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So much for that.
Roy watched the four former Star Lab rats vanish down the road. He hadn't asked where they were going. They'd done alright on the War World, and they'd shown a lot of intelligence in their decisions after the fight – namely, saying sayonara to both Nightwing and Lex Luthor – but that didn't mean Roy trusted them. Really, it was better to split ways now, rather than give them the chance to betray him.
Besides, they hadn't really trusted him, either. Who could blame them? It wasn't like anyone else did.
He scowled up at the night sky. Nightwing and his high horse. What the hell did he know? He couldn't possibly imagine what it was like to have lost so much. Roy had made a vow to himself that he was not going to be captured again. Ever. Was that really so hard to understand?
Apparently so. “Who needs them, anyway?” he growled aloud. He didn't need some stupid team. He'd be fine on his own.
Of course, without the team, where was he going to go? Back to Star City, he supposed. Back to Ollie. Wasn't that going to be a fun conversation? Ollie would be disappointed. He'd probably even talk to Nightwing, trying to convince him to let Roy back on the team, even if Roy didn't want him to. When Dinah found out, she would get all serious and quiet and try to have a Talk with Roy about his feelings. Yeah, that was going to be a riot.
And then what? If Roy didn't change, if Ollie couldn't convince Nightwing to take him back, then what would happen? Ollie had given up on him once already. What if he decided a one-armed, violent, clearly unhinged sidekick wasn't worth the effort?
For a moment, Roy considered saying to hell with all of them. He didn't have to go back. He could strike out on his own. With his skills and without the hampering rules of the team, he could hit the Reach and Luthor with impunity. It wouldn't be easy – probably have to steal or beg to eat – but he could pull it off.
He let out a harsh breath and shook his head, letting the idea pass. He was a lot of things, but he wasn't a fool. Odds were, he'd get caught, killed, or even just arrested. Not what he was going for. Besides, the idea of begging and stealing rubbed him the wrong way. He could do it if he had to – but he didn't have to. Not yet.
Giving in to the inevitable, he pulled out his phone and dialed. “Hey,” he said when the call was answered. “Don't suppose you have access to Ollie's private jet...”
***
A couple hours later, a Queen Industries jet landed at the Taos airport. Waiting for him inside was the other Roy Harper. Red Arrow. It was just him – no Ollie, no Dinah. That was a relief.
Roy dropped heavily into the seat across from Red. The adrenaline that had sustained him had finally drained away while he waited for the plane. Even his anger had been impossible to hold on to. Now he just felt exhausted. His eyes fell closed almost immediately.
“Are you okay?” Red asked quietly.
“Peachy,” Roy said without opening his eyes. “Shouldn't we be getting into the air or something?”
Red passed word on to the pilot and they got moving. Roy figured he'd be out before the wheels left the runway, sparing him from conversation. Unfortunately, his body hadn't gotten the memo; he was still too tense. Having his clone sitting across from him didn't help in the relaxation department, either. He gave up on sleep after a few minutes and wound up staring out the window instead.
When they were in the air, Red said, “You want to tell me what happened? Last I heard, you and the team had been captured.”
“The team was captured,” Roy replied, his mouth twisting bitterly. “I escaped, but then spent the next two days running for my life from Reach soldiers.”
Red's eyes widened a little. “How'd you get back here?”
Roy debated for a minute whether or not to go into the whole mess. Nightwing was a friend of Red's; he'd probably get the story from that side, anyway. Might as well tell his side first. “Met up with these kids who'd been sent up by Luthor to rescue the team.”
“Luthor?”
“It was a distraction,” Roy explained briefly, shrugging it away. “Other than that, who knows? It doesn't matter. The kids were there, and we managed to rescue the team before Nightwing and Miss Martian showed up.”
“Nice work.” Red actually looked impressed. “So how'd you end up in New Mexico?”
Roy clenched his jaw. “Nightwing kicked me off the team.”
“What? Why?” Red was gratifyingly surprised, and maybe angry, too. That helped Roy feel a little better. At least someone was in his corner.
It didn't help a lot, admittedly. His stomach churned at the memory of what happened. “Apparently I'm not a team player.” At Red's questioning look, he grudgingly admitted, “When we were attacked, I might have... opened the airlock. I was trying to space Blue Beetle!” he added defensively. “He'd attacked us! He was going to capture us and hand us all over to the Reach! There was no way I was going to let that happen to me again!”
Red's eyes were wide. “So you'd rather space yourself and your teammates?”
“Better that than in a stasis pod for another eight years!”
In the silence that followed, the renewed anger drained away quickly; he tried to hold onto it, but it slipped through his grasp. He crossed his arms and looked away, staring out the window.
After what felt like a long time, Red sighed. “I see why Nightwing kicked you out.”
Stung, Roy snapped, “Well, thanks for that.”
“I just mean – you were looking out for yourself. Which isn't a bad thing, in my book, but when you're part of a team, you're supposed to think about the team first. At least, that's the theory.” He actually smiled a little, ruefully. “I've never exactly been good at teamwork, myself.”
Roy snorted. “So what you're saying is, it's genetic?”
Red shrugged. “Maybe a little. God knows we both have anger issues and trouble letting things go.” He went quiet for a minute. “You have good reasons to be angry, Roy. No one can blame you for that.”
Roy's shoulders tightened. He stared out the window like it was the most fascinating thing ever, even though he couldn't see jack in the dark. He wasn't really looking, anyway. It was just easier than looking at Red and seeing pity or sympathy or whatever it was. He didn't need that right now.
“If you want, I can talk to Nightwing --”
“Don't,” Roy interrupted sharply. “I'm not interested in being on a team that doesn't want me. I'm way better off alone.”
“We really are a lot alike,” Red muttered, almost to himself. Before Roy could ask him about that particularly stunning revelation, Red said to him, “You know you're not actually alone, though, right? You've got Ollie. Me. Dinah, too. You don't have to go through any of this alone.”
“I get it.” The words were curt, maybe more than he'd intended, but whatever. He closed his eyes. “If you don't mind, think I'm going to pass out now. Wake me up when we get to Star City.”
***
The conversation with Ollie went about like he'd expected. The hug surprised him; apparently he'd underestimated the effect his disappearance would have on the old man. Ollie must have still felt guilty about that whole missing eight years thing. As far as Roy was concerned, that was a good thing. He should still feel guilty. And if that guilt meant he went easy on Roy for any new transgressions, that was even better.
Ollie assured him that they'd still go patrolling and everything. Being on the team wasn't a prerequisite for being a sidekick. Of course, with the mess with the Reach and the Light, and the War World needing constant guarding, Green Arrow wasn't going to be patrolling Star City for a while. Once it was all cleared up, Ollie said, they'd get back to regular training. He didn't add assuming we all survive, but it seemed like an obvious caveat.
Dinah's serious-faced talk was postponed, too; something to be grateful for. She was doing shifts on the War World, too, and helping man the Watchtower. Neither of she nor GA was around much for the next few days. That left Red Arrow as a “temporary guardian” for Roy – which was code for babysitter. Yeah, that wasn't awkward at all. Especially when Red's actual baby was around.
It didn't take long for Roy to start going crazy with boredom. Two nights after getting kicked off the team, he hit the streets on his own. Ollie wasn't around to know and Red didn't care. Okay, maybe he cared, but he seemed to understand Roy's restlessness. Go figure. At any rate, he didn't stand in the way when he realized what Roy was going to do, so that definitely earned him points in Roy's book.
It was good to get out there on his own for a while. He did just fine by himself, taking down a couple of muggers and then stopping an actual jewel thief, all without taking a blow or using the deadlier weapons in his arsenal. Watching the cops take away the jewel thief from the comfort of a nearby rooftop, he smiled with satisfaction. He didn't need anyone to watch his back or hold his hand. He worked just fine alone.
“That was awesome!” a girl's voice enthused from behind him.
Roy whirled around, jerking his false arm up to level it at – “Wonder Girl?” he said incredulously, staring at the girl who was actually hovering above the roof.
“Whoa!” She held up her hands. “Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you.” Her feet touched down, but she didn't otherwise move until he lowered his arm.
He let the arm fall, glaring at her. “What are you doing here?”
She seemed surprised at his hostility. “I... wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I'm fine.” He turned away from her pointedly, looking back down at the street. The cop cars were already gone, though. The street was quiet.
The roof, unfortunately, wasn't. “A lot of us are mad that Nightwing kicked you off the team. He shouldn't have done that.”
They were mad? “It doesn't matter,” he said dismissively.
“Yeah, it does.” He heard her move closer – walking this time, instead of flying. “All of us screwed up when we first joined the team. It's kind of part of learning. Nightwing knows that. I think he was just mad because --”
“I contributed to the team getting captured.”
“Well, yeah.” She hesitated. “It's not just you, though. He's... kind of touchy, right now. With half the League – including his mentor – on trial somewhere and the Reach invading, then the team getting captured and Blue Beetle being a traitor? It's hard on him. I think he just lashed out at you. Totally unfairly.”
Roy looked at her, eyes narrowed. She was sharp. What she was saying made sense, if he thought about it logically. Logic didn't really touch his anger, but it was kind of good to know he wasn't the only one who thought it sucked. “You really think it was unfair?” he asked, not bothering to mask his doubt.
“Totally! I mean... You shouldn't have tried to space us,” she added with a wince. “I'd definitely rather be captured than killed.”
Panic flared in his chest at the thought of getting captured again. He clenched his jaw. “Not me.”
“Yeah, I kind of got that. I mean, I don't get it, but... Superboy said he does.” At Roy's surprised glance, she shrugged a little. “He said he'd probably have done the same thing when he first joined the team.”
It almost hurt to hear those words. The idea that someone else might actually understand... He looked away, taking a deep breath against the sudden ache in his chest. “Thanks for your concern,” he said abruptly, his voice harsh. “I'm fine on my own. I don't need the team.”
“You --” She made a frustrated sound. “Of course not.” The edge of her tone startled him. “Do boys always have to be this stubborn?”
He glared at her. “Do girls always have to be this pushy?”
She threw up her arms. “I am trying to be your friend here! If you don't want that, fine. Of course, it would mean you're an idiot, and I really didn't think you were.”
He closed his mouth on the denial he'd nearly made. He frowned at her, some of his anger giving way to confusion. “What do you want from me?”
“A rational conversation, maybe?” She folded her arms across her chest.
His frown and confusion both grew. After a long moment of staring at her like he could read her mind, he gave up. “If you want rational, you're going to have to talk about something that doesn't piss me off.”
She frowned at him for another few seconds, then nodded sharply. “Deal.”
Deal?
She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Hey, how about pizza? I saw a place down the street, and I'm kind of starving.”
Roy blinked. “I'd probably draw attention,” he pointed out, gesturing at his false arm. It wasn't exactly inconspicuous.
“I won't,” Cassie said with a shrug. “My outfit passes pretty well for street clothes. I'll go get it – if you promise you'll still be here when I get back.”
He shrugged stiffly, glancing away. “Whatever.”
Apparently she took that as a yes. “Back in a few!”
He wasn't going to watch her go – a resolve that lasted all of a second before he turned to shout, “Get meat-lovers!” after her.
She waved a hand and disappeared down into the darkness between buildings. Roy was left staring at where she'd been, wondering what exactly had just happened. Even playing the conversation back through his mind a few times didn't make it any clearer. Why was she sticking around? For that matter, why was he?
Well, because he wasn't an idiot. And he wasn't a complete ass, either. So he stayed, watching the street for crime and for Wonder Girl's return.
He didn't see her coming back, but at least this time she didn't sneak up on him. “Got it,” she called as she approached, flying again. There was a large pizza box in her hands. “I thought about getting sodas,” she added, touching down a few feet away from Roy, “but I didn't want to spill.” She presented him with the box.
He flipped it open and glanced up at her, frowning. “Veggie lovers?”
“Half and half,” she pointed out. “That way we can pretend we're being virtuous.” She grinned.
He found himself smirking back. “Virtue isn't something I'm good at,” he told her, taking a seat on the ground – well, the rooftop.
She shrugged, sitting down too, the box between them. “Fine by me.” She reached into the box and snagged a meat lovers slice, winking at him. “It's not always my strong suit, either.”
He laughed at that, surprising himself. He hadn't done a lot of laughing lately. He shook his head and took a slice for himself. “Shouldn't Wonder Woman's protégé be a paragon of virtue?”
“Probably,” she agreed. “I'm still learning, though. It doesn't really help that I have this super strength now, though. I've always liked to hit things. Mom used to get on my case all the time for getting into fights.” She paused. “Is talking about parents going to piss you off?”
Roy shrugged. “Just don't ask about mine.”
“That's fair.” She launched into a story about her mother catching her brawling with a couple of local kids when they were off in some country he'd never heard of. When she finished that story, she went off on another one. She kept talking, even after they'd polished off most of the pizza and were just lounging there on the rooftop. She didn't ask him questions, either. She just... talked.
It could have been annoying. It probably should have been, he thought, but... she was sharp. She noticed things most people wouldn't. It made her interesting to listen to.
Didn't hurt that she was cute, either.
He was actually sorry when she wound down. They sat in silence for a few minutes, which was also kind of nice, but then she finally said, “It's getting late.”
“Yeah.” He hesitated. “Do you – can you get home okay? Or do you need...” He tried to remember if Canary was on shift tonight. He couldn't exactly offer to let her sleep at his and Ollie's place – could he?
She shook her head, sparing him from trying to figure that out. “I can take the Zeta tubes home. But thanks.” She smiled at him. Definitely cute.
He pushed himself to his feet and offered her his hand – the real one – to pull herself up. Her grip was strong. He let his hand fall back to his side, feeling awkward. “So... Thanks. For the pizza, and... you know.” Yeah, real smooth there.
Her smile widened, though, so that was something. “I'm glad I came. We should, you know. Hang out again sometime.”
“I'd be good with that,” Roy agreed, almost grinning. “I'll even spring for the pizza next time.”
“Perfect! It's a d-deal.” Hard to tell in the light, but he thought she blushed. “I'll see you later, then!” She lifted off, waving to him as she rose into the sky.
He waved back and watched her go. When she was out of sight, he looked down at the pizza box. Somehow when he'd left the house, this was not the way he'd pictured the night going. “I can live with that,” he muttered aloud, a smirk tugging at his mouth. He'd just had a sort of impromptu date with Wonder Girl. And they were sort of planning to do it again. All that and he'd stopped a jewel thief earlier. That was a pretty good night, no matter how you looked at it.
He was still smiling to himself when he got home. Apparently Ollie had gotten there shortly before Roy did; he was in the kitchen fixing a sandwich when Roy walked in with his pizza box. Ollie's eyebrows rose. “You stopped for pizza?”
“Yeah.” Roy tossed the box onto the counter. “You can have some, if you want. There are still a couple slices left.”
Ollie's eyebrows rose even further when he looked in the box. “You ate this much of a large pizza on your own?”
Roy shrugged smoothly, smirking. “Guess I was hungry.”
“Guess so.” Ollie shook his head. “How was your patrol?”
“Fine. Nothing exciting.” Roy yawned; it was only half for show. “I'm pretty tired. Gonna hit the sack. Night!”
“Good night!” Ollie called after him as he headed down the hall.
By the time Roy had gotten himself cleaned up and into his pajamas, the yawning was entirely real. It had been a long night. A long few days, actually. But for the first time since hitting the War World, he felt like things were starting to look up. Maybe it was a good sign.
More likely, the world was going to go to hell tomorrow. But tonight? He'd fought crime and had dinner with a pretty girl. He'd take the win.