Sorry for the wait everyone. My work schedule is a bit hectic at the moment making it hard for to find time for this story. Also I felt that the last few chapters of the story weren't as good as they could've been. This chapter is important to the story and I did not want to feel that way about this chapter. Now that it is finished I feel like I was able to capture the thoughts and feelings in the right way. With work the way it is at the moment I don't know when the next chapter will be up. So I hope that you enjoy this one for a while at least. Be warned this chapter does jump around a bit but I believe that it is worth it. Thank you all for the reviews and please enjoy this chapter.
Artemis Crock was lost. The fog was so thick she could barely see her hands. She couldn't remember how she had come to be in this place. Was it a mission? Did her Father have something to do with it? She wasn't sure. She couldn't remember how she had gotten here but she knew almost instinctively that she had to get out. It was like she had been here before. As if she knew the place but didn't quite recognise it. All she really knew was that she had to leave. Had to go home. Where was home? She didn't know anymore.
The fog seemed to get thicker the more she thought. Noises penetrated the fog. There was screaming and shouting and running. A few times she had tried to move and fell straight back down. Giving up she had sat there and listened to the noises coming through the fog. They were horrible scary noises. She almost recognised a few of them and that scared her more. When that happened she had experienced a strange sensation. It was like someone was holding her hand in theirs. Her hand that was way too small. For the first time since she had woken she looked down and realised that she was smaller than she should have been. It was like she was nine again. The moment she remembered that the fog in front of her cleared. Almost like curtains being pulled back at a stage show.
It was her. And her Father. A memory from just after her mother was imprisioned. She was standing there holding her bow but there were no arrows in sight. She knew this memory. She didn't like this.
"Do it!"
"N... No."
"I said do it."
"Mum said ..."
"Mum's not here. I am. So do it or we are going to practise holding our breath underwater again?"
At that point Artemis had summoned what little strength she had to push herself up and run. She had lived it once. She couldn't watch it again. As she ran she realised that she had not thought about that incident in years. How many others would she be subjected to in here?
Not looking where she was going Artemis tripped and fell head first into a lake. As she struggled to try to find the surface, her eyes took in the sight of her Father standing above the surface. The water distorted him but she knew it was him. She followed his arms down towards the water's surface. He was holding someone underneath the surface. There was tangled blonde hair flowing out everywhere and she realised that this was another memory. She could hear him, even down here under the surface.
"Hold your breath. You're not coming up until you hold your breath. If you would just do as you're told then this wouldn't have to happen. You're useless and no one likes useless people. No talent good for nothings like you are left to die. You're lucky that I am trying to improve you. Now hold your breath."
At his last words he lifted her head slightly and then slammed her full force back into the water. Artemis didn't see this; she could still remember the ache in her neck and the way he looked at her when it was finished. Disappointment. That had upset her more than the near drowning. She didn't see it because when she realised what was happening she had turned and blasted towards the water's surface. Once she found solid footing she sprinted as far away from the water as possible. Her body was in agony but she was running from her past. As she ran she noticed that she was aging. She was almost fifteen again.
The next thing she knew she was stumbling into an alleyway. There she was standing next to her Father. At his feet lay a homeless man. Artemis instantly hugged the shadows watching from behind a jut in the wall. She couldn't take her eyes from the scene; she knew how this scene ended. Her Father had wanted her to kill the man. She had refused and he had dragged her home for more training and punishment. He had almost killed her that night.
"Well, it's now or never Baby Girl. Nice and clean like we practised." As he spoke he stepped away from the man.
"Are you sure it's okay?"The younger Artemis asked.
That wasn't right. That was not how this was supposed to go. Artemis's eyes widened in horror as the little girl drew and notched an arrow. Artemis tore her eyes away and ran. Even though she could still hear the release of the arrow ringing in her ears. That wasn't right was it? Or was that the real memory. No she did not kill that man. She had no idea what was going on but that was a false memory. It just had to be.
As she ran Artemis was bombarded by images of her team, her friends and the league. In all of them she stood over them bow drawn and arrow notched. She just kept running. Eventually she shut her eyes and ran blindly forwards. She could block out the images but the twang the bow strings were making rang in her ears. She couldn't block them out, even when she shoved her fingers down her ears it was still there. It kept getting louder. Artemis was in agony but she couldn't stop she had to get away from these images. These false images.
The next thing Artemis knew she was laying face first on the floor. She had tripped and fallen, sliding forward along the ground from her own momentum. She used her remaining strength to raise her head just off the ground. She sighed. Exhausted and in agony. On the verge of tears. She heard footsteps and closed her eyes, not wanting to look at her Father again.
"Look the traitor is still here."
Artemis whipped her head around to look at the speaker. Artemis hadn't been sure until she looked because she never thought that M'gann could speak with so much hate and malice. M'gann stood there looking down on her. The Team and the Justice League stood there looking down on her as well. Each of them wore a look of contempt and disgust. Then they all started speaking. There words were harsh cruel and their voices began to mingle together.
"Murderer."
"Traitor."
"Useless."
"Replacement."
Eventually she couldn't understand a word any of them were saying. It was just a rumble of noise. She could still hear their disappointment, fear, hate and anger. Unable to take it anymore Artemis closed her eyes and shoved her hands over her ears. Anything to make them stop.
As sudden as it had started the noise disappeared. By now Artemis really was crying. But she didn't open her eyes or uncover her ears afraid that it would start again. After a short time she took her hand off one ear and opened one eye. Slowly she did the same for her other ear and eye. She didn't know why they had said those things. As she thought about it she realised that they hadn't been standing alone. Mixed in with them were Gotham Academy students and reporters from across the world that had always condemned her father.
Having not raised her head Artemis hadn't noticed the approach of someone. Only when they tapped her shoulder did her head pop up. The pain from moving her neck was incredible but the person standing in front of her surprised her. Conner was standing there looking down at her. For a second her heart had leapt, thinking that he had come to take her away from this place. When she caught sight of the anger on his face though terror replaced her relief. When he spoke his words were harsh, cruel and for Artemis soul-destroying.
"You are a useless, good for nothing waste of space. Nobody wants you around and I hate you."
Artemis couldn't move. She didn't want to breathe. It wasn't his words that did the most damage. It was the look of pure disgust on his face. As if he couldn't stand the sight of her and then the world seemed to shift. She found herself hang on to some sort of ledge and she watched as Conner transformed into her teammates and mentors and then into her father. She couldn't take this anymore. Trapped on some invisible ledge with her father standing there laughing like he was the Joker. He stopped laughing. And using his foot pushed Artemis off the ledge never taking his eyes from hers.
And Artemis was falling again. There was no Conner, no team to catch her this time. There was nothing she could do to stop it. She wasn't sure whether she really wanted to either. She didn't really belong anywhere in the world. She could never follow in the family business like her Dad wanted but being a hero wasn't going all that well either. Without a home to go to Artemis didn't have any hope. So she didn't try to break her fall. She just closed her eyes and prayed that when she found the floor it wouldn't hurt as much as she was hurting right now.
After Batman and Canary finished their explanations no one was quite sure what to do. Most of the league left to track down Sportsmaster. They didn't tell anyone what they were up to. They just did it. Those with team members remained behind, seeing if there was anything they could do for their protégés. They were all sitting there staring at the floor. The first to move was Conner; he headed in the direction of the training room. He was followed closely by Superman. Martian Manhunter walked over to M'gann who was sitting there crying and led her away. Next to move was Wally, he and the Flash went to the kitchen. Zatanna raised her head to look at her dad and ran into his arms. He led her out of the room. Rocket and the Icon left through a zeta beam. Kaldur was followed by Aquaman towards the ocean. Leaving Batman, Robin, Black Canary, Green Arrow and Red Arrow in the room.
"Do youse want to come see her?" Canary addressed Roy and Ollie who both followed her to the Zeta beams.
Once they were alone Batman and Robin moved to sit on the couch beside each other. Neither spoke for some time.
"How come no one knew?" Dick asked the man who was supposed to know everything.
"I think mainly because no one wanted to and because Artemis didn't want anyone too. Things will be different from now on. I promise."
Dick couldn't help but shake his head. He didn't quite believe it. So they sat there in silence for some time thinking about how to make it better.
Once Kaldur hit open ocean he started swimming and didn't stop. He knew Aquaman was right behind him but right now he needed to stay calm. Keep his focus. Figure out why she hadn't felt confident enough to tell anyone. Why she wouldn't confide in him, their leader? Was it something he did and if not was it something he didn't do? He didn't even realise that Aquaman had spoken to him until he heard him clear his throat rather loudly.
"I am sorry my king I was..."
"Thinking I know. You know that this isn't your fault. Just like it is no one else on the team's fault, right?"
"I suppose I understand that but I am the team leader. I should have known something was wrong. I should have..."
"Even if that were the case it doesn't change how you move forward from here. Artemis is going to need a calm level head that she can turn to now. She is going to need you. If you freak out you can't help her."
"I know it's just... I wish that we could have prevented this."
"We all do Aqualad. We all do."
The pair continued on. Thinking and talking about how they could help.
Rocket seemed to have decided that taking out as many bad guys as she could find was a good plan. Confronting the problem wasn't. It took Icon some time to find her. The only indication she had been somewhere was the beaten thugs he found in her wake. When he finally caught up to her she had just stopped a mugging. He let her get away from the crowds and then intercepted her. Using his speed and strength he brought a furious squirming Rocket to the top of a building.
"You should talk about it. Trying to destroy everything in front of you isn't healthy."
"Oh yeah and who says?" Rocket was not happy.
"Lots of people. I'm sure Artemis would if she was here." That comment stopped Rocket's struggle. Reminded of why she was trying to stop all crime in one go. She went slack in Icon's hold and sank to the ground. Rolling on to her back to look at the stars. The Icon joined her.
"Why didn't she tell anyone? Why didn't she tell me? I told them everything. I mean I get why she might not have felt safe telling the others but I know what the other side's like."
"Maybe she has been running from herself for so long that trying to tell anyone was too terrifying."
"Yeah well she won't have much choice now."
"No she won't."
The pair stayed on the roof for some time. Watching the stars. A conversation without words passed between them.
Zatanna and her father sat in her room. When she finally calmed down her Father started talking.
"I am sorry Zatanna. I know Artemis is your friend. She will be fine though just you wait and see."
"How do you know that?"
"Because if she survived this much, for this long then she will be able to take this on."
"But what if this is one time too many?"
"I don't know but it will be fine you'll see."
Zatara held his daughter praying that it would be true. He owed Artemis more then perhaps she understood right now. He hoped that he would get the chance to repay her.
In the kitchen Wally sat down looking at the ice cream he had pulled out. He then stood back up and put it away. Opting to sit on the bench top instead. The Flash stood in the door way. Leaning against the frame watching his nephew.
"All that time we went out and not once did she say anything. Not once did she mention any of it. Why?"
"Maybe she didn't want to ruin your relationship by bringing all that negativity into it. Maybe she wanted you to stay you Wally and not get dragged down by her baggage." As the Flash spoke he grabbed the ice cream back out and sat down next to Wally offering him a spoon which he took.
"So. She should have known she could tell me anything?"
"There are a lot of things that we should all know but sometimes we ignore them because it's easier or at least we imagine it to be easier."
Wally just made a noise of impatience and dug the spoon in. The pair spent quite some time eating through what was in the cupboards of the cave. Then restocking it so the cave's residents could eat.
Martian Manhunter had taken M'gann to the top of the hill that the cave was carved into. He let her cry it all out.
"I wasn't there for her. I should have been. I said she was my sister and I haven't been acting like a sister at all."
"It is alright M'gann. Artemis will understand. She will forgive you."
"How can you say that when she might not even..." M'gann's unspoken words saw a fresh round of tears from her.
Martian Manhunter sat there trying to soothe his niece's fears. He was terrified of what would happen if Artemis wasn't alright.
Superman found Conner destroying every single piece of equipment within the Cave's gym. When he ran out of equipment he started pounding on the walls. It was at this point that Superman stepped in to prevent the destruction of the cave. Allowing Conner to pummel him seemed like a better idea.
Eventually Conner became tired and slumped forward into Clark's arms. It took a few seconds for Clark to realise that Conner was crying he hadn't said a word but he was definitely crying. The pair stayed like that. Clark tried to help. He told him that everything would be alright in the end. He wasn't even sure that Conner was listening.
Conner was listening though. He had no intention of saying why he was so upset though. It had occurred to him in these last couple of days that he had feelings for Artemis. Like the ones he had for M'gann, only different. He knew that he cared deeply for her but he couldn't explain why they were different to the ones he had for M'gann. It was strange and terrifying all at once. Then to hear all of that, part of him now felt broken. He couldn't protect her from the world and he couldn't save her from herself. It was like he had failed her.
"She'll be okay right?"
For a minute there Clark didn't realise that Conner had spoken. He looked down to see Conner looking at him, pleading for hope.
"Of course she will. We just have to be patient."
The pair did their best to fix the room in silence. They didn't talk about it but Clark was pretty sure he knew why Conner was so upset. This time though there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was wait and hope.
Artemis could hear someone calling her name. She didn't remember landing and she couldn't fathom how she had survived.
"Artemis, Artemis."
That voice, her Mother's voice was calling again. Maybe she was dead and her Mum was calling her home.
"Artemis."
Artemis opened her eyes and looked around to see her Mother standing there calling to her. She had just sat up when a younger version of herself flew past her towards her Mother. It was then that Artemis noticed that her Mother looked very young. Studying it further Artemis noticed that she looked to be about four. She watched as they were joined by her Father and Jade. They were all happy. It was so strange to look at but she knew it was a memory. One from so very long ago. She watched as her Dad lifted her on to his shoulders. Heard her sister laugh. Watched him win them matching teddy bears. Memories from when they were a family. So many of them from a happier time, when she actually had a childhood. When her Dad wasn't so focused on crime. She didn't know how or why he had changed but that time before was amazing. There was no denying it.
As she sat there the fog returned swirling around her. In it she watched hundreds of images play of her family. Good and Bad. Jade and her laughing, Jade leaving. Her Dad's training. Her Mum coming home. The first time her dad had said he was proud of her. Her Mother leaving before she got arrested.
Then the images changed. It was of her and the team and the League. She played video games with Robin, ate in the kitchen with Wally, played pranks on League members with Zatanna, talked boys with M'gann, helped Rocket with her crush on Aqualad, taught Kaldur about Vietnam and sparred with Conner. There were ones of her on patrol with Green Arrow, her locking horns with other league members including Red Arrow, then the images of her arguing with them from the other night flashed up. This time she saw the hurt and fear on their faces. Registered the regret and concern. She just wanted to go home and see them again. Apologise. Maybe even spend some more time with Conner to confirm how she felt about him. That was all she wanted. To go home and do all those things all over again.
As soon as she finished that thought a Zeta beam appeared in front of her. She wasn't sure why but she just knew that this was what she had been waiting for. That this was the way out of here. The way home. So Artemis gathered strength that she didn't know that she still had and stood. Slowly walking forwards she didn't have to press any buttons or do anything. Getting there had been absolute agony so when she stepped in and heard the whir of the machine start-up she was surprised that the pain started to disappear. She didn't mind though. She was very tired and there would be time to talk later. The last thing she heard before the world dissolved around her was the most reassuring thing in the world at the time. She was going home.
"Recognised, Artemis B-07."