Chapter Eight
Dick Grayson stood in the private bathroom of his office holding the ice pack to his swollen eye. It's not like this was the first time he'd come into work a little bruised. Clayface or the Joker didn't seem to care much about his 9 to 5 alter ego, and as a billionaire playboy and extreme sports enthusiast he had plenty of built in excuses to use when he'd show up ragged, the difference was this was not some supervillan who'd pummeled him this day, it was much much worse.
"She got you pretty good didn't she?" the deep timber of Bruce Wayne reverberated from behind his former partner.
Dick frowned, pulling the pack from his eye and readjusted it. "I had it coming."
"You did what you thought was right." Wayne added.
"Bruce, no offense, but you don't exactly have a track record with women I'd like pattern myself after. She's my fiancée; she's going to be my wife….hopefully. You can't expect to have a healthy relationship with someone you love and keep secrets like this. Barbara's is one of us, I should have told her."
"Would that have made things any better?" Bruce asked looking mildly impressed at the damage.
"Probably not, but that's not the point." Dick argued.
"Barbara would have wanted all of you to go after Artemis and then the Shadows would have killed her."
"It's not that simple Bruce."
"Yes it is. You just don't like the math. I think the bigger issue is what do you do now that she's back? Artemis came back for something, and I think you and I both now what it is."
"Yeah," Dick sighed.
"She could have faded away into the sunset. Taken up a new identity and started a new life, but she didn't did she? She came here; she came home. This isn't about retribution, it's about redemption. We give second chances to even our worst enemies on occasion, but sometimes it's harder when it's our friends, people we really care about. I think she's been punished enough already, don't you?"
"When did you become such and Artemis apologist?" Dick chuckled, placing the ice pack in the sink and drying his face.
"Probably the day I saw in her what I see in you. Dick, you and I've both been on paths that could have deviated much like hers did. For whatever reason the Shadow's decided to give her a second chance, the question is; are you willing to do the same?"
Bruce put his arm on his protégés shoulder, a rare moment of warmth most never go to see.
"When it comes to openness I know I've been no role model to you. I'll never win any popularly contests within the League because deep down I know the ends justifies the means. The League needs that voice and it's a part I'm willing to play, but Dick that's not who you are. Those people out there, they weren't just teammates, they were your friends. They need to know; all of them, and they need to hear it from you."
Dick remained silent, regarding the Dark Knight's words. They were his friends first and foremost. He had grown up with most of them; put his life on the line for them on more than once occasion. A lot had happened in the last ten years, not all of it things he was proud of, but the good far outweighed the bad. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was the right thing to do
"They're not going to take it well. I'm not sure who'll they be more pissed at; Artemis or me?"
"You won't know unless you try. Go home Dick. I've got things here; I can call you if I need you. Talk things out with Barbara once she cools down, she can be as stubborn as her father sometimes but just as understanding. Once you get past that, the rest of it will be nowhere near as difficult.'
Dick sighed. "I hope you're right."
xxx
Wally rested his head on the cold porcelain toilet. Once the trio had left his home and his adrenaline and fury dissipated, the nausea crept back in with a vengeance. Moments after his front door slammed shut he ran for the bathroom where he'd remained ever since. Wally couldn't remember a time he'd felt so bad. It was like his bachelor party hangover multiplied to the power of ten. At least back then he had the metabolism to work through it, but without it…miserable wasn't a strong enough word.
He didn't even want to know all the compounds Jade and injected him with, he just wanted them gone. Trying to flush them out with liquids was a nonstarter, everytime something wet touched his lips, violent vomiting followed suit. All he could do now was wait, but while his body remained immobile, his mind was moving a thousand miles an hour.
Artemis was alive. A person he once cared about deeply had miraculously survived. But instead of feeling joyous, or at the very least relieved on some level, all he felt was anger and resentment. Instead of remembering the first girl he ever loved and the special times they shared, all he could think about was the guilt and helplessness of watching her die. The months of tears and depression that followed. The pain of visiting her gravestone and breaking down time and time again to the point Dick and Kaldur had to set security cameras near the cemetery to alert them when he'd show, fearful of what he ultimately might do.
The girl he loved before he ever knew what love was – was alive, and he hated her for it.
The speedster glanced at his watch, knowing full well he needed to get up and make his way to his folks to get his kids, but just the mere thought of standing caused his stomach to churn and bile to race up his throat. This was all Artemis's fault. Every god damned bit of it. He should have felt guilty for thinking it, but a part of him still wished she was dead, that way he wouldn't have to hate himself for the way he had treated her.
xxx
"Good Morning Mr. Ambassador," the young Atalantean smiled, standing respectfully at the man's arrival.
"Good morning Makaira. How are you today?"
"Fine thank you sir .Your 8:30 is already here, and your call list is on your desk. Don't forget you have a video conference with the Under-Secretary at 12:30 and a meeting with the Amazonian ambassador at 2:00."
Kaldur rubbed his weary eyes; it was going to be another one of those days.
For King and Country he sighed, but not for much longer.
Like his king, he was the child of two worlds, the perfect emissary to educate and guide two distinct cultures to respect and coexist with each other, but that job was becoming progressively more difficult with each passing day.
"For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal."
President John F Kennedy's speech still held as much truth and gravitas today as it did back in the 1960's, but despite those wise words, humans had so much difficulty accepting that they were not the most dominant species on the planet.
Atlantis had its faults like most culture's do, but world domination and negligent climate change was not one of them. The governments of the surface world, if left unchecked would eventually destroy the very planet they were trying to rule. That mindset baffled him
After battling enemies like the Light and the Injustice League, the hero assumed that taking part in civilized rhetoric among fellow representatives in order to work for peace, prosperity, and the benefit of all mankind would be far easier. He was wrong
He'd started this journey to make a true measured difference, an opportunity push for strong reforms that would benefit all, only to find them wrapped in so much regulatory commissions and red tape. One of the first lessons Kaldur ever learned about being an ambassador was that bureaucracy sometimes is the complete antithesis to real change.
All those years ago when he'd first accepted this position, he imagined something a bit more… hands on. Being on the front lines in creating and shaping foreign policy, enhancing Atlantis's image as a sovereign nation, being where the action was. That's how his peers and fellow ambassadors described the job that Kaldur was signing on for, but those men and women had no idea what true action was, not unless they'd stood side by side with the hero back in the day when a handful of teenagers bonded together and saved the planet. No matter how much he'd ever accomplish as an ambassador, it would never hold a candle to that.
He dropped his heavy leather satchel on the desk, poured himself a coffee and walked over to the big bay window overlooking the East River. It wasn't the vast fathoms of the Atlantic, but for now it would have to do.
No one, not his family nor his closest friends knew that his days in this office were nearing an end. This job had been the right choice at the time, but the constraints of the position had left him feeling stagnant and powerless. This was not where he'd seen himself at thirty. His heart wasn't in it anymore, and although the hero known as Aqualad hadn't accomplished everything he'd originally set out to do, he'd left a solid framework in place for his predecessor to take over, hopefully someone more energetic and inspired than Kaldur had become.
It was time to move on and try something new, to see where the tides would take him. It could be back home, it could be to distant lands, even possibly side by side with his King in the Justice League, or something as simple as on a deserted island somewhere enjoying the solitude. The next choice would be his and his alone.
He placed the cup on his desk and opened his satchel, pulling out the large file regarding the group of businessman awaiting him in the lobby. The representatives from the Roxxco oil company were there to discuss the new safety initiatives and protocols the company had recently put into place after the last environmental disaster the oil giant had caused. It was all purely for public relations purposes, nothing they'd propose would have any real teeth to it. Kaldur knew they weren't ready yet, but at least it was a start.
The ambassador looked through his call sheet, determining the order in who he would return first when suddenly a name and number jumped off the paper. He took the sheet and went back out to the receptionist 's desk.
"Makaira, when did this call come in?"
She scanned through her voice mail and searched the number. "Approximately 11:00 pm last night. Would you like me to connect you?"
Kaldur smiled. "Yes please," and walked back into his office and shut the door.
The young secretary dialed the number, awaiting her counterpart on the other end of the line to answer
"Good Morning Wayne Tech, how may I direct your call?" the voice asked.
"Yes this Ambassador Kaldur'ahm's office returning a call from Mr. Grayson."
"One moment please."
xxx
She was a fool, a weak minded, pathetic, fucking fool. If she'd been this sloppy and careless with the Shadows, the archer knew she would have been dead long ago. Maybe it was her new found sense of freedom, maybe it was Roy's unexpected kindness and understanding, but Nightwing's reaction to her arrival should have been the warning sign she paid attention to, but still she held out hope. In retrospect the foreshowing was blinding.
Jade saw it coming, knew exactly how it would play out, and yet the archer still took the chance, still rolled the dice because in her mind the risk was worth it, all because of hope.
"What a fucking joke,"she cursed to herself.
Guilt, redemption, obligation, closure…love; whatever the reason it had been a colossal Titanic-esque mistake and she'd known it the entire time. If she'd been searching for closure, she'd definitely found it.
Artemis never bothered to return to the motel, only giving the front desk a cursory call to check out. What few belongings she'd left behind they could keep, she wanted out of this god damn state as fast as possible, and nothing was going to stop her, least of all the return of a three dollar plastic room key.
Her anger fueled her as the cheap Ford Escape pushed 80 m.p.h. down I-70. She had no destination in mind except forward.
After eighteen hours she pulled over to a rest stop, ignoring the barrage of calls and texts left by her sister and just slept. All she had left now was Jade and Zane, and despite having people that actually gave a damn about her, it still gave the archer little comfort. Artemis would contact them once she'd left the country. A rendezvous point would be set if they wanted to continue their partnership, but until then she wanted to be left alone. Perhaps she'd just go solo; she did her best work when she only had herself to count on, but at this point she honestly didn't care anymore.
When she passed through Pennsylvania the on ramp towards New York loomed just ahead. Despite Roy's cordialness, she knew he'd be furious, not so much about stealing his credit card as opposed to ignoring his warning. Wally was still his friend, still someone he cared deeply about, and she ignored his advice just like she did in that alleyway all those years ago. The echo of don't hurt my friends resonated in her mind but still ultimately fell on deaf ears.
She drove past the exit to New York and continued eastward with a new destination in mind. It was still several hours away, but her mind was made up. She had one last place to say goodbye to, the place where it all started. After that she was a ghost.
xxx
She pulled into the harbor town around 5:00 p.m. local time. While the areas of Gotham she'd visited recently had gone through drastic redevelopment, Happy Harbor was exactly the same. She'd have time to walk the streets and corners soon enough, but for now she wanted the feeling of warm sand between her toes. It wasn't the beach in Barcelona that Zane had promised, but for now it would do.
Even over the roar of the ocean she still could make out the sounds of the seagulls flying overhead. Down the beach children flew kites and teens bodysurfed, while the locales sat in beach chairs with their fishing poles cast in the surf, and of course off in the distance…the Mountain.
The harbor sounded the same, it smelt the same, and for just a few minutes it washed away all the pain and anguish of the last few days. Gotham was where she grew up, but in some ways Happy Harbor felt more like home that New York ever could.
For the next hour she walked the beach, soaking in the rays and sounds when her stomach began to grumble. Once again she'd forgotten to eat, the idea of the availably of food at any moment still a little foreign to her.
A few yards down she caught sight of the patio of the Dough Boys Pizzeria, a favorite among the locales, not to mention a few teenagers she once knew. Remembering the times she'd spent in this place made her smile; eating pizza, drinking the best milkshakes she'd ever tasted, coming down from the rush of missions, laughing and crying with her friends, fighting and subsequently making up and out with Wally, all precious memories from a different life. Despite all that had happened since her return, this place, this moment warmed her heart. This was the feeling she'd been searching for all along, and now she'd found it.
Artemis sat down on the plastic chair and tuned it to face the beach when the waitress appeared.
"What can I get you darling?" the older brunette asked.
The archer scanned the menu for a few seconds before making her decision.
"Two slices of pepperoni and a Corona please?"
"With lime?" the waitress added.
"Yes please." The waitress nodded and was about to take her menu when the blonde slyly smiled. "Do you all still make the best shakes on the east coast?"
"You better believe it," the waitress answered proudly.
"I'll skip the Corona, one large chocolate shake….with whip cream and a cherry."
"Coming right up doll," the women replied as she collected the menu and walked back towards the kitchen
A few minutes the archer discovered heaven on earth. It was everything she remembered and more. Chicago and New York style couldn't hold a candle to this Rhode Island pizza shack. Despite her fullness Artemis was tempted to order another when the waitress arrived with check. "Can I get you anything else honey?"
"No thank you," the blonde sweetly smiled, "but can I ask a quick question? What's the deal with all the signs on the beach around the mountain, are people not allowed over there anymore?"
"Not since the government took it over a few years back," the older woman frowned, "now it's some bombing range for the Air Force. You can see the jets flying over it from time to time. They've got barbed wire all around it now. It's a shame; it used to be such a special place. Have you ever been over there?"
"A long time ago," Artemis sighed.
xxx
After midnight Artemis scaled the barb wired fence, ignoring the signs displayed in all different directions. There were no guards, no patrols, just a sign that carried enough weight to scare most curious teenage kids and tourists.
Warning - Restricted Area
Mt. Justice Bombing and Gunnery Range
U.S. Air Force Property
No Trespassing – Violators Will Be Prosecuted.
Nothing on the sign said anything about former occupants so she took the liberty to ignore it. The archer scaled the fence, summersaulting to avoid the barbs and landed gracefully on the other side.
It seemed like a lifetime ago that she stood outside this mountain. Hidden inside the rock formation may have been a secret base that housed superpowered teens and a Martian spaceship, but standing on the shores of Mt. Justice in the moonlight reminded her of long walks on the beach, skinny dipping, campfires and cookouts. Her skin still tingled at the rush of excitement when the call would come in and they'd take off to missions unknown. It was easily one of the best times of her life, but most importantly she remembered them.
Despite the Earth shaking experiences, alien invasions, tyrannical androids, sorcerers and demons, and more costumed supervillans then you'd find at Comicon, it was the little things she remembered the most.
The metallic resonance of the computer announcing a hero's arrival, the sound of Robin's cackle, the smell of Megan's' cooking, the serenity of Kaldur's voice, Zatanna's spells, even Conner's strange habit of watching static, but nothing stood out more than green eyes.
From the moment he kissed her on the Watchtower, things were never the same. She never expected to fall on love, least of all with someone like Wally West.
Sure she was attracted to Conner, who wasn't? He was a younger angstier version of the Man of Steel, complete with smoldering blue eyes and a brooding mysterious demeanor to go along with them, but even if Megan hadn't fallen for him first, Artemis knew deep down, despite his gorgeous looks, he just wasn't her type. She'd had enough coldness in her life; she didn't need to seek out more.
Wally was different. Where Conner was withdrawn and sullen, Wally was loud and obnoxious. A cocky, self-proclaimed Casanova who's most impressive superpower was his ability to piss her off. Early on he'd made it plainly clear the he didn't want her here. The feeling was quite mutual.
He was all fire and she was ice, positive and negative electrical currents that constantly collided. Complete polar opposites. That exact qualities that made them so perfect for each other. They argued all time, disagreeing on anything from science and math to TV shows and videogames. She had denied it for months, but she was crushing on him hard and despite his infuriating demeanor, she suspected he felt the same about her. That day on the BioShip, when he told her she had nothing to prove, she was hooked. That was the day she fell in love with Wally West.
After that first kiss on the Watchtower they were inseparable, constantly arguing and fighting one minute, and then making out furiously the next. He loved her, cared for her, made her happier than she ever dreamed possible. He was her everything and she was his. They'd even discussed going to college together, living together; it's not like they didn't basically share the same room anyway.
It didn't' scare her at all, if anything it excited her. She never wanted to be more than a few feet away in case she needed to grab him and remind the red head how much she loved him. God how she wished she could turn back time and relive those moments all over again and erase all the pain and suffering she'd caused.
Artemis walked ahead a few hundred yards, noticing all the course grass that had grown over the dunes since the abandonment of the base. Finally she made it around the mountain and to the camouflaged door that led inside. She knew from Roy that the base had long been deserted, but was surprised to find all the security and electrical systems that protected and powered the base had been removed as well. She pulled open the rock encrusted heavy iron door to a loud creek that echoed inside for seconds. The archer heard the fluttering of bats, shaking her and smiling; what would a cave be without bats.
She turned on her flashlight and began exploring the old base. All technological and engineering based systems had been removed, but the League in all its wisdom hadn't found it necessary to discard the simple things. The kitchen and its counter tops were more or less the same. The recessed cabinet where the video screens once rested still stood. There should have been thick layers of mold and dust covering everything, but surprisingly enough, everything seemed relatively clean all things considered
She made her way down the corridor towards the living quarters, soon finding the room she once occupied. The archer was unsure what hero had next stayed there after her departure, but inside the bed and dresser still sat in the exact same place as she's arranged them. Everything inside was covered in a thick layer of dust. She pulled the nightstand away from the bed and turned it until the back of the piece was visible. The archer smiled as her light shone brightly on the carving of Artemis Crock that she'd dug into that wood all those years ago. It was a delinquent act she knew, but she wanted a lasting testament that she had once been there, she'd once been a hero.
The archer walked down the hall a bit further, two rooms away from hers to be exact, and found the one she'd spent as much time in as her own. Nostalgia pulled at her heartstring as she thought back to all the events and moments that had taken place in there. The times he would hold her after she'd had the many nightmares that haunted her, the occasions where she would stay up waiting for his return from missions, the times they would cram all night for exams; where he'd tutor her in Physics and Algebra while she did the same in French and History, and of course the night two nervous teens both lost their virginity. So many memories tied directly to this room, to this person.
Artemis left the hall and walked towards the kitchen when her light began to flicker. She smacked the flashlight hard against the cave wall, hoping it would jar the device back on when it slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor, banging loudly and rolling away.
"Great," she growled, reaching back into her quiver for the phosphorus arrow she could ignite to find her way out, when suddenly she felt the pack snap off her back and go flying off into the darkness. The archer wasn't alone.
Artemis still had her bow over her shoulder and armed it quickly with the only arrow she had left, spinning around and aiming wildly.
She was scared, the first time she'd felt that way in years. A cold sweat formed on her brow as she frantically tried to remember her bearings, panicked that she'd never find her way out before who or whatever was in there found her.
A few yards away glowing eyes appeared in the darkness and without warning she felt a powerful force grip and paralyze her body, taking the bow away and her last chance to defend herself.
"Who are you?!" the archer demanded, her plea echoing all around, hoping she sounded more threatening than fearful.
A quiet voice responded. "You won't be needing that."
Artemis's blood grew cold as she recognized the voice. In the darkness, only illuminated by her glowing green eyes stood a girl she'd not seen in years, a woman that long ago she'd once considered a sister, someone she loved and cared for like family. Now in her place appeared a woman who'd become dangerous and unstable. A being who could cripple or lobotomize someone with a mere thought, someone else who'd suffered due to Artemis' lies and deceit.
"Megan?" she rasped against the force tightening around her. Instantly she felt the mental grip dissipate and the archer finally could breathe again. Her flashlight flickered back to life and the same green skinned women she once knew appeared before her out of the darkness, looking exactly the same as she did almost a decade ago, un-aged and unchanged.
"Hi Artemis," the voice said pleasantly.
The archer hesitated before she answered, unsure what she might trigger with the wrong response.
"Hi Megan," she replied bravely, nervous at her friend's calm and friendly demeanor, worried that she was dealing with someone who'd completely lost her mind.
"You can relax Artemis; I'm not going to hurt you. I know what you've probably been told, but I'm much better now."
"Are you… reading my mind?"
Megan smiled. "No Artemis, just your expressions. I don't go into anyone's mind anymore unless I'm invited."
"Are you… ya know… ok?"
"I'm fine….really. Thank you for asking. Not a lot of our old friends feel… comfortable talking to me anymore, not after…the incidents."
"I know the feeling." Artemis replied sadly.
"I'm sure you do. I'm glad to see you again."
"Did you know?" Artemis asked.
"Know what?" the Martian questioned. "That you were still alive? I'm not sure really. When you link with someone, that feeling, that connection never truly goes away. I could still feel you, but I wasn't sure if you were alive, or if I just wanted you to be. I was a little confused back then. I was already having… issues and I just couldn't trust what I was feeling anymore."
"What… happened to you Megan?"
The Martian paused for a moment; trying to put something so personal and yet so alien into thoughts and words that someone else, someone human could understand.
"Uncle J'onn warned me that one day it might become too much, all the noise, all the pain. He told me that I needed to limit my contact with humans and protect myself, but Artemis it was a chance I was willing to take to actually connect with people. If I'd followed his advice I'd never have gotten to be close to you guys. You all accepted me for who I was. You didn't care or judge me for what color I was, or what race of Martian I belonged to, you all accepted me for the person inside. It was worth the risk."
She sighed heavily and continued.
"But when the team began to fray, when the threads that held us together started to tear, I let my guard down. That's when all the darkness that surrounds us, the anger and the evil that emanated from people made its way inside. There came a point when I just wasn't strong enough to shield it out anymore. As we all started to break apart, the absence of everyone's minds made me…more susceptible to the ugliness. I kind of…unintentionally tried to correct that flaw in the people around me. It was a horrible-horrible mistake. I never meant for it to happen…." she choked, stopping mid-sentence and walking away to gather herself. Megan hadn't had many chances to tell her story, it was just nice to have someone to listen, someone who wouldn't judge her, but bringing it all back up was difficult.
"As things started to snowball, I decided to go into to everyone's minds with the intentions of removing certain memories of what I'd done to them. I was so desperate to make things right again, but I couldn't go through with it. Just thinking about doing such a thing betrayed every rule you follow as a telepath. I shattered their trust, and now I have to take responsibility for my actions."
Artemis understood exactly what she was saying; blown away by how similar their paths had mimicked the other. The biggest difference between them was that she'd made her choice, she walked away knowing full well the damage it could do. Megan's path was much different. She wanted to stay, to stay with her friends and family, but despite that desire, that option had been taken away from her by no fault of her own. Artemis knew where the fault lay, or at least where it began, and she hated herself for it.
Artemis walked over to her friend, no longer afraid and took her hands. "I'm so sorry Megan, I'm sorry for what I might have caused. I wish you could understand why I did it, it's …it's just so hard to explain."
Artemis stopped, realizing exactly what she needed to do. It was a risky move, and trust was something she'd always found difficult. It was trust that had brought her to this place and these friends to begin with. It was that lack of trust that eventually drew her away to a path she wanted no one to follow. She took Megan's hands and brought them up to her temples. The Martian instinctively tried to pull away, but the archer stood firm.
"It's ok. You're invited. Just please understand…. I've done horrible…horrible things. Things I wish I could wish away and forget, but I can't. I won't. It's my punishment, my penance. I just want someone to understand. I hope that person is you."
Megan nodded and her eyes began to glow. The sensation of someone else in the archer's mind disoriented her for a moment. Even though she'd asked Megan in, it was still hard to let down her shields, share her secrets. She remembered how scared she was that night in Bialya, worried the Martian would discover who she was and where she'd come from. And now, more than a decade later she still harbored those fears. Finally the intrusion settled and she began to feel Megan's warm embrace within her mind. She'd missed that more than she'd realized. Instead of rifling through her memory, the Martian carefully turned each page, without hesitation, without judgment. She felt Megan's fingers leave her temple and take the archer's hand. A few minutes later, the Martian gently stepped out of her mind.
Artemis ignored the tears that slid down her cheeks, but before she could wipe them away, the damn broke and she sobbed into the Martian's shoulder. Megan held tight and Artemis cried for the first time in years, letting out emotions and anguish that that had long been buried; feelings and fears that had haunted her for so long. She never realized until that moment how much she'd been holding back. Megan embraced her friend until the tears stopped and her breathing calmed. Artemis stepped away shaken but strong.
"Thank you," she whispered to her earth sister.
"You're welcome. Thank you for letting me."
Artemis sniffled, rubbing her eyes and nose on her sleeve before turning back to her friend. Megan took her hand and led the archer down the darkened hallway towards the adjacent living quarters one corridor over from where Artemis's used to be. When she reached the door to Megan's old room Artemis noticed the flickering candlelight escaping into the darkness from inside. When the door opened Artemis stood in disbelief, the room was exactly as it was all those years ago, a perfect recreation all the way from the flower covered comforter to the Hello Megan poster that hung from the mirror. Megan still looked like a teenager and her room reflected that to a tee.
"Kind of weird huh?" Megan spoke, gesturing around the room.
"No, not really," the archer replied, "this was a time you were happy. I can totally get that."
"Even so it's a little strange for a fifty five year old to decorate her room like a teenager, but I still like it."
"Fifty-five?"
"Artemis I was a lot older than you all were, Martian's age differently. Uncle J'onn is a hundred and forty, I'm still a kid compared to him?"
"Wow," Artemis replied impressed. "I never knew."
"Well it's not polite to ask a lady her age," Megan smiled as they both broke into laughter.
"How did you know I'd be here?" Artemis asked, feeling the weight she'd carried alone lifted of her shoulders, even if just for a moment.
"I didn't," the Martian replied. "When I'm not at my uncle's house I come back here from time to time, just to remember when the world made sense, back when we were all still friends. I usually go to the peak and watch the tides roll in and out. It's tranquil up there, the perfect spot to mediate; it's kind of my happy place. And all of the sudden I felt this presence, something I hadn't felt in years, and there you were."
"I'm so sorry Megan, I'm sorry for what I did."
"I know you are," the Martian replied, "but you don't owe me an apology. We've all made mistakes, maybe some more drastic than others, and now we have to live with the consequences."
"Megan, yours was an accident, mine was a choice."
"In the end, they're all the same thing, they carry the same weight. Conner didn't seem to grasp that concept either."
"Is that why he ended things with you?" the archer asked.
"Actually I ended it with him, he didn't want to split up, but I couldn't stay with someone I'd hurt like that. All he'd ever shown me was love and kindness, and I betrayed his trust. I didn't deserve him."
"Don't you think that's his call?" Artemis questioned.
"That's exactly what he said, but ultimately I did him a favor. He needs someone who'll treat him right, he needs someone…stable."
It amazed Artemis how in so many ways Megan's life had mimicked her own. The Martian truly understood the loss and guilt the archer carried. It still made her sad to know someone she'd cared for had suffered so much, but hearing Megan's feelings of guilt and loss over what she'd done to Conner made Artemis feel even worse about what she'd done to Wally.
"Do you….still talk to him?"
"No, but I check up on them from time to time?" Megan remarked. "I've been to Roy's AA meetings, Kaldur's lectures, Wally's classes, Zatanna's shows; I even sat in on one of Dick's board meetings once. Of course they'd never know, if they ever found out they'd think I was really crazy, so let's keep that between us," she winked.
"That's so cool," Artemis laughed out loud.
"I care about them Artemis, I miss them, and If I can sit in on their lives, even just for a few moments, It make me feel….whole I guess.
"What about Conner?" the archer asked, fully aware that his name had been omitted from that list.
"I do what I do best. I bake," she smiled.
xxx
Later that evening the two women made their way up to the observation point atop Mt. Justice. It was a cloudless sky, and the moon blanketed the beach and the ocean its light. It was as spectacular as the archer remembered.
So have you seen any of them?" the Martian asked
"Just Roy, Dick, and …Wally." Artemis replied
"How'd that go?
"Surprisingly good with Roy, Dick…not so much, and Wally…..well that was a complete fucking disaster. Megan I had no idea about his wife, Barry, his kids. I don't know what I was thinking. I gave him absolutely no warning, I just barged straight in, but I….I just wanted to see him, one last time."
The archer chose not to mention the speedster's lost abilities, unsure if Megan was either aware already or had inadvertently discovered that secret during their link. Either way Artemis was relived the Martian chose not to discuss it. Something's were better left unsaid.
"I can understand. I'm sure it's been a shock to everyone?"
"Megan, I just can't seem to stop screwing up. All I just wanted was to come back and say goodbye, the right way this time."
"Are you sure it's goodbye you want?"
"Yes…No…God…I don't know!" the archer growled, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "It's….."
"Complicated?" the Martian interrupted.
"You could say that," the archer sighed.
"Do you remember the mental exercise we all did, when my subconscious kind of went out of whack?"
"How could I forget, it was the first time I ever died," Artemis chuckled at the irony
"It was a terrible moment when you disappeared, and when it was all over, once Canary had helped us come to grips with everything, including our feelings for each other, I always thought that was when we truly became a family. I'm sure everyone's still hurt and angry, but they need time to sort through their feelings, even you. Leaving again isn't going to make things better; it's only going to make things worse. They're still your friends Artemis, give them another chance, I think you'll be surprised."
"I wish I believed that," Artemis answered sadly, "besides I could say the same thing to you ya know," the archer pointed out.
Megan sighed, "I knew that was going to get thrown back in my face somehow," she smiled.
"How could you guess? Artemis smirked.
"I read your mind."
"Not funny Megan," Artemis chided with a grin, "Not funny."
xxx
The crowds continued to applaud as the magician left the stage and walked into her flower adorned dressing room. There were no encores in magic shows, but this particular audience had been great and for a few scant moments Zatanna considered one more act. She still had a few tricks up her sleeve, not so much illusions as actual real hardcore magic, but the moment she sat down and took of her high heeled boots that was the end of that ride .
She opened a bottle of wine someone had been nice enough to leave for her and poured herself a celebratory glass. This was the last night of her tour, a relatively short one all things considered, but her dad always said it was best to leave them wanting more.
She was due for a small stretch of monitor duty on the Watchtower soon, the minimum a part time member was obligated for according to the Justice League by-laws, and despite the adoring crowds, she was looking forward to the solitude. Her manager had tried to convince her for one more West Coast stretch, but even a sorceress supreme gets tired of talking backwards from time to time.
She couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and poor herself a nice long bath. The Bellagio had great masseuses on staff, and she was quite fond of Riccardo: she'd always had a thing for brunettes.
Zatanna reached into her bag for her phone to schedule her appointment when she noticed the voice mail waiting for her. The name on the caller I.D. surprised her. It had been months, maybe longer since she'd last spoken to Barbara Gordon. She'd long moved past any animosity about the red head's not so secret crush on her ex-boyfriend. The sorceress wished her nothing but the best, but knew full well it wouldn't lead anywhere, god knows she'd tried.
Dick Grayson wasn't one to be tied down, and if Barbara could do somehow convince him otherwise, then more power to her.
Zatanna entered her pin number and pushed the playback button, sitting back in her chair looking forward to a message from an old friend
Outside the dressing room, the stage manager was supervising the dismantling of the speaker system when several loud crashes exploded from inside the star's dressing room. The manager ran to the room to check on the magician when the door suddenly swung open and the brunette stormed out, speaking in a tongue he didn't recognize
"Mi gniog ot llik reh,' Zatanna growled, heading towards the awaiting limo.
xxx
A/N – This is going to be it for a bit. I've gotten a lot of requests for updates, and this is actually almost three chapters worth crammed into two, so hopefully this tide you over. I don't want anyone losing interest, but a chapter a week is a pretty tough schedule to keep and job and family always come first. I'm working on this as much as possible, and I don't expect it to be several weeks before the next chapter, just not next week.
Not sure if this is the reunion you expected, but I thought it was honest. There's a lot of twists and turns on the horizon, so don't worry too much. As always thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated. Tell me if I got it right? I can take the criticism I promise.