Sorry it's taken so long, but I finally have a new chap up! I didn't have access to a computer these past few weeks, soo…. Anyways, to make up for it, you can expect a new chap by Monday, too! Isn't that great?

Dog Days

Artemis POV

I was sitting in the living room, listening to my iPod. I was listening to the song "I Can Do Better," by Avril Lavigne. That song makes me think of Wally for some reason. Probably because the song is about getting over a player-type guy. Which he totally is. Jerk.

Megan floated over to me, all swoony as ever. "What's with you, Megan? Why are you so happy?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I'm just so happy! I love everything!" She grabbed Superboy, who was in the kitchen. "I love you!"

He looked at her, confused. "Artemis? Why is she professing her love to me?"

I laughed. Could he really be so naïve? I mean, I know he was raised by gnomes and has only been alive for six months, but still. "Uh, she's just in a really good mood, Superboy. Leave her be, she'll be fine."

We heard the teleporter come to life. "Hey, what's going on? Why is Megan in such a good mood?" Batman was acting confused and a little offset by Megan's sudden happiness.

J'onn reacted first. "M'gann, why are you….glowing? Oh, no! M'gann, are you a virgin still?" He flew over to her and shook her by her shoulders.

"Uncle J'onn, I had the most amazing night last night…we played poker, twister, spin the bottle, and seven minutes in heaven! It was so fun! I didn't know what a kiss was until last night. Hello, Megan!" She slapped herself in her forehead, giggling and laughing to herself like a madwoman. It was creepy.

Hal came through the teleporter, with Kyle by his side. I smiled knowingly when I saw him. He looked cute in his uniform. It showed off his muscles and brought out his eyes.

"Uh, Bats," began Hal. "Why is J'onn crying? Did something happen to his niece?"

Bruce laughed. "Did something happen? Apparently, she's not a virgin by alien standards. She kissed someone, I think."

Kyle came over to me and Superboy while Megan was being yelled at for being a "klorbag." Whatever a "Klorbag" is, I don't want to know. He smiled at me and gave Superboy a handshake. "I'm Kyle, Green Lantern in training. What's your name?"

Supey left, grumbling something about bad parents. Namely, his deadbeat dad, Clark Kent. Wally and Robin came out to see what the commotion was, and Aqualad was comforting J'onn.

"What's eating him?" Kyle asked.

"Daddy problems. Don't ask. So, how do you like the mountain?" I asked. He opened his mouth, but Mr. Flasher over there couldn't shut his face.

"Kyle, why are you hanging around with this monster? Come hang with me and Robin. We're way more fun than she is." He shot me a look of pure disdain.

"You know what, Wally? I'm so over your insults, and I'm so over you. Get over yourself, and stop hating me because I'm better than you. Mr. I-have-to-stuff-my-face-ever-five-minutes, go into a hole and freeze. The world will be a better place without you."

His jaw dropped, Kyle was silent, Robin was laughing his ass off, and Bruce was not amused. "Artemis! To the gym, with Hal, now!"

I was so upset that I couldn't think straight, but I was happy to have that off my chest. Nothing's better than venting your feelings that have been restricted up until now. Kyle winked at me, like, "Get ready for a slap on the wrist."

Hal closed the door and turned to face me. He gave me a high five. "Damn, girl, no one talks like that in front of Bats. I think you and I are going to get along just fine. I'm still shocked that you said that to Wally. If Barry were here, he'd be laughing his ass off. You just powned him!"

I smiled. I guess I had won someone over.

…

I shot an arrow at the training android. It was a half-assed model of Amazo, for training against the real thing. But how a half-assed copy would prepare us for the real thing was beyond me. The android grabbed my arrow and snapped it in half. That was what I was waiting for, as smoke exploded from the shaft.

Kaldur whipped the droid with his whips and pumped it full of electricity. However, the droid used Dinah's Canary Cry on us. We were all blown back a little bit, dazed from the initial shock of having to take that from a robot.

I shot another arrow into the chink in the armor, and it's gaze landed on me. It punched the ground, and the wooden planks came up and almost crushed me with debris. But it was Kyle who saved me. He lifted me with an orb placed around my body. He put me down and shot the android with a burst of energy, which made it keel over. Robin dismantled it.

The hologram ended. Bruce was smiling. "Nice work, team. Kyle, you are officially on the team, if you want to be. Your teamwork with Artemis is outstanding. Robin, you could learn a thing or two about leadership from him."

Kyle blushed deeply, and I smiled. "T-Th-Thanks, Batman, I really appreciate the compliment." He looked over to Hal, who was offering him a big smile and thumbs-up.

Wally walked by. "What did you think of me, GL?" He sat down on the ground beneath Hal's feet. His costume was ripped up at the knees and elbows. His face had a few cuts on it. He was bleeding from his arm and nose. He tried to smile, but it was a gruesome sight.

Hal cringed. "Uh, Speedster, you need to work on your dodging. Look at your pal Artemis. She's an expert at dodging because she uses long-range attacks. You should be nice to her and maybe get her some flowers so you can learn to dodge."

"No. Freaking. Way." He looked at me and stuck out his tongue. I shot him the arrow.

Bruce clapped his hands together. "All right, team, let's pack up. You're done for the day. Go and do teenager things now." He turned his back to us and put his hand on Robin's shoulder. Robin smiled as Bruce walked away.

"So," said Robin. "What do you want to do now?" He looked beat up. His eye was swollen nearly shut and his face had a few cuts. He had a splinter in his hand.

Aqualad grabbed Dick by the hand. "Come. Let us clean your wounds. We cannot have you dying of a lack of blood." Robin looked up innocently and went with Kaldur.

I turned to walk into the locker room, but Kyle grabbed my hand. "Show me around?"

I smiled. "Sure. I just wanted to change into something more comfortable."

I went into the locker room, which was just like any other locker room. Only this one had laser security systems and flamethrowers for intruders, namely Wally. I opened locker and pulled out my shirt, which was different than normal. It was green, and I had brown kapris in my locker.

Megan floated in, all giggles and happiness. "Today was so fun! I got punched in the face! Isn't that amazing, Artemis?"

"Yeah, you bet, Megs."

"Is that my new nickname?" She turned to me and I could see the hope in her eyes.

"Of course it is! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I need to show Kyle around." I got up and left. I saw Kyle waiting outside of the gym room. He was dressed casually, but there was a cut on his cheek.

"Hey, Kyle, your face is cut." I reached out and touched the cut, which immediately started to bleed.

"Ow." He stuck his tongue out at me. I punched him in the arm. "Dude! Since when do you hit me?"

I laughed. "Since when do you get cut on the face?" I grabbed a tissue from my back pocket and started to clean up the blood.

"Is that used?" He had the biggest mischievous smile on his face.

"Only if you want it to be." I grinned back, and he made a face that expressed his disgust.

"OH, GOD!" Wally saw me cleaning Kyle's face. "Get a room!"

Kyle looked at Wally, straight faced, and said, "Will it be yours?"

Wally blushed and looked away. I laughed. "Wally, how many cuts do you have?"

"What do you care?"

"Here." I handed him some first aid spray. "That'll take the sting off. Chill for now." He gave me a look of pure astonishment. "We're teammates. We have to look out for each other. Take it or leave it."

Kyle smiled and started walking. "Come on, slowpoke! Are you going to stay there or show me around?"

"I'll show your mom around."

"Ohh, your mom jokes. For some reason, I thought that girls didn't use those."

"Your mom didn't use protection last night!"

He smiled and groaned. "Jeez. I so do not need that image in my head, thanks."

I walked with him to the kitchen first, where we saw Megan playing with knives. "Shouldn't we tell her that knives are dangerous?"

"No, I think she's fine."

We kept walking to the beach. The moon and stars were out. It was a beautiful night. "It's a beautiful night," said Kyle. "It makes your skin glow, Ms. Hippie Chick."

"Oh, thanks. I just happened to dress like the forest. Accidentally, of course. Wink wink."

He laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist. I blushed at the contact. He brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "Artemis, you're the most beautiful girl I've seen."

"Thanks, Kyle." I had butterflies in my stomach as he stared at my eyes. He moved in for a kiss. I kissed him back when he kissed me. The whole thing was sweet and caring. He moved away for air.

"Well, I should probably go to sleep. I've got a lot to do tomorrow. Good night." He left me on the beach.

I just kissed the coolest guy in the world. I'm so attracted to him. But why do I feel off?

Sorry that it's very late! I had a lot to do with finals and school. I can update on weekends, just probably not this one. Next weekend for sure, though. Am I going too fast with this story? Please tell me!