A/N: Welcome back for the first post-Christmas chapter. Did you all have a good Christmas?

Thanks to Dextra2 and leathman for reviewing! You are my two utterly faithful readers and reviewers, and I'm glad I have you even when I don't hear from anyone else.

Today we check in with another pair of characters from Origins, as well as someonw whom fans of a certain DC cartoon will reocgnize instantly.

Family Matters

Oliver and Dinah Queen had spent a relatively quiet Christmas morning in town, eating breakfast at one of the few restaurants open today and then strolling around Star City Square to look for their presents to each other. Dinah had found Ollie's present – a pocket-sized case with pens, laser pointers, notepaper, and several other things he needed when conducting mayoral business – but much to Ollie's chagrin, Dinah was proving to be a picky recipient. So far, she had declined a crystal necklace, a new dress, a book on martial arts from around the world, and a romance novel.

"Good grief, woman – don't you know what you want?" he exclaimed after three hours with no success.

Dinah chuckled. "Come on, Ollie, you know what I want." She glanced up at him seductively.

Ollie grinned, catching her drift. "Is that your Christmas present?"

"No!" She whacked him on the arm. "That's for after – you're not getting out of buying me a gift."

Ollie sighed. "It was worth a shot."

She smirked at him. "I bet you'd just love if that's all you had to get me for Christmas."

"You know it, babe."

Just then a blonde-haired girl bumped into them, nearly causing Ollie to trip.

"Whoa – watch it, there!" he warned.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled, barely pausing as she continued barreling past them.

Ollie frowned and clucked disapprovingly. "Youngsters these days."

Dinah, however, was studying the girl's fleeting figure. "Ollie, check your pockets."

"What? Why?" He patted his pants, and his eyes widened. "My wallet's gone!"

"That's what I thought." Without another word, Dinah was chasing after the blonde girl. Ollie remained still for two more seconds before following indignantly.

"Why, that little –"

The girl thief proved surprisingly hard to catch. Both Ollie and Dinah were fit and used to running around after villains, but this girl had the body and skill of a runner and the ability to slip expertly under, over, around, or through obstacles; clearly, she'd been doing this awhile.

"Ollie," said Dinah, panting only slightly, "keep chasing her. I'm going to get my bike." She fell behind and turned a corner while the girl and Ollie continued straight on.

This is not how I imagined spending my Christmas, Ollie grumbled to himself. He was huffing a bit more than Dinah had been, because he wasn't as active as she was in hero work anymore – and there were not many opportunities for physical exercise as a mayor – and thus, though still athletic, he was not quite as fit as his wife.

His cell phone rang, and without pausing, Ollie fished it out of his breast pocket. "Dinah?"

"Where are you?"

"She's approaching the corner of Orion and Rigel." True to form, most, if not all, roads in Star City were named after constellations, stars, planets, and other celestial bodies.

"I'll be there in three."

Ollie panted as he watched the girl sprint faster. "Make that two. This girl is fast." He hung up and focused on pumping his legs up and down at a quicker pace, ignoring the curious looks he was getting from the few citizens he passed. Two or three attempted to stop the fleeting pickpocket, but she nimbly dodged around all of them. Ollie had to admire her movements – and her stamina.

As the girl approached the corner, Dinah's bike roared up the adjacent street, forcing the girl to stop. She tried to backtrack and slip around Ollie, but he easily blocked her path.

"I…don't…think so," he told her, having to breathe between words.

Now that they were close, they could see that the girl had some Asian blood – Vietnamese, judging by her features. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a low ponytail, framing her heart-shaped pixie face. She had eyes shaped like almonds that slanted slightly towards her nose and a pointed chin that she raised in defiance.

"Fine," she said grudgingly, flicking Ollie's black leather wallet at him. "Take it back." She again tried to dart around him while he was momentarily distracted, but Dinah intervened quickly.

"Hold it," she said, grabbing the girl's arm. "Not so fast. Who are you?"

"Nobody," she replied quickly.

"I don't believe that. Come on, what's your name?"

"Why? So you can report me to the police?" She scoffed. "Not likely."

"We won't report you unless you give us cause to," Ollie put in, having recovered his breath sufficiently to speak normally. He fingered his wallet. "Why'd you do it?"

"Why do you think?" the girl shot back at him.

"Don't you have a home?" Dinah inquired. "Where are your parents?"

"Six feet under. I don't live anywhere. Can I go now?"

"No," said Ollie. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," she said at once. "I'm an emancipated minor."

"Really?" Ollie eyed her up and down skeptically. "You don't look more than thirteen to me."

"I'm not going to the orphanage!"

"No one said anything about that," Dinah soothed. "Come on – we want to help, really. At least tell us your name."

The girl sighed, some of her tough exterior chipping at the obvious concern in Dinah's voice. In a more timid voice, she answered, "It's Artemis."

"That's a lovely name," Dinah said warmly.

"So what are you going to do?" Artemis inquired.

"Well, Artemis, a young girl like you shouldn't be out on the streets alone," Dinah began. "Especially not –"

Artemis interrupted her. "I already told you I'm not going to the orphanage!"

"I wasn't suggesting it," Dinah said calmly. She exchanged a glance with Ollie. "What do you say to coming over to our house for Christmas?"

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "I'd say that sounds too good to be true."

Dinah smiled. "Well, it must be your lucky day. Come on." She took Artemis by the arm and gently steered her over to her motorcycle.

At the Mayor's house, Dinah took Artemis to the kitchen and gave her some food, which the young girl gladly ate. As she watched Artemis gradually relax, a fond smile crept onto Dinah's face.

"She's a brave girl," Ollie noted. "Living on the streets for God knows how long…"

"She can't keep living like that," said Dinah. "What will she grow up to be?"

"I know," Ollie agreed. "But she won't go to the orphanage, and if we try to make her, she'll just run away."

"Mm." Dinah's expression turned thoughtful. "There is something else we can do."

"What?" Ollie looked at his wife, and realization dawned. "Dinah, I don't think that's such a good idea…"

"Oh, come on, Ollie. It's about time we started a family, anyway. I know you miss having Roy around. And we could do so much for her." She glanced back at their guest in the kitchen, who was actually smiling a small smile of contentment.

"She's sure something, isn't she?" said Ollie. "She's got that spark – a little spitfire." He frowned. "But I'm still not sure –"

"Ollie, you still owe me a Christmas present."

Ollie stared at her. "That is what you're comparing it to? Seriously?"

She smirked at him. "Please, Ollie?"

His face was wry. "You know this is a big step, right?"

Dinah nodded.

"And there's no guarantee she'll actually want to do it."

"She'll want it."

Ollie raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"Look at her." Dinah gestured towards Artemis. "She acts tough, but inside, she's just craving a home and people to love her. Believe me, I know. She actually reminds me a little bit of me."

Ollie tried to protest half-heartedly, "There's paperwork and permits and courts to go through…"

"You're the Mayor."

Ollie sighed. "I'm not going to win this, am I?" he asked wryly.

Dinah pointed out, "You don't really want to."

Ollie smiled. "All right," he said finally. "We'll adopt her." He circled his arm around Dinah's shoulders. "Merry Christmas. I hope you like your present."

"More than anything, Ollie." Dinah leaned against him and watched Artemis looking around the well-designed kitchen in wonder. "More than anything."

A/N: Hello, Artemis :) Yet another Young Justice character added to the mix. Obviously, she and Wally aren't going to be a couple in this one - I have someone else in mind for the Scarlet Speedster. Yes, that's another hint to Legacy.

TOMORROW: Another recognizable character makes her Diamond Earth debut in As an Angel.