A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates in the last couple months. I've been busy with life and distracted to be completely honest. I'm also kind of drifting from fanfiction. Idk... I just haven't felt like writing as of late but I want to finish my stories so I will.

There's an important Author's Note at the bottom so stick around!

I don't own Young Justice.

GOTHAM CITY
August 7, 22:42 EDT

Batman's caped billowed behind him as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop. It wasn't an uncommon sight to see the Dark Knight racing across the rooftops and hiding in the shadows, but it had become an uncommon sight to see him without his two protégés. The three faced Gotham's criminal underworld together, and seeing him without the two was usually cause for concern.

"Green Arrow."

The emerald archer jumped slightly, masked eyes widening as he turned around to face his comrade, who had just landed in the dark alley.

"Batman! A little late aren't we?"

"I'm never late."

Green Arrow blinked and rubbed the back of his neck, "Heh. Right."

Who could argue with Batman?

"You can come out now, Strike."

Strike?

Green Arrow glanced around, eyeing the dark alley as he searched the shadows. He didn't see the young bat anywhere. Nor did he even realize the kid was here.

There was a shift in the shadows and the Star City hero's eyes immediately locked onto the movement. The shadows shifted some more until eventually the moving figure was in enough light to be revealed as Strike.

The sheepish looking protégé grinned, rubbing the back of his neck as he nodded at Green Arrow before turning towards his mentor, "Was I that obvious?"

"No," Batman shook his head, a ghost of a smirk on his face, "But I knew you were trailing me since we left City Hall District."

"Aw man," Strike groaned. He kicked the ground out of annoyance before glancing back up at the Dark Knight, "And you didn't stop me?"

"You've already met Artemis. It would be good for her to hear from a future teammate that she is wanted on the Team in case she has any doubts.

Artemis climbed into her room with a soft growl. She had gone out tonight hoping to kick some bad guy butt, but what did she find instead? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Artemis! Could you come out here, please?"

The blonde sighed, silently wondering what her mom wanted, "Um… sure mom. Just a sec!" She called back.

Grabbing the light gray robe that had been haphazardly tossed over her bedpost, Artemis slipped into it to cover her uniform before exiting her room. She walked down a short hall before stepping into the living room, immediately freezing on sight.

Batman, Green Arrow, and Strike were standing in the middle of her living room.

Steely gray eyes wide, panic filled her being as Artemis turned on her mother, "Mom! What did you do?!"

Paula opened her mouth to reply to her daughter, but Strike beat her to it, "We're here for you, blondie!"

"You told on me, didn't you?!" Artemis snapped at the bat, gray eyes ablaze.

Strike held up his arms in surrender, "Woah, woah, woah. I did n-"

"Artemis we know what you've been up to." Green Arrow cut in calmly.

The blonde turned from Strike to the emerald archer and shouted, "And you came to stop me? Well you can just forget-"

"No."

"Sheesh, blondie, calm down." Strike crossed his arms, masked eyes meeting her own angered eyes, "That's not what we're here for."

"Strike," Batman glared at his protégé, silently telling him to be silent. With a huff, Strike stepped back a foot and brought a hand up to his lips, running a finger across them and then mimicking a key turning in a lock before tossing the "key" over his shoulder. The Dark Knight internally sighed but said no more, turning to a now slightly amused Artemis, "The Justice League has formed a covert Team of young heroes," He gestured to Strike as the blonde glanced away, feigning ignorance, "As I believe you already know."

Artemis seemingly paled before setting her gaze back on Strike, gray eyes narrowed once more.

Complying with his mentor's silent command, Strike's hands began to move as he signed to the blonde archer 'I didn't say anything.'

It was a futile attempt and the young bat just hoped Artemis just happened to know sign language. If she did, the bat got no reply. All she did was turn her gaze back to Batman.

Artemis crossed her arms and glared angrily at the wall, "If you expect an apology for saving Kid Flash's-"

"We'd like you to join the Team."

"…wait what?"

"You heard the man!" Strike cut in with a laugh, "We want you on the Team!"

Artemis dropped her arms, an incredulous look on her face, "You do?"

"We think you'd make a great addition to the Team," Green Arrow smiled and stood up, walking over to Artemis before placing a hand on her shoulder, "If it's alright with your mother."

Paula smiled, "You have my permission."

Artemis nodded, a smile finally finding its way onto her face.

They wanted her to join the Team.

Strike wanted her on the Team with him.

Had she finally found her Wonderland?

But they'll never accept you because of your family.

The blonde spared a glance at her mother, who looked overjoyed. With a sigh, she hung her head and turned to Batman, "One condition: You don't tell the Team who I am… Who my family is."

Strike wanted to speak up and ask about her family- after all, curiosity killed the bat- but with an almost unnoticeable hand gesture from Batman, he backed down and stayed silent.

When Artemis was ready to tell him- and the Team- she would do so on her own.

"Your private life is your own business."

Green Arrow spared the two bats a glance and chuckled, "Not like you're the first hero with a secret identity."

Strike frowned.

Was that a jab at him and Batman?

"We'll introduce you to the Team as my new protégé." Green Arrow added.

Artemis smiled slightly, "But what if they ask how you found me?"

"Then he can say you're his niece?" Strike piped in, glancing between the two archers, "After all, you're both blonde!"

The emerald archer chuckled, "Kid has a point."

"Then I'm in. I'm so in."

MOUNT JUSTICE
August 8, 19:55 EDT

"Dude, I can't believe you missed beach day!" Robin laughed, bumping shoulders with his best friend.

"Eeeh," Strike shrugged and chuckled, "The beach scene isn't really my scene anyways."

"You'll have to come with us next time, Strike," Miss Martian smiled as she fell into step with the two boys.

"Yes," Aqualad agreed, "The beach was a good trip."

Superboy snorted as the five teens stepped into the mission room, "At least you guys don't have sand where sand shouldn't be." Strike laughed. Robin had already described to him in detail- and showed him pictures- of how they buried the boy of steel in sand.

Upon further entering the mission room, the five teens paused in a line. Batman, Red Tornado, and Green Arrow were already there, along with a girl decked out in a green uniform similar to the emerald archer's own that nobody- but Strike- knew.

"Hey blondie," Strike called out, capturing the new girls attention, "Fancy meeting you here."

Artemis smirked, relaxing slightly and propping a hand on her hip, "Please. You knew before I did I'd be here."

"Touché," The bat beamed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Robin glanced at his friend, a frown obvious on his face, "You know her?" The first boy wonder felt wounded. Sure Batman had hinted at a new teammate, but he didn't think his best friend already knew said new teammate.

"Yeah we-"

"Recognized: Kid Flash: B-Zero-Four."

At the interruption of the zeta tube, Robin flashed Strike a look that said 'this conversation is so not over.'

A bright light illuminated the room as the speedster stepped in, blissfully unaware of the seriousness of the gathering before him. His arms were fully loaded with beach stuff, the kid looking like an accident waiting to happen.

"The Wall-Man is here!" Wally declared with a grin and stepped forward, "Let's get this party star-" Luck wasn't on the speedster's side as his foot caught on the pole of his umbrella, causing him to go lurching forward, the beach stuff in his arms landing in a wild heap on the ground, the beach ball bouncing off and behind Batman and Red Tornado. From his new location on the ground, Wally looked up, a white strip of sunscreen on his nose, "-ted?"

Strike withheld his laughter, Robin smirking, as Artemis spoke up, "The Wall-Man, huh? Love the uniform. And what exactly are your powers?"

Oh those two were going to get along great.

Wally scowled, not liking the lip new girl was giving him as he stood up, discarding his beach stuff and stepping next to the bats, "Uh, who's this?"

"The name's Artemis," She proclaimed, gray eyes sharp as she propped a hand on her hip, "Your new teammate."

"Kid Flash," The ginger scowled, tossing the blonde archer a curt glare, "Never heard of you."

Strike crossed his arms, "She's Green Arrow's protégé."

"And how do you know that?" The young bat flashed Wally a coy smirk, sharing a knowing glance with Artemis but not saying anything more, "Seriously!?"

Green Arrow chuckled, placing a caring hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Yep, she's my new protégé!"

Wally turned his gaze from Strike to the emerald archer, "B-but… what happened to your old one?!"

"Recognized: Speedy: B-Zero-Seven."

Strike crossed his arms and scowled, turning as everyone else did to face the archer as the light of the zeta died down. He quirked an unseen brow, quietly questioning Speedy's new look as he walked further into the room, "Well for starters, he doesn't go by Speedy anymore," The archer squared his shoulders, jaw set firm, "Call me Red Arrow."

Strike had to resist the urge to snort.

Red Arrow?

And here Strike thought the guy was starting his own solo hero career and was more creative than that.

Green Arrow stepped forward, a small smile on his face, "Roy, you look-"

"Replaceable," He cut in irritably, a scowl on his lips

"It's not like that!" Green Arrow was quick to defend and Strike rolled his eyes, "You told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time in finding a sub?" Red Arrow snapped and glared at Artemis, who glared right back at him, "Can she even use that bow?"

"Yes she can," Artemis quipped back and Strike had to marvel at her abrasiveness as she got right up in his face.

"Who are you?!" Wally cried out and Artemis and Green Arrow shared a quick glance before chorusing together:

"She's my niece."

"I'm his niece."

Strike resisted the urge to snort as Robin elbowed him lightly, sparing the bat a disbelieving glance, "Another niece?" The brunette shook his head in response to his friend, knowing very well that he could expect some background digging later.

"But she is not your replacement," Aqualad spoke up and stepped forward, Strike shifting, "We have always wanted you on the team, and we have no quota on archers."

"And if we did, you know who we'd pick," Wally tacked on, tossing Artemis a glare and crossing his arms. Strike scoffed and shook his head, masked eyes meeting the blonde archers own gray eyes.

"Cut the girl some slack, West. She's not going anywhere."

"Strike's right, Baywatch, I'm here to stay."

A glaring match ensued, archer vs speedster, as the two each refused to let up. The young bat found himself growing more annoyed at their bickering but chose to not intervene. They were both old enough to work things out on their own.

Though Strike was kind of surprised that it was Wally who ended up being the one to oppose Artemis joining the Team.

Red Arrow scoffed, turning on his heel and preparing to leave. Kaldur stepped forward and placed a calming hand on his friends chest, "You came to us for a reason."

There was a pause.

"A reason named Doctor Serling Roquette."

The name instantly clicked. Strike pulled up his holo-computer, Robin doing the same next to him. The Doctor's accomplishments and work were pulled up and the young bat flicked them on screen, holograms appearing around the room.

"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert," Robin started.

Strike's fingers flitted across the keyboard, "She's stationed at Royal University in Star City," His brows furrowed, "Where she disappeared two weeks ago."

"Abducted two weeks ago," Red Arrow corrected, "By the League of Shadows."

"Whoa, you want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" Robin inquired, Wally's eyes widened as he shared a high five with his two best friends.

"Sweet!"

"Hardcore!"

"I already rescued her."

And there goes the excitement.

"Of course," Strike deadpanned, not really meaning to voice his thoughts. Red Arrow flashed him a look- which the bat blew off- before carrying on.

"There's only one problem, the Shadow's had already coerced her into making a weapon." A hologram was activated and Strike crossed his arms, examining the weapon as its diagnostics hovered on screen, "Doc calls it the fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path- concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But it's true purpose isn't mere destruction, it's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows."

Strike frowned and glanced up at the older teen, "With that tech… they can get into some pretty secure files and-"

"And steal whatever they can get their hands on- like weapons, strategic defense, cutting-edge science and tech."

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking," Artemis rambled on without a care in the world, glancing to the side with a sigh, "Yeah, sounds like the Shadows."

"Yeah. Like you know anything about the Shadows," Wally scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest and flashing the blonde his best glare, who in return just smirked. Strike sighed, but was silently intrigued as to the blonde archer's hinted statement at knowing about the Shadows.

"Who are you?!" Wally cried out, Artemis's smirk growing in response.

"Doctor Roquette is already working is already working on a virus to render the fog inert," Red Arrow went on, and Robin peered up at him.

"But if the Shadows know she can do that…"

"Then they'll target her," The archer agreed, pulling up a new map. Blueprints of a school appeared and he gestured to a blinking, red dot, "Right now she's off the grid. I've stashed her at the local high school's computer lab."

"You left her alone?" Green Arrow questioned, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

Red Arrow flashed him a look, "She's safe enough for now."

The older archer nodded and stepped forward, opening his arms, "Then let's you and I keep her that way."

"You and I?" Red Arrow scoffed, raising a hidden brow, "Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

Green Arrow opened his mouth, a protest on his lips but Batman had reached up, placing a firm hand on the older man's shoulder and shook his head. The emerald archer deflated slightly, huffing out a sigh before gazing at his old protégé, "You brought this mission to the Team. It's their mission- which means it's hers now too."

Red Arrow's masked eyes narrowed. With a scoff he turned, making his way towards the zeta, "Then my job here is done."

"Wait…" Strike called out in a pleading voice. He didn't mean to sound so upset, but Roy was his friend, "Roy…"

At the mention of his name, Roy paused mid-step and turned. With a sigh, he nodded his head Strike's way, doing so as well for Robin, Kaldur, and Wally, "It was… good to see you guys," There was another pause as the ginger hesitated for a moment, masked eyes flickering over the Team. His voice was soft as he murmured, "Good luck," Before stepping into the zeta beam.

"Recognized: Speedy-"

"That's Red Arrow," Roy scowled as the bright light of the tube began to envelop him, "B-Zero-Six, update."

With a final flash of light, he was gone.

A/N: Sorry it's only half a chapter. Figured half was better than none...

Anyways, this is just a heads up that in a few chapters I'm going to be introducing a new OC. I don't know how many of you here know my dA- rclewley2- but if you do, you'll know my more popular OC, NightFall. I've decided to bring her in because I want to write out her story but I don't want to start another story. So instead, I'm going to introduce her here. It's going to be a mix of focus between the two OCs but it will still primarily focus on Strike because well, this was his story first. When I get around to it writing it, the sequel for this story- which takes place in season two- will focus more on NightFall but, of course, Strike will be in it as well.

I actually have big plans for season two and the rest of the plot line for this story.

This story will be still marked under hiatus because as much as I want to write and get my plot bunnies written down, I'm a full time college student. This semester I've had a lot of homework and since a majority of my friends are on dA, that's where I spend a lot of my time. Though I will try my best to write as well.

I have also changed up the pairings for this story again. Instead of it being Dick/Babs and Jayce/Zatanna, it's going to be Dick/Kayanna (NightFall).

Please don't hassle me about 'no Robin/OC!' I know it's kind of an overused pairing but hey, Kayanna's been paired with him for a few years. Not to mention the fact that their romance- or any romance for that matter- isn't going to be the primary focus of this story.

But as for Jayce, who would you guys rather see him with? Barbara or Zatanna? I was kind of leaning towards Babs- she's my personal fave- but what do you guys think?

You guys are all amazing and I'm going to try my best to update at least once a month! I need to stop with these seven month long random breaks...

I know I shouldn't be asking for these, but please leave a review! Give me your thoughts and ideas! I love hearing from you guys.