Here it is! The final chapter! We made it!
007: To the Cave and Back
Wally looked around the familiar setting. Everything looked like how it was supposed to look in the cave. Nothing seemed out of place, and if he wasn't sure he was still in Artemis's mind he would have thought that he had woken up. He was standing in the middle of the debriefing room. He heard a groan behind him and turned around to see his teammates rubbing their eyes and looking around with questioning looks.
"The cave? Are we-did we?" M'gann started, becoming momentarily confused before her eyes widened with realization. "The fair ground! This is it! She has to be here!" M'gann said excitedly.
"Really?" Wally asked his voice full of hope.
"Yes," she nodded eagerly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to focus on finding her blonde earth sister. Her eyes snapped open and she started to run off, "She's this way!"
They team eagerly followed her. They came to a halt in the living room, and before they could look around Conner shouted grabbing everyone's attention.
"Look! It's her!" Conner said excitedly. They team turned to look in the direction he was pointing to see their teammate sitting on the couch, her knees drawn up to her chest as she clutched them tightly.
"Artemis!" Wally shouted eagerly as he ran towards her, but she didn't respond. The rest of the team neared her only to be ignored like the speedster.
"What's wrong? Why isn't she answering?" Wally asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"I don't know," Robin whispered, crouching down in front of the archer. "Artemis, hey, it's us," he called softly waving his hand in front of her face, but once again there was no response.
"She looks to be in a trance of sorts," Kaldur said, noticing the clouded look in her eyes.
"Artemis?" M'gann called, lightly placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder, trying to grab her attention. However the contact caused the blonde to jump and drop her head onto her knees as she mumbled something incoherent.
"Are-are we too late?" M'gann asked, looking at her teammates with tears forming in her eyes.
The team stayed quiet for a moment, wrapped up in their own thoughts, before Wally let out a frustrated groan.
"We can't be too late! We just can't be! After everything we've done, everything we've seen, we can't be too late!" he shouted, pulling at his hair in frustration.
Artemis's head lifted, earning her team's attention. "Wally?" she whispered, her eyes still clouded.
"Artemis?" Wally whispered in return, but not earning a response this time. He bit his lip and took a deep breath before grabbing her shoulders and shouting, "Artemis wake up already! You have to wake up! Please just wake up and insult me or something!"
For a moment nothing happened, but then Artemis blinked her eyes a couple of times, her vision finally clearing. As soon as the clouds were gone, confusion became evident on her face. "What are you doing, Baywatch?" she asked, becoming slightly uncomfortable with his close proximity.
"Baywatch? Artemis you're awake!" Wally shouted with joy as he wrapped her up in a tight hug.
Artemis's cheeks flushed slightly as he squeezed her tightly. "Um, Wally?"
"Yeah?" he asked, completely oblivious to the fact he was still hugging her.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" she asked brashly. Wally finally realized that he was hugging her and pulled apart quickly, his face flushing deeply.
"Oh uh," he stuttered while scratching at his nose uncomfortable, "I'm just happy we finally found you."
"Found me?" she asked, confused at the situation they were in.
"You are in a deep slumber right now because of the drug Lex Luthor injected into you," Kaldur explained.
"Drug?" Artemis mumbled trying to figure out what the last thing was that she could remember. She sat silently for a moment, obviously trying to sort through her thoughts when she finally realized what her leader had said, "Oh yeah…that's right."
"The drug was a mixture of Scarecrow's fear gas and a new agent that had yet to be deciphered when we left," Robin informed.
"When you left?" Artemis asked as she cocked her to the right slightly.
"Before we entered your mind," M'gann informed.
"What?" confusion clearly written on the archer's face. "You're in my mind?"
"Yeah, Bats didn't know if he was going to be able to find an antidote in time so he sent us in here to find you and make you realize you were sleeping so you would wake up," Wally shrugged.
"Woah, woah, woah, woah, time out!" Artemis said, holding her hands up in a 'T' formation. "Start over."
Wally let out a large sigh, "You got drugged." Artemis nodded showing she understood that part. "Well after you got drugged you fell asleep. Luthor said that he was testing a new drug, one that made the person fall asleep and…" he trailed off remembering everything they had recently seen.
"And…?" Artemis drawled out, trying to get someone to continue.
"And experience nightmares, but not just any nightmares, the nightmares of their past," Robin continued once he noticed the uneasiness in his best friend.
"The nightmares of their past," Artemis repeated, letting the reality of what has been happening sink in. "So since Bats couldn't prepare an antidote fast enough he sent the team into my head to find me and wake me up?" She asked, trying to clarify her thoughts.
"Yup, pretty much," Robin smiled.
Artemis was quiet for a few moments, chewing on the inside of her cheek going over what she had just been told. "So," she started, lifting her head and looking at her team, "did you just wind up finding me right away when you entered my mind?"
"No," M'gann started, becoming uncomfortable with the subject. "You had a lot of mental blockades set up to stop someone from just entering your mind."
"Yeah, I was taught that at practically the same time I was taught my ABCs," Artemis chuckled bitterly.
The room became silent with a heavy, uncomfortable air settling on them.
Kaldur sighed, drawing everyone's attention, "Artemis, you should know we witnessed many of your nightmares while trying to find you."
Artemis wrinkled her nose and bit her bottom lip before sighing, "Yeah, I kind of figured."
M'gann wrapped her arms around the blonde and buried her head into her shoulder, "I'm so sorry Artemis."
Artemis knew she was talking about her childhood. She knew she was apologizing for her father, but that's exactly why she had never told any of them what happened in her past. She pulled M'gann off of her and held her at the shoulders. "Don't apologize, and don't feel bad for me. What happened in my past is the reason I'm here today. Sure it wasn't pretty, but I wouldn't change any of it," she said sternly, looking her Martian sister in the eyes.
M'gann nodded in understanding, wiping away the tear that had gotten loose.
Wally coughed at the awkwardness, drawing everyone's attention. "I hate to break-up this girly moment, but we should probably get out of your mind now."
The statement confused the archer as she watched the rest of her teammates nod their heads in agreement. "Wait, we are still in my mind?"
"Uh, yeah," Robin answered.
"So when you leave will I wake up?" Artemis asked; worried that she would fall back into the nightmares that had previously haunted her.
Everyone looked towards M'gann for conformation who just shrugged her shoulders, slightly unsure of herself. "I don't see why not. Now that you know they were just nightmares and not the real thing I think you should be able to wake yourself up."
"Right," Artemis muttered. She unconsciously bit her bottom lip, a sign that she was unsure. Wally grabbed her hand which also grabbed her attention.
"Come on Harpy, we'll wake up together," he smirked, easing her tension.
"Thanks Baywatch," she smirked back before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
Just wake up.
As she tried to open her eyes again she was blinded by bright lights overhead, causing her squeeze her eyes shut once more. Slowly she peaked out from under her eyelids, adjusting to the harsh light. Once she had opened her eyes enough to see she saw that she was no longer sitting on the couch in the cave, but she was lying in a hospital bed in the med bay.
"Welcome back to the real world," Wally smiled, squeezing the hand he had yet to let go of.
Artemis smiled back tiredly and squeezed his hand in return, "It's good to be back, Baywatch."
"Artemis, thank goodness you're okay!" Ollie exclaimed as he threw his arms around his protégé, hugging her tightly.
"Ugh, geez, GA, I'm fine," Artemis groaned trying to push her mentor off of her, but to no avail.
"I'm sorry, I was just so worried," Ollie said as he detached himself from his student, a bright smile on his face.
Artemis blushed slightly at the smile her teacher was displaying. "It's okay, I'm fine now."
Batman came over and looked her over, checking her vitals, trying to make sure she was fine. After a couple minutes of being silent the Dark Knight nodded, "You seem alright, but you are to take it easy for the next couple of days. We want to make sure that there are no side effects."
Artemis nodded, and turned her attention back to her team. They all looked exhausted. Her brow furrowed and she looked back towards her mentor, "How long was I asleep?"
"About 27 hours," Ollie answered, shocking his student.
She turned to look at the Martian to see sweat formed on her forehead. "And how long were they in my mind?"
"Fifteen hours," Batman answered, once again shocking the archer.
"M'gann you must be exhausted, you need to rest," Artemis said, worry evident in her voice.
M'gann just smiled and shook her head as she leaned on Superboy, "No, I'm fine. I want to stay here, with you."
Artemis rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous. I'll be here when you wake up, you need to rest."
"She's right M'gann," Conner said as he picked her up bridal style carrying her towards the door. Before she could even begin to argue she was fast asleep in Conner's arms.
Artemis then turned her attention to her remaining teammates, "You all should go to sleep too. You don't look much better than her."
"Psh, you should talk," Wally bit back, earning a glare from the blonde.
Before Artemis could retaliate, Batman spoke up, "You all need your rest. So I'm ordering you to go get some."
No one argued with him as they all started to get up from the chairs they sat in stretching out their tight muscles and leaving the room. Artemis swung her legs of the bed and began to stand too until she's was stopped by her mentor. "Where do you think you are going?" Ollie asked, his voice firm.
She paused for a moment looking at the door her teammates had just left out of, and then back to her teacher, "To go get some rest?"
"You're staying here so we can monitor your vitals," Ollie commanded more than stated.
Artemis pouted at his command and crossed her arms, "No way! This bed is terribly uncomfortable; I want to go sleep in my bed!"
"No, you are to remain in the cave until we deem that you are stable enough to leave," Batman stated.
Artemis turned her glare on the Dark Knight, whom it had no effect on. "Can I at least go sleep on the couch or something? There is no way I can rest in here with all the lights and beeping." She looked towards her mentor and pushed out her bottom lip, hoping the puppy dog look would get the effect she wanted.
Ollie stared at her for a moment before looking towards Batman, hoping for some support, but receiving none. He looked back at his student and saw her eyes getting bigger and bigger. That little shit, he cursed to himself before letting out a sigh of defeat, "Fine."
Artemis smiled and walked towards the door, "Thanks GA, you're the best!"
Once Artemis walked in the hallway she was greeted by the smiling face of Wallace Rudolph West. She returned his smile and walked over to him.
"Aren't you going home to go to sleep, or eat?" Artemis asked, a teasing tone evident in her voice.
"Nah, I think I'll stay here for the night. If I leave now I might fall asleep while running home," Wally joked as they started to walk towards the living room.
Artemis chuckled at the statement, but soon fell silent. They walked in a comfortable silence for a couple of moments before Artemis stopped walking. Wally, noticing his teammate had stopped, turned around and shot her a confused look.
"Hey Wally?" she started, chewing on the inside of her lip, showing her nervousness.
"Yeah?" he asked, becoming just as nervous as she looked.
She took a deep breath to soothe her nerves before looking up into his eyes, "Thanks for saving me from my nightmares."
Wally flushed a light pink and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Uh, no problem. I didn't really do much, it was M'gann really."
Artemis smiled and shook her head, stepping closer to him. "No," she started as she stopped in front of him, only inches apart. "Your voice is what was able to reach me, it gave me the strength to not let my nightmares over take me. So thanks," she whispered as she lifted up onto her tip toes and brushed her lips against his cheek before walking away, and leaving him behind.
Wally stood there, frozen, with a brilliant blush heating his face. He stood frozen for a few more moments before a familiar cackle was heard, and a hand squeezed his shoulder.
"Are you still denying your feelings?" Robin asked through a large grin.
Wally turned and glared at the masked boy before shoving past him, shoulder checking him in the process, while grumbling a, "shut up," under his breath. Robin let out another signature cackle before following his best friend to the living room.
After the teenagers had left the room Batman turned towards Green Arrow and chuckled, "Push-over."
"Oh shut it," Ollie growled. He stood watching the door for a moment or two longer before falling back into his chair. He let out a large sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "Shit, Bats, I really thought we weren't going to be able to get her out. They took so long, I thought…" Ollie whispered, his voice barely audible at the end as he trailed off. He let his head fall into his hands, shielding the pain that was showing on his face.
Batman sighed and walked over to his teammate and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know Oliver, but she is okay, and you should have never doubted the team. They would never have let her slip away. Especially Wally."
GA chuckled at the Bats statement rubbed his face before standing up and stretching out his own muscles. "Yeah, I better watch that kid. Her dad may not be here to scare off the boys, but I sure as hell am."
"Psh, like you could scare off my nephew. He's already fallen for that niece of yours," Barry chuckled, leaning against the door frame.
Oliver rolled his eyes at the comment. "Did you finish making the antidote?" Batman asked, his voice now very serious.
The Flash shook his head, "No, not yet. J'onn is putting the final touches in it, and said it will be done within the next couple of hours."
Batman nodded once, "When it is complete we need to give some to Artemis, just in case."
Oliver and Barry both nodded before leaving the med bay to check on J'onn's progress.
Artemis collapsed on the couch with a relieved sigh. She smiled happily with her eyes closed as she stretched out on the length of the couch.
"Scoot over arrow girl," Robin whined pushing her legs off one end of the couch.
Artemis frowned and sat up with a huff. "I'm trying to rest here boy blunder," she returned in an equally whiny voice.
"So are we," Wally said as he plopped down next to her.
"Why aren't you going to your rooms?" she asked as she noticed Kaldur taking a seat next to Robin, and Conner and M'gann resting on the other end of the sectional.
Wally shrugged nonchalantly, "I dunno, this room is just the coziest one in the cave. It makes it easy to rest here."
Artemis smiled at the red-head as he tried his hardest not to look her way. "Coziest huh?" her smirk widening as she saw the red starting to decorate his face.
Wally let out an awkward cough as he scratched his nose, "Uh, yeah."
Artemis rolled her eyes and bumped her shoulder with his as she got up, moving across the room towards the T.V. "Whatever Baywatch. Since we are all here anyway why don't we watch a movie, to help us rest?"
"Ooooh, let's watch The Conjuring!" Robin piped up excitedly.
Artemis threw him an incredulous look, "That movie is terrifying! How would that help us relax in the slightest?!"
Robin shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno, I just really want to see it."
"Yeah, no way Rob," Wally said, holding his arms up in front of him in the shape of an 'X'.
Robin pouted, crossing his arms across his chest, and huffing loudly.
"You should choose Artemis," Kaldur spoke up.
Artemis stared at the movie collection, her mouth pulling to the side in concentration. After a couple of minutes of contemplation she finally decided on Frozen. After it was popped in she returned to her spot on the couch between Wally and Robin.
As the movie began Wally and Robin looked at her, "Really?" they asked simultaneously.
"Oh hush, let's not act like you two don't know every single word to this movie," Artemis mocked as she rolled her eyes.
The two boys looked at each other and nodded before breaking out in song. Artemis let out a loud laugh as she watched the two mimic the men on the screen in the beginning song. After the song finished the three laughed loudly together, as Kaldur chuckled softly, and Conner just smirked (M'gann was already fast asleep). Wally and Robin settled down and plopped themselves back on the couch, sinking in comfortably into the cushions.
As the movie progressed the teens soon fell fast asleep. Green Arrow, Flash, and Batman walked into the living room, close to the end of the movie to check on the team. The sight that greeted them caused a smile to form on each of their lips, including Batman's, even though he'll deny it. The team was passed out in varying positions on the couch.
M'gann's head was resting in Conner's lap, while he was slouched into the couch, snoring softly. Next to them Wally slept with one arm wrapped around Artemis as she was curled into him, her head on resting on his shoulder and his resting on her head, a pleasant look upon both of their faces. Robin had both arms wrapped around Artemis's waist and had his head resting on her side, and his feet propped up on Kaldur's lap, who was sitting straight up, his arms crossed across his chest and his head lolled to the side.
Flash quickly pulled his phone out and snapped a couple of pictures from different angles and snickered to himself.
"Blackmail Barry? Aren't we a little too old for that?" Oliver chuckled.
"Tsk, no! Kid always tries to blackmail me, now I have something on him to keep him quiet for a little bit," Barry replied as he giggle like a school girl.
After he finished snapping pictures he sped out the room, only to return a second later with an armful of blankets and a couple of pillows. He quickly and quietly covered the sleeping teens, and propped a pillow underneath Conner and Kaldur's head, both of which how didn't even stir.
"They really must be exhausted," Barry commented after he finished his work.
"Probably more mentally exhausted then anything. I can't even imagine what they saw while they were in her head," Oliver stated, cringing slightly towards the end of his sentence.
"If the screams she was admitting were anything, then we know it must have been bad," Batman said solemnly.
"Well, I'm exhausted too, we should get some rest as well," Flash yawned, stretching his arms above his head as he walked towards the zeta tubes.
Batman put a hand on Ollie's shoulder, "He's right Oliver, we should go."
Ollie glanced towards the Bat briefly before looking at his protégé again. She looked so peaceful, and he couldn't be happier. Watching her face contort with pain and fear while listening to the heart piercing screams had been too much for him. She had become more than just his protégé, she had become family, and he never wanted to see her in that sort of pain again. He finally tore his gaze from her and started to follow the Flash towards the zeta tubes.
Just before he reached him Batman's voice reached his ears in a stern warning, "Don't do anything stupid Ollie."
The statement shocked Oliver and he turned to look back at the Bat. He stared at him for a moment before a goofy grin crossed his face, "You really do know everything don't you?" He chuckled as Batman continued to glare at him. "Maybe you do have super powers and you just aren't telling people. Are you sure you can't read minds?"
The Bat was silent for a moment before speaking, his voice dark in a warning, "Don't go after him. Eventually he will put himself in a position where we can act without suspicion."
Oliver sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I wasn't actually going to do anything. I was just thinking about it."
"Uh-huh, sure Ollie," Barry chuckled, elbowing the green archer's side. Said archer just rolled his eyes and mentally thanked his friends for their comforting and slightly intimidating words.
The three mentors left, leaving the very content team in each others' comforting embraces on the couch
And there it is! I finished it! Ahhh I can't believe it! Thank you all so much for sticking with me even through my absence, and thank you to the people that just started reading too! I can't express how much all the support has meant to me! I do have another idea for a story, so keep an eye out for that!
Thanks again!
