AN:

I apologize in advance. I'm not particularly prolific, and this is my first extended fic. I have several thousand words written, and should get more done this week over spring break, but it'll be tough once school starts up again, so heads up.

One of the things that most slows me down is my frustration with 'getting it right' so if someone would do me the favor of beta-ing for me, I'd be forever grateful, and would probably be able to get this out faster.

Feedback, even criticism, feeds my motivation, so I'd love to know what you think!

Spoilers for Endgame

The lovely image for this was provided by the amazing IronicVeghead over on Deviant Art. I highly suggest you check out her art - especially her adorable spitfire works.

End Game happened and Nightwing's not JLU. Obviously, I own nothing.

Prologue: Hallucination

His world is black and red and pain.

"Who are you? What is your name?"

"M'Flash." True. He's pretty sure this is true. But it's not what they're asking. He can't shake the feeling it's very important he sticks with this answer, though.

"What is your watchtower access code?"

"Only leaguers 'lowed on the 'tchtower."

There's a snap, and pain blurs his vision anew.

"Not getting… losing it… break for now… heal… 'Gress you'll get 'im fixed up."

"Perfect."

Footsteps, a door, and sudden quiet. He's alone now, and the part of his brain that's coming into fuzzy focus relaxes. There won't be much extra pain for the time being.

Scratch that. One of the Legion's villainesses is still here, and his eyes focus on the syringe in her hands. She approaches, and rather than look at another one of his tormentors he closes his eyes and braces the best he can for another round.

He feels the needle in his arm as the woman leans close. She whispers in his ear.

"Hang tight, this shot will help kick start your metabolism. I'm going to get you out of here, Wally."

His eyes snap open and alight on an amber necklace before traveling up to her face. Through the pain, and confusion and exhaustion, his heart stutters. He breathes.

"Artemis?"

Ch 1: Emancipation

She wanted to cry when they caught him. When she saw what they did to him. (When she couldn't save him.)

He wasn't her Wally. She knew that. But this man wore his face, his cowl, (his cheesy-can't-help-but-love-it grin). The hell with her cover. She would not allow any Wally West to be tortured (or worse).

It was easy to hack the guard list, and ensure she was assigned to be his guard rotation. It was harder to ensure she was prepared for the opportunity. A USB containing copies of every file and plan of the Legion's she could get her hands on was in her belt. The syringes used to sedate her 'patient' had been swapped for a vitamin-antibiotic-adrenalin cocktail to get the Flash at least somewhat on his feet. Cameras were set to loop feed. Patrol details had been subtly reassigned to create gaps. Most importantly, the Legion trusted her, at least as much as a legion of super villains can trust. She had surprise on her side.

It had taken too long, and would cost much, but finally, finally she could end his suffering. For her Wally. Already she could see his metabolism reacting to the serum. His breathing evened out, his shaking slowed. She even though she could see some of his wounds beginning to pull together. He must have developed hyper-accelerated healing like Barry. Perfect.

"Hang tight, this shot will help kick start your metabolism. I'm going to get you out of here, Wally."

His eyes snapped open, a deep green, like Megan's skin, like her old arrows, like his eyes – but it's not the time for that thought. She hoped he was as trusting as her Wally, that he would let her get him out and not try to fight her-

"Artemis?"

…

…

…

No.

It wasn't possible. (It couldn't be.)

He wasn't here. It was (somehow) a coincidence.

He wasn't… she wasn't… he wasn't here.

She needed to kill this hope now, before it broke her later.

"Yeah Baywatch. Your ninja girlfriend's here to save you from her evil ninja clan."

"S'long as you're traught. 'Cause don't wan' ya dead 'gain."

Get traught, or get dead!

It was him.

He was here…

After all this time, this was her…

Priorities. She had a limited window of opportunity, and she would not waste this chance. (She would not lose him again).

"Yeah, I'm traught. I know you're not feeling the aster right now, but I need you to stay whelmed. I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?"

"Whelmed. Gotit. Lead th' way, Arty."

Focus. Release the cuffs. Help him stand. Check - feed's still looping, hallway's empty, patrols are on schedule.

"Alright, lets get out of here."

It's slow going. His arm is over her shoulders and they're limping down every back hallway and antechamber she knows of to help them avoid detection. Luckily, he's able to take more of his own weight at every turn, limping less, and moving faster. Thank god he's developed accelerated healing since they've come here. They might even make it out of here without –

"Escape Alert! All Members of the Legion of Doom: Search Priority Alpha. Find and detain the Flash."

Of course. And they only had two corridors to go. But now she can hear a ruckus between them and the main door. Plan B it is. He staggers a little as she picks up the pace, dragging him down a side hallway in the opposite direction of the commotion. Front door's out, but if Robin taught her anything (besides how to butcher the English language) it's how to make her own door.

"Well, well ,well. If it isn't the Tiger bitch." A lithe figure dropped to the ground in front of them. Artemis growls under her breath and Cheetah bares her teeth and extends her claws. "Gone soft, kitten? Trying to help the little hero escape?"

We do not have time for this, Artemis thinks as she leans Wally against the wall, never taking her eyes form her opponent. At the same time, she slides a hand to her back and grasps her sword. When Cheetah lunges, Artemis moves.

The cat-villain is out of her league, and Artemis easily blocks claws with her sword, twisting them to the side. This leaves Cheetah open for a sedative-coated senbon to be stuck in her shoulder. She's down and out for the count in less than thirty seconds, but it's enough time for others to locate them.

Metallo crashes around the corner, and she dodges his right hook. A flipping sweep takes out the cyborg's legs, but as she rolls to ready her next attack she sees movement in the corner of her eye. Gorrilla Grodd has a gun aimed at her chest. He doesn't waste the shot with a monologue. Just a smirk. Then the gun cracks. Red fills her vision.

She's in Wally's arms, face pressed into the chest of his Flash suit. They're standing in a different hallway than before.

"Won't let him… touch you, not that… darned dirty ape." He huffs into her hair.

She snorts. He always had to have the witty comeback.

"Thanks for the save, but lets save the references for after we get out, alright, Kid Mouth?"

She looks up as he nods. A quick glance shows her what that escape cost them and she becomes serious again. His face is white with pain and he has to lean against the wall to keep himself from slumping to the floor. And – is his side a darker red than the rest of his suit? She knew his sessions had snapped a couple of ribs. Even with his healing, that run must have snapped them again. If one pierced his side, their escape had only become more urgent. And now he'll have used up most of the boost her serum gave him.

His eyes say he knows he's in trouble. It was definitely too soon for him to try that, but he's not going to mention the new points of screaming pain until they – she – is out safe.

"You did good, Baywatch. This is an outer wall. A few charges…"

"And we make a door Supey-style." His smile is more grin than grimace despite the pain.

"Yeah, just like Supey." She agrees, and begins assembling the charges from her supplies.

She's almost done when a beam of light blasts her back.

"Going somewhere?" Sinestro hovers menacingly, blocking the only exit to this corridor.

Damn it. Artemis doesn't have anything in her arsenal to take on the yellow Lantern. She might be able to distract him… Wally could get away…

She throws the last charge at Sinestro, and presses the trigger.

She's slammed into the floor at Wally's side as debris blows over them from two sides. Sinestro was too close to the last charge though. He had been forced to raise a shield. She rolled to her feet, ready to cover Wally's escape.

"Oh, hey." Cough. "My Comm's working now. Watchtower this is," Cough. "Flash."

Sinestro is up, and unharmed from the explosion. She can't take him on. She doesn't know his weakness…

"Teleportation. Yeah. Me and the person next to me."

He's going to blast her again. Wally's behind her, she won't dodge. Just bring her sword up to try and block…

"Now!"

"Wha-?" Artemis's world dissolved, and she stumbled as she materialized on the watchtower's teleportation platform. "Ugh."

"Release the Flash, Tigress. You can't possibly hope to take us all." What? Oh, right. She's a villain. Who materialized in the home base of the Justice League. In front of dozens of heroes. While standing over a bleeding founding member. With her weapons drawn. Not good.

" 'Lax guys. She's 'kay. She's my ninja girlfriend."

She had forgotten that she didn't always miss Wally's big mouth.