know you have told The Team that you are not ready to reveal who you are nor what you can do. But when you are ready, we are here."

Hearne's jaw tightened. "I know."

It would never happen. Because not only would her and Athena's life be in danger, so would the entire Team, as well as Batman. The risks were too great for something that didn't interest her.

"I--"

"Can I speak with you?"

Hearne spared a look towards Kaldur, her version of apologizing and excusing herself, and followed Diana. The woman was dressed in her hero attire, and the Bracelets of Submission on her arms glowing bright under the lights of the cave. They were familiar, Hearne had seen them several times when she was a child, when a few Amazons had come to the compound, she had asked her mother about the cuffs on their wrists, and why no one else had them. Her mother had made her stand in a storm for that.