Hack Ch. 10

11:13 AM, Parking Lot of Happy Harbor ER, Happy Harbor Medical Center, Happy Harbor, Rhode Island

"I still don't get why I can't just use crutches," Artemis remarks to herself quietly, straining with the wheels of the wheelchair, attempting to propel herself forward. She feels the wheelchair suddenly jerk forward and she turns, startled, to see a stoic Connor is pushing her wheelchair, a sighing Megan trailing after him.

She smiles at them, "Where's everybody else?"

"Kaldur's at HQ filling out some paperwork from our last case, Roy and Jade went to go talk to your mom, I think, Dick's bringing the car over…" Megan ticked off, "…And Wally just decided to stay at the Cave."

Artemis sighs, and deflates into her chair. She can't help but feel a bit disappointed at the attention, or rather, lack of it, that she was receiving from Wally. She may have developed the teeniest, tiniest, miniscule attachment to the red-haired dork, and it seemed while she was falling hard and fast for him, he seemed to not give a rat's behind what happened to her.

Dick pulls up in a sleek, black, borrowed car, and he honks the horn obnoxiously, "Let's go, Princess! You're carriage awaits."

Artemis chuckles, and Connor and Megan help her into the car. They fold up the wheelchair, placing it into the trunk, and then place the handicap sign Bruce had acquired for them onto the rear view mirror.

"So… where to, miss?" Dick asks playfully.

Artemis looks out the window and leans her head against the window, "Let's go home."

12:04 PM The Cave, Happy Harbor, Rhode Island

*szzssh* "Temporary clearance granted to Vehicle 0013. Rights to be suspended once vehicle exits."

The doors groan open, and Dick slowly pulls the car into the hangar, parking leisurely next to the pair of motorcycles and the dusty sedan. Connor and Megan both exit the car at the same time, and then Connor moves to pop the trunk and pull out the wheel chair. Artemis steps out leisurely, making to walk to the entrance of the main building from the hangar without the assistance of the wheelchair, but Megan and Dick both roughly shove her into the wheelchair, firmly wheeling her into the main building before she can protest.

The doors hiss open after Dick haphazardly shoves his clearance badge into the scanner, and then shoving his finger roughly onto the scanning pad.

"Richard Grayson. Connor Kent. Megan Morse. Artemis Crock." Dick says clearly into the speaker.

"Access Granted," a cool female voice says, and the doors hiss open.

Artemis raises an eyebrow at the new security system.

"Bruce put it in while you were in the hospital," Dick explains, and he pushes Artemis forward into the main building. Megan and Connor linger in the hangar for a moment, and worriedly glance at the retreating figures of Artemis and Dick.

"Don't you think we should've told Wally about the possibility of Artemis not being able to walk?" Megan whispers worriedly.

Connor places a reassuring hand on the small of her back, "I'm sure it'll be fine. It's not like he actually cares for her, right?"

Megan frowns, "I think he really likes Artemis. You saw how reacted in the…. Simulation."

Connor's brow furrows at the mention of the simulation, "I don't know, Megan. Maybe we should've. It's too late now, anyways."

Megan nods, firmly, "Besides. Artemis is tough. She'll pull through."

They enter the building at the same time, and the door hisses close behind them.

Wally enters the living room as Megan and Connor do, bare-footed and looking like he just woke up.

"Hey guys!" he says cheerfully, he jumps onto the couch, remote in hand, flicking through the channels, "Where's Dick?"

Megan tilts her head, noticing that he had failed to mention the absence of Artemis. Connor saves her from answering, replying a stark, "With Artemis."

Wally seems to falter for a moment, the cheerfulness on his face flickering off for a moment before he rephrases his question, "…Okay then… Where's Artemis?"

Connor smirks, "With Dick."

Wally narrows his eyes, "When did you get a sense of humor?"

Megan laughs nervously, punctuating the silence.

Wally's suspicious gaze flickers back and forth between the two of them, "What, are they on a date or something?"

Megan and Connor glance at each other, and hold each other's gazes for a moment before saying in unison, "Or something."

Wally rolls his eyes, turning back to the TV, "Fine. Don't tell me. I'll find out myself later."

He turns back to the TV, watching with a bored look on his face when Dick walks into the living room, a thoughtful expression on his face. Wally sits up, and glares at him suspiciously.

"What were you doing?" Wally asks loudly, setting down the remote.

"Just helping Artemis settle in," Dick says. He glances at Megan and Connor for a moment, and they nod together.

Wally looks around, suspicious and instantly paranoid, "Is there some sort of conspiracy going on?"

"Nope," they say in unison.

16:23 The Cave, Happy Harbor, Rhode Island

Artemis struggled with the wheels of her wheel chair, cursing when the wheel was caught again on the edge of the carpet. She made a growling, frustrated noise, and she attempted to push herself, and then attempted to pull herself back. She groaned when neither action rendered any motion.

Is this how her mother had felt?

She heard footsteps approaching, and she cursed, settling back into her chair and pretending to act relaxed.

"Hey," the person said from behind her, and she turned, greeted by a seemingly forced smile on Wally's approaching face.

"Hi, Wally," Artemis says, acting calm. She turned back and fidgeted with the wheel, willing it to move.

"Need help?" Wally asks, smugly. Artemis internally snaps. He's been ignoring her all week and Artemis will not give him the smug satisfaction of seeing her at her weakest.

"Not from you," Artemis snaps, turning away from him. She gives a strong shove to the wheel, and the wheel chair finally gives, gliding forward off the carpet.

17:53 The Cave, Happy Harbor, Rhode Island

"Physical therapy," Bruce seethed, "Is mandatory."

Artemis scowled.

"You can not just skip out whenever you decide that you don't 'feel as sore as usual,'" Bruce growled, crossing his arms.

Bruce glared.

Artemis stared defiantly.

"I'm going to assign a member of the team each week to watch over you. And make sure you're going to your sessions," Bruce stressed.

"No!" Artemis said, "I can take care of myself."

"Non-optional. You're ordered to," he said, "Or you're off the case, and the deal's off."

Artemis's face hardened, and she nodded, "Fine. Who's up first?"

"Wally."

oOoOoOo

A/N: Wow. It's been a while. This took a long, long , long, LONG time. I'm really sorry. I am really busy with school and all of my AP and Honors classes so updates are slow and sporadic.

Burn Like Water Chapter 7 is coming along, but…

Anyways.

Seeya.

Thanks.