... Uh... So I didn't die I promise. And I'm sorry it took so freaking long. I ran into some life problems and lost some inspiration. But I finished it! Thank you so much for sticking through this process with me! For my first story, I'm actually kind of proud of myself. I know the last chapter took so long to get here! I'M SORRY!
But without further ado.
Chapter 10: What We Actually Do
Wally and Artemis snuck out the door and paused looking at the nocked out guards. "Well… He took care of that aspect for us." The speedster commented tugging the archer behind him.
"We have to wreck something… I don't think he was kidding when he said he'd find us." Artemis commented tugging on his arm.
Pursing his lips Wally nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. They were sitting ducks in the middle of the hallway. It was some high tech concrete building they were in as far as any one of the two could tell. Wally looked up and down the hall, "Let's just destroy everything on our way out."
Artemis laughed, "Alright."
Kid Flash began walking ahead checking corners and tearing down pipes and chucking chunks at everything. "If only you had a bow."
She laughed, "I could really use some damage then." They broke open crates and found guns and knives. "That'll work." Artemis flung knives and Wally broke weapons while firing and keeping a few for them. They ran firing ahead of them. The archer stopped and Wally turned, "Why aren't there any guards?"
His eyebrows nit together, "Good question."
When they were really quite they heard yelling and screaming from the level above. The heroes locked eyes, "The chaos is all upstairs." Artemis said voicing Wally's thoughts.
Wally scooped her up and started running until he found stairs. They began running up the steps two at a time and found the end door. Men ran past, orders being yelled over the other yells. "FIND THEM!" Sports Master stopped right in front of the small window.
Artemis yelped quietly and Wally clamped his hand over her mouth and drug her into the furthest small corner. She looked at him apologetically. He sighed and gave her soft eyes, "Escape." She sighed.
Wally gave a small smile and they waited for the evil mastermind to move before sneaking past all the rushing guards and followed them. They stuck to the shadows, concealing themselves there and followed the rushing people. Orders were being shouted left and right, "Ten men to the right! Another five to the left! GET RID OF THESE BRATS!"
"Brats?" Artemis paused and grabbed onto Wally's arm. He was looking at her confused, "You don't think?"
His eyes were blank, "Huh?"
"The Team." She said with hope.
Wally's green eyes brightened, "Let's go check it out."
He placed her on his back and they ran through the line of men. "KF!" A male voice squeaked over the noise.
"Robin!" Artemis yelped in reply.
Sports Master growled, "What the hell is going on here?!"
Kaldur smiled relieved, "You two are alright?"
"For the most part." Kid Flash felt his injuries again. Artemis slid to the ground, "We'll be better once we get out of here."
"CHESHIRE!" Super Boy yelled.
Suddenly the ninja threw herself down, grabbed some handles and then took off running down the hallway at everyone's back. "Move!" M'gann commanded following after the girl. Everyone turned and fled just as smoke erupted.
The Team took off running; smoke seemed to be a signal. Explosions erupted down the hall, "How's that for havoc?" Artemis said to Wally as they ran.
He laughed and actually smiled despite their aches and pains. They finally got to go home, what could ruin this?
"You two seemed to have escaped lucky." Black Canary said with a smile. Wally and Artemis were banged, bruised and yet grinning from ear to ear. "Just get some rest, take it easy."
Wally gave a mock salute and watched her leave. Artemis stood abruptly and the boy grabbed her arm gently. "Artemis?"
"What?" She said a little harsher than she intended.
It didn't even phase him. He was still smiling for just a moment before it was gone. "Is it going to be like before?"
Finding it better to sit back down on her tired limbs, she sat close to Wally, "What do you mean?"
"Are we going back to hating each other?"
She looked down at her lap and examined her hands. For a long moment the room was quiet, "I don't know Wally." And just like that he was gone.
Wally ran all the way to Central City suddenly remembering something he forgot. It was a welcome distraction to his aching heart. He approached the apartment building and smiled despite his bad mood. Climbing the stairs no long in any hurry he found the correct apartment number. One hundred thirteen stared him in the face. He went to grab the key only to see it gone. Slight excitement filled him at the thought of seeing Jed to safety. It felt good helping people.
He knocked on the door before trying the handle. Locked. "Hey… Jed… It's me… KF!"
Slowly the door opened and Wally sucked in a sharp breath. Shadow stood before him. "Thank you." He said and began to remove his mask, "Come in." Slowly the ninja stepped aside and the speedster entered on his guard. Jed was sitting near the window braiding a small girl's light blonde hair. He was smiling and whistling while he worked. Shadow removed his mask revealing bright blue eyes, like Jed's, and blonde hair like the girl. The teenager held out a hand and gently smiled, "Thanks."
"Kid Flash… This is my older brother." Jed said walking over. "My little sister." He motioned to the girl now humming the tune of what Jed was whistling two seconds earlier. It brought a small smile to Wally's lips, "Thanks for getting us out of there."
Shadow stepped forward and said, "But I'll take over taking care now."
A sudden pressure, that Wally hadn't even noticed, separated itself from his chest and he nodded seriously, "Good luck. If you ever need anything… Come back here. My cell number is on the fridge."
The two boys nodded and smiled gently at Wally, "Hope everything turns out between you and Artemis." Jed said with red cheeks, "I hope I find love like that someday."
Wally's chest clenched painfully and he finally just threw a hand over his shoulder and left. When he was in the privacy of his own room at home. He wept. Tears streamed down his face and a gap in his whole became to form. Only she could fill it too.
For a few days, they didn't see, talk, or hear from each other. Artemis's sadness was clear to her mother. She was sleeping in the middle of the after noon and refused to do anything. "Artemis?" She woke up her daughter gently.
Artemis sat up running her hands through her hair which was down. She grumbled and stretched her tan limbs, "Yes?"
"What has you so troubled?" Mrs. Crock folded her hands into her lap and looked at the blonde.
Artemis rubbed her arms and yawned, "Nothing."
"You cannot lie to me."
The archer sighed and looked at her lap, "Wally hasn't spoken to me in days. "
Her mother sighed and pat her leg, "Does he have reason to be upset with you?"
She froze and went wide eyed. Yeah. "I don't know."
Wally sat in his room. His head buried in his pillow. The rain fell outside his window and he scoffed. How fitting? She basically said, what happened in that cage stays in that cage. It's not supposed to be easy though. I love her. Love is…complicated. Love is harsh and blind and a whole bunch of other clichés that make this so much worse. It's gonna be hard, and full of stupid fights… But those moments where we are together, and happy. Those are all that matter to me.
He looked at his phone, nothing. The speedster didn't talk, text, or go to the cave for five days. His sigh was long, deep, and sorrowful. Maybe he was wrong? What was he supposed to do? Call her? Text her? Go see her? Wait! She's the one who doesn't want me. Why would I go running to her? He still found himself reaching towards his phone. With another sigh he checked social media instead. Nothing new or anything he cared about. Loneliness settled around his heart like an uncomfortable blanket. He wanted to see her. The long blonde hair, the fierce gray eyes, her tan skin, pink lips, long slender body. It suddenly felt a little like he'd forgotten her voice. "Don't be ridiculous. You can't miss the sound of someone's voice!" Her raspy gentle voice. Yeah he missed it too.
Wally rolled over in bed. His heart hurt. His chest physically ached with longing and heartache. "Artemis." He whispered her name and wished her name would pop up on his phone or she'd show up. "Why did you have to say that?" He squeezed his eyes shut.
"Because I was scared." Her raspy voice was in his ear he felt her warm breath brush his hair.
He didn't move. Fear that she was just an illusion was holding him in the bed with his eyes shut and his body shaking. She sat down on the edge of the bed and put her face in her hands. Neither one of them said a word for almost ten minutes. Wally took a shaky deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. There she was. Her head resting in her hands and a defeated posture to her slim figure. "Artemis."
She slowly looked at him, "I'm sorry I did that to you. I got scared. I've never really… Cared about someone the way I do about you. I'm not perfect. I know that… I don't do anything you need or want right. I'm not exactly all lovey dovey and I don't show affection well… But I do care. I care a lot."
His emerald eyes were wide in shock and he slowly ever so slowly leaned forward. She did the same slowly twisting her body to meet his lips. They brushed in a slow timid kiss. Electricity shot up Wally's back and he shoved it down determined not to get carried away. This wasn't a love confession. They pulled back and Artemis blushed brightly. "Do you mean it?"
"Of course." Her gray eyes turned to little thunderstorms with confusion.
He swallowed hard, "Artemis?" She bit her lip in anticipation, "I love you." The words rolled off his tongue. A smile snaked its way up her lips and touched her eyes so beautifully, "It wasn't much of a speech but it was something."
She smiled and touched his cheek, "It was perfect. What are we supposed to do now?"
The speedster looked up at the beauty and pursed his lips, "We fall in love. And we enjoy ourselves."
"Cause we're young?"
"Yup." He wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled himself to a sitting position. She laughed and it sounded like bells to his distracted happy mind.
The next couple weeks the two different people began to form a long lasting relationship. Wally was more mature and Artemis was more laid back. They weren't perfect. They fought over stupid things and disagreed a lot. They made up. They made out. They loved each other with everything. Artemis opened up and talked about her past. Wally smiled and tried his best to keep from feeling to upset at her father. "Jerk." He would mumble under his breath while he held her.
When they got into fights and Wally felt it was his fault. He apologized. Some in more romantic ways. Artemis stepped into her room in the cave and was greeted by the site of a giant teddy bear on her bed. A card sat beside it that said. I love you. She flopped on the bed and hugged it tightly, "You don't know where Wally is… Do you mister bear?"
No response from the bear. The archer smiled to herself. Maybe she was wrong to jump to conclusions again. "I'm right here if that counts." His deep voice was right behind the bear. She instantly threw herself into his waiting arms.
That's how the relationship went. That's how it was supposed to be. To love each other, to fight and argue, protect each other, and fight for each other. It was far from perfect. Some of the members of the league were against it even. But that didn't matter to The Team. And especially not to Wally and Artemis… Because to them… That's what they were supposed to do.
That's it... I felt like it was a little... Anti-climatic. But I kind of liked the little last bit. Again I'm sorry for taking so long! This isn't my last story either! I'm far from done! One is not a number I'm happy with! But... Yeah.. Thanks for all of the support and reviews and such. You guys are awesome! :) Imaginary internet cookies for all! :3 Now... What We're Supposed To Do... It comes to a close. THE END!