Hey everyone! I was finally able to get this done. My goal is still to have the last chapter up by October 1st, and I think that's still possible. :) But I thought I would upload this early; I was going to wait until the other one was done, but... I changed my mind.

Sorry to anyone who likes corned beef and cabbage. I personally have nothing against it. The cabbage just bugs me sometimes. lol :P

Shout out to Kat, because she is keeping me motivated to get this done. :)

One more chapter guys. I can't believe this story is that close to being done. Keep an eye out for the next chapter. Maybe it will be out sooner than I think. :)

Hope you enjoy!

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            Diana was mindlessly surfing the internet while lying in bed. She had just got home from class, and for once she didn’t have any homework to contend with. Per usual, there wasn’t anything interesting on the internet, minus some spoilers for the next night’s Supernatural episode. As of recent though, watching her favorite television show had been the only thing she had really been looking forward to. That and waiting to hear from Artemis. She was counting down the days before he visited again. It was March 17th now, Saint Patrick’s Day, both to her delight and horror. While it was one of her favorite holidays (now for different reasons), it meant her mother was cooking corned beef and cabbage per usual. While Diana actually didn’t mind the beef, the cabbage was another thing entirely. The house was going to smell bad for weeks; all Diana had to hope for was that it didn’t radiate like the year she could smell it all the way across the street.

            The girl rested her head against the pillow she had been leaning on. She was tired; school was starting to drain her. While she had about two months to go, she couldn’t just start slacking off now. She just had to survive until the end of May. She could do that. After all… it was then that Artemis would be back, and she would be about done with school too. This time, it would be a bit different. Artemis would be staying with them for a few weeks; through prom, graduation, and her open house. While Diana was excited for that, she was growing ever more nervous. Once that was all said and done, she would only have a few months of freedom before she would be whisked away to college. More specifically the same one as Artemis. He had been helping her get everything together so she could attend with him, since getting information sent internationally could take forever, not to mention making sure her test scores and grades were up to par.

            Diana was shaken from her thoughts as she heard the somewhat gentle, yet annoying beeping from Skype. Someone was trying to talk to her. She lifted her head, just enough to see Artemis’ name and picture in the middle of her computer screen. Lazily, she clicked on the ‘answer with video’ button, waiting for a few moments before Artemis’ face and upper body appeared on her screen. Although he had a smile on his face, Diana could tell he was tired; it was, after all, about nine at night there right now and she was sure his classes had mentally drained him. Not to mention she could see the dark circles under his eyes.

            “You look rough, babe,” she began.

            “I could say the same about you,” Artemis countered. “Long day at school?”

            Diana couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “You have no idea. I’m just glad soccer practice got cancelled because of the rain. Not that I would’ve minded, but you know… I could use the break.”

             Artemis nodded. “Your first game is next week, isn’t it?”

            Diana nodded in response. “Yea, and we are so not ready. We’re going to get stomped by Bay City Western. Per usual, but… you know. I’d at least like to pretend we’re going to make it to half time without the mercy rule kicking in,” she sighed.

            “You’ll do fine, captain,” Artemis replied, a smirk plastered to his face. “And even if you don’t, it’s not the end of the world. After all, I’ll be there in… sixty-two days. Keep that thought in the back of your head.”

            Diana smiled. “I have been, and I will continue to,” she admitted. “I think I can survive another sixty-two days in this perpetual hell.”

            “Well I would sure hope you would,” Artemis went on. “I would be quite disappointed to arrive only to find out you’re dead or imprisoned somewhere.” Diana shrugged. But before she could say anything, Artemis spoke again. “What is that your shirt says?”

            “I thought you would never ask,” Diana said, a small smile on her face. “It says, ‘Made in Ireland.’ I’ve had this shirt since middle school. Thought it was somewhat fitting since my family can trace its origins back to Ireland, but mostly because of the holiday.”

            Artemis nodded slowly. “I figured as much.”

            “Did you do anything to celebrate?” Diana inquired.

            The raven-haired boy shook his head. “Unless studying counts, no,” he replied. “I’m afraid I live a very boring life most days.”

            “Well that’s certainly a change from the usual seat-of-the-pants adventures you’re used to,” Diana replied. “Besides, why do you need to study? You’re a genius. Certainly your brain works like a sponge.”

            Artemis shrugged. “I suppose you may be correct about that, but alas, I have nothing better to do.”

            “You could start trying to find a tie for prom,” Diana suggested, nonchalantly. “You do only have sixty-eight days to prepare for that.”

            Artemis rolled his eyes, although there was a smile on his face. “I will start looking, Diana, I promise. You just might have to refresh my memory as to what color it is we’re wearing again.”

            Diana gasped, pretending to be hurt that he had forgotten. After all, she had only shown Artemis the color once, and it was such a long time ago that she couldn’t blame him for needing to be reminded. Diana bounded off her bed, and over to her closet where her prom dress was hanging in a large plastic bag. The girl untied the bottom of the bag, pulling it up to reveal a little bit of the dress’ fabric. She then picked up her laptop and brought it over to the dress, putting the camera level to the exposed fabric.

            “This is the color,” she stated.

             “Dark blue?” Artemis confirmed, as Diana moved away from the closet and back to her bed, laptop in hand.

            “Technically it is sapphire blue,” Diana corrected. “Just match the tie to the color of your eyes and we’ll be good.”

            “Interesting, but I think I can manage that,” Artemis noted. “May I ask why you picked that color?”

            Diana shrugged. “You have pretty eyes. Plus blue is my favorite color, and we both look fabulous in it so it’s a win-win situation.”

            Diana saw Artemis flush pink for a moment before he said, “Fair enough.”

            Before Diana could reply to him, there was a knock on her bedroom door. She was going to say ‘come in’ but the door opened before she had the chance. Her sister popped her head in, and said, “Mom said dinner is almost done, so you should probably make your dinner.” Just as quickly as she came, Marisa was gone, leaving Diana somewhat alone again.

            “You’re not eating the same meal?” Artemis inquired, raising an eyebrow.

            Diana frowned slightly. “Corned beef and cabbage really isn’t my thing.”

            “You’re so proud of your Irish heritage, yet you won’t eat a traditional Irish meal? For shame,” Artemis teased, a smirk plastered to his face.

            “Says you,” Diana retorted, smiling back at him. “You haven’t done anything to celebrate either.” And then an idea hit her. “Could you say something for me?”

            “Depends. What is it?”

            “Kiss me, I’m Irish,” Diana stated.

            “Absolutely not. I will not become a stereotypical American greeting card,” Artemis protested.

            Diana pouted. “Please, Arty. Just once?”

            She could see Artemis debating it over silently. She couldn’t tell which way he was leaning; was he actually going to say the harmless phrase or was he going to persist and continue to say no? “Fine,” Artemis sighed. “Kiss me, I’m Irish.”

            Diana let out an involuntary squeal of joy, and then immediately covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry, but that was absolutely adorable.”

            Once again, Artemis was red in the face, totally embarrassed. “Glad you found that… enjoyable,” he muttered quietly.

            “I did, but I suppose I should go make my nontraditional dinner of Ramen noodles,” Diana went on. “If you’re still awake in a little while, we can talk more, mmkay? Get some rest if you need to.”

            Artemis shrugged. “We’ll see. I hardly sleep as it is.”

            “Try,” Diana insisted. “I love you, Arty. Talk to you soon?”

            “Of course. Love you too,” Artemis replied, and with that, he exited the conversation, the video feed no longer present on Diana’s computer screen.

            While it wasn’t a particularly long conversation, Diana was still happy she had gotten the opportunity to talk to Artemis in the first place. It was often difficult to have lengthy conversations; between Diana’s schedule- class, soccer, National Honor Society, homework- Artemis’ schedule – which was mostly class and homework- coupled with the time zone difference, they didn’t usually have long talks. Honestly, Diana couldn’t remember the last one they had had, although she thought it may have been her birthday.

            The girl shook her thoughts as she shut her laptop before she exited her room. Immediately her senses were engulfed in the scent of the rest of the family’s dinner. Instinctively, Diana’s nose scrunched up, trying to protect itself from the somewhat noxious smells coming from the cabbage. As quickly as she could, Diana made her dinner and began eating it at the dinner table, practically inhaling it. She had finished eating by the time the rest of her family joined her at the table. She thought about getting up and leaving but thought it would be rude at this point. So Diana stayed put, sitting in complete silence, staring blankly at the remaining broth from her soup.

            After what felt like an eternity, Diana’s mother spoke, “Are you okay, Di?”

            Diana shrugged. “I’m alright.”

            “She misses Artemis,” Marisa interjected between bites of food.

            While truthful, Diana didn’t feel like it was needed to be pointed out. “I can’t imagine why,” she replied, a tad annoyed. “You see your boyfriend every day. I get to see mine over Skype maybe twice a week.”

             “Hey, no one told you to date a guy from a different country,” her younger sister sassed.

            “I think I’m entitled to pick whoever I want to see romantically,” Diana shot back. “He’s a million times better than my options at that stupid school of ours.”

            “That is true, Di, but you also knew what it was going to include when you started seeing the boy,” her father interrupted, trying to put an end to the fight before it got any worse. “You’re going to miss him, surely, but if you want things to work, you both must overcome the obstacles in your way. Including the distance.”

            “I know.”

            “Just remember, you’ll see him soon. Two more months?” her father recalled.

            “Sixty-two days,” Diana answered precisely.

            Anything else that was said to the girl she ignored. She hadn’t planned on being somewhat lectured at dinner. It was something that was happening with increasing frequency. Her parents were thinking she was becoming a bit of a recluse, which may have been a bit right. Diana hardly did anything outside school activities, watching her television shows, and talking to Artemis. She only spoke to a few of her friends now- the only ones she spoke to on a regular basis were Serena and Kat. Maybe she liked it that way.

            It was something that danced around her head as she prepared for bed. She was drained, tired, and more alone than ever. Diana was ready to get this school year over with, and get on with the new chapter of her life. The end was near. All she had to really do was survive the next sixty-two days, and she’d be set. Even if it meant she had to continue on being pretty reclusive.

             She didn’t hear from Artemis again that night. She assumed her boyfriend had went to sleep, which was good. He didn’t sleep much, and Diana knew any he got was precious. So around ten, she finally crawled into bed, wearing a pair of her volleyball shorts and a button up shirt she had stolen from Artemis when he was there for Christmas. She had a long Tuesday ahead of her, and she knew she had to push through class and practice so she could live to see the new Supernatural episode. And then, she would be one more day closer to having Artemis back here with her.

            Diana knew she was going to get through this, one day at a time.