Young Justice Undercover [DISCONTINUED]

Flashback | Chapter 1

Ages:
Artemis- 9
Jade- 12
Zephyr- 16
Crusher- 49
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GOTHAM CITY

November 21, 19:39 EDT

"Please! Please, don't go." 9 year old, Artemis Crock, begged as she watched her older sister, Jade, as she watched her pack her clothes into her duffle bag.

"Sorry, sis. But Crusher's abuse won't get any better, and I refuse to let him beat me up any longer." Jade said, emphasizing the word refuse.

"But-but mommy's coming home today! She won't let him hurt us any longer!" Artemis replied, she was happy that her mother was coming home after her long mission that took her to a city name Central City.

Artemis had no idea where it was, being only 9 years old. She hadn't seen her mother in 3 months, and those 3 months were the worst 3 months ever. The minute her mother had left her father had made them work for him, meaning that they would have to go out and help him eliminate his dealers. But Artemis, being too young, was forced to watch, as her sisters killed innocent people. She was horrified when she first saw her older sister, Jade, stab someone in the chest with her sai. Her eldest sister Zephyr had always hated killing people, even if they had a reason to die. She thought it was unreasonable that the person had to die, while Jade was never fazed, whenever she took away someone else's life. Jade looked at her older sister, giving her a look that meant 'tell her'.

Zephyr sighed, uncrossing her arms letting her long blond hair fall behind her shoulders and bent down so she was face to face with her youngest sister. "Arty..." she said her voice cracking as she cupped her younger sisters face with her hands.

"...Yeah?" Artemis answered. Artemis looked into Zephyr's ice blue eyes, as she watched as tears filled her sister's eyes.

"Arty... mommy's dead. Dad killed her." Zephyr said gently, as she let her tears fall down her face. Artemis dropped the teddy bear she had been holding as she felt her world collapsing.

'She's dead... my mommy is dead... she's gone. No more good nights. No more I love you's. No more patching me up when daddy hits me. No more comforting me when I have nightmares. No more anything.' Artemis thought as tears fell down her face. She had heard the 2 words she thought she would never have to hear again after her father killed her twin brother, Apollo, when they were only 2 years old. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt Zephyr hug her but she didn't hug back.

Instead Artemis just stood there, watching Jade pack the rest of her things into her duffel. Finally Artemis found the courage to say something, "Why-why would daddy do that? How do-do you know mo-mommy's... you know." She said, not daring to say the word she had hated the most.

"Crusher." Jade said. "He stopped being dad a long time ago." Jade turned back packing the rest of her stuff as Zephyr pulled back and answered her questions, saying that their he had killed their mother when he went to go pick her up from the airport. And they had found out when Slade Wilson (Deathstroke) had come knocking on their door 30 minutes ago.

"Done!" Jade exclaimed zipping up her duffel bag. Zephyr stood up and gave her sister a hug.

"Did you forget anything?" She asked. Jade thought for a minute before smacking her forehead.

"Toothbrush! Duh, knew I was forgetting something. Thanks Zeph!" Jade said coming back with her toothbrush and toothpaste in both hands. Jade turned around after putting her stuff away and put her hands on Zephyr's shoulders.

"Take care of Alice for me, will ya?" She asked motioning her head over to where Artemis was standing. Zephyr nodded in response as she watched Jade bend down and give Artemis the biggest hug ever. When she pulled away, Artemis gave her a small smile. Jade grabbed her duffel and headed toward the window, when Artemis suddenly blurted out,

"Dad will come after you!" Jade turned around and faced her.

"Let him, I'll disappear, like the Chesire cat." She said putting her dark blue cap.

"You should get out too," Jade said softly. "I'd let you come with me but you'd only slow me down."

"Someone needs to be here, when daddy comes back." Artemis stated.

"Haven't you learned anything?!" Jade snapped. "In this family, it's every girl for herself." She said climbing out the window, leaving the two girls staring at nothing.

Suddenly they heard a loud booming voice. "Zephyr! Jade! Artemis! I'm home." Both girls looked at the doorway, knowing whose voice it was, and knowing that they would be mad if they didn't answer back.

They both yelled back. "Hey daddy!" Artemis yelled down.

"How was work?" Zephyr asked.

"Same old, same old." Lawrence 'Crusher' Crock said as he stomped up the stairs. Stopping when he got to Artemis and Jade's room. "Where's Jade??" He asked angrily.

Zephyr quickly stepped up, telling her father that she needed to tell him something downstairs. They walked downstairs leaving poor Artemis alone upstairs. She faintly heard Zephyr's voice, whereas she could hear her father's voice loud and clear.

"SHE DID WHAT??!!!" He asked loudly as anger creeped up his voice. She heard more sounds and her father yelling "FINE!". She then heard a loud gunshot and a scream.

Artemis knew that scream all too well. It had meant that her sister was gone. Artemis picked up the teddy bear that was still on the floor and hugged it to her chest. She still remembered the day she got it. It was her 5th birthday and her mother had given it to her. Her mother said that it was hers from when she was a child, and even though the bear was very old it looked brand new to Artemis.

She squeezed the bear tightly as she heard her father come up the stairs. He busted open her door- that Zephyr had closed when they went downstairs- he had blood all over his shirt and pants, no doubt that it was her mother and sister's blood. He walked over to her with an empty beer bottle, smashing it against her left arm making her scream in pain. She knew that screaming made the beating worst but she couldn't help it.

She was rarely hit, as her older sisters had always taken the beating for her. But now she would have to suffer. He smashed the bottle into her arm again yelling. "Bitch! Dumbass! Idiot! Weakling!" Each insult was followed by a hit, kick or a punch.

Artemis bit her lip to try and stop herself from screaming but failed miserably. She could feel tears falling down her swollen face. "Ah ah ah, baby girl. What did I say last time! Crocks. Don't. Cry!" He said while kicking her in the gut before getting bored. "Clean yourself up and go to bed. I don't want to see you till tomorrow. Am I clear?" He asked walking towards the door.

Artemis weakly nodded her head as she watch him slam her door shut. Artemis slowly picked herself and her teddy bear up and went to the bathroom, picking up the pieces of glass stick in her arm, wincing whenever she pulled it out, once she was done, Artemis cleaned up the broken glass that was laying in floor.

Changing into her pajamas, she lay in bed hugging her teddy as she cried silently, not wanting another beating. She knew that each day the beating would only get worse. After 1 hour of crying Artemis finally tired herself out, falling asleep with her teddy close pressed against her chest.