With Or Without You. (Young Justice Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

After getting off her long plane ride to Ireland, Artemis felt tired and drained. She couldn't sleep on the flight. What was she doing? Why was she going on this wild goose chase? Her dark thoughts raced through her mind. She needed answers but she also needed to get away. Get away from pitying eyes of her family, her friends. The time difference really didn't do so well for her in her tired state either. As she gathered her belongings she walked out of the airport and into the cold night air of Dublin. Walking to the curb she thumbed for a taxi.

"I need to get to Liffy train station" Artemis said to the taxi man as she threw her bag in.

She hadn't planned on staying long and only packed essentials.

"Right so" the taxi man said, his thick Dublin accent sounded so foreign to her ears as she rested her head against the window.

"Ya visitin' family?" He asked her as they began to drive out further away from the airport.

"Sorta.. an old friend" Artemis replied as she stared out the window trying to keep herself from falling asleep in the back of the taxi.

She hadn't been able to sleep well the past few months. No matter how she tried. But the flight and her emotions where finally catching up with her. The rest of the journey was silent as she tried to keep her tired eyes open. The rough voice of the taxi man woke her with a start. She hadn't even realised she had fallen asleep. Gathering her bag and paying the taxi man she quickly made her way to the ticket booth for the train.

After paying for her ticket she went to wait outside for her train to arrive. She walked up and down the platform to keep herself awake. Her train arrived half an hour later, half full of people. She picked a seat at the back and nearest the window. Plonking her bag beside her she stared out the window into the dark station, only light with dimming lights.

"Tickets"

After the conductor had seen and stamped her ticket Artemis felt her eyes droop again. It would take about another hour for her to get to the nearest town and then get a taxi that would take her half an hour to get to the village in which Regan Thomason lived.

~.~.~.~

An hour and a half later Artemis stood in the small village of Star Bright. It was tiny. The streets where cobbled and the three buildings that stood in the village were a small church, a small pub and a small post office. Street lights lit up the road that connected all three buildings and a sign was placed in the middle of the whole village with addresses on it and pointing in three directions. Artemis felt like she was in Oz as she read the sign.

Castlehouse was written on the top sign. It was pointing to the small lane between the church and the pub.

Housing was written on the middle sign. It was pointing to a lane ahead of her between the church and post office.

Mullingar was written on the bottom sign. It was pointing behind Artemis where the road to where Artemis came from.

Artemis decided to go in the direction of the housing. How was she going to know which house was Regan's? As she walked down the lane she noticed that the pub doors had opened and two men walked out. Walking towards the pub she decided she might get lucky there.

The pub on the inside was just as old fashioned as it was on the outside. It was crowded with traditional Irish music playing in the background. Young girls and boys where dancing on one side of the room to the music. Artemis was surprised at how quick and skilled they where at it. Smoke was in the air as old men sitting at the bar smoked at their old pipes and fags, talking amongst themselves and to the people around them. Artemis managed to squeeze her way to the bar counter and to the bar keeper.

"What'll it be love?" The bar keeper asked as he polished a glass.

"I'm looking for Regan Thomason, do you know where I can find her?" Artemis asked as the crowd in the pub began to clap as the music stopped.

"Over there" he nodded towards the crowd of dancers. "In the green dress"

Artemis looked for the green dress and found the pale brunette. She was laughing with a young man around her age with black hair hidden under a cap. Her big brown eyes framed with dark long lashes. Artemis swollowed a lump as she watched the girl for a moment. The girl was pretty and petite. Could Wally have fallen for her looks?

Sliding through the crowds another song came on, another Irish song with Irish words that Artemis couldn't understand. Regan and the young man walked away from the dancing crowd and towards a table of their own, at the back of the pub behind the dancers.

Regan looked up at her and smiled before looking back to the young man with the farmers cap. She picked up a glass with black liquid and a white creamy top. Regan swallowed a mouthful of the nasty looking liquid before laughing at something the young man had said.

"Regan Thomason?" Artemis asked as she stood infront of the table.

Regan looked up at Artemis. Her face was blank for a minute before she gave Artemis a toothy grin.

"Your Artemis! From the pictures!" Regan exclaimed before looking around Artemis. "Where's Wally? Did he bring you here to introduce us? Jason Wally's back!"

Artemis raised an eyebrow at the girl. How did she know her? What pictures?

"No. I sent myself. Is there anywhere we can talk?" Artemis asked as she noticed the careful stares Jason was giving her.

He was looking her up and down, as if he was seizing her up, looking for a weakness. He didn't trust her and he didn't look too happy that she was there.

"Sure, we'll talk at home. Wally not with ya? Shame, be good to see him again. Look Jason I'm off. Tell Ari I'll be round to help her with her recording"

Jason tipped his cap to both girls before downing his pint. Regan took Artemis's arm and smiled.

"I'll get ya out of this place"

Regan pulled Artemis through the crowds and soon they where outside in the fresh cold night air.

"I never thought you could fit so many people into a small place before" Artemis said as the cold air seemed to bite into the expose air on her face.

"Welcome to Ireland so. Come on, bring ya're bag with ya. My house isn't that far off"

Regan walked on ahead as Artemis caught up with her. They both past a black haired girl who eyed Artemis suspiciously.

"Evenin' Lorna" Regan said as she walked by.

"Regan" Lorna said before she walked by, her eyes not leaving Artemis until she had walked on ahead of Regan.

Artemis couldn't help but notice that this was the second person to look at her with an untrustworthy gaze. What was with these people? Something seemed off.

"Would ya wait. How're ya to know which house is mine?" Regan laughed as she caught up with Artemis. "Don't mind Lorna, she's just an O'Donovan"

"A what?" Artemis asked confused.

"Nothing. Just a family that lives around here is all. Come on I'm freezin'"

The two walked down the small lane to where the sign pointed Housing.

"You look fierce tired if ya don't mind me saying. Long trip was it?"

"Yeah.. longer than I expected" Artemis admitted.