How Can We

Epilogue

Chapter Forty- Epilogue

It was graduation, and Artemis was getting ready in her room. She was adjusting her hat in the mirror when her mom came in, practically in tears.

"My little girl is all grown up!" Her mother had been like that all day. Artemis walked over to her, struggling in the heels she wore.

"Mom, we've been over this before." She explained calmly. They've actually gone over it about a dozen times over the course of the week, but Artemis decided to forgo that detail.

"I know Artemis, but now it's finally here."

"It'll be ok mom. I know me going away for college seems scary to you, but Jade will be with you the entire time. I'm actually going to help you move your stuff into her apartment later." Artemis was going out-of-state for college, Stanford in fact. She was switching from the east coast to the west and leaving Gotham City goodbye, for now at least.

Jade and Artemis convinced her mother to move out of the apartment for good. Artemis was taking her stuff to dorm off campus, and her mother was moving in with Jade, Roy and Lian. Artemis did not envy her.

It was time for them to move on with their lives, and it started with leaving behind that old apartment with all its bad memories.

"You're my little girl, and I'm going to miss you." Her mother said crying.

"I'm going to miss you too."Artemis told her just as teary-eyed. She leaned forward and hugged her mother tightly. It was going to be an adjustment not living with her mother, not to mention the fact that she was going to have to learn to do laundry and every other boring household chore on her own.

"Come on, today is supposed to be a happy occasion, let's not spoil it with our tears." Her mother said a minute later, wiping her eyes. Artemis did the same putting on a small smile. "Do you need another minute Artemis to get ready?"

"Maybe just one more." Her mother nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her. Artemis stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her blonde hair was let down with loose curls, and her graduation cap blocking most of her vision. Underneath her gown she wore a green flowy dress that came to her knees with thin straps going across her shoulders. It was a simple design which was what she liked about it. She wore some plain black heels that she stumbled around in. Zatanna, Raquel and Megan all but threatened her to wear pumps, and she was just too exhausted to argue with them.

She took one last look at her room. All of her belongings were stuffed into boxes ready to be shipped to California. Even the Alice in Wonderland poster was taken down. The room was essentially bare, and it felt weird to see but oddly satisfying. Once they leave this apartment for good, she can put the past where it finally belonged, behind her.

*******

"Wow, you look amazing." Wally said upon seeing Artemis. She blushed from his compliment and kissed him in greeting.

"You don't look too bad yourself." She complimented him back, looping her arm in his. She needed someone to help her walk in her heels and being close to Wally was just a nice bonus.

"Can you guys believe we are graduating?" Megan asked in disbelief. It was all shocking , and it came upon them quickly.

"Soon we'll be out in the real world as adults." Zatanna added. It was a terrifying thought to all of them.

"We're ready for it, and if not we'll figure it out quickly." Dick told them optimistically. The whole group was altogether, for one last time before they would all go their separate ways.

Zatanna was going to Cornell University, Dick was going to Harvard because of course he would. Kaldur was attending Yale, Kaldur and Megan going to Columbia and NYU respectfully. And lastly Raquel was going to Princeton. They were all fortunate enough to get into well-known and respectable colleges that were at the top of their choices.