"Artemis B07." the computer announced as Artemis stepped out of the zeta tube. "Uugh, thanks you stupid computer," Artemis thought irritably. She'd been hoping to enter the cave undetected, but since that piece of junk gave her away…

Artemis looked around for somewhere to hide, just in case she wasn't the only one there. She turned and high-tailed it to her room as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Artemis?" The archer froze. He was in the cave. She was so close to her room, just a few more feet…

Artemis turned the last corner that lead to her dorm as quietly as possible. She could see her door, just a little farther… Suddenly, Wally appeared from around the corner. "Artemis!"

Artemis bolted for the door. She shut and locked it as fast as humanly possible. Artemis dropped to the floor with a sigh.

"Why are you avoiding me?" The voice from behind her made Artemis yelp in surprise as she turned around to find Wally standing there. Artemis couldn't help but remember…

-Flashback-

"Kill yourself," Wally sneered as they got back from the mission. There was a whoosh of air and the next second Artemis was on the floor and Wally was gone.

-End of Flashback-

Artemis folded her knees in and buried her face in them as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "Go away!"

"Artemis? Are you okay?" Wally's voice softened.

-Flashback-

"Why are you such a bitch?" Wally asked, his voice full of venom. Artemis internally winced. He hurt her so badly, just with mere words.

"Why are you such a bastard?" she retorted painfully. Her words lacked their previous edge, but he probably didn't notice. He never does.

"Do you even know the definition of 'bastard'?" Wally challenged.

"Yeah, the definition of 'bastard' is Wallace West!" Artemis exclaimed. Then she turned away from him and the others. She couldn't cry. She couldn't show weakness. This is exactly why she tries her best not to get attached to anyone.

Artemis remembered an old quote, one of her favorites: 'Love None, and None can hurt you'. It said two different things: if you don't love anyone, then nobody can hurt you. The other message: if you love someone, then that person can hurt you. Artemis learned that the hard way, from her father…

-End of Flashback-

More tears fell as she began to sob. Why? Why does he do that to her? Doesn't he know how much he hurts her?

Artemis heard Wally's footsteps as he approached her. Her face was brought up by her chin. He looked concerned. "Artemis, talk to me. Whats wrong?" She just shook her head and kept crying. Wally must have realized by now that she wasn't going to say anything.

Artemis heard Wally move toward the door and made to move, but was brought back down into his lap. She just snuggled into his chest and sobbed. Wally began running his hand over her head, down her long hair, and back again.

"Thats it. Just cry it out, you can talk to me in a minute," he whispered gently. They stayed like that for a long time, even after Artemis stopped crying. Wally looked down at her.

"Do you wanna talk about it now?" he murmured. Artemis thought for a minute, then nodded uncertainly. Wally smiled. "Ok, shoot."

Artemis snuggled closer. "I keep hearing you," she confessed. Wally seemed confused. "What do you mean? What am I doing?"

"I keep hearing you insulting me or telling me to kill myself," Artemis said, tears threatening to fall as she looked up at Wally. He had a guilty and pitiful expression on his face.

"Artemis, I'm really sorry. I am SO sorry I made you feel that way." Wally pulled Artemis into a deeper embrace as she began to sob again. "I'm sorry," he whispered again.

Eventually Artemis stopped crying. "We good?" Wally asked, but didn't receive and answer. "Artemis?" Thats when he heard her breathing softly. He chuckled. Artemis had fallen asleep in his arms. Now that he thought about it, she did look cute when she slept. Child-like, even.

Wally just sat there for a while, then decided he wanted to watch a movie. He carefully lifted his precious cargo, and carried her to the living room with him. Wally sat down on the couch with Artemis in his lap again.

Artemis began to mumble something in her sleep. Wally leaned closer. "Whazzat?" he asked curiously. Artemis' eyes snapped open. Wally yelped in surprise. "I said, 'if you ever carry me without my permission again, I will personally kick your ass'," she said in a challenging tone.

Wally just shot her a smug look. "Come on, you know you liked it. Besides, you never know when you'll get another chance to be carried by the Kid Flash again," he answered smugly.

Artemis scoffed. "Whatever." She snuggled into Wally's chest. "So, what are we gonna watch, or are you just gonna sit on the couch watching the black screen?"

"Haha, very funny Arty," Wally shot back. Artemis sat up.

"What have I told you about calling me 'Arty'?" Wally pretended to think.

"Well, you told me that I could call you 'Arty' whenever I wanted to, Arty," Wally said smugly.

"Thats it!" Artemis jumped up and ran to her room. Wally just sat there, being his usual smug self. Little did he know that Artemis had gotten her bow and arrows, and was currently sneaking from behind the couch.

As soon as Wally lifted the remote to turn the tv on, an arrow flew and claimed it from his hand. "What the-" Wally started, flabbergasted. The he turned around and saw Artemis.

Wally gasped. "You," he exclaimed. Artemis looked back and forth. "Who, me?" she asked in an innocent tone. "I did nothing," she said sweetly.

"You could have shot my hand!" Wally exclaimed. "But I didn't," Artemis sang.

"Besides, you shouldn't have called me 'Arty'," she said. Wally smirked. "But when has that ever stopped me, Arty?" Artemis let out a growl of frustration and jumped onto the couch. More specifically, on Wally.

"Ah! Artemis! Get off me!" Wally shouted. Artemis looked at him with a challenge in her eyes. "Only if you promise to stop calling me 'Arty'," she demanded. Wally chuckled.

"Oh, come on, Arty! You know you like it!" Wally said playfully. Artemis glared at him. "Wallace Rudolph West, I swear…"

"You swear what? What'll you do?" Wally paused. "And how do you know my full name?"

"Oh, that was me," came a voice from behind them and a camera flash. Wally and Artemis turned to see the Boy Wonder looking at them from the back of the couch. Another camera flash. "And I must say, you two do look like a happy couple," Robin said, his voice full of mischief as he took yet another picture.

"Smile!" Robin took several more pictures.

Artemis tried to get off him, but they were still tangled from their fight and toppled to the floor, each still trying to detach from the other. Robin took a few more shots of the uncomfortable duo, then made his grand escape.

Finally, Wally and Artemis got separated. Wally looked around. "Ugh, I hate it when he does the ninja thing. ROBIN!" he yelled at the top of his voice. Artemis winced. "Baywatch, could you not?" she said rubbing her ear.

Wally looked over at her. "Sorry," he said as he offered his hand. Artemis took it, but Wally overestimated his strength and pulled her up more than he intended, and they ended up on the floor again with Artemis on top of Wally.

Wally chuckled nervously. "Well, this is awkward."

Artemis glared at him. "No shit, Baywatch."

Something occurred to Wally. "Hey, Artemis? Why do you call me 'Baywatch'?"

Artemis blushed furiously. "Well, when I first met you, you looked like you were ready to go to the beach," she explained

Wally decided to push farther. "Uh-huh. And?" he asked.

Artemis glared at him. "Don't push your luck Baywa-Wallman." Wally snickered.

"'Wallman'? Who are you and what have you done with my Artemis?" he asked. Artemis raised and eyebrow.

"Your Artemis?" she asked skeptically. Wally turned beet red. "Well, ya know, figuratively speaking…" he replied nervously.

"Mm-hmm. Suuuuuure. Whatever you say Baywatch," Artemis teased him.

"Its the truth, Arty," Wally shot back with a smirk. Artemis punched him in the arm playfully. "You talk to much."

"But you love it."

"You still talk to much."

"I didn't hear a denial," Wally said looking smug. "You still love me for it."

Artemis looked redder than a tomato now. "Shut-up Baywatch!"

"You called me 'Baywatch' again!" Wally exclaimed.

"Thats because its one of your nicknames I gave you!"

"Really, what other nicknames have you given me, Arty?"

"Kid Moron, Kid Idiot, Kid Mouth, Kid Vacuum, Baywatch, Kid- I thought I told you not to call me 'Arty'!"

Wally faked innocence. "What? I don't remember that ever happening. You thought wrong, Beautiful," Wally said flirtatiously.

Artemis stopped. "What did you call me?"

Wally's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "I said, 'You thought wrong, Beautiful'."

They just sat there in silence, until Wally realized Artemis was still on top of him. "Ahem, Artemis…"

Artemis must have realized this as well because she jumped up and apologized. She offered her hand. Wally took it, and Artemis pulled him up. He ended up so close…

Artemis cleared her throat. "Well, I should go back to my room. Got a lot of homework." They both chuckled nervously. "Yeah…" Wally said.

There was a whoosh of air as Wally came right up to Artemis, pecked her on the lips, and ran back to his room. Artemis brought her fingers up to her lips. He just kissed her. Wally freakin West just kissed her.

Artemis grinned. Then, just for the sake of it yelled, "WALLY!" and walked off toward her room smiling. Just as Artemis stepped into her room, she heard someone yell. "You know you love it!" Artemis shook her head with a sigh and turned in for the night.


Blood. There was blood, everywhere. Everywhere Artemis looked, all she could see where pools of blood. Then she saw them.

Her mother, in her wheelchair with her eyes wide open and a javelin sticking out from her chest.

Her sister, with her uniform on and her neck broken.

Robin, hung by his neck with a rope, eyes bulging.

Aqualad, sprawled on the ground with blood coming out of his mouth.

Miss Martian, with a slash across her neck.

Superboy, with Kryptonite sticking out of his chest.

Zatanna, with blood spilling out of her stomach.

And Wally. Wally, walking toward her in uniform. "Traitor. You're a pathetic excuse for an archer. You've never belonged here and never will," he spat, voice thick with venom.

"No," Artemis said backing up. "NO!"

Artemis sat up gasping, covered in sweat.

"Hey, Artemis, calm down! Its ok! Its just a nightmare, its not real!"

She looked to her right and saw Wally staring down at her with concern in his bright green eyes.

"Its ok, it was just a nightmare," he said again, attempting to calm her. Wally sat down on the bed and enveloped Artemis in a comforting hug. "It was just a nightmare…"

Artemis weakly returned the hug, still trembling and breathing heavily as Wally began running his hand over her hair again and again. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked softly.
Artemis took a shaky breath. "They-they were dead. Mom, Robin, Zatanna, my sister, Aqualad, Miss Martian, Superboy. And you-you came to m-me and called me a tr-traitor," she sobbed.

"Shh," Wally soothed her. "Artemis, I would never do that to you. I'm staying by your side, the whole way."

Artemis looked up at him. "Promise?"

Wally nodded. "I promise, Beautiful." Wally squeezed her one last time then got up. "Good night, Arty."

"Wait!" Artemis blurted. Wally looked back, startled with a confused expression on his face. "Yes?"

Artemis looked down. "Could you stay with me tonight?" she pleaded quietly. Wally smiled. "Sure."

Wally crawled under the covers and put an arm around Artemis' shoulder, pulling her closer to him. Artemis snuggled into his chest, while he rested his chin on her head.

"Thank you," Artemis whispered. Wally smiled again. "Anything for you, Arty,"

Artemis rolled her eyes. "You had to ruin the moment, didn't you?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" Wally exclaimed in a mock-innocent voice.

Artemis picked up a pillow and whacked him with it, the both of them laughing quietly. "Good night, Wally."

Wally pulled Artemis even closer. "Good night Artemis."

And with that, the two teenagers fell asleep in each others' arms.

Thanks for reading! Also, I based the memories off of my own experiences with someone I care about. Only he didn't really care, he just apologized for telling me to kill myself because some administrator told him too. He never really cares, never has never will. Typical middle school drama, right?