Probably the hardest chapter to write so far, this went through about four different draft stages with everyone reacting differently every time. Ugh. Thanks for all the support and lovely reviews, though. I'd send you all flowers if I could.
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The pair jumped apart as if spring loaded, and Wally was on a hair trigger as he and Artemis snapped their eyes to the door. Standing there was Cheshire, her mask pulled back. She was grinning.
"What are you doing?" Artemis asked, but she sounded more panicked than threatening as she tried to increase the distance between her and Wally.
"Thought I'd drop by, see how my little sister is coping..." She trailed off, staring at the dried blood just beneath Artemis' nose. Her eyes narrowed, her gaze swept to Wally, poisonous, then back to Artemis. "Did he-"
"No- no! It was... Dad."
Cheshire's expression darkened for a second, and Wally thought he saw a fist twitch, but then she was playful again, and raised an eyebrow at the two teens. "Well, obviously, you're a little... preoccupied."
Artemis went red. Her older sister sniffed the air.
"Is that Chinese?" Her eyes cut to the cardboard boxes on the cell floor. "Oh, Dad would be so mad if he knew..."
"But you won't tell him, right?" Artemis' voice went shrill. "You can't- if you do, I'll tell him about what you and that sidekick of Green Arrow's get up to..."
"You wouldn't." Cheshire's tone was icy, but Wally was still caught up on what Artemis had said.
"Wait, what-" he started, but was cut off by a sharp "Shut up!" From both girls.
"So... you won't tell dad, will you?" Artemis ventured.
The older girl snickered. "No, I've taken certain liberties in the past without father dearest having a clue. I think I'll let you treat your little pet hero."
"I'm not a pet!" Wally protested.
"Shut up." Said Cheshire and Artemis simultaneously.
The speedster sulked in the corner.
"So, what are you really doing here?" Asked Artemis.
"What, am I not allowed to look out for my little sister?" Cheshire feigned a wounded tone.
Her sister scowled. "It would make a change from the past sixteen years, so yes."
"All right then." The assassin leaned against the doorframe, casually inspecting her nails. "I'm here as more of a warning: dad's not been very happy with anything freckles here has had to say, so he's moving the day forward. To tomorrow."
"What?" Artemis was on her feet in a heartbeat. Yeah...what? Wally thought, clueless as to what Cheshire had just said, but not quite willing to speak up again.
"He's doing what?" Asked Artemis again, the tension in her voice almost tangible.
Her sister took a step backwards, her hands up in a gesture of peace.
"Woah there sis, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just relaying what dad said."
"Yeah, but that wasn't supposed to be for weeks! The Justic League hasn't even made contact yet-" Artemis was cut off by Cheshire.
"Contact? Arty, why would we talk to... ohhhhh." Realisation tickled the assassin's mouth into a perfect O, her smile having slipped away. "You don't know, do you?"
"Don't know what? About what?" Panic seeped into Artemis' voice and Wally was starting to feel it affect his composure. Cheshire's mouth pulled downwards, her eyes wandering away from her sister. "Negotiating with the Justice League was never part of the plan, little sis. Who would they swap for kid headache? Captain Cold? Don't think so. Anyone we've got in Belle Reve is there because they're part of some kind of plan, or they're not worth trading for loudmouth over here."
Wally would have opened his mouth to protest, but he was too busy digesting Cheshire's words. Artemis too, was silent.
"Dad doesn't want anyone out of prison. He doesn't want money, either." Cheshire continued. "He wants to make a statement. That was the plan- catch the little black ops team of sidekicks, get as much info out of them as possible, then send their bodies back to the League in tiny, tiny pieces."
Wally felt sick.
Artemis, however, seemed almost unaffected.
"You can delay him though, can't you?" She asked. "Just one more day, I need to-"
"Sorry sis, it was going to be tonight before I persuaded them otherwise; you're lucky you'll get to say goodbye."
This isn't real, Wally told himself, fighting the nausea that gripped his throat. It's another dream, you'll wake up and you'll be at home, none of this is happening, it can't be happening...
Cheshire shrugged away Artemis' words and was opening the door to leave when she stopped. "Oh right, one other thing."
Wally's heart sank. It couldn't be worse than it already was.
"Dad wants you to do it."
He was wrong.
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Cheshire slipped out of the cell and an unforgiving sense of hopelessness took her place. Wally watched as Artemis fell back against the cell wall, then slid to the floor, her eyes distant. He couldn't breathe, his thoughts circled his head like vultures.
I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die.
All at once it became too much and Wally fell forward onto his hands and began to retch. He was shaking all over, he couldn't think properly, it was just him and an overwhelming dread clenched around his neck.
I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die.
When he lifted his head, Artemis was still sat by the wall. One hand was clamped over her mouth, in a state of shock. Wally had no pity for her.
"You knew, didn't you?" He asked.
Without looking at him, Artemis nodded. Of course she had known what they planned to do, she was a Shadow... But judging from her reaction, she had known less than her sister.
"But you still helped me." Wally said.
Slowly, Artemis turned to face him, her eyes not quite meeting his, not yet. There was shame in the way she held herself.
"You're not going to... do it, are you?"
She shook her head.
"No, no- I promise you, I won't."
A candle flame's worth of hope flickered in Wally, then dissipated.
"Someone has to." He muttered.
Nobody spoke for several minutes.
It was Wally who sighed, then broke the silence.
"Y'know, there have been so many times I thought it'd be close, that the chance of getting out alive would be slim at best. But... I never really stopped and thought about it- the mission would finish and we'd debrief and that was it."
He tried to smile. It withered on his lips.
"I know, I'm supposed to be ready for this, dying is kind of an occupational hazard when you wear spandex and see Batman every other week. But I'm not, Artemis. I'm not ready. I've gone so long making it out with just bruises and a broken bone or two, I forgot how real everything is. I'm sixteen, I'm just a kid, so are you- when did we stop being kids?"
Artemis was shaking her head, she was moving to leave.
"No, I can't-"
"Please." Wally held out a hand, he wanted her to stay, he didn't want to be alone. "Just- don't go, Artemis. Can you do this for me? Can you just... stay?"
He looked up at her, all grey eyes and clenched fists and a lower jaw that was trying really hard not to tremble.
"Okay." She whispered, but she didn't sit back in the corner, or on the floor in front of him. Her back grazed the wall as she sat back down by his side and hooked an arm around his shoulder. Wally had forgotten what warmth had felt like and then it all became too much and more, he was cold and exhausted and battered and bruised and he hadn't seen his friends or family in so long and it hurt in the most brutal, most honest way possible, and he started to sob. Fat, lonely tears rolled down his cheeks and he buried his face in her shoulder, she let him, her other hand reaching up and smoothing his hair. Neither of them said anything, and all Wally could see were shining droplets falling, soaking into her shirt.
All but one he traced back to himself.
.
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This one was a little more sombre than the others, but with a good reason I guess.