Artemis turned her head as the sunlight streamed in the window. She could hear the shower running and knew it was time to leave. SHe couldn't turn her life around in an instant. Her record wasn't created in a day and no one could wipe it away in one. She knew Dick would be better off without her around. It wasn't like she was the only thing he had. He had Bruce, Tim, and even Damian. That doesn't include all of the league and his new team. She had been keeping up on the times through the web of information that spread between crooks and villains. She had worked for many of their old enemies. In fact, she was supposed to be on a job for her dad. He was always her biggest hire. She would only work as a one-woman-show though. If she had to rely on anyone else, there was no point in the matter. She didn't trust anyone. Alright, that's a lie. She trusts Dick and sometimes Wally. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Wally since she left either. She climbed from the bed and pulled a piece of paper from Dick's printer. She couldn't believe she was doing this old cliche. She wrote him a note and left it on the bed. She slipped out the bedroom door and down the stairs slowly. She wasn't in the mood to go out the window. Most one night stands were window jumps, but she didn't think that was the best idea when she couldn't concentrate. She followed the buildings trying to clear her head. She kept her feet moving. If she stopped, she'd turn around.

Dick stepped out of the bathroom smiling. He looked over to the bed to see it empty and a note on his pillow. His smile dropped and he walked over staring at it. He didn't want to touch it. Like it was poisonous, he kept himself away from it. His hand reached out, but pulled back. He didn't want to know it was all a lie. He wished it was something small like, "I went out for somefresh air. Be back in an hour," but he knew it wasn't. There was no chance that it was that simple, and he knew it. He took a deep breath and picked up the note.

"Dick,

I'm sorry, but I can't stay. It's not that I don't want to stay or that I don't want to change, because I do. But I can't just switch sides in an instant. My record wasn't built in a day and even you can't wipe it clean in one. That's why I have to leave. Even if I come back now, there's still so many people who will be looking for me. I can't let anyone I care about get caught in the cross hairs because I decided to switch sides. I especially couldn't forgive myself if it was you, Wally, or any of the team, new or old. I can't let anyone take the fall for me. I'm a lone wolf. That's the way I'm meant to be. I don't want you to come after me or try to find a way to make it work. I came back mainly to prove I wasn't dead...yet. I just had to have a chance to spend one last moment with my best friend, and he gave me an entire night. Thank you Dick. I guess this is goodbye and good luck. I wish you and your new team the best, and for their sakes and yours, I hope we never cross paths again.

Tigress"

Artemis kicked herself for writing that. She had done the most cowardly thing she could think of. She always told herself she wouldn't do something like that, not even if she had a one night stand, and here she was, doing the very thing she hates most to her best friend. She couldn't think about that though. The past was the past and she knew he would be following her soon. She had to take the least likely transportation imaginable for her. She had to take either a cab or a subway or she was sure to be followed. A cab would leave her in plain sight until one stopped, so she opted for the subway. She made her way down the street to the first set of stairs down into the underbelly of Bludhaven.

Dick knew what Artemis was planning. He knew she would go back to Gotham. It was the last place he'd think to look for her because it was so simple. He wasn't sure how she would get there, but he was sure to beat her. She wouldn't try to beat him there. What would he do if he got there first? Well, he would go to the last place he expected her to go, her mom's apartment. Bruce was paying for the apartment still even though he always insisted upon moving her to a nicer place. She always refused saying the old place held too many memories.

Dick's mind drifted to the many times they had hung out after patrols. She'd leave her window open, though he would advise her not to with her mom there. They'd crawl in the window and spend an hour or so venting or telling stories or just winding down after a long night. After a while, they figured it was best to hang out in his room for fact that Artemis followed him most nights anyway. She would 'walk him home' every night though she knew she didn't need to. She just wanted to spend more time with her best friend. She would come home the moment he closed the window again. He remembered how often after they had switched to his house that she had fallen asleep on the floor, couch, and even his bed. It brought a smile to his face. He had seen her at her worst one night. She and Green Arrow had had a run-in with her dad, Sportsmaster, and her sister, Cheshire. She was a wreck, not to mention battered and bruised. It was one of those nights where the bad guys got away and the hero questioned whether or not they should keep trying. It was the only time she hadn't broken into his window.

Dick lay on his bed staring at the ceiling waiting for the tell-tale sound of his window sliding up. He waited for an extra thirty minutes and still heard nothing. He was tempted to text her to see if she had even gone on patrol. He picked up his phone, but before he could type up the message, he heard a single tap on his window. He glanced over and saw nothing. He guessed it was a bat. They had been known to hit his window once in a while. He heard the tap again just before he could press send. This time he knew it wasn't a bat. It was a sharp tap, like a rock hitting the window. Dick cautiously got up, grabbing a smoke bomb from the drawer in his side table before investigating. He looked out to see nothing. He cautiously slid the window up and looked up at the roof above his window, and then down to the ground below. He was on the second floor about fifteen feet off the ground. There on the ground sitting against the wall was a mess of blond hair and green fabric. Her knees were pulled to her chest with her forehead resting on top of them. "Artemis?"

Artemis looked up to see Dick at his window. She pulled herself to her feet, supressing the wince that said she wasn't going on patrol again anytime soon. "Meet me at the front door," she said as she began making her way.

Dick turned and ran, his feet light on the floor as if pursuing a criminal. He jumped the banister above the foyer before slipping silently out the door. He rushed around the side of the manor until he found her less than half way around. "What's going on?" If she didn't come through the window, he knew there was something wrong.

Artemis wouldn't let herself look weak around her best friend, no matter how good of a detective he was. If he knew she was hurt, she still wouldn't show it. She carefully kept walking. "Can't I come through the front door once in a while?"

Dick folded his arms, "Not when you always come in the window. What happened?"

Artemis waved her hand, biting her tongue so she didn't hiss in pain, "No big deal. We ran into Cheshire and Sportsmaster."

Dick turned and walked to the front door staying slow enough for her to keep up, "That is a big deal Artemis. How many times have we faced them as a team and still not beaten them? You and Oliver could have been seriously hurt."

Artemis rolled her eyes. The boy was two years younger and worried about her more than her mother. Then again, he knew the dangers of the job better than her mom. Her mom always thought that Oliver was there to protect her, but in reality, she would take a bullet for her mentor any day. "Oliver's fine! He's home safe and sound, sound asleep probably."

Dick turned to her when they reached the front door, "If you think I didn't notice how beat up you are or how much it's affected you, you should get to know me better, because I know you better that you give me credit for." He gave her a look that could almost rival a bat-glare before turning and open the door. They slowly and quietly made their way up to his bedroom before daring to speak again. Dick closed the door and returned his attention to her, opening his mouth to speak but froze. Artemis was curled up against the side of his bed in the same position as she was against the side of the manor. She looked so small and helpless. It almost seemed like she was trying to hold herself together. Dick could only stare for a moment in shock. The girl that was so strong and a beacon of strength and will for everyone was crumbling in front of him. He snapped out of his trance and immediately went to her side, "I'm so sorry Artemis. I didn't mean to upset you."

Artemis shook her head and tipped her head up so he could hear her. Her eyes were puffy and red, tears quickly streaked her face and left wet marks on the green fabric of her top. "It wasn't anything you did. I guess I just don't know anymore." She left it at that and put her head back to her knees.

Dick put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him. He knew she hated being comforted, but he had to try. When she let him pull her close, he knew something was most definitely wrong no matter how little she really showed. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm willing to listen if you want to talk." He wrapped his other arm around her as he held her. Were it not for the slight movements of her breathing, he would probably think she had died in his arms. She was completely limp. She didn't move a muscle and her tears continued to flow silently.

Artemis didn't feel like her voice would cooperate at the moment and left the bird to wonder as she tried to calm down enough to speak. When she opened her mouth, she could feel the unnaturally sad and questioning tone it held, "I don't know if I should really be out there. I nearly got Oliver killed tonight, and yet I can't tell myself to leave. If I weren't around, there would be one less bounty out on a team member. I don't want to leave any of you, but I'm causing more harm than good. Am I losing my touch? Or did I only get lucky before? Why can't I hold my own anymore? Had it been anyone else, they would have run me through tonight." She turned her head, her voice and emotions betraying her. Her tears came pouring out, accompanied by quickly escalating sobs.

Dick held tighter to her as if she would truly fall to pieces. "It's not you're fault Artemis. Everyone has off days."

She got some of her strength back and pushed him away, "It is my fault! If I hadn't chosen to be Oliver's sidekick, half of the team's and League's problems would disappear! I'm the cause! I'm the one putting everyone in danger! I'm the reason everyone is getting hurt."

Dick reached for her, again trying to comfort her, "You know that isn't true, because if it was the League would have dismissed you."

Artemis hit his hands away, "It is true! I'm the problem! All the damage I've caused can't be erased that easily!" She kept swinging her arms trying to hit him to get him away.

Dick grabbed her wrists firmly yet gently, "You're wrong. It's just the opposite." She bowed her head in defeat knowing she was in too much distress to fight back. "You're incredible." He pulled her too his chest letting her go limp, "You're the strong will that keeps everyone going on a mission. If it weren't for you half of our missions would have been abandoned."

Artemis shook her head burying her face in his chest. She was a puddle of tears that couldn't so much as mop herself up. She wished she could evaporate and disappear. "I don't know if it's smart for me to stay on the team."

Dick loosened his grip on her, scrambling to change her mind before she was set on it. One thought popped into his mind. It was his last chance. "If you leave so do I. I'm not going to stay on the team if you don't."

Artemis looked up at him with a small hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. She didn't want him to leave, but he sounded too sure for her to chance it. There was no way she was winning this fight.

Dick smiled down at her. He brushed a lock of hair out if her face and tucked it behind her ear. His hand lingered on her cheek. He leaned down slowly, ready to be punched in the gut if he was unwelcome. His lips brushed against Artemis's. He pressed them together and waited for the expected punch.

Artemis did the unthinkable. She reached her arm around his neck and kissed him back.

Dick sat on Artemis's bed in her mother's small apartment. She wouldn't be expecting him to stay. He looked around at the room. The crack in the window pane, the shoe marks on the ceiling, the small holes in the walls, and the cuts in the desk all held such great memories of their past together. They had spent countless restless nights keeping each other company after a long mission or hard patrol. They had lost more sleep together than either of them ever would have with the rest of the entire team. He chuckled and stood up. He ran his fingers over the different marks remembering each one fondly.

Artemis climbed up the fire escape slowly. The sun was getting ready to set. There was no way that Dick could have waited this long. He would have thought she had been and gone already. She sat on the edge of the fire escape and watched as the sun started to sink. How many times had she and Dick stared at the sun set? How many times had they sat on the roof and watched the sun rise? It was countless. She could remember all the times that he had comforted her after something had yet again gone wrong. Dick was the one person who could see her weak moments and not see her as fragile. He saw her strength, but he knew that strength was dependent on the situation. She had been his comfort too. The anniversary of his parents' death had been the worst and she was there to be his shoulder to cry on. Artemis climbed up and brushed herself off before opening and climbing through the window. As she looked up she saw him. Dick stood there in the glow of the setting sun.

Dick turned his head as the light from the window was cut off. Artemis climbed in the window and looked up at him. He gave her a hurt smile, "Didn't think I'd really let you leave did you?"

Artemis folded her arms and looked away, "I'd hoped you would."

He walked over to her and turned her to face him, "Then you don't know me as well as you think."

She turned her back to him, "Does goodbye mean anything to you? If I had wanted you to follow me I would have told you where I was going."

He stepped to her side and turned her to look at him so he could see her face, "If you didn't want me to follow you, you wouldn't have come back here. You knew that I would come looking for you here."

Artemis turned her face into the shadows hoping to hide the tears welling in her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm only here to get a few things before I go again."

Dick could hear her voice fluctuate. She was lying. "Maybe I can change your mind," he put his hand on her opposite cheek and turned her face to him again. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers passionately. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes. He didn't want her to leave him behind again.

Artemis was stiff for a moment before responding. Her longing for him was taking over her want to make this easier. She put her arms around his neck and held him closer. If she were honest with herself, she didn't want to leave him.

The two of them held each other close in the light of the setting sun with the future unknown, and the trials to come waiting with the later rise of the sun.