Why Things Happen 2
"Secrets Told"
By: Carmen Wayne

"Oh, come on! You can hit harder than that!" Lara Kent yelled at Terry McGinnis. She wore two punching gloves so Terry could practice. He punched her left glove. "Come on, pretty boy!"
Terry suddenly grabbed her by both hands, spun her around while she was off guard and wrapped his arms around her torso.
"You were saying, Kent?" he grinned.
"I hate you," she smirked. She straightened her clothes after he let her go. "Seriously though, you haven't been punching as hard as you normally do," she said.
"That's because he's a weakling," Annie Drake commented, entering with Terry's ringing cell phone.
Terry took it. Lara took off her gloves and went to do her make up some more. Annie sat and pulled a good old fashioned Young Justice comic she found hidden in the horrifying depths that was her father's closet.
"Hello?" Terry asked. "Oh! Doctor Serling. What's up?"
The mention of 'Doctor' caught both attentions of Lara and Annie.
"What's up with that?" Lara asked Annie. "You know my hearing is normal right now and all…"
"I think he's pregnant," Annie commented bluntly.
Terry gave them a dirty look, but then turned slightly pale.
"Yes…. I-I understand… Right away. Yes. All right. Call my ma about this too, will ya? She should be there… Yeah, I do want her there… Thanks." He hung up and looked at them. "Listen, guys. I have to go. Where's Bruce?"
"In a meeting," Annie said.
"Annie, this is no time for jokes."
"I'm not joking! He's talking to Lucius Fox Jr.!"
"Oh. Okay. Well, tell him it's an emergency. He'll understand."
"What's going on, though?!" Annie asked.
"Stuff! Bye!" he waved, running out.
Lara and Annie just exchanged concerned looks.

Later on that day, Terry and Annie went to the mall to snag some stuff for Bruce Wayne at the electronics store. They entered the store, and a red head in very expensive clothes immediately jumped Terry.
"Hi, Ter-Ter!" she smiled.
"Well, if it isn't Gabby Vreeland outside of her palace of wonders in an area other than school or the nearest Armani store," he said, hugging her in greeting.
Annie just had a 'Whoa… Vreeland?' look on her face.
"Yeah. Hey, Terry, everyone's really concerned about you! We've been calling and stuff, but you've been gone the entire time!"
"I've been busy," he said seriously, nodding.
"With what, though? This whole "Man of Mystery" thing is getting annoying! What's up?"
"Well… OH! MAX! Thank God you're here!" he yelled, running to Maxine Gibson.
Gabby looked at Annie.
"Hey! You're Annie Drake, right? Bruce Wayne's granddaughter?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Very cool! I'm Gabby Vreeland, Veronica Vreeland's granddaughter. It seems you and I should have met a long time ago!"
"I guess so! Heh. Please tell me you like sports," Annie pleaded.
"Well, I've never been much for sports, actually. I'm premiering into the upper society in a week as the Vreeland Debutante! I don't have time for things like that."
She headed for a glass display case of computers. Annie followed her.
"So, why are you here?"
"I'm building myself the ultimate communications center so if someone wants to talk to me, they can in anyway imaginable."
"You're *building* one?!"
"Yeah! It's easy! OH! Clerk! Clerk, I want this one! With the three thousand open RAM, please!"
Annie grinned and walked away from her to where Terry was looking for a special chip. Bruce wrote the type on a paper so he wouldn't screw up the order.
"What's up, Batty-bat?" she asked, leaning on the cases next to him.
"Just trying to find that-Ungh…" he moaned, rubbing his eyes.
"Terry?" she asked, concerned. "You okay there?"
"I-I'm fine. Really. Uh… I think that's it," he said, pointing at a chip.
He blinked hard to clear the water from his eyes that was forming uncontrollably.
"Terry, I'll get the chip. You should go sit down," Annie insisted.
"I-You're right. Actually, I've got to get home." He slowly walked to Gabby and took her gently by the arm. "Gabby, I have to go home. Would you mind giving Annie a ride home?" he asked gently, rubbing his eyes.
"Sure. Terry, are you all right? Maybe you shouldn't be driving. Terry!" she called after as he ran out quickly. "Oh my God…" she breathed in concern.

Annie stood in front of Bruce Wayne, who sat in front of the Batcomputer console, panicked.
"I'm serious, Grandpa Bruce! He looked really bad! I want to know what's going on!"
"I don't know."
"Oh, bull! You DO know! Why won't you tell us?!"
Bruce didn't respond. He turned away and started to type.
"Grandpa Bruce. I'll find out one way or another. I swear it."
"Annie Marie… Haven't you ever wanted to keep something secret from everyone except a select few, even out of those who know that you're Robin?" Bruce asked, not looking at her.
"Well… I guess so."
"And you would prefer someone would PRY?"
"Yeah…?"
"Then stay out of McGinnis's business. That's how he feels right now. It's best to let him do what he has to."
"But-"
"But nothing. If Terry feels like he wants to tell you, fine. Until then, just carry on like normal."
"He's… in pain. Uncomfortable. I wish he'd tell me why."
"I know. And maybe in time he will. Just leave him be for now, though. If you trust me and do as I say, I promise things will be okay."
"…You just rhymed, Grandpa Bruce."
Bruce raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her. She crossed her arms, grinning, and winked at him. He cracked a slight grin, and then went back to working.
"You're going to a meeting tonight involving you, Commissioner Gordon, Lara, Terry and Alura Myst."
"WOOHOO! I haven't seen Alura in like… Never! But I've heard about her! Is Clark going to be there too?"
"Yes."
"VERY shway! When is it?"
"In an hour… Give or take. You need to be there at eight PM."
"All right! I'll go now, kay?"
"Fine."
"Bye!" Annie waved, jogging out.

Mary McGinnis worked on a computer quickly as she watched TV. Terry entered behind her.
"Ma? I have to go out."
She turned to him, worried.
"Why? Is something wrong?" she asked quickly.
"No! I just… uh… think the fresh air will do me some good right now."
"Have you taken your medication?"
"Oh, man! Forgot about that. I'll take my pills and stuff, and then I'm going out for a bit."
"Don't drive! And take your pills with you."
"Don't worry, mom! I won't drive. A friend's picking me up. And all right, I'll take my pills with." He turned and bumped into the approaching Matt McGinnis. "Gah! What are YOU doing?" Terry asked.
"I just wanted to give you something, twip," Matt said, handing him a card he made himself.
"To my sick big brother," Terry read aloud. He opened it to a collage of drawings and pictures Matt glued around some words he wrote. "Sometimes I act kinda stupid, and I'm going to do so. But that doesn't mean I don't, ick, love you, bro. I hope you get better. Without you, I'll be lost. Love, Matty." Terry looked at Matt who was staring at his feet. He knelt down and smiled at him. "Thank you, Mathew. I love you too."
He ruffled his hair and ran off to do everything he had to do.

Alura Myst shook her head.
"That won't work."
"I don't think so, either," Clark Kent agreed.
"Right. Agreed. In order to save these guys, we have to work in teams that Bruce and I'll dispatch," Barbara Gordon said.
They all looked at a map of England. Terry sat next to Annie, poking her. Lara yawned and did her make up intently.
"Terry, would you get some rubbing alcohol for this thing?" Barbara asked.
"Sure thing? Where is it?" he asked, standing.
"Upstairs in our bathroom."
"Right-o, Commissioner!"
He walked out. The group continued to plan.
"The hostages are here in the vicinity of Big Ben," Barbara said, drawing a circle around the plastic map in that area.
"Okay. I think we should work in singularity teams," Clark said.
"That's what Bruce and I were thinking. Now, this is Terry's show. So you guys are only doing back-up. Now, Lara, you'll be going up the east side and scanning there while Clark, you go down the west."
"Okay. I think that Lightning Star should be placed on Big Ben with Batman and Robin, personally," Clark said.
"Agreed."
"So, what about when we DO find the hostages?" Annie asked.
"Then we'll-Terry?" Barbara asked as Terry weakly handed her the bottle and fell back into the couch by Annie.
He had a rag to his nose that was wet with blood.
"I… I don't think I can go with you guys," he said.
"Why? Terry, what's wrong?" Annie asked. "Tell us, NOW."
He pulled his cell phone and handed it to Barbara.
"Call… Doctor Serling… please… Tell her I'm on my way… Please. Annie… Call… my mother and tell her I'm at the hospital…" he said, standing shakily.
"Terry, you can't even stand let alone-TERRY!" Annie cried out as he collapsed.
"Hurry! Get him to the car!" Barbara ordered, finding Serling's number on speed dial. "Go!"

The group busted into the busy ER room where Doctor Serling waited, dressed and ready. Terry had regained consciousness on the way there, so he was being helped inside by Clark.
"What's going on, Terry?" Serling asked, patting the bed behind her.
"It's advancing! I thought you said the treatment would WORK!" he yelled, truly upset.
"I did! But your not that far into it to really get an effect!" she cried, helping him onto the bed.
Serling quickly looked through Terry's eyes as Terry spoke to Annie:
"Annie, did you call my mother?!"
"Yes!" Annie said, worried.
"Terry, the cancer is invading areas that it shouldn't. I tried to tell you the last time you were in for treatments. I was hoping we'd be able to get it over with without having to worry about anything fatal…"
The group was appalled at what they were hearing.
"What are you saying, Victoria?" Terry asked lowly.
"Terry… I'm afraid *surgery* is necessary at this point… You've over-exhausted yourself to the point that we won't be able to fight this off."
She waved for help to wheel him away.
"Wait! I want to talk to my mother! I want her with!" he yelled, trying to sit up.
They forced him down and began to hurry off with him.
"Just calm down, Terry!"
Lara saw the card that Matt gave him flutter to the floor. She slowly picked it up, looked it over, and sighed painfully, listening to Terry bellow his objections about having anything done until his mother got there. But no one would listen.