IMPORTANT NOTE please read! Okay so like I said at the end of last chapter, something happens in this one. And I've actually gotten to the point where I haven't got the next chapter all written out yet. So updates might be a little longer, especially with school right now. So yeah... no hate after this chapter? Maybe ;)

Either way, enjoy!

Artemis ran into Kaldur the next day. After being threatened with two days in the med bay, on the basis that she had a severe concussion and several bruised vertebrae to mend, she quickly found means to escape. She hadn't necessarily hated the idea of relaxation, but she was itching to get back to her hidden bow for some much-needed stress relief.

And she was anxious to talk to Kaldur.

There was no guarantee when he was to receive reports from Conner or, more usually, Nightwing, but that didn't stop Artemis from asking.

"I will let you know the moment I receive word from them." Kaldur told her when they were within the safety of his room.

She wished she'd never asked.

Just four days later a report came in from one of Black Manta's soldiers, and the Antlantian warlord called an emergency meeting.

"My friends," Manta started, voice booming with excitement once his people had gathered in the conference room, "my colleagues, I have excellent news. Reports from Metropolis's Daily Planet have come to my attention, and I am pleased to say that the leader of the Young Justice, Nightwing—the greatest thorn in our back since the Justice League disappeared—died last night due to injuries he sustained from the explosion. These reports come from none other than reporter Lois Lane herself. Our efforts have finally paid off, men. Nightwing is dead!"

Cheers erupted around the table as soldiers shed their helmets and threw them up into the air in joy. Black Manta smiled. Fists were clasped. Drinks were clashed.

Artemis sat there.

What? What did he say? Did she hear him right?

She looked over to Kaldur, sitting beside his father. Even the Antlantian, who in the past had been so good at keeping his cover under any and all circumstances, looked at her with an expression of horror that more than likely mirrored hers. His eyes said it all. Artemis had heard Manta right.

Nightwing was reported dead.

Kaldur seemed to get a grip on himself. His head shook slightly when his father bumped his elbow to his son's shoulder. Kaldur slipped his mask on, giving the man a plastered smile. Kaldur managed to stand—albeit with shaky legs—and offer a toast to his expecting father.

Artemis couldn't do it. It was as if her brain and body had disconnected after Manta had broken the news. She wasn't really seeing or hearing right. There was a sort of tunnel vision, as if the corner of her eyes became obsolete, and hearing suddenly became unnecessary. In a way… it really did. What was the point anymore? She stood out of her chair, propping herself up shakily on the edge of the table before clumsily making her way towards the door. She bumped against the shoulders and chests of celebrating soldiers, and the dimmest part of her brain hoped they didn't notice.

She didn't even remember stumbling to her room.

What she did remember was sitting on the edge of her bed for a long time, trying so desperately and failing miserably to not think of anything, before a knock banged her out of her trance.

Go away. She wanted to scream. But she didn't. She just kept sitting there.

Eventually he just kicked the door in. Or had he just used his key? Artemis didn't really care. But the next thing swimming in her vision was Kaldur's strained face. Oh God, he looked terrible. He looked exhausted beyond belief, and in an almost trance-like state himself. Looking him in the eyes hurt. A lot. Artemis wanted to look away, but instead she tried to focus on that he was saying...

"...Artemis? Artemis! Stop this! Look at me!"

"Why?"

Kaldur sighed, running a hand over his mouth in attempt to calm down. "Do not do that to me. I feared your mind had retreated in on itself. You scared me. "

Oh. "Sorry."

"Artemis..." He looked directly into her face with big, worried and sad eyes.

She couldn't take it. Her eyes started to pool over. "Is it true?" She asked.

He opened his mouth a couple times before actually responding, "I do not yet know. There is a possibility this is all just another elaborate cover-up by the team to take the LIGHT by surprise. I will speak with Conner as soon as I can."

Then what are you waiting for? "I want to be there when you do."

"That is exactly why I came to speak with you. I do not know if he will be near his phone, but I was going to try contacting Mount Justice right now."

Artemis nodded somewhat numbly. That was... good. That was something. That was action. She could do action. They were going to talk with Superboy and get a much deserved explanation to this situation. Nightwing was probably just fine. He was probably getting antsy and annoying in a recovery bed in the Mount Justice infirmity as they spoke.

She stood, trying to hold onto as much of her superhero dignity as she could. "Let's go."

The pair made their way into Kaldur's room where he fished out a small holographic computer, not unlike Nightwing's old Robin wrist computer from five years ago, and started it up before he punched in the desired call number.

Artemis begged someone would pick up.

Artemis prayed no one would pick up.

Four rings later, the grainy image of Superboy came into view. His face looked tired, but when he saw who was on the other end, his expression turned into one of grim, dreadful understanding. Artemis's heart nearly stopped again in her chest.

"Kaldur." Conner said emotionlessly.

"Conner."

A small pause. "You're... calling about the news thing?" It was as much a question as it was a statement.

Kaldur swallowed hard at the clone's tone, "Black Manta and his crew received word just over an hour ago." Another tight pause, "...is the news true?"

Conner was never one to sugar-coat, but he looked so tired when he gave a small, almost shaky nod before answering.

"Yeah."

Artemis's heart broke. She sat down clumsily in a chair that magically appeared underneath her. Her hand went to her face, placing her fingers over her head as she fought to keep her tears in check. Her stomach suddenly hurt. It hurt badly. Artemis felt sick. Kaldur himself gave no vocal outlet for his feelings, but Artemis could see the tension in his muscles. She had a feeling one wrongly tested word would set the Antlantian off.

There was a long pause before anyone answered. The silence almost palpable. "C-Conner... what... what happened?" Artemis finally managed, looking the ground.

The clone got angry suddenly, his bright blue eyes narrowing, "I could ask you guys the same question."

"Excuse me?" Kaldur challenged.

"You didn't see what he looked like when we got him back to the base!" He nearly yelled. "He was a mess, Kaldur! I don't know how the hell he managed to survive as long as he did! What kind of shit did you guys put him through?"

Stop, stop stop! Artemis didn't need to hear this.

"What happened was out of our hands," Kaldur countered dangerously. "You cannot tell me that you believe it was us who initiated his beatings."

"I saw the tapes from Mount Justice, Kaldur. I don't know what to believe." Conner said flatly.

Kaldur's brow furrowed in confusion as he looked to Artemis for answers. Artemis, unfortunately, knew exactly what Conner was referring to: Nightwing's takedown by Slade. Images from that horrible confrontation filled in her mind, making her shiver unconsciously and sending a new dread in her heart.

"That… wasn't my fault," Artemis defended lamely. "Deathstroke took the orders completely out of hand."

"Yeah, and you did so much to try and stop him." Conner's voice was as cold as ice.

Artemis looked up at the screen with wide, hurt eyes. She didn't want to think of Conner actually saying these things to her, but at the same time she knew they were no less then she deserved. She hung her head back down.

"Artemis had no other choice, Superboy," Kaldur came to her undeserving rescue. "She had to maintain her cover. It was her attention back at our base that insured Nightwing survived as long as he did."

"And a shit lot of good that did," Conner snapped.

"We are hurting too, Conner! Do not think we don't grieve. This news had broken us both!" Kaldur bit back viciously.

Artemis tried desperately to calm her shaking shoulders. She too wanted to scream at Conner, to tell him that she was screaming inside with no outlet. She wanted to burden him with questions, to ask what exactly they did to get him medical help, because Nightwing sure as hell was alive when the team had taken him back. But she couldn't. She knew the team had done everything they could. She couldn't even comprehend Batgirl... or Robin...

Jesus Christ.

Conner had stayed silent at Kaldur's outburst, rightfully put back in his place. Artemis took her turn. "Conner, how did he die?" She had to know.

Conner sobered up, deflating dramatically at her question. He suddenly looked so tired. "He died three days ago... in the League's infirmity," he visibly swallowed, taking a long time to continue. "It sucked 'cuz no one was there, you know. We only had one doctor—Leslie, I think her name was. But, none of the League. Batman wasn't there when he—shit. It was all really messed up." Conner ran a hand through his hair. "The doc said he died 'cuz of blood in his lungs or something. Plus he'd already lost a lot of it before he'd gotten here, and the doc think he had a concussion. He was a dead man walking the minute we got him in the bioship."

Conner heaved a sigh. His voice was steady, but his eyes shone ever so slightly in the camera's lens. Artemis didn't dare think he was actually showing that sort of emotion, but his mannerisms reminded her of how much their little bird had wormed his way into the clone's heart.

...Everyone's heart.

"What happens next?" She heard Kaldur saying.

Conner shrugged his wide shoulders, almost looking like he couldn't care less, like there were a lot more important things to be thinking about then plans for the future. "I don't know. By now everyone knows he's dead—that was Batgirl's idea by the way, not mine—so… I guess we've gotta plan a funeral.

The three sat in heavy silence, each taking in the information on their own, and each trying to find some mad way to process everything. Artemis knew she couldn't, knew she didn't want to. But there was something she had to know, one last burning question...

"Conner, what was his name?"

Kaldur's head perked up at her question, looking from her to Superboy's screen earnestly.

Conner looked... sad. So unbearably sad. "Batgirl didn't really want too many to know. But you guys are part of the team." He paused, as if weighing the options. "Richard," he finally said. "His name was Richard Grayson. But Robin told me everyone always called him Dick. He's, uh, he was the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. Crazy, right? Who would have thought he could keep that a secret for- Artemis?"

Artemis wasn't even listening to Superboy's words. The minute Richard Grayson's name had left his lips, Artemis's mind had gone haywire. No, no it can't be him. Not Dick... Not that annoying little freshman who had poked her every day in math class. Not the little acrobat who would show off in gym class every once in a while just because he could, just like Robin used to do. No. He couldn't be Nightwing. He couldn't have been Robin.

"We'll laugh about this someday."

Dick's words flooded unceremoniously into her brain before she could stop them. Memories came back to her from her first day at Gotham Academy, where this stranger had pulled her aside and taken her picture. Everything finally made sense. Everything finally made horrible, terrible sense.

Artemis stumbled her way into her room and all but slammed her door. Her legs froze right then and there and she felt herself sliding down onto her floor, leaning back against her door frame.

She couldn't do it, not anymore. That last bit of news was too much. She gathered her head in her hands and let her gut-wrenching sobs take control of her. Tears pooled down her face, and she didn't bother to care. She let herself cry. She let herself mourn and she didn't give one rat's ass if another Manta personnel found or heard her.

At one point she thought she heard Kaldur banging on her door, telling her to let him in. She just screamed at him to go away. Eventually he did. Artemis didn't care. Nightwing was dead. Richard Grayson was dead. Her little brother, who she had failed to miserably to protect, was dead.

*hides under protective rock*

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