Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of young justice.

The team was still outside the med bay. They were still waiting for BC to walk out and tell them that Artemis was going to be okay. Kid flash was pacing back and forth in front of the room, robin was leaning against the wall next to the door, Megan was crying in Superboy's arms as he held her, and Kaldur was sitting against the wall with his hands covering his face right in front of the door.

It was silent. No one was saying anything. They didn't really know what to say as they had no idea what was going on.

After few more hours BC came out of the room. Everyone asked about Artemis at the same time.

"How's Artemis?"

"Is she okay?"

"Will she be okay?"

"What's going on with Artemis?"

"What took you so long?"

Kaldur actually stood up and tried to go inside the room but BC didn't let him and blocked his way with her body.

"Everyone calm down. Artemis will be okay. She lost a lot of blood, and the injuries she had were very deep" then she looked straight at Kaldur saying "Artemis is asleep and will be for rest of the night, all of you better go and get some sleep. Let her rest"

Kaldur and Wally tried to protest, but BC didn't even let them talk.

"Let her rest" she commanded very seriously

The team left and walked to their respective rooms.

"It's my entire fault" said Kaldur looking at the floor. Everyone stopped and turned around to look at Kaldur.

"It wasn't your fault" said Megan

"Yes it was. If something happens to Artemis I don't know what I'll do" he said with hot tears forming in his eyes. He was feeling so guilty, and tired, he couldn't do it anymore, he was breaking, he was losing it, and he couldn't handle almost losing Artemis.

"Maybe we need a new leader" barked Wally viciously. He blamed Kaldur for what had happened to Artemis. He was broken too, but unlike Kaldur, Wally wasn't sad, he was angry, furious. He wanted someone to blame, he wanted to punch someone in the face, to hurt someone. He wanted to make someone feel the pain Artemis felt. But most of all he wanted to stop feeling so guilty, if he hadn't left her alone during the mission maybe she wouldn't be like this right now. It was because he left her alone that she almost got killed, it was his mistake, because he was so fucking stupid, such an idiot. He truly hated himself.

"KF calm down. You don't mean that" said Robin, trying to reduce the tension between his teammates.

"Maybe I do" retorted Wally "he is the leader, he is not suppose to let shit like this happen!"

"KF you know no one is to blame here" said Superboy

Kid Flash was so angry, he was so pissed, he looked straight at Kaldur, but he was quietly looking down, and he had tears falling down his cheeks.

At that moment kid flash ran and tackled him making them fall onto the cold, cement floor.

"You fucking coward! At least say something when I'm talking to you!" yelled Wally while he was trying to punch Kaldur, but couldn't because Superboy and robin were holding him back, and trying to get him off their leader.

Kaldur on the other hand was on the floor just laying there. He didn't even try to defend himself from Wally. He deserved all the insults and name calling, and even the hits. After all he was right; he was the leader, shit like this wasn't supposed to happen, especially not to Artemis, maybe the team needed a new leader. He wasn't good enough, he didn't deserve it, he couldn't handle being leader obviously.

Megan was crying even harder now. Robin and Superboy dragged Wally to his room and locked him there; unfortunately they could still hear his screams and insults.

Kaldur just stood and went to his room without saying anything. He was still crying, his tears were hot, they burned every time he wiped them and even more would fall from his eyes, he could barely breath thanks to all the mucus he had accumulated from all the crying. He didn't care though. He only cared for Artemis and her well being. He walked to his room and took a shower. He stayed in there with the cold water hitting his back for two hours. Once he got out and lied down on his bed, he tried to sleep but he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Artemis covered in blood, he stayed awake for a few hours, but decided that he didn't need sleep.

He stood up and went to the med bay, sure BC said to let Artemis rest, but he couldn't take it anymore, he had to see her, touch her, be close to her. As he entered the room, he saw her lying down on the bed, sleeping peacefully, so innocent and beautiful. Then he noticed her arms, her shoulder, her torso, and how the bandages were stained red. He sat down beside her and saw all the cuts and bruises covering her beautiful body, and he realized how much she needed him then, and he wasn't there. It killed him, something inside him died when he saw her hurt, on that bed. He just sat there looking at her for the rest of the night.

The next morning BC walked in to check on Artemis, and found Kaldur sitting next to her sleeping. She shook her head. She went and poked his shoulder. He jumped at the sudden touch.

"Kaldur it's ok. It's me Black Canary. You should go to sleep to your room" she said with a soft look on her face

"I can't. I tried but I can't. I can't stand being apart from Artemis" responded the young boy

BC looked at him with worry "Kaldur. This isn't your fault. None of it"

"It is. I am the leader. This is not suppose to happen"

"Kaldur you listen to me now. You are not to blame here. Sportsmaster is. He is the one who hurt Artemis not you. You need to be strong for you, for your teammates, and especially for Artemis, she is going to need you now more than ever" said BC.

Kaldur didn't know what she meant. But he was too tired to ask. "I don't want to go back to my room. Can I please stay here with her?" bagged Kaldur with his voice cracking.

"Fine" she sighed "now go outside for a little bit while I change Artemis' bandages, you can come back and stay when I'm done"

Kaldur nodded and walked out of the room, waiting right in front of the door.

When BC was done changing Artemis' bandages she came out of the room to find Kaldur sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall in front of the door.

"You can go in now" she said

"Thank you" responded Kaldur

She looked at him softly and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kaldur I know you have feelings for Artemis, and that's okay, but be careful. She is not ready for anything like that. When she wakes up Batman and I have to talk to her, then if she wants to she'll tell you the truth. In the mean time tried to rest as much as you can, and be ready" she advised

"BC I agree with you. I would never do anything to hurt or disrespect Artemis in any way" he agreed

"Okay" she said.

Kaldur went inside the room and sat on the chair next to Artemis. He held her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Artemis please wake up. I am so sorry. This is my fault; this was never supposed to happen. Just please wake up, for me. I love you so much. I have never felt like this. I have never been more terrified in my entire life before. I adore you. I just wish you knew how in love with you I am, how much I love the way you laugh, your smiles, your glares, how you look away when your nervous, how you get lost in a book you're reading, how passionate you are about the things and the people you love, how you can kick my ass if you wanted to. I never get tired of looking at you, you are so beautiful, and smart, and funny, and you are everything I desire. I love you so much that I wouldn't care if you broke my heart; in fact I believe I would be the luckiest man alive if you broke my heart. It's sad Artemis; it's sad how much I love you, more than I could ever love myself" implored Kaldur looking at Artemis.

Artemis kept sleeping peacefully for the rest of the day, and Kaldur didn't move. The team went to visit them in the med bay, they offered Kaldur some food, but he wasn't hungry at all. Wally had calmed down, and was quietly in the back of the room staring at Artemis. His lips pursed in a thin line, tears forming in his eyes, but refusing to let them fall. When everyone was done, they left the room with the exception of Wally, who wanted to talk to Kaldur.

"I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I was just so angry at myself that I wanted to hurt someone, and that someone was you because let's face it, you love Artemis, and I love her too. I couldn't handle what happened to her, and I certainly can't handle you and her together" admitted Wally.

"Wally I never meant to hurt you. I love Artemis so much that I would die for her. I still think this was my fault, and even if you say it wasn't, I'll still believe it was. And It's okay Wally I understands about yesterday, I was feeling devastated also, so no hard feelings" responded Kaldur

"I think Artemis loves you Kaldur. Even if she doesn't know it yet, and all I want is for her to be happy. I hope you can make her happy, because if you don't keep in mind that I will haunt you down" he said in a serious tone.

"Don't jump ahead my friend. Artemis will decide what she wants when she wakes up, even if she doesn't chose me I will always protect her no matter what" assured Kaldur.

"Same here Kaldur" reaffirmed Wally walking out of the room.