A Shot in the Dark

by DrawnInTwilight

It's been three years since the Reach was defeated and expelled from the galaxy. But the after effects are still ringing loud for Artemis as she tries to move on with a new identity. When Nightwing comes up with a plan to get back what they lost, can she risk her heart to get Wally back? Or will she end up risking much more for the life they took from her?

6. Chapter 6

YJ - A Shot in the Dark (part 6)

Everything had been set. She knew how she was getting to the Wayne mansion, what outfit she was going to wear, and exactly what she was going to say to her favorite idiot. She'd actually practiced the conversation in front of her mirror several times through the week.

When Halloween finally arrived, she'd gone through the entire process of getting dressed in the crystal blue gown (complete with a delicate lace mask and blonde wing) that Dick had sent over and was fighting off that queasy feeling as she unburied her communicator when the phone rang. Cursing slightly, she lifted her cellphone instead.

"Ar-Uh, Park," she answered, instantly feeling the blush rise in her face.

"Linda, where are you?" the voice on the other end barked through the phone.

She glanced at the clock with a frown. "It's my night off, Len," she informed her boss dryly. "I'm about to head out."

"Well, get over here anyway," Len Sterling snapped. "Margo's got the flu and we need someone covering what's happening with the trick-or-trunk stint at the rec center."

"I've got plans!" she whined. "I can't just-."

"Oh, yes, you can," he growled. "If you want a job, you can!"

Artemis groaned. "Seriously?!"

She could practically feel his leering grin through the phone. "Your call, Park."

"Fine! Fine, I'll cancel my life for you," she spat. "But if you call me on Christmas, I'll take my pink slip and go work for channel five!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?" she sneered, a victorious smirk coming to her face. "I've got some friends over there who'd love to see me more often."

There was a moment of silence as the elder man mulled over his options, but a disgruntled grumble made her smile. "Alright, fine!" Len said. "Just get down here before I fire you on principle!"

"Sure," Artemis muttered with a sigh as the line cut off. "Great."

Another sigh escaped as her eyes fell to the communicator. M'gann had been ecstatic that she was going to be there, finally in an environment safe enough to be seen. Kaldur's voice had that underlying relief at the idea. Even Conner had conveyed some form of excitement about seeing her. She didn't even have to question Zatanna and Racquel's opinion, they'd contacted her barely two hours after she'd left her lunch with Dick. Hell, they were her answers on how to get there and back.

Now she just had to explain that her boss was a jerk. "Yeah," she mumbled. "This'll go over well."

Taking another steeling breath, she pressed the call button. "Artemis to Young Justice?"

"Yo! Young Justice here!" came an overly cheery voice seconds before a holographic screen appeared to show a young teenager peering too closely to the screen. "Impulse speaking! Artemis! You're alive! Right? You're alive?"

Artemis gave him a wry smile, of course this kid would be hopped-up on sugar already-and left in charge of the calls. "Yes, I'm alive."

"Bart, chill!"

The kid's face shrunk away, revealing more of the watch tower as a background and Bart's Ninja-turtle costume. Next to him was Jaime Reyes, dressed as a mobster, who'd clamped a hand on the youngest speedster's shoulder with a tired look which made it clear that the older teen had been locked in as Bart-sitter. Not that Jaime minded, but the guy seriously looked like he needed a vacation or maybe a six year nap.

Jaime's attention turned to the screen and he gave Artemis a smile. "Hey, Artemis," he said. "Headin to a zeta?"

"Not quite," she said slowly, though she returned the smile. "Any of my team there?"

"Your team?" Bart repeated, looking something between confused and thoughtful. "As in Alpha? The big-wigs? Half-leaguers? The originals? The sixthatyoustartedwithwhenyouwerelikesixteenand-?"

"Yeah!" she interrupted quickly. "Yeah, those ones. Any of them around?"

Bart shrugged, but he looked like he was about to vibrate right out of Jaime's grip.

"Nightwing's on his way up," Jaime reported, typing something at that end with his free hand. "Superboy, too."

"Okay, good," she breathed. It was only a few minutes, right? No big. Then, of course, she took to eyeing the speedster. "And how much candy have you had already?"

A buzz of gibberish answered her.

"Uh-huh." Her eyes went to Jaime

A slight blush came to the hispanic boy's face and he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "My sister kinda thinks feeding Bart is funny."

She raised an eyebrow, but nodded and started to smile. "Yeah, I can see why."

Bart was bouncing with energy now, to which Jaime responded by grabbing him around the waist and holding the younger teen under his arm to run in the air. Artemis snorted a laugh. Really, she did miss everyone from her life as a hero.

Moments later she heard the announcement that was only too bittersweet to her ears as Nightwing and Superboy made it to the watchtower. Conner had his arms crossed, but both were eyeing Bart with equal parts wariness and amusement as he continued to swing his limbs at an alarming rate.

"That one's not allowed near any sugar for the rest of the night," Nightwing informed all present, even if it was a bit obvious. Then he turned to the screen and smiled. "Hey, Artemis! Ready to dance the night away?"

"You're coming!?" Bart squealed in delight as Jaime passed him off to Conner.

"Uh, that's kinda why I called," Artemis said slowly, feeling even worse about canceling now.

All motion stopped in the projection and Artemis glanced at the clock to avoid the crestfallen looks directed her way.

"I got called in to work," she continued. "And Len's threatening my job if I don't do it."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before distressed objections came from three of the four on the small projection. But Nightwing's voice cut through it. "Can I get the room, please? I'll meet you guys at the party."

Artemis listened to the grumbled responses, but soon enough she heard the Zeta Tube activate. Leaving her, more or less, alone with one of the few men she trusted with her life.

Dick had a scowl on when she looked up again, an expression that made her wonder at the chance that Batman could have found a son who looked so much like him. "Do I need to step in?"

"No," she answered with a groan. "I'm already using you as my threat for Christmas."

"What about Wally?" Nightwing asked. "I told him I was trying to track you down."

Artemis cringed. "And Bart still has issues keeping secrets," she sighed. "I just... What can I do? If I lose this job, everything I do could blow my cover and-." A growl escaped her as her cell started ringing again. "And that's probably Len again, wanting to know if I'm on the road."

"I can still-."

"Just tell him I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I'm just... sorry."

Without waiting for him to object, she quickly ended the transmission. Sighing in irritation, she pulled off her wig and answered her cell as she started untying her costume. "Yeah?"

"By that tone, I take it he called you first."

Artemis gave a small laugh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Hi, David."

David chortled on the other end. "I'll be there in twenty."

"Nah, don't worry about it," she told him, switching the phone to speaker so she could get the dress off. "I can catch the eight-twenty from Brisburn and get off at Marshall, then it's just two blocks to the rec center."

He gave a small sound of dislike, but Artemis smiled. This was an argument she'd won before. And, after all, she still had to get redressed-which she was doing as quickly as possible.

"Alright, fine," he finally grumbled. "But if you don't get there before eight-forty-five-."

"I know, I know," Artemis huffed with a laugh as she tugged a shirt over her head. "You'll be sending the entire police academy after me. Thanks Dad."

"I'm fully justified in my distrust of this city," he defended.

"Yeah, sure," Artemis said with a snort. She gave her reflection a quick once over. She was still wearing the mildly sparkly make up from her costume, serving as a reminder of what she could be doing-should be doing instead.

Hating herself all the more, she quickly went to the bathroom and washed it all away.

.- . -.

Wally was surprised he hadn't caused earthquakes as he waited in one of the many guest rooms for Dick's party to start. He was dressed up as some... well, he didn't know. He was just wearing brown slacks that looked like they belonged to a renaissance outfit, but for some reason he'd also been shoved into a blue hoodie that kinda looked like it had ice crusted on it. Which might have been part of the reason the Bat Brats had dyed his hair white

Bart had babbled on about it, though. Apparently it was a character from some movie that had come out while he was stuck in the speed force. A movie that had ended up being Bart's first and thus favorite. Granted, the kid still had the mind of a five year old at times, but that had gotten to be somewhat endearing now. He hadn't been forced to watch it yet, but as soon as the kid found out it had been added to Bart's very short list of things he thought Wally had missed out on and needed to experience.

Right now, though, the kid had been sent off (under Jamie's watch, thank God) to monitor the Watchtower's calls. And Wally was wearing out yet another rug in the Wayne mansion, something Bruce would probably kill him for later. But he didn't care. Or at least couldn't help it.

His thoughts were frayed even though they also seemed to be glued on one thing. And, really, he could always blame Dick for that one. His best friend had promised to track down Artemis-and if anyone could find her, it'd be a Bat. There was just one little thing he'd forgotten.

Life, to him, was a serious sucker-punch from Murphy's Law.

"Wally?"

The sound of Dick's hesitant voice from the door was like a jolt of electricity and he seriously wouldn't have doubted if he'd sent off sparks when he spun to face him. Feeling so hopeful, he was probably grinning like an idiot. "You found her?"

"Uh, yeah," Dick said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Then let's get to the party!" Wally urged, then noticed his friend's uniform. "Dude, you're not going as Nightwing, are you? I thought you and Barb were going as Harry Potter characters or something."

Dick gave a dry laugh and pulled his mask away from his eyes before pushing back his dark hair. "No.-Wally, wait."

The tone froze him, mid-step in the effort to push his best friend out the door. He knew that tone way too well. Something was wrong.

"Sh-she's... She's not...?"

"No! No, she's not-nothing's wrong with her," Dick quickly promised.

For a brief moment Wally felt a wash of relief and he let out a shallow laugh. "God. You really know how to freak a guy out, you know that?"

"Wally, she's not coming,"

Dick might as well have been speed-talking when he said it, but the words got through. Wally felt like he'd taken a plasma blast to the chest, making him stagger back several paces. His heart must have been starting to fail and making him hear things. "What?"

His friend had pulled free, stepping further into the room to lean on one of the four posts surrounding the bed. For someone so young, Dick was looking way too old and, at the moment, incredibly uncomfortable. "She had change her plans. Her boss called her up as she was heading out the door," the younger hero explained, running a hand through his hair again. "And she doesn't want to ruin her cover by getting fired."

She wasn't coming. That blast hit him again. He was actually surprised that his ribs weren't breaking as he dropped onto a well placed chaise-lounge.

"Wally, I'm sorry," Dick said lowly, moving forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Wally wrenched himself away, jumping to his feet again to move distractedly further into the room. Dick rubbed his temple. "She promised that she has a full four days for Christmas, thought-"

"Christmas," Wally repeated, the festive holiday sounded bleak even to him. Sighing, he shook his head. "You know... I'm not really feeling like partying. You have fun."

"Wait, Wally-!"

It was too late, the window was open and the curtains billowed in the dejected hero's wake. With a groan, Dick dropped his head into his hand as he took up his friend's vacated spot on the lounge.

"Didn't take it well, did he."

He sighed, not even bothering to turn towards the comment. "Hi, Babs."

Barbara Gordon gave her boyfriend a patient smile, slowly sauntering over to wrap her arms around him. Dick gave something of a grunt to acknowledge the gesture before holding onto her wrists.

"Give it time," she urged, leaning close to rest her chin on his shoulder. "If he knew where she was or why he'd either want to join her or drive himself crazy trying to find who's targeting her."

"I know," Dick groaned, turning in her hold until they were face-to-face. "It's for his own good." He sighed and let his forehead lower to hers. "Just doesn't feel so asterous."

Barbara gave him a comforting smile. "I'm sure I can think of a way to help with that," she assured him with a sultry smile. Then pulled away to take him by the hand. "C'mon, kid. We've got a long night ahead of us."

Dick gave an incredulous snort. To him it already felt like midnight. Forget having a party to host still, he would have preferred to investigating Artemis's problem some more. Oh well, good thing I was half raised by Bruce.

.- . -.

Artemis had long since perfected the fake smile that residents of Keystone City saw every morning. So many of her coworkers had complimented her on it, telling her that they'd never seen someone so continually happy. If only they knew. Sometimes she wondered how they'd react, if they knew even a fraction of the truth. Like how she was always alone because she didn't trust anyone. How she didn't date because she was still choking herself with dreams of should've been's. How she was usually overtired because of nightmares that stemmed from a separate lifetime of memories.

But, no. Even if she could tell them, she doubted she would.

So she went to the "trick-or-trunk" looking as though there was nowhere she'd rather be. Nowhere but, maybe, the Wayne mansion in Gotham.

"You okay, Lindy?" David's voice pulled her out of her thoughts as easily as one of Dick's exploding discs.

"Huh? Oh, Yeah! I'm great," she assured him with one of her bright smiles, which quickly turned into surprise followed by a cheeky smirk. "And, uh, who are you supposed to be?"

Looking entirely not thrilled that she was going to comment on his costume, David sighed and flatly stated, "Mo. Skyler and Xander like the Doodlebops."

Artemis snorted. "The what?"

David sighed. "It's a tv show about a band for kids."

"Oh, well, the 'for kids' part is blindingly obvious," Artemis assured him. "How am I supposed to keep a straight face for this if I have a clown behind the camera?"

His response was to make a face at her. "Shut up, Linda."

She wrinkled her nose at him, then gave him a smile as the rest of his family approached. David had two kids, two year old Skyler and six year old Xander, both of whom had instantly adored Artemis from their first meeting, for reasons no one could explain. Each of them was in just as garish of color combinations, though his wife, Mary, looked a little more put together in pastels.

"Rest of the Doodles?" she guessed.

"Doodlebops," David corrected her, smiling at his elated kids.

"Ah, right," she said, fighting back another snicker as she crouched closer to the kids. "You guys ready for some treat-trunks?"

"Yeah!" Xander cheered, bouncing next to his mother.

"Awesome," Artemis encouraged, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Too," Skyler announced, holding out her arms to Artemis. "Too!'

Mary gave her a helpless smile when Artemis raised an eyebrow. "She wants you to go around with us."

"Oh," Artemis said, giving the little girl a smile as she tugged in her ear piece and attempted to ignore the voices of the station's news anchors introducing their segment. "Okay, but your Daddy and I have to play reporter first. Sound good?"

Skyler gave the mightiest of pouts and Xander slouched in disappointment. Artemis couldn't help laughing and ruffled the little boy's curls.

"I promise we'll be quick," she assured them. "You two can even watch."

That appeased the kids, sort of. They were still pouting, but at least it wasn't a tantrum or something. David, though, gave her a rueful smirk.

"What?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously as she uncoiled the mic.

"You realize that-not only have you allotted yourself to them for the rest of the night-but their sense of time isn't as slow as ours, right?" he pointed out, hoisting the camera to check its settings.

She thought on it for a moment, glancing at the two kids who were attempting to use Mary as a jungle-gym, and laughed. "Yeah, well, there are worse things."

David chuckled. "Too true," he muttered then snapped the settings panel closed. "Alright. Ready?"

"Let 'em roll!" Artemis said, flipping her hair behind her shoulders and turning on her tv smile.

Behind the camera, David smirked and counted down from three with his hand before pointing at Artemis for the go-ahead.

"Linda! You're not dressed up!" Tom Meyer's voice came into her ear.

"I know!" She cried out, laughing at the irony. "I guess I'm going as a reporter this year."

The comment brought chuckles through the earpiece and a smile from David.

"Sounds like a good outfit to me," Tom announced. "So how's the first annual 'Trick or Trunk', Linda? Found any good treats?"

"Thanks, Tom," Artemis twittered into the mic. "Good evening, Keystone, as Tom said, I'm down here at the city's rec center for what some people are calling 'the safest step forward for Halloween.' Behind me, you can see, families with children of all ages enjoying themselves as they collect goodies from an impressive thirty cars set up around the parking lot . Each vehicle is filled with candy or little toys and sponsored by the city's finest family-friendly establishments, all of which have been checked over and approved as safe by the Keystone City PD, who've supplied officers to keep things as safe as can be."

David motioned to her right with a smirk and Artemis discretely turned her head to smile at his kids, but instantly noticed what the camera man had been pointing to. Not ten steps away was the Flash. Cursing inwardly as well as wanting to sing with delight, she knew that the idea of avoiding him was sunk. You couldn't be part of the news and not broadcast images of the city's top hero. "And, wow," she continued loudly, trying not to sound too bland or too excited as it drew his attention over. "Would you look at that? We've even got our hometown hero here tonight. The Flash himself has stopped in for autographs and pictures and, dare I say, maybe a break for his sweet-tooth?"

Flash gave her a grin at the teasing comment. "I'm always happy to spend time with the people of Keystone and Central, but I guess you could say the sugar is an added bonus."

"So all looks safe and sound then?" Artemis asked, unable to keep down her coy smirk.

His smile brightened at her playful tone, which was probably because it was the first time she hadn't been bashing him for something. "Safe, sound, and delicious!" Flash reported. "If anyone at home decides they want to come down, I recommend Julia's Bakery car! They've got cookies for the kids, but coffee for the parents."

"You heard him, folks," Artemis reported, turning back to the camera as Flash started hamming it up by waving from her side. "From the Police Commissioner to Julia's Bakery located on 25th, it's clear to see that if you join us here tonight, you will not go home disappointed. I'm Linda Park and I'm heading over to get some coffee, back to you in the studio. Tom?"

"Thanks, Linda! Bring us back some of that coffee, would ya?" rang the voice in her ear piece and she nodded in promise, still smiling until David lowered the camera.

"Well, that was fun," Flash informed them, turning his gaze to Artemis as she pulled the ear piece out and tucked it into its case. "Particularly the part where I didn't feel like we were on opposite sides."

"We're not on opposite sides, Kid Id-," she bit off the end of her sentence, hoping the blush that was rising in her cheeks would simply look like she was embarrassed by his perception of her. "I just don't settle for only the cover story."

"Ah," was Flash's response, but he was looking at her curiously. As though he was viewing her as a complicated jig-saw puzzle.

"So," Artemis said, trying to find something to keep herself from blowing her cover just by being this close to him without twenty other film crews around. Not even realizing that David was having his own issues to keep from laughing as he took the mic from her. "Are you staying for a bit or dashing off to fight crime?"

The pun was obvious, but it distracted the hero from his thoughts and he smiled at her. "Well," he drawled. "I may have to do a couple rounds, but you know what they say-I'll be there and back in a flash."

Despite herself, Artemis gave an amused snort which only made the hero's smile brighter. It was like life had shifted, even if it was only for a second, feeling so much like what she'd imagined they could have had back in Palo Alto. Him and her just enjoying stupid jokes and each other's company.

"Too! Too!"

Just like that it was gone and Artemis felt her face heat up as Flash straightened up again to smile at David's family. He was being as warm and welcoming as ever, but she could feel him vibrating next to her. That is, before Xander nearly bowled her over.

"And that's as long as the kids'll hold," David announced, looking even more ridiculous as he grinned at them.

Artemis shot him a withering look, but smiled again as Mary came forward with Skyler practically lunging out of her arms.

"Too!" the pink and purple-clad little girl announced until she was in Artemis' arms. Then Skyler looked the Flash up and down, inspecting the hero as he smiled warmly at her, only to grab hold of his uniform. "Too."

"Uh...?" Flash looked at Artemis helplessly, but she was gaping and couldn't even begin to fathom a response.

"No, no, honey," Mary said quickly, trying to pull her daughter's hand off the hero's shoulder. "Mr Flash has to protect the city. He doesn't have to come trick or treating."

"Too," Skyler declared adamantly, clenching the specialized fabric all the tighter in her little fist.

"Hey, it's no problem," Flash assured the embarrassed mother with a smile. "I wouldn't mind spending some Halloween time with someone who has such a strong grip."

Skyler blinked at him in confusion, but Artemis smiled through her ridiculously bright blush and for some reason she could see relief on the Flash's face.

"Alright then, Sounds like there's six of us tonight," David said, still grinning and looking even more like an idiot because of his costume. "Xander, want to lead the way?"

The little boy nodded, though apparently shell-shocked over the presence of the city's hero, before a bright smile came to his face and he grabbed hold of Artemis's hand to drag her along with him. Which by Skyler's grip brought the Flash too. Mary and David merely followed along behind, whispering cheerfully to each other in a way that assured Artemis it would come round to bite her eventually.

.- . -.

By the fifth trunk, other than having to take moments to sign autographs or pose for pictures, Wally was pretty sure that he'd managed to wheedle the reporter's hate of him down to a comfortable level of... Well, it felt almost like a rivalry.

Which wasn't necessarily a fantastic thing, but at least it felt familiar-which kinda freaked him out a little. If it hadn't been for that little girl who kept dragging him along with Park, he probably would've found an excuse to duck out by the second trunk. But, as it was, he also kinda liked sticking around.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, there were things-really strange things-that Park did which reminded him of Artemis. Not the things that tore out his heart to think of, but Linda had the same kind of snarky humor and sarcastic wit that sometimes made it hard to keep a straight face as they walked around with her cameraman's family.

"No, seriously," Wally was objecting as they rounded to the second half of the cars. "He drove everyone crazy until I came to play darts with him."

"Darts?" Park repeated, raising her delicate eyebrow in disbelief.

"Well, rubber ones," he conceded. "Suction cups."

"Ah." Park chuckled and shook her head. "The way you talk about him, you'd think he was more like a disobedient toddler than a public nuisance."

He gave his own chuckle, popping a candy into his mouth. "In some ways, he is."

She shook her head smirking. "Yeah, tell me that after he's destroyed downtown again and we'll see if the public agrees."

They let their conversation drop as the cameraman's kids required help opening popcorn balls from the dental office's car. Once the two tykes were happily munching and luring their parents to the next car, Wally found himself and Park wandering along behind.

"So what's your story?" he asked to fill the silence. "I mean, you've explained why you-uh-ask the hard questions. But, well, who is Linda Park?"

Her blush was flattering. "Uh, nobody special," she forced out, giving a small smile as she moved to keep up with her cameraman's family. "Grew up in Chicago, went to school in New York, moved out here for a job reporting news."

"That's stuff you've done," Wally pointed out. "Not who you are."

Her blush deepened. "Yeah, well, then I guess I'm just not that interesting."

"You're someone who doesn't go with the grain," he commented, unsure why he felt like he actually wanted to know things about her. "That's more interesting than most people."

Park let out a snort. "Yeah, sure, if by interesting you mean the focus of death threats."

"Death threats?" Wally repeated, his eyebrows shooting up as he looked the reporter over again. She wasn't exactly short, maybe five-nine or so, which helped with the aura that loudly stated she could take care of herself, but she also didn't seem stupid enough to go looking for trouble.

"Oh, uh, you know," she said quickly with an uneasy laugh. "Unhappy fans of the station, people I've exposed, people I'm trying to expose, uh, that sort of thing. You're in the public eye, don't you get that sort of thing?"

"Yeah, I have a particular reporter who comes after me every now and again," he drawled teasingly.

The blush flared back and she gave him a glare, but there was still a smirk fighting to get onto her face, so Wally simply grinned back.

"Watchtower to Flash."

A groan escaped him as he tapped the com-link in his ear-cover. "Flash here, go ahead."

"Nightwing has informed me that you chose not to attend the halloween celebration at Wayne manor," Martian Manhunter's voice continued.

"Yeah," Wally agreed dryly, trying not to give too much away, especially with Park standing a few steps away as she watched him discretely out of the corner of her eye. "Didn't really feel in the mood."

Park flinched at his words, which distracted Wally a little.

"-Star City."

"Wait! What?" Wally yelped, turning his gaze away once Martian's voice managed to cut in. "Sorry, what was that again?"

"There has been a break-in at Star Labs in Star City," the alien's voice reiterated. "Green Arrow and Black Canary are still at the Halloween party in Gotham and can't leave for another hour."

"What about Red?" Wally asked. "He knows Star City better than I do."

"Also unavailable," Martian Manhunter informed him. "You are the only hero currently in uniform."

"Right," Wally said, trying not to sound as disappointed as he felt. Finally having a moment that didn't bring back the pain of his life prior to getting sucked into the speedforce and he had to end it. "Yeah, great. I'm on my way. Lock down their escape routes until I can get there."

"Understood. Watchtower out."

"Sounds like you're heading out."

"Yeah, have to help out in Star City," he said, with a small laugh as he checked the small compartments hidden on the inside of his wrists.

"Huh, well, have fun with that."

"Thanks, Bab—." Wally wanted to punch himself when he looked up to see the startled gaze of Linda Park.

She was blushing hard as she tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear. "Here," she said, pulling a smile up with the blush. "You might need this."

Wally blinked as he acted out of instinct, catching the treat. A caramel-apple. Probably the best thing he could take of all the junk here. He looked back at her with a smile, not really sure what to think. There was something so familiar about this. A feeling he couldn't shake.

"Hey!" Park snapped, her hands on her hips and just like that he was brought back out of his thoughts. "Get going, Flash! Star City, remember?"

"Right," he said quickly, saluting her with the apple. "Have a great night, Park!"

With that he was off, going faster than any car could dream of with the sugary treat held tightly in his fist as he aimed north-west. It wasn't Artemis. Linda Park was probably the furthest thing from Artemis. But, God! For a second there she'd sounded so much like her!

A/N: Wow, this is a long one... Sorry, I couldn't figure out where I wanted to chop it. Lol Uh, besides that... Yeah, I'm kinda prolonging this because I have to work out the end a bit further. But hopefully that'll all work out soon! ^_^ like as soon as my migraine goes away...