If Distance Could Kill
If distance on its own could kill, Artemis was sure she would be a mangled mess on the floor. She could the rift begin even before she let go of Wally in the warehouse on the outskirts of Blüdhaven. She knew once that embrace was broken it would be the last time they spoke, even saw each other, in what would feel like an eternity.
It was like ripping out her own heart as she slowly followed Kaldur onto the black submarine. Kaldur had always been the most sympathetic of them all, so he didn't say a word as her sobs began. Calmly, he waited for her to collect herself and said gently, "I can sympathize with you, and I am truly sorry you must leave him, and everyone else, for a lie." There was nothing she could say, so she decided to give Kaldur a quick hug.
"We still won't be able to be friends like old times, huh?" She asks, already knowing the answer. "I am sorry old friend, but no. I am sure it is still a small comfort to not, truly, be alone." He was right. Even though neither could show it, it was a comfort knowing someone was there for you down in the cold depths of the unforgiving sea. As the pair approached Black Manta's main ship she wiped away her tears and put the face of the assassin her father had tried so hard to train her to be. They exited the small sub to see crew members hastily running around, preparing things on the sub, bandaging injuries, and other assorted things. "Follow me." He directed. She nodded and trailed behind him through winding hallways and doorways until they finally ascended a stairway to a grander looking arch. Kaldur knocked twice. "Come in." he did so without hesitation.
"Father, I have brought Deathstroke's new apprentice." He states. "Have you? Your name?" He directs at Artemis. Now the lie truly begins. "Tigress, sir." He nodded his head a little. "Very well. I have the faith that if Kaldur chose you, you are trustworthy enough." He says narrowing his eyes. She smirks and shrugs her shoulders, "As trustworthy as a criminal can be." Kaldur tensed up beside her and it was quiet a moment before Black Manta let out a hearty laugh. "Indeed! Yes, I believe you will be good edition around here. Not many have a sense of humor. Kaldur will show you your room." He states.
Kaldur left the room and continued down a corridor to the left. "Well, you certainly have a way with people." Kaldur says. She smirks. "I just know how to read people." He lets out a slight chuckle. They continued in a friendly silence until they reached a door and he turned around and says, "This will be your living quarters. My room is down the hallway in case you need anything." He says for good measure. "Thank you Kaldur." Artemis says with the best smile she could manage, he squeezes her shoulder and continues to his own room.
Even after 3 years of not seeing each other, he was still her leader. She opened the door to her new cage and collapsed on the bed. She muffled her sobs through a pillow until she finally fell asleep.
Wally watched as Artemis boarded the submarine with Kaldur feeling the pit in his stomach only drop more. "We're through the hard part, they're in." Nightwing says as the only comfort he could offer. "Who are you kidding?" Wally says through clenched teeth. "It only gets more dangerous from here." Nightwing is silent because, he already knew that. He and Artemis had a very long discussion of whether she was really up for it, and he still had a tiny part of him that said maybe she wasn't.
"Wally, I'm sorry." He says after the pair sat in silence for over 15 minutes. Wally wished he could blame Nightwing for all this. For having to let Artemis put her life in danger for who knows how long, for pulling her back in after they were trying to get out, but his best friend was just that. Dick hadn't forced Artemis into anything, it was her own decision. Wally sighed. "Don't be, she can handle herself." Dick tilted his head to look out at the ocean, "How are you going to hold up?" He wasn't sure he could answer that question. His silence seemed to answer the question.
"If you want to crash at my place for the night you can." He offers. Wally shook his head. "Nelson still needs to be fed and…and I need to call Paula and Jade." It had just occurred to Wally that Artemis's family didn't even know about Artemis's "death." "Do you want any help?" He shook his head again. "No, they need to hear it from me." As Wally turned Dick pulled him into an, "I'm-here-for-you-so-have-an-awkward-bro-hug." Wally snickered and descended the steps as Nightwing disappeared into the city.
The drive home was quiet and full of Artemis's lack of presence. Her laugh was gone, her cute quirks, her scent, she might as well have been dead because, in his heart, until the day she was back in his arms, she was. Wally walked into the empty apartment, save for Nelson, and took in its desolate look. Without her vibrancy everything just looked, dead. He walked past the couch where the dog raised his head and whimpered. He knew Artemis would be gone for awhile too. Wally sat with him and picked a phone. He dialed Paula's number and got ready to leave if he needed too.
Paula seemed ready for it. She knew the life came with risks, she was in a wheelchair because of it. That didn't stop her sobs as Wally told her what happened. He promised to come visit the next day. He wasn't able to get a hold of Jade but, he did tell Roy. He knew Roy had, before his depression, messed with Artemis in an extended family kind o way, but he never realized he had cared so much until Wally told him of her death. He was sure it didn't help the whole depression thing. Roy had sat in stunned silence and promised to tell Jade the next time he saw her. Wally could also swear he heard a baby in the background.
After he had informed her family, Wally decided to tell his tomorrow, he sluggishly walked to his and Artemis's room. He collapsed on their bed and for the first time that night, he cried. He silently laid on his back and let his tears fall. He felt Nelson nudge his leg so he picked the dog up. He licked some tears off the side of Wally's face. He patted the dogs head and sat him on the bed. He crawled into his side of the bed while Nelson sat in his. The void that filled where Artemis should have been gave him nightmares that night.
If distance could kill, his heart would have stopped the second that submarine disappeared in the black void of the ocean.