Hello! Thank you for reading! Now I don't have much to say so lets get right to it.

Recap:

Everything she had buried suddenly flew to the forefront of her mind as she saw who it was that the guards were dragging toward her.

"No," Artemis voiced unintentionally, her mind speaking without consent, her disbelief keeping her terror at bay.

It was then that the person being drug over noticed her presence. A bright grin lit up his face, relief in his eyes.

"Babe! Look at that! I found you!"

"Wally?" Artemis whispered, her voice quivering.

No. No! This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening!

"What are you doing here?" She snapped, her thoughts trying to come up with some way they could both survive. But her previous experience in this hell gave her no solutions.

"I came looking for you!" Wally grinned, finally being heaved onto the platform by the guards. He stumbled to his knees but Artemis stood still, terrified, "You would not believe how hard it's been to find you," His voice was losing its confident, carefree lilt. The redhead wiped some dripping blood from his nose, the red substance blending in seamlessly with his Flash suit. He stood up gingerly, giving her a sincere smile as he walked toward her.

Artemis took a step back.

"Babe?" Wally halted, his voice uncertain and his eyes brimming with nervousness.

"You shouldn't have come here," She frowned, tightening her grip on her bow as she glanced to the side, watching to make sure the guards had left the arena.

"Artemis-" He started.

"Wally," She shot back, attempting to control her emotions, they were flying out of control. Tigress had left and without her Artemis didn't know if they could survive, "They're watching"

For the first time, Wally seemed to notice the crowd in the stands surrounding them.

"What. What is this place?" He asked, eyeing the stands, "What's going on?" The enormity of the situation began to dawn on him and the last of his brash confidence seeped away.

The platform began flashing slowly, a yellow pulse beneath their feet. Wally's eyes widened.

"This is an arena," Artemis avoided his gaze, watching the stage's light, "And we're to fight to the death,"

"To the death?" Wally nearly shrieked. "We can't do that!" He declared, "We'll-"

"If we don't fight, they'll kill us both!" Artemis snapped, a lump forming in her throat as she watched the light pulse faster.

Wally's face grew fierce and he took a steady step forward, his arm reaching out. Artemis took another step back.

"You shouldn't have come here," She spoke, her voice strained.

"We are going to get out of here Artemis," His voice was stern and the crowd was starting to make noises of confusion, "I have a plan,"

"We're not going to survive the next fifteen minutes if we don't start fighting when the platform turns red," Artemis gestured to their feet, the yellow pulsing was almost constant, signaling to the blonde that the match was about to start.

Wally's mouth gapped a few times before he spluttered out, "Then we'll spar," He decided, "And then will you please listen to me," He pleaded.

Artemis didn't get a chance to respond. The platform turned red, a blinding light that covered them both in hues of crimson, and Artemis's bow was suddenly being swung towards Wally's face.

It was only Wally's speed that allowed him to dodge the hit, but Artemis kept coming.

"I said spar!" The speedster managed to get out between ducking her fists.

"They can tell if we're faking it," Artemis grunted, "You'll have to give it some good effort,"

"Fine!" He agreed, blocking a well-aimed kick and returning a punch of his own.

The crowd began to cheer as they stumbled together off of the stage, landing hit for hit. Wally was holding back and started to falter, restraining from using his superspeed.

"I said to give it some effort!" Artemis insisted, dropping for a sweeping kick. Her voice was harsh and unrestrained but he didn't understand that they could be dead in minutes if they didn't put on a show.

"God, Artemis its' been months! Forgive me if I don't want to hit you when I've only just found you," His words were strangled and Artemis could feel her heart breaking at the noise.

Months. She hadn't known how long she'd been missing. She'd been so focused on surviving that it never occurred to her what her friends were going through.

"You just disappeared. Some of the natives on Yabaan saw you get taken, but we didn't even know if you were still alive," Wally explained. The crowd was growing bored and Artemis knew that they'd have to change it up if they didn't want someone intervening.

"How did you find me?" She asked quietly.

"Rumors Hawkgirl heard at an intergalactic bar," He grunted as Artemis landed another solid hit, "I guess I got lucky and picked the winning planet," His grimace turned into a grin as he spun into a kick that she blocked effortlessly.

"This planet isn't lucky," Artemis corrected, "There's no way off of it,"

"Look, Babe, as much I've missed sparring with you," Wally cut in, "I really want to kiss you right now," A smile spread across his face and Artemis felt a hint of one sneaking onto hers, the first in months. But as soon as she felt her lips tug she suppressed it. Survival. They needed to survive.

"I'm going to knock you down and head to the trees. Follow me," The blonde ordered.

Wally didn't get a chance to agree with the plan before her bow was whacking him across the chest and sending him backwards, sending the red dirt up in a cloud around him.

Artemis ran towards the largest cluster of trees she could find and picked a tree with sturdy branches. She swung upwards and climbed into the foliage and tucked herself behind the purple leaves. She could hear Wally's footsteps as he searched for her while she settled in, having used a bit of speed to catch up. The blonde shook a branch with her toe, waiting for him to show up.

It didn't take long. Wally used his superspeed to race up the trunk of the tree, and suddenly his arms were enveloping her.

And she elbowed him squarely on the nose.

"Wally!" Artemis gasped, catching herself before reaching up to cradle his face. Wally had one of his hands steadying himself on a branch while the other held his nose.

"Really, Babe?" He mumbled with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry! I just- It's been so long and I- I've been running on instincts-" Artemis kept running on, trying to explain to him that in this world she was Tigress and quick actions like that had kept her alive. It was going to take time to learn how to hold back again if they ever got off the planet.

"It's fine. Artemis I'm fine," Wally had withdrawn his hand and moved it to palm her cheek, stroking it lightly with his thumb. He shushed her when she continued to mumble apologies, her hands wrapped around his jaw, cradling it, "I was so worried about you," He whispered.

"I've missed you," Artemis responded, taking in a deep breath as he leaned forward to bump their foreheads together, "I've missed everyone so much"

"We've all missed you too, Babe," He grinned, "But you'll be going home soon,"

His words caused Artemis pause, and she pulled back to search his eyes, "There's no way out of here. Believe me; I have the scars to prove it,"

"You worry too much. I've got a plan," Wally assured her, his hand soothing as he pushed some loose hair away from her face.

"Your kind of plan, or a League plan?" She asked, crinkling her nose. If it was Wally's plan then they were screwed. His plans were made seconds before he implemented them, and rarely ended without injury.

"Your faith," Wally smirked, "It's astounding," He laughed, bumping noses with her affectionately. Artemis resisted.

"Wally-" She pressed.

"It's a League plan. And it's already in motion," Wally assured her, "I sent a signal with my communicator, they know you're here and they know I have you. It's only going to take about an hour for them to lock on and send a boom tube to get us,"

He was so sure of it, all smiles and reassurance. But all Artemis could think of was all of her failed attempts at escape. Leaving this hell; it just didn't seem possible. So how could he make it sound so easy?

"Artemis," He caught her gaze, his voice firm, "You're going home,"

Her throat constricted and her eyes flashed to the arena around them. Maybe she was dreaming. Another nightmare that she would awake from when the guards shoved food into her cell. She would wake and draw lightning bolts on her walls and hope and hope, but never truly believing that someday she would leave.

It seemed Wally could sense the confusion and hesitation on her face, so he let go of the tree branch he'd been using to steady himself and put his hands on both sides of her face, drawing her close.

"We're leaving here, Artemis," His words were absolute. And he left no room for discussion as he swooped in for a searing kiss.

And just like that it was real. His lips were chapped and his breath was warm and he was so real. She'd dreamed of him every day but never had she truly felt his warmth. Artemis felt her eyes tear up as she responded desperately, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and bringing him closer. God she'd missed this. Missed him. Missed everything that had been stolen away from her when those god awful creatures hauled her off on some planet she'd been roped into visiting for "Intergalactic Treaty Purposes".

She gripped at the red spandex covering him and wished she could feel the burn his warm skin, his hair that was trapped under his cowl. Wally didn't have the same problem and tugged her so close Artemis was sure there wasn't any room left between them. He tasted like chocolate and pizza and everything that made her love him so much for not giving up on her.

His digits scratched at the clay marking her skin, reminding her that they weren't safe. That they weren't home just yet; and Artemis pulled back to listen to the uproar of the crowd filled her ears. It wouldn't be long before they would send something after them. Like they always did.

"Wally," Artemis tried to say, although her throat didn't cooperate and his name stuck to her tongue. She had to tell him, tell him what she'd done. What she'd had to do. He deserved to know what kind of animal she'd become to survive before he took her back to their apartment. To know what kind of monster she'd turned into before he let her back into his life.

"Mmm," Wally hummed, nuzzling his face into her neck and getting clay on his mask.

"Wally you need to know what's happened to me," Artemis spoke up, her voice gaining power.

He froze, his muscles tense, and he drew back to look her in this eyes, "What happened?" Wally repeated, "Did someone hurt you?" His voice had turned dark and Artemis wished that it was only that simple. That he would be able to face her with sympathy and anger for someone unknown.

"No," She spoke softly, her words mingling in the back of her throat, desperate not to come out, "Wally I've hurt people,"

The redhead said nothing, watching her carefully instead and allowing her to continue.

"I've killed people," A lump formed in her throat and she tried to swallow it down but it stuck, throttling her, "I've killed so many innocent people. They put us in this arena and the only way out is to survive and the only way to survive is for the other person not to and I'm a murderer, Wally," Her voice wavered, all of her words spilling out at once, "I'm a murderer"

Wally was silent for a moment once more, his bright eyes watching her, calculating with emotion that her teary blurred eyes couldn't decipher. But he came to a decision quickly and his arms drew her into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry you had to do that Artemis," He spoke slowly, his words chosen carefully, "But I'm not upset, Babe. I'm just glad you're alive,"

For a brief moment, Artemis allowed herself to believe that he was speaking the truth. But even if he thought it now, he would change his mind later. He wouldn't think such things if he'd seen her. Seen her ruthlessness.

She pulled back, tugging against his grip and keeping her eyes lowered, "You aren't going to think that eventually," She spoke, sure of herself, "But I'm not going to blame you when that happens,"

Wally's hands were still on her shoulders and his grip tightened. He opened his mouth to say something else but before he could the tree shook.

Both of them grabbed the branches and Artemis lowered herself, eyeing the surroundings as she reached for her bow when the tree stopped moving.

There was a growl, deep and guttural and very nearby. A string of strange dialect followed it and Artemis realized that they'd sent out another prisoner to shake things up.

"What was that?" The redhead whispered sharply. Artemis shushed him and continued scanning, an arrow nocked and ready.

Then the tree rocked again. It shook so violently the two were thrown to the ground. Wally landed with a thud and a groan, while Artemis rolled to the side and stood up. Her draw was quick and it took her only seconds to find her target.

It was a beast of a man, with grey, craggily skin. His head was small but his shoulders were wide, covered in callused spikes. Her arrow landed true, striking his bicep and causing the man to cry out. Yellow blood dropped to the grass and Artemis nocked another arrow.

"Babe. What is that?" Wally asked, having righted himself and settled into a battle stance.

"That's another opponent. Sent in to kill us because we haven't been giving them a good show," She answered, her tone no-nonsense and her gaze unwavering. She felt the pull of her soul, desperate to stay herself, to be Artemis. Wally had come and the League was on their way.

But death was at it again. The arena would not let her leave hell so peacefully. So she tugged and wrenched and tried to ignore Wally's presence as she brought Tigress to the surface. Artemis was strong, but Tigress would keep them alive.

She heard Wally mutter something rather curse-like under his breath, but her focus was stuck on the creature who was now rushing towards them, one shoulder dropped with the spikes prepared to maul. His footfalls were heavy and the ground shook, wavering her shot. In moments she had switched her tactics to account for it. With her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other, she ran.

"Artemis!" Wally's shout did nothing to deter her as she met the man halfway.

She let out a yell of a battle cry before they collided, leaping with her bow outstretched. It was a move she'd used before in a battle, on an animal that was much akin to an Earth rhinoceros, albeit slimier. As Artemis jumped, she caught the bow string around the man's neck; her momentum pulled her over him and held on tight as her strangulation technique pulled him backwards.

He didn't fall, but he stumbled and another round of foreign language strangled past his lips, letting the blonde know that his throat was an acceptable weak spot. Her leg swept out before the beast could catch his balance and he toppled, giving Artemis the chance to pounce on him. He didn't stand a chance and Artemis's grip held no hesitation as she stabbed her arrow straight into his neck.

The crowd's response was mixed and Artemis kept a straight face as she removed herself from her victim, wiping some of his yellow blood off of her cheek.

"Wow,"

She froze. Wally. Wally had been watching her the entire time. He would certainly know she was a murderer now. Artemis turned back to him slowly, extremely conscious of the blood spatter that had coated her shoulders and chest.

"I wish you hadn't seen that, Wally," She spoke softly, eyeing the redhead warily as he strode cautiously closer to her and the corpse, "But it's better you knew anyway," Artemis wiped her hands on her armor but the yellow tinge of blood still stuck between her digits.

"I'm glad I did," He responded, surprising her, "You'd never believe that I really don't care if I hadn't. I don't care what's happened here. You're still Artemis," He shrugged, his body was shaking minutely but his eyes were steady and calm.

"Don't lie to me!" Artemis snapped, "Now you know what I've become! What this place has turned me into" Her words grew strained from the force of her voice, "I live on grime and instinct and death! I'm not the same person you fell in love with!"

"Then I'll fall in love again with the person you've become!" Wally shouted back, causing Artemis to falter, "I'm not giving up on you just because you've done some things you aren't proud of! We've all done things we don't like, so what if yours is worse? You did it to survive Artemis. No one can blame you for that," His voice turned softer as his speech drew on and Artemis felt her heart soften. She'd underestimated him, underestimated his faith in her. Wally walked closer, until he could put his hands on her waist, his head dipped to meet her, "I love you, Artemis. Nothing is going to change that,"

Artemis pressed her lips together tightly, but it couldn't stop them from quivering. She had been set in her knowledge, convinced that she'd turned into something irreparable. But his words were like water washing the blood from her hands. She couldn't, wouldn't, trust herself, but maybe he could do that for her, until she was healed. It wouldn't be an easy fix, too much damage had been done, and she wasn't sure her conscience would ever be clear. But he was there for her, like he always had been; ready with a Band-Aid, a quip, and a kiss. How could she have ever doubted him? "I love you too, Wally," She spoke softly; she opened her mouth to say more, but found that there was nothing else to say. So she kissed him.

They kissed over the roar of the crowd, finding solace in each other until a large pop sounded, catching them off guard and drawing them apart.

"Right on time!" Wally grinned, reaching down to interlace his fingers with Artemis's. The boom tube was in front of them, waiting for its passengers patiently as the spectators caused an uproar out of confusion.

The doors to the arena slammed open and Artemis watched in amusement as guards spilled in, heading towards them.

"To home?" Wally questioned with a smile, stepping toward the Boom Tube and tugging the blonde along.

"To home," Artemis agreed.

The guards never reached them before the Boom Tube closed, pulling the two across the galaxy and back to Earth where their lives were waiting for them.

Thank you for reading! I hoped you liked it!

Please review and let me know what you think!

Love, Veg