Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. The majority of the Team's children

A/N: Stealthy Mentalist! Finally, but how will it affect the team?

Chapter 24 – Willow West

I fidgeted as I waited for Zatanna to return from the watchtower. I pulled at my clothes, zipping up my jacket and then deciding it looked better down. And open.

"Twenty five. Zatanna."

I froze when she walked towards me. With a warm smile on her face, she greeted me politely. The look on her face showed that she sensed I was about to ask her something that I perhaps shouldn't be.

"Is everything okay, Willow?" she asked calmly, sharply tugging at the white gloves on her hands. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

"Yes..." I whispered, making sure no one was around to overhear what I was about to say. "After what happened with Doctor Nightmare-"

"Yes. Zac told me that you required a little more force in coming out of your nightmare." Zatanna put an arm around me and guided me to one of the empty briefing rooms. "Which is why I actually wanted to check in on you. Properly and outside of the missions."

My shoulders went tense. "I don't want to talk about my nightmare, because it's hard, but I think I have the strength to speak up for myself." I tilted my head from side to side, uncertain of how to phrase my words. "As co-leader of the Justice Squad, I should be able to talk about my problems. Which is why I want to know more about my parents, before the incident of course..."

Zatanna levitated up into the air, crossing her legs. "I thought this talk would come eventually. Especially when we lost your mother to the ice… Etativel eht lrig."

Lifting off the ground without any trouble felt strange. "Well this is new."

"Helps me think – Zac can't stop doing it at home so I guess it's catching." Zatanna placed her hands on her knees, focusing on me.

The intense look made me open up a little, hoping it make Zatanna break eye contact. "My nightmare was centred around my parents, so I wanted to know what sent my mother on a downwards spiral away from the Justice League and everything?"

"Artemis never really recovered when we lost your dad. None of us did, and whilst she was happy to have you, she just distanced herself beyond compare. One by one, we fell out of touch with her, but not before I did one thing." Zatanna took a deep breath, trying to force herself to say what had happened. "I did what I thought I had to. I gave Artemis the closure with Wally to move on."

"Can you do the same for me?" I asked quickly. "Because I've never seen his face apart from in pictures. I need to ask my own questions."

She dropped her gaze, trying to hide the guilt on her face. "Oh. Willow, I guess I need to come clean. The closure I gave her was nothing more than an illusion. Selfishly, I didn't want to lose her if she didn't want to continue. We didn't want you to be alone either."

It hit me hard. "So I can't talk to him?"

"I'm sorry Willow. If I had the power to do that, I would."

I fight against her levitating hold, grabbing a chair and swinging down to the floor. Zatanna tried to call out to me, but I couldn't continue the conversation without crying. I stormed out the room and down the corridor.

"Willow?" Finn called out, noticing me stride past. "Hey, I was looking for you. Me and the squad were going to chill out at Gotham Park if you fancied it? Me, Mari, Max and Zac. The stealthy mentalist may show up too, but I'm not sure."

He smiled brightly, like a ray of sunshine. I noticed that he was now wearing long sleeved tops with thumb holes to stop them from sliding up and exposing his Atlantean tattoos.

"Sure... Let's go," I replied timidly, realising that if Zatanna was going to converse with the dead, then perhaps Zac would.

-o-

At the park, I hugged my knees to my chest, watching Max, Mari and Finn throwing a fluorescent frisbee amongst each other. It felt so normal. Nothing was going wrong. No villains were around, so it was the perfect opportunity to talk to Zac.

"Have you ever conversed with the dead, Zac?"

He looked at me with pale eyes. "I might have... with my dad once. Why? Who do you want to- oh. You want me to talk with your dad, don't you? The original Kid Flash."

"Got it in one," I sighed, avoiding looking at him. "Everything surrounding my mum and dad. I just need to talk to him. To see if there is any way to bring her bad to me."

"So you've spoken to Artemis already?"

"Once or twice, but it's like something has a hold on her – as if she doesn't really understand what's going on. When I saw her last, I caught a glimmer of the old her… which made me think. I'm trying to figure out if there's someone who could have put her in some kind of warped reality. Like a trance. There's just a few things she's said to me in the past that I can't stop thinking about."

"Then ring her. I'll tell you if she's being manipulated. You can thank me later. Tell her to meet us at the diner tonight. I'll be there. Don't tell anyone either."

I nodded, firing off a text to Mum that I wanted to meet again. It wasn't long before she responded cheerfully, saying that she would love to meet.

"It's done..." I whispered calmly, smiling forcibly when the Graysons and Finn joined us. "So Max – what's it like living at Wayne Manor?"

Max twitched nervously. "It's okay, but it's not the same when he has the cane. It really makes me realise that the second Parasite really did a number on the original Justice League. Paralysing the Flash. Crippling Batman. Putting Superman in a comatose. De-winging Angel's parents-"

Finn fired an angry comment Max's way, retracting slightly when he did before saying an apology.

We moved on quickly and then spoke about the villains we had encountered so far. Metallica, Uppercut Double M, Konstantin, Maverick, Doctor Nightmare, the Salvation and Jester. Ryan. None of us had heard from him or seen him since he left the squad. As far as I was aware, not even Lola had heard from him. Which was definitely for the best – given that she had moved on and seemed much happier with Kyle.

A series of beeps echoed in the air, startling me. Finn grabbed his little communicator from his bag, checking the screen. His dark eyes widened suddenly.

"We got a mission... We're needed back at HQ, turns out there's a new group showing its face. The Legion."

"The Legion?" I asked curiously, feeling nervous about my imminent meet-up with Mum.

"Yeah – they've threatened to destroy the Justice Team... They've taken what the Reach have done and magnified it five times over. They're really going to try and blow up the Earth."

"I have an assignment from Nightwing..." I blurted out confidently. "I will catch up with you as soon as it's over."

"Right – come on everyone. Back to base." Finn grabbed his bag off the ground with a terrified expression on his face.

I watched them leave and felt my heart racing that I wasn't going with them right away, but if I only have the chance to do one thing in this life, I want it to be on my own terms. I want to get my mum back. Tigress doesn't belong on the villainous side. Her home is with the Justice League

-o-

Bibbo's Diner. I hadn't been here in so long.

"Willow?"

"Mum... And Cameron."

She had brought Icicle jr. with her. He was dressed in a thick black trench coat to conceal his icy blue form. It appeared ridiculous, but I understand why. His thickest arm was around Mum as they sat down opposite me.

"You wanted to talk, Willow?" Mum asked, reaching her hand across the table, gently grazing my own. "Because. If you want to come home, I'd like that."

"But it's not my home, and it's not yours either."

Cameron Mahkent wasn't keen on my approach. "I told you this was pointless, Artemis. It's bad enough that Harper keeps trying to 'check in' on you, but this kid too."

Harper? Who's Harper?

Mum didn't acknowledge the comment. "Willow?"

"I need you to leave Icicle- Cameron. He's not good for you. You aren't bad."

"I have to think about Isabelle. I can't just leave her. You know that, Willow," she sighed, murmuring for Cameron to give them some space. She only continued once he moved away and sat in a different booth. "You have so much of your father in you."

My mouth dropped in defeat and I withdrew, believing that she was wrong. "But I'm not witty like he is. I'm not boisterous, or as extravagantly enthusiastic. I'm not even a speedster..."

Someone dropped down into the seat beside me, holding his finger to his lips, hoping to not be noticed by Cameron who had his back to us.

I began to whisper to Mum, begging her not to react and to let Zac talk to her, explaining that some things didn't add up.

My phone buzzed – with more messages begging me to abandon the side mission and join the squad because it wasn't looking good for them. Which only made me nervous.

Zac smiled politely at Mum. "I've waited a long time to meet you, Artemis. Can you tell me when you and Cammy boy started living together?"

She couldn't answer.

But neither could I. I tried to think of an answer.

It just sort of 'happened'. I couldn't remember Isabelle being born either – she just sort of appeared?

"Wohs em eht lleps..." Zac whispered, noticing the ring on Mum's finger begin to glow. "Your wedding ring- have you ever taken it off?"

Mum didn't seem aware of Zac's incantation and held up her hand. "Of course not. Why would you ask that?"

My hand moved to take the ring, but Zac gently slapped his hand onto mine, shaking his head. The table was cold and getting colder. Cameron was growing suspicious. Little ice fractures were sprouting over the chair towards Mum.

Zac spotted this too. "Ekat eht gnir ffo won!" he bellowed, standing up as Cameron did too. "Willow – get Artemis out of here."

Artemis had the ring in her hand and it was like she had had a system reset. She turned to look at Cameron, diving over the counter when she saw a jet of ice flying towards her. She rolled over, dropping out of sight.

"Mum!" I shouted, shielding my face when the ice hit the table.

People screamed and sprinted for the door, yanking it open. The glossy floor became slippery underfoot and I slid out from the booth.

"This is not how it ends!" Icicle Junior shouted, throwing off his cloak. "I will not fail the Legion!"

"The Legion!" Mum screamed, throwing a glass his way, watching it shatter on the wall behind him. "You are working with the Legion to put me out of work! You made me think that I had a daughter with you when she's not even mine to begin with!"

The glasses and utensils continued to fly through the air towards him. He tried to fight them off with ice blasts.

"Teg tuo Wolliw!" Zac screeched, throwing a stool towards Cameron, celebrating when it connected with his head. "Go!"

I ran towards the door, held open by Mum and together, we ran. "This way Mum! Back to base so I can get suited up!"

She nodded, following me and Zac to the base where she hesitantly entered. Even though she had never been inside the new base, I was sure that it would mean all those old memories would come back to her.

"I'll be right back Mum."

The moment I was kitted out in my Diana outfit, I secured my thick flame red hair into a partially bound ponytail – like photos I had seen of my mum as Artemis.

With my collapsed bow in hand, I came back to the entrance of the empty base to find not my mum, but Tigress and Zachara waiting for me.

"Ti- Tigress? Are you sure you want to fight alongside us again?" I asked, still in awe at the fact that I got my mum back thanks to Zac.

Zachara held out a comms device for my ear, saying, "Aqualad – I've got Diana and Ti- yes... right... We'll meet there." He looked between me and my mum. "We've got to get to the Stadium – turns out the Legion are trying to start up a little thing there."

A loud scream petrified me and I looked down the corridor to see Carrie leaning against the wall. Stem Cell was in trouble. She winced, noticing me at the last moment.

"Zachara- go and assist the squad. Tigress, go with him." I didn't listen to them because I was so worried about Carrie. "Carrie, I'm not going to ask you if you're okay because you're clearly not."

Carrie put her arm around me. "We need- to get to the infirmary. Trouble. Baby. Too early."

She felt clammy to the touch but I couldn't say anything. The baby she and Beast Boy were about to have was coming.

"What do I do?" I asked, feeling myself beginning to freak out.

Tigress appeared on the other side of Carrie, helping me lead her towards the infirmary. "How many weeks gone are you?"

"Too many if you ask me. More than thirty, less than forty?" Carrie wheezed, clutching me and Tigress, realising the other woman. "Oh god – what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help. I'm not here to take over the base, trust me."

Carrie focused on Tigress' face. "Well I guess I can forgive you. After all, you broke me out of Metallica's lair all those years ago. It was you that saved me. And you dragged BB from the base when it got gassed." She stopped and cried out in pain. "Why today? Of all days for the baby to come, it had to be when the stupid Legion took everyone into the field. I need Garfield!"

I opened the infirmary door. "I know you do, Carrie, but Beast Boy is taking care of the Legion with everyone right now."

Tigress pulled me out the infirmary, whispering to me. "There's a small group of soldiers trying to break into the place. It showed up on one of the monitors. She cannot know because it'll cause unnecessary stress. Keep them away from the infirmary. I will help Carrie." She brushed my cheek with her hand. "I'm so sorry for everything, Willow."

"Diana, Tigress. You can call me Diana."

She smiled. "Diana and Artemis. I like it."

I clicked the catch on my bow, smiling as it opened out into its extended form. Amused by Tigress' impressed state, I started to walk away from the infirmary as Tigress switched off the lights and shut the blinds.

Clicking the communicator in my ear, I started a message to whoever could hear. "Diana checking in. I'm hoping Zachara has made it to you by now, but we have a bit of a situation at base. Stem Cell- Carrie is having trouble with the baby and there are Legion soldiers breaking into the base. If anyone is capable of helping, then that would be great."

Without warning, something struck me in the chest, just below my collarbone. Woozy, I fell into the wall and flopped to the floor.

When I came to, everything seemed to be moving slowly. Time had definitely passed – that much I was sure of. Nightwing approached me and started talking at an indescribably slow pace.

"Carrie!" I exclaimed, leaping to my feet and running towards the infirmary. I passed a slow moving Beast Boy and threw the door open, feeling the breeze blowing in behind me when I came to a stop. "Tigress. Is she alright?"

Standing still, everything started to catch up and I feel immediately lightheaded, falling into the end of the bed.

"Diana? Where did you just come from?" Tigress asked, cradling a little blanketed bundle in her arms. "Beast Boy- you've grown..."

"Tigress..." Beast Boy growled from the doorway, about to shift and attack.

I knew I had to do something and fast. "It's fine, Beast Boy. Let me explain. Please."

Nightwing appears into view, eyes widening in shock at Tigress' presence. "There better be an explanation."

Tigress groaned quietly, tossing the ring through the air. "Icicle Junior used a ring imbued with dark magic and created a twisted version of events to make me believe it was real. I never knew until I took the ring off. Diana and Zachara made me realise the truth." She passed the baby to Carrie, sensing the baby was making the others hostile towards her. "I guess that ring is the ultimate souvenir, right?"

Nightwing wriggled his way past Beast Boy and loomed over Tigress, watching her closely. Together, they lurched at each other, embracing it other tightly like old friends.

"BB?" Carrie whispered weakly from the bed, trying to sit up. "Would you like to meet your son? He's green..."

Nightwing pushed Beast Boy towards the bed and smiled at the new father taking the precious little bundle in his arms. It made him remember the first times he held Mari and Max.

"So... Does the little guy have a name? Did you have one picked out?"

Carrie and Beast Boy looked between one another. Carrie nodded. Beast Boy smiled as they looked back at me, Tigress and Nightwing.

Beast Boy glanced at the baby. "I guess it would only be fair to introduce you properly. Please meet Marco. Marco Wally Logan..."

Tigress sniffed, smiling at the little family. "It's beautiful."

I put a hand up. "What happened with the Legion?"

"It's under control. Not necessarily over, but managed for now," Nightwing replied. "But I should really ask when you turned into a speedster?"

"Oh..." Now it all made sense. "Well that would explain the slow motion running and fast-paced talking. When I think about it, I don't really know." I replayed recent events in my head. "I was going to find the soldiers in the base and then." I put a hand on my collar bone, remembering something hit me. "Something hit me here and I passed out."

"I think we should get some blood tests done. Things like that don't just happen overnight..." Nightwing went to the door. "Congratulations again Carrie. He's going to be a heartbreaker."

Carrie tilted her head on its side. "As long as he's not a dog, right Nightwing?"

-o-

Miss Martian looked at the blood test results. "Tigress. Nightwing. Look at this here." She had been informed of Tigress' new realisation and watching them reunite reminded me of Lola and I. "There's something here. A chemical I've never seen before. It's manipulated Willow's DNA. She's- she's a speedster..."

What? That's not possible? Is it?

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = What a strange turn of events! I feel like I'm coming to the end of this story. I didn't really like how I started Artemis' arc, so I had to work out a way to bring her back to the team! :D