Hey! sorry this is CRAZY DELAYED! Writing is really hard and I thought this chapter would write itself but I got stuck a lot. I think i'm desperate need of a BETA and if there are any volunteers it would be most appreciated :]. Suggestions for improvement and constructive criticisms are welcomed. Anyway, hopefully the next chapter will be easier to write. Hope you all enjoy.
Wally was never the club type, but he here he was, standing at a bar in one of Gotham's most popular nightspots. Artemis had convinced him and the old group to a night out, so he found himself here, in a noisy overly crowded club. It had been hard to fight her on anything recently; Artemis always used the "I won't be here much longer" argument and who was Wally to deny the love of his life anything?
Dick and Zatanna were tipsy in the VIP section, slightly making out while M'gann and Artemis made their way to the dance floor. Dick sort of owned the joint so Wally was taking advantage of the whole "everything is complimentary" aspect of the night. He had hoped to spend a majority of the night at the bar while Artemis enjoyed herself. Wally was not the dancing type and after having to endure two Proms, he had had his fill on dancing for at least a decade.
Wally's drinking tolerance was extremely high, but that came with the fast metabolism, so he sat the bar and looked for Artemis on the floor from his seat. He found her dancing like a professional with M'gann surrounded by impressed onlookers. She looked great, smiling and enjoying herself. Wally and Artemis sort of hit a rough patch in their relationship when she decided to take on Dick's mission. Wally respected Artemis' decision, but he was definitely not happy about it. What was the point of leaving the hero life behind and going to school if she was going to go back whenever Dick beckoned?
They were supposed to be 'retired' and now that she was going back, taking on this super top-secret assignment, Wally couldn't help but wonder why Artemis wanted to do this. It made him question himself and their relationship; what if she wasn't happy? What if he wasn't enough for her? What if this meant that she wasn't ready to commit to them? Insecurities he had thought he had quelled in high school had returned with a vengeance. He ordered another tequila shot from the concerned bartender; Wally was pretty sure the man had never seen someone consume alcohol the way he could. Wally quickly swallowed the shot down, without wincing, and continued to eat the bowl of mixed nuts he had ordered earlier.
Artemis was ecstatic. She hadn't gone to a club since high school, when Bette had convinced her to go to a teen night. Wally never really enjoyed himself while at clubs and Artemis never really gave them any second thoughts. The idea to go to one before the mission had been somewhat spontaneous. M'gann and Raquel went clubbing quite frequently but Artemis had never really shown any interest before now. M'gann as a courtesy would always invite Artemis and Wally but she had never seriously thought they'd accept. It had really caught the Martian off guard, and the fact that Artemis said she'd bring Wally really surprised Martian her, but she was enthusiastic nonetheless. M'gann loved hanging out with the couple and rarely saw them since they had left the team to attend university. She gave Artemis a date, time, and location to meet up and everything else just fell into place.
Artemis and M'gann danced for what felt like hours, before the archer told the Martian she needed something cold to drink. She left M'gann dancing and soon found her redheaded boyfriend munching away on a bowl of mixed nuts. Wally smiled at her and took her hand as she squeezed herself between him and the bar. Wally had to yell for her to hear him. "How's it going?" Artemis looked up at him with a giddy grin and yelled her response. "It's great. We should go dancing more!" She laughed at the obvious discomfort Wally felt from that statement.
Artemis turned to the bartender and ordered a bottle of water. Wally slung his arm around her shoulders and turned to face the bar. He got close to her ear, this time whispering, "As long as you're happy, I'm happy." She knew Wally meant it, but she wasn't entirely sure he had actually wanted her to hear it. She took his hand that hung from her shoulders, and intertwined their fingers. He looked at her but she had tiptoed to whisper something in his ear. "Thanks, Baywatch… for tonight… It means a lot." He couldn't help the smile that crept its way up to his lips as he turned his head to stare at her. The bartender returned with her water bottle as the DJ changed songs. Artemis finished the beverage surprisingly fast and tossed it into a garbage can behind the bar. Wally had removed his arm from her shoulders just as she took his hand and began to pull him towards the dance floor. "One song. Please Wally?" How was he supposed to say no to those pleading eyes?
Wally was not very good when it came to pop music but he recognized the song as one of Artemis' favorites. She had to be the most eclectic person he had ever met when it came to music. Her ipod went from rap to country and from pop to folk in just one playlist. Before Wally could realize it, he was in the middle of the dance floor with Artemis who had started to sing along to the song. She pivoted to face him and began to sing to him.
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
The song had a really catchy tune and it was quite popular with the crowd but Wally couldn't help but hear the words for what they were; Artemis desperate to enjoy her time with people she loved while she still could. Wally effectively hid the shock in his eyes, how had he not noticed that all of Artemis' recent behavior was her acting out while she still had the chance.
Young hearts, out our minds
Runnin like we outta time
Wild childs, lookin' good
Livin hard just like we should
Don't care whose watching when we tearing it up (You Know)
That magic that we got nobody can touch (For sure)
Artemis knew every word of this song and continued to sing a long as she danced with Wally. He kept up with her movements and smiled at her the entire time, but Artemis could see that the smile never really reached his eyes. She ignored it for the time being as M'gann popped out behind her and began to dance alongside the couple enthusiastically.
Looking for some trouble tonight
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives
We'll keep dancing till we die
Wally continued to try and keep up with his girlfriend but his mind was somewhere else entirely. He was thinking back on times he and Artemis had shared in their 5-year relationship. Those crazy hot summer nights out or those cold winter nights in; all of his favorite memories included Artemis and the fact that soon she would be 'gone' and he'd have to pretend it was 'for good' scared him. It was all a bit much to think about at this particular moment. He tried to focus his attention on keeping up with her dancing.
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms,
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Artemis was sort of embarrassed by her weird obsession with Ke$ha music. How could anyone hate her music; it was about partying and enjoying life and sure it felt like every other pop song but at the same time it had a liberating quality to it. Artemis hadn't felt this free in a long time and the fact that she was grinding up against Wally just added to the entire experience.
Young hunks, taking shots
Stripping down to dirty socks
Music up, gettin' hot
Kiss me, give me all you've got
It's pretty obvious that you've got a crush (you know)
That magic in your pants, it's making me blush (for sure)
Artemis was still singing along to the music, and Wally couldn't help but smile at some of the lyrics. The song was surprisingly relatable in terms of their college life. Memories of keg parties and drunken nights out came back to him in that instant and he couldn't help but laugh to himself. Sure his tolerance was something to envy, but it had been surprising to learn how much a lightweight Artemis really was. A few strong mixed drinks and she was a wild child in need of assistance when it came to walking straight. The nights where Wally had to toss her over his shoulder to ensure that she get home in one piece were some of his favorites. He'd always rub it in her face the next day as she nursed her hangovers. Her most recent nickname for Wally after they had started to attend university was 'Kid Kegger'. Not many of their old friends got it, but when Dick first heard it, he couldn't stop laughing. In between bouts of laughter, Dick had said, "Figures Wally would have the tolerance of an Irish dock worker." Coming back to the present, Wally beamed at Artemis as she danced effortlessly and continued to sing.
Looking for some trouble tonight
Take my hand i'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives
We'll keep dancing till we die
The club came alive as the patrons danced and drank the night away. Dick and Zatanna had made their way to the dance floor as well, still all over each other. Artemis saw them from her peripheral vision and smiled to herself as she thought about what Zatanna would say about her actions tomorrow. "We were really drunk and just having fun. It meant nothing." Artemis knew her friend had put up some strong walls after her and Dick had been unable to really mesh well as a couple. You'd think they were perfect for each other but something was off; something vital and it meant that the two would never be together. Sure they had a history but for some reason Artemis and practically everyone who knew the two of them, knew that it would never really work out. She turned back to Wally who was staring at his feet, probably trying extremely hard to not step on Artemis. She let herself get lost in the song after that thought.
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms,
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
It wasn't often that Artemis let herself just enjoy life. She didn't have a normal childhood, learning early on how to assassinate people and use a bow and arrow as a lethal weapon. As far back as she could remember she had always felt like an adult. Sure she had a stuffed bear and wore overalls when she was younger but even then she had been way beyond her years. The only time she had ever felt normal was when she was with Wally. Right from the start of her crush on him to being with him; it had felt so real and just simply, normal. Being here, in a club, dancing with her boyfriend, throwing caution to the wind, just enjoying the night, she felt normal and had Wally to thank for that. Her family had never given her a chance at normalcy; it was something she had never known she'd wanted until being with Wally. When Wally and her first discussed actually retiring and going to Stanford together, he thought she'd bite off his head, but Wally had made giving up the hero gig easy. Artemis didn't think she'd jump at her first chance at a completely normal life so quickly, but Wally made it seem so logical. She didn't think putting away her cowl and replacing it with sports jerseys and textbooks would be so natural. When Dick came to them with his mission, Wally didn't want to even discuss it, but Artemis knew Wally just didn't want to jeopardize what they had going for them. Three years ago, Wally would've been on board and ready to help a friend, but now, after seeing what he and Artemis could have, it was sort of sweet to see Wally so hesitant to give it up. Dick had stated from the start that he wanted Artemis for the mission and she knew he wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. Wally's clouded judgment interfered with his ability to see how desperate Dick was to have them in on this; the entire world was depending on this mission. Artemis was thrilled to have a boyfriend who thought, compared to her, the rest of the world didn't matter, but she knew if she wanted a future with Wally, she would have to put her talents to use, and help. Agreeing to the mission had been one of the hardest decisions in her life, more so than the decision to let Wally push past her emotional walls. It meant they'd be apart for a long time but it also meant that they could be together for the rest of their lives, and that's why Artemis had agreed. When she explained it to Wally in those terms, he couldn't help but accept her taking the mission, but it was painfully evident he was less than thrilled about the entire situation. Trying not to dwell on things she had come to the club to specifically forget, she let herself sing along to the Ke$ha song and lost herself in the atmosphere.
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
As the song died down and another one replaced it, Wally took Artemis' hands and led her to the VIP booth Dick had reserved for them. For the first time, Wally actually listened to the lyrics of the song and it started to bother him. The song was about living life to the fullest and not holding back which was commendable but at the same time it worried Wally because it hinted at the possibility of dying too early. Sure the song played on the radio all of the time, but watching Artemis lose herself in the song scared Wally. It meant Artemis was acting like this, like a young and wild college student, because she didn't want to regret something incase she didn't come back.
The thought made Wally tighten his grip on Artemis' hand alerting her to his emotional state. Artemis followed closely behind Wally as he pulled her through the crowd. She couldn't see his face properly from behind; all she could see was his back, but the way he held her hand was different and she could tell something was wrong. The night had been so great and even though it was getting late and Artemis was starting to feel tired, she knew something was up with Wally. When they reached the booth, Wally let go of her hand, and grabbed both of their coats. "Oh. We're leaving? We should probably say goodbye to everyone." Wally threw on his coat and nodded his head in agreement. When he turned to face Artemis, she gave him a quizzical look. He tossed her coat to her and began to make his way to Dick and Zatanna. They were still dancing all over each other.
Dick spotted Wally first and smiled only to have it falter when he realized he and Artemis were leaving. "We had a great time tonight. Thanks for everything, man." Wally barely made eye contact with his so-called best friend through the entire exchange and then focused his attention on Zatanna. "We should do this again… in the future." Wally emphasized the word 'future' and gave Dick a quick glare. Too inebriated to call Wally out and try to understand what was wrong, Dick hugged Artemis goodbye as Zatanna hugged Wally. As they watched the couple walk towards the exit, Zatanna took Dick's hand, hoping to reassure him after his and Wally's obviously awkward exchange. "You guys okay?" He turned to face the young sorcerer, and gave her his signature grin. "He's probably just feeling the aster." Dick led Zatanna back to the middle of the dance floor in an attempt to forget about petty drama.
Wally and Artemis got on a line to wait for a taxi by the curb. Normally, Wally would just scoop up Artemis bridal style, but it was cold and her short dress was not conducive for running. Artemis held Wally's hand in hers, "tonight was great. I didn't realize how much I loved to dance." He turned to face her, appreciating the smile she wore as she stared up at the sky. "Yeah it was cool." Artemis directed her attention towards Wally and gave him an incredulous look. His tone was contrite and worried her. "You okay? You seem kind of … distant." Wally had tried to avoid eye contact with anyone who would be able to read him like an open book; Artemis was one of those people. He slowly raised his head to meet her gaze. She immediately saw the remorse in his eyes. "Babe, what's wrong?" Her grip on his hand tightened as he tried to think of a response. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." Wally stared at the floor, hoping to avoid a fight; that was the last thing he wanted to do tonight. "You saying not to worry, is making me worry. Seriously, Wally. Talk to me." She moved into his line of vision, and tried to meet his blank stare.
After Wally had let out a huge sigh, he turned to face Artemis and decided to tell her the truth. "I'm still not okay with you going, Artemis." It was the argument that would not end. Ever since Dick had approached them with the mission, their fights would escalate until it came back to her leaving for the mission. Artemis didn't know what to do anymore. She loved Wally with all her heart, something she was sure of, but he wouldn't let this go. It was Artemis' turn to sigh and try to make Wally feel better. "Wally, I'm needed. Dick wouldn't have brought this to us if he didn't have faith in us. He trusts us, completely with this. He's asking for a lot, not just from us but from Kaldur too. We can't just leave him hanging." Wally scoffed and tried to process Artemis' response. "That's ridiculous! He could've asked someone else. M'gann, Connor, Mal, Karen, anyone else. I mean, come on, M'gann can shape shift! And she doesn't even have a real life outside of the league. She'd be perfect for this mission. He doesn't need you." His expression had changed from concerned to petulant.
Artemis couldn't hide the shock on her face. She quickly checked if anyone was listening to their conversation and began to whisper. "Wally that's not fair. Don't you think Dick's calculated and done crazy scenarios in his head? You're supposed to be his best friend. You should know better than anyone that he wouldn't have come to us if he had other options." Wally was frustrated by how routine this fight had become. They were both making the same arguments they had been using for weeks. He turned his attention to the street as the taxi line progressed, but he wasn't done with this discussion. "We're supposed to be retired. What was the point of us going to school together and leaving the team, if we go running back every time they need help."
It was Artemis' turn to scoff. "Are you even listening to yourself? What happened to never turning our backs on our friends? When we left the team we said we would always be there to help out. They haven't needed us in three years and now that they do, you want us to ignore them? We might not be heroes anymore Wally, but we're still good people and they're still our friends, and I will never turn my back on people who need me!" Artemis let go of Wally's hand and tried to pull herself together. She hadn't meant to start yelling but she couldn't take it anymore. These fights had always been frustrating but now they had started to feel disappointing. She let out a sigh, "You're the one who taught me that." She tried not to sound defeated but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to have this argument anymore. Wally was acting like she wasn't coming back from this mission and she didn't like the way that felt. It was one thing if she didn't have faith in herself; it was another if Wally didn't have faith in her.
Wally knew better than to push Artemis' buttons and now that he had, he started to feel guilty. He went to reach for her hand, but she swiftly pulled it out of reach. She was angry now and Wally had to act fast before this fight resulted in him sleeping on the couch. Wally didn't believe in going to bed angry. They didn't have a lot of time left together and he didn't want to spend a moment of it fighting with her, especially when the fight was over her wellbeing. "Artemis, look..." He quickly tried to gather his thoughts. "I love you. I have for a long time. I get that you want to help Dick and the League and the world." She let out a derisive laugh but he continued. "I get that I'm being selfish…" That caught Artemis' attention; her gaze promptly met his and waited for him to proceed. "It's just…It sucks that I can't go with you. We've never been separated like this before. I wouldn't be blowing this out proportion if I could go with you. I mean, what if something happens? What if there was something I could've done to protect you and I won't be able to because I'm not there." Artemis' fierce expression softened, touched by Wally's words. "I can't lose you, Artemis. I just can't. Not again."
The last part was barely audible, but Artemis caught it. Realization to why Wally had been acting the way he was had dawned on her. Of course this had to do with that horrible training mission from years ago that tested their ability to endure failure. It had been a fiasco to say the least; Artemis had been the first one to die. It was probably one of the scariest things she had ever faced up at that point but she knew now that this was worse. Now it was real life and Wally was freaking out. Leaving him and everything they had was extremely difficult, but if it meant that they would have a future together, she'd do it. Dick had emphasized the importance of this mission and what it would mean if it failed; a world torn apart by war and devastation, and that was not a place Artemis wanted to live. It was not the sort of environment she had envisioned raising her children in. She'd take the metaphorical bullet and do this one mission so she and Wally could be happy together later in life.
Wally's eyes were serious, fixed on her face, and yet at the same time full of love. Artemis reached up to stroke his cheek and let her hand linger on his chin. "Babe, you're freaking out over nothing...and I love you so much." He smiled at her words and slipped his arms around her waist. "I do this one mission and the world is safe. Our future, together, it's practically guaranteed if I do this one mission." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her as they both began to smile. The argument was officially over; at least for the tonight.
"That last song really freaked you out, huh." Wally was taken aback by her ability to know when he had started to get frustrated. "How did you …" Artemis interrupted him "Ke$ha's not for everyone, but she makes a good point." Wally stared at Artemis and listened. "It's not about dying young, it's about appreciating life and not holding back as if there's no tomorrow." Wally contemplated her words and let them sink in. "I guess that makes sense" She smiled at him as a cab pulled up to the curb.
Wally opened the door and waited for Artemis to climb. He closed the door behind him and gave him the location for the intersection of the zeta tube. Artemis tucked her arms into Wally's and placed her head against his shoulder. "Thanks for tonight" she said sleepily, her eyes already closed. The argument had already been forgotten as she rested her eyes and snuggled up against her boyfriend. Wally looked down at her, relieved that at least for now they were okay, and grinned. "Anytime, beautiful."