Always Traught

Blame it on Me

"You forced another kid into our house because you couldn't take responsibility for them, and looked what happened!" Will yelled at Dick. Artemis looked at the two boys the best she could without moving her neck. Despite the painkillers, she could feel the agony. It was excruciating.

"Will, I'm so sorry. I would never do anything to the hurt you or your family. I'll pay for the damages, the medical bills, and you can-

-No! I want you to realize what you have done! I want you realize what you've always do!" The redhead continued to yell. Dick had never seen Will so angry. He could see the venom in his eyes. Dick deserved it, however. He deserved all the hatred. Tera was a mole for Deathstroke and Dick had placed her into Will's and Artemis' home. They trusted her. And unlike mole situation seven years ago, she meant to harm the team. The first move was drastic. They planted a bomb inside the two archers' home. Artemis heard it only a few seconds before it went off. She used her body to shield her niece, who was more like a daughter. Lian and Artemis were in the hospital. Oliver was handling Brucely.

Dick sighed, "I know, Will."

"You don't, Richard. You really don't," The archer sighed after a few moments of quiet, "Lian's about to be coming out of surgery. I going to be there for her when she does," Will looked down at Artemis and gave her hand a squeeze. She couldn't nod but gave him a look that told him to go. She wanted to be there for her too. Before he let go, he kissed her forehead. The bird couldn't watch.

Dick bowed his head as the clone walked past him. He felt beyond guilty. His mind kept asking questions of what if's. What if Artemis had died? What if Lian had died? He wouldn't be able to live with himself. Another factor contributed to his guilt as well. The last time he had talked to Artemis, she confessed that she was dating Will. Dick yelled at her for some reason. He yelled at her for abandoning him, asked her, "How could you do this to me?" Then he mentioned her family. He kept going until she backhanded him across his face.

The acrobat sat down in the uncomfortable, plastic chair and looked at the blonde. He had seen her in comas, casts, and braces, but this was the most broken she had ever looked. Gauze was wrapped around parts of her body. No doubt hundreds of stitches littered underneath. The most noticeable thing was the neck brace. The possibility of her never gaining control of her limbs scared the young detective. It had happened to her mother and it had happened to Barbara.

"Don't worry. I'll be able to walk in a few more months," Artemis answered his mental question as if she could read his mind. Dick took a deep breath in and a deep breath out.

"Lian?"

"Something cut through her ulna and she received a toddler fracture from when I passed out on top of her. She's hurt, but it could have been so much worse."

"How's little guy Brucely?" Dick placed a hand on her bicep and squeezed.

"He was outside at the time so all he got was a little cut. Emergency services said that he was the one that lead them to us," Artemis tried to smile at the thought of the heroic dog but it hurt like all holy hell. She could feel tears prickle up in eyes. She could usually handle pain but everything felt like too much. Soon enough she was silently sobbing.

The raven took one look at her and frowned. He grabbed the remote that was by her fingers and pressed the little red button with the nurse on it, "My friend needs more painkillers," They nurse responded with a, "Right away," but they both didn't listen. Dick was busy wiping her tears and petting her hair to her head.

"You won't be hurting soon, okay?' He coed.

"It hurts so bad," She choked out, "Everything hurts."

"Don't talk," He instructed, "Just wait until the nurse comes," Artemis took his advice and attempted to calmed down. The nurse came in right when her tears stopped. She was grateful for that. Artemis didn't want to cry her eyes out in front of stranger. Dick had seen her cry before. She's seen him fall, too.

When the nurse left Dick let go of the blonde and allowed her to rest. An off settling feeling settle in his gut. Dick was responsible for her situation. Because Dick had placed Tera in their home, it was blown to nothing. Maybe some things survived, but he doubt it. Lian, a person who had no part in the hero life, suffered because of his stupid decisions. Artemis, who meant the world to him, was in a hospital again.

And who was he to say that she abandoned him? She was never his and she never would be. Wasn't he the one to abandon her when Wally died? He left everyone. He didn't even have the human decency to attend his best friend's funeral. Then he got together with Barbara. Dick did not bother to tell Artemis about his relationship. Even after all of that, she accepted him with open arms.

The more he thought, the more he decided that he had destroy most of her life. Dick had been the one to recruit Artemis two years ago. He stole her from her life with Wally. Dick took Wally from her after a couple of hours of being home, which almost broke her. Just when things were getting normal for her, he came back in. It wasn't just her life either. It was Kaldur's life, Tula's life, and Wally's parents life.

Dick peered over at Artemis, who looked queasy for the pain. The painkillers hadn't kicked in yet. The sight of her wet lashes, her scrunched up nose, and the redness in her cheeks broke his heart.  She was gripping onto the side of her bed with all her might. He couldn't bare looking at her anymore.

This is was all his fault.

"I need to go," Dick blurred out as he stood out of his seat. Artemis eyes opened. A new wave of pain filled her eyes. It wasn't the physical kind.

"If it had anything to do with Will-

-He's right, Mai. I always ruin everything. It's what I've always done. And it's what I was most afraid of," Dick made eye contact with her, "That's why I can't be near you anymore."

Artemis mouth opened up in shock. She closed it from the pain it cause, "You can't. I just got you back."

"Look at yourself, Artemis! You're covered in gauze and you have a damn brace around your neck! Can you even feel your toes!?"

"I signed myself up for this. Don't you understand that?" The goddess forced herself to sit up when he took steps towards the door, "Don't leave me," His heart broke at how weak she sounded.  Artemis was scared of being abandoned. She always had been. Now he was leaving her in a hospital room. It felt like a nightmare come true. Her heart seemed to beat so much faster. It made her hurt chest more than it already had. She took deep breaths to try to calm down. Her body wouldn't listen.

"I'm sorry, Artemis," Dick murmured when he reached the door, "Just stay traught for me?" Before she could sob his name, he slid out of the room as quick as he could. It take all of his will power to not run down the hall too.

A/N: Sorry for the six day break on this story. :(