Author Note: So this is my first story. I hope you all enjoy the story and I keep the characters believable. Also a big thank you to inspibrain101 for being my beta reader.

April 14

It was a warm spring day in suburbia. The sun shone bright in the clear blue sky and residents went about their day like every other day. In one house however, where its residents were going about their usual routine, something very different was about to happen.

Two of them were in the kitchen seated at the table one reading the paper and the other listening to the radio. And while their activities were normal enough the two were not. Listening to the radio was a well-built and muscular man with short cropped blonde hair eating toast as a sports commentator talked about up-coming games. Opposite him was an athletic looking woman with shoulder length dark hair sipped coffee as she read the lifestyle section of the paper.

To their neighbours they were Mr. and Mrs. Westen. In reality they were Sportsmaster and Tigress wanted supervillians hiding out as regular civilians. Their reason for this was their daughter Artemis who was had finally woken up upstairs and started down the stairs in the front hall.

For today was her birthday. And it was not just any ordinary birthday either. Today was Artemis's 16th and the two were waiting to give her presents they were sure she would enjoy.

Both watched as a slim teenage girl walked down the hall bared footed dressed in sweat pants and a tee shirt. Her messy dark hair partially covered her face as she stopped in the kitchen doorway. Obscured by her hair her eyes went from her father to mother and a worried frown creased her freckled face as she noted the anticipation on her parent's faces.

Crap, was her first thought, what did I forget? Quickly she tried to remember what could be happening today. Strategy and Scheming school? No, she had finished that two months ago. Combat training or Jean Masque private school? Both were supposed to have been done last month. And so was everything else she could think of. She had finished everything her parents had made her do.

Then the frown turned into a look of horror as two ideas hit her. A surprise exam for one or even all of the training or educational programs she had done. Or even worse she had failed one of them somehow and had to repeat one of them.

"Happy birthday honey!" and immediately her mind went blank and mouth hung open as she stared at her parents in disbelief. Even as her mom came over and hugged her Artemis stood there unsure if she was dreaming this.

As far as birthdays went her parents had never really made an effort for them. For most all she had received was card from whichever one had remembered containing money. They showed more affection towards her during the yearly vacation even if she had to wear that stupid costume with her clothes. So this from both her parents left her more stunned than when Mad Hatter had been a guest instructor for the Personal and Lair Defense Necessities course and had hit the class with a psychic attack.

Artemis reacted in a similar matter though, shaking her head and clearing her mind by reciting the Ultra-Humanite's four parts of a successful plan, Control, Preparation, Power and Drive. After repeating it once more she felt better until she saw she dad open the fridge and take a cake out while her mom took two presents out of the cupboards, one with red wrapping paper the other with blue.

Three more recitals later and a minute of one of Deathstroke's breathing control exercises as her dad put candles in the cake left Artemis feeling calm as well as sure that she wasn't dreaming.

Feeling rather numb Artemis walked over to the table just as her dad finished lighting the candles and placed it on the table in front of her. The whole situation just felt so unnatural. It was almost like she was ten again. Back then she still hoped that she might get to have normal childhood and life like her friends at Jean Masque.

"Well don't just stand there with your mouth open honey," said her mom setting the presents on the table. "Make a wish and blow out the candles. Then you can open your presents while we cut the cake."

After a moment's hesitation about what to wish for she knew as she remembered what her ten year self had wished for back in the Jean Masque dormitories where her friends had thrown her a small party. A normal life, a normal life where I can go shopping, hang out friends and go to college or university. And with that thought in mind Artemis took a breath and blew out the candles as her parents looked on with smiles.

The numb feeling was replaced by a warm happy feeling in her chest as her mom passed her the presents and walked over to the cupboards to get plates, forks and a knife. Tearing the paper off the red one and opening the box underneath she gasped in excitement as she found a key inside. A car or maybe motorcycle or even a scooter thought Artemis as a smile lite up her face. Truthfully she didn't care which it was since she had always wanted her own vehicle instead of having to get rides everywhere from her parents or take the bus. Artemis's mood though went from terrific to amazing though as she opened the blue one and found a Xisa credit card inside. A card credit card thought Artemis with a squeal of delight.

Best birthday ever thought Artemis as she accepted a slice of cake and sat down to start eating.

"Thank you, so mush." said Artemis between forkfuls of cake.

"Thanks pumpkin," replied her dad as he started eating. "We thought you would like taking the first real steps to becoming a supervillian."

"Wait what?" asked Artemis fork paused in front of her mouth as look of confusion appeared on her face and the warmth in her chest was started to drain away. It was silent as her parents glanced at each other then her mom grabbed the boxes and looked inside.

"Umm honey where are the notes explaining what each gift is?"

"Oh err, was I supposed to put them in?" her dad looked over at her mom and coughed embarrassed. "I thought you going to do it when you were wrapping them."

The withering look her mom shot back silenced him before she turned to look at Artemis. "Well honey you see what your father said is true. They are to help you be a supervillian. The key is for a motel with a small lair underneath it. And the credit card is actually for the Vile Vault bank so you can buy you costume, equipment and hire henchmen."

"Ah." Was all Artemis said as she stared down at her almost finished cake. There was more she wanted to say to her parents. Things like of course it's for being a supervillain, why would it be for anything else? Or why she had to be a supervillain? Just because she was the daughter of two didn't mean she wanted to be one.

But she didn't. Because she was tired of trying to get them to understand them she wanted to do almost anything else than be a supervillain. And because it was her birthday and her parents were actually celebrating it with her.

So why make a big about it? Thought Artemis looking up from the cake with the fake smile she had perfected back in acting class. She agreed with whatever her mom had finished explaining about the presents before taking another bite of cake as her parents both started smiling again. Might as well make the best of the situation she thought as her dad started talking about an upcoming villain convention where she could get everything she was going to need for her lair and band of henchmen.

After all even attention for the reasons she didn't want was better than none right?