A/N:….. SURPRISE. No, I'm not dead. I could give millions of reasons why I haven't written, but it's mostly 99% being LAZYASF, and the other 1% being I started university, and the transition's almost like going through the wardrobe to Narnia and instead of having fun, magical creatures that speak human, it's assignments due every week.

I just can't believe it's been a year since I first uploaded this fic and I am still so grateful for the reviews and messages that you've all taken from your time to leave for me, it's so amazing and encouraging to read and I can't thank everyone enough.

I've been trying not to touch the older chapters, knowing I've improved in the past year (surprisingly) and having cringed when I accidentally read the first chapter. But still, I mostly want to finish it first before I edit, making it come to the end that we all know and love from Season 1, and I would love hearing suggestions from all of you.

Don't hesitate to leave any reviews or PM me if you want! Thank you all so much!

Chapter 18: Christmas

Surprisingly for Artemis, asking her mother for permission to spend the rest of her Christmas night at Wally's was not as difficult as she'd thought it'd be.

Perhaps it was a way to officially make up to her, for letting her think she'd earned her spot on the Team when it had been so easily bought. However, Artemis had been hoping her mom would have said no, to spare her from the weirdness of Wally's invite.

She'd tried not to dwell on the slightly overjoyed glint in her mom's eyes, nor the slight smirk that had been etched on her face as she'd mentioned his name, even when she'd made it clear: it was just a polite invitation. Strictly platonic. And that she wasn't too keen to attend.

Still, that didn't stop Paula from dressing her up in a way that was too uncomfortable for her 'just friends, but right now I don't know what we are' relationship with Wally. Although she technically lost, Artemis liked to think she'd won somehow, managing to stand her ground about wearing a skirt, since heels were annoying enough without having to pull the fabric of a skirt down her legs every five seconds.

It was almost seven when Paula was finally satisfied with how she looked, and though Wally had texted her earlier- something along the lines of 'pick you up at 8 at the Cave'- some rebellious streak in her wanted to go by her own terms.

She had decided that she wouldn't care, not even a little, if the speedster ran in the snow to show up at the Cave, only to discover her missing and make his way back from the unnecessary trip through the icy winds. It was petty and immature, that she knew, but Artemis never sold herself as a saint. Although she'd put her negative, close-minded views of herself aside, she couldn't deny that Wally's easy mistrust of her had hurt. Even though it was understandable -she'd never trust herself either- it was easier to be angry at him than listen to the intangible mess that was her conscience.

The archer had been trying to keep her distance recently, mostly because she had never wanted- or expected- to grow closer to the redhead, and to have to go through the confusing feelings she'd had before that Cheshire mission was unwanted. It had been hard enough seeking approval from herself without subconsciously looking for it in others, and especially in Kid Moron.

She had thought that she would've been able to handle it, to stay distant and accept things as how they were after she'd 'betrayed' them- and to say no. But Wally's earnest eyes as he'd tried to awkwardly tell her something without saying it, somehow had her agreeing to this dinner and the more awkwardness that was bound to follow.

So, after putting on her coat and waving her mom goodbye, she left and walked as fast as she could to the nearest zeta-tube, hoping irrationally that she'd make it to Wally's without being seen or being intercepted by him. But seeing as she was in Gotham, and Wally had no reason to be in Gotham because she 'lived' in Star City, she didn't know what she was so afraid of. She looked over her shoulders periodically, as if she would find an annoying redhead zooming past her if she only peered closer at the snow drifts.

For fifteen years, she'd never been bothered by her past, her upbringing, nor her parents' backgrounds, but for the first time in her life, keeping her secrets had never felt neither as tedious nor as annoying as it felt now.

She had made up her mind to stay in the Team, and she knew if they were to find out that her family were all cons- except her mom- she would no doubt shoulder most suspicions of being the mole. Especially with tensions running so high in the group, all fingers would point to her regardless of how hard she would try to explain and prove herself.

Remembering the last trip she'd made to Wally's with Robin, she navigated the streets until she caught sight of the familiar suburban house. She approached the warm glow of the West's family home, her nerves of steel shattering and she found herself shifting her weight to her other foot as she waited just outside the fence. It wasn't that she didn't want to go in. Well, some part of her didn't, but it was overridden by her typical 'let's get this over with' voice of consciousness. There was still a nagging feeling that she was an unwelcome guest despite Wally's invitation, and as much as she had enjoyed previously the normality of his family, what was she, among family and famed superheroes that had really earned their place amongst them?

Just a week ago, she'd been suspected a being the mole. And her place on the team seemed unnecessary. She was an unneeded addition to the team, the deadweight; the one who had jeopardised and screwed up the mission because she'd cared too much about hiding her own secrets than sacrificing for the greater good.

She was biting her lip, until she remembered the red lipstick that her mother had applied on her before, and was about to take another step closer to the porch when the front door opened to reveal the speedster himself. Artemis had expected him to be at the Cave. Or at least be on his way back dejectedly.

He was yelling into the house- saying goodbye- and Artemis had only blinked for a second when Wally- in all his freckled glory- was suddenly skidding to a stop in front of her. The momentum of his exit caused the white blanket on the roof to come tumbling down, partially covering the porch stairs with a small hill of snow.

"Artemis?" His eyes were wide, and though he'd only been out in the cold for a couple seconds, his nose was already turning into the same shade as his sweater- which was undeniably red like his usual vigilante uniform.

The archer hadn't realised how cold it was, and she surprised herself when she caught her teeth chattering. Wally continued on, eyeing her with bewilderment. "I was going to pick you up, why didn't you wait?"

Her reason being that she had wanted to be independent and piss him off-despite knowing beforehand that it had been immature- suddenly seemed like such a stupid move, that she felt her cheeks flush with heat almost painfully against the freezing temperature.

"Because," she could only mumble, still shivering, and Wally's confusion and curiosity was instantly overshadowed by his concern.

"You should've just came in if you'd been out-" he gestured to the almost two-feet high snow drifts along his shovelled pathway, before eyeing her with a frown. "-here. Exactly how long have you been out here anyways?"

The archer tried to shrug, but all she could muster was a noncommittal grunt. His frown deepened and he took her wrist gently as she started to pull her frozen form into the house.

For someone with extremely quick reflexes, which must've been impaired by the freezing weather, Artemis was too caught off guard to protest and pull her hand away. Her joints were stiff with embarrassment- or hypothermia- and it wasn't until the door closed behind her that she finally let out a shaky breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"Too long," she managed through her shuddering.

They had paused at the entrance, standing there awkwardly, before Wally realised that he was still holding tightly onto her wrist and released it abruptly with a rising blush to his face.

She'd dressed up for tonight. That had been the first thing he had noticed when he'd almost bumped into her outside. His porch lights weren't exactly the brightest, but even in the dimness of the evening he'd seen enough to know that she'd dressed up. She'd let her hair down- something he didn't see often enough- and though Artemis wasn't the type to wear dresses, her pants still managed to accentuate her long and slender legs. Her lips that were moving with her chattering teeth were coloured red, unlike the blue tinge he was expecting from the cold; the bold red, he realised, really, really suited her light hair.

He cleared his throat as he not-so-subtly looked away from her after staring too long, and chose to focus instead on the embarrassing family portrait hanging behind her. "Want me to take your coat for you?"

Although her shivering had quietened somewhat, she still shook her head. "Thanks," she added hastily as an afterthought.

Their conversation, or lack of conversation, was bordering on awkward, with both of them acting like polite strangers and Wally almost wished she'd at least be her normal insulting and pissy self. Her cordiality was scaring him, and Wally was just about to ask if she wanted him to take her gloves when his mom bustled in with the familiar West grin on her face.

"Artemis, it's been a while."

To the blonde's surprise, the woman gave her a hug and kissed her cheek in welcome as the archer tried to reciprocate with a stiff pat on her back.

"Dinner's about to start, Wally sure picked you up quickly. Did you run?" Her last question was mostly aimed at her son, and Wally blushed at remembering the last time he'd ran with Artemis, considering she'd been in his arms.

"N-no, she showed up as I was leaving."

"No, I came here earlier."

To avoid him picking me up, she omitted, but they'd answered simultaneously in the same rushed tone that Artemis didn't miss the slow smile that bloomed on Mary's face.

It was quickly replaced by a scowl, however, when the words finally registered on her mind. "Wally West, you let a girl trek in below freezing temperatures to get here by herself? Alone? In the snow?"

"Well, technically I-"Wally cut himself off as his mother shot him a disapproving look, and he sighed, turning his darkened verdant eyes onto Artemis. "What I mean is, I'm sorry."

His mother nodded her approval, before leading them towards the lounge where the rest of the guests were waiting, and although the context and words themselves were innocent, Artemis couldn't help but feel the weight of his remorse underneath his light apology. And at that moment she knew, that this dinner was going to be one those mistakes, the ones that she'd either embrace or regret.