Thinking back on it, none of them really understood how they had ended up where they were. Where they were was really a mystery in all honesty; the space was dark, completely devoid of light. There were no windows, and only one door, locked from the outside. Four walls came up around them, solid to the touch and immovable. Robbed of their sight, they could only rely on the sounds they were all making, but it wasn't hard to figure out who was who and where they were in the dark. The room was barely four feet across, if that, and only marginally deeper. Farthest from the door, Wally was crammed into a corner, wedged between the wall, Connor's arm, and M'Gann's legs. The Martian girl was currently unconscious, held awkwardly in Connor's arms, each of his elbows digging into the opposite wall and Wally's chest.
In front of them, but only just barely, Tim was stuck with his back against M'Gann's side and halfway under Dick's arm which was braced against one wall. On Dick's other side, Gar was in much the same position, struggling to find a way to place his tail that wasn't smashed against someone else or wrapped around anyone's leg. He would have shifted into something smaller, a bug perhaps, but was a little afraid he would be crushed beyond repair given their tight quarters. So he remained where he was, glad he was short enough to fit under Dick's arm and still have a bit of head room.
At the front- or what they were all considering the front because the door was there- was Artemis, just barely having enough room to keep her nose from being misshapen against the door, held there by everyone else unable to do anything but press against her back.
All in all, it was a rather cramped situation, and not one of them knew how to get out of it.
Tim suddenly started wriggling; getting both of his hands up, palms flat against the wall he was forced into. With a little difficulty, he managed to trail the fingers of one hand over the other wrist, lighting up the space easily with the miniature computer in his glove. The group breathed a collective sigh of relief as the black veil was lifted.
"Superboy can you break us out of here?" Dick asked, unable to look over his shoulder, concentrating on the blonde ponytail in front of him to forget about the lack of space. In the back of his mind he was wondering why they hadn't run out of air yet; a space that small with seven people in it had to be depleting the oxygen fast. Even without being able to see the clone, he knew he was shaking his head.
"I already tried before they tossed the rest of you in here." Superboy's voice was dangerously bordering on a growl, clearly frustrated by the material; whatever the box room was made of, it was strong. "Even if I could, I get the feeling the whole thing would end up falling on all of you."
"There could be a pressure point in the door, which is probably why you're back there. Then that option is out." Dick sighed, fighting off the urge to hang his head, afraid he might break his nose on the back of Artemis' head. "KF? How's the vibrating through walls coming?"
"It's a good thing I know you aren't kidding right now." Kid Flash replied very much unamused by his friend's question. "You can't really think that something a Kryptionian can't break is something I can vibrate through. I can't even get through drywall yet."
"Well it was worth a shot. I know you've been practicing." Dick responded, keeping his voice even so the rest of them wouldn't know how disappointed he was. "Artemis can you see or feel a lock?" A moment later he gasped as he received a sharp elbow to the stomach.
"Sorry." Artemis said softly, moving her arm again to feel along the door. She couldn't look down except with her eyes; she saw nothing, and felt nothing beyond her line of sigh. "No. There's no lock…"
"So I can't pick it." Dick almost growled himself this time; he couldn't exactly reach his tools anyway. "Anyone else have an idea?" Everyone was quiet until Gar spoke up a few minutes later.
"Maybe M'Gann can faze us out when she wakes up." He said hopefully, his utter confidence in his sister evident in his voice.
Dick just nodded, wondering how long that would be.
"That could be hours!" Artemis exclaimed, still whispering, the slightest bit of shakiness creeping into her voice. "We can't wait that long!"
"It might not take that long. Batman knows we were coming here. He'll know something's up." Tim chimed in.
"What are we supposed to do until then?" Artemis demanded, squinting her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to look at the useless door mere inches away. Disliking the darkness even more, she opened them again, fighting with herself on the inside. "We can't stay like this!"
"Artemis…" Wally called softly; he seemed to be trying to move towards her, his suit making a scrapping sound against the wall and the pressure against everyone else increasing. He gave up just seconds later.
"We are in a box!" Artemis hissed quietly, not really sure if she was responding to Wally or just talking to the air. She started moving again, both arms striking Dick in stomach and chest, narrowly missing Tim's face as he turned his head away.
"Artemis stop moving." Dick said a little more forcefully than he meant to. Instead of listening to him, the girl seemed to start struggling more forcefully, pushing them all backwards even though there was no space.
"Dick, do something!" Wally hissed, surprising all of them; he never lapsed into using their real names out loud on missions. The emotion in his voice was a giveaway; something was up with Artemis, and Dick had a suspicion about what it was.
"Artemis!" Dick half shouted, his voice echoing around the box room. He removed his hands from the walls, careful not to bump the two younger boys on the head, and reached forward trying to wrap them around Artemis. The fit was a little awkward, but he managed to restrain her arms against her sides and pull her back against his chest, mostly still her movements. Her head lashed to one side, making her hair slap him in the face. "Artemis, please calm down." It was a challenge, but he forced his voice to be gentler.
"Let go!" Artemis snapped, her voice still quiet and definitely shaking now, but still somehow laced with venom.
Dick shook his head and pressed as far back as he could, hearing the others trying to do the same; sounds of discomfort escaped them all. It took a great deal of maneuvering, nudging, pushing, and pulling, but he managed to turn Artemis around to face him, his eyes going wide with shock.
The girl was pale in the face, the blue glow from Tim's computer making her look almost ghostly. Tears were brimming in her eyes, threatening to escape at any moment as ragged breaths tore their way out of her throat. "I can't…" She breathed, her voice just barely above a whisper.
"Arty." Wally said softly, his arm somehow finding its way over just far enough for his finger to brush against Dick's shoulder.
Knowing it was risky move, Dick pulled Artemis as close as he could get her to himself and away from the wall. She almost tried to jerk away, and then fell into the hug, tears springing free from her eyes as she ducked her head into his shoulder. Her arms wrapped around his torso, the fingers of one hand clinging to the back of his uniform, the other reaching up to tightly grip Wally's hand. Artemis' shoulders began to shake, partly in fear and partly due to the sobs trying to rip out of her. She held them in as best she could, glad they were at least somewhat muffled.
"It's the small spaces." She whispered suddenly, her already vice like grip tightening.
Hoping to comfort her, but afraid of confining her more, Dick raised one hand and gently rubbed her back, the other holding them away from the door. "I figured." Was all he could say, happy when the remark made her laugh, if only a little. "It's okay Artemis. We'll get out of here soon."
Tim was right. Batman got suspicious if no one checked in every so often. This mission was meant to be quick, and he was bound to be expecting them back soon; he might even be pacing already.
"Promise?" Artemis asked weakly, afraid to open her eyes. Her embarrassment at the break down she was having was rivaled only by the horror of their situation; right at that moment, she couldn't even imagine something worse than being crammed into a box or safe or large refrigerator or whatever horrible confinement they were currently in.
"Promise." Dick said softly, really hoping it wasn't a lie.
"Promise." Wally echoed, giving Artemis' hand a gentle squeeze.
The other three followed suit, offering smiled in her direction, even if she couldn't see them.
"Promise." M'Gann said groggily, her eyes just barely starting to open. It took her only a moment to notice the space. "I'll do my best."
Some of you probably guessed I have major writer's block. I got this idea last night and just had to write it up, so hopefully it will help me get back in the Young Justice mode. Feel the mode!
I'd like to continue with other members of the Team and their fears, but unfortunately I don't have very many ideas. If you think you might know what each team member's fear is please tell me! Season 1 or Season 2! I'm open to writing any character.