AN: Aaannnnddd finished! I really like this one. It's got all of the fluffy goodness we love, but it doesn't make everyone look like crybabies... or at least I tried XD

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'Something's not right'

Connor opened his eyes, icy blues sweeping over the room before him. He stood in the Mountain's infirmary, still and dark, but not quiet. A storm raged outside the large glass window, the clouds seeming almost in reach from this high point. The rain cascaded down forcefully, sounding like pebbles against the window, flooding into the ocean bellow. No moonlight illuminated the room, leaving the glowing monitor screens to provide the only light. Said monitors and machines spilled out assorted wires, falling onto the sterile bed he stood before.

On that bed was his dormant body.

His face was a complete blank, twitching every now and then from a shot of pain. It was strange, staring at his own body, feeling the pain in the same place, but in a different body. But this wasn't a body, maybe only a conscience projecting in his mind, maybe only his imagination. Whatever it was, he decided he didn't like it.

The infirmary door opening startled him, and for a moment, he felt like he should hide, like he shouldn't be there. But when Atemis' eyes didn't even twitch in his direction, he concluded that she couldn't see him. The blonde Vietnamese girl took up the chair next to the bed, sitting casually, leaning forward, her arms resting on her thighs. She seemed lost in her thoughts, staring out the window, at him, and back out the window. Kon found himself surprised when she cleared her throat.

"The others were to chicken to come in just yet." She scoffed with a good humoured smile. "I figured you could use some company." Artemis trailed off, letting her thoughts settle. "When my Mom got in her accident, the doctors told me that even though she was in a coma, she could hear everything around her, so I hope you're listening... they're all wrecks out there. M'gann's trying not to cry, Wally's trying to cheer everyone up, even though he looks miserable himself, Kaldur's trying to keep everyone together, Robin won't talk to anyone, and Superman... geez, it's unnerving seeing him like this. He's constantly pacing, trying to figure out a better way to help you, blaming himself... he's a total mess."

"I don't like this..." Artemis muttered. "I can't stand seeing everyone like this... so you get your ass up, ASAP, or I'll put you in a new world of pain, got that?" If he had blinked, he would have missed it, their resident tough girl's eyes watering up, but she quickly brought her forearm to wipe away the evidence. She let out a shaky breath, reached out to squeeze his hand (which he felt from where he watched), then stood up and left.

A bright flash of light.

Before he could register what had happened, Aqualad was in the room. The storm still roared, strong as ever, but the clock on the night stand showed a different time- 8:00pm. Eight hours after the meteor crashed.

The young Atlantian sat in the chair Artemis had sat in before, leaning back . The aura he always carried, the presence of a leader, had dissapeared and was replaced by a 16 year old boy who was afriad for his friend's life. Kaldur'ahm sighed, running a webbed hand over his buzzed, blonde hair. "Connor... you have a choice here. You can pass on to whatever waits for us after we die, or you can stay here and fight. 28 weeks of life, 16 of those kept underground in a pod, is not nearly enough time to truly live. There is so much you have yet to experience. And more importantly... there are people here you care for you here. As I said when we freed you... the choice is yours."

"Another one of your inspirational speeches?"

Kaldur jumped in his seat, turning around to face Wally in the doorway. The Atlantian smiled slightly, "If it's all I can do to help..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, man." Wally sighed, strolling over to stand behind Aqualad's chair. "It really sucks... not being able to do anything for the Big Guy."

"If the most we can do is keep positive, then we must, by all means." Kaldur mused.

"Mhm... hey, wanna grab something to eat? Maybe if we're lucky, Robin'll be hungry and we can get him to talk. The dude's really down..."

Kaldur'ahm nodded, standing up from his seat. "Lets." Before the two could get out the door, Wally walked over to their comatose friend, took his rist in his hand, and pounded his fist gently onto Superboy's limp hand. "Get better, Supey."

Another flash of light.

The the scene before him cleared, Kon found himself looking down at Robin, who stood at the side of him bed. His hands were shoved into his pocket, his sunglasses reflecting the lighting strike that crashed through the sky. The boy's expression was unreadable as he stared down at his body. Connor watched, his brows furrowing. "Is he just going to stare at-What's he doing?" His thoughts took a sharp turn when Robin reached up and took his sunglasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose. He sighed, dropping his hand and opening his eyes. Fierce blue eyes swept over his friend, a storm both inside and out shining in his eyes. Kon found his breath hitched in his throat when Robin suddenly turned his head, looking his way, directly at him. For a moment, he believed that the boy could see him.

Robin turned his head away again, slipping his sunglasses back on. Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he was about to walk out of the room, when he stopped dead in his tracks. His breathing was shaky, and Kon found himself wondering just what was going on inside the boy's mind.

"...I can't lose anyone again." He whispered.

Just as he was about to walk through the door, M'gann bumped into him, letting out a startled squeak. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here. Do you want me to leave?" She asked. Robin made no effort to answer, simply sparing her a look before continuing on his way. M'gann sighed as she floated into the room, like walking would make too much noise. She lowered herself into the chair pulled him by the side of the bed. She huffed, leaning her elbows on the side of the bed, and let her head rest in her hands. Her eyes travelled over the Kryptonian clone, taking in his tense face. She let one of her arms fall from it's position holding her head up, and traced circled onto Conner's open palm. Conner looked down at his hand, feeling her finger tips leaving butterfly touches on his skin.

M'gann slipped her hand into his, her head still leaning on her hand. "Not going to cry anymore..." She said nonchalantly, talking as if it were any other day. "I mean... what right do I have to cry, when you're the one struggling? It took me a little while to figure that out. I'm still scared for you... but," She smiled, "crying's not going to help anyone, and it's not that fun." The martian rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb absentmindedly while she let her thoughts drift.

Connor watched all of this, slightly perplexed. How was it that he could feel her hand? How was it that he could feel her at all? He stared down at his hand again, curiousity taking over. He let his hand relax, taking the shape it was in his... "real" body. Focusing his attention back on his dormant body, Kon squeezed his hand, a small smile of victory blooming on his lips when he saw his hand twitch in M'gann's, startling her out of her thoughts.

M'gann's head shot up, darting over to Kon's face. She smiled, a small seed of hope growing. Seeing her own smile, Connor couldn't help but grin, only to let it fall from his face moments latter. His heart beat irregularily in his chest, he felt himself begin to fade. The heart monitor attached to his chest flat lined, a dull, peircing tone echoing through out the room. M'gann leaped from her chair with a strangled cry, darting to the doorway, but refusing to leave. "Someone help!"

The scene before him slowly bleed into a white nothingness, the sounds drowning out to leave his ears ringing. Kon watched with dread as the hole closed up, leaving him alone. Completely alone. But... he liked it here. It was strange, the affect this bright nothingness had on him. Within seconds, he felt completely at peace, more so then he ever had in his short life. But still, he felt there was something more. Something beyond this, and all he had to do was choose to be there, and he'd be forever in complete bliss. He took a step forward-

"What are you doing?" A strong, booming voice froze him in his tracks. It reminded him so much of one he had heard before, one that had the same affect on him. From the corner of his eyes, he saw two figures materialize from the whiteness, so familiar...

"My dear, you know you'll never be able to go back. Not to that life." A much gentler, sweet voice told him, a sad tone resonating from her lips. A man and a woman stood before him, both wearing unfamiliar, yet regal garbs, lined in gold. The woman smiled solemnly at him with a tilt of her head, her arm wrapped around her consort, a tall, well built man with a powerful presence. Both of them, so familiar...

"Maybe I don't want to go back." Connor answered, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly. "My life's pretty much been shit there."

The woman quirked an eyebrow."Really? Because I know of a young man who had a rough start on life, but was surrounded by people who loved and cared about him, and saved him from himself."

Kon shifted his eyes to the ground, only to find that there was none. "They don't need me there." He muttered.

"I beg to differ." The man said as he swept his arm to the side, creating a window out of the blank world.

A blue and red blur flew passed M'gann, the backlash enough to push her to her knees, forcing her to watch as Superman tried in vain to help the boy. He grabbed the boy's hand as if on an instinct he didn't know he had, shouting desperately. "No, no, no no! Connor, don't you do this! Fight it, damn it! Kon-El!" The Man Of Steel was vaguely aware of Red Tornado, Black Canary and Batman rushing into the room, quickly setting to work.

Batman grabbed the diffibulators, charging them up as he ordered his friend in a strong, commanding tone. "Clark, I need you to pump his heart, you're the only one strong enough to get through his ribs, got it?" Superman nodded, just as he heard the high beep of the defibrillators finishing their charge. "Clear!" Any hands working on bringing the boy back drew away as Bruce placed the paddles on Connor's now exposed chest, sending waves of electricity into his body.

A strong pulse surged through Kon's chest, just as it did in his dying body.

Clark pumped Connor's chest, panic and fear flowing off his every cell. With his fist over the boy's heart, he used everything he had in him to not let his terror show. "Come on Kon, stay with us!" He urged with clenched teeth.

"Clear!"

Another surge. Kon watched the scene, his eyes disbelieving. "Does it look like they don't need you?" The woman asked.

Kon just stuttered. "I..."

"And what about them." She pointed in the direction of the door, bringing him to attention of what was happening there.

M'gann was still on her knees, sobbing her heart out. Artemis had her arms wrapped around her trembling form, her own face burried in the redhead's hair, trying not to cry, because she was too tough for that... but who was she kidding? Kaldur paced furiously in the hall, mentally going over everything he could have done to prevent this. He was the leader dammit, he should be able to do something! Wally just stood completely frozen in the doorway, unmoving, unable to tear his eyes away from this would-be nightmare. Robin was found in the hallway, curled into himself against the wall, covering his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn't take this anymore, he was still only a kid...

"They... I..." Kon couldn't form words, there was just nothing he could say.

The man's hand on his shoulder caused him to flinch slightly."Kon-El, to be Kryptonian is to have an indestructable spirit, and to care for those who care for you. They need you, so much more than you know. Don't do this to them..."

"Clear!"

Surge.

"God dammit Kon-El!"

"Don't do this to my son..." The woman whispered.

Kon turned away from the couple, focusing on the infirmary room. It was mayhem in there... and it was all because of him. His breathing quickened as he realized the huge mistake he had almost made. When he whirled around to face the man and woman again, they were gone, along with the white nothingness. Darkness seeped into his world, slithering it's way closer to him. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness overtook him, sucking away with breath.

"Clear!"

His chest surged in perfect time with his physical body once again. Kon watched on, trying to reach out to his father figure, to no avail. "Wait!" He shouted, almost hoping someone would hear. He wanted to tell them he was there, that he was fine... but he realized he wasn't fine. He was dying. "No... this isn't right." He tried to take a step forward, but found himself paralysed. The darkness was coming for him, it was going to take him away. Slithering vines of the nothingness latched onto his skin, and even with all his strength, he could not stop them. Slowly, almost tortuously, they dragged him into the black void. He reached out to Kal-El, who still preformed compressions on his chest, begging him to stay alive. "No! I don't want to leave yet!"

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppp...beep...beep...beep...beep...

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Warmth and light shone through his eye lids and encased his body. Golden sunlight kissed his skin, feeding it with the energy his body so desperately craved. He didn't know how long he basked under the glow until he woke up, but when he did, it all just felt like a nightmare.

His face tensed for a moment, expecting pain, relaxed when there was none. His eyes slowly allowed themselves to open, he found himself in the infirmary. The curtains were drawn, letting streams of early morning sun to leak through and heal him. Kon groaned, the drowsiness wearing off to be replaced by a dull migraine, and an ache in his back. He blinked a few times, trying to get his mind straight.

A figure in his peripheral vision caught his attention, compelling him to let his head drop to the side to see who was there. Clark Kent slept soundly in the chair by his bed, the dark circles under his eyes telling him that he didn't get much sleep.

Connor brought his head back up again and sighed, closing his eyes to soak up the yellow sun; because that's what his body needed. And that was because he was Kryptonian, a title that was little more than a label before this event. Kon felt that he was just that closer to discovering his identity outside of being the clone of Superman. He was figuring out who he was, his strengths and his weaknesses. But he could dwell on all of that later. For now, he'd rest.

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If you peeps are unsatisfied with this ending, I might do a little spin off. I was thinking of doing one for Emergency too... but I'll worry about that later XD

R&R?