Author's Note: Here's chapter two guys (: Hope you like it. Truly the only reason I'm updating this is because I don't want to write my econ essay. It's only seven paragraphs which is easy enough, but of course it isn't that simple,because it's going to be seven paragraphs of some serious boo-shit. Anyways, leaving for Vegas tomorrow so I won't be able to get an update out for My Heart Can't Tell You No or Amicable Anarchy out. Unless… I decide to crank out some Roy/Arty action half way through my econ essay. I'm starting on it right after this… and after I go chill on tumblr some more. Anyways, this chapter takes place before Artemis and Wally start to develop any sort of romantic feelings. It's a little bit random, but hey, who isn't? Also, to all Asians, please don't be offended. I love you guys (:

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. If I did, I wouldn't be posting this here now would I?

Chapter Two: Interruptions

Ugh.

Artemis pushed a hand through her hair as she leaned over her biology text book. She frankly just couldn't understand what the point of all this was. She was a superhero for god's sake! She shouldn't have to put up with the farce that was America's education system.

For a brief moment, she considered pouring some lighter fluid on the cover of her book and striking a match against it. She would watch as the flames engulfed the pristine pages, slowly curling them into each other until the book disintegrated completely. The shiny new cover would turn brown and disgusting until it too disappeared. She would never have to look at another strand of DNA again.

Artemis sighed. It was such a wonderful fantasy. Except for the part where she would have to explain to her mother why they had to pay sixty dollars for a new biology textbook.

Sighing once more, she turned her attention back to the page she was reading, allowing her finger to skim faster through the text.

Tap, tap-tap, tap, tap-tap, tap.

Artemis looked up from her spot on the couch, surprised when she spotted Robin sitting at a table just a few feet away.

Strange. Artemis had thought she was the only in the library at Mount Justice. Then again, the boy wonder had the skills of a ninja. He had probably slipped in while Artemis was focused on her textbook.

And now he was tapping his beady little fingers on his book.

"Do you mind?" she asked irritably.

"What?" Robin raised an eyebrow.

She fixed the boy wonder with a flat look. "You're fingernails tapping the book. It's like nails on a chalkboard."

Robin shrugged. "Sorry, Arty."

Artemis pointedly turned her head back to the text and started to read again.

"What'cha working on, Arty?"

Artemis inhaled sharply and fixed Robin with a glare. "Biology."

Robin grinned. "Whelming."

"Yeah it is," Artemis snapped. "So if you could just—?"

"S-u-r-e."

Artemis rolled her eyes, before snapping back into her focused, study mode.

Like DNA, RNA is made up of a long chain of components called nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of a nucleobase (sometimes called a nitrogenous base), a ribose sugar, and a phosphate group. The sequence of nucleotides allows—

"Stupid people, I can't even take—" The angry grunts of Superboy entered the library, causing both Artemis and Robin to look up. Superboy stormed into the room, shaking the bookshelves closest to him. He stopped his speech upon finding Robin and Artemis there studying.

He cleared his throat. "Oh, sorry."

"Everything okay, dude?" Robin asked.

"No," the clone harrumphed. "I just came here to get away from people."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. Anxious to get Conner to sit down and be quiet, she spit out, "well we won't talk to you. Have a seat."

Conner glanced at the empty couches and desks surrounding them and seemed to decide something. "No thanks. I'm going for a swim."

And with that, Conner stomped his way back out of the library.

Artemis met Robin's eyes—well sunglasses —and they both shrugged, turning back to their work.

The chemical structure of RNA is very similar to that of DNA, with two differences: (a)RNA contains the sugar ribose, while DNA contains the slightly different sugar deoxyribose (a type of—

"Hello Megan, that's what the library is for!"

A resounding smack and the sound of light footsteps accompanied their resident martian's entrance into the library.

Artemis groaned, looking up expectantly as M'gann headed towards where she and Robin were situated.

"Oh hey guys!" M'gann greeted them cheerfully. "What are you up to?"

"I was studying," Robin muttered, barely loud enough for Artemis to hear.

"Or trying to," Artemis nodded, looking down at her progress. She'd only managed to read about a third of the first page of the chapter.

"Well don't mind me," M'gann smiled. "I'm just looking for a cook book."

Artemis nodded and glanced back down at her page, determined to start getting her work done. It was eight pm on a Wednesday night and she had a test on this crap the next day. Normally she would have gone home to study, but her mom was having some friends over for a dinner party which was not conducive for studying. She was totally wiped from sparring with Kaldur and she most certainly did not have the mental capacity to memorize this information right now.

Unfortunately for Artemis, her mother wasAsian and an ex super-criminal. Those two mixed together were a deadly combination.

It was no longer:

"Artemis! I just checked your grades! A-minus? No rice for you!"

It had become:

"A-minus? I may be in a wheel chair but I can still throw knives, Artemis!"

Logically, she knew her mother would never actually hurt her. But getting berated for hours on end in Vietnamese was not her idea of a good time.

So when M'gann started humming the melody to some trashy pop song, Artemis decided she'd had enough of these interruptions.

"Ugh!" She slammed her bio book shut and vaulted herself off the couch. She ignored the strange look M'gann was giving her and stormed out.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the empty hallway greeted her.

"I go to the library to get some peace and quiet, but no, obviously the universe is conspiring against me today," Artemis muttered to herself. She quickened her pace, hoping the kitchen would be devoid of anyone. She could have a nice snack, read all about nucleotides and—

"Oof!" Artemis grunted as she ran smack into someone very tall, and very muscular.

She stepped back as Kaldur straightened her.

"My apologies Artemis," the Atlantean grinned. "I was actually just looking for you. Might I—"

"No," Artemis growled, pushing past a confused Kaldur and heading straight for the gym.

Where nobody will find me, Artemis grinned.

She opened the door quietly at first, pausing to listen as she placed her ear next to the crack in the door. Straining her ears, she listened for any sounds, any sign of a sentient being. And she especially listened for the one person she had been lucky enough not to come across today, but who was also the one person with the potential to ruin any chance of her getting anything accomplished.

Wally.

"What are we doing?" someone whispered, so close to Artemis' ear that she could feel the person's breath on her neck.

Artemis jumped, reacting automatically by giving the person a good shove.

Her book clattered to the floor as she realized that it had been Wally who had—literally—been breathing down her neck.

"Ouch!" he complained, rubbing his arm. "Remind me never to sneak up on you again."

Artemis rolled her eyes, reaching down to pick up her book. "I don't have time for this Wally."

"Whoa!" He sped in front of her, holding his arms out. "I am seriously bored right now. Plus, I heard you're in a bad mood."

"Who told you that? And how does your boredom and my anger correlate, at all?" Artemis demanded, pushing a wayward lock of hair out of her eyes.

"A little birdie told me," Wally snorted. "Ah, I love being punny."

Artemis groaned, reaching past Wally to open the gym door. He quickly stepped to the side to block her arm. "You're an idiot. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go into the gym, lock this door behind me, and study for my biology test like there's no tomorrow. Which unfortunately, there is because I have a biology test."

Wally seemed to consider this for a moment before a slow grin spread across his face. "Oh, I get it now."

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "You do?"

Wally nodded. "You've got an Asian parent at home, don't you?"

"You're skills of observation are astounding, Baywatch," Artemis growled. "Tell me, was it my slanted eyes or my skin tone that tipped you off to the fact that I'm half-asian?"

Wally shook his head sadly, before grabbing Artemis' wrist. "I recognize the signs. Come on, we've got to get you help."

"Wally!" Artemis ripped her hand out of his grasp. "What are you talking about?"

"Uncontrollable rage, dark circles under the eyes, inability to focus the night before a test, irritability," Wally listed. "All symptoms of pre-test stress brought on by having an Asian parent."

"I do not have dark circles, or uncontrollable rage," Artemis argued. "The reason I'm angry is because you people keep interrupting me when I'm trying to study."

Wally laughed. "Oh Arty—"

"Don't call me that."

"—you're obviously in denial about your situation. See I happen to know that you suck at biology. And that you're probably going to fail your test tomorrow—"

"Well thanks for the encouragement," Artemis huffed.

"—unless you let me help you." Wally finished with a grin. "Which I am more than willing to do, out of the goodness of my heart. And maybe because I'm bored."

Artemis narrowed her eyes as she thought about it. Her first instinct was to throw the book at Wally and make a dash for it. But that wouldn't solve either of her problems. On one hand, she could let him help her—he was a science prodigy after all—or she could keep her pride and refuse.

Noting her contemplation, Wally stepped in. "Or, if it's what you really want, I can let you fail your test and face the wrath of your mom. Just don't come crying to me when you don't get any rice for dinner."

As Wally started to walk off, Artemis shot a hand out and grabbed him by the shirt collar.

"Fine."

Wally raised an eyebrow. "Fine?"

"Yes, fine, you can help me study."

Wally shook his head. "Sorry, but don't you normally have to ask for someone's help? I was under the impression that you did."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"

"No rice for you," he sing-songed, with a smarmy grin.

Artemis groaned and took a deep breath. "Willyouhelpmewithmybiotest?" she asked, spewing the words out quickly.

"Sorry, what was that? I didn't quite hear you."

"Ugh! Will you, Wally West, help me, Artemis Crock, with my biology?" Artemis asked, practically shouting.

Wally placed a hand on her shoulder. "Of course, I'll help you Artemis. After we grab dinner at that new diner in Happy Harbor!"