Young Justice: Christmas

Kiss Me Babe It's Christmas Time!

Artemis had it with Christmas.

While preparing for the team's Christmas party, her cookies had burned, she'd tripped over Nelson the dog one too many times, and nearly broken the tiny Eiffel Tower snow globe that Wally had given her last year, the first Christmas after their retirement.

Now she stood in the TV room, staring at the small globe.

"Merry Christmas, Wally." She whispered. Giving the snow globe one good shake to get the flakes stirring, she kissed the glass ball and put it in her pocket.

She gave the burnt cookies to Nelson, deciding to just buy some from the store on her way to the zeta-tubes.

As Artemis put on her coat and scarf, someone knocked on her door.

"Oh, hi Bart." She said, giving the young speedster a smile for the sake of Christmas spirit.

"Heya, Arty!" Bart threw his arms up in the air and hugged her tight. "You ready for the Christmas party?" He asked.

Well, it was his first Christmas, of course the kid would be more excited than usual, Artemis though to herself.

"One sec, I gotta get my purse from my room." Artemis told him. When she came back a few minutes later with her bag slung across her shoulder, Bart was bent over, his back to her, talking quietly with someone on his phone.

"You ready?"

Bart quickly stood up straight and hung up his phone. "Ready if you are!" He exclaimed, even more cheesily than normal.

After much consideration, just like Wally would have, Bart brought the choice of cookies down to sugar cookies or gingerbread.

"Wally always liked gingerbread," Artemis mused aloud as she spotted a few cans of pineapple juice in the refrigerated section, remembering how long Wally took when they went shopping for food together.

"Well, let's get gingerbread then!" Bart quickly put the sugar cookies back on the shelf, and then grabbed a few packs of pineapple juice.

Artemis looked at the boy apprehensively.

"I'm thirsty." He said with a sheepish grin, staring at his feet.

"Oh all right." Artemis rubbed the boy's floppy brown hair and headed for the cash register.

Bart did help her carry the half a dozen boxes of gingerbread cookies to the zeta tubes. At the last second, impatience took over and he sped ahead, dissolving into the golden light.

Artemis laughed, and followed him to find the warehouse completely bathed in darkness.

"Hello?" She ventured cautiously. "Oh please don't be the reds again, it's Christmas!" She muttered to herself. Dropping the bags of pineapple juice, she reached for the crossbow in her pocket.

"Shhh!" Someone hissed. Artemis froze.

"Shh, yourself!" That was Cassie snapping back.

"How long do we have to hide?" And that was a bored Jaime.

"Oh what the heck, just turn on the lights!" Someone said at last.

The ware-home was lit up, bathed in a warm, firey glow from the fake fireplace, and little circles of colored lights danced across the floor from the Christmas lights lining the walls and the Christmas tree. Artemis's teammates were slowly coming out of their hiding places in the kitchen, behind the couches, and up in the loft.

"What's this all about?" She asked, thoroughly confused.

Bart, lounging on the couch, just pointed above her head.

Artemis looked up, finding herself caught beneath a sprig of mistletoe.

"Great." She muttered.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept her off her feet, plating a warm kiss on Artemis's lips before she could say a word.

Surprised, Artemis jerked back, only to see shocking red hair and bright green eyes smiling down at her.

"Merry-" Wally started. Artemis slapped him, trapped in the bridal-style position Wally held her in.

She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. "Shut up and kiss me, Baywatch." She muttered.

Without hesitation, Wally did as he was told, meriting cheers and applause from their teammates.