Paula Crock was busy making dinner, tonight was anchovy pizza one of Artemis' favourites but not really the most healthy of foods. For the moment, her daughter was with the young heroes that she normally hung out with. Although having her daughter in so much danger pretty much permanently did worry the ex-assassin but in some way it was a comfort... Artemis was a hero now and had chosen the path of good and helping people... She was proud of her.

There was a knock at the door. Paula stopped what she was doing and wheeled herself to the door. Relieved that Artemis was finally back. She opened the door letting in the archer.

"Artemis welcome home! I am just cocking the pizzas now and..." She said "-oh..."

She saw an imposing figure behind Artemis. The boy walked into the light. Paula glanced at the teen, his soft silver eyes glanced down at her compassionately. She gave him a weary look, the boy didn't look like trouble but experience had thought Paula that you never could be to careful.

"Uh... Hi mom... Mom, Kaldur. Kaldur mom..." Artemis looked a bit awkward

"An honour." Said the Atlantean giving her a slight bow

"So you are the leader of the group of young heroes..." Said Paula "Artemis has told me a lot about you..."

"Mom can we talk for a bit?" Asked Artemis

Kaldur watched as mother and daughter went into a corner to talk. He looked around the room, it was plain and simple. He could smell something cooking and quite liked the smell. He had a small beg with his civilian clothes in. Paula faced her daughter in the corner of the room.

"Artemis can we trust him?" Paula whispered

"Yes. He's been through a lot mom." Artemis glanced back to the teen "He just got kicked out of his home because his father's Black Manta... You know the villain?"

"I know the one... Are you sure he's not working for his father?"

"If you'd of seen the state he was in earlier on you won't ask that... It's only for a little while mom until the whole mess is sorted out."

"Ok but he goes at the first sign of trouble!" Declared Paula

Artemis and her mother came back over to Kaldur'ahm who was beginning to feel a little bit hungry. The archer glanced at her mother who smiled.

"Artemis told me about you situation... I am sorry." She said before seeing the state that both teens were in "You're soaking!"

"We were in the rain..." Said Artemis

"I see. Do you want to change?"

"A change of clothes... Might be preferable..." Said Aqualad

"There's a toilet down there on the right." Aqualad walked off to change into dry clothes.

"Don't worry mom it'll be fine..." Said Artemis

She too went off to change in her room. Paula waited in the kitchen and set another place ready for dinner. When both teens reappeared later, she spotted Aqualad's wound.

"What happened to your face?" She asked him

"Orin... Cut me." He explained "Artemis cleaned the wound..."

"I washed it out, there's a difference."

"Artemis could you please go and fetch the first aid kit?" She asked, Artemis reappeared a moment later

"Take a seat." Paula instructed

"Don't worry Kal once mom's done with you, you want remember even having a cut." Artemis said

"Now this will sting..."

Aqualad winced as Paula put the ointment on his face. It stung, the deep cut across his face but the pain was soon replaced with a warm soothing sensation. It wasn't the first cut he'd been given of course but it was by far the most severe and the only one where he hadn't had access to water to help heal himself.

"How's that?" Asked Paula

"A lot better thank you..." Said Aqualad "Where did you learn medicine like that? If you don't mind me asking..."

"It is amazing what the shadows teach you..." Said Paula. "I'm not sure about how your people heal but I'm afraid that wound will most likely become a scar."

"Considering the crimes of which I was accused. It is a small price to pay." Said Aqualad

"It sure sounds like you have been through a lot..." Said Paula

There was a ping coming from the oven. Paula wheeled herself over and got out the Pizza. She wondered if they'd be enough food for all three of them. Did Atlanteans actually eat? Artemis suddenly looked uneasy.

"Kaldur could you please go and fetch my bow I think I need to wax it. It's in my room, first on the left." Said Artemis

"Uh... Ok"

"Kaldur'ahm would you like some food?" Asked Paula

"Um, yes please. It is very kind of you."

"It's anchovy pizza, will that do?"

"No it's not it's um... Artichoke pizza!" Said Artemis "Kal please go fetch my bow it's very important."

"Of course..."

As a guest Kaldur'ahm knew that he needed to do what they told him to. So he left to fetch Artemis' bow. Paula glared at her daughter.

"What's the matter Artemis?" She asked

"Are you trying to cause an incident?" She yelled "He's an Atlantean!"

"So? He seemed to be fine with pizza."

"Mom, you know that Atlanteans are basically big fish people right? They don't like the idea of eating fish!"

"So what do we do?"

"Get rid of them before he comes back."

They set about removing the little fish from the pizza. As understanding as Aqualad could be, Kaldur would have a fit if he thought he was eating fish especially baby ones. Paula got some ham out of her fridge and put it on the pizza. They let out a relieved sigh and suddenly there was a crash from down the corridor.

"Sounds like he was able to open my wardrobe!" Said Artemis.

Artemis walked towards her room. She laughed when she entered to discover Aqualad buried under piles of dirty laundry and various other objects. He gave her a sheepish smile, that meant "I'm sorry... Could you please help?". The archer chuckled at the Atlantean's difficult position before helping him up.

"I am sorry..." Said Aqualad. "It just... Fell out..."

"Don't worry, mom falls for my little booby trap every time."

"You mean it is intentional?"

"No... I just can't be bothered cleaning up."

"Diner's ready!" Paula called

"Coming!"

Artemis smiled at Kaldur and walked back to the kitchen. Paula had set the table for three, it was a very rare occasion that they had a visitor. Kaldur'ahm watched Artemis and her mother eat with interest, trying to decide how surface dwellers ate. After seeing them take a bite of the pizza using their hands, Kaldur imitated them. The pizza tasted different to him, foreign... Yet very tasty.

"Hey Kaldur, I've always wondered... How come you've got webbed hands and feet but Orin doesn't?" Asked Artemis

"They are common in my home town, Shayeris." Said Aqualad examining his hands "Less so in Posidonis."

"You mean Atlantis isn't one big city?" Paula said

"No. More like a country or a state, there are many cities and towns. Posidonis is the capital and where Aquaman comes from."

"I never knew..." Said Artemis

"This food is very lovely..." Said Kaldur "You say this is artichoke pizza?"

"Yes, it's got a lot of artichoke that's for sure." Said Paula winking at Artemis

After the meal, Kaldur helped clean up. After being shown the ropes by Artemis of course. The two teens hadn't spent that much time with each other, so a chance to socialise like this wasn't to be sniffed at. For once, none of their team mates could disrupt them. Paula turned on the TV and they settled down to watch the news. Aqualad sat next to Artemis, receiving a look from Paula that he has trouble identifying. It was either a glare or a soft look, he had trouble deciding.

"Cat Grant here." Said the news reporter. "As you can see Gotham is once more under attack from Scarecrow who has escaped from Arkham... Again!"

"Why do we even bother arresting these crooks?" Asked Artemis "We might as well, let them go ourselves..."

"Look it's Batman!" Said the reporter

"And there is Robin!" Said Aqualad pointing at the screen

"Go Rob!" Yelled Artemis

They watched as the battle commenced. Both sidekick and mentor were running round the villain throwing Baterangs at him, as they went. Artemis laughed as Batman looked around for Robin who had disappeared as per usual. She checked Kaldur's expression but found him looking sad, regretful even.

"Hey... Everything's going to be ok." She said "You'll be back fighting crime in no time..."

"Yes." He watched as Robin reappeared doing a back flip and kicking the villain in the face

"Show off..." Muttered Artemis

The battle continued for the next few minutes before finally the villain was defeated. Artemis had found watching the heroes kick butt on TV very different since she had met them in person. She now new all their strengths and a lot of their weaknesses to. Paula turned off the TV and looked at the teens. There was no way, Aqualad was ever going to fit on the couch.

"Right bed! You will have to use the other bed in Artemis' room..." Said Paula

"Fine, I'll go change in the toilet..." Said Artemis

"Wait just a minute you two..." Paula snapped, they both turned around suddenly feeling a bit afraid "There is to be no funny business. Ok?"

"Pff... Who do you take us for mom?" Asked Artemis

"I was a teenager too once... And know how you operate... You say one thing and will do another..." Said Paula eyeing the two of them "So I want to make myself absolutely clear... At the fist sign of anything odd. I will personnaly chuck you out one window and you the other. Am I understood."

"Perfectly!" Said Aqualad giving her an Atlantean salute

"Yes mom..." Said Artemis half amused before giving her mom a hug. "Goodnight."

"Sleep tight." Paula said

"Goodnight." Aqualad said to Paula as he left with Artemis

"No messing around!" Yelled Paula

Artemis got changed by the time she got back to the room Kaldur was sitting on what used to be her sister's bed looking out the window. The storm from earlier had arrived at Gotham City. There was a lightning strike which made him jump.

"It sounds different... Above the water." He said

"I couldn't say..." Artemis replied "So what do you think about mom? Mother or monster?"

"She is very nice, if a little scary..." Aqualad said

"I HEARD THAT!" Yelled Paula, both teens laughed

"Take it as a compliment." Artemis yelled back to her mother

"Get to bed the two of you!"

Artemis tucked herself in but not before giving Kaldur one final glance. The young atlantean was tired, that much was clear. It was odd having a boy in the same room as her but she decided that she preferred Kaldur to Wally any day. She watched as the teen's silver eyes closed and he nodded off into a deep sleep.

"Goodnight..." She said to him

She reached onto the table which separated the two beds and switched off the light. Now in the dark she found herself falling asleep to the sound of Aqualad's quiet breathing.