A/N: I really thought this would be a one-shot but I just kept having all these ideas on where to take the story and I had to keep writing. Honestly, I have no idea where this is going or how long it will run but I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that this will be a dark but different fic. This won't be going in the obvious direction and it may take a turn or two.
If nothing here makes sense, I blame it on the glass of rum currently sitting on my desk next to my laptop.
Please read and review! Constructive criticism is always loved.
'Artemis…are you listening?'
The blonde looked up, a touch of pink coloring her cheeks at having been caught off guard. She had been lost in her own thoughts, her own world, until Aqualad's soothing voice pulled her back.
'Yeah, I know. Wait for boy wonder to signal us and then we make our move.' The words were spoken but her lips never moved, the telepathic connection M'gann provided being all they needed to communicate with each other.
Wait for the signal.
Attack.
Too bad it was the waiting that was driving her up the damn wall right now.
She'd been crouched down beneath the crates for what felt like hours and her leg was starting to cramp out. The archer wasn't one for patience and all this sitting around was doing nothing to calm her already frayed nerves. She craved action, movement, not some silly little waiting game that forced her to use most of her energy just to keep from yelling out in frustration.
But she had to sit there and wait because those were the orders.
His orders.
The bitter taste of bile coated her mouth as she thought about who was also hiding in the shadows with her, arrow notched and ready to be fired when the time came.
For the past few weeks, Green Arrow had been doing everything he could to convince Roy to join the team for some missions. It was only when the older man had mentioned that the other members of the league would see him in a better light if he went on some missions that the archer relented.
Figures. Even with her around, Green Arrow would do anything to have his old partner back.
'Okay, I've managed to get into their mainframe. Give me three more minutes and I'll have the security down.' Robin's voice echoed in her mind.
She couldn't even be alone with her own thoughts now without someone listening in. Her gloved hand clutched at her bow in frustration as she sat back on the heels of her feet like a jungle cat waiting to pounce. There was so much anger, so much rage inside of her right now and she couldn't even let it out.
It was all so fucking annoying.
All. Of. It.
Every sound, every look, every stupid little noise was grating on her making her want to just jump up and scream at the top of her lungs. And what was worst of all was that he was acting as if she didn't even exist.
He hadn't spoken a word to her on the bioship. Hadn't even glanced in her direction when they huddled together to debrief. It was like she didn't even matter, like she was beneath him. A speck of dirt for him to sneer at and brush away like she was something unclean.
She was nothing.
'Everyone, now!'
That was it, the signal. She didn't have anymore time to reflect on her thoughts as she jumped up from behind the crates and let her arrow fly at the nearest thug she could find. Right now, she was running on pure adrenalin not even thinking as she notched arrow after arrow letting them fly through the air never missing a mark. If Green Arrow were here he would tell her she was improving, she was getting better. Maybe he would tell her that she was just as good as Roy.
No.
She was better.
Grunting, Artemis pushed up from the crate flying into the air completely weightless as she twisted her body striking the man who had his gun pointed at Miss Martian. Around her, she could hear the sharp sound of bullets flying past her before they struck the crates and the pavement leaving destruction in their wake.
It was beautiful, really, this rain of arrows. Wherever they hit they shattered everything they touched sending glass and wood flying into the air like snow. This dirty snow landed in her hair, cut her skin but she didn't feel any of that. All she felt was the rush of adrenalin pumping through her blood telling her to go faster, go stronger. Another arrow flying towards the men trying to escape this time exploding on impact.
It was all chaos now. A state of absolute confusion with explosions, curses and knives being thrown around as each side fought for victory.
God, she could even smell the gunpowder as it clogged her throat and made her cough. Her eyes teared and she quickly raised a hand to try and wipe the tears away. Artemis couldn't even see now but she could feel Miss Martian hovering above her and still hear Aqualad's calming voice in her mind telling everyone what to do.
Squinting through the smoke, she could see the man in the dark pinstripe suite making his way towards the waiting helicopter with the steel briefcase firmly in hand. Superboy was too busy trying to get a pile of rubble off Kid Flash to stop him and she didn't know where the hell Boy Wonder was. This was it, her chance. All she needed was one arrow to take him down.
Crouching low, she pulled the last arrow from her quiver and took aim. All she needed was one shot to take him down. One shot to be the hero and show everyone that she deserved to be on this team. Swallowing hard, she could feel her hand trembling as the bow tightened ready to attack.
One shot.
She could do this. All she'd have to do was hit him with a trick arrow that would expand into a net and capture him before he had the chance to escape.
One shot.
She'd be the hero. The whole team would surround her cheering and all the way back on the bioship they'd talk about what a shot it was. Batman might even say she'd done a good job and Green Arrow would be proud.
One shot.
But what if she missed? This was her last arrow, her last chance and if she didn't make this shot it would all be over. He would get away and she would just be the failure that her father always said she was. The failure that couldn't keep up with the rest of the team and was just holding them back.
She hesitated, her hand still shaking before she steadied it. There wasn't any more time to think or doubt herself. Now, all she could do was take action and hope for the best. Closing her eyes, she released.
"Artemis, you better hurry up if you want any food!" The martian's voice called out from the other room warning the archer that if she wanted something to eat she'd have to beat Kid Flash to it.
In the living room, the blonde could hear laughing as the team recounted their latest mission and just how much butt they'd kicked. Robin was even providing the gun sounds causing M'gann and Kaldur to laugh while Wally protested with a mouth full of food. Even Conner was probably chuckling to himself enjoying their company but she just couldn't bring herself to go to them.
The whole ride back she just kept replaying what had happened in her mind. She had hesitated; her arrow had fallen short while another one managed to do the job she couldn't. The last thing she needed was Red Arrow smirking as he picked up the briefcase but it would be burned into her mind. Once again, he did what she just couldn't and it made her sick to her stomach. This was supposed to have been her shining moment and now their victory tasted like failure.
'I couldn't even take the shot.' She thought to herself, head resting against the wall next to their lockers. By this point she had changed into her civilian clothes and stowed away her bow though it wasn't like it mattered now. What use did she have for the weapon if she couldn't even take the fucking shot?
'I don't even belong here.'She was too caught up in her own thoughts to hear the footsteps approaching her until a shadow fell over her eyes causing her to look up and see the last person she wanted to talk to.
"Fuck off, Roy. I'm not in the mood." Her voice was harsh, cold. This was all his fault anyway so why should she pretend to be nice? If he had just disappeared she wouldn't have to worry about any of this.
"I wouldn't be in the mood to talk either if I had just screwed up a simple shot." God, why did he have to sneer down at her like that? Every time he talked to her she felt like some insignificant worm he was picking off the bottom of his boot. It was like she was some disgusting creature that he was so graciously acknowledging.
She was starting to miss it when he just ignored her.
"Fuck. Off." She pushed herself up from the wall and glared at him, her eyes narrowing on his sunglasses in challenge. What kind of asshole wore sunglasses indoors anyway? Well, besides Robin but he had a identity to protect.
"Make me." The man's lips turned up into his trademark smirk as he leaned down towards her until their noses almost touched. Once more, she was filled with the smell of his cologne as it wrapped around her pulling her under.
This was just like last time. He probably thought she would just stand there, motionless like she had last time. He was expecting her to be weak. He was expecting her to fail just like she did on the mission.
Artemis glared up at him, her hand curling into a fist as she took another deep breath. It would be so easy just to hit him right now. Anything to wipe that smirk from his face ands how him that she wasn't beneath him. It would only take a second to end this and show him that she meant business. That she wasn't just some failure or some replacement.
'I hate you.' She thought as she raised her fist slightly but then stopped.
What if she missed? What if she didn't? Green Arrow would have a fit if he found out what she had done and the others would hate her. She knew that they wanted Roy more than they did her. Wally had been so happy to have him back on the team and even Kaldur beamed more than he ever had before. They wanted him, not her and if she hit him they would hate her.
But she just didn't care anymore.
Growling, she swung the rest of the way expecting to feel the hard crunch of bones beneath her fist as she punched his jaw. She wanted to feel the pain explode in her hand, hear him grunt out and see him bleed. She wanted it so bad but, instead, all she felt was his hand gripping her fist before grabbing on to her elbow and twisting her arm as he pushed her hard against the wall.
Artemis grunted now, the pain thumping in her chest and head as Roy slammed her into the concrete wall behind them. He had her arm pinned behind her back and she couldn't break free of his hold without risking pulling her shoulder out of its socket. She couldn't even kick him now with the way his body was pinning hers.
She was helpless.
"You hesitated again." His voice was rough as she felt his hot breath on her ear. Artemis wanted to yell at him but she couldn't even open her mouth right now without grunting. She couldn't hit the bad guy and she couldn't even hit Roy when he was just a few inches away.
"Don't you get it, idiot. You hesitate you get yourself killed and your team killed." She could feel the tears forming her eyes as she struggled to get away from his words and his hold. Dammit, she already knew all that. Did he think she hesitated on purpose?
"Why do you care?" Artemis managed to ask, her struggles against him fading as she pressed her forehead to the wall and just focused on her breathing. She could feel the hard contours of his muscles pressing up against her back keeping her in place making her feel so helpless. What was it about this man that could turn her back into a little girl? Artemis had grown up in the slums of Gotham for Pete's sake and had seen some of the worst humanity had to offer. Yet, somehow, this man managed to scare her more than anything she'd seen.
And, in this fear, was a sense of excitement.
Why did he care? What did it matter to him if she got herself killed? Wouldn't he just be happy that she was out of the way and wouldn't steal his thunder? That way, the team could have the archer they deserved.
"You really don't get it, do you, Replacement?" Those were the last words he said to her as he pressed his lips to her ear, his tongue tracing along her outer shell making her shiver against him.
With that, he let her go and walked away.
