Disclaimer: Young Justice is owned by DC Comics, Warner Bros., and those Cartoon Network fellas no one likes. For good reason.

A/N: Sorry for the delay! And thank you for the overwhelming support! Makes me nervous to think people are anticipating chapters so much. But now with my study abroad over and my jet lag vanquished I can spend some more time writing.

And because this was asked before I feel the need to clarify, the little blonde girl Artemis encountered in the flashback last chapter was indeed Cissie King-Jones. It was so exciting to include her, I can't even describe it. With that said, enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 9: The Trial

"Maybe I should've clarified when I said we were letting you free. I meant we're letting you leave your room. Not that we're setting you free free. Sorry, I realize now that was probably a bit misleading," said Robin with an apologetic laugh.

An angry vein pulsed visibly in Artemis's forehead. "You think?" she said through gritted teeth as they led her out in cuffs, Wally on one side and Robin on the other.

Taking the first step from her room was exhilarating. In truth, being locked in a room, spacious or not, had not phased her. Years worth of juvie time had desensitized her from feeling claustrophobic. The moment she entered the wide control room being stared at by at least a dozen superheroes she felt excitement like she had never known. The Justice League. Some of them anyway. Standing together, staring directly at her.

Her brain raced a million miles a minute thinking of what could possibly happen. Would they talk it out and eat brunch together? Or would she wind up speared on the business end of a batarang? And me with no weapons to defend myself, she thought. More than ever, she missed the familiar weight of her quiver. Without it, the skin on her back felt naked and lifeless.

She looked Batman up and down. Brooding terror of the night or not, the shrunken villainous part of her still wanted a whack at him. For old time's sake. Beside him stood Green Arrow and Black Canary, who wore stern expressions, but in a school principal sort of way. A way that said, "you messed up but after a healthy lecture you'll remember that actions have consequences." Next to them were Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado, both stony and expressionless, and on the end was Speedy - or rather, the self-proclaimed Red Arrow. Keeping in mind that every person in that room could dismantle her in less than a second, she gave him a harmless glare. She had never liked the look of him, and she especially hated how much Jade enjoyed playing cat and mouse with him.

The team stood on Batman's other side. The sight of Aqualad's stern eyes, Superboy's crossed arms, and Miss Martian's encouraging smile loosened the tension in her shoulders. Wally and Robin helped to remove her restraints and unlock the collar from around her neck.

She rubbed her neck, massaging the chafed skin. It had been there for so long she had almost forgotten about it entirely. "Sure it's okay to uncuff me?"

Red Arrow looked like he was suppressing a major eye roll. "When you're unarmed in front of half the Justice League? I think we'll be fine."

"It's a sign of good faith," said Batman. His voice was gravelly and chilling, but had a softer, almost earnest quality. "We need you to trust us right now, Artemis."

"Why? What's the emergency?"

For a moment she glanced pointedly at Wally while asking. He looked confused and gave a minute shrug, as though unsure if she was really looking at him for an answer. It was then she realized that she unconsciously looked to him for the truth, for honesty. She whipped her gaze back to Batman.

"Some new information has come to light concerning your family," the Dark Knight replied.

"Is it that we're still related, because I really don't think I could handle the disappointment."

"Be nice." Wally hissed under his breath.

"For starters, there's now a bounty on your head. A notice was put up yesterday. The Shadows want you dead, Artemis." Green Arrow said grimly.

So once again I'm on my own, she thought. No going back now, even if I'd wanted. There's nothing left. "I see. Well, I wish I could say I'm surprised."

"Unfortunately, that's not all. Your sister - Cheshire - she's been kidnapped."

This was more of a surprise. Partly because her sister was never one to be taken lightly, certainly not without a fight, and partly because the news struck a chord of dread with her. Just when she thought her feelings had figured themselves out.

Robin started tapping away at something on his wrist. "The guys who took Cheshire left a note. We received it this morning." A picture of the note pinned to the wall with one of her sister's kunai popped up on the main holograph screen. "We tested the paper and were able to lift a set of prints." A few more keystrokes brought up Lawrence's mug shot.

Artemis rolled her eyes. Typical dad. Sending her a calling card so easy that it was insulting.

"But what's written on the letter is a different story. It's clearly meant for you."

The letter was simple. I have the cat, it read. You know where I am. You know what to do. Come at midnight tomorrow or I start tying up loose ends.

Vague, melodramatic, and all kinds of threatening. Yep. Sounded like Lawrence.

"How exactly did you get this letter?" she asked.

"It was left behind after Cheshire...well, she was in our captivity. But she ran away. We think she was taken shortly after that."

Artemis couldn't believe what she was hearing. "She 'ran away?' You managed to tie down my sister - the most stubborn and deadliest assassin you'll ever meet - and then you let her get away?"

"It was a lot more complicated than that, okay?" Red Arrow snapped.

Artemis considered the defensive archer before her. She noticed his bloodshot eyes, the slight hitch in his speech, and the unquestionable shame of a man whose pride has been severely wounded. Looks like Jade got that rematch she'd wanted.

She smirked. "Don't feel bad, Red. My sister tends to have that effect on men."

He glared unabashedly at her, "Y'know what, I'm starting to see the family resemblance."

"The letter, Artemis." Batman interrupted, silencing all further argument. "What does it mean?"

Artemis gritted her teeth. "It's an old contingency plan. If, by some horrible circumstance, we were separated or...betrayed by one of our own, we set up a meeting spot. The old gym where he first trained to become an Olympian, and where he trained us. Basically he's saying come to the gym, come alone, and face your demise."

Robin wrinkled his nose with distaste. "Nice guy."

"The nicest," she scoffed with no real humor. "So? What do you want from me?"

"We would like you to make a decision," Aqualad explained. "Cheshire is a criminal, it is true, but she is also a potential asset. If what we understand about your family history is true for both you and her, given the right incentive she could be the key to finding out the League of Shadow's plans."

Artemis frowned with suspicion. "How…honest."

"It's not a matter of being honest or not," Black Canary countered. She placed one hand on her hip and gestured confidently with the other. Artemis liked how directly the older woman spoke when the men were all busy beating around the bush. "We need your help, Artemis. If we're going to rescue your sister, we have to know whether you're in or out. It's that simple."

So what? she thought. Serves her right. After everything she's put me through, I can't think of a more fitting end.

But…no.

The thoughts curdled painfully in her stomach. What was she thinking? Of course she wanted to save Jade. The pure idiocy of it all was enough to make her laugh.

"Fine," she admitted. "I want to save her. She's my sister. I don't actually want her dead." It felt disgusting just to admit aloud. "I'll help. But I want her to pay," she added fiercely. "For everything."

"Cheshire will answer for her crimes," Batman said with deadly conviction. "One way or another."

Robin brought up a few files on the holographic screen. A few looked like blueprints and profiles. The picture of Jade's ransom note stayed up in the corner. "Now, we have a few plans, some of them are a bit risky, but with your help they just might…Artemis?"

Artemis stood transfixed by the computer screen, gazing up at the letter. It had just occurred to her. It wasn't just a ransom note, and it wasn't a threat. It was a plan.

The color drained from her face. "Mom…"

"Artemis?" Miss Martian asked, worry sketched all over her face. "What is it?"

"It's just…that line at the end about loose ends. My dad…Lawrence…he's said something this to me before. Once after a job that fell through."

Never assume it's over once the cops show. It's only over when you're dead or they are. There's always a loose end to clean up, baby girl. Better to snip it off before it comes back to strangle you.

"He's going after my mom. She's the only person…" The only person both she and Jade cared about. "You have to let me see her."

Black Canary bit her lip. "I don't know if that's…"

Green Arrow casually waved a hand. "Let the League take care of protecting your mother. We'll send a dispatch team immediately."

"Don't!" she exclaimed quickly. "If he's monitoring her apartment and sees a bunch of superheroes go in, it might kick his plan into motion. He wouldn't wait to finish off Cheshire."

She couldn't see his face, but she could've sworn Batman was glowering at her. "Then what do you suggest we do?" he asked.

"Let me go. I have to warn her."

"Why you?"

"Uh, no offense, but my mom has been involved in this game long enough to be distrusting of anyone in a costume. I'm the only person she'll trust. Plus…" It was embarrassing to admit in front of the team, but her options were slim. "I want to show her I'm safe."

Everyone's expressions softened slightly except Batman's, though no one would've expected any less from him.

Red Arrow's expression remained surly. He jabbed an accusing finger at her chest. "How do we know you're not going to tip off the Shadows the second you're out? The whole bounty thing could be a ploy to catch us off guard."

To the general shock of the room, Wally stepped forward. And he looked pissed. "Dude, would you quit ragging on her?"

Red Arrow's scowl deepened. "I don't trust her. And neither should you."

"Well, that's because you don't know her," Wally insisted. "We won't ignore Artemis's past, but I think I speak for the others when I say that we believe her. Her mom has probably been in the dark all this time, sick with worry. If it were my mom? Forget it." He gave an exaggerated shudder.

Red Arrow fell silent. They all looked to be considering Wally's surprising defense.

"Thanks for that," she breathed so only he could hear.

Wally put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. They could both hear the team took a collective breath when he touched her, no doubt thinking she'd lash out and flip him over her shoulder. But Artemis allowed it. She wasn't used to having an ally, and she didn't mind it being Wally. There was something very natural about the way he stood beside to her.

"We'll do anything we can to protect you and your mom," he assured her in a low undertone. She nodded quietly in reply. The waves of nausea settled. She actually felt at ease.

Damn.

Damn it all.

She liked him.

More than she should, more than she deserved to. Within the tangled web of feelings that clogged up her head, a few strands were reserved for him. There was too much confusion for her to separate and define them, but something was there. Lurking under the surface and emerging when she least expected it with about as much subtlety as the speedster himself. But the feelings were there, however small or unclear.

All she could say for certain? They were enough to make her feel bad for lying.

Lawrence was never one to let things stay foggy. The fact that he had set such a long time line was proof. He would let them relax, think they had plenty of time to plan and strategize, and then yank the rug right from under them. It was less graceful than an orchestrated plot, but Lawrence was a fan of striking with full force. And if he was going to strike, it was now. If he hadn't made his move already. There was no way she was letting those overblown heroes take care of things.

This was her family, her mess, and her fight.

Artemis turned back to Batman, letting him see the determination raging in her eyes. "I'll cooperate in any way that I can. You can put a wire on me or send the whole damn Justice League to babysit and I won't complain. Just let me see my mom. Please."

Batman took his time in answering. Finally, he exhaled audibly and said, "Very well. You go, warn her, tell her to trust the League when we send for her, and then you report right back here for mission briefing. Is that clear?"

Artemis stood straighter, feeling almost two feet taller. "Yes."

The others looked partly relieved, partly concerned. The unspoken question lingered in the air above them. Did this mean she was joining the team? Artemis couldn't lie to herself anymore; it was tempting. More than that, it felt right.

She had connected with these teens on a personal level, which was the goal and she was ashamed to say it worked perfectly. In a perfect world without pride, she would have accepted in a heartbeat. She would have hugged that oversized bat around the middle and squeezed him until his eyes popped out of his cowl.

It was a difficult call to make, but the warm pressure of Wally's hand on her shoulder made all her reservations about joining fade away. Suddenly she saw the life she could have laid out in front of her. Tackling bad guys at night, running alongside the team, and pretending to be Artemis Crock, mild-mannered high school student by day. It was so clear, so vivid, so accessible.

But she couldn't. Not yet.

She had to take care of her father. Jade too, if that's what it came to. They'd never let her join if they knew what she was planning. But that's why she had to see her mother. Paula was the one person in the whole world who could understand Artemis, and the thought of her in danger made cold sweat appear on the back of her neck. She would talk with her mom, and then make a decision. And if that decision was to take out two members of her family and throw out her only chance for a semi-normal life, so be it.

"All right then," Robin wiped the files off the board and turned towards the pair of them. He was wearing a most ominous smile. "I vote Kid Flash takes her. All in favor?"

Wally and Artemis sprang apart as if the electric collar had shocked them both.

"What?!" Artemis exclaimed.

"Um, do I look like a taxi service to you?" Wally demanded, his cheeks a tad flushed.

"We're on the clock, KF. And we can't let her use the zeta tubes."

"But why do I have to? Zeta-ing aside, are we forgetting a certain giant flying alien ship?"

Miss Martian shook her head sadly. "The bioship's still out of commission since our last mission. Remember, the bayou?"

Wally winced in recollection. "Oh, right."

"She'll need at least another day to recover."

"With your speed you can get in and out of the building before anyone notices," Robin pointed out. "No one would even be looking for you."

Much of this conversation was going over her head, but Artemis understood enough about his powers to know that he'd be running while carrying her. As if things couldn't get more embarrassing.

Wally opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, powerless against logic. He groaned and ruffled his hair. "Ugh, fine. Anyone got a blindfold?"

Artemis backed up immediately. "Oh no. There is no way I'm –"

The last sensations she could register were a strip of fabric enveloping her sight, Robin's fiendish cackle, and a pain of strong arms lifting her bodily off the ground. For a moment she was weightless and surrounded by secure warmth. And then the fabric of reality thinned into a violent blur.

The Cave was considerably quieter after Wally had whooshed out of there with their captive-slash-not really a captive.

Green Arrow was the first to speak, a roguish smile stretched across his face. "I'll just say it then. I like her. She's feisty."

"It appears you six bonded more than we had anticipated," J'onn said thoughtfully.

Robin grinned with triumph. "Guess that means the mission was a success, right?"

"Not yet," Batman grunted. His heavy voice dampened their cheer and brought a level of severity to the conversation. "You've done well so far, but until we are one hundred percent she can be trusted the mission remains incomplete."

"Maybe this is a good opportunity for them to speak freely on whether or not they think Artemis belongs on the team," Black Canary added. Batman shot her a questioning look. She shrugged in reply, "Nothing wrong with an open forum."

M'gann spoke up, brows knitted. "But shouldn't Wally be here for this?"

"Oh, I think his feelings on the subject are pretty clear." Robin smirked.

Roy was not amused, as usual. He rubbed one of his bloodshot eyes with a tightly clenched fist. "I still think someone else should've gone with them," he fumed.

"Kid Flash can take care of himself," Black Canary assured him. "As for Artemis, I'd like to hear your opinions."

The team exchanged a look. It wasn't one of confusion or awkwardness, but rather one of determination. They had already made up their minds.

Wind ripped the screams from Artemis's throat. The force of Kid Flash's speed kept her cemented against his chest, which was admittedly not a horrible position to be in. He was much taller than she had thought, despite seeing him nearly every day. Funny how a life of evaluating people past the point of an arrow stunted her perspective.

It was a surprisingly arduous journey. Wally kept stopping every few miles to ask her for directions and it took a second for her eyes to stop spinning and words to not taste like marbles.

When he pulled over for the fourth time, she made him stop for a breather in the middle of an empty park. Her hair was bushy with tangles that stung in protest when she ran her fingers back like she was carding stubborn blonde wool.

"Hey, this was your deal," he remarked as she sat slumped on a picnic bench.

"I don't remember adding the part where Kid Cannonball hurls me across the country. I feel like I've been strapped on a roller coaster for two straight weeks."

"I would seriously appreciate it if you called me Kid Flash."

"And I'd seriously appreciate it if this ride had seat cushions, but we can't all get what we want."

"Ungrateful little…I am so dropping you on the way back," Wally collapsed next to her on the bench. "Tell me when you're feeling better and we can leave."

Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose. She had to keep going. If she was going to keep zooming across the country with…

Suddenly she raised her head. This was the outside. This was her first taste of the world in so long. She sat back and took in a deep breath of autumn laced air. It was more beautiful than she remembered. The unfiltered sun was brighter, the breeze felt cooler, and the freshly cut grass smelled sharper. The leaves had shed their green skins and covered the ground in oranges and reds like crinkled flames. It was beautiful.

So why wasn't she happy?

Perspective, Artemis, she thought. You might be outside, but somewhere your crazy father is holding your slightly less crazy sister hostage and your mother is…

They had to leave. Right away. Her mother needed to be safe. But the very thought of standing made her head swam with nausea and she leaned back against the table.

Wally had been unexpectedly quiet during this time, but when he spoke next it nearly knocked her off the seat.

"Artemis…" he said. "Have you ever killed someone?"

She studied him for a moment. That was unexpected to say the least. Was he asking now because there were no cameras and microphones to hear them? "You know I have," she replied evenly.

"Yeah, but did you ever want to?"

"Why, are you trying to gauge how much of a monster I am?" When he didn't respond, she sighed. "When the Shadows say kill, you kill. Personal feelings are irrelevant."

He squinted slightly. "That many?"

"No!" she snapped. "Not really. I haven't been in the game that long. And it's like you said before. I was always the backup. Not that I hadn't been planning to work my way to the top some day, but…"

Somehow Wally had this knack for asking the last thing she wanted to hear. "Is that what you wanted?"

"What I want or wanted doesn't –"

"Of course it does!" he exclaimed, taking her by surprise. "What do you think would've happened if you had stayed?"

Artemis watched a couple of kids sprint by in the distance while their parents strolled leisurely behind, arm-in-arm. "I guess we'll never know." She turned to look at him. "Why are you asking?"

"Just wanted to see how you'd answer."

She snorted at his attempted nonchalance. "And did I pass the test?"

"Nope," he said, smiling slightly. "You completely and utterly failed."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "And that's a good thing?"

"It is for me," he stood and stretched his arms. "We're wasting time. Ready to go?"

Artemis's face was still scrunched up with confusion, but saving her mother vastly outweighed any of Wally's cryptic statements.

They travelled for what must have been ten seconds, though it felt like hours to Artemis, and for the first time in two years she found herself standing before her mother's rundown Gotham apartment.

If Wally was surprised he didn't do a good job of hiding it. He kept glancing around the street, inspecting the inside of the building, probably reevaluating his expectations. Before they entered her mother's apartment, he slipped out his Kid Flash mask and secured it around his face.

"You don't have to worry about that," Artemis said.

"Can't risk my secret identity. There might be surveillance inside. Besides, isn't your mom an ex-con? We can't take any chances."

"She's not going to hurt you. Trust me."

"If only it were that easy, right?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. Her hand hovered over the beaten wood door. How many times had she stood before this very building and never entered? Speeches she had created to try and explain her choices. That it wasn't because of Lawrence or any particular filial responsibility. That the last person she wanted to hurt was her mom. It all sounded like a child making excuses.

Completely unaware of Artemis's mental gymnastics, Wally had grown impatient. "Come on, we're losing daylight." He rapped on the door before she could protest.

Seconds later, it opened. Wally adjusted his eye level very obviously. The woman at the door was not who he had expected. Paula Crock wheeled away slightly from the door, one hand clutched to her chest.

"Artemis?" she asked, as though daring not to trust her eyes.

Artemis waved a hand lamely, then quickly hid it behind her back. "Hi, Mom."

There was a moment where the two women – and Wally – simply stared at each other as though if they broke eye contact the illusion would disappear.

Paula gave an encouraging smile. "Would you like to come in? I was just making some tea."

"Sounds…great," Artemis said without a trace of a forced smile. Good old Mom. When in doubt, drink tea. Same as always. This fact warmed her heart to a forgotten degree.

Paula Crock emanated a balanced mixture of grace and fragility. Completely different from her daughter's healthy energy and lean arms and legs, bursting with power. Her wrinkled hands rested delicately in her lap as she sat before them with an imperious air. Two dark almond-shaped orbs flashed dangerously in Wally's direction, scanning him up and down for warning signs.

"And this is…?" she prompted.

"My ride," Artemis said brusquely.

Wally jerked a thumb at himself, grinning. "Kid Flash at your service, ma'am."

Paula's steeled grip caught him firmly in her hands to the point where he thought not even the Flash could vibrate his molecules out of there. Her nails, painted in chipped pale nail polish, dug slightly into his freckled skin. "Pleasure to meet you. I've seen much of you on TV. You are a lot taller in person."

Wally gave the customary heroic smile, wincing slightly from the pressure of her handshake. "Thank you, Mrs. Crock. And can I just say before your daughter tells you any bad stories, we have been showing her nothing absolute courtesy these past few weeks, more like a guest than a prisoner, I mean, even though that's technically –" Paula's eyebrow rose slowly. "I'm going to stop talking now."

Artemis rolled her eyes and shoved him towards the kitchen. "Why don't you just grab the tea, Kid Full-of-it."

"Flash. Kid Flash."

Paula watched their exchange with a hopeful glimmer in her eye. "Does this mean Artemis is a member of your team?"

Artemis unconsciously exchanged an awkward glance with Wally, who was watching her quite intently. "Not exactly," she said.

Her mother's face fell. "I see."

"That's actually kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." She took the seat beside her mother on the couch. "For starters, did you know about my alleged kidnapping?"

Paula nodded. "Jade came by to tell me."

"She did?! When?"

"A few days ago. She apologized for not coming to visit in a while and that you were in the custody of the Justice League, but you were safe and I shouldn't worry." Her eyebrows knitted with concern. "It was strange, even for your sister. Why, what's going on?"

Artemis bit her lip, thinking. Jade hadn't returned to this apartment in years. Why now? And how did she know that Artemis was safe? Sure, it wasn't the Justice League's style to torture, but assuming Jade knew about the hit…was this a warning?

She buried her face in her hands. "God...I'm so sorry, Mom. The last thing I wanted was for you to get dragged into this."

The wrinkled lines of worry increased on her mother's face. "It's your father." This wasn't a question. Suddenly Artemis saw an older Paula. The wear and tear of being a villainess and the stress that marrying Lawrence had put on her.

"Looks that way. We've got to move you somewhere safe, Mom."

"Why, you think I can't take care of myself?" Suddenly Artemis was on the receiving end of the same eye daggers she thought she had patented.

"No, no, of course not! It's just a precaution," Artemis took her mother's hands in her own. "I don't want you hurt. Not now, not ever."

Paula's face clouded over with indiscernible emotion. Unspoken reconciliation floated thickly in the air between them. Somehow her mother had always known Artemis was stumbling around trying to find her own path. No matter how many mistakes she had made, her mother was there. Waiting.

"Hey, is this Artemis's room?"

Artemis immediately sprang to her feet, their mommy-daughter moment forgotten. How could she have forgotten about the lurking speedster? She tried to wrench Wally away from the door. "Off limits, this is off limits!"

"Hold on, I'm not done. Is that a poster? Do you have an embarrassing boy band fan past I should know about?" He pushed back against her, still craning his head around the frame, scratching against the wall for the light switch like Indiana Jones reaching for the golden temple idol.

They continued the struggle match, fumbling like children, until she managed to wiggle in between him and door, placing her hands and feet in all four corners of the doorframe. "Tea. Go. Now."

Wally slumped off to the kitchen, pretending to pout, but she could see the edges of a mischievous smile on his face.

"You two seem close," Paula whispered in low Vietnamese. Her eyes danced with laughter.

"Don't even start, Mom. He's an idiot," Artemis replied. The rusty gears in her head churned out the slow Vietnamese carefully. Part of her relished being able to speak with her mother like this, even if it was about Wally. "I see you've kept my room. It looks the same as when I left."

Wally came back with the kettle and carefully poured a cup for Paula, who accepted it with two grateful hands. She sipped at it serenely. "Some things change, but your home will always be the same. No matter where you go or what choices you make, this will always be your home. I thought you knew that."

Artemis nodded briefly and turned to stare at the empty expanses of her old room. Hot tears nudged against her closed eyelids, but she wiped them away. She refused to cry in front of Wally, who had been watching the conversation like a tennis match, brow furrowed in confusion.

A small pinprick of red light within the dusty room caught her attention. It was brief and no more threatening than the light from an alarm clock, but it didn't belong. Artemis took a cautious step inside the room. The light blinked again. This time twice in a row. A quiet dread settled over her, but she took a hesitant third step.

The light burst with activity. The little red blinks sped faster until they matched Artemis's heartbeat. Bomb, bomb, it's a bomb, a bomb. She whipped around, slammed the door closed, and sprinted for the living room.

"Artemis? What is it?" Paula asked with concern.

"Get down!" Artemis screeched. Wally leapt to his feet.

BEEPBEEPBEEP, BOOM!

Wood cracking, metal sizzling, glass shattering, hot cinders spraying through the air. It was all so familiar, and so horrifying.

Hours seemed to pass as she knelt there. Wally had moved just in time, as was his forte. They were huddled on the ground under the couch, which flipped over to create something like a tent above them. Paula had half-fallen from her chair, which had mercifully been spared. Her muscled arms were clamped around Artemis's middle while Wally shielded them both. Had they been in any other situation, she might have been distracted by Wally's arm pinning her firmly, or how after raising her head she found her face pressing into his collarbone. But even she had priorities.

In a tiny corner of her common sense, she wondered about the lack of fire alarms. Surely this would be the time for an orchestra of blaring screeches followed shortly by the fire department. But this was deliberate. The explosion had been small enough to cause destruction, but not enough to wipe out the whole building and all its inhabitants. It had been planned and executed with violent grace. It reeked of Shadows. Just as she had anticipated.

The floor stopped shaking and all that could be heard was the popping of fires and creaking of burned wood and metal slumping under fiery pressure. Ignoring Wally and Paula's protests, Artemis crawled out from under the couch. Sitting by and waiting to be swallowed wasn't her style. When she emerged, she found herself surrounded.

It was the flames. The same ones that had haunted her ever since the museum so long ago. Red and orange and white hot anger. They had come back for her. To wrap her in their scorching embrace, and let her exhausting days come to an end.

"Artemis!" Wally had seized both her shoulders and was shaking her rapidly. His electric green eyes bore into her with a serious gaze she had never seen on him before.

But she could hardly hear him or Paula over the rapid thudding of her heart and the blood coursing in her ears. Red and orange, fire, burning, everywhere. It was all too much.

Artemis sank to her knees. Tears crept into her eyes, whether from emotion or the smoke she didn't know. No. No more, she thought. Make it stop. I'm so tired.

Wally was standing now. He was yelling angrily into a communicator, but only getting static. "Frequency's been jammed," he grumbled. "And Miss Martian's out of range so telepathy's a no go." He swatted away a falling piece of ceiling tile from collapsing on their heads and pulled his Kid Flash hood over his head, snapping the goggles into place. "We're on our own."

A/N: Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to write, Abort feelings, abort, abort! after that sentence where Wally and Artemis jump apart? DO YOU.

Now that this chapter is done I'll take a tiny tiny break from working TOS to finish a one-shot (hopefully in time for Christmas?). Assuming the end of the world or the return of DC Nation doesn't kill me first, the next chapter will probably be out in late January.