AN: Wow, you guys get a longer chapter than usual. I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up. It was just slow and lazy writing on my part, but I have been busy. Marching band season is over, as is volleyball, so that's two less activities to tie up my time. However, in a few weeks swimming starts and that's just tiring. ^_^;; I'll keep working on this, honest, though.
Shouts!
Lunar: Enjoy this chappie hon. I think you need it. ^_^
Gryffin-child: I don't write random scary things! At least, not most of the time. ^_^;; Love you hon!
Brownie/Melody: Glad I could bring some light to others. I 3 reviews! And I 3 old school Nickelodeon! Those shows absolutely rocked, and everything they've got on now just sucks.
Maddie: Well, child, if that's all you say, then this is all you get. ^_~
Christine: Love you and miss you hon! Glad you liked how I wrote Nike. ^_^ Reviews make me smile, and here's your update!
Cassie: That is seriously almost the weirdest review I have ever received. Love you still child. Hope you like this chapter better!
The day was beautiful, and Artemis felt she couldn't be any happier. She smiled shyly at Snitch when she entered the Haven with him that morning. Last night, they'd stayed out until curfew just sitting on Sewer Hill, and her dreams were just wonderful that night. She was, in short, in a very, very good mood.
As she walked out of the Haven she saw Pixie rounding up her campers for Flag. "Morning Pixie!" Artemis half-yelled cheerfully across the unit. Pixie looked at her and smiled.
"Good morning Artemis!" she yelled in return. The two girls grinned at each other in a manner widely considered maniacal by the campers. Findlay and Katie shot each other looks of slight fear and understanding. They'd both been campers long enough to know that part of the prerequisite to working at Redwing was being partially insane. Those who didn't fit that soon dropped out of the program, as it were.
Artemis shivered in the cool morning air as she walked briskly to the pool. Several members of Barn staff lay in various states of consciousness on the concrete walkway around the shower house/changing room. Storm leaned against the wall facing the morning sun with her eyes closed, Boots on one side and her book bag on the other. Artemis giggled when she saw that Boots was trying his hardest not to fall asleep again by blinking madly. Smiling, she left them alone and turned the corner towards the bathrooms.
Luna lay there, her head in Jack's lap as he leaned against the wall. Though his eyes were closed, his hand softly stroked her hair. Luna was smiling slightly in her sleep and Artemis couldn't help but smile as well. They looked so cute together! Arty resolved to corner her best friend about that later.
A familiar presence wrapped his arms around her waist and Artemis leaned back against Snitch's chest. "Moinin'," he said softly into her ear.
"Morning," she whispered back. He hugged her tightly for a moment. Quietly, slowly, she pulled out of his arms a bit and led him around to the bathroom alcove. There, the only people who could really see them were the residents of Sunnybanks. Artemis turned to face him and buried her face in the crook of Snitch's shoulder. He was warm and comfortable, and she was highly disinclined to move from her spot.
Five minutes later she half-leaned on Snitch as they walked into Flag. "You know," she said groggily as the line moved slowly forwards, "I was actually awake this morning until you showed up."
"So you'se sayin I'se makes ya tired?" Artemis squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, trying to blink herself awake.
"Yeah." After a moment of Snitch grinning at her, she realized just what she'd implied in that statement. "No! Not like that!" She would have said more, but they passed through the Gate of Silence just then. The look she gave him, however, promised revenge.
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Artemis worriedly watched Gryffin walk off with Eeyore and Luthien. The older girl was acting very strange this morning, but Artemis knew better than to follow her if she felt like being by herself. She stood in thought and was only brought out of it by Snitch poking her shoulder. He was aware of her ticklishness but knew that now was not the time to take advantage of it.
"Whassa mattah?" Artemis shook her head. Gryffin had, of course, told her the problem, but she didn't think Snitch was ready to hear about Gryff's stubbornness and Blink's ignorance.
"Nothin, just worryin' about Gryff-child. She's kinda upset this morning." Snitch nodded and threw his arm around her shoulders.
"So, we'se got a group at nine. Whaddya wanna do 'til then?" Artemis smiled evilly.
"Well, I know what I wanna do, but I don't think it's exactly allowed on camp property," she said with a wink as they began walking towards the Pool. "Besides, it's almost time to report anyway." Jem was opening up the gate as they arrived. Artemis went to the Guards' Room and check the roatation schedule. Jem and Harmony, for whatever the reason, had decided to put Snitch and Artemis together for chores that morning, cleaning the changing room.
"Wha' do I'se got dis moining?" Snitch asked from the doorway. Artemis smiled at him.
"We've got changing room," she said as she picked up the bottle of bleach. "I'll bleach if you wanna get the hose." Artemis disappeared into the shower room. Snitch grinned as he unraveled the hose and followed her.
Inside, Artemis was splashing bleach around the shower room and changing room and that little room in between where they stored the campers' bracelets. Once she put the cap back on the bottle, Snitch walked swiftly up to her and kissed her. Surprised, Artemis only kissed back for a few seconds before breaking it.
"Not here," she said softly. "We could get caught, and…I'm not risking my job just for a few kisses, as nice as they are." Seeing his face fall just a bit, she quickly said, "I'll make it up to you, promise."
"When?" he asked curiously.
"How about tonight?" she replied, thinking quickly. He nodded, and at that moment the opening strains of "Copa Cabana" began blasting from the stereo. Artemis immediately started half swaying, half dancing to the music, and began to sing along when the words came on. Snitch shook his head with a smile.
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Artemis arrived a little early for her shift in order to give herself enough time to change into her suit. It was actually rather chilly, so she picked up her faded red one-piece suit. It had actually belonged to one of her sisters the previous summer, and she'd pilfered it. The peeling label at her hip red "LIFEGUARD" and Artemis sighed when she realized how unflattering the suit design was. Not that she often cared about these things.
Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her waist, Artemis went to sit with Gryffin. "How are you hon?"
Gryffin scowled at the pool deck. "Perfectly shitty," she mumbled so that the campers couldn't hear. Artemis noticed that the other girl was partially wet. Looking at the pool, she saw Maddie and Cassie grinning at them from the shallower portion of the deep end.
"They get ya?" she asked, nodding her head in the direction of the campers. The older girl nearly growled an affirmative. Artemis sighed. She rose, glanced at the clock, and figured she could change the CD before she went on. A quick change to her R4|\|D0|\/|^2 CD put her into the chair with the strains of the Strongbadia National Anthem. She grinned at Snitch, who had just moved to the shallow end chair. He winked back, and Artemis felt herself flushing, then shivering. Damn cold winds!
Slowly, ever so slowly, the half-hour passed and the pool was cleared of the terrors from Trails End. Artemis was shivering worse now, so that she could barely reach the Guards' Room to get her sweatshirt and sweatpants. Snitch, seeing that she wasn't moving quickly at all, approached her from behind, picked her up, and carried her the rest of the way to the Guards' Room.**
His warmth readily seeped through her skin as he held her close, setting her feet on the cold stone floor and nudging the door just a bit further closed. She snuggled close to him, relishing the comfort he was offering. After a few moments, Artemis pulled reluctantly away. She turned to her clothes stuffed in her cubby.
"When," she muttered, pulling out her sweatpants, "did it get so effing cold?" Snitch shrugged, sitting down in the white plastic chair.*** Artemis growled in frustration, hunting for her sweatshirt still. Snitch watched in amusement, wondering when she'd realize she didn't wear one to the pool that morning, nor was there one left from earlier that week.
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"You mean Blink is gonna sing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" to Gryff-child at dinner?" Artemis was staring at Snitch in shock as he told her what had happened at the boys' practice that afternoon. Snitch nodded.
"Dat's what he said, and we'se all gonna help him." Artemis' eyes widened.
"Please, can I help you guys? Please?" Her face took on a pleading look and Snitch couldn't refuse.
"Shoah. I trust you'se knows da woids?" Artemis nodded vehemently. She was starting to feel rather hyper, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Gryffin was going to kill her after dinner.
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Artemis grinned evilly when Blink and Mush started their act. It was so cute! When the chorus came, she stood with the rest of the boys and approached the trio. This was so much fun! Even Gryff's look of promised pain did nothing to deter her. By the time Blink kissed Gryffin, Artemis was in full-blown giggle mode. She leaned on Snitch for support, awed by the absolute cuteness of the scene.
Finally, all settled down as the meal started, but not for long. The sudden, pouring rain caused Gryffin to race back to Trails End. In the older girl's absence, Artemis was left in charge of the table. "So, children, how was your day?" The campers gave near-monosyllabic answers. Cinders was too busy eating to respond.
"Well, mine was productive," Blink said with a grin. Artemis rolled her eyes.
"We kinda figured that one, Blink. I just can't believe that stunt you pulled actually worked." Blink gave her a puzzled look.
"Why wouldn' it?"
"Blink, child, there are just things you don't understand, and I'm not going to go into them now."
"Child? I'se ain' a child."
"Blink, I call everyone child at one point or another. Some, like Gryff, I call child for longer periods of time." With that, Artemis dug into her meal, hoping to finish soon. Not that she was eating a whole lot. She didn't usually. She just never really felt overly hungry at meals. Add to the fact that she never ate salads, and one could see how this meal would be a quick one.
Artemis looked out at the pouring rain. I wonder when Gryff's gonna get back? She thought. The meal was winding down, and Artemis sent their hopper up for dessert. The child came back with a platter of vanilla cake. "W00t! Vanilla cake!" The campers giggled at their Foot's randomness. At that moment Gryffin sat back down at the table, as wet as if she'd just jumped into the pool with her clothes on.
"Hey Arty, could I have some milk?" Artemis automatically answered.
"No."
"Please, Arty, can I have some milk?" She could hear the pleading in Gryffin's voice and knew that even if she, Artemis, said no again, she'd get up and get it anyway with some playful grumbling.
"No." Artemis picked up a piece of cake and held it between her thumb and mimddle finger. Yay for not using silverware! She looked up as Cinders stood.
"Where're ya going, Cinders?" The other girl didn't answer and kept walking towards the milk cooler. "Cinders, sit down. I'm going to go get her milk." Again, the younger girl did not answer. "Cinders! Sit down! I'm the Foot, it's my job!" Artemis stood, cake in hand, and began walking swiftly to the milk cooler, trying to beat Cinders. Too late, she tried to stop herself and slipped on the slick dining hall floor.
She fell flat on her back. Immediately she felt pain in her left elbow, but couldn't stop laughing when she realized what she'd done. The entire dining hall was staring at her and Cinders as the other girl helped her up. Looking around, Artemis saw her dessert splattered all around her. Cinders said something about getting a mop and Artemis grabbed Gryffin's milk from the cooler.
Glaring and laughing at the same time, Artemis tossed Gryff her milk. "Don't you ever ask me for milk again." Gryffin merely smiled.
"Thank you Arty." Artemis tossed her a "you-SO-owe-me" look.
"Hey, Artemis, I know someone who could help you get that cake off your face." Artemis dropped her gaze to the floor. Yeah, so do I… She laughed a bit more.
"No, Gryff-child, I think I'll leave the face licking to you and Blink." She'd moved around the table by this time, giving Gryff a poke in the side as she made her way to the bathroom to clean up. She did not notice Snitch get up to follow her.
"Damn floor," Artemis muttered as she ran her hands under the warm water in the girls' bathroom. Her elbow ached horribly, and she was nearly covered in cake, she could see in the mirror. She saw movement behind her and turned around to find Snitch standing in the doorway.
"You'se okay?" He looked worried, and Artemis felt guilty at causing that. She smiled cheerily.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He didn't look convinced.
"You shoah? Dat fall was pretty loud." Artemis winced a bit.
"Yeah, I'm sure. My elbow hurts a bit, but I'm fine. Really." Nope, still not convinced, but he accepted her statement.
"I'll see yah aftah dinnah." She nodded and smiled a good-bye to him, watching as he walked down the small corridor to the main room of the dining hall. Now to clean up before her table finished eating.
End Chapter 8