A/N: I apologize to anyone who lost brain cells while reading Jeremy's letter. But think of it this way you only had to read it once I had to write it… multiple times. I understand that Artemis might seem a little OOC at the beginning but he is VERY freaked out.

Italic are either Artemis' thoughts or emphasis on a word.

WARNING: SLIGHT GORE IN BEGINNING

If you recognize it from the books I don't own it!

Chapter 6: Early Morning Wake-up Call and an Interrogation

St. Bartelby's School for Young Adults. October 24, 4:30am

*Artemis opened his eyes to find he didn't have any idea where he was. He quickly looked around and saw that he was in a large room where most of the overhead lighting was out, but a few strips flickered on and off sporadically. He continued to look around for a way out when he spotted two large double doors to his left. He was about to make his way to them when several loud cracks cut through the air. He turned around quickly and saw a lone humanoid figure crumple face down to the ground with a loud thud and bleeding as insane laughter echoed off the walls around him. It was a familiar sound but he couldn't place it. The logical side of his mind screamed for him to run to the doors but his curiosity got the better of him and he began to cautiously make his way to the bloody figure sprawled across the floor. He was about twenty yards from the mystery figure when one of the lighting strips above it flickered to life, shining light on it revealing the figures light brown hair streaked with gold and a black wristband. Artemis momentarily froze in place as realization sunk in. ROSE! His mind screamed.

He then began to run toward his injured friend as fast as his body would move. As he ran he felt as if feet could find no purchase on the ground and it even appeared that Rose was getting farther from him. The insane laughter around him increased in volume.

"ROSE!" He shouted as he ran trying to get some kind of reaction out of her to prove she wasn't-no he couldn't think like that.

"ROSE!" he tried again, He was concentrating so hard on getting to Rose that he failed to notice the tears spilling onto his cheeks. He then dug deep and brought every last ounce of energy he had forward and with a burst of strength propelled himself forward and finally managed to reach his destination. Artemis fell to his knees beside his friend and reached out a hand to her shoulder.

"No! Please Rose, no!" he said through his tears. He then turned her over onto her back and began to cry harder at the sight before him. Rose, His Rose had several gunshot wounds to her torso and now lay motionless and pale on the ground before him, her blue eyes held no light and stared off into space. He checked her for breathing and found there was none. He then checked her pulse and found that was also absent. His friend was dead. Artemis couldn't hold back his emotions any longer, curled into a ball and sobbed uncontrollably covered in Rose's blood, the insane laughter continuing around him, when a final gun shot ripped out and…*

Artemis shot up in his bed his breathing ragged. He quickly looked around in a panic taking in his surroundings. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that he was in his bead at St. Bartelby's. He then put his head into his hands and noticed the moisture on his cheeks. He had been crying? Suddenly all of the memories of the horrible nightmare he had came rushing back to him: being in the room alone, the gun shots, the horrible laughter, and Rose-ROSE! Artemis shot out of his bed at the memory of Rose clod and lifeless on the floor of that room. Even though it was all a dream Artemis knew that the image of Rose dead and bloody would be with for him for the rest of his life. He knew it was all a dream and that Rose was safe in her bed sleeping, but he just had to make sure. He picked his phone and quickly selected her number from his contacts. He paced his room as the phone rang four times then sent him to her answering machine; he then hung up without leaving a message and tried again only to receive the same results. He began to panic, what if something really was wrong.

He checked his bedside clock and for the first time noticed the time, it was 4:37 am. He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxers, shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed a button down shirt and pulled it on over his bare chest as he nearly ran out the door of his dorm. As he ran the logical side of his mind was saying that this was idiotic, that he was acting like a five year old running to his parent's room after a bad dream, and that Rose was fine, but that side of his mind was over shadowed by the illogical side screaming for him to move faster and make sure she was okay. Minutes later he arrived at her dorm and saw that there was a light on inside. He ran up to the door and knocked. After a few minutes and no answer he knocked again, this time louder. A few seconds later he heard a sound from inside but she didn't come to the door. He knocked on the door a third time so loud he was almost banging on it. A minute later the door flew open revealing a bleary eyed and disheveled Rose wearing a pair of black and red basket ball shorts, a black tank-top and hefting a baseball bat while shouting:

"What the Hel-! Artemis? What the hell are you doing here?" she then lowered the bat. Artemis was so relieved to see that Rose was alright that he almost rushed forward and hugged her, but he restrained the urge. Deep down he knew she would be fine and that he was being irrational but he needed to see it for himself. He then realized that Rose had been prepared to hit him with a bat. So he avoided her question and asked his own.

"First, may I ask why you are holding a bat?"

"If someone is banging on your door at 4:40 in the morning are you going to just open the door, or are you going to grab the nearest blunt object?" she asked. "Besides I keep the bat by the door for just that reason, or uh, one like it."

"I see." Artemis said.

"So are you going to answer my question?" Rose asked placing the bat just inside the door. Artemis decided to play dumb and gave her a confused expression. "What are you doing here?" She repeated. She then smirked. "Or did you decide to come over and wake up the entire school for no reason?" She said her vice dripping with sarcasm. Artemis couldn't tell her the real reason why he came over, it would be to embarrassing for him, and would seem creepy to her. Then an idea popped into Artemis's mind.

"Well you see Rose I woke up and realized I left my jacket here earlier." He knew it was a horrible excuse but it was all he had. Rose then ran a tired hand through her hair.

"Let me get this strait, you came over to my dorm at 4:40 in the morning, because you left your jacket here?" It was clear she found this hard to believe.

"It's a very expensive jacket, my moth…my mom gave it to me for my birthday." He added lamely. Rose continued to stare at him in disbelief.

"Wait here." She said as she shut the door and walked back into her dorm. She appeared moments later and shoved Artemis' jacket into his hands.

"Here." She said. "And Arty, next time you leave something here, no matter what it is, just wait until morning and get it then." Artemis nodded.

"I will. And I'm sorry to have to disturbed you Rose." He said as he turned to leave. "I'll see you at breakfast." He called over his shoulder.

"See you at breakfast Arty." She said back. Before she shut the door Artemis herd her mutter: "I wasn't planning on getting much damn sleep tonight anyway."

9:15am That Same Morning, Breakfast

Artemis was sitting in the dinning area picking at an omelet when Rose plopped down on the bench next to him. When he looked at her he immediately noticed how tired she looked. While he clothes and hair looked as they normally did, her face and body language told another story. She was slumped over her food, with her hands supporting her head. She had bags under her eyes, and yawned every few seconds. Apparently though Artemis wasn't the only one who noticed because before he could ask what was wrong his friend, their friend Ally Wilson-a shorter girl with raven black hair, green eyes, and was very sarcastic yet kind-beat him to it.

"Rose, are you okay?" She asked. Rose's head snapped up.

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine Ally." She then gave her friend a smile a four year old could see through.

'Cut the crap Rose," Ally said. "You look like you've been hit by a freight train."

Actually Ally, if I had been hit by a freight train I would look like a bloody, mass of splattered teenager on train tracks somewhere." Rose said with a smug look.

"Smartass." Ally said. "So, now that you've made fun of me are you going to tell us what's wrong?" Rose opened her mouth to protest that anything was wrong but Artemis cut her off.

'Rose, we all know that you are not "fine" as you put it so tell us.What's wrong?"

"I didn't sleep very well last night, or the night before, but honestly I'll be fine." She told them but Artemis wasn't fooled.

'You didn't sleep well or you didn't sleep at all?" He asked looking her over.

"What dose it matter Arty?" She asked exasperated.

"So not at all then." Artemis concluded with a smug smile, while Rose glared at him. Ally then spoke up.

"Wanna tell us why you haven't been sleeping the past few nights?"

"It's not a big deal." Rose said with a shrug.

"Rose," Artemis said concerned. "Not sleeping at all for more than one night is unhealthy. We're worried for your health. Please, tell us."

"It's just some old nightmares coming back for a visit." She said offhandedly. Ally and Artemis were unconvinced. "It's just a few days without sleep guys. I'm a big girl I can take care of myself."

"How many days is a few?" Artemis pressed. Rose looked down and muttered something.

"Pardon?" Artemis asked. Rose muttered something again, a bit louder.

"A little louder Rose." Ally prompted.

"Four!" She repeated loudly.

"Four days with no sleep?" Ally asked shocked. Rose nodded. "I'm surprised you can still function." Ally admitted.

"Well I've gotten a little bit of sleep over the past few days, a few minutes here, a half hour there."

"Rose this is very unhealthy." Artemis said in a calm voice. "Your body needs sleep or you will collapse." Ally nodded her agreement.

"If it will cause the interrogation to cease when I'm done eating I'll go take a nap. Happy?" she asked glaring at her friends.

"Happy-er." Artemis responded. "I'll be completely happy when you get a full night sleep." Rose ran a hand through her hair.

"Look, it's not like I'm out partying each night trying to avoid sleep." She told them. "I lay in my bed all night trying to a decent amount of restful sleep, but instead of sleep I get to revisit old nightmares."

"Nightmares about what?" Ally pressed.

"They're always different. Sometimes I'm watching those I care about being hurt and I can't do anything, sometimes I'm reliving painful memories." She said. As she spoke she reached up and put a hand on her right shoulder. When she noticed Artemis saw this action she pretended to be stretching a muscle in her back, but Artemis knew the reason why she had done it. And while he was calm on the outside inside he was enraged. Now Hawthorn is giving her nightmares! I just might have to send Butler to visit this imbecile after all.

Rose then stood up and addresses her friends. "I'm going to try and get some rest." She said. "I'll see you guys later." She turned and left the dinning area. After Rose left Artemis began to think about if there was something he could do to help Rose sleep. Suddenly an idea struck him. Artemis stood and turned to Ally who was finished eating as well. He was about to excuse himself when she spoke.

"Well Artemis I have some homework to finish up, so I'll see you in class tomorrow." She waved then walked off. Artemis nodded and set off in the other direction. If his plan was going to work he needed to work fast.

A/N: So what did everyone think? I think it's odd that over 600 people read this story and I only get 30 reviews, most of which are from the same people. Those of you who continue to review THANK YOU! To those of you who haven't COME ON! It only takes two minutes at the most!