Chapter Nine
Movies...
What had originally started as a way to bring in the New Year had quickly turned into a weekly event for Artemis, Kara and Zatanna. The three would gather at either the magician's place or the former archer's on Friday nights and would watch a couple of movies till the youngest of them fell asleep. But after Jaime's unexplainable attack towards Kara, Artemis had called Zatanna and asked for their movie night to be extended to cover the entire first weekend of February. But the magician wasn't the only one that had shown up for the impromptu movie weekend. Jade had arrived unexpectedly bearing assorted snacks.
"Starting to think we should've done this at my place." Zatanna said as she helped Artemis grab some bowls from the kitchen.
"I think we should have." Artemis said smiling a little.
"So did anyone find out why your beetle friend went after my niece like that?" Jade asked as the two walked back into the living room.
"Unfortunately, we're not sure," Artemis said sitting on the couch next to her daughter, "The Scarab has been trying to repair itself ever since Kara hit it."
"But I'm not dangerous, am I?" Kara asked looking towards her mother.
"Only if someone makes you mad apparently, which shows you got the family instincts about defending yourself." Jade said after getting handed a bowl.
"No offense Jade, but how did you even find out what happened?" Zatanna asked.
"Roy." the assassin said simply.
"I don't want to know what it took for you to get that out of him." Artemis said as they heard a knock on the door but Jade just grinned….almost as big as the one on her Cheshire mask.
"I got it." Kara said getting up.
"So what exactly do you guys do on nights like this?" Jade asked looking at her sister.
"Watch movies and joke around." Zatanna replied.
"Not with this many people though," Artemis said as she saw Barbara and another redheaded woman at the front door, "What are you and Shayera doing here, Barbara?"
"Besides wanting to come see Kara, the Scarab went back online about hour ago." Barbara said as the two entered the apartment.
"Did it say why it attacked my daughter?" Artemis asked.
"According to it, Kara was giving off the same energy signature as one of the Reach's Magnetic Field Disruptors," the woman said as her and Barbara took off their coats, "Thing is, we checked the scanners and it wasn't Kara that it was picking up. It was something she had on her."
"Like the ring Hal gave me?" Kara asked quietly.
"What ring?" Artemis asked looking at her daughter. The young girl reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like a clear crystal ring.
"He said I might be able to focus my powers better if I channeled them through this." she said holding it up.
"Leave it to Hal to hand a child that." Shayera said.
"What is it?" Kara asked.
"It's an obsidian gem," Shayera said looking at the young girl, "They're found on a planet in his sector."
"What are they used for?" Artemis asked.
"Normally, they're used to store light," Shayera said taking a seat, "But by the looks of this one, it's designed like a lantern ring."
"So a Lantern turned my niece into a Lantern?" Jade asked not sounding too happy.
"But I'm not a lantern." Kara quietly said looking down.
"Actually, Kara's right. She isn't a lantern," Shayera said looking at the assassin, "That ring is clear. Which means that is more like a power indicator. This way we know how much power she has."
"And that's not what is giving off that MFD energy signature," Barbara said checking a holo-screen that was being projected from her watch, "It's something coming from her backpack."
"Kara, what's in your backpack?" Artemis asked looking at her daughter.
"Just a visor that Bart gave me," the young girl said before going over and pulling it out, "He said he was wearing this when my father died."
"Leave it to Bart…" Artemis said as a tear slid down her face.
"Why did he keep this?"
"Your father had a thing for collecting souvenirs on our missions to remember them….guess after Beast Boy it passed to Bart."
"Want me to hurt him next time I see him?" Shayera asked looking at the archer.
"Regardless if you hurt him or not, that visor is giving off a trace amount of energy readings." Barbara stated.
"Enough with the shop talk," Jade said as her gaze shifted from her sister to her niece and back, "Phones and computers off till after the movie, alright?"
"Sounds like the best idea I've heard so far." Zatanna said before pulling out her cell and kicking it to silent.
"Only if you agree to teach Kara your royal flush card trick, Jade," Artemis said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"And why would you want her to learn that trick?" Jade asked.
"Doesn't Roy do a monthly poker game with some of the other league members." the blonde said with an evil grin.
"She'll know it by his next game." Jade said with a slight laugh.
Once everyone was seated, Artemis hit play on the remote. For the next couple of hours, the six of them sat and watched different movies. It wasn't until the end credits of the second movie that Kara started to nod off.
"Getting tired, sweetie?" Artemis asked looking at her daughter.
"A little." the young girl said before yawning.
"Go get ready for bed then," Artemis said brushing her daughter's hair back from her eyes, "I'll come tuck you in in a few."
Barbara waited till the young girl had left the room before saying, "I am so glad M'gann and Cassie are not here."
"Don't go there," Artemis said standing up, "Jade was bad enough the first night Kara was here."
"But you were so cute doting over Kara the way you did." Jade said smiling.
"I did not dote on her." Artemis said as she started to pick the different bowls up.
"Twenty bucks says she still does." Shayera said looking at Barbara.
"I do not dote on my daughter." Artemis said glaring at the two redheads.
"Truth Artemis," Zatanna said as all eyes focused on the former archer.
"Can we not talk about this?" Artemis asked before heading to the kitchen.
"Mom had to teach me everything," they heard Kara say. Everyone looked over to the hallway entrance as the young girl entered before continuing, "My foster parents hardly taught me anything. I really didn't know how to use silverware correctly, take a bath right, any of that stuff. My foster mom would tell me constantly that I couldn't do anything right. I started to believe them up until mom found me. Between her and Barbara, they saved me; because I honestly thought about doing what she told me to do every time I made a mistake."
"What did she tell you to do, Kara?" Shayera asked.
The young girl was quiet for a few seconds before Jade said, "You don't want to know. Trust me, you never want to know."
Kara barely had time to look at her aunt when she suddenly felt her mother's arms wrap around her from behind.
"Don't you ever do that," Artemis said in a low whisper, "You belong here with me. Understand? This is your home."
"You know, Cottontail, it wasn't just your life that was saved," Jade said as she smiled, "I think you saved your mom that day as well."
"I did?" Kara asked.
"Yeah, you did," Artemis said smiling, "Because it was just me and Brucely here before you came into my life."
"And by the looks of it, you've made each other's lives better." Zatanna said.
"And we all need to get going," Barbara said glancing at the clock, "Some of us have work tomorrow."
"And the rest of us have class," Artemis said with a yawn, "Thanks for coming everyone."
"You're welcome, and we should do this again next week." Shayera said getting up.
"I think I might know someone that would let us use his place for this," Barbara said as she stood up, "Let me talk to him and I will let you know."
"Alright, later guys." Artemis said as she watched her friends grab their jackets before leaving.
"Bye everyone," Kara said before the door closed.
"And then there was three," Jade said looking at her sister, "Go tuck Cottontail in, Alice. I'll take care of clean up till you get back."
"Why are you calling me Cottontail?" Kara asked looking at her aunt.
"Besides the fact I call your mother Alice and you remind me of the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland," Jade said standing up, "It kind of fits since you usually have something that has a bunny on it. Besides, I had a thing for the Cheshire Cat when I was younger."
"Go home, Aunt Jade. You need to be laid." Kara said before heading to her room.
Artemis tried not to laugh as she stood up and said, "Never thought I would hear her say that."
"I'm going to have to talk to Roy AND Nightwing later…"
"Don't kill Nightwing, I mean I need him alive if he's the one Barb's going to ask to use his place."
"Very well, but I'm still talking to him."
"I'll be right back." Artemis said and with that she went to tuck Kara in.
