Fall 1999

"And you checked on Arty?" Jade scowls at Wallace and he nods. When he'd taken Jade in after she'd run away from Lawrence, he'd made sure to make a stop at the Crock apartment in Gotham and put the fear of Velocity into both Sportsmaster and Tigress. They could train Artemis, but if they went too far, Velocity would go back and take her. After beating the ever living crap out of them.

Wallace doesn't want to change too much and Artemis is content at her home right now. When she needs him, he'll be there for her, but she doesn't need him yet. It helps for her to know that he's waiting in the background ready to rescue her if she ever needs it.

"I did check, Jade," Wallace shifts Grace on his hip. She's only seven, but she's already as big as twelve year old Jade. Wallace knew that it was her Amazonian genes showing through, especially when next to Jade, who isn't very tall at all in part to her mother's genes.

"And she's okay?" Jade tugs on his tee-shirt and Wallace runs a hand over her unruly black hair.

"She's just fine. I even spent an hour talking to her and she's happy, though she misses you. She knows she'll see you again soon though."

"Good." Jade nods sharply. She's trying her best to be bossy, but her insecurities still need some work. Wallace is happy to help her though. He likes little Jade. Better than he liked the future Cheshire, but that's why he was helping her now. To help her be a better person.

Wallace had always been able to tell from how his Cheshire had acted that she'd wanted to be a better person but didn't think she deserved it, or could do it. Growing up the way that she had hadn't helped her either. But he was here now, and he was going to do the best he could by her.

"Daddy?" Grace's voice whispers up from his neck and he cuddles the girl close.

"What's up, Gracie?"

"Is we gonna go to the park now?" Wallace has had the two girls for just about two years now and Grace is finally asking him for things, which makes him happy.

"Of course we are, darling." He holds out his free hand and Jade doesn't hesitated to take it, "We can go right now."