A/N: Alright. This chapter. Then one more. Then it's over. My challenge will be complete. Keep calm and carry on my wayward son.

Disclaimer: Do you own this? Nope, me either. Song inspiration is by Honor Society.

Rock With You

"Training," Canary commands from her side of the room, her gestures indicating to Robin and Kid Flash where they're fighting in a flurry of quick, almost-scripted motions, "is a vital part of why you're all here. Any one of you can kick any bad guy to the curb, but we want to make sure that you won't make any mistakes and that you won't kill yourselves in the process."

Artemis's face is just mouthing "blah blah blah". And it's not like she's wrong. We've heard this same lecture probably a hundred times before. Still, it's hard to keep a straight face when her expression is all sloppy and bored.

"Robin, Kid, you can stop any time now." Now Canary looks annoyed. The boys are disturbing her lecture; it's actually kind of funny.

"Just let me hit his face-"

"Ha, yeah right, that'll never hap-"

"Wanna bet, you bottomless pit?" Robin takes a leap over Kid Flash's shoulders and, in one quick, basically gravity-defying twist, he manages to slam his feet into Wally's back and slap him to the floor. And still, before Rob can get a punch in, Wally's up and away with his fight or flight reflex.

"Can you two at least take it outside?" suggests Black Canary, pointing towards the door.

"Uh-huh."

"Sure."

"Just wait until I get your face, birdbrain?"

They're gone in a rush of feet and blurs of yellow and red.

Now Dinah turns on us. Artemis's face is now surprisingly calm and attentive; she's quick to recover from mocking our mentor. "Since M'gann is off on a Martian holiday and-"

Kaldur raises his hand. Raises his hand. I almost chuckle. But I don't. It's an Earth thing and he's somehow picked up on it through the rest of us. And when Canary nods to him, he quietly says, "I was requested for a meeting with Batman within the next twenty minutes. If it is alright, I would like to skip training today, Black Canary. I apologize for not warning you earlier."

She gives him a soft smile and just nods, even waving him off with one hand. "I'd rather not get Batman all riled up just because I kept you busy."

Kaldur is gone with a kind nod and a silent "thank you" to Canary.

"So," she sighs, rubbing her forehead with one hand; the other hand is on her hip. "-this training session is basically wasted. If you two want to spar, go ah-"

"Bring it on," barks Artemis right away, already snapping into a battle-ready position. Her fists are up, already taped to throw some punches without too much damage. Her eyes are fierce as something of a smirk paints her Asian features.

I'm not all-too convinced that she's ready to take me on, and I'm about to protest when Canary's voice rings out, already distant: "Don't forget to tap out, you two." Then a zeta-tube announces her departure.

"Artemis-"

"What?" she says, and I can already hear her heart thundering in excitement, the adrenaline coursing through her veins. I can even count the beats per second, which is strange to be noticing. "You don't want to fight? Trust me, Conner, I can take a few hits."

I'm aware. I've seen her bruises. And the few times with the influence of the SHIELDs, I could see an x-ray of her bone structure, and every fracture and healed bone was crystal clear. "I just think we should take a break for the d-"

She's already coming at me. In a quick turn, I've taken a kick to the face and her ponytail has slapped me in the aftermath of her spin. Then she's low and I try to get a hold of her gorgeous blonde hair, but then my feet have suddenly vanished and my face is on the ground. The air is knocked out of me, but I just huff and look up at her satisfied smile. "You asked for it, Crock."

I can't tell if it's a wince or if she's just getting prepared, but her face twists up and then she's taking a few steps away. Artemis gets ready again. "Come on, Con."

Charging isn't an option, so instead I just stand up slowly and try to lumber forward slightly in the process, expecting that she may be caught off-guard if I can get close enough and lunge-

-and I do. I manage to push up fast enough to catch her off-guard. I catch her stomach and get to throw her to the ground, to hold her down. I've got one of her arms pinned to the floor while the other just tries to limply shove me off. "Come on, Artemis," I snap back.

She grins this wide, Cheshire grin. And then her legs are up around my head, twisting me down, pushing me to the ground, and it only stings, but then she's on top, holding me down. And as much as my instinct screams for me to kick her off, I know I'd probably break a rib or two. So I don't.

Instead of responding, I just try to search for alternatives until Artemis leans in real close and says, "How's that for a human?"

Her husky voice and the breath on my ear is enough to murder my self-control. "It's great," I murmur back, knowing my words are hot on her cheek. "You're not too bad at this."

"Been trained since I was six or so." Suddenly, she's off me. My body's cold without her so close. Instead, she's standing above. The light is hitting her just right: it's not helping. "I would hope I'm 'not too bad'." And she chokes on a laugh while reaching a hand down to help me up, knowing full well that I can get up on my own. Still, I take her hand.

Artemis continues, her voice still low. "After all, I just beat you."

Then I keep her hand and clench it tight, pulling her over my shoulders and holding her there like a yoke minus the buckets of water on each side. "But I gain the upper hand," I reply with a smirk, carrying her towards the kitchen.

"Plot twist," she laughs, one arm just barely escaping my grasp because she's so thin and that arm gets around my neck. Then her muscles clench and tighten. Suddenly, it's a lot harder to breathe. "I win."

After a few seconds of trying to escape without dropping her (because if I drop her, I know I'm done for), I have to tap out. Two quick touches on the other wrist that I still have and she releases, then dropping to the floor as I let her go in order to find more air.

A coarse laugh stabs the air, breaking through the whizzing of machines and the general mountains sounds. Without warning, her words are in my ear: "By the way, I could feel your heartbeat, Conner." Artemis's hands are suddenly grazing my exposed arms and tracing the curvatures of my muscles; I feel naked at her touch. "I know."

For a long time, she's been a magnet. I'll be kissing Megan and wishing her hair was longer so that I can run my fingers through it and wishing she were blonde so that the light would make her seem angelic. Really, I've just been wishing for Artemis. Now she's here, in my grasp, so close, close enough to touch…

The sound of a purr is in my ear. "Your heart rate is ridiculous right now."

"I blame you," I manage to say with a level voice.

"You want me to back off?" she questions, walking her fingers along the side of my neck while the other hand is already in my hair, fingering it, playing with it.

I swallow hard. "No."

"Then you need," she whispers, "to settle down, Conner."

And I do.

It only takes a few moments for her lips to find my neck.

A/N: Review?

~Sky