Tigress~ A Young Justice Fanfic

Chapter Nine

Artemis had moved into the cave while Ollie and Black Canary sorted out stuff to foster her. She put the last shirt that she had gotten on her and M'gann's shopping trip into her dresser. Wally knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Wally walked into the room. He looked around at the dream catcher poster by her bed, the little archery trinkets all over the room. It looked simple and very much like her. There was a single picture by her bed of her and her family at the beach. She looked maybe six and she was wearing a blue swimsuit, her long blonde hair out of her usual ponytail. Her dad's hands were on her shoulders, and she was holding hands with her sister, who was wearing a dark red bikini. Their mother had one hand on her older daughter's shoulder, another around her husband. They all looked happy, close.

Artemis caught him staring at it and sighed. "My family didn't use to be such a disaster. My dad could be a jerk, yes, but he really loved my mom and he didn't hate my sister and me like he does now. My family changed a lot once my mom went to prison. My dad was angry about mom and he took it out on Jade and me. He went from being unconnected to us, to hating us. His neglect turned to abuse. In other words, it all went to h***."

"That sucks," Was all Wally could think to say.

Artemis shrugged. "That's how it is."

"It shouldn't be."

"I agree, but I can't change the past. C'mon, let's go get froyo or something. I'd rather not talk or think about this."

Wally smiled at his girlfriend. "Sure, babe, of course."

The two zetaed to Happy Harbor. They walked to their favorite frozen yogurt place there. As they ate, they talked about all kinds of things.

"Oh my god, Wally! You can't just say things like that to people!" Artemis exclaimed at a story of his.

"I know! Trust me, I learned a lesson."

"You better have."

The couple laughed. They got up from their table, throwing the bowls and spoons away. They took a walk around town, enjoying each other's company. Artemis started to tell Wally a story.

"Ok, so I remember this time when I was like three, and my dad was being an a**, talking about how stupid Jade and I were. Now let me tell you my sister and I were very smart little kids, like too smart for our own good. We also knew a crap ton of swear words, and we knew what they meant, too. Like I said, we were too smart for our own good.

"So my sister, who is completely done with him, tells him to 'shut his stupid mouth because everything that was coming out of it was bull****'. Direct quote. Mind you, she was seven."

Wally laughed.

"Oh that's not all."

"Really?"

"Really. So my dad looks at her, and opens his mouth to yell at her, and I say 'Hey, I know you heard her, dumb***! Shut your stupid mouth!"

"No way that actually happened."

"Yes way. My mom recorded it."

Wally burst out laughing. "Ok, that needs to be on Ridiculousness or something."

Artemis joined him in laughter. The duo walked past an alley. Artemis was yanked back, then Wally.

"Hey!" The redhead yelled indignantly. "Leave us alone!"

"You know, I don't think I will," A deep, familiar voice growled.

"Dad?" Artemis whispered, fear filling her usually confident voice.

"Hey, Baby Girl. I think that you need a punishment. One that will actually work this time. What do you think?"

"No!" Artemis yelled.

"Well, I'm the parent, so I decide." He put a rag over her mouth and nose. After a minute, her eyes rolled back into her head and she went limp, supported by her father's grip on her arms.

"Artemis!" Wally struggled towards her.

"What do you want me to do with him?" The man restraining Wally asked.

Sportsmaster considered the question for a minute. "Bring him with us. He's a speedster. We can use him against the League or something."

The other man nodded. A rag just like the one that knocked Artemis went over Wally's mouth and nose.

He tried to hold his breath, but it didn't work. The second he took a sniff of the stuff, he knew what the rag was covered in.

'Chloroform,' He had time to think before blacking out.