This is an AU where Artemis's father never made her go through the harsh training to be an assassin. She led a normal life. Her dad and sister are still Sportsmaster and Cheshire. This is kind of hard to write in Artemis's POV so enjoy Robin's.

Infatuation

The first time he saw her was during patrol. It was also the first time he saved her from a gunman and first time talking to her. And first time that Batman let him patrol Gotham alone for a few hours.

He was so glad that his mentor didn't come.

When he quickly took down the gunman and successfully saving the blonde girl from danger, for the first time, his heart soared into the horizon. He could almost feel the lump on his throat.

For the first time, he was hypnotized by the beauty this blonde held. Her luscious olive skin, to her soft-looking pearl-gray eyes and the way her long glistening hair flew to the side.

"Thanks for saving me, Boy Wonder." She wickedly grinned at him.

It took a moment to respond, "No problem. Though I don't think a girl like you should be walking around Gotham at this time." Robin realized that he was even hypnotized by her soft laughter ringing in his hear. God, this girl she's so—

"Well, I don't think a boy like you should be jumping around and helping people around Gotham at this time."

-perfect. She's so perfect. Yes. Robin grinned up at her. "It's a hero's job to protect the citizens. And as a concerned hero, let me escort you home." He saw her rolled her eyes before snorting a laugh but she obliged anyways.

And this was his first time escorting a lady home too.

It wasn't for another week that he would see her again; not as Robin though but as Richard 'Dick' Grayson.

His week has been going great for him. Not that he was watching her every night during his solo patrol (he totally was watching her). It got even better once he heard that familiar soft laughter echoing in the halls of Gotham Academy.

Dick whipped around, trying to pinpoint that familiar laughter; hoping in the back of his head it was the same girl he met (and watched) last week. The same girl he couldn't take his mind off. It was also the same girl who distracted him when he couldn't stop thinking about her during a mission two days prior.

"—Dick! Dick!" He turned around, face to face with his best friend of three years, Barbara Gordon. It was the person next to the red-head that made him almost choke on his own saliva. No way. "This is Artemis Crock; she's a new sophomore student at this school."

Dick watched this girl—Artemis Crock extending her hand. He slowly took it –savoring the touch of her soft skin and the way it felt against his hand; it's so soft— and shook it. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Richard Grayson, but you can call me Dick."

"…That's an unfortunate nickname, Dick." Artemis replied smoothly, smirking at him.

He merely smirked back. "So, Artemis, new around town?"

The blonde chuckled before saying, "No. I've been living here since I was born. Actually, I'm here because of the Wayne Scholarship Program."

Wayne Scholarship Program? No freaking way. Dick couldn't believe his hears. He had gone through every candidate on the program and didn't even see a single profile on her. None. "Well, you must be whelmed with all the high expectation from the school."

Artemis raised an eyebrow at Barbara. "I know; he's destroying the English language." Then she tells him she will get him a dictionary. "Read it, it might as well improve your vocabulary."

The next day, he received an English-Dictionary as a gift from the blonde. He kept it in his room as a trophy to look at every day.

In a course of a few months, he got to know her better.

Artemis is pretty skilled at archery, very skilled, he might add. She always hit the red mark every time and that instantly put her on the archery team.

She lived at an apartment at Gotham Heights alone. It took a while to process in Dick's head that she lived alone at Gotham. He shouldn't be this overly worried about her since GH sometimes has criminal activity, but not as bad as Crime Alley.

Dick also found out the reason she lived alone was her mom died in jail. Her dad left her when she was six. Her sister also left her too by the time she was seven.

"You lived alone all these years?"

Artemis grimly smiled at him, her eyes glistening slightly. "My dad visits a few times for my birthdays and Christmas, but his visit is only a day. Then again, he did stop visiting me. Don't worry though; my other relative from another city comes by once a week to check on me."

Right there and then, all Dick wanted to do was give her a tight hug.

And he did.

The next day, he and Barbara visited her and kept her company till sundown. He also found out that Artemis has been taking care of a little boy –not hers— name Jason Todd. His parents died when he was only five and ever since Artemis found him at Crime Alley—actually, it was more like the kid tried to mug Artemis for bread and she just took him in.

"It's not that hard watching after Jason, he's great company; he's like a little brother to me." Artemis explains, watching the kid doing his homework in the other room. "But I do get worried sometimes for him. His temper is also what gets him in trouble too."

At some point, Dick got to know little eleven year old, Jason Todd. He could tell that the kid was especially grateful to Artemis for giving him a home. For taking him in and taking care of him and getting him better education, etc. All the kid wanted to do was to make it up to her by making her proud.

After nine months of knowing Artemis Crock, Dick practically knew everything about her, like what's her favorite color ("Green"), her favorite food ("Minced pork over rice, mmmm") and etc. He could list everything if someone asked him to.

It was a month into summer vacation and his best friend of three years wanted to meet up at Star City. It was some sort of ritual to have a 'Guys Night Out' once a month. This time, he, Kaldur and Wally were meeting up with Roy Harper at his city tonight at Star City Mall.

The trio found their archer friend at the middle of the food court talking on the phone.

"—Babe, don't worry about him. I made sure that Ollie won't teach him anything about archery. Oh… well you didn't say anything about me teaching him archery. C'mon, the kid is bound to learn anyways! Ok. Fine, I'll see you soon. Love you too." Roy ignored the look from his friends.

"Dude, tonight is 'Guys Night Out'!" Wally exclaimed dramatically, sitting across to Roy. Dick and Kaldur also sat the available seats around the table.

Roy smirked at the speedster. "I thought today would be a good day to introduce my longtime girlfriend to you guys."

Kaldur smiled sincerely at his best friend. "I am looking forward to meeting her tonight."

"Yeah, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed right now." Dick replied, wickedly grinning at him. The foursome continued to talk for another twenty minutes about Roy's mysterious girlfriend. He heard plenty of stories about his girlfriend for quite some time now, even from Roy's mentor and mentor's girlfriend too.

So, he was pretty much looking forward to meeting—

"Roy! I'm sorry I made you and your friends wait. I tried talking Jason out of learning archery from Uncle Ollie."

"Don't worry babe. Hey guys, meet my girlfriend Artemis Crock."

—her. Dick's world froze. No. This couldn't be…

"That's Wally West, Kaldur Corin and Dick Grayson."

"Dick! I didn't know you knew Roy!"

He flinched when he felt another body heat against his and realizes his friend for over nine months was hugging him. When that same body heat wasn't against his anymore, his world began to spin madly.

"How do you guys know each other?" Kaldur curiously inquired.

"We go to the same school back at Gotham."

"That's pretty cool. So, how long have you and Roy been together?" This time it was Wally asking her.

Roy hummed a little before replying, "Roughly two years, right babe?"

"Right."

Dick felt really dizzy at this point. Two years? Two years? And— and she didn't even bother that she was taken? That she was dating his best friend for two years? At this point, all he wanted to do was hide from this cruel world.

When his eyes finally focused into the current situation and he wished he hadn't.

From the moment he sees the blonde kiss his best friend passionately, his heart shattered.

Artemis Crock— his first love was already taken.