Wow. Under 1,000 words. Hm. Anyways, this is a little late in coming. Sorry. Not that you knew about it. It's set after "Homefront." So. Yes. Enjoy?Haha! Please do. :)

Artemis flopped on the bed without enthusiasm. The salt water that was used started to smell in her hair, and she vaguely wondered at Aqualad's inability to stink after living in it.

With a groan, she curled up and turned to her side, staring at the door. It was odd, lying on a bed that's been kept well – the mattress is practically new, she just knows it – in a room that's so large in comparison to her own. She missed the presence of her sister's bed, which was a little strange, since it didn't do much except remind her of a painful life.

Ignoring her body's aches, Artemis shifted and snuggled down under the bed's comforter. Her new pajamas – Flash, of all people, had offered to go to the nearest Walmart and grab some extra clothes for each of them – were soft and soothing against her skin. She made a mental note to herself to bring some hang-out clothes, with a waterproof container, to the cave for times like these, when she had to stay overnight.

She had to stay overnight. Artemis shot up. Her mom! She doesn't know I'll be here!

She practically flew out of the bed to get to her phone on the other side of the room. Flipping it open, she dialed home and waited for it to ring. Except it didn't. Glaring at the screen, Artemis realized she didn't have service.

Turning around, she saw a phone on the bedside table. Running toward it, she picked it up and dialed again. This time, it did ring. While she waited, it occurred to her that the conversation would probably be monitored.

"Hello?" Paula Crock answered.

"Mom?"

"Artemis? Is everything alright?"

Breathing out a shaky breath, Artemis replied. "Yeah, it's fine. Now, anyways. I just wanted to let you know that I was going to be here all night."

There was silence. Then, "Why?"

Artemis winced. This wasn't what she wanted to happen. "There was...an incident. Nothing too big, but, the League wants us to stay the night."

"Artemis..." She had that tone.

"Really, Mom, it's fine. No need to worry. We're all fine, we're all okay." We're all fine.

"Artemis." And the tone grew sharper.

Artemis sighed. "It's really okay. Just a – just a robot gone rogue." That's all, right?

Silence, again. "Artemis, you don't sound 'fine.'"

Artemis moved to her bed, her knees bent against her chest. She took a shaky breath, and suddenly found herself blinking against...wetness. "I know."

She rolled her eyes at the sound of her broken voice. Why was she crying? There was no need to cry. They were successful, they were alive, they were all fine.

"What happened, sweet heart?"

It was the stress. That's what it was. She was crying because of the stress. Not because of anything else. "My team almost died today."

"Oh, Artemis." It was strange how, with her eyes closed, those words sounded like the hug Artemis so desperately wished for.

"And – and, I just kept thinking about when Jade left, and you were in prison, and Dad was never around." How she hated the pitch of her voice right then. "And I just didn't want to lose another family." Artemis curled into her pillow – her terribly standard issue pillow that didn't have an ounce of home or comfort in it.

"Sweetie, it's okay, though. You're all alive." She could hear her mom struggling to keep calm in her voice. It was shaky. It was worried. But it was her mom. And it would always be stronger than hers. "And I'm so grateful for that. Why don't you tell me everything?"

Artemis nodded, taking deep, gulping breaths to calm herself down. And then she told her everything.

She told her about meeting Robin in the alley by the phone booth, and how when they went through, there were flames everywhere. She told of how they had to go through the air vents, and how Robin stayed "traught" the whole time – and it was so wonderful to hear her mom laugh about his word antics. She told of how he and Kid Flash came up with the EMP idea, and how close Robin came to setting it off. She told of how terrified she was when she saw the limp body of her youngest teammate, and how afraid she was that her arrow wouldn't make it.

When she got through it all, Artemis noticed her voice had firmed up, and she wasn't wiping away tears half as much. It felt good. It felt...affirming to have told it all to her mother.

And then less affirming when her mom didn't say anything in reply.

"Mom?" Please, please don't ask that I be taken off the team! Please, Mom! "Mom, are you still there?" Please, they're my family! Just like you!

"I'm still here, Artemis."

"What are you thinking about?"

There was a slow chuckle. "I guess," her mother's voice was getting shaky again. "I guess that I'm thinking of how lucky you are to have a new family."

Artemis bit her lip. "They aren't replacing you, you know that, right?"

"Of course, sweet heart. I am just so thankful that you aren't as alone, anymore."

Of course, the tears pricked their way to Artemis' eyes again. And, this time, she couldn't really blame the stress. Well, not the same stress. "Yeah, me too."

"I love you, Artemis!"

"Love you, too, Mom."

"Now, get yourself some sleep."

"Okay."

She hung up. And, for the first time in a long time, Artemis felt good. Good about herself, good about her life, and good about her family.

As her eyes closed for the night, Artemis couldn't help but smile at a though: You win some, you lose some. Today, she mostly won some.

Weeeeellll? Leave a comment. I heart reviews. :) -Jimmy C.