"West. We need to talk." Green Arrow looked livid. Artemis and Wally hadn't told anyone that they were dating, though the entire team seemed to have guessed as much. Their mentor's however seemed to be blissfully unaware. Well that seemed about to change. Wally meekly nodded but aparently GA didn't mean at this moment, because he went and stood near the table M'gann was cleaning Artemis up on. Robin took control of the bio-ship and flew them as fast as she could go towards Rhode Island. They flew in silence the only noise being the gentle lapping of the cloth M'gann was using to clean off some of the stale blood against the small bowl of water. The entire team plus Olliver kept shooting looks over to the two girls, almost afriad Artemis would dissapear into thin air. Zatanna eventually started to cry a bit, and Robin gave Kaldur the controls so he could pull her into a protective embrace. M'gann also looked a little shell shocked and Connor placed his arms over her shoulders soothing her, though he himself look just as shook up. Roy and Wally busied themselves with treating the minor wounds they had received during the battle and Kaldur just flew toward the med bay at Mt. Justice. When the arrived, Zatann and M'gann conjured up a stretcher and mentaly placed Artemis on it before Connor rushed her to the operating room, the girls, Roy and Kaldur hot on his heels. Robin went with Batman to debreif and let everyone know what had happened. That left only Wally and Oliver. His angry face once again replaced the worried one he had adopted while looking at his protege. He motioned they sit down on the comfy green chairs. Wally didn't disobey. Trying not to figit like a small child, he sat down on the corner chair, as far away from the other seats as possible, Oliver however just stood above him.

"There something I should know boy?" He had his arms folded across his chest and had taken off his mask and hood. That seemed to make him more indimidating.

"Uh, what do you mean sir?" he rubbed his hands on the arms rests, getting more and more nervous with each passing moment.

"Don't be a bigger idiot than you already are! Tell me the truth! Are you and Artemis are dating?" Now knowing that Oliver had seen him kiss her forehead, Wally quickly ran both scenarios in his head. The truth was signifigantly less painful and didn't result in his joining Artemis in the medical wing, so he went with that option.

"Yes... sir." He added before covering his head and body from attack. When it didn't come, he slowly moved his hands away from his head and unclenched his eyes. When his head was fully accesable, Ollie hit him. "Ouch! Hey uncalled for!" Wally protested. Ollie just rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"Oh don't be a baby. Why didn't you tell any of us? I think we had a right to know!" He was not really that angry, but with Artemis in critical condition, it was grinding on his nerves. This was the only way he could think venting some pent up rage.

"Maybe so you and Uncle Barry didn't freak out like your doing?" Wally muttered feeling a bit annoyed. It was bad enough he didn't know if his girlfriend was going to make it, but now he had an overprotective mentor on his case too. Olliver sat down on the couch with his head in his hands. They sat there awkwardly for a few moments, before tentivily placing his hand on the older man's arm. They stayed like that for a while before suddenly Roy apeared behind them.

"The surgery is finished. The doc says it's a waiting game now, but you can go and see her if you want." With their nods, he spun on his heel and went the way he came.

"Listen GA..." Wally began before being cut off.

"No, I'm sorry Kid. I'm just terrified."

"I know, we all are. If she doesn't make it out, I'm not sure what any of us would do."

"You know, you're probably one of the few people I'd find acceptable to date my girl, you're ten times better than that Manket kid. However I'm only going to tell you this once: Hurt my girl, in any way, if you don't treat her like the godess she was named for, I will personally make sure you never have kids or run again. Got it?" He was wearing his 'dont mess with me or you'll be eaten' look.

"Relax GA. I love her. I would never harm her in any way. If we were to ever break up, it'll be because she's found someone else. Besides Roy, Rob, Connor and Kaldur already gave me this talk. Well Rob gave me a 'Bat talk,' something about fellow Gothamites. But then Megan and Zatanna gave me one. I think that was scariest." It was true. While the boys had simply given him the same talk as Arrow, (with a few variations.) the girls had actually shown him what they would do via M'gann's telepathy. Now Wally had poped up, itching to see how his girlfriend was. With a jerk of his thumb the boy was gone in a gust of wind. Oliver had to smile a bit. They were cute together. He walked toward the main room near the Zeta tubes. When he got there he found a brown package that was unmarked. He opened it and smiled a bit wider. Picking it up, he walked toward the medical bay, his smile sliding off his face, thinking of what he may find. Twenty more steps and he was there.

Wally arrived mere seconds after Roy and was pleasently surprised that Artemis was awake and cohearent. A bit loopy off the pain meds, but awake all the same. The doctor was just finishing some final after surgury tests, and the rest of the team was mulling around outside waiting to go in. Then the doctor came out.

"She's going to make a full recovery. But there is to be absoulutly no missions for at least two months, you understand?" She gave them all a look and after they nodded and muttered their agreements she let them in.

"Hey guys!" Artemis beamed up at them, still heavily bruised. M'gann and Zatanna gave her a gentle hug before sitting on either side of her bed near her arms. Robin smiled at her and sat near Zee. Connor came in and stood by his girlfriend and Kaldur pulled up a chair near her legs on the right. Finally Roy sat on the edge of her bed proping her feet up in his lap, while Wally brushed a lock out of her face before sitting protectivly by her head.

"How do you feel?" Robin asked worridly. She was still black and blue and the bandages around her arms, legs and torso were still crimson.

"I feel fine. The drugs I'm on are really top notch!" she said sarcasticlly. Then the door opened and Oliver walked in, his hands hidden behind his back. Her eyes narrowed suspisously. "Are you hurt? Should you be joining me on these drugs?" she demanded. He chuckled a bit and pulled out a brand new and expensive looking campact bow, already painted and proper insignia on the handle. Her face brightened and she nearly gave a squeal of delight.

"Not yet, but once Dinah learns I've tempted you with shooting, I may well be!" he joked feeling better knowing Artemis was going to be ok.

"Oh Ollie, you shouldn't have! No wait you should have. Thank you so much!" she exclaimed turning the bow over and over in her finger, itching to pull back the draw string and let loose a volley of arrows.

"Good, because I didn't. I was going to, but someone beat me to it." he said handing her a creamy white card. On the inside, was a grinnig cat surrounded by a border of sporting equpiment. Later Artemis would blame the tears on the pain, but it was more because her old family just proved they actually cared for her. "We of course had it checked for boobytraps and other deadly things like that!" The moment was effectivly ruined and replaced by Roy's facepalm. The team decended into idle chatter, keeping her mind off the terrible experience she just had. After awhile of it and a couple of poorly disguised yawns later, the team left telling her to get better and rest. They left one by one, untill only Wally, Roy and Oliver were left. Wally kissed her gently on the lips before grinning sheepishly at the frowning archers, before leaving the Arrow family to itself.

"So how are you feeling?" Both proteges gave him the same look Roy had given Artemis on the night the story began. "Ok maybe thats kinda obvious but I'm not that dumb. I meant that blonde head of yours. Thinking is hard for us." Groaning at the terrible joke, both rolled their eyes in usion.

"Ooooooh bad dumb blonde joke. That's how you make someone feel better! But seriously I'm fine! After Joker gave me up to Veritgo it wasn't that bad. You know for being kidnapped." Both men raised their eyebrows. "Ok so I can still hear the laughter ringing in my ears and circus clowns will probably terrify me, but the worst that will happen are a few nightmares. In fact, you guys will probably need more session with Dr. Dinah. That was really more of the point. To break you through me." Oliver held her hand and Roy squeezed her good foot. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't have sent you up ahead. I should have stayed with you."

"And I should have been there. I should have prevented this! Called in Bats instead of you kids. I should have found you sooner!" They all stared at each other, Artemis looking stern the others guilty. Finally, the stern one beat out the guilty ones and turned them sheepish.

"The only one to blame is the pschotic clown, right?" she added emphasis on the last word.

"Yes dear. Yeesh you're almost as bad as Dinah sometimes." Artemis smirked and playfully smacked his arm.

"Says the guy who didn't even get me a welcome back present!"

"Actually I do have something for you Arty!" he said pulling out a plain white envelope.

"Never calling me that stupid nickname ever again would be great!" She muttered as Roy laughed.

"Nah that's for a 'you just came back from the dead' occasion. But hopefully this will be just as good." he handed her the paper and she looked it over. Clearly printed dated and sighned, was the name, Artemis Lian Queen. She held the parchment like it was a precious jewel. The three would deny ever having a tearful group hug. All of a sudden, Artemis broke away.

"Oh crap!" She cried startling her new father and brother.

"What, what is it?"

"We forgot to ask what Joker was doing in Star!" the two of them groaned.

A few weeks later, the Joker had once again escaped Arkham. It's like the place was made of cardboard or something. This time he stayed in Gotham, figuring he'd just lie low and let the remainder of his bones heal. That however was short lived. Out of the dark, came an arrow with red fletching neatly pinning him to a wall. Then the was a grinning mask in his face.

"You didn't really think I'd let you off that easy did you?" A mocking voice asked pulling out a camera and sai.

Artemis pulled out her phone, thanking whoever was texting her at this ridiculous hour waking her up. She was recovering in Queen mansion while helping Ollie and Dinah prepare for their upcomming wedding, but was still having brutal nightmares about the whole thing. Hearing that the madman had escaped didn't help her sleep either. She flipped it open and found a picture message waiting. She downlaoded the file and chuckled. The words 'Sweet Dreams' accompained a terrified Joker hanging from a telephone pole. Laughing, Artemis clutched the phone to her chest, falling into a peaceful sleep.

Corny ending I know. But it's two o'clock in the morning here in frosty Canada so you'll have to forgive me! I super sorry about the long wait, but I've been crazy busy with science and friends and family and all that jazz. Hope you liked it! R&R! Happy belated thanksgiving! :D