Well I managed to update this story a lot quicker then usual because I had a few chapters prepared beforehand so as much as I would love to be able to do this all the time I fear this won't be a regular occurrence. I would like to thank SpitfireChick, j9162, Kamil the Awesome, Prnyctina1091, RockyLover, randomkitty101, violingirl56, Bookwork2700, RinShade, Geist1321, Dextra2, noaverageangel and Irenerbfor their support. I would love to do my usual indiviual thank yous but I really don't have the time at the moment. Anyways I hope you all enjoy the chapter. :)

Thanks to silent reviewers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or its characters.

Chapter 2: Grounded

To say Wally was seething would be an understatement. The little six year old was consumed with uncontrollable rage as his parents showed the thing around his house. It was only a small comfort that the blonde haired girl was just as confused about everything as he was. Everything they showed her confused her as she watched with rapt fascination as they took her on a tour. Until finally they ended up at the guest room soon to be the thing's. This was his domain and it was being polluted by an outsider and he was not happy.

"And this Artemis, will be your room." Mary instructed as she opened the door and the girl stared in awe.

"It's huge!" she exclaimed before sobering, "And it's…mine."

Mary and Rudolph shared a look. "Yes, dear. All yours. So tomorrow we're going to get you some new clothes and then we need to enroll you in school. Do you remember your grade or what classes you were taking?"

The smile dropped from Artemis's face and she immediately found her hands more interesting then anything else in the room. "School?" she muttered tentatively her hands fisting in the fabric of her overalls.

"Yes."

"I've never been. My mom taught me some but she's gone."

Mary gasped but hastily patted her head. "Don't worry we'll get this sorted out. But before that, Wally do you want to show Artemis your room?"

"No!"

"Wally," sighed his mother leaning down, "I know things are going to be a little different. But you have to be a big boy."

Wally pouted scrunching up his nose before sourly muttering, "Come on, Arty."

"That's not my name." She corrected following after him dodging the foot that tried to trip her.

"This is my house and you're Arty," stated Wally pressing his tiny palms into his hips as they stood together in his room. "I'm your big brother and that means you have to listen to what I say."

"What's your birthday?" questioned the blonde pivoting on her heels and jutting out her hip.

"What!?"

"When is your birthday. We're both six only one of us can be older."

"November 11."

Artemis grinned wickedly, "I'm older! Mine's in September."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!" sputtered Wally before going red with indignation, "That's not fair! MOM!"

Click. Both children turned around horrified after their screaming match to find Mary West with a camera standing in the doorway, an amused Rudy not far behind.

"Memories," sighed Mary ecstatically much to the misery of the two children present in room. Neither of them was too thrilled that this moment had been immortalized forever. In fact, neither of them wanted anything to do with the other.

"Now," began Mary sternly, "Rudy and I are going to complete Artemis's room and you two are going to play together nicely. No funny business, okay?"

"Sure." Muttered both kids with forced grins. Left alone Wally was prepared to get into another verbal sparring match with the blonde nightmare but was surprised to find she had already crawled up onto his bed and was proceeding to mess up his blanket.

"Hey! Get off!"

The girl snorted and then pointed up at his ceiling fascinated. "Are those stars?"

"Yes, duh," stated Wally crawling up beside her. "They glow in the dark."

She raised an eyebrow mockingly, "You're still scared of the dark, Wal-ly?"

"No!" he sputtered, "My dad helped me put them up so they matched this photo in a book. See that's the Big Dripper." He explained pointing to a random cluster of stars. His bedfellow was silent beside him and when he turned his infantile mind was shocked by the look of utter thrill on her small face; as if she had just been given the most incredible gift – it was the same expression her face had held when his parents asked if she would like to come home with them. It was like she couldn't believe there were such nice people.

"Tell me another," she exclaimed excitedly.

"Uh, uh, that one is," he frantically tried to recall another one, "Bear. Yeah. Bear."

"This was a dumb idea."

"Well adults are stupid," responded Wally to her strange question before blinking rapidly, "You're not right it's just a fact."

"Yeah," she muttered quietly. "You can't trust'em."

"We're not friends," Wally clarified bluntly.

"I know farthead."

"Quit calling me that. Arty."

"Farthead."

"Arty."

"Hey farthead, tell me another one." She said pointing towards the "sky."

Wally frowned stubbornly but obliged he loved being able to act smarter then other people, especially dumb, non-sister blondes. "Well that's Scorpio. He's a big scorpion…"

If two hours later after finally managing to put the stubborn IKEA bed together both parents went to make sure the two rascals hadn't killed each other and Mary took a picture of the two slumbering kids who was to know.

"There," grinned Mary after finally wrestling Artemis's hair into two pigtails, "Now don't you look pretty for your first day of school." She sighed blissfully looking down at the little princess she had just managed to produce. Mary had always wanted a daughter she could dress up in frilly clothes and chiffon dresses and as she inspected her work she couldn't help but feel proud at the adorableness that Artemis had become.

"You look sooooo stupid!" cackled Wally from his chair clapping his pudgy hands, smeared with jam happily as Artemis struggled to move her arms in the monstrous, frilly pink dress that Marry had dressed her in. Artemis didn't have the heart to stop her foster parent as she had excitedly dressed her for her first day ever of school but as she glared angrily at Wally she was deeply regretting it. She looked ridiculous if Jade could see her she'd fall over laughing. Her father…well he'd have a legitimate reason to disown her.

"Wally," admonished Mary, "She looks very pretty not stupid." Crossing her arms defensively Artemis stuck her tongue out at Wally.

"At least I'm not jammed." She responded miserably scuffling forward in the impossibly large dress. It was a torture device. Her hair hurt. Her feet hurt from the uncomfortable Mary Janes. All Artemis wanted to do was rip the dress to shreds but she resisted. These people had taken her in. They were even going to send her to school. She'd always wanted to go, even if she was going to be a grade below the farthead. These people were taking care of her till her father either showed up to kidnap or kill her – might as well milk it.

"Alright you two, settle down. Now Artemis I'm going to drive you and Wally to school and he's going to show you to Ms. Appleton's class."

Wally smirked with superiority. "Ha! I'm smarter then you." Artemis kicked the leg of his chair and he toppled off into a heap.

"Artemis," said Mary sternly helping her yowling son up, "That wasn't very nice."

"Sorry."

Wally snorted but begrudgingly said no more as his mother lead them to the car and buckled them into their booster seats.

"You're going to love school," he taunted once Mary had dropped them off. "Lots of nice people but you'll never catch up to me."

Artemis looked at him suspiciously but declined to comment as she tugged at the hem of the dress uncomfortably. As she stubbornly tugged the skirt forward it rode up in the back and Artemis embarrassingly tried to stuff it back down.

"Why do girls wear dresses?" questioned Wally observing her antics.

"I don't know," huffed Artemis miserably. "They suck."

"Here," said Wally reaching into his backpack and pulling out the shorts from his gym uniform. Shocked Artemis just stared at the offering as if waiting for it to bite her. "Do you want them or not?" He questioning waving them.

"Yes!" She ripped them from his hands and slid them on beneath the dress right in the middle of the hallway much to the horror of some of teachers watching their exchange.

"Now you look double stupid."

"I don't care," she uttered before she sheepishly looked up at him. "Thanks, farthead."

"Yeah, whatever." He muttered scratching at his cheek and blushing slightly before walking away. "This is your classroom." Artemis looked dubiously at the door but pushed it open regardless. If Wally watched from around the corner to make sure she went inside she was the only one who noticed.

Everything about school fascinated Artemis, well everything, except the teacher's patronizing attitude. Apparently everyone knew her back-story. Apparently it was also the saddest thing to have happened to anyone in the history of the entire universe because the teacher kept sending her placating looks and treating her like an illiterate moron. She might not have gone to school or know as much as her peers academically but she knew how to count and make words. She wasn't a baby.

"And this is a chalkboard," explained the teacher, "And your peer buddy to show you around is going to be Samantha. Right, Samantha?" Samantha nodded giggling behind her hand and Artemis sent the teacher a fake sugary smile dripping with innocence.

"Yay."

"We're going to have loads of fun," grinned the child beside her and Artemis just felt doubly uncomfortable. Here she was wearing some ridiculous outfit with kids almost two years younger then her. She felt like a freak.

"Lovely you've made a friend," cooed Ms. Appleton moving away to go unstick some four year olds. Artemis turned back towards Samantha and was shocked to see her across the room sniggering with some other girls.

"Hey, Art-e-mis," she chanted. "At recess I'm going to play with these guys so you'll be alone." It was the best news Artemis had heard all day as the bell rung behind her announcing their outdoor playtime. Stuffing her hands in the pockets of the shorts that Wally, pain that he was, had so graciously given her Artemis couldn't help but feel a small flicker of compassion towards her foster brother. At least he didn't treat her like china. As she scuttled around the playground seeking out something interesting to do, not really caring that her skirt had risen to an indecent position from her actions, she was startled to see Wally being cornered by the a group of older, and very clearly, meaner students. Artemis narrowed her eyes dangerously. She hated bullies, especially ones she could kick the butts of.

"Guys, guys," Wally muttered as he attempted to placate the group of Grade 1 students as they surrounded him. "I shouldn't have said your brains were rocks but I mean have you felt your fists. They're like boulders."

"Are you calling us stupid?" threatened one of the older boys brandishing a fist beneath Wally's nose as his cohorts looked on reluctantly. Clearly they were merely cowards trying to protect themselves by backing up Brody the current playground bully. "You're mean."

"Well since I don't push kids off swings," Wally paused digesting the now incredible irony of that comment. "Or threaten to take their lunch money, which is weird because we go home for lunch; I'd have to say you're mean."

"Smarty pants," sneered the older boy cuffing him on the arm. "No one likes a smarty pants." Generic bullies two and three cheered their approval as Brody pulled his arm back to deliver a blow. Wally closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable punch to land but it never did and squinting he was stunned to see standing in front of him, gripping the bully's fist, was Artemis and she was frowning.

"Back off."

"Ohhhhhh." sneered the older boy. "Girls doing all your fighting for you, nerd."

"Artemis," hissed Wally. He might not have been scared of the bullies but he was terrified of what his mother would do to him if he let anything happen to Artemis. She was a girl. "Stop. I'm older I can handle it."

"For the last time, farthead," she hissed back vehemently, "I'm older." With that she simply dove at the hoard of bullies and Wally watched transfixed with fascinated horror as Artemis systematically punched and kicked each groaning child with deadly accuracy that looked like the moves performed by the cops on those late night TV shows he wasn't supposed to watch. It wasn't until one of the boy grabbed hold of her hair yanking her back that she let out a hellish scream and sunk her teeth into his forearm with fierce determination.

"My God!" yelled the teacher on duty horrified as she came over to examine the fuss and commotion. "You! Stop biting that child!" Wally could only watch with stupefied awe (because really this was one of the coolest things he had ever witnessed except for watching Flash on the news) as they pried a kicking and screaming Artemis away from Brody and his crew. "Who on Earth started this?"

In all honesty the correct answer was it was probably Wally's fault he had, after all, been the one who provoked the boys in the first place but his reputation as a perfect student would be tarnished if he even so much as said a word and the boys most certainly weren't going to take the fall, shockingly, as if sensing his distress Artemis stated. "It was me."

"What on Earth!" fumed Mary as she ushered the two children inside the house an hour later. Artemis was mud smudged and the dress Mary had so painstakingly placed her in was torn into tatters, pigtails long gone as she silently followed Mary into the house. "Honestly, Artemis what on Earth possessed you to assault those boys? What or who provoked them?" She sent Wally a rather displeased look, since she clearly knew who had the ability to whip a bunch of thugs into a frenzy without getting caught.

Artemis gripped the dirty fabric of the dress sending Wally a fleeting look when his mother's back was turned as she could dampened a washcloth to clean the blonde off.

"They bugged me so I hit them."

"Uh huh," said Mary again sending Wally a skeptical look. "You didn't even know them."

"Don't need to know'em, to know they bugged me." Mary raised an eyebrow and Wally gulped wondering if his mother had mastered the ability to read minds.

"Fine," she sighed beginning to scrub at Artemis's face. "You're grounded for a month. No TV, no video games, no playing with friends." Artemis shrugged it off, probably because she had never had any of those luxuries to understand what she was missing. Wally was fairly certain he wouldn't have been able to last twenty-four hours without the mind numbing joy of the boobtube. "I'm very disappointed and we are going to have to have a talk about how to behave properly in this household. Now go to your room." Wally's stomach flipped uncomfortably, guilt beginning to creep in.

"Is there something you'd like to add Wally?" asked Mary once Artemis was out of earshot.

"No," he responded nervously. "I'm going to go to my room."

Mary raised an eyebrow, they both knew Wally's favorite TV shows were on – The Animanaics and Power Rangers. Wally never missed those shows if he could help it. But whatever she thought of his strange behavior she simply watched him leave the kitchen and climb the stairs.

"Hey," muttered Wally nervously sticking his head in Artemis's bedroom. She was sitting there staring out the window.

"Hey."

"What are you looking at?"

"A robin. She's making a nest."

Wally dragged his foot against the ground looking at a particularly interesting knot in the floorboards. "You didn't have to do that."

Artemis shrugged. "No biggie."

Wally frowned. "It was!" Artemis arched an eyebrow. "I mean you got grounded for me." Artemis just looked at him like he was crazy.

"Why wouldn't I do it?"

"I don't know because being grounded sucks!" He gestated animatedly. "No snacks. No TV. Pure torture."

Artemis shrugged. "I figured why should they be mad at their real son when they could be mad at me?" Wally felt a weird sort of annoyance and guilt flush his small body. He couldn't believe this girl was that stupid. Who does that kind of stuff? But he appreciated it nevertheless.

"Okay, fine," said Wally crossing his arms. "But next time we fight the bullies together." He began to walk away but turned back. "You're pretty cool, for a girl. You aren't a terrible sort-of sister. Although we aren't friends, understand?"

Artemis's face melted into a warm smile, the first one he'd seen all day. She looked so pleased at those words as she fiddled with the ends of her hair. His heart swelled at the gesture. "Thank you fart-Wally."

"Hey I can totally sneak some snacks up here? Chicken Whizzees or fruit by the foot? There's no end to the fun."

Mary watched happily from the stairwell as the two children talked amicability about their plan to exact revenge on the bullies and not get caught. They had finally connected (sort of), now all she had to do was figure out how to stop the girl from turning into another Wally.

Feel free to review, comment and critique. A friendship of sorts is starting to form. Wonder what kind of mischief these two can get up to. :P