A/N: Back with the second half of Homecoming in less than a week, as promised :) I hope it meets everyone's expectations! Despite cutting it three times, it's still ended up at 17 pages lol

I can't believe this story is almost at 200 reviews! I'm absolutely ecstatic, thanks so much for all the wonderful comments everyone :)

Disclaimer: "I don't own Young Justice, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and Cartoon Network have the rights to it. I'm just having some fun :)"

Rated T for some language, suggestive themes, and descriptive violence.

Italics mean thoughts

"Italics within quotes" mean telepathy

Things come apart so easily when they've been held together with Lies . . .

Tangled Web

Chapter 11: When Dreams Become Nightmares

Gotham Academy

October 15, 19:38 EDT

Wally sighed and adjusted the cheap masquerade mask covering his face as he casually leaned against the wall. He silently watched the Gotham Academy students milling about the decorated high school gym from a darkened corner where he'd tucked himself away, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior. It hadn't escaped him that the only time he ever came to this school was when there was trouble, the first time being when the Team had tracked Amazo to this very gym. He was not looking forward to spending his entire evening watching Artemis have fun with some rich classmate, but he knew Robin had a point and it would be worth it if it would help keep anything bad from happening to her.

Eight days ago

Mount Justice

October 7, 15:45 EDT

"Well, you just missed Artemis," Wally informed Robin as he snatched the white envelope up. "She and Megan were gonna go look at dresses for Homecoming. Although Artemis already has hers . . ." Wally trailed off bitterly.

Robin tapped his can of soda as he said, "Yeah, about that . . ."

The redhead arched his eyebrows in suspicion."Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like what you have to say?"

"You need to come to Gotham Academy's Homecoming dance next weekend."

"Ugh, I hate when I'm right," Wally groaned.

"Look, just hear me out. Artemis was attacked at the Fall Festival by Cheshire, a hardcore League of Shadows assassin. She tried to write it off as Cheshire taunting her for failing to catch her, and I might have believed Artemis if she hadn't been in civilian clothes. How did Cheshire know what she looked like out of uniform?"

Wally hadn't thought about that. He'd been too frazzled from having been in the burning building and having thought they lost Artemis to wonder at Cheshire's knowledge of the archer's civilian identity.

"And then there was the way they regarded each other during our mission in Chicago," Robin continued. "It kind of seemed like they know each other personally. I think Cheshire attacked her at the Fall Festival in an attempt to catch her when her guard would be lowest, and if they were willing to attack her during a carnival, there's a good chance they might do the same at her school dance."

"What could the Shadows possible have against her though? I mean, they hate us all on principle, but why would they go to such lengths to target her personally? She's not even well known like you or me," Wally countered.

"Maybe they actually want her to join. You told me she originally thought our stint in Bialya was a test by her dad to have her kill you when you guys woke up together. That's pretty heavy. And I know there's no way she learned all her moves from Green Arrow, especially in the short amount of time that she's been his protégé. Someone else initially trained her, and maybe they were specifically training her to fill a role different from the one she's acquired on our team. Maybe they'd rather see her dead than using her talents alongside us. All I know is that if they went to the trouble of attacking her at a festival there's a good chance they might attack her at a school dance. And if they do, I'd really like the back up."

Wally couldn't deny Robin had a point and only a fool would go against the deductions of the boy trained by the world's greatest detective. "I hate it even more when you're right," Wally grumbled.

x x x

"Artemis just arrived," Dick said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Wally blinked, tugged from his reverie. His eyes moved to the gym's entrance and he felt his heart give an erratic beat. He knew Artemis was an attractive girl, he'd have to be blind not to see that, especially considering the uniform she wore, but she still managed to steal his breath when his eyes landed on her. Her dress was unique and curved around her body in all the right places. It appeared to be two layers, the dark blue top one having slits that came up to the base of her rib cage on both sides with rhinestones scattered across it, the second layer a snow white skirt that clung to her hips. The two layers together revealed a smooth triangle of skin on each of her sides. Both layers stopped right above her knees, her exposed legs looking extra slender from the pair of black high heels that clasped around her ankles. Two thin straps held the dress up, crisscrossing in the back. Her hair was curled and strategically pined up in certain places with small, rhinestone studded barrettes. A sequin covered mask in the shape of a butterfly rested over her eyes. He hadn't used the word "beautiful" to describe Artemis since their bout of amnesia in Bialya, but it was the only word that came to mind as he stared across the room.

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day Wally West was rendered speechless," the younger boy said with a fiendish smile. "I don't care if you check out Artemis; just remember to keep an eye out for trouble while you're doing it."

"Shut up, it's not like that," Wally defended.

"Yeah right," Dick replied, clearly not agreeing." I gotta get back to my date."

Wally watched Dick saunter over to a trim red-head who was slightly taller than the younger boy before fixing his eyes on Artemis once more. She looked . . . strange, though not in a bad way. Aside from looking girly in the dress and heels, she looked relaxed, happy even. As long as he'd known her she always seemed guarded and standoffish, like she was constantly on edge. She never seemed to just kick back and let her hair down, and he meant that literally since she always had it in a no-nonsense ponytail, despite the fact that it looked really nice down. It was almost as though she wouldn't allow herself to enjoy life or something, although he wasn't entirely sure why. The gentle smile on her masked face suggested she was going to try and enjoy tonight at the very least.

Artemis took a good look at the gymnasium, her eyes roaming from the temporary chandeliers to the pearly white balloon arches crisscrossing over the dance floor like puffy clouds. There was even a banquet table covered in fancy hors d'oeuvres and crystal punch bowls filled to the brim with a frothy liquid. The dance committee really outdid themselves; all the food and decorating must have cost a fortune. Of course, in a school attended by most of Gotham's elite, she supposed money was no object, even for a school dance. It wasn't like the school couldn't afford it. She glanced down at her dress, still impressed with how different it looked. Gone were the long sleeves, the floor length, and the high collar. Her mom had been right, the aoi dai definitely had a certain edge to it that none of the other dresses worn by her classmates had. And it fit her like a glove. Her mom had even taken care to make sure it was high enough in the front and the back so that the majority of Artemis's scars were hidden. Movement next to her captured her attention and she turned to see Evan holding out his elbow.

"Shall we?" he asked with a smile.

She returned his smile and took hold of his arm, letting him lead her further into the gym. She'd already decided before coming that she was going to forget about who she was and where she came from for one night and just enjoy participating in a normal teenage event. She seldom got to feel like a teenager – feeling like a lethal weapon the majority of the time – and it was something she secretly longed for. She didn't want to be normal exactly. She loved being a part of the Team and fighting for people who couldn't fight for themselves, but . . . she craved some normalcy, at least once in a while. She hadn't wanted to come at first, but in truth it didn't get any more normal than this, and she was determined to enjoy it, Cheshire and her warning be damned. She'd earned this night of normal, deserved it even. So, when Evan pulled her towards the dance floor she went with it, ready to be a regular teenager.

If just for one evening.

x x x

The dance had been in full swing for over an hour and nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Wally shifted position against the wall and stifled yet another yawn as he watched the students crowd around the make-shift stage where the Homecoming king and queen were about to be announced.

"You're Gotham Academy 2012 Homecoming king is . . ." the dj paused as he unfolded a piece of paper, "Evan Wingate!"

The crowd applauded as Artemis's date walked up on stage to receive his crown. Wally rolled his eyes in annoyance. She didn't just come with any guy; her date was the Homecoming king. Swell. The queen was called next, some too thin brunette named Adriana who sneered at Artemis triumphantly as she joined Evan on stage. As soon as she had her crown the emcee announced the traditional king and queen dance. Evan led Adriana to the floor to engage in the ritual slow dance as the rest of the students circled around to watch. Wally's gaze stayed on Artemis. With her date preoccupied at the moment, and the anonymity his masquerade mask provided, he suddenly felt the urge to approach her. He shoved off the wall and sidled up to her.

"So, your date's the Homecoming king, huh?" he said as a conversation starter.

Artemis glanced at the boy next to her and her eyebrows knit slightly in thought as she took in his physique and red hair. She didn't associate with many of the students at Gotham Academy, but he definitely looked familiar.

"How'd you know I was here with the Homecoming king? You been watching me?" she asked, letting her flirty side shine through.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Wally responded with a sly grin on his face, getting into it. Talking to Artemis incognito sent a thrill of excitement through him. It was like a game.

"I feel like I know you."

He gave a noncommittal shrug. "Well, we do go to the same school. Maybe we have class together."

"Yeah maybe . . ." she said, though she didn't look convinced.

"All right everyone, it's time to join the king and queen on the dance floor," the emcee announced in the middle of the song.

Wally kept his eyes on Artemis as hers drifted to the dance floor. Other students began to join the royal couple and his hands twitched. He suddenly had an overwhelming desire to touch her.

"Would you . . . like to dance?" he decided to ask. "You know, since your date's currently occupied."

Artemis stared at him, the butterfly mask she wore making it difficult for him to tell what she was thinking. "Sure, why not?" she finally replied with a half smile on her face.

She took his hand and he grinned as she began to walk onto the dance floor. After she took a few steps Wally gave a gentle tug, swinging her around quickly. Her body stopped flush against his, his free hand finding her waist as he effortlessly began to move them in sync slowly.

"You're pretty light on your feet," she commented, her checks a little flush from the contact and his bold move.

"You're not so bad yourself."

Across the floor, Dick stared at his two teammates as they danced. With a wicked grin on his face he raised his camera and took another picture.

"Why are you taking pictures of those two?" his date asked beside him.

"Just making sure I have some evidence for a conversation that's definitely going to take place later."

Barbara raised a curious eyebrow but said nothing more on the matter. The song came to a close and an upbeat one replaced it.

"Do you wanna keep going?" Wally asked, raising his voice over the base of the new song.

Artemis glanced at Evan to see a line of girls in front of him who wanted to share a song with the Homecoming king. He offered his arm to the first one, ever the gentleman. She turned her gaze back to her mystery partner.

"Sure, if you think you can keep up!" she answered playfully, a coy smile on her frosted pink lips as she picked up the pace.

Wally smirked. "I think I can manage."

Lyrics suddenly joined the heavy beat, and Wally was immediately struck by them.

You cast a spell on me, spell on me

You hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me

And I decided you look well on me, well on me

So let's go somewhere no one else can see, you and me

Turn the lights out now, now I'll take you by the hand

Hand you another drink, drink it if you can

Can you spend a little time, time is slipping away

Away from us so stay, stay with me I can make

Make you glad you came

The sun goes down, the stars come out

And all that counts, is here and now

My universe will never be the same

I'm glad you came, I'm glad you came

The way the song captured his feelings about Artemis was uncanny. He really couldn't stand her at first, and he'd hated that she'd become the team's archer instead of Red Arrow. Then the mission to Bialya happened and he suddenly didn't mind the idea of her being his teammate. In fact, he even kind of liked that she was on the team. He might think his change of heart really was caused by some kind of magic spell if he actually believed in that hooey. Whatever it was, he could honestly say his universe would never be the same after meeting the sassy blonde archer.

He really was glad she came.

But he hadn't forgotten what she'd said in the ocean the day they jumped off Mount Justice, how he only had to deal with her for the time being. And now that he knew she had to be involved in something dangerous – if the scars on her body and her secretive nature were any indication – he was worried that time was slipping away, that eventually she would be gone for one reason or another.

Even though he desperately wanted her to stay.

The song slowed down and repeated the chorus one more time before ending. Artemis saw Evan heading for the snack table out of the corner of her eye. She looked back at her current dance partner and the look in his masked eyes startled her. The clear green was entrapping to begin with, but now they had an abundance of emotion swirling in them. His gaze held what looked like longing tinged with a hint of fear, though she couldn't fathom why. It was so intense it caused her breath to momentarily hitch and she finally had to look away.

"Thanks for the dance, but I need to get back to my date," she said, almost apologetically.

"Oh, right," Wally replied, keeping his hands on her waist a little longer than necessary before releasing his hold all together.

Artemis gave him one last sultry smile that actually made his skin prickle before leaving him. As she turned her back on Wally, the butterfly tattoo at the base of her neck caught his eye, exposed between her curls. He'd only seen it once before, but he could have sworn the faded mark was even more faded than it had been before. He blinked and shook his head at the thought. It was impossible for it to have achromatized as much as he thought it had in the amount of time that had passed since he'd last seen it. Artemis was half way to the snack table when a passing chaperon grabbed her forearm, halting her movement. She tensed and Wally raised an eyebrow, his eyes staying glued to the exchange. Something didn't feel right.

When Artemis felt the pressure on her forearm tighten threateningly, she knew who the passerby was before she even spoke.

"Wasting time again, I see," her sister sneered, continuing to stare straight ahead, her body facing the opposite direction.

"Get lost, Jade. You have no business being here."

"Dating the Homecoming king, you must feel so special. He's quite a looker, and his Armani suit screams money. I wonder if he has an older brother." Jade felt Artemis's muscle flex beneath her tight grip and her grin widened. "Relax, I have my sights set on a much . . . better prize. "

Artemis yanked her arm from her sister's grip forcefully, but didn't turn to face her.

Jade continued, undeterred. "It really is a shame though. Your date seemed so nice when I was serving him punch a minute ago. Too bad he turned out to be such a monster . . ."

There was something in the way Jade said the word "monster" that made Artemis's skin crawl. It took her a handful of seconds to process it, her eyes rapidly moving back and forth as the double meaning in her sister's words became apparent.

"If you can't stay focused then I'll remove your distractions by force." Jade's lips twisted into a malicious smile. "Enjoy the rest of the dance. It's about to become a night you'll never forget."

Artemis jerked her head up, eyes finding Evan immediately. He was still standing by the snack table with some friends, a red cup in his hand. He finished saying something and raised the glass to his lips.

"Evan, don't!" she called across the gym, hand stretched out on instinct as she darted towards him. Her voice was drowned out by the music thrumming from the speakers, and she watched helplessly as he chugged the contents of his cup.

Within seconds his hand relinquished its hold on the plastic glass, the rest of the liquid it contained spilling to the floor as he cried out in agony. Falling to his knees he clutched his skull, fingers digging into his scalp, the crown he wore tumbling off in the process. His friends crowded around him in concern. Then they were screaming as well, doubling back to get away as Evan's entire body began to expand, his skin actually tearing in places from the rapidly growing muscles. His expensive suit was ripped to shreds as a result, and his skin took on a sickly gray hue.

He truly looked like a monster.

x x x

Happy Harbor High

October 15, 21:03 EDT

Megan giggled, a brilliant smile on her face, as Conner spun her around, her pale yellow strapless tea length dress flaring out. He pulled her back to him and they moved back and forth to the gentle beat drifting through the gymnasium.

"Thanks for bringing me tonight, Conner," Megan suddenly spoke.

"Don't mention it."

"You know, I almost didn't ask you."

Superboy frowned. "Why?"

"I just didn't think you'd want to attend something like this."

"Well normally I wouldn't," he answered truthfully.

Megan's face fell. "Oh . . . Well, why did you agree to come then?"

"Because. It was you who asked me," he explained, a hint of a grin on his face.

Megan's eyes brightened, a happy smile creeping across her lips. "Really?"

Conner nodded and spun her around again. Megan laid her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly.

"What made you change your mind?"

"Hm?" she asked, somewhat distracted by the contact.

"You said you almost didn't ask me. What made you change your mind?" he repeated.

"Oh, it was Artemis actually. I voiced my doubts about asking you and she encouraged me to do it anyway, saying that you'd be willing to go if it meant going with me. I guess she was right."

Conner chuckled, and Megan felt it reverberate from deep within his rock hard chest. "I suppose I owe her another thank you." Before she could ask what he meant he said, "She tries to keep everyone at arm's length with a snarky attitude and that tough girl act, but when one of us needs her she's definitely there. She's a pretty good friend."

Megan smiled, her rosy lips almost touching Conner's neck from the angle her face was at. "She's more than a friend, she's my Earth sister. I just hope the others are enjoying their evening as much as we are."

Conner simply nodded then rested his cheek against her soft auburn hair, content to quietly sway for the duration of the song.

x x x

Gotham Academy

October 15, 21:05 EDT

Artemis had almost reached Evan when he turned to her and she knew from the blank stare he fixed on her that he was no longer himself. She tried to stop, but the pumps she wore made it difficult and she slid closer still, high heels scrapping along the wooden floor. He reared his massive hand back and swung at her, a bloodthirsty look forming in his once gentle eyes. She leaned back and cringed, her eyes shutting involuntarily. Air was forced from her lungs somewhat as she felt something collide with her. The hit wasn't nearly as hard as it should have been though, and whatever it had been was still touching her, was actively moving her. She opened her eyes to see a masked face right above her. It belonged to the boy she'd danced with earlier. He was holding her close, moving them at an incredible speed.

"Man I hate it when Rob's right," he complained as he dodged around the fleeing students with ease.

"Wally?" she questioned incredulously, the speed instantly tipping her off. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He skidded to a stop and set her down, the terrified students pushing past their still forms for the exit. "We kind of got bigger things to worry about right now, don't you think?"

"You're right," Artemis instantly replied, all business. There would be time to discuss his presence later. Keeping the students safe and trying to stop Evan required their attention now. She reached under her dress and removed the small, collapsible crossbow that had been strapped to her thigh, her dress swishing as she did.

"Where the heck is Rob?" Wally questioned, trying to ignore the growing warmth in his cheeks at the amount of leg she'd inadvertently flashed him.

Evan was thrashing about, over turning the tables and chairs as he rampaged towards a group of students, cutting them off from the exit. Artemis took aim with her crossbow and shot a bolt with a line attached to it. It stuck in the wall across Evan's path and she pulled it taut, managing to trip him.

"Nice," Wally said, until Evan rose to his feet and charged at the two of them instead. "Or not."

He dashed to the left while Artemis back flipped to the right several times, glad she'd decided to wear a pair of high heels with a strap. She stopped with one knee on the ground and reloaded her small weapon. The crossbow was only capable of keeping a handful of bolts attached to its sides, so she had to make them count.

Despite her best efforts to find her date, Barbara was caught up in the mass of frenzied teenagers pushing for the double doors that would lead them to safety. As she stared over her shoulder hoping to catch sight of Dick, she saw a blonde girl pull out a crossbow. She watched in awe, feet never stopping, as the girl engaged their mutant classmate, her movements confident and sure. And amidst the chaos and confusion, Barbara Gordon had an epiphany. She would no longer stand for the terrors that threatened Gotham City on a regular basis. If the girl with the crossbow could fight back, so could she. She refused to be helpless, to do nothing but run away. From now on, Barbara was going to help protect her city, and she knew exactly how she was going to do it. She was sure the dynamic duo wouldn't mind sharing some of the spotlight. As she was forced through the doors by the tide of people, she lost sight of the crossbow wielding blonde. But it didn't matter; she'd seen enough to choose a new path.

The gym was in disarray, students continuing to scramble in fear as a techno beat still pumped from the speakers, the DJ having abandoned his equipment in favor of his own safety. Unable to follow Wally's fast pace, Evan charged at Artemis. Undeterred, she shot another bolt. Its smooth tip hit her date's chest and exploded on contact, releasing a foam that instantly started to harden around him. It did nothing to slow him, however. It cracked off in chunks as he drew closer, small tremors coursing through the ground with each step he took. She hurried to reload her bow. Evan was almost on top of her when Wally barreled into his beastly form from the side. The hit caused Evan to stumble a few steps but he remained upright. Wally shook his head, trying to clear it, the collision seeming to do him more harm than his opponent due to the size difference and lack of speed he could reach within the gym. Before the speedster could regain his bearings, Evan slammed into him in return, sending the redhead flying through the air. From his trajectory, it was clear he was going to crash through one of the glass doors along the southern wall. Artemis quickly took aim and pulled the trigger of her crossbow. The arrow soared through the air and hit the window before Wally could. The glass shattered on impact and the speedster sailed through an empty pane instead much to her relief.

Her satisfaction was short lived as Evan swung his fist down towards her head, eyes bloodshot and filled with rage. She immediately dove out of the way, dropping her bow in the process. In a desperate attempt to subdue her date, Artemis kicked off the wall and sprang at him from behind. She wrapped her arms around his neck and managed to get him in a chokehold, hoping to cut off just enough oxygen to lay him out.

Her plan crumbled when Evan rammed his backside into the wall, smashing her between his muscled back and the bricks. A brutal cry ripped from Artemis's throat as all the air in her lungs was expelled in a rush.

Wally climbed back through the window, feet crunching on broken glass, hand to his head. His green eyes stopped on the arrow near his feet – bringing to light why he hadn't broken through the glass himself – before they swept over the deserted gym. Artemis was struggling with Evan. He saw the behemoth crush her against the wall yet again and this time her grip on his throat slackened. With a snarl, Evan grabbed the blonde's loose arms and chucked her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing. She collided with a wooden table, breaking it in half in the process. Wally appeared by her in an instant and helped lift her from the splintered wood she was lying on.

"Are you okay?" He searched her dark eyes for signs of a concussion. She'd lost her butterfly mask and had a few scratches that matched the new tears in her dress, but she was conscious and her stormy blue eyes were alert.

"Don't worry about me! We can't let him escape!"

Evan was lumbering for the doors, his new size making him somewhat uncoordinated. The empty gym no longer held his interest.

"Use these."

Wally and Artemis whirled around to see Robin standing there as if he'd materialized out of thin air. He had three syringes held out for them to see. "They're tranquilizers. There's enough juice between the three of them to take down a buffalo."

"Dude, where have you been?" Wally demanded as he snatched one of the syringes from his friend and held it up to his face.

"I had to make sure my date and the other students were getting out. Plus, I radioed Batman."

Artemis picked up one of the two remaining syringes and stared at it. "Just stick and pump?" she asked.

"Just stick and pump."

"Then let's get this over with," she said as she rushed for Evan again, the other two right along with her.

The three teens dashed at the transformed boy from different angles hoping to overwhelm him. Wally came at him head on then abruptly shifted, ending up behind him. The needle sank into gray flesh and the speedster released the liquid it contained. Anger surging at the attack, Evan spun around faster than Wally anticipated. He lashed out and wrapped his meaty hand around Wally's torso. With a rough yank the redhead was pulled into the air, the pressure of Evan's grip making it difficult to breath. Evan howled in agitation when Artemis rammed her syringe into his side next. He managed to grab her with his other hand, fingers curling around her waist. He squeezed the two teens simultaneously, reminding Wally of his ordeal with Amazo, only this time Artemis wouldn't be coming to his aid as she was in the same predicament. Robin ran at his beastly classmate, the last syringe poised in his hand. When he got close, Evan swung his fist – Wally still trapped within it – at the younger boy, but Robin was too quick. He dropped down and deftly slid between Evan's legs, stabbing his enormous calf with the last tranquilizer as he passed through his wide stance. With the third tranquilizer circulating through his body, Evan lost his grip on Artemis and Wally and the two teens fell to the floor gasping, lungs burning. Evan stumbled to the side, eyes clouding over, before finally slumping to the ground.

"Finally," Wally wheezed as he rubbed his chest. "Maybe one of these days I'll actually come to this school for something other than a fight." He glanced over at Artemis, but her eyes were on Evan's ghastly form, a haunted look about them.

"I guess this means we didn't destroy all the Kobra Venom files after all," Robin thought out loud, eyes trained on the abnormality in front of them as his mind worked.

Artemis simply stared at Evan's deformed body, still not quite believing what had happened. Her dream of a normal evening had spiraled into a nightmare, culminating in the ruined life of an innocent boy. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, but one stood out more than the others.

This was her fault.

x x x

Mount Justice

October 15, 22:15 EDT

Wally and Artemis trudged down one of the hallways in Mount Justice still wearing their ruined semi-formal attire. Wally had ditched the masquerade mask once they'd reached the base, no longer needing it, his tie eschew around his neck. With Megan and Conner still out enjoying their Homecoming dance, the place was filled with an eerie silence. Wally, Artemis, and Robin had just finished reporting to Batman, though Artemis had remained oddly silent. Wally had thought it strange that Batman hadn't asked for her account, but decided it wasn't worth dwelling on. Robin had stayed behind in the debriefing room with his mentor to go over a few finer details.

Wally glanced at his companion. She looked defeated, like a hollow shell. It was as though someone had taken a giant spoon and scooped out her spunk, her tenacity. It was disheartening.

Unable to take the silence anymore, he finally asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Her reply was curt and devoid of emotion. Her usual spark was gone, like it'd been completely snuffed out.

He reached out and grabbed her wrist. She stopped but she didn't look at him. "You just saw your boyfriend turned into a monster then had to fight him. There's no way you're fine after that. You wouldn't be human if you were."

Artemis was silent for a moment, as if contemplating his words. Then she said, "He wasn't my boyfriend, but he was my friend. And now his life's ruined."

"We don't know that."

Artemis finally looked at him, her sapphire orbs a flurry of emotions churning too fast for Wally to pin down. "He ingested Kobra Venom, Wally. I read the reports about the mission you guys did in Santa Presca. I know it's permanent."

"The League's been working on a cure since we discovered it. They'll find a way to reverse the effects, and in the meantime they'll take care of Evan. Just give them some time."

Artemis shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

She tried to move forward again but the grip he'd maintained on her wrist tightened and she was pulled back a step instead. "Well I do. I saw that person talking to you right before your date transformed. It was Cheshire, wasn't it? She was responsible for doing that to him."

Artemis couldn't hide the surprise on her face and it only helped to confirm Wally's suspicions.

"Out of everyone on this team, she's specifically targeting you. Rob had a hunch she might try something tonight and asked me to hang out in the background as back up. That's why I was there. What we don't understand is what she was doing there. Why is she so interested in you?"

"You and Robin are discussing my private life behind my back now?" Artemis snapped, anger seeping into her grey eyes.

"What else are we suppose to do! Something serious is going on and you won't tell us anything!"

"Because it doesn't concern you!"

"How can you say that?" Wally shouted, his cheeks growing red from frustration. "We're all on the same team. Why don't you trust us?"

"It's not about trust; it's about needlessly putting others in danger!" Artemis softened her voice. "Evan was only my Homecoming date and look at what happened to him just because he associated with me. The Team has become the family I never had, if something like that happened to one of you . . ." the gentle look in her eyes was replaced by a hard, determined glint. "I can't risk it. I won't."

She pulled her wrist from Wally's grasp, wanting nothing more than to leave, but her freedom was short lived. With a speed that was only natural to him, he backed her up against the closest wall, hands around her biceps to hold her there, determined to continue the conversation.

"You're so worried about what could happen to us, but what about you? Did you ever stop to think what losing you would do to us?"

"You guys will find a way to manage. If you really need an archer you know Red Arrow will help," she explained logically.

"Don't you dare act like you're expendable just because we know of another archer!" Wally cried in exasperation. Could she really think her position on the team only came down to the value of her abilities? If she did she was sadly mistaken. It was so much more than that now, especially for him. But the look in her eyes told him she truly believed she was replaceable, and it made his heart ache. How could she value her own life so little? "It's not just about your skill; it's about who you are. Red Arrow's great, but he's not you. We want you . . . I want you," he whispered honestly, voice throaty, his hand moving from her arm to her cheek, cupping it gently.

Her eyes widened in astonishment at his words, her glossy pink lips parting to let out a startled gasp, drawing his lidded gaze. Caught up in the argument, he hadn't realized how close he'd gotten to her. His face was so near to hers he could smell the strawberry flavored lip gloss she currently wore. The scent was intoxicating, and suddenly, he didn't want to smell it, he wanted to taste it, he needed to taste it. The feeling came on so strong he could do little more than act on it.

He leaned in a little closer, nose brushing against hers, eyes dark with unconcealed desire, and Artemis shivered involuntarily, her own eyes closing slightly in response.

"You weren't supposed to care so much," she managed to say, voice breathy with anticipation and a hint of panic.

"I didn't expect to," he murmured in return as his lips touched hers.

It was gentle and chaste for only a moment before it exploded into something hot and intense. The kiss was akin to a loaded gun whose trigger had finally been pulled. It was a whirlwind of pent up frustration, fear, attraction, and longing. The concupiscence was so strong it threatened to overwhelm the pair. The hand Wally had on Artemis's cheek found its way into the soft curls of her hair as his other hand slid down her side, stopping on the exposed skin at her hip. She felt her skin ignite at the contact and her hands gripped his shoulders, fisting the fabric of his dress shirt. No matter how many times his tongue glided over hers it was never enough. It was like a hunger that he couldn't satisfy. Her back was still flush with the wall, and he pressed his body against hers, needing to feel more of her, to reassure himself that this was real, that she was real. Her nails dug into his skin through his shirt in response. A chill ran the length of his spine and he let out an involuntary groan.

"Artemis . . ."

It was barely a whisper, spoken against her lips, but the affection in his voice as he called her name was enough to break the moment.

Artemis's eyes sapped open as her hands slipped down to his chest, and she pushed, forcing him back. Caught off guard, he stumbled, eyes unfocused and clouded with an abundance of emotions. She saw lust, desire, elation, and something else too precious for her to deal with.

"You can't do that. You just . . . you just can't," she whispered, voice laced with regret. She slid past him and hurried down the corridor, unable to handle what had just happened.

Wally was left standing alone in the hallway. He was too stunned by how much that kiss had meant to him and the feeling of loneliness that had washed over him when she broke away, to stop her.

To be continued . . .

A/N: So, how was Homecoming? Exactly as you pictured it or did some of the events surprise you? I figured everyone would guess Wally would be there somehow, but that Evan ingesting Kobra Venom and attacking the Team wouldn't have been expected. Either way I hope it was worth the wait and that you all enjoyed it, especially the last scene. I know a lot of you have been waiting for that ;) After splitting this from chapter 10, I ended up make the fight scene more elaborate. I really hope it was written well enough since describing action scenes is not my strongest ability (as previously stated). The scene with Megan and Conner was something I added as well. I didn't bother at first but then I figured I should have something about them. I'm not really a SuperMartian fan (I don't mind them or anything, just kind of indifferent) so I hope I did them justice (no pun intended lol).

The bit about Barbara deciding to fight crime was just a nod to her character (I thought it'd be cool if this event is what triggered her decision to becoming Batgirl since she was there and all). I'm not intending to actually utilize her in this story, so sorry if any one got excited. Finally, the song lyrics used are "Glad You Came" by The Wanted. I think that song describes Wally's feelings for Artemis so perfectly, even in canon :)

Anyway, please let me know what you thought about this chapter if you can (particularly the action and the Spitfire moments), I'd love some feedback on this one. Enjoy the Young Justice season 1 finale (finally!) this Saturday! I know I will :)

SakuraJade