Take my photo off the wall
If it just won't sing for you
Wally starred pitifully at the blonde's back as she walked away from the life they'd worked so hard to build over the past three years and that had just subsequently shattered after she'd walked in on her boyfriend and his lab partner making out with half their clothes off. She turned around to glare at him with her own steely gray eyes as she yelled at him, "Stop looking at me like this is my fault West. I'm not the cheater here!" She whirled around to continue to stalk down the hall before spotting one of the few pictures of her and Wally on the walls. He had always insisted not to ruin the wall with nails so there were never many pictures there which irked Artemis as she loved having her favorite memories on display for daily viewing. Being absolutely sure to jerk away the nail as she pulled it down, she could hear him wince as his OCD tendencies when it came to walls flared up. Shoving it towards him she screamed at him, "I'm not sorry for not being your perfect little spitfire but you should've just told me rather than go behind my back like this!" Turning away again she stomped towards the door, jerked it open and slammed it behind her with a loud bang.
'Cause all that's left has gone away
And there's nothing left for you to prove
Artemis had barely made it down the stairs of the appartment before she heard the door open and saw Wally out of the corner of her eye flashing down the stairs barefooted and in only boxers and the jacket he was trying to pull on. "Artie what about what we had?" He begged as she stepped around him and continued towards her gray car.
"What we had was gone when you made the decision to cheat despite how you claimed you felt about me!" Pointing again towards the picture of a sixteen year old boy holding one of her arrows of her head teasingly as she was reaching up to get it. Turning it back around and clutching it towards her chest tightly she continued, "That was the boy I fell for and that was what we had."
"Let me prove myself again, please!" Wally yelled back with his red hair blowing in the slight ocean breeze. His emerald eyes were starting to tear up but her steely gray eyes remained as hard and emotionless as her father, the villain and con-man, had trained her to do.
"There's nothing left for you to prove!" She fired back cold and emotionlessly, "You proved yourself to be a liar and a cheater who changed from the boy I loved and left the life I loved for to become someone else, a stranger! Now prove yourself a man and let me leave!"
Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
Oh, well it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won
Her ponytail swished back and forth as she walked the last couple of yards to her car and opened up the door before slamming it on his hand as he tried to hold it open and prevent his, now, ex-girlfriend. "Look what you've done now! You've made a fool of yourself, of your Linda and of me!" Holding his bruised and broken hand gingerly and close to his chest and gave an animalistic growl to himself as she yelled at him from behind the glass, "She probably is your spitfire and having two girls at once must've been so much fun for a guy like you but now you're losing me and I know how hard you worked to make me fall for you to begin with. I'm done Wallace, I'm just done!" She revved up the engine and sped away leaving tire marks on the ground and making Wally fall down on his boxer butt into the mud beside where her car had been moments before. The nineteen year old's head fell into his hands as he saw the red brake lights fade as she drove further down the road until she turned and they disappeared forever.
Give me back my point of view
'Cause I just can't think of you
Driving away from Wally took all the strength she had and as soon as she'd left the city limits she broke down and cried just as she pulled into the nearest gas station. Artemis was a strong girl who had been taught to never cry, never show more emotion than necessary, and be a fighter no matter what. She was fighting the tears and the emotion as she prayed that she could think about what to do next and where to go rather than focusing on the boy she'd once known and loved. The man she'd left and the boy she'd loved might have been two different people and she needed to stop thinking about them both if she wanted to get anywhere before she changed her mind and went back to the man who had hurt her, who had cheated on her, and forced her to run away from her own home. As much as she hated to admit it, she was hurting and what she normally did was go home to her mother or go to Wayne manor where she'd sheltered many a night when the fighting between her and that boy had gotten too bad, when her father had been trying to kill her and her mother or when she just needed her best friend from the team and school. But her mother was dead leaving only Wayne Manor as an option for her and she was not complaining, it was her second home.
I can hardly hear you say
What should I do, well you choose
She started to drive towards where her former teammate Jaime lived and another former teammate Cassie hung out most of her free time. After all, a night with them beats a night where she was stuck with just Wally in an appartment that no longer felt like home. Even if Jaime didn't remember her she knew he could at least point her in the direction of the zeta tube. Pulling out her phone and turning it on to call him she was interrupted by a call from Wally. Answering it she turned up the radio so she could barely him and he could barely hear her, it was the only way she could deal with this, deal with him.
"Artie," He started only to be interrupted by her familiar voice sounding husky voice.
"It's Artemis to you West." Her curt tone surprised him and he breathed a sad sigh as he realized that she was really gone for real this time.
"What should I do?" Wally's voice cracked as he asked her for advice. Art's body stiffened up at the familiar cracking voice of the teenage boy she fell for. Without pausing to allow him to hear the fact that she'd recognized it and felt something at the voice, she fired back quick as she could.
"How should I know West? It's your life so you choose!" Not even waiting for his response she hung up and ignored his call when he tried to call her back before finally finding Jaime's number and dialing it.
Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
Oh, well it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won
"Hola Blue." Artemis greeted the fourteen year old Latino boy who had answered the phone.
"Point Blank!" His familiar voice made her smile through the tears, "¿Como estás mi amiga?"
"Wally cheated on me Blue." She managed before she held in a sob and hiccupped once instead. Jaime's gasp and clucking noise at the other end of the line showed that he thought Wally wouldn't dare do something like that and now he'd gone and made a fool of everyone.
"Lo siento Point Blank no creo que el eres tonto como deja una bonita chica como tú." As his emotions rose he slipped into Spanish making it difficult to understand him unless you happened to be fluent in both languages.
"Aprendo Blue, me confía y ingles por favor." She reminded him with a groan as she tried to translate the quickly spoken Spanish. The boy took in a deep breath to calm himself and think about how Wally had made her look like a fool by having such fun until he lost her when she found out. West was definitely getting a beating from Blue Beetle if Point Blank didn't beat him to it.
"Sí, I mean yes and again lo siento Point. But porque did you call me?" He asked and she sighed heavily.
"I wanted to know if I could leave my car at your house and the location of the nearest zeta tube." Art admitted to Jaime who already knew where she was going once she had dropped off the car. It was quite obvious that she was heading to Gotham and Wayne Manor specifically, anyone on the team would have known.
"No problema chica, just drive aquí and I'll show you donde está." He heard her respond with something that sounded like gracias before hanging up.
Oh look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
Upon reaching Jaime's house Artemis tried to dry her tears on her thin long sleeve before grabbing the umbrella and emergency duffle bag she always left in the car thanks to Dick Grayson's paranoia and was suddenly very thankful for the rain boots she hadn't had a chance to take off when she'd found…no she couldn't think about that, not now. Stepping into the downpour she sprinted to the door where Jaime stood in a blue hoodie that reminded her way too much of one of Dick's old sweatshirts and a pair of waterproof sweats over his own rain boots. The fourteen year old was standing next to a blonde haired twelve year old girl with wide blue eyes in an over-sized brown rain coat that obviously belonged to the taller boy beside her. Her blue eyes were wide as she ran over to meet Artemis in the rain. Her tiny legs were being slapped by the too long coat and the boots that almost reached her knees. She was reminded too much of how she and Dick had been as wards of Bruce Wayne as Cassie and Jaime were just like they had been.
"I'm so sorry 'Mis!" Cassie exclaimed as she wrapped her thin but super-strength filled arms around her in a bone crushing hug. Artemis took a few steps back before returning the hug from Diana's niece, "He was such a fool to let you go 'Mis and no matter you're still our favorite archer and we love you anyways, right Jaime?" The Latino boy nodded before running out into the rain to wrap an arm around Cassie's shoulders and taking Art's hand to pull them inside and out of the rain. Art was just in shock thinking about Wally and how he'd made such a fool of everyone from her to Cassie and Jaime to Linda and even to Dick once he found out what his best friend did.
Take my photo off the wall
If it just seems won't sing for you
The two kids gave her a big steaming cup of hot chocolate as they enjoyed their own cups so she could dry off a bit before they took her to the zeta tube. Pulling out the picture of her and Wally back when he was sixteen and she was fifteen she couldn't help but sigh as she thought about all they'd had. All the joking spars, the memories they'd shared with Dick as the three pranksters of the Mountain, the kwardness of the first date and that first kiss. Apparently she had all along never been good enough for him and now that he had little Miss. Right he could let her go like a puppet master let go of the strings of a puppet he no longer needed. As the three stood to go, she found herself feeling used by the boy she'd loved and trusted over the past three years. No she didn't just feel used she realized as she stepped out into the rain and opened up her umbrella wordlessly, she felt like she had been slapped in the face by the boy she loved when he'd become the man who'd left her when he chose Linda over her. Cassie and Jaime stopped in front of her and the boy holding the umbrella gestured towards the broken telephone booth with a slight smirk that reminded her of Dick. Pulling them both into a hug Artemis whispered in both their ears as they in turn wrapped their arms around her.
"Muchas gracias amigo y amiga." She said sincerely before she turned away to punch in the code for Gotham City but before she stepped into the tube she was stopped by two hands grabbing for hers simultaneously.
"De nada Art." The dark haired and tan boy said before his contrasting best friend with her light hair and fair skin spoke up.
"No problem 'Mis, anything for a friend." Art nodded the emotion forming into a lump in her throat making it impossible to do anything besides nod and wave as she stepped in the tube and towards her own best friend.
'Cause all that's left has gone away
And there's nothing left for you to prove
Stepping out of the tube she pulled her jacket tighter around her as the snow gusted around her and the wimpy little rain jacket that had sufficed back west was making her even colder. Shivering she stumbled towards the nearest bus stop before succumbing to the cold and grabbing the hat, gloves and extra jacket she'd kept in the backpack in her car again because of Dick. Dick not Wally who'd kept her on the right track and kept her safe and prepared for anything over the years. Now it was Dick not Wally she was running to for comfort. She took of her jacket momentarily to slip on the green hoodie before pulling the coat back on and slipping on the black beanie, gray gloves and hand knit purple scarf. The shivers slowed and Art tried desperately to slow her breathing as her breath came out in puffs. Breathe in; blow out the guy who reminds you of Wally with his red hair. Breathe in the calm image of snow falling the bus coming; puff out the recent memory of leaving him. Puff out the anger; blow out the pain; puff out the hurt; blow out the resentment and breathe in the ability to move on. She had to move on because all that's left had gone away and there was nothing left for Wally to prove since he'd cheated on her and left her hanging there like a broken puppet with no one holding the strings.
Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
Oh, well it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won
Climbing onto the bus Art slid her Gotham bus card under the scanner before moving next to the seat that had been the one she'd always shared with a bouncing fifteen year old boy with dark hair, pale skin and sapphire eyes that had no match anywhere else in the world. Gripping onto the handle she glanced at the seat's occupant and saw red hair and green eyes. It took everything in her power not to leap away and scream in fear. Damn Wally, look what he's doing to her even now! He's making her look like a fool in public! Standing with all her muscles tense she waited until the conductor called for Wayne Manor stop. Shuffling off with her yellow boots scrapping the floor as she left behind the electric lights and stomped through the snow to get to the gates and punch in the code she knew Bruce hadn't changed in over three years. Holding her arms close to her chest she couldn't help but let a few more tears leak out before wiping them away so they didn't freeze on her cheeks and provide evidence for the Batman's protégé to easily figure out. Wally must be having a hell of a good time now with his girlfriend out of the picture he was free to do whatever he wanted with his precious Linda. Knocking harder than she usually did just 'cause she had Linda and her perfect freaking smile and perfect freaking hair and perfect freaking body and ARGGGHH why'd she have to be so freaking perfect and take away the boy Wally she'd fallen for!
"Artemis? It's barely twenty degrees outside what are you doing here?" Dick's voice greeted her and without her even saying he already knew and just let her inside before closing the door and hugging her tight. "What'd he do this time Art?" He asked knowing she didn't just cry over trivial stuff like spilt milk.
"He cheated on me with a girl named Linda and now he's lost me cause I'm done with him, I'm done with being treated as if I'm not there, with being used and being a freaking trophy!"
Oh look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
"Oh Art!" Dick's concerned voice pulled on her heartstrings and she cried into his bare chest as he ran a hand through her hair in a comforting manner. He couldn't believe what his best friend had done to her and now he looked like a fool. Wally had gone and made a fool out of him and her and the whole team since they had believed he had truly loved Art. Dick pulled away just to pick her up and carry her to the kitchen where he knew there was ice cream and cookie dough from Alfred having left Dick, Jason and Tim all alone at Wayne Manor when he was off helping Bruce with Wayne Tech business overseas. Carrying her to the kitchen he tried to push away the thoughts of revenge against his best friend and instead tried to focus on comforting Artemis. Looking at what Wally had done to the girl who already had experienced so much loss, pain and hurt alone without anyone there for her until her mother got out of jail and she'd found the team. He sure had made a fool out of everyone by hurting the girl who had gone through so much and even now had given so much for the team and Wally to the point of leaving for him despite her desire to stay. Oh yes he'd made her look like a fool and now he was ready to punch his best friend in the face for that but right now Art needed him and she came first.
"Dick?" She asked him snapping her fingers in front of his face to get his attention. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he put her down on the comfortable barstools and flipped towards the freezer to grab out the cookie dough and the archer's favorite ice cream which just happened to be his too.
"Yes Art?" He replied sapphire eyes open wide innocently with a spoon dangling out of his mouth jokingly. Suppressing a giggle she tried to allow herself a chance to enjoy this moment with her best friend but instead she leapt up and wrapped her tan arms around his lean acrobat body. "Uhhhhh?"
"Dammit, just hold me Boy Wonder." Art managed as she pressed her face into his chest and the surprised boy responded by holding her close and nodding before burying his face in her blonde hair. Holding her close he tightened his grip before kissing the top of her head gently. "Thanks for everything Dick."
"Anytime 'Mis, anytime."
This story has been sitting on my laptop for far too long, I cannot attest for how good of a songfic that it is but I'm putting it up anyways. I hope that you enjoy reader and let me know what you think of it good, bad, or otherwise. Happy reading! :)