Artemis sat at the Allen's dinner table, Wally across from her and his aunt and uncle to her left and right. The air was filled with their voices as each person tried to weigh in on the conversation. All day at school she had been avoiding her friends, sure they would bring up the night before, even now she expected Wally to demand answers. It was unsettling that he didn't.

In fact, Wally was acting as if nothing had happened. Twenty-four hours ago he had seen the Hellhole she lived in, met her ex-villain mother, and fought against her not-so-ex-villain father and he didn't seem weary of her in the slightest. A glance at the bruise oh his cheek reminded her that she had even kicked his face, and he had still come to help her. Wally was either the most amazing guy in the world or the stupidest.

"Right, babe?"

Wally's voice broke Artemis away from her thoughts and she looked up from her untouched plate. She didn't have much of an appetite, which sucked since it was Italian night. "What?"

"I was just saying that Mr. Queen was picking you to represent the Academy for archery," Wally repeated, "Right?"

Artemis shrugged, twirling her spaghetti around her fork, "Either me or that King-Jones girl, yeah. I wouldn't get my hopes up, though, she's pretty good."

"And you're better," Wally's voice had an offhand, factual defiance to it that made Artemis smile. "Besides, Cissie is going to be trying out for the Olympics. If she makes it, she won't be qualified for the contest."

Every year there was a contest between the major prep schools in New Jersey, but it was armatures only. Dick had never been allowed to participate because of his past as an acrobat in the Haley Circus (though that didn't stop him from winning every other school competition) and if Cissie King-Jones made it into the Olympics she would be automatically removed from the contest.

Barry stood, gathering up dinner plates. "Sit," he told Artemis when the girl started to help, "you're still a guest here. Wally, come help with dessert."

"Have you got a dress for the after dance?" Iris asked as the boys made their way to the kitchen. Her voice was soft and kind, and Artemis had always thought she would make an excellent mother, but Wally had once told her his aunt and uncle had complications with getting pregnant. That had been one of the reasons they had taken Wally in, the other he still wouldn't tell her.

A mug of black coffee and a slice of pie was placed in front of her, and Artemis leaned her head back to grin at Wally. "I'm actually not going to the dance," the girl explained, picking at her pie, "it's not really my style." She hadn't even thought about the dance after the contest. Gotham Academy hosted it every year with the help of Bruce Wayne, which meant it was a white-tie event. Artemis couldn't explain to Wally's family that she couldn't a new uniform, let alone a dress for the after dance. It had been her choice not to tell Iris or Barry where she lived, and Wally hadn't disagreed with her.

"Oh," Iris said sadly, "I guess Wally's just going to have to go with Linda, then."

Artemis almost choked on her coffee, and she put her mug down so fast it almost spilled over. "Linda," her voice had taken on a cold edge as she glared over at Wally. "Linda Park asked you to the after dance?"

Wally's face was almost as red as his hair and he pulled on the collar of his shirt, "Well, yeah…"

"What'd you tell her?" Wally had known, even before he saw her house, that Artemis wasn't going to the dance and she had guessed he knew why. So what had he told Park?

"I, um," the doorbell rang, saving the miserable creature, and he stood quickly, "I'll go get that."

Out of the corner of her eye, Artemis saw Iris had a smirk with her coffee. Great, she had played right into the woman's hands. Sometimes Artemis forgot Iris was a journalist reporter and that the woman had ways of getting the reactions she wanted.

"Artemis," Wally called, his voice a little tighter then normal, "it's for you."

"What, who would…" Artemis stood, making her way to the door as quickly as she could without being suspicious. There were only two people who would know that coming here would be the only way to get her to go with them. Only two people who Wally wouldn't invite in if they came. She didn't stop as she rounded the corner; she moved past Wally and closed the door behind her. On the Allen's lawn both of them.

"Baby girl," the man said, arm wrapped around her sisters limp body, "I think it's time for a real reunion."

Long time no post, I know I know. And this one isn't even that long. I think the story might be moving a bit fast, too. If I get to the point where I want to scrap it and start over (make things more clear, or less wordy, or add in some more of Artemis' past before this point) I'll take a vote. Actually, right now, does anyone think this needs revamping? The plot will stay the same, but it'll be more fleshed out and less from plot point to plot point.