M'gann slides down the dark wall across from me, back dragging over the rock until she is seated on the hallway ground.

I can not bring my eyes to her face, but I imagine there are tears there like there are for all of us. I'm shaking all over from the pain and the stress.

"Please don't read my mind," I whisper, hating the lack of distance. In the last few days since the drastic end to this chapter of our mission, my mind has lost any regard for image.

We are all broken.

The scariest thing is how it has shattered us in different ways.

"You...should not be ashamed," she whispers quietly, voice quaking worse than I have ever heard.

We have lost people before, sure. Zatara, Jason, Ted, but this is beyond anything.

"I should. I know you saw it, felt it," I respond. I squeeze my knees in tighter. "I-I...felt...relief."

Everything hurts in the effort to hold back tears. My body had been shattered, after all, but this is a pain beyond physical- because I know the truth deep down.

"No, no it was nothing like that! You just expect the worst of yourself!" She moves forward, tries to touch me, but I scramble away even though every motion makes me want to scream.

"Doesn't matter who it is or what or how- They're always there!" I shout, my voice breaking at the end like an ugly scream. "The shadows always follow," I mutter. I'm panicking, clutching my arms so tight my nails pierce my skin.

"Piper, calm down," Conner's voice echoes through the corridor. Of course he heard.

"M-M'gann I- I think I killed her," I cry, finally meeting those green eyes that are instantly filled with horror as I let myself burst into audible tears.

I don't know what to do with that information.

Neither does she.

Neither does Conner.

The three of us sit there in the hallway, frozen in time for just a moment longer. The only sounds are my own terrified sobs and M'gann trying to breathe through her tears.

No cool girl here.

Finally, I stop resisting the call. Immediately shadows lurch up like monstrous arms from the ground beneath me. Conner and M'gann move in synch- running forward to try and catch me, calling my name.

But it's too late, as usual I am far away from everyone else in every way.

The shadows come calling and the underworld swallows me like a warm welcome.

◊

7 Song Story Playlist

•If I'm - Sea Oleena

•Loved By You - Terror Jr

•Adore - Amy Shark

•Darkside - Ty Dolla $ign & Future feat. Kiiara

•Cool Girl - Tove Lo

•Knee Socks - Arctic Monkeys

•Fear On Fire - Ruelle

I do not own Aqualad, Young Justice or any characters or plotlines associated with DC Comics. I do however own Piper Song and all original characters in this book, the plot and the concepts. Do not copyright or measures shall be taken to remove the stolen story on any platform used, as well as pursue account removal.