Hello, hello readers! Another chapter is up and running, ready to be viewed by you guys. (It's a strange, kinda dumb chapter, but I it wraps everything up.) I got a major idea in this chapter from a guy friend, who is one of the happiest people I've ever met. Thanks for the idea, bud!

This chapter is another light&fluffy one, but after this, things could turn dramatic! Enjoy!

That's How You Survive: Chapter 10

As dusk approached and took over the day's grip on the skies, the eight teens gradually joined together once again. They feasted on dinner at a restaurant just outside the festival, talking, laughing, and arguing over the table. During dessert, which was the magnificent chocolate cake Wally had won, the team grew quieter, content in their own ways.

Artemis had finally let go of her feelings after the cakewalk had ended. She'd had enough with the stress that came with the horrifying dream, and let it slip away gratefully. Being with her friends, who were essentially her family, relaxed her more than anything else had in the past few months. The archer sighed in happiness, smiling. Wally, who was sitting across the table, lowered his fork away from his heaping slice of cake and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Y'know Arty, it's a little weird to be seeing you smiling."

She just smiled bigger and shook her head slowly, her hands resting on the table beside her empty platter of cake. Wally's emerald eyes softened, and his mischievous grin melted into one of kindness. He placed his hand on top of hers, meeting her surprised eyes.

"But I really am glad you are," he said softly. Artemis managed a tiny smile. The team continued to eat their sweet treat, enjoying the company of one another.

"Okay guys!" M'gann said, clapping her hands together in delight. Wally and Artemis looked at each other, slowly retreating their palms.

"It's time for the ultimate surprise!"


The ultimate surprise M'gann ended up being so excited over was merely…

A bonfire? Oh Megan and her earthly obsessions.

Artemis shook her head and smiled, allowing herself to be dragged to the bonfire by Zatanna and M'gann. As everyone took their seats beside the fire, the blazing flames illuminated their faces. Once each member was situated on the thick logs surrounding the center, M'gann began to speak.

"Since this is not only a break for the team, but also technically a 'team assignment,' it's probably best to get started on the actual deed…which, is, of course, bonding with each other. At least….that's what we told Batman," she finished with a giggle. Zatanna and Wally laughed, and Robin managed a smirk. Superboy crossed his arms and frowned.

"It's not that I don't like you all, but isn't team bonding a little too…revealing-of-our-privacy type deal?"

"Do not worry, Superboy." Aqualad said. "You do not have to reveal anything of yourself in which you rather would keep private."

"Yeah," said Wally, "But then we'd all know you're chicken." The team laughed.

"Alrighty then. Who wants to go first?" M'gann asked.

"I vote Robin!" Artemis' hand shot up. "I mean, come on, he's Batman's protégé. We know nothing about him."

"Well, well, Artemis. Couldn't we say the same thing about you?" Robin shot back, a smirk on his face.

"Maybe kiddo, but your life is much more interesting than mine. Yes, please do tell us."

"Alright, alright. I'll do it," Robin said, pushing his palms in their direction. "But you asked for it. I'll tell you a story about when I was little."

Robin took a deep breath, and began. "When Wally and I were kids, we used to have a lot of playdates together."

The team leaned in, interested in hearing about the Boy Wonder and the Flash's protégé as children.

"Almost every weekend, I would go over to Wally's house, and in the neighborhood, we would ride bikes together on the street. Flying past the wind at super fast speeds was the way to go, since Wally and I didn't have any hero skills at the time.

"After a few months or so, new kids moved in across the road. There were two older boys in middle school, and at the time, Wally and I were still 2nd and 3rd graders. One day we managed to scrape up enough courage to knock on the boys' door, asking them to play with us. They came out, and we all rode bikes around the cul-de-sac, racing and laughing and bumping into each other."

"At one moment, I wasn't paying much attention to the road in front of me. Next thing I know, my front wheel hit the curb and I go flying, only to crash into a thorny, pointy bush in the front of the neighbor's lawn. The weird thing was, I wasn't even upset. Sure I had cuts covering my arms and legs, but not a single tear was shed from my eyes.

"But Wally, on the other hand, was being the biggest crybaby I'd ever seen. He wasn't even the one who got hurt! I'm sitting there on the driveway, covering my cuts with band aids, and Wally's screaming his head off at the 6th graders, who are just standing there and laughing at him."

The team was in full blown laughter at Robin's account of the day.

Wally turned bright red. "Dude!" Robin laughed, ignoring the comment.

"To this day, the guys across the street still bug Wally about that 'incident.'" Robin finished with a smirk.

Artemis, Red Arrow, and Zatanna howled with laughter at the speedster, while Miss Martian, Superboy, and Aquald managed large grins. Wally sat there with his arms crossed, pretend-anger written on his face.


As the flames grew dimmer and dimmer until they disappeared all together, each team member shared a part of his or her life. Whether it was long, short, important, random, or serious, each telling emerged a different reaction from the rest of the team. By the end of the night, the group was closer, something that M'gann had been hoping for from the start.

Artemis smiled, the thought leaving her mind. She closed her bedside drawer shut, and sat down on her mattress, gently untangling her hair with her fingers. As she brushed the long, golden locks, the events of the day replayed in her mind. Sitting with Zatanna, joining the cakewalk with Wally, and bonding with the team. It may not have seemed like her ideal cup of tea, but in the end it worked out.

The archer put her brush down, switched off her light, and delved under the covers of her warm comforter. She sighed as her head hit the pillow.

For the first time in a long time, Artemis feel asleep truly happy. It was a nice end to such a nice day.