A/N: Thanks for the reviews and alerts and follows people. What we have here is a nice fluffy comfort fic. I don't remember if there's anything else, I wanted to say. Anyways, the next chapter should be coming out on July 14th. Enjoy.

Companion

Artemis managed to make it back to her room in the cave before breaking down. Closing and locking the door behind her, she fell headfirst onto the green comforter, sobbing.

In the midst of her tears, a loud hammering came from her door. "Artemis! Let me in!"

"No! Go away!" She didn't care who it was, trying to comfort her. She didn't care it was Wally trying to comfort her, even though he had been the only one on the mission to realize who was on the list of casualties caused by the explosion (Robin had been off doing Batman things).

"Artemis, I swear if you don't open this door now, I will go get Conner to force it open." It wasn't an empty threat

Too distraught to be angry, she stumbled over to her door, trying to slow the flow of tears. She opened the door.

Wally was there, still in his costume, his nose practically touching the door. He stared at her. She tried a sneer, "What! What do you want? To torment me about crying? To-"

She hiccuped, and then, all of a sudden, found herself lifted in a great big bear hug, the kind of hug brutally absent from her childhood. "No, that's not what I want at all."

Eventually, Artemis withdrew from the hug, his left shoulder completely soaked from tears. "Wally, I-"

"Shh." He walked into her room, the door closing behind him. He walked Artemis back to her bed, gently pushing her down, before taking a place beside her. "I'm...so sorry, Artemis."

She tried to smile, failing miserably. "I'm just glad M'gann didn't find out. She would be so kind, of course, but-"

"Sometimes Megalicious can be suffocatingly sweet. I know." Cautiously, Wally wound an arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest.

"Wally, I don't know how I can thank you. I-"

"Then don't." More dry sobs came from Artemis, and he began stroking her hair. "I remember when my grandmother died. I don't actually remember her that well, because I was little, but I remember how sad Mom was. I spent every night in bed with her—Dad was gone on some business trip I think—and I even tried to make some meals. That didn't work out really well, but it did distract her."

Artemis giggled slightly, imagining a little Wally tearing up a kitchen. "I never met my grandparents. My mom's parents are still living in Vietnam, if they're not dead yet. And well...I don't know anything about my dad's childhood."

"I understand." Silence enveloped him. "Are you going to tell them, the team that is?"

She sniffed. "I suppose I'll have to, but...not right now, okay."

"Course not. Is there anything you need?"

She shook her head. "Just...stay with me, please."

"I'll be right here whenever you need me."

When Artemis woke up the next morning, she was tucked in. She saw her boots and quiver in a pile next to her bed, where Wally had put them after she had fallen asleep. Beside her, on a pillow, was a note from Wally:

Artemis,

I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you woke, but Bats made me leave for school. He said he would tell your school and not to worry about missing it. I think Bats has a soft spot for you. Anyway, he wants to talk to you about having a funeral for your mother, but only when you're able. Just promise me not to do anything stupid, Arty, because I want to see your beautiful face when I get back from school today.

The Wall-man.

She smiled.