The Project •On Hold•

🏹 Chapter Eighteen 🏹

⚠️Suicide TW. I don't wanna trigger anybody. If that's not something you can handle, it'll be MENTIONED later in the story to prevent confusion⚠️ALSO PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I HAD A REASON

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Artemis glanced at the picture of her, Jade, and Zephyr resting on her bedside table. She sighed as she got up, walking to the door. She looked around for her mom as she entered the living room. Not seeing her, she called to the knocker- who she knew most be her friends. "Give me a minute!"

She ran to her mother's room, seeing the woman fast asleep. Artemis smiled before closing the door quietly. She hurried back to the living room, opening the door. She tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear. "Hey, guys. Be quiet, ok? My mom's asleep."

The others all agreed to keep it down and they settled onto the couch, chair, and floor. "Ok, story time," Raquel said.

Artemis smiled. "So, my family isn't exactly perfect. Never was. This is going to be no sweet story. My life sucks.

When I was little, my parents were gone for 'work'- which was usually something illegal- all of the time. They also got arrested on the regular. My older sister Zephyr practically raised Jade and me.

"When I was nine, my mom got arrested for drug and weapons dealing and a few assaults and a couple manslaughter charges that got thrown out pretty quickly. It was ridiculous, before you freak. Pled insanity in court and got twenty years, six years if she had good behavior, which she obviously got. Also mandatory lifelong therapy, which I don't object to, even though the state won't pay for it, which makes that fat bill our problem. She's only allowed to be around me since she has no record of domestic violence."

"Wow," Kaldur said, stupefied.

"Yeah, it's crazy. The problem is severe schizophrenia, I think. She couldn't think straight. It... was bad, to say the least. She never lashed out at me or my sisters, but we knew that something was wrong. She's on meds now, and trust me, her actions have caught up to her. Between them and my sister's death, my mom has pretty severe depression, too.

"My dad had a habit of yelling at and ignoring me and my sisters. But after my mom got arrested, it got way worse. It escalated to severe verbal and mental abuse pretty quickly. Right after I turned eleven, Zephyr died in some sort of freak accident. She was about to turn eighteen and my dad heard she was going to take custody of Jade and I, and, well, we never were able to prove anything, but... weird coincidence, y'know?

"Jade ran away immediately after. I stayed at home, not wanting to leave my mom alone with that total psycho when she got back.

"When I was thirteen, I was diagnosed with a bunch of stuff after my school counselor insisted that I got a psych screening. My mom doesn't believe I have anything, btw. She thinks I'm making it up since it isn't as bad as hers. Might be the schizophrenia or just ignorance, I don't know.

"A few months ago, my mom came back, much more sane than I remembered. She left my dad and took me with her. She was opposed to me becoming a criminal too, out of bad influence. We moved here. I called the cops on my dad as soon as we got here, and now he's serving like ten years."

"Damn," Wally said. "That's messed up."

"Oh, Artemis," Zatanna our her hand on her friend's back. "That's terrible. No one should have to live like that."

"I'm not the only one."

"I'm sure, but that doesn't really mean anything about you. We all have some shitty family, and that sucks, but it's life sometimes. You definitely have it the worst, I'm sure that's no competition, but that doesn't mean we're not here for you. If you need help with anything, call us, ok?"

"Ok."

"Well, it's like time for dinner, so we have to go, but we'll see you at school tomorrow, alright? The religious of us will be praying for you."

"Thanks, guys. It means a lot. I had exactly one friend like this in Gotham."

"Well, now you have seven," Conner stated.

Artemis grinned at him, recomposing herself. "Ok, y'all go home. I have to go wake up my mom so she'll actually sleep tonight."

"Alright. Bye, Arty!" Megan said, giving her a tight bear hug and a sisterly kiss on the cheek.

"Bye, Megs."

⚠️

Artemis put some soup on the stove, and hurried to her mom's room. Paula was already awake and in her chair. She was holding a picture of herself, Artemis' father, Zephyr, Jade, and a baby Artemis. Artemis knocked on the door despite it already being open.

"Hey, Mom." Paula didn't answer. "Hey, Mom? Mom?" She waved her hand in front of Paula's face. "Earth to Paula Nguyen. This is your daughter speaking. Please turn your attention to me."

"Zephyr?"

"For the millionth time, no, Mẹ."

"Oh. Sorry, Artemis."

Artemis sighed. "It's ok, Mom."

"No, really, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I call you by your sister's name all of the time, I shouldn't do that. I'm sorry that I say you're lying when you say you're depressed, I just don't want to accept it."

"Mom, where's this coming from? Did you hear me? Cuz, it really is fine-"

"Baby Girl. Look at me."

Artemis locked eyes with her mother.

"I love you so, so much. So much. I'm sorry for being a bitch and a bad mother."

"You're not a bad mom! At least not for me! I wouldn't want any mom but you."

Paula stroked her daughter's cheek. "You're so sweet, Artemis. And selfless. You don't get that from me or from your dad."

"Yeah, I know, I know. I get it from Zephyr."

"No. You get it from YOU. Zephyr was going to help you and Jade, yes. But she wasn't going to stay for me. Never really had intention to. Would have liked to, but she knew that she wouldn't. You stayed for me, and I'm so sorry that I'm not doing the same for you."

"It's al-" Artemis started to say before realization kicked. Tears immediately pooled in her eyes. "Mom. Mom? Mommy, what did you do?!"

"I love you. Tell Jade that too. I love you so much, Artemis. You're my brave, selfless baby girl, and I'm so proud of you."

"I love you, too, Mommy."

Paula's eyes rolled up in her head and with a shudder, she went limp. "Mommy? Mommy, please- please, don't go! Not you, too, please!" Artemis found herself sobbing, pulling out her cell phone and dialing 911 as she checked her mother's pulse which was slowing down. Artemis noticed the bottle of schizophrenia pills was empty. "No, no, no!"

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My mom, she-she-"

"Calm down, sweetie. Tell me what's wrong."

"She- I went to get her for dinner, and we were talking and then she said something, and I realized she'd done something, she went limp a few seconds late... I think she overdosed."

"Does she have a history of suicidal tendencies?"

"Yes, ma'am. I know this was an attempt, she's tried before, I couldn't stop this time, I couldn't-"

"It's not your fault, sweetie. Where are you?"

"123 Charleston Street, Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. Apartment B07."

"Ok, sweetie. Do you know CPR?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I think you'll need to do that ok? I'm sending someone right now, stay on the line until help gets here, ok?"

"Ok."

A few minutes later, a few paramedics arrived, taking Paula away. Artemis hurries after them, crying. She sat in the ambulance, silently crying the whole ride to the hospital.