"Please don't go," eleven year old Artemis said.

Her fifteen year old sister, Jade, continued to walk around their room. She grabbed a few more things and placed them in her duffel bag.

"Sorry, Sis, but I refuse to stay here with just Dad," Jade said. She zipped up the bag, but knew there was something she was forgetting.

"Dad and you and me. We have to keep this family from falling apart," Artemis pleaded, clutching Button, her bear, closer to her chest.

Jade turned and looked at her little sister. Artemis still had a bit of toothpaste on the corner of her mouth. That's what Jade was forgetting, her toothbrush.

"Toothbrush, duh!" she said, smacking her forehead.

Artemis looked crestfallen as Jade went into their bathroom to grab her toothbrush. As she was picking it up, she saw Artemis's right next to it. She made a snap decision and grabbed it. She went back into the room and put her toothbrush in her bag. She then went over and grabbed a smaller bag. Artemis had packed it for the 'camping trip' their dad was taking them on in two days. It held some spare clothes and shoes. Jade put Artemis's toothbrush inside. She threw in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass incase Artemis got board on the way.

"What are you doing with that?" Artemis asked.

Jade went over to her and wiped the toothpaste of her cheek.

"I'm taking you with me. Grab your bag."

Artemis took the bag, but looked confused. She wasn't expecting Jade to take her with her.

"We sisters have to stick together," Jade said, giving Artemis a small smile.

"Dad will find us," Artemis said.

"Nope, I plan of disappearing like the Cheshire Cat," Jade said as she put her lucky cap on. Artemis still looked unsure. "Come on, Alice, take a trip down the rabbit hole."

Artemis looked at the poster behind Jade and then smiled. "Alright." She took Jade's hand and they walked out the door. Their dad wasn't going to be home until sunrise, so they stopped in the kitchen and grabbed all the food they could fit in their bags.

"Where are we going?" Artemis asked as they left the apartment.

Jade didn't answer until they were a block away from their building.

"I heard that the Shadows coming to Gotham. We lie low until then," Jade answered.

"When are they coming?" Artemis asked. They continued walking briskly down the block. Artemis kept close to her sister and held her hand tightly. Button was now safely away in Artemis's bag.

"Could be a week, could be a month, I don't know," Jade admitted. "But when they do come, we'll be ready."

"How are we going to stay away from Dad?" Artemis asked.

"I've been thinking about that," Jade answered. "We can't have him arrested for child abuse because then we'd be sent to foster homes."

"And Dad would go to jail," Artemis added.

Jade sighed. Artemis still cared for the guy; it must have been nice to be a kid. Speaking of kids, Artemis's redheaded friend walked out of an alley as they passed.

"Hey, Mis," he called.

"Hi, Jay," Artemis said. She stopped and forced Jade to do the same.

Jason walked towards them. The eight year old had a sort of hero worship thing with Artemis. He saw her take down a man twice her size a year ago and had then demanded she teach him everything she knew. She did with Jade's help. It was nice to have a sparring partner who didn't yell at you every five seconds.

"Where are you going, Mis?" Jason asked.

"It's a secret," Artemis replied, not wanting to say she didn't know.

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm great with secrets," Jason said.

Artemis looked to Jade for help.

"We're moving," Jade said. "And that's all you need to know."

Jason huffed. He looked at Artemis with pleading eyes.

"Fine, but you have to pinky promise you won't tell," Artemis said.

Jason nodded eagerly. "Cross my heart and hope to die," he said, making an X over his heart with his pinky. He and Artemis then locked pinkys.

She went over and whispered "we're going to join the League of Shadows" in his ear.

Jason's eyes got huge. He wasn't as connected as Artemis and Jade were, so he had never actually met any of the Shadows, but he had heard plenty about them.

"Whoa, really?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Artemis confirmed, nodding.

"Whoa," Jason repeated. "You're going to be even more badass than you are now!"

As the two kids were talking, Jade noticed a small group of men making their way towards them.

"Artemis, Jason, follow me. Now," Jade said.

They shut up immediately and followed Jade down the alley. Jade motioned for them to climb up a fire escape on one side of the alley. The scampered up and Jade followed after. Jade started rummaging through her duffel bag while Jason was on lookout. Jade grabbed her knife and gave Artemis her cross bow.

"I've only got ten bolts for it, so save it for later," Jade said.

Artemis nodded with a determined look.

"They're here," Jason said. He took out the switch blade Artemis gave him for is eight birthday.

"Good. You two stay up here until I call you down," Jade said. She dropped down behind some boxes and started breathing heavily, as though she was scared.

"Where you at kiddies?" one of the four men called down the alley.

Jade let out an uncharacteristic whimper.

"Hey, Al, I found one," another of the guys said as he pulled Jade out from her hiding space.

If looks could kill, all four men would have dropped dead from the glare Artemis was giving them as they brought her sister to the middle of their group.

"Gotcha," one of the guys said.

Jade smirked. "No, I've got you."

She flipped over the shoulder of the man holding her and kicked him into his buddies. Then she drew her knife and shouted, "Now!"

Artemis and Jason dropped down on the shoulders of two of the men while Jade went after the other two. Jason stabbed the back of the guy he was on with his switch blade. Artemis brought the hilt of her crossbow down hard on the temple of the guy she was on. He was knocked out instantly, so she jumped off him and kicked the guy Jason was fighting in the face. He got a hit on her before Jason could cut him again. Jade slashed one guy's arm and kicked the other in the crotch. While he was doubled over she punched his face. Jade heard a yell behind her and turned to see the guy she had cut had a crossbow bolt in his hand.

"Don't touch my sister," Artemis said from her place atop the body of the man she and Jason took down.

"Fucking crazy kids," the guy muttered before running off.

Artemis smiled. Her dad was going to be so proud! She couldn't wait to tell him. She stopped smiling when she remembered that she and Jade were running away and she wouldn't be able to tell her dad about how she took down three guys.

"That was so cool!" Jason exclaimed. "Mis, that was awesome how you took down that guy. One blow to the head and Bam! Out like a light!" He mimed out her knocking out the one guy. That brought the smile back to Artemis's face.

"Let's go," Jade said as she picked up her hat from where it had fallen on the ground. She didn't want to be around when the other guys came to.

The headed back up the fire escape and grabbed their bags. They then continued up to the rooftop and sat down.

Jade got out some Tylenol and a bottle of water and made sure Artemis took some pills. Pain is weakness, is what their dad had drilled into them. Eliminate pain, and you eliminate weakness.

"You were pretty good, too, Jay," Artemis told the still giddy eight year old.

"So, can I come with you?" Jason pleaded.

"No," Jade answered immediately.

"Mis?" Jason pleaded with Artemis.

Artemis was conflicted. On one hand, it would be great to have another friend around. But on the other, Jason was far less experienced they she and Jade were. "Why can't he come?" Artemis asked her sister.

"You won't slow me down too much, but he's a liability," Jade said exactly what Artemis was thinking.

"You two trained me yourselves!" Jason complained.

"Liability," Jade deadpanned.

"Fine then, I guess I won't tell you what I know," Jason huffed and turned his back to the sisters.

"Come on, Jay, don't keep secrets," Artemis said to him.

He stubbornly shook his head. "Too late, Mis. I'll never talk now."

Artemis sighed sadly. Jason glanced back at her and regretted it instantly.

"Fine," he said, hating to disappoint his idol. "I overheard my dad's friend talking about how the cops busted the job they were running out of the apartment on Hindes and 10th. The cops ran them out, what's worse for them is that the Malcroys took the building over."

Jade smiled as did Artemis.

"Dad's got some snitches in the Malcroys," Jade said, seeing the plan come together.

"We blackmail them into letting us get an apartment, right?" Artemis asked.

"Exactly," Jade said. "Nice work, Jason. Maybe you aren't totally useless."

"Hey!"

Yup, Jason is her best friend. And they have nicknames for each other! How cute :3 Seriously, give me one good reason why Jay-Bird and Arty wouldn't have met as kids.
Reviews feed the plot bunny, the poor thing is starving.

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