10,9,8,7.. This is it,6,5,4, Artemis here I come,3,2,1. The explosion that Robin had set off exploded. I felt a brief amount of sharp pain as I died. My vision went black. All I could hear was my thoughts inside my head. Is this what it truly feels like to die? I waited another minute and saw a light appear faraway. It slowly came closer and closer until I bursted through it.

I shot straight up and let out a gasp. I looked around the room and took in my surroundings. I was back in mount justice. All my teammates were alive. Artemis!

She was alive too. I wanted to run up and hug her. She looked around the room and then came into eye contact. Her gray eyes stared at me, then looked away as if she was ashamed of herself.

I still stared at her, hearing bits of pieces of what batman and Martian

Manhunter said. They said something about how it was a training exercise destined to fail and how M'gann lost control of her mind when Artemis died.

Artemis cringed at this statement.

After the league finished explaining our predicament, we were dismissed. We were told that Black Canary would be holding therapy sessions tomorrow and that we shouldn't leave the cave.

I wanted to blow off some steam by running, but since we were not allowed to leave the cave, I had to settle for running around in a circle in the training room. I ran and ran to try to get Artemis's death out of my mind, but no matter how fast I ran her getting zapped still played across my imagination. I started punching the punching bag hard and fast. Faster, faster, faster, I thought as I hit it. Artemis replayed through my mind again and this time I broke down. I crouched down at the nearest wall, and broke down and cried.I should have saved her, I think through tears. I hear a door open in the distance and I try to pull myself together. Robin walks into the room a few seconds later. "Hey kf, you okay?"

Did he really think I was ok? "Yea, just fine. Decided to come in here and work out before bed," I said trying to sound casual. He didn't look to convinced and took of his sunglasses.

"Wally, I know you are lying. I saw the way you reacted when Artemis died.

You didn't react like that for Aqualad, Barry, or even Superboy. You have feelings for her don't you?" Dick finished, his hand now resting on my shoulder.

"I'm going to sleep," I said brushing right past him. I didn't feel like talking about it right now. He sighed and I heard him walk over to the punching bag and start punching it. I shoved the door open and started heading for my room.

I approached Artemis's door and stopped. I listened for a minute, hearing silence. Then I heard a soft sob come from the room. I opened her door and saw her laying on her bed, curled up in a ball. She quickly realized I had come in her room and tried to pull herself together. "Haven't you heard of knocking," she remarked, wiping a tear from her eye. Iignored her comment and sat down beside her.

"I came to check on you to see how you are doing," I said looking at her eyes. She rolled her eyes apparently mad at for caring about her. "I heard you crying and I..."

"And now you think I am weak and suck as a teammate for causing this whole

M'gann goes out of control problem. You know what Wally? I'm sick and tired of

you teasing me and flirting with M'gann! You just wanted to come in here an

tease me more! You don't care about me at all!" She yelled, bursting into tears.

I wrapped my arms around her head and she began crying on my shoulder.

"Artemis, I care about you more than you will ever know. You are not at fault for the mission today. It could have been me who would have died out there.

M'gann could have lost control over my death. I didn't want to come in here to

tease you, I wanted to come in here and comfort you. Artemis look at me," I said

to her.

She slowly lifted her head and met her eyes with mine," What?" She asked as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I love you," I said wiping the tear from her cheek. For a second she just stared at me, but then she took her hands, wrapped them around my neck, and her lips crushed mine. My hands began playing with her blonde hair. I began kissing her back, feeling a spark in my heart. She broke apart catching her breath. My heart was racing, Artemis had just kissed me.

I wrapped her in a hug. "Wally, I love you too. I'm sorry I'm an emotional mess," she says still ashamed of herself.

"I am too Artemis, you may not believe it but I broke down too," I admit, trying to comfort her. We laid there in each other's arms for the rest of the night. Finally realizing what we should have known from the start. We were meant to be together.