Just more lies. Artemis thought.
That was all she had told during her "therapy session" with Black Canary. She remembered exactly what she had said too.
"I was coma girl. I missed out on all the fun. No trauma." (Ok, so I might not be exactly right about that, that's sort of what she said.)
That was a lie too. There had been trauma. A lot. Artemis hadn't told anyone what had really happened after she "died." She wondered if anyone else had experienced the same thing. Although, there was one person. She had been with Wally. After he had died, he was suddenly standing with her. Artemis had already watched her entire team fall apart right before her eyes. Wally's reaction had been the most extreme. She'd heard what he said.
"They're dead. Every single alien if it's the last thing I do!" He had shouted while banging his fists into the bioship.
He couldn't possibly care all that much, could he? Had been her only thought.
That had been her most recent lie. She wasn't willing to talk about it with anyone. The truth was, Artemis had been conscious. She had seen everything. Kladur sacrificing his life for the team. Connor getting blown to bits by another spaceship. Robin and Wally getting blown up to try and save the planet, and still not destroying the mothership. And the worst one, Miss Martian getting killed by her own Uncle to wake them all up.
"Artemis?" It was Wally standing by the door, and looking nervous.
"Yeah?" She tried to keep the shakiness out of her voice as best she could, but it didn't work to well.
"So... how did your therapy session go?" The question sounded harmless enough, but she could tell there was a point/ (no pun intended. ha ha get it, cause she's an archer. Sorry, guess I killed the mood)
"Fine. What about yours?" Artemis responded.
"Fine." THe two stood in silence for a moment.
"Right, well, I uh, need to go practice my aim." Artemis said awkwardly.
"Do you remember it?" Wally suddenly called after her.
"What?" Artemis paused and turned, already knowing exactly what he was talking about.
"You cna't tell me you've forgotten it all!" Wally shouted desperately.
"How could I have possibly forgotten Wally." Artemis answered softly.
"THe things we saw-" Wally started,
"The things we felt." Artemis replied.
"THe only question is-" Wally began.
"Were they real?" Artemis finished as though it had been rehearsed.
There. THat was her secret. Artemis had spoken to Wally after they were both dead. Until they had woken up, the two had wandered around whatever that in between space that they were in for long periods of time, not knowing where they were, what they were doing, or if they would ever come back, or move on. There had been meadows, fields, smooth hills, rocky mountains, different beautiful scenes in which there was a different Wally, and a different Artemis. Some they were dating, normal teenagers. In another, the two were married.
But there was on scene that stuck out in Artemis's mind. THey were living in a beautiful mountain cabin, and Artemis was pregnant. The picture was beautiful. THe two were sitting in a yard, having a picnic, and Wally was reading a story to her and the unborn child. (Yes I know how strange that sounds but they are in a different reality here) For whatever reason, the scene calmed her, made her feel peaceful and serene. Which was why when it began to fade, Artemis almost screamed in terror. She didn't want it to disappear.
THere was something about that particular scene that had just felt so right to her. Maybe it was ridiculous, but she wanted it so badly. She wanted to be with Wally. THere were very few things that Aretmis had learned from this exercise. One of them was that no matter what she believed, she wasn't stronger than emotions. The second, was that she belonged with Wally.
"Of course they were." Wally's voice rang in her mind.
"What?" Artemis asked.
"THe feelings. Of course they were real." Wally smiled, and put a hand on her cheek.
Artemis sighed, loving the feeling.
"You know what Black Canary said to me during my therapy session?" Wally asked.
"What?" Artemis replied.
"She said that I was in denial. I guess she was right." Wally said.
"But not any more, right?" Artemis clarified.
"No, after today. There's nothing left to deny." Wally said softly.
"Good." Artemis whispered.
"We can't tell anyone though." Wally said suddenly.
"Tell them what?" Artemis asked, terrified that he was emabarrassed that he had basically just said that he loved her.
"All those things that we saw. They're are secret. THe other's would just think that we were crazy." Wally replied.
"Of course." Artemis said in relief.
"Why? What did you think I was going to say." Wally demanded.
"That you didn't want to tell people that we were together. I thought you were embarassed that we are together." aRtemis's voice trembled, and Wally of course heard it.
"Why would I be embarassed that I'm dating the prettiest, possibly the smartest girl on Earth?" Wally comforted aRtemis.
"I don't know" She said quietly.
"That's becaue there is no reason." Wally smiled.
Artemis smiled to herself. The lies would end here. She decided. They would end with Wally. So, she told him everything. Who she was. Who her family was. Her mother. Her father. Her sister. She even told him about how she let Chesire go on their first mission. He listened calmly. Quietly. He didn't say anything. That had been the worst part of everything that they had seen in their explorations in the Inbetween Land. Everything had been silent.
"Artemis." Wally simply stated her name.
"I know. MY family's a mess and now you probably think that I'm no better since I've been lying to you this entire time."Artemis said it all in a rush.
"Artemis. What kind of awful person would I be if I hated you jsut because of who you are related to? I don't really care to be honest!" Wally responded.
"Really?" Artemis sighed in relief. The thing that she had been so terrified of since she met her team had just been completely squashed by Kid Flash. Only Wally could do that. She thought.
"So, just so we're clear, no more lies ok? I love you for who you are and don't you ever forget that." Wally told her seriously.
"Agreed. No more lies." Artemis smiled.