AN: Inspired by the song "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye
She never looked him in the eyes anymore. She didn't know why. There wasn't any reason, other than that she didn't want to. In fact, other than during missions, Artemis never acknowledged Wally after that night.
He regretted it. Badly. He knew how much he hurt her; how in his anger he had lashed out, and blamed her for it. She accepted that it was her fault, taking every blow, psychologically and physically. The bruises healed, but those spiteful words continued to linger on.
Yet, in the madness, they had loved each other. At least, they had for a while.
But the abuse took its toll. Every day, she looked less and less often at him with love, and more with disgust. She hated the way he made her feel; weak, powerless, like a child.
The night that she left, Wally sat on the floor of the loft they had shared. He went through an entire case of beer, attempting to drink away his feelings of remorse, but his metabolism prevented this, and his self-disgust continued to flow through him.
"I can let it go. Go ahead and leave, I won't be upset." had been his last words to her. Her reply to this was simply, "You've become a stranger to me." in a quiet voice, and shut the door behind her.
She didn't even pack. All her clothes were still hung up in the closet, her books in French still on the bookcase, her tea cup exactly where she left it on the table. The next day, Zatanna and Kaldur had come by to pick up her stuff. The only thing of Artemis's left was the smell of peppermint. Her scent, her aroma. It haunted him that night, and continued to every time he was in his apartment.
Wally had expected her to quit the team, but much to his surprise she continued to come to the trainings, the missions, and the debriefings. She acted like nothing had ever happened, and that she hadn't lived with him. It was as if she had forgotten the nights they spent in each other's arms, the mornings they ate stale cereal together, and the fights they had constantly.
He was just somebody that she used to know.
