Chapter 3
Tempting the Devil
"Good morning Alfred." I smiled at the old man standing in the kitchen. He gave me a small smile and walked me into the kitchen table. The smell of the room was exquisite. A white big circular table was positioned in the middle of the kitchen. He smiled and offered me a sit. The table was already fixed. A plate full of eggs and bacon waited for me. "Milk or orange juice, Miss Crock?" Alfred said from behind me. "Orange juice please Alfred." I said looking at my plate full of food. It was nice to have real food every once in a while. I hadn't had homemade food for so long. Alfred came with my orange juice and I started to devour the food in front of me.
After I was done, Alfred and I went directly to the porch. A Mercedes Benz was parked in front of the entrance. Alfred opens the back door for me. I got in and waited for Alfred to start the engine. The whole ride was silent, Alfred was driving and I was looking outside the window. "Alfred?" I asked. Alfred looked at me through the rearview. "Yes, Miss Crock?" He now had his eyes on the road. I exhaled and gave one more look outside of the window. "Tell me…what happen to the others?" I asked. He stopped at the parking lot of the plaza and turn around to look at me. "I have strict orders from Master Dick not to revel that information." His words were soft but I still wanted answers. "Come on Alfred…This will be our little secret." I lean forward to make him feel a little more comfortable. He nodded and got out of the car. I gave a sigh and went got out of the cart.
Alfred was the one who did most of the shopping. He bought almost everything he laid eyes on. By the time we visit the tenth store I was thirsty and bored. Alfred was looking at some nylon dress he had seen in a magazine and was asking the cashier to give him the same dress in 4 different colors. I looked at how Alfred was so enthusiastic of buying clothe. "Hey Alfred I will go the food court to buy a drink. Want anything?" I asked walking toward Him. "Um no thanks Miss Crock…Do you have that one in red?" he asked the cashier. I laughed to myself and walked outside the store. I search for the food court for twenty minutes until I realized it was outside of the plaza. A seven minute walk was all I had to do, to get a fresh beverage.
I was happily walking back to the plaza when in the middle of the parking lot I saw something. A redhead. My heart skipped a beat and stood still. I dropped my beverage and my eyes grown wide. My eyes met his. Green, beautiful, surprised eyes met mine. In less than 2 seconds he was in front of me. "Artemis." He whispered. He was dressed as The Flash. He had become the new Flash? I looked confused and scared. I try to scape but his strong arms stopped me. He had grown too. He was muscular and taller than me. Before I knew it, I was in a different place of the parking lot. His mask was gone. I let my hand wonder in his face. He closed his eyes and presses his cheeks against my hand. I took my hand away of his face and close my eyes. "Wally." I whispered his name as well. He came closer to me and hugged me. No. No, I had to stop this. I was mad at him. I pushed away but his embrace was strong and determined. "Wally please." He just holds me stronger. I knew this was wrong, but why did it felt so good? "I'm sorry…" he pulled away so he could see my face. My eyes grew in shock and I felt the tears coming again. "I'm sorry for what I told you five years ago. I was just a kid and was scared of what we had." He grabbed my hand and smiled. Am I about to forgive him? He looks like he was really sorry. I smiled and clean my tears with my free hand. When I was about to talk I heard a voice coming toward us.
"Wally, honey." A girl's voice said. Honey? What the hell? She was walking with two boxes in her hand. "Look what I got to the baby!" The brown hair girl said while searching on the bag. He looked at me and opens his mouth but nothing came out. I look at his hand over mine. He had an engagement ring in his finger. I pulled away my hand and nodded my head in pour disbelief. "Hon? Who are you talking to?" The girl walks near us. When she was close enough she grabbed Wally's arm. "Who is she Wally?" The girl asked a little jealous. "Elise, she is Artemis Crock a frie- an old teammate." He corrected himself. I look at him in disbelief. "Artemis, this is my girlfriend…" Wally was cut off by Elise's voice. "I'm his fiancée, Elise Newton." She extended her hand. I grabbed her hand and smile at her. "Wait…Did you just say Artemis Crock?" she asked a little excited. Wally nodded his head and her smile grew wider. "So you are the Artemis of the Young Justice?" she asked still smiling. I smile and nodded. She looks so excited and happy. She hugged me all of a sudden. I stood still in shocked and just heard her laugh. She pulled away and her smile grew huge. She sure was a fan. I felt awkward.
"Um nice meeting you Elise but I have to go…nice seeing you again Wally." I walked away as fast as my feet will walk. I heard Elise said something but I was already too far away to make sense of all she said. When I was out of their reach I ran. I ran to where our car was. I didn't want to cry but felt tears running down cheek. Alfred was putting all the things inside the car. I simple ignore whatever he said to me and jumped inside the car. The drive back home was slow but completely silent. When we got home it was already three thirty. I ran inside and went directly to Dick's office. "HOW DARE YOU?" I screamed at Dick. He was just sitting in his desk reading some paper. His eyes looked hurt. He stood up and walks over me. "Artemis, calm down." He said softly. "CALM DOWN? HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN WHEN HIS GETTING MARRIED AND HAVING A BABY?" I was furious. I tried to calm myself down but I couldn't. "Why didn't you tell me?" I said a little more tranquil but still raising my voice. He came closer and hugged me but I pushed him away. He sighs and looks at me. "I didn't want to hurt you… I didn't want to give you any reason to leave again." His voice broke and I felt bad for screaming at him. I slapped him hard. He looked at me shock but said nothing. I hug him and sob in his chest. "Promise me something Dick." I said composing myself but still hugging him. He hummed a yes and hugs me back. "You won't hide any secrets from me." His hug became weak so we both pulled away. "Only if you promise me something Artemis." I gave him a half smile. "You are tempting the devil Dick." He laughed a little and gave me a small wink. "Promise me, that you won't ever leave me again." His face was serious and his words were too, but I couldn't handle not to smile at his statement. "I promise I won't run away." I gave my word and he did as well. "I promise I won't hide anything to you." He smile and offered me his hand to close our deal. The deal was close.
"Tell me something Dick?" I said over the dining table. We were the only ones in the room. I had stopped eating. Dick was about to finish. "What do you want to know?" he asked laughing a little. "What happen to the others?" In his eyes I could see sorrow and loneliness. He drank a little of his whine and pulled away his plate. He closed his eyes and gave me a sad look. "Three years after you left, everything came down. Wally became The Flash, I became Nightwind, and Connor and M'gann broked up. Kaldur went back to Atlantis and never came back. Young Justice was not the same. New team members arrived. We all walk different ways and never looked back. The only members of the team that still remain are M'gann and Connor." I couldn't believe it. My team was no longer a team. I felt like half of me was lost in some kind of limbo. I wanted my friends back. They were my only family. I mean, I love my sister but I had a different connection with my team. I gulped and stood up. "I see…excuse me." I walked away of the table and ran to my room. I close the door shut and walk all around my room. What's happening? It's like if I am somewhere else. In new world. I couldn't believe I was standing under the same sky I once patrolled with green arrow. I walked over my closet and got out my Artemis Suit. It was clean and looked like new. I was able to put it on. I was skinnier than five years ago and less muscular. But the outfit molded to my figure perfectly. I got out my arrows and clean them. I'm coming back to action. I put back my mask for the first time in years. I felt like my seventeen year old self. The only difference is that now I let my hair free. No ponytail. I climb out of my window into the Wayne Manor's roof. I look into Gotham and inhale deeply. I smile and grabbed my bow firmly between my hands. "Are you ready?" Nightwing asked. I smile at him and nodded. He grabbed my hand and wished me good luck. We both went in different ways. That night I felt young and free. Like if I never left.
I stood in the highest of the skyscrapers in Gotham city. Every light this city brought back old vague memories. I shoot an arrow to the next building and slide there. I'm here Gotham, and I'm here to stay. I looked at Nightwing jumping from building to building. A thief was trying to escape from a bank. I and Nightwing shared a small look and he gave me a smile. He jumped from the building he was on and I did the same. And this is what my wonderland looks like.
