AN: I am so sorry guys...I was supposed to upload this Friday but life happens and...I'm sorry...but I'm uploading now! Don't hate me!
And run,
From them, from them,
With no direction,
We'll run from them, from them,
With no conviction.
~Paramore: Misguided Ghosts
Uptown Gotham City
4:15 am EDT
Artemis ran breathlessly through the rain, her motorcycle having broken down miles ago. Her combat boots shielding her feet from the cold water from the puddles of the outer limits of Gotham City, but her thin jacket hardly shielded her from the even colder weather. But that didn't matter, she had to keep running. If she didn't he would catch up to her, and she didn't know what she would do if he did. She couldn't go back, but she knew he would try to make her. And she also knew that in the broken state that she was in, she would crack under his persistence. She couldn't go back, it would never be the same. But she knew that, and had taken the proper precautions to make sure that they wouldn't be able to convince her to come back. She knew that what she had done could never be forgiven. She knew that her sins would shatter his heart, but she needed to do this. It was for the best.
For the best? Her mind spat at her. How can it be for the best when it's hurting him just as much as it's hurting you? Her mind said vindictively. She almost stopped running at that thought. How could it be for the best? It just is, she concluded, and kept her speed up. She had to make it there in time. Sneaking a glance at her watch, she noted the time. 4:14. Wally would be at her apartment reading her note by now. She knew he would be reading it slowly, drinking in every word she wrote on that paper. Every word, coldly calculated to keep him from chasing after her. Every word a blow to his unguarded heart. It hurt her to pen those terrible words. To even think those words broke her heart. But that's what she needed. She needed her heart broken and him brokenhearted and angry. It would keep him away, and keep him safe.
Her breathing became more and more labored, every foot fall became heavier and heavier, every muscle burning with a painful fire, but she had to keep going. She needed to keep running. Had to reach him in time.
Artemis's Apartment
4:15 am EDT
Wally flipped the lights on and walked into the small apartment Artemis shared with her mother. Closing the door softly behind him, he walked into the kitchen. Setting the key on the counter, he started his search in the kitchen, looking for a clue to where she could have gone. There's gotta be something somewhere… He found nothing, but he didn't lose heart, and moved into the living room. It was there that he spotted the paper lying casually on the coffee table. Quickly he picked it up.
"Dear Wally,"
Wally fell onto the couch, preparing himself for the onslaught of words his favorite spitfire had felt the need to write for him.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way, but there is no other way. I've been running from my past for so long. But it's time I face it. I have to do this alone. I don't want you there, I don't want the team there, this is my war. I've been fooling myself thinking that I could play hero when all I am is a traitor. I told them things. Unforgivable things. The sins of my past outweigh the things I've done playing hero. The wrongs I've done can't be righted. I hope at least you can understand that."
Every word hit him in the gut. It doesn't matter, Artemis! He wanted to tell her.
Uptown Gotham City
4:18 am EDT
She pressed the button repetitively on the wall of the pillar which held the cast iron gate in place. Solid and unmoving, an object obstructing her path.
"Can I help you?" a sleepy male British voice answered her consistent ringing.
"It's Artemis Crock. I need to speak to Mr. Wayne." She said breathlessly.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Wayne said you would be coming in. One moment please." He answered.
There was a slight pause and then the buzzer rang and the gate started to open automatically. She didn't bother to let it open all the way, as soon as there was enough room for her to enter, she did. Quickly she broke into another run, against her body's protests.
Artemis's Apartment
4:18 am EDT
"On top of lying to myself, I've been lying to you. I can't do that to you anymore, we've become too close for me to pretend that I'm something I'm not. And it's all my fault. Anytime I feel like there's a glimmer of hope- a time where I can see myself staying and fighting by your side- I remember. I remember I'm completely alone, I have to fight this alone, I've always been alone, I never have quite fit fully in due to my chaotic past- and possible difficult future. I have to do this Wally. Please understand. Everyone I love ends up hurt, emotionally or physically, in the end. Because of me. So it is with this last letter that I ask you not to follow me. I don't want you or the team to come after me. I can handle myself. I can fight my own battle. I'm fighting my battle on my own. On my own."
"You can't do this on your own. You're not invincible." He said furiously to the empty room. His hands grew into fists, crumpling the paper he held tightly in his hand.
Wayne Manor
4:20 am EDT
Breathless, Artemis fumbled up the hard stone mansion steps. An old man dressed in a red robe greeted her at the open door, with a large towel in his hand. Quickly he wrapped her inside the warm towel.
"Thank you." She said after gaining some of her breath back.
He said nothing. He brought her into a large room with a large fire. He quickly guided her to a large leather chair positioned close to the fire.
"Mr. Wayne will be with you momentarily." He said. "Can I get you anything, miss?"
"A glass of water, please." She asked with a smile.
"Of course." He said.
"Thank you." She said.
He tipped his head in answer and left the room, leaving Artemis with the guilt of what she had done.
Artemis's Apartment
4:19 am EDT
"And I can't come back to the team. I can't come back to you. I can't pretend everything will be alright when I know -and you know- things will never be the same. This has spiraled out of my control and I put the team at risk for this game of make- believe. And I can't forgive myself knowing I put your life at stake. And if I'm honest with myself, I can say that I don't need the team. I don't need Batman. I don't need GA. And I don't need you. I did just fine on my own before you and I can do just fine without you again."
His breath froze in his throat. This was just like Artemis. Hit him with the soft stuff then sucker punch him in the stomach.
Wayne Manor
4:21 am EDT
Bruce Wayne walked into the room with the cowl pulled back on his Batman suit. He walked silently and sat in front of her. "Did you do what you needed to?" he asked.
"Operation Break Wally While Breaking Myself in the Process is complete." She said spitefully, looking into the fire's flickering flames.
Bruce sighed, she didn't want it to go down this way. He didn't even want it to go down like this. But it was either this or complete failure. This way was safe. This way no one would get seriously injured. Or die.
Alfred walked into the room with a glass of water. He walked over and handed it to Artemis who greedily drank it.
"Anything for you, sir?" Alfred asked him.
Bruce shook his head. "Thanks, Alfred, you can go back to sleep now."
The man dipped his head in thanks and started to walk away.
"Thanks, Alfred." Artemis told him.
He turned around, "You're welcome, Miss Crock." He said leaving.
She looked back to Bruce with a smile, "I like him."
"So does everybody else." Bruce told her. "Are you ready for this?" he asked her.
Her smile faded, "Did you get it?" she asked him.
"It's on the table." He said pointing to the bag that was sitting on the desk at the far side of the room.
She got up, leaving the towel behind, and walked to the desk like a ghost. Slowly she unzipped the bag, her breathing becoming uneven. Hesitantly, she pulled out the light material of the familiar colors of her uniform, letting out a shaky breath, "I haven't seen this for some time." She said.
"Have you missed it?" he asked her, standing up.
She let the fabric ghost over the table and held it up before him. "I'm not sure." She murmured.
He inwardly sighed, understanding only a fraction of the identity crisis she was going through. He looked up at the clock. 4:19. "If you want to go through with this, we have to do it now." He told her.
She nodded and placed the suit back into the bag, not zipping it up. She looked at him, her eyes unfocused but not glassy, expectantly.
He pointed to a room off to the side, "You can change in there." He told her.
She nodded and glided over to the door and pushed it open, entering the door and closing it behind her.
Bruce sighed. This is the worst start to a terrible day.
Artemis's Apartment
4:20 am EDT
"By the time you finish reading this, I will be out of the city on my own mission to take down the Shadows. It was the plan all along. Work for both sides of the spectrum and then take one down from the inside. The Shadows just don't know which side I'm on. I'm the unpredictable pawn. The one that can make or break this elaborate life or death game of chess. With that said, I am taking it upon myself to make sure that I break the Shadows plan before they start to mess with the team. If I take out the heads before they reach you, all you have to do is remove the arms and destroy the Blockbuster-Venom serum. Don't worry about me. It's what I was trained to do.
This is the last good-bye Wally.
Good-bye,
Artemis"
The ice coated his stomach again. Did she want to die? Was this her death wish? His hands knotted into fists. The paper crumpling under the force. Take out the heads. What I was trained to do. Good-bye. They all raced around his mind at top speed.
There has to be more. He thought suddenly. He stood up, carefully folding the paper and sticking it in his pants pocket, then continued his search through the apartment.
He searched her room next and found two beds, both covered in light purple sheets. A faded Alice in Wonderland was taped to the right wall. Cheshire. Wally thought. He moved on to the open window above the farthest bed. He quickly looked out the window, looking up and down the sides he found nothing. Pulling himself back into the room he turned to leave. As he took one last glance around the room, his eye caught on a black object on one of the beds. Upon closer inspection he discovered that it was a familiar black, bat shaped object.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no." he kept repeating to himself as the clumsily stumbled out of the room, quickly running to the front door, he exited the apartment and the building at normal speed. Once he hit the open city street, he slipped on his goggles and hit the open road.
All thoughts of what she had written in the letter vanished. All thoughts of her betraying them, thoughts of her leaving him, thoughts of her leaving the team, evaporated. The only coherent thought in his head was, Gotta get to Artemis.
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