I remember tears streaming down your face
when I said I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said don't leave me alone
But all that's dead and gone and past tonight
The battle had finally come. No the war was raging but the battles were heated. Shadows against justice. Momentarily half of the YJ team and actual league were fighting a sector of the Shadows. The one Jade happened to be in with Black Spider. The battle raged and she didn't let up. At least not till she saw it. Some idiot, one of her own, threw a poisonous knife.
Artemis was doing good. She was taking them out left and right. Hitting them square center with her trick shots and classical deadly ones. But she did have her work cut out for her. There were countless of others. She was silently cursing and wishing for an annoying red head speedster to be beside her , but she knew for some reason speedsters were always late. She didn't notice that some nameless ninja had his eyes on her. She didn't hear the woosh as the knife sliced through the air, not till it sliced through her skin. It scraped her leaving a clean cut on her upper arm.
"Ugh!" she cried clenching her arm as she swayed a little.
She didn't hear a voice crying "Artemis!"
Jade silently cursed. She was able to sneak herself and Artemis out of the battle. She knew it was stupid, selfish and foolish but she hadn't thought clearly. All she saw was her baby sister get hit with a knife whose poison she used as well so she knew how dangerous it was. She quickly hid themselves in the woods and bandaged her arm tightly. She was then trudging through the forest.
"J-j-jade.' Artemis slurred.
'Yeah. I need you to stay awake, okay?" Jade tried to remain cool but there was an urgency in her.
'I'm t-t-tired.'
'No! Stay with me!" she demanded.
Anger and resentment flickered in Artemis' slightly cloudy eyes. 'Why should I listen to you?" even though she was sick and fading from conscious the voice still held pain and resentment, betrayal and hurt.
Jade flinched slightly and sighed as they walked through the thick dark woods up the hill. The moon was a mocking crescent, a jape to her alias. "I know. I know. I- I remember when mom left, when she was hurt. You were so sad.' She murmured. 'And you were full of tears, I hated it. You told me to promise and I did. I promised not to let you go. You just looked so hurt but I didn't want you to get sucked into the Shadows. I didn't want them to kill the light in you like they did to me.' She sighed. 'You said not to leave you alone. I broke that promise, but I'm making it again."
She finally reached the spot. It was a small wooden cabin nestled near the top but hidden from bellow. She kicked the door open. The small moonlight cast the light to show a regular looking cabin with a bed, wooden table, fore place and kitchen area. She set Artemis on the bed and quickly got serums and supplies. As she worked on her she softly sang to her, to her baby sister.
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I will be safe and sound.
It was wistful.
Artemis was vaguely returning to conscious. Her fever was running high and she still felt slightly delirious. She kept expecting Shadows to come running in but Jade kept soothing, saying they were safe.
'No, the team- they-they need help.'
"Ssshh, you need to calm down. Stress will only make things worse." She her placed a wet rag on her burning forehead.
"No they- I need- Wal-KF! Where are they? Why haven't they found me?!" her eyes were heightened.
Jade sighed as she went for something in the kitchenish area. 'So I may have tampered with you trackers and communicators. They can't find you and the Shadows can't find me. We're in the dark."
Artemis sat up quickly and looked out the window. 'What's that light? What-why is their smoke?! Is something on fire!?" her voice went up an octave and her eyes were crazed mixed with worry and fever.
'Artemis please!" Jade quickly went to her side with a stern look. "No just lay down.'
'No-what's happening out there!" she cried.
Jade gently pushed her back down. "You must rest. It's nothing.' She lied.
Artemis wasn't buying it, her breathing coming in short huffs. Jade took out another dose of the serum and put it in her arm. She had to do it dose by dose or else it would have other affects in one large dose.
Artemis calmed a bit. "I need the Team.'
She was quiet for a moment. 'You really like that Junior League don't ya.'
She gave a tired nod. 'They-they're family.' she murmured softly as she began to doze again.
That hurt Jade but she couldn't deny it, they had never been the happiest family but she did care for her. She watched as her sister slept, her chest showing a more normal breathing pattern. She swept a few stray strands of hair from her face since she had removed the mask. She hated this.
Don't you dare look out your window
Darling everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Curl up to this lullaby
Even when music's gone gone
They hadn't been given a choice. They weren't allowed to choose if they had even wanted to be in this life style, they were simply tossed into it. And now it was hard to get out. All she wanted was to finally feel secure, to have Artemis safe. That was what a home was supposed to be, a place to be safe and sound. She sang to her quietly again.
Just close your eyes
Sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I will be safe and sound
Ooooh ooooh oh
Ooooh ooooh oh
Jade knew what she had to do. She didn't like it but it was to save her sister. She loved her sister sand need her to be safe. She had made that promise to herself and that was one she didn't intend to break. She had had her nigh, talking to her through the whole night, even if Artemis wasn't awake the whole time. She took out the small tracker as the sun rose for the end of this battle and despite everything she wanted her sister to be the one to win the war. She re activated it then took out the comm., turning it on.
'She's here." She said in a hoarse voice.
She rolled her eyes as a buzzing noise came through, the sound of someone talking at top speed 'Can't understand you but don't worry. I gave her an antidote, she's safe. You'll understand when you find her.'
The voice finally slowed but was curt, an unusual tone for the springy speedster. 'She better be.'
"And you better treat her well or you'll find a sai in your heart before it even can try to beat Flash Jr."
'Of course' he said genuinely. "And it's Kid Flash!" but she had turned it off.
Just close your eyes
She gently covered her sister with a blanket and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Love you." She murmured.
You'll be alright
"Jade?!" Artemis sat up slightly, eyes blurry. She saw her silhouette in the door way. She paused.
Come morning light
'Don't worry, in a way I did keep my promise. It'll work out."
you and I will be safe and sound
ooooh ooooh ooooh ooooh
ooooh ooooh ooooh ooooh
ooooh ooooh ooooh ooooh
Jade had barely ran and hidden in a tree when a yellow and red blur came swishing through the forest. He hardly paused before he went into the cabin. Jade smiled slightly then put the mask back on.