So, I've really warmed up to Artemis, and, I felt like she needed a scene with Green Arrow. Now, mind you, I don't know his character particularly well, so, I'm not entirely sure I got it. Please, bear with me, and enjoy!
Green Arrow surveyed the building across the street in silence, his new protégée, Artemis, watching just as intently beside him. He stole a glance at the girl, just in time to catch her trying to stifle a yawn. It surprised him, considering it was only late afternoon, and he knew that she could go much longer.
He shifted his weight. It was a small hardware store they were watching. He had gained a few tips about it, though they weren't all that weighty. In fact, he was pretty sure it was being handled by a few plainclothesmen. And, really, if he was being honest, whatever the deal was with the store, it wasn't serious enough for his attention.
No, the real reason he was out there was to talk to Artemis. Which, Ollie had to admit, wasn't something he looked forward to. Black Canary had mentioned that Artemis was having trouble with training...trouble stopping, that is. How on earth do you address a problem like that? He wondered. It'd be easier if it was Roy. Then I could just straight up ask. But, this is Artemis...I barely even know her. And she's a girl. A teenage girl. Aren't they hormonal?
"Somethin' on your mind?" Artemis' voice broke through his thoughts. She was still focused on the building, with a discipline that rivaled the Bats, Ollie was sure. Though, he noted, she seemed less focused than normal. Even her posture was different...more tired.
He took a deep breath. "Naw. Not really."
"Hm."
Ollie grimaced. She saw right through his lie. What was up with this kid? "How's the team thing going?"
Artemis spared him a glance. "Fine."
She had only gone on a few missions with them so far, the last one leaving an unsettling impression on the whole league. The ability to relieve six mentally healthy kids of their memories was more than enough to worry them.
"Well," he said. "That's good. You like you're teammates, then?"
Poorly asked, even he knew that. Artemis' rolling her eyes didn't help, though. "Yeah, sure. Love 'em." She took her eyes off the building, and focused her full – albeit annoyed – attention on him. "Look, is there really a reason we need to be here?"
Ollie winced. Okay, this kid was much smarter than he had given credit. "No."
"Then why are we here?"
He shrugged. "I figured it'd be a good idea for you and I to spend some time patrolling together...or something."
Artemis huffed, spinning around. "Whatever."
Ollie sighed and went after her. She led him across a few rooftops toward the seedier part of town. Artemis, Green Arrow realized, was looking for a fight.
"Artemis."
She didn't even pause. "What?"
"Wait. I want to talk to you."
The young archer turned, looking at him suspiciously. "About what?"
Ollie leaned against one of the buildings large vents. "Black Canary says you've been having trouble with training."
Artemis bristled, her eyes flashing with indignation. "I haven't had any trouble! She doesn't know what she's talking about! I've been doing great in training!"
Ollie shrugged. "That's what she told me."
"Then why is that a problem?"
"She said that you've been pushing for longer training sessions. Longer than anyone elses – including Superboy's!"
"So?"
"Artemis, she's worried about your health! And, quite frankly, I am too."
"There's nothing to be worried about!" Artemis spat out, turning to leave.
Ollie's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Really? Nothing?" He released her when she turned back t o him. "You look exhausted. You're tiring yourself out."
Artemis crossed her arms angrily. "Can we just change the subject?"
"What? We haven't even started the subject!"
"Just change it!"
Green Arrow took a deep breath to say more, but then realized that they were raising their voices. "Fine. We'll change the subject."
Artemis relaxed.
"How's school going?"
She stiffened. "I'm not falling asleep during class, if that's what you're wondering."
Well, that was mostly true. If it wasn't for the help of one of her class mates – she thought his name was Dick Grayson or something – nudging her every time she was about to drop off, she wouldn't make it through the day.
"Homework isn't too much?"
"No."
"Okay. Is you're mom doing well?"
"Yeah."
"Is there anything stressing you out?"
Artemis groaned loudly, throwing her hands up in the air. "This is still about me being exhausted, isn't it?"
"Yes."
If they weren't supposed to be partners, Artemis would definitely have hit the man. "Why?"
"Because, Artemis. I want to know why every day in training with Black Canary, you ask for more time sparring. She told me that you two fought five rounds, each lasting three to five minutes. I'm not sure even Robin trains that long that often, and Bats is one of the most strict fighters I know. He has to be, if they both want to survive Gotham. Canary herself said that she never presses more than three rounds out of Superboy each day."
Artemis became incensed. "You're comparing me with Superboy, again! Why?"
"Why? I'll tell you why: it's because Superboy is Superboy. It takes a lot longer to tire him out than it does to tire either of us out. Yet, you're going for something that's beyond that. Look, I've sparred with Canary myself multiple times, I know how hard it is."
"Okay, so I can take a lot more than a couple of boys can. Why is that such a big deal?" She looked at him sharply. "Are you jealous, or something?"
Ollie scoffed. "Jealous? I have no need to be. I'm thrilled that you do so well in a fight. It makes me worry less about your safety." He didn't miss the slight look of surprise that entered her eyes when he said 'worry.' "But your pushing yourself beyond any normal person's endurance level – in circumstances that, in no way, require it – is troubling. You could land yourself in the hospital from exhaustion of you keep this up."
Artemis had gone from arms that were simply crossed to a position that looked more like she was hugging herself. Her eyes no longer looked at Green Arrow, instead darting from place to place as if she didn't know what to do with herself.
Ollie walked up to her, placing both hands on her shoulders and leaning down to her eye level. "Artemis, I want to know why you're doing this? Do you feel the need to prove yourself? You already have, ample times." A thought struck him, and he chose his next words carefully. "It's not because of something...your dad said or did, is it?"
He wasn't quite prepared to see tears creep into Artemis' eyes. Of course, who ever was? Biting his lip, Ollie considered his choices, and, deciding that there really wasn't much else to do, straightened and pulled her into a hug. He did his best to ignore the tears seeping into his costume as she sobbed into his chest. He murmured soothingly to her, stroking her hair. Beyond Artemis' weight, Ollie found something else forming in his chest – a feeling he couldn't quite pinpoint.
"What did he say?" He whispered.
Artemis choked on a sob as she answered. "He wanted a boy. He wished that I was a boy."
"Why?" While the question came out before he had a good chance to filter it, Ollie did manage to keep it gentle.
"Because boys can handle a lot more, and do a lot more, and last longer!"
The pieces started to fit. Ollie began to see why Artemis kept up such a tough exterior – beyond just her previous training with her father, beyond her current living situation with her mother, beyond being "the new kid" on the team – why she was so competitive, and why asked to be pushed harder than anyone else.
"So you've been trying to prove him wrong?"
Her head dug lightly into his chest as she nodded. "Uh-huh, and he never thought I was good enough. Every time I set a new record, or whatever, I could always tell that he thought a boy could do better."
Fresh sobs broke loose, and Ollie tried to glance distinctly around to see if anyone was watching. That funny feeling in his chest was growing, but his head was telling him very clearly that he wasn't quite the person for the job of comforting the girl. No, he was more suited for something Roy would dish out.
"And," She was on a roll now, and couldn't seem to stop. "It didn't help when, that first day, I joined the team and Wa- Kid Flash said that they preferred Red Arrow – as if I wasn't a good enough archer for them!"
Ollie froze. Oh dear. Yeah, it probably hadn't helped when he had said something about him and Roy protecting the scientist together.
"And I just feel like I need to keep proving myself, or else I won't be good enough for the team, either!"
Ollie kind of hummed an answer of some sort. He realized that he was still stiffened, and that he had stopped stroking her hair. Apparently Artemis noticed something was amiss with her mentor.
She tore away from him and, with her teary eyes, looked at him fearfully. "You think that, too!"
"What?" His eyes widened. "No, Artemis-"
"You do, too!" The angry look came back to her face. "Don't pretend I don't notice how often you make a comment about how you and Roy did this or that, or a story of how you and Speedy stopped so-and-so in that alleyway from getting away with some horrible crime!" The tears had stopped, and the spit-fire was returning, a finger jabbing at Ollie's face. "You wish I was Red Arrow, instead."
When Green Arrow didn't deny it immediately, Artemis started to cry again. Though, this time she tried much harder to keep them at bay.
"Well, I'm sorry for not being Red Arrow, okay!" She all but shouted at him. "I'm sorry I'm not a boy, I'm sorry I'm not fast enough, and I'm sorry that I'm not good enough!"
"Stop that!" Ollie said it with vehemence. "You don't have to be sorry about that! You are good enough for this! You've proven it time and time again, Artemis. I don't care that you're not a boy, you got that?" He grabbed her by the shoulders again, preventing her from leaving. "Artemis, you're perfect for this. You don't need to keep trying to prove it, okay? You're not a boy, no, but that doesn't mean your inferior to one because of it. You have different strengths, and you use them to keep up with anything anyone dishes out to you. I'm proud of you for that!"
Artemis sniffed, her mask darkened below her eyes where the tears had fallen, nodding.
"And I don't want you to listen or believe anything else you're father said. Kid Flash was just saying that about Red Arrow because they were good friends, not because he thought you would be worse. He didn't like running in late like he had, and was putting on a bravado, by reacting harshly to you. And, yes, sometimes I do wish I had Roy here with me. But, that's just because he's like a son to me, and I'm used to him being around."
A new doubt darkened Artemis' eyes. "And what about me?"
Ollie sighed. This took a lot more than he thought it would. His voice was softer as he told her, "I'm glad you're around. You've become like a daughter to me, Artemis. You're beautiful, strong, talented, and skilled – everything I could hope to have in a daughter of my own." He pulled her into another hug, which she reciprocated easily. "Now then, let's get you home to your mom, okay? You should get some rest. You'll be needing it tomorrow."
As they walked to the zeta-beam device that would transport Artemis back to Gotham, Ollie managed to identify that funny feeling he had in his chest. A fierce new love and protectiveness toward his new protégée. If that low-life that even dared to call himself father to her wouldn't man up to take on that responsibility toward Artemis, Ollie sure would. She needed it. And, he decided, she was worth it.
How'd you like it? Bad? Good? Eh? Please, review. I hate it when people favorite, but don't review. I love to know your thoughts, even if it's a single line! -Jimmy C.