Original (Roy Harper x OC)

Chapter Six - Red Arrow

"Why'd you go in without me? What happened to 'team'? I could've helped! You could've gotten hurt!"

"You were in school"

"And I could've left if you had told me. I know you're on this solo gig mindset, but I'm always there if you need an extra hand. Don't forget about me, okay?"

"Having two people would've gotten us caught"

"But maybe if there had been two of us we could've managed to take Dr. Roquette as well as her weapon instead of leaving the weapon in the hands of the enemy"

I was currently arguing with Red Arrow as we walked towards a Zeta tube that would bring us to the Cave. We stepped through and the computer announced our arrival. I kept my arms crossed, my head facing away from him.

Batman, Red Tornado, Green Arrow, the Team, and a new girl were standing around. Wally was standing there in swim trunks, whereas everyone else was already in their hero outfits.

"Well, for starters, he doesn't go by Speedy anymore," Speedy says, the both of us walking towards them. "Call me Red Arrow"

"Roy," Green Arrow said, taking a step forward, away from a girl with a bow in her hand. "You look-"

"Replaceable"

"It's not like that. You told me you were going solo"

"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?"

"Yes, she can," the girl said, taking a step closer to Red Arrow.

"Who are you?!" Wally exclaims.

"I'm his niece," the girl said the same time Green Arrow gave the same response.

"Another niece?" Robin asks.

"Artemis," she says to me, reaching out a hand.

"Mastera," I introduce myself, shaking her hand, noticing Red Arrow standing to the side, clearly annoyed I was being nice to his replacement.

"She is not your replacement," Aqualad tells Red Arrow. "We have always wanted you on the Team, and we have no quota on archers"

"And if we did, you know who we'd pick," Wally adds.

"Whatever, Baywatch. I'm here to stay," Artemis says.

"Yeah, Wally, why are you dressed like that?" I ask.

He smirked and rushed over to stand next to me. "Why? Can't take your eyes off of me?"

"No, it's just-"

"We were at the beach earlier today, but Wally was at school," another new girl - Martian Manhunter's niece, Megan - told me.

Red Arrow looked like he was about to leave, but Aqualad spoke up. "You came to us for a reason"

"Yeah, a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette," Red Arrow tells him.

"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City, vanished two weeks ago," Robin explains, screens appearing in front of us.

"Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadows"

"Whoa, you want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" Robin asks, him and Wally looking excited.

"I already rescued her. Only one problem. The Shadows has already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it the fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path, concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But it's true purpose isn't mere destruction. It's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech," Red Arrow explains.

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking. Yeah, sounds like the Shadows," Artemis says.

"Like you know anything about the Shadows," Wally says, to which Artemis smirked. "Who are you?!"

"Roquette's working on a virus to render the fog inert," Red Arrow adds.

"But if the Shadows know she can do that..." Robin starts.

"They'll target her. Right now, she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school's computer lab"

"You left her alone?" Green Arrow asks.

"She's safe enough for now"

"Then let's you and I keep her that way"

"You and I? Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

"You brought this to the Team. It's their mission, which means it's hers now too"

Red Arrow scoffs. "Then my job's done"

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the Zeta tube. My legs followed but I didn't want to, recently he just seemed to be pulling me around everywhere.

"Hang on, Roy," I stop, making him stop. "You need to stop pulling me everywhere. Maybe if you actually told me about stuff you wouldn't need to pull me along, I'd just follow"

I heard Artemis chuckle. "Stop being so rough with your girlfriend, Roy," she put an emphasis on his name, trying to get on his nerves.

He turned around and glared at her. "Stay in your own business, new girl"

I sighed, and now it was my turn to pull Roy towards the Zeta tube. "Let's just go before you start a fight"

That night I wandered around the city along the roofs, noticing Red Arrow wandering into a dark alley. Then, out stepped Artemis of an abandoned telephone box, one of the Zeta tubes. She seemed to notice Red Arrow was standing there, getting her bow and arrow ready.

"Step into the light. Now," Artemis ordered.

I watched Red Arrow step out of the darkness towards her, not threatened by her arrow aimed at him.

"Nice move," he told her. "Almost made me believe you are Green Arrow's niece, but we both know you're not. Still, I'm sure GA and Bats have a reason for lying, so your cover's safe. But I warn you, do not hurt my friends"

He turned and walked away. I moved away from the spot I was hidden, meeting Red Arrow as he walked down the street towards his apartment.

"You do care. I thought you didn't like them," I say. "But, to be fair, there are times where I don't think you like me"

"Stop that," he tells me.

"I just wish all this didn't have to be so complicated. I just want a best friend like old times"

"Hey, you got me"

"You don't act like it, though"

I looked up at him when he didn't say anything else, finding his hair all out of place. Without thinking I reached up and was going to fix his hair for him, but when I did he grabbed my hand, his other hand going to my back to pull me towards him. Then our lips met.

When I realized what was happening I shoved him away. "Stop acting like you care about me, I know all you care about is finding the real Roy"

"Rou, I do care about you"

"Are you sure about that?"