A/N: Hey everyone; I am back with the next chapter. Thanks to those of you who have been leaving me reviews. I am pleased that this fandom hasn't died and that you all are still interested in what's happening two years after the conclusion to "A Cinderella Story." Thank you for the reviews, PMs, and words of encouragement. You guys are awesome!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Young Justice or the Young Justice: Invasion series. Both series were created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti and were written by a team of writers consisting of Greg Weisman, Kevin Hopps, Andrew Robinson, Nicole Dubuc, Jon Weisman, Tom Pugsley, and Peter David. I do however own the entire plot of this story and all of the original characters featured in this story. This is simply because I created them from scratch and have turned them into characters and a plot that you will grow to love. With that being said, DO NOT REPRODUCE THIS STORY IN ANY WAYS, SHAPE, FORMAT, OR POSTING. I CREATED THIS STORY, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS BELONG TO ME. Please read, memorize, and abide by this disclaimer.
Sincerely,
KairiAngel13
"The Decision"
Artemis sighed as she sat down on the edge of her bed at the hotel. She and Wally had checked in a little over an hour ago and the redhead had gone off to find them something to eat. Artemis was too upset after visiting with Lawrence to go along with him; but Wally was more than willing to go alone and give her some much needed time to think over the situation. She hadn't expected to react to the situation in the way she had. After all, Lawrence paralyzed her mother before kidnapping both her and Jade and raising them in an abusive and dictated home for years. The entire experience was still traumatizing after seven years of being away from the monster; but with the help of Wally, her friends, and the shrink she'd started seeing after months of her mother's begging, she slowly learned how to cope with the burden of being the survivor of an abusive relationship between a mother and her uncaring father. However, she was starting to think that she wasn't coping with things as well as she thought.
Seeing the man who was once a power-hungry tyrant reduced to an empty shell of the former man he used to be left Artemis visibly and internally shaken. Most people would say that dying from cancer was the proper punishment that Lawrence deserved. It would be painful and he would be miserable up until the day that he took his final breaths; but Artemis surprisingly didn't want such a fate for him. She wanted him to live a long life in perfect health so he would live every single day with the gnawing guilt and regret of what he had put her, her sister, and her mother through. He was given a life sentence at ADX, in the state where most of his notorious crimes were committed and he needed to finish off that sentence. Dying was the easy way out.
The blonde was pulled from her thoughts as her cellphone began vibrating noisily on the nightstand table from an incoming call. She snatched the android up and slid her index finger across the screen before holding the screen up to her ear, the cool glass of the screen chilling her cheek.
"Hello?"
"So, when were you going to call and tell me that you and Wally took a last minute field trip to the ADX to see the sperm donor?" Jade's voice blared in her ear. "I have to hear from Zatanna who's busy dog sitting for you and Wally instead of hearing it from my sister's mouth. That bastard is unfortunately my father too. So, why didn't you tell me you were going to see him?"
Artemis laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling as she sighed. "It was a last minute decision Jade. The letter Lawrence's lawyer sent me was on the floor when Wally got home yesterday. The letter said it was urgent that I meet with him because Lawrence is in the final stages of lung cancer and doesn't have much time left. He wants me to handle his affairs before he dies."
"I can't believe you fell for that bullshit Artemis. You're smarter than that! Come on, it's obviously a trap."
"It isn't a trap Jade. I saw him earlier today and he really is dying. He looks like he's on five-percent battery life if you know what I mean. He's pale and weak...I barely recognized him at all. I hate to say this, but I actually feel bad for him. I don't want this to be the kind of fate that he suffers."
"Who cares what happens to him Artemis? That man is a conniving and sinister son of a bitch who deserves every single thing that the Gods have in store for him. I hope he dies a slow painful death and burns in eternal damnation once his soul has moved on from this world. It would be a very satisfactory ending to the story of the King Cobra."
"Jade stop it, okay? I know this is hard for you, but you have no idea what I saw back in that prisoner holding area. You sound so ruthless and cruel. I hate him just as much as you do and I have every right to. I mean, I stayed with him a lot longer than you did Jade. He does deserve to be punished for what he put us through. I get that; but dying from a disease that has no cure and having to see him hacking for breath and struggling to stay alive...it's not the kind of thing that you would want to see or wish upon a human being regardless of the things they've done."
Jade released an audible sigh while Artemis waited patiently for her sister's reaction; but before Jade could speak, Artemis could hear the front door to her sister's home slamming shut in the background. Lian's little voice could be heard speaking to someone rather quickly. A male voice then joined in beside her sounding tired and defeated. Artemis guessed that Roy was home from his uncle's place and was making his way back into the hell that he had created the night before.
"Roy just walked in." Jade said, her voice quiet. "We kind of need to sort out what happened last night, so I'm gonna let you go. Just please Artemis...keep what I said in mind. Lawrence is and always will be a master manipulator. If you agree to handle his affairs, you could be taking a step right back into the hell that created for us. I'm your sister and I'm just looking out for you okay? I've got to go. I love you."
"I love you too Jade. I'll call you tomorrow to check on things between you and Roy."
"Right. Goodnight."
Artemis ended the call and tossed her phone to the other side of the bed just as the bedroom door unlocked with an audible click. Wally stepped into the room with a plastic bag from a local restaurant in his hand. He gave her a warm smile in greeting as he moved to set the bag on the wooden table just beside the patio doors.
"Hi." Artemis said sweetly as she stood from the mattress that squeaked from the loss of her weight. She walked over to her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist to pull him close to her. Wally smiled as he rested her head on top of hers.
"You seem to be doing much better than you were when I left. Was I gone too long?"
Artemis shook her head, the fabric of his shirt tickling her nose. "Not at all."
She smiled up at him as he cupped her cheek before bringing their lips together in a small kiss. He pulled away from her and grinned like he was a goofy sixteen-year-old all over again.
"So Speedster, you managed to find us some grub did you?" Artemis joked as she poked his chest to lighten the mood.
"Yes Archer." he laughed as he played along with her and moved to remove the food from the bag. "I managed to snag you quite the meal- Chicken Alfredo from a nearby pasta house and a plain garden salad, equipped with French dressing and feta cheese. Just like you like it."
Artemis giggled before moving to sit down while Wally took the seat opposite her to pass out their food.
"I know it's not one of my home cooked meals," Wally began as he scooted her bowl over to her, "but it's the next best thing."
Artemis smirked before pushing her plastic fork and knife through their plastic wrap to begin eating. The food was delicious, but she had to admit, Wally's Chicken Alfredo tasted so much better. Once the two of them moved in together after high school, Wally decided to take on the responsibility of cooking their meals since he was taking online classes and worked for a webdesign company from home. Artemis was a full-time student and worked night shifts at the diner, so she never had time to cook meals. A few years and two bachelor's degrees later, the two of them were both working in fields they loved, but the cooking routine hadn't changed at all. Wally didn't mind since he came from a family of talented cooks, so he took pride in being able to feed his wife when she came home after a busy day of handling social work cases.
"How's the food taste?" Wally asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
Artemis smiled as she stabbed her fork into another bit of pasta. "I'd give it a six. The sauce is too salty for my liking. Then there's the fact that I didn't get enough chicken. Looks like you'll have to whip me up an award winning ten batch when we get back to Gotham."
Wally laughed as he took a bite of his own meal. The two of them dined for about half-an-hour, scarfing down their meals and laughing at just about everything. Artemis could tell throughout dinner that Wally was trying to avoid mentioning her visit with Lawrence, and she was grateful for that. If there was anything that she didn't want to happen at that time, it would be being pressured into making a decision in regards to Lawrence's affairs. She and Wally had been happily married for two years and had been together for a total of seven. They had fallen into a comfortable routine that made her happy; and she would be damned before she allowed a surprise from Lawrence to ruin it.
Wally spit a glob of toothpaste into the sink as he finished brushing his teeth. He then grabbed a washcloth to wipe his face and clear it of the leftover residue while keeping an ear out for Artemis who was busy watching a "Law & Order: SVU" re-run on the television. His thoughts turned towards a certain phone call he had received on his way back to the hotel from the restaurant. He had wanted to mention it to Artemis as soon as he got back, but he figured that feeding his distressed wife was a little more important. Now that dinner was finished and the two of them were comfortable in their flannel bottoms and tanks, now was as good a time as any.
"I have a bit of a confession to make." he called out to her before shutting off the lights and stepping into the room.
Artemis was sitting at the provided vanity brushing her long hair while half listening to the television. "Oh, what's that?"
Wally walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he watched her reflection in the mirror. "Let's just say...I got a phone call from an old friend. Dick if I want to be truthful."
Artemis stopped brushing mid-stroke, her fingers curling tightly around the brush's handle. "What?"
"Yeah, he called me. He sounded pretty worn out and perhaps a bit nervous. Could be because he was calling me out of the blue. Or maybe it's because I practically bit his head off the last time we spoke for how he treated you."
"The breakup was pretty hard on him and Zatanna." Artemis said reassuringly to herself more so than for Wally. "He was in a bad mood when you two spoke so I don't blame you for biting his head off. Still, even after we gave him time to cool down, he still chose to stay away from you, me, and the others. He cut everyone who had ties to him and Zatanna off without an explanation and retreated into the world of the rich and the famous."
"He knows what he did and he even apologized to me for all of that. He asked me if I could talk you into going to see him at the manor when we get back to Gotham. He says that he really misses you, and I know that you miss him too Arty."
Artemis set her hairbrush down before standing from the vanity and heading over to the sliding doors that led out to the balcony. Wally followed after her and closed the door behind him. The nighttime Colorado air had a slight chill to it, the temperature having dropped into the mid-fifties with the loss of the sunlight.
"You're mad." Wally stated simply, already knowing the answer as he stared at her back.
"Of course I'm mad." she breathed out in a huff. "Dick is my best friend, at least I thought he was. We've never gone this long without talking before and his silence...it hurts Wally. I never told him that we couldn't be friends because Zatanna broke up with him. For Pete's sake, I was friends with him long before Zatanna even moved to Gotham! The fact that he could just ignore me and push me away when all I wanted to do was be there for him and help him through a tough time hurts like hell. He's my best friend and I love him."
Wally smiled knowingly before wrapping his arms around her from behind as they both stared out over the balcony and over the top linings of buildings, off in the distance where the full moon could be seen in the distant sky. Artemis leaned back into his embrace as she listened to the sound of him breathing.
"I'll call him tomorrow." she decided. "It's been way too long and I want to get things back on the right path. This time, nothing is going to stop me from getting through to him. Not his job, not our marriage, not his celebrity status, and not even his relationship with Kori. I will fix things with him no matter what."
Wally smiled, but the smile quickly faded as his thoughts turned towards their other dilemma of the day. "Have you given any thought to your decision concerning Lawrence?"
"He's a vindictive son of a bitch Wally, and I hate him for all that he put me and my family through. Jade thinks I should abandon the situation entirely and leave him all alone to die, but I don't have it in me to do that. Whether I like it or not, Lawrence is my father. He is part of the reason that I even exist. Besides, he seemed genuine earlier about wanting to make amends. I still need a little more time to think, but I actually think that I'm going to help him after all."
Wally was silent as she came to her decision. He felt Artemis shifting within his embrace and he released her to fold his arms over his chest. She turned around to face him and he was immediately captivated by her beauty just like he had been many times before. This time however, the light from the full moon behind her seemed to enhance her beauty even more and made her glow in such a way that it stole his breath away. Her blonde tresses seemed to glow with a white hue under the moonlight and her eyes seemed to be a pale purple rather than their usual stormy gray. Artemis blushed under his intense gaze and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"What is it?" she asked with a soft smile.
Wally said nothing before pulling her back into his embrace and kissing her deeply, their chests pressing together as a moan escaped from both their lips. Artemis's head was spinning, her lungs constricting from the lack of air as her lips ground against Wally's in a gentle passion. Wally broke the kiss for a quick second before capturing her lips once more. He scooped her up into his arms bridal style and she didn't squeak or squeal like she normally would. Instead, she wrapped her arms securely around her lover's neck and deepened their kiss, sending him a response to his more than obvious message. The two of them had been so busy as of late, him with his book and her with her job, that they hadn't had enough time to enjoy each other and the feel of their bodies. They needed to ignite their closeness, their bond; and since their flight wasn't scheduled to leave until two the following afternoon, they had more than enough time to bring themselves back to a level of deep-seeded passion.
Wally carried Artemis back through the sliding door, closing it behind him with his foot while their lips never parted. He then gently laid her down onto the bed and pulled away from her to stare into her eyes. He made a grab for the light switch before rejoining her on the bed for a long, yet enjoyable evening they would spend between the hotel sheets, locked in each other's embrace.
"Hey there Mr. Atteberry. It's me, Artemis. I'm sorry, but I don't think I have it in me to come and meet with you at this time. I'm also sorry that you missed my call. I just wanted to say that...I will be accepting Lawrence's offer. I'd like to meet with you sometime soon so we can discuss what needs to be tended to in full detail. I'm sure there's more to handling Lawrence's affairs than collecting money that he has stashed away. I know he doesn't have much time left; and as much as I hate to admit it, I don't want him to die while I continue to harbor so much hatred towards him. I'm hoping to change all of that before his time is up. So in order to rectify the situation, I will be making a few trips back to Colorado within the approaching months to try and establish closure between the two of us. Please...tell him for me, okay? Bye."
Artemis sighed as she ended her message and stepped out of her car. She stared at her destination perched on its hill in all its glory before taking a deep breath to calm herself. The last thing she needed or wanted to do was to cause a huge scene from not being able to keep her temper in check. She looked at her reflection in the car window and smoothed out the wrinkles in her yellow Hollister shirt before tightening her hair tie to secure her ponytail. She then headed to the front door and rang the bell. It opened a few seconds later, the person on the other side staring at her in surprise that quickly turned into delight.
"Madame Artemis, it's great to see you. What brings you to Wayne Manor?"
"I'd like to see Dick Alfred. It's time we have a little chat."
A/N: And there you have it folks. Dick and Artemis are about to speak to each other for the first time since Dick and Zatanna's nasty split. Wondering if the truth behind his and Zee's split will come out? Leave me a review and you might just find out. Until next time!
-KairiAngel13
