Young Justice Oneshots

Don't Do It! (A Spitfire AU)

(Yes, another one) Song is God Only Knows (Timbaland Remix, preferably. It's literally exactly the same, I just prefer that one)... the religious parts are not important whatsoever to this story.

Artemis sat in bed, rereading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She didn't want to sleep- she hated the nightmares that came with it. She hated how unrealistic they would seem to anyone. She hated how they were real- they were old memories. Sucktastic memories, as her older sister would probably say. Of course, the memories were always there in the back of her mind, but nobody knew that. No one would believe her, anyway.

—•—

She walked down the hall of her high school, head down, trying to block out the words, the whispers.

"I heard that it's her fault that her parents got divorced."

"I heard that there's a custody battle "for" her. Probably it's more about who has to put up with that b****." That girl, Linda Parks, laughed.

"No kidding," Someone replied. "That girl can't go a week without getting into a fight. It's a wonder why anyone would want her."

"It's probably because she's pretty, honestly. I bet that she could marry rich if she tried."

Artemis was a little shocked to be called pretty. But what the last person said was legitimately her father's motive for wanting her- not that he'd ever say that to anyone but Artemis and her mother.

"Honestly, though. If she'd just kill herself, she'd spare a lot of people a lot of trouble." Someone else said.

Artemis flinched. The words hit her like knives to her chest. Of course, she knew they were true, but it was different to hear someone say them. Someone other than her father, at least. She didn't even go to class. She walked right to the bathroom, where she locked herself in a stall, and took out her handy pocket knife. She trailed it down her scarred arms. Feeling more relaxed, she went to class. She got to her seat just as the bell rang.

—•—

Artemis sat alone at lunch, as usual. She didn't have any friends, she had to cover up her secrets enough anyway, she didn't need someone leaving once they figured out the truth. They'd hate her even more. That's why she lost one of the only two friends she'd ever had. That friend was now her worst enemy.

As if Artemis' thoughts had summoned her, Linda appeared.

"Hey!" She shoves Artemis to the floor and spilled the tray all over her. "Oops. Better go clean that up, Crock."

Artemis held back tears and hurried out of the cafeteria.

—•—

Why did the world hate her so much? Artemis pondered the question as she walked home from school. She had changed into the spare clothes that she kept in her locker, and showered in the locker room, so at least she was clean.

She walked over the Happy Harbor Bridge. It was the highest bridge in town, and she had to walk over it every day. The self restraint it took not to jump... wait, what was stopping her? Seriously, what was stopping her?

She walked to the railing and slid her backpack off her shoulder, setting it on the sidewalk. She set her phone down next to it. She slid herself over the rail, standing on the ledge. She looked down. Fifty feet. Definitely could kill her. She felt a sense of peace at the idea of death. This really was the best choice. She'd finally be happy, and no one would have to deal with her. It was a win-win.

She loosened her grip, ready to jump.

"No! Wait!" A boy's voice shouted. She glanced over to see the track star, Wally West. He was also her crush, but that didn't matter. He was one of Linda's friends. She ignored him, and took a breath, readying herself.

Suddenly she felt hands wrap around her arms. "Don't do it!" Wally said desperately.

"Why do you care so much?!" Artemis snapped. "You don't even know my name! And if you do, it's from those stupid rumors!"

"Why do you want to jump so bad?" He asked earnestly.

"I'm sick of living, ok? I'm sick of the bullying, the rumors, the loneliness, my dad beating me to a pulp every day! I'm sick of the torture of living! I'm not like you!"

"But I used to be like you! I was bullied, there were rumors, I didn't have friends, my dad beat me! I was sick of all of it! And do you know what I did? I jumped!"

Artemis was shocked. Wally West was one of the most popular kids in school. She suddenly had vague memories of rumors about him going around in sixth grade. She never knew that he had attempted suicide.

"But let me tell you something, Artemis! As soon as I was about to hit the water, I realized that all my problems were fixable! Every. Last. One. It was a miracle I lived. I've talked to the other two people who tried, and they realized the same thing! Most people don't realize that until it's too late. Don't be one of them, Artemis, please! I've liked you since the fifth grade! I stick up for you when I can. You just are always gone before I can shut them up. I can't loose you!"

Artemis froze.

"Let me help you!"

She nodded. He helped her back over the railing, both shaking. He sat down, and pulled her into his lap, hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe.

—•—

In the end, all of Artemis' problems did get solved, with a little help from Wally. He helped her stand up for herself. The bullying and rumors stopped. Wally let her join his friend group- not Linda's. She quickly made friends with them, and they were happy to be friends with her. Wally has called the police- including his uncle- on Artemis' dad, and he was arrested after being caught in the act. He made sure that she got meds for her depression, and helped her stop cutting.

Even with Artemis' father in prison, her mother didn't win custody. She was deemed unfit, so Artemis was put into a foster home. She loved her foster parents, Oliver and Dinah Queen, and soon settled into the big house.

She started dating Wally, and they became the cutest couple in school. As the years went by, Artemis' life grew better. She was adopted by the Queen family a year after living with them, the next year, she and Wally were named prom king and queen. She got a scholarship to her dream college, Stanford, and moved to Palo Alto with Wally. They adopted a dog named Brucely, and eventually got engaged, and then married. They had four beautiful children, their twins, Jai and Iris, Mason, and their adoptive daughter, Tatianna.

All was well.