A distant gleam swirled around Artemisia's fingers as she worked up and down Jason's arm. The once injured skin, tinted with reds and blues, now returned to its true pale colors. She scowled at the blueish sheen that surged from the tepid springs, wishing it was stronger. Sure, her magic worked wonders, yet she knew it could do miracles. But the practice was not making her perfect. A sigh parted her lips.
"You have to stop asking him to give you his all. I can't be always there to heal you," she spoke above a whisper. This was not the first time she had to sit down with him and fix his stubborn wounds. Hell, he had pushed her to discover such powers under pressure. And now, the boy who had stressed her, was scorning her. "I get you want more action, but nothing's happening anywhere right now. I miss going out, too, y'know."
Jason's shoulders slumped for a second, only to tense as her hands acted over a deep cut. It felt like she squeezed a conversation out of him. "It's not like Dick would let me go anyway." He seethed out, moving away from her magic. She followed his movements, bound by the water.
"You don't know that," Artemisia smiled. Dick could change his mind if one persuaded him enough. "If you reason with him─"
The boy chuckled at her. He attempted to push away once more, but Artemisia stayed fixed to him. She dropped to her knees, glaring up at the teen as a warning. Jason shrugged. "Reason with him? Not everyone can fuck favors out of him."
Artemisia's soft nature fled her face. Her eyes became menacing. They packed with simmering fury. Why was he always like this? Careless. And yet, here she was all the time, fixing his mistakes. The water started heating even further in their connection. "Okay, I'm out. Good luck." A splash filled the room as she drew away. Water soaking her pants, and his socks.
"Ouch!" Jason recoiled from the heated water, grasping his injured arm. He buzzed at that contact, too. It had not been fully restored. He groaned with anger. It was not normal for her to fight back. He struggled to recognize whether he hated it or liked it. "I'm─"
Artemisia stayed on her steps, shifting to him with eagerness. "Sorry?" She completed for him. Jason frowned up at her. She only grinned back, giving a tender look. "Don't be shy, say it and I'll heal you."
"Fuck─" the boy had started, debating his next words. There weren't many options. Be treated or stay like that. Sure, Artemisia knew he had normalized getting beaten after years of doing so, but he also had grown used to her magical hands that protected his looks. It must've been a tough battle inside his head.
Rachel's voice suspended their thoughts. "Guys, check this out."
Artemisia hurried to the living room. Rachel, Garfield, and Dianna were seated on the couch, wearing excited faces. Dick inclined on the wall, following the news report. The pair found their spots ( Jason by the carpeted ground, Artemisia not too far from Dick ). They were soon captivated by the strange live footage. It felt good to observe some action after all this time.
The 'criminal' was cornered by the cops. Yet, they did not give in to the odds. A fight broke out. And this criminal was getting the upper hand, completely smashing the policemen. Their movements were perfect like those Dick demanded from the teens. Artemisia analyzed them, trying to find tips to offer later.
"Who's that?"
"A total bad-ass." Jason laughed, sinking further into the pillows of the couch.
Artemisia agreed with him. This person was cool. But also dangerous. Clearly, she could take down a whole squad single-handed. Her idea of this girl faltered when she looked at the cameras. Silver hair pushed over her features, her good eye revealed sadness, despair. The other eye was covered by a gauze patch, blood spotting the cloth.
The girl glanced away, her expression shifting the slightest. She appeared determined. The TV reporter mounted the tension of her next actions. "Not sure where she thinks she's. . ." The shortage of words expressed so much. She had leaped over the edge of the building to what appeared to be an impossible stunt. But she made it, plunging into the next building's windows and disappearing inside. "Oh, my. Did you see that?"
Dick moved from the wall, fixing his comfortable clothes. He took one last glimpse at the screen before shuffling away. "I'll be back."
The teens hummed, but Artemisia was not sure if she accepted his choice. This was a total outsider, sought by the law. She trotted behind him, grabbing his arm to force a stop. Dick did not seem mad that she'd interrupted his calling. "Hey, be careful. We don't know who that is."
"We can't turn our backs, either," Dick explained. They had not done so with Rachel, Garfield, and Dianna, so it made sense to replicate those noble acts. He grabbed her arm and spun her in direction of the television, pointing at the girl's last known location. "That's a kid who needs our help."
Artemisia tried her best to understand him. Yeah, she wished to help each person in this world, see them live a joyful life. But there were many determinants that she could not regulate. She had learned that the hard way years ago. And a clear message had struck her on situations like this. "You can't help everyone, Dick."
"I think I can," Dick claimed, walking away with his chest swelled with repletion. He would help as many people ( children, at least ) as he could. Just like Wayne had done with him. He wished to pay back that debt. That hopeful gleam was something pleasant to see. It rarely showed in adults.
Sparkling that same light, surely contagious, Garfield moved beside her with arms crossed. They waited in silence as the man left the apartment. "He went to get her, didn't he?"
"Yeah." Her arms unconsciously secured over her chest. One hand raised to her face, finger pressing into her mouth as she nipped into her nails.
Dianna's voice came from the couch, where she laid alongside Rachel, head leaning in her palm. "You're worried cause she's a stranger. But we all were at some point."
"It's not the same," Artemisia tried her best to explain. There were few words to express the feeling in her stomach. It could come off as harsh, but trusting her instincts had proven useful so far. "We accepted each other after we earned our trust. Then, we'd let you in. Not the other way around. Trust me, this girl will be trouble." A deep breath and a look around. They were listening. But were they reflecting on her proposal? "I don't trust her. . . You all agree with him, don't you?"
"I mostly don't," Jason chimed from his spot, his eyes still glued to the screen. "But she's a badass."
Great. Not even Jason would try to talk sense. His teenage hormones had taken over his need to argue. Artemisia sighed in defeat. She'd have to keep a close eye on the girl, then. "Just let me know when they show up. I'll be making dinner." Without facing him, she sensed the green-haired boy opened his mouth. Her finger aimed at him, shushing his question. "Yes, Gar, there will be a vegetarian option." Another quiet gasp. "No, it's not a salad. I'm not Jason."
"Hey, my salads are really tasty! Right, guys?" Artemisia began chuckling when no reply came. "Guys?" Everyone had suddenly distracted their gaze, ducking the question. Those salads had no flavor.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
The apartment had quieted down. Mostly everyone had gone to their rooms, preparing to sleep. But for Artemisia and Dick, this cycle hardly applied. They would stay up until late, plan the next day with its every detail, talk about random thoughts, then find another pretext to stay awake. And yet, when the sun awakes, they can be found savoring their breakfast, having just as much energy.
The key was coffee. Really good and expensive blends that Bruce had to pay for. But it was the fuel of the Tower, without them, everything could crumble in a matter of minutes. One cup in the morning, one after training, and the last before starting their nocturnal work. The perfect equilibrium.
Artemisia Robin walked with two mugs of steaming coffee, watching her every step as she strode in direction of the control room. Dick's personal place. He felt safe watching the cameras, making sure all was well. When the doors opened, he was already expecting her. He always was. Her route could be seen from three different angles. It was hard to miss her.
Keeping any tension away, Artemisia stepped next to him, placing a mug before him. Dick thanked her with a smile, which she returned sweetly. Her gaze soon veered to the screens, securing their home. She peeped at the guest room, where the new girl rested, unthreatening.
"Y'know, Jason used the word moody to describe her, which is a lot coming from him." She gestured towards that room, hoping Dick would catch onto her small talk. A pause to take a long sip and eye him. He was eyeing the footage. "I also heard that she wants out."
"You want to shake her off that quick?"
Artemisia halted her mug as it moved back to her lips. "It was just a comment," she explained in the nicest tone, declaring that another discussion would not rise from her part. Both stared at the steady screen. It was all tranquil. The disturbance only happened in their heads. "I have so many questions about her."
"She told me someone's after her. A man. She's afraid he'll get to us, too. I tried to explain she was safe, but she still wants to leave." Foolish, Artemisia thought of the girl's choice. There was no safer place than Titans Tower ( even if she did not want the girl there ). "I'm taking her tomorrow to the station."
Taking a long sip, she looked at him over the mug, right brow raised. She pulled the drink away, now smirking playfully. "Gave up?"
"Nope." Dick grinned triumphantly, earning his next sip. Artemisia stared at him, waiting for him to develop his declaration. For a second, he seemed to debate whether he should keep it as one of his infamous mysteries. "That's the help she wants, it's the help she gets." Sounded reasonable. Everyone won. The girl got further from her pursuer, Dick got to help her, and Artemisia did not have to stress about the stranger's residence.
As Artemisia coincided with him, an odd silence fell over the duo. They slurped some coffee, attempting to fill the void, but the once funny noise turned uncomfortable given the context. There was only one other choice. Do what they wished to do and talk. Simple as it seemed, mentioning a recent argument was not simple. Nonetheless, they gathered the strength and spoke. At the same time. "Listen─"
They bit their lips at the coincidence, allowing the other to speak. Once more time, they tried to talk, only to seal their mouths at yet another move in unison. Holding back a chuckle, Dick gesticulated for Artemisia to continue. She carefully opened her mouth, testing the waters. Then, it heaved down on her what she had wished to say.
Taking a confident breath, she began explaining. "About earlier, I'm sorry. I can't really control it. Something to do with my powers, they take control even after I'm done using them. Just like it used to happen with Dianna." She searched for comprehension in his gaze, any clue to make her feel better. Dick was listening closely, bearing that sensitive frown he used on the teens. Good enough. "It's like a faint voice in the back of my head. I really can't explain it. "
"Huh, hard to beat that." Dick broke right through her anxiety. The room felt lighter. Artemisia permitted herself to laugh. "But, I'm sorry, too. When I heard you say you didn't want to help her, it surprised me. I was in denial and I got mad. Thought you'd be the first person to agree with me. Guess I was wrong."
Artemisia put aside her half-full mug and came closer to him, stretching for his arm. She gifted sweet caresses, easing into his brain. "Had it been another context, I would've helped any kid. You know that."
"I know." Dick sheathed his fingers in her wrist, keeping her in place ( still granting the chance to walk away, if she wished to ). "About your powers─"
Her hand yanked away before it tensed. She did not want to harm him the slightest. The boundaries hadn't been set. He did not know. "Maybe another time."
"Okay." Dick spat out instantly. Confusion washed over her mind. Did he sympathize or got frightened of perturbing her? Her train of thought was discontinued by an awkward slurping. He was trying to fill the silence. But his plan worked wrong. The coffee was getting colder, she read so in his grimace. He was obliged to put it aside and talk. "We might have another problem. Hank called. Doctor Light attacked their farm. They're coming over so we can check things."
Finding her usual spot, Artemisia fitted into the desk, dipping her head to the side. "Doctor Light?"
"We fought him when we were still together," Dick sighed at the memory. He remained secret about Titans' past even after half a year of knowing each other. "He can absorb light and pass it to other vessels. Not all vessels can contain that energy, so they explode." As he became more focused on the story, his chair began sailing closer to her, emphasizing the narrative. "He went to prison but now he got out. Add it to our problems."
His hands touched her knees, slowly rubbing them further up. Artemisia picked on his loose sleeve, seeking to concentrate on the talk. "He doesn't sound so scary. I think we can beat him. Send his ass back to jail."
"We have to catch him first. That's the hard part," Dick reminded, staying on his tracks. But how hard could it be to catch an enemy you've already caught? If anything, it would be easier with new capabilities to aid. His hand relaxed over hers, stopping her from thinking. "We'll solve this when they arrive. . . What'd you wanna do now?"
"Well─"
The door skidded open, breaking that dear privacy they had developed. Artemisia drove his hands away as she turned towards their new visitor. Rachel pretended to be unaware of the last five seconds she had seen. She sauntered in and studied the cameras, just as she had. The girl then shifted to the adults, focusing mainly on Dick.
Receiving the message, Artemisia hopped off the desk. "I'll leave you guys alone. Call me if you need me, 'kay?"
She marched out of the room, having no idea how to proceed. Her nighttime routine had been severely altered. She was now alone, with a large apartment and nothing fun to do. It was too late to train. And besides, she hated going solo. Sparring was better.
An odd sound filled her agenda, followed by hushed words and an intense mood that came from the bedroom area. Her feet became lighter as she migrated towards the source, hearing more clear voices. Dianna's hushed tone was evident among them, and the other could only be left to guess.
Artemisia came about a corner, sensing they were one turn away. She paused, trying to figure out what they were doing. But bless her brain, she could not explain the nonsense that left the teens' mouths. She turned abruptly, startling their lookout. Gar fell on his bump, holding back a squeal.
Jason snapped his head in their direction, hands buried in the trash. His face distorted in revulsion as he picked something out. Artemisia looked at it and covered her mouth, holding back the recent coffee that fought to be dumped. He had clutched the girl's bloody eye patch, the one Dick had shed hours ago.
"What the hell are you doing?" She gulped down a burp, battling back the need to vomit at the sight. "Put that down!"
Instead of listening, Jason casts the residue at Dianna, who can only handle it for a second before flinging it back at him. He had moved fast and taken out a plastic bag, storing the sickening object inside. It then came upon Garfield's hands, perfectly safe to travel. "Sorry, Temi, we can't leave this."
"Can you at least tell me what you're doing?" She watched as Jason wiped his palm against his jeans as though he had not carried a bled cotton in his hand. "And, please, wash your hands."
"Here, I have some sanitizer," Dianna offered the teen, handing over a tiny pink flask.
Jason spread his palms, hoping for her to do the job. Dianna huffed and complied, depositing an adequate quantity to contrast his acts. He rubbed his hands together, doing the worst job ever in sanitizing. "Who the hell carries a hand sanitizer anyway? You're so weird."
"I'll take it as a compliment if it differentiates me from you." Dianna grinned cruelly at the boy, she was the less tolerant with him. She had not come for another chance at life to have someone like him busting it. Her gaze turned to Artemisia, who began to compose herself now that the viral threat was gone. "Jason, tell her our plan."
He continued to rub the alcohol away as he blew his chest. "We wanna know who the girl is. Run some DNA tests, scan the only footage we have. Dig out her shit."
A proud smile came onto her face. For a split moment, she'd thought to be the only one left with common curiosity. "Okay. We can do it. Just wait until Dick leaves tomorrow morning and the coast will be cleared."
"Why don't you do it now? We can distract him."
"Like Rachel's doing? Won't work twice." She shook her head, trying to come up with an ingenious plan. The task was simple, so making it through should also be. "Besides, what's the fun of being right if no one's there to celebrate it with you?" Jason ( out of all proud people ) beamed up at her, sharing the feeling.
Later, they agreed to lay low for the night. Artemisia excused herself to Dick, telling him she was oh-so-tired and needed immediate sleep. He did not convince her otherwise. She went to sleep early, which also meant waking up before him. There was a huge window to wake up the kids and prepare them to begin their plan.
When Dick and the girl left the apartment, they pretended to do their typical things. Artemisia kept an eye on the street below, observing as his car sped away. She waited five more minutes, trying not to slip up ( he could come back for any reason and catch them in the act ). But even through all the precautions, they had to remain alert to one factor: the station was not too far.
Artemisia rushed out of the living room as the five minutes passed, gesturing for her crime partners to start the main plan. One by one, all five of them walked into the prohibited area, prepared to break some rules. They split up in seconds, each doing their assigned jobs. Jason focused on the DNA, Artemisia on the prior night's footage, Rachel and Gar helped where they could while keeping an eye on the outside cameras.
The video paused at the girl's face, and the software commenced its assigned work. Twenty seconds, it announced by a corner. They could not go slow enough. It felt like time outside the machine went faster. Dick's time felt impossibly quicker. But then again, between the blink of an eye and a glance towards the teens, the timer went down to ten.
At least a hundred faces passed by her eyes, all from similar people. But none were this strange girl. Seconds ticked by and they came closer to an answer. The computer beeped, startling her even though she had craved for that announcement. A match had been identified. She stepped closer to the screen, reading the name out loud. "Rose Wilson."
But the enigma did not end there. More images of her life popped into the screen, pretty much revealing every single detail. This was the part Artemisia was more excited about. Garfield leaned into the desk by her side, just as excited to find out who this mysterious person was. "And that's her dad, Slade Wilson."
"No fucking way." Jason turned from his work to stare at the giant screen, mouth falling open. The group turned towards him, waiting for further clarification of his response. He looked at his companions in shock, probably wondering why the name did not ring any bells. "That's Deathstroke."
Jason's exact words resonated from her lips. The man who brought an end to the old Titans ( as far as the public knew ) was still alive. And his daughter had slept under their same roof, sharing their luxuries. Artemisia did not feel satisfied with being right. Out of all the things she could be, the girl was the enemy's daughter.
"What're we going to do?"
"Tell Dick, obviously," Garfield pointed out. He looked nervous, unsure of what he should be thinking at the moment. They all were in the same state.
Artemisia scratched her neck, trying to stimulate the right answers. How would he even react? He couldn't have known. It did not make sense. Answers were forced out of her when the elevator dinged. She had to improvise. She motioned the teens to stay back, that she would solve this, stand up for their actions.
She strode out of the room, heading towards the lift. With a deep breath, she faced the man, words flowing out. "Dick, you've got to hear this─" Her eyes settled on the figure behind him. Rose was still among them. She turned to Dick in puzzlement, catching sight of yet another weird factor. "What happened? There's blood on your face. Are you okay?"
"We're fine. Barely made it out." Dick paced around her, the girl going after him. Artemisia shadowed the two, still inquiring about their state. He turned to the girl, looking stressed. "Rose, can you go back to the room?"
Rose glanced between the two. "Sure thing." She began walking backward, knowing her way back to the room by memory. Artemisia studied every single action she made, suspecting the outsider more than ever now.
"What happened?"
Dick took her arm, pulling her out of the girl's earshot. "Doctor Light. He targeted me in the car when I was dropping her off." Artemisia lowered, trying to stretch towards the small spot of blood that spotted his face. He got there first, brushing it off. "It's not mine. I'm fine."
"We've to catch this asshole." Her hand curled around the air, allowing rage to erupt through that act. They were no longer safe in their own privacy. How had he gotten his hands in Dick's car? What assured them he could not storm into the apartment at any moment and annihilate them all?
"Hell yeah, we do!" Came Jason's unique tone from the private room's entrance. He punched his hand, letting out his excitement. He began marching in their direction, chin raised towards the sky. "Beat his ass and kill him once and for all. Do the job the old Titans couldn't do."
Dick frowned at the boy, then at Artemisia. He was confused. She never even got to mention the girl's name. "What're you talking about?"
"Deathstroke, obviously." Jason chuckled, pointing at his predecessor as though he had lost his mind. "You didn't tell him?"
"I didn't get there, yet," Artemisia hissed back, delivering a death glare to seal his lips. Her face softened as she confronted Dick, trying that the words came as best as they could. She did not want to come off as petty. "We found out who your stray is. Slade Wilson's daughter."
His face fell. That precious glint vanished. His beliefs had betrayed him in ways he could not imagine. A murderer's daughter, living under his solemn protection. "Are you sure?"
"Wanna take a look?" Jason offered, nodding towards the room behind him. The group stood behind him, spying on their exchange. Dick looked at them, making up his mind to discover more about the girl. He needed to see it with his own eyes.
They instantly moved back towards the surveillance room, the photographs of Rose and her father still displayed on the screens. Dick visibly gulped at the sight. "Is that somebody you know?" Rachel questioned him softly, attempting not to push any boundaries.
Dick remained focused for a few seconds more, lost in a memory trance. "Kind of. Old Titans business." His voice came out lower than normal like a snug knot was strangling him. Those dangerous same emotions crossed his eyes. Hurt. Confusion. Grief.
"Check it," Gar called their notice. He began reading more data about the violent man. "Former Delta Force commando, part of H.I.V.E. Select soldiers who underwent a series of experimental bio-enhancements." Blood freezing images showed on the larger screens. The results of the experiments were brutal. "Out of the 35 trial subjects, the only one to survive was Slade Wilson. INTERPOL says he retired years ago after the death of his son, Jericho."
Perfect villain story. Pure trauma. The loss of dear mates. Death of a family member. The opposite turn people like them took. All of them lost people they loved, suffered trauma. Yet they managed to stay in the light. Each person faces their shit differently.
Garfield continued to maneuver the software, digging even further as they all wished. This new ( and old ) enemy had an intriguing past. Maybe they could even find out about his past business with Titans. "I tried having the computer find─"
The screens became black with a single button pressed by Dick. The room had never seemed so dark. Everything was always turned on. Artemisia frowned at his harsh actions. "I'll take it from here."
"Security alert. Main entrance." The system alarmed, coming at the precise time to release Dick. For now. He would soon have to tell them something. Even the most worthless detail of his knowledge. He couldn't hold it all to himself for munch longer. And even if he preferred to, more sources of the story were waiting on the doorway. Literally.
Their eyes turned to the small screen that presented who was attempting to access the Tower. Donna, Zach, Hank, and Dawn gazed back at them through the camera, waving and beaming at whoever was watching. Just seeing their faces brought calm over the group ( and momentary loss of memory of Dick's peculiar behavior ). "Finally."