Roy stared at the wall, his arms curled around his legs. It had been three days since he had almost died in that fire, but he hadn't said very much since. He had been treated for a few cuts and abrasions and some minor burns, but other then that, he was fine, Bruce as well. His hands were the worst, after having pulled that chair off Roy.

Bruce remembered Roy's words as he had cleaned him up in the bat cave, spoken in a dull voice, devoid of any sort of emotion. "Thanks for saving me Bruce. I think you're the only one that would've done that for me. You should have let me die though. I would have been better off dead."

Bruce came into the living room with a tray. "I brought you some food Roy." Roy said nothing. He simply continued to stare at the wall. "Please eat Roy", Bruce said pleadingly, you're going to starve to death. Roy remained where he was, stolid and empty. Bruce gave a sigh and left the tray on the table next to Roy. Then, he walked out of the living room.

"What's wrong with him Bruce?" Dick asked as he confronted him in the kitchen, "why won't he go back to normal?" Bruce shrugged.

"He's in shock I suppose", he replied, sitting down at the kitchen table with a sigh. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. "I suppose all we can do now is wait and hope he comes out of it soon. I don't want to have to start force-feeding him."

"Oliver should have never done that to him" Dick asked angrily, "Why did he hurt him?"

"I don't know", Bruce said, "I don't know what's going through that man's head now. I have it in my right mind to go and have a chat with him. I think my fist might do some chatting with his chin."

"You…you would never do something like that to me would you?" Dick asked softly, "Like what Oliver did." Bruce looked up at him.

"No", he said, "no of course not Dick."

"Even if I started doing drugs?" Dick asked.

"Dick", Bruce said, taking the boy's hands, "I promise I will never leave you alone and I will never hurt you. I love you and I think deep down Oliver still loves Roy too. We just need to get him to realize that. But, don't start doing drugs."

"I won't," Dick said, smirking.

"Now", said Bruce, "go see if you can get Roy interested in some TV or something. Rent a violent movie if you think it might help."

"What are you going to do?" Dick asked.

"I'm going to go have a chat with Oliver", Bruce said. Dick nodded. "Well, Bruce continued, "I won't be gone long, do what you can for Roy."

"I will," Dick said, "I'll rent to most violent movie I can find." Bruce smirked.

"Whatever you think will work but I am not sitting up with you if you get nightmares." Dick shook his head.

"I don't get nightmares", he said.

Bruce tossed him the key to the cupboard and said, "Try fatty, sugary snacks as well. They usually put me in a foul mood and a foul mood is better then no mood at all." Dick grinned and walked out to sit next to Roy.

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Bruce was fuming by the time he got to Oliver's apartment. He kept visualizing Roy's face in his mind every time he closed his eyes. As soon as he arrived at Oliver's apartment complex, he stalked up the stairs and kicked down the door, not even bothering to knock. Oliver looked up from where he was lying on his couch, cocking his head in drunken confusion.

Somehow, that enraged Bruce still further. He strode over to the couch and grabbed Oliver by the collar on his shirt. Oliver gave a yelp and said, "What the…" but Bruce didn't stop there. He dragged Oliver into the kitchen and filled up the sink with water. Oliver was whimpering, but was too drunk to struggle very much so he remained with his collar clinched tightly in Bruce's hand.

Once the sink was full, Bruce jammed Oliver's head into the water without warning. Oliver flailed and gurgled, but he could not come up for air, no matter how hard he tried. When he was about to pass out, Bruce pulled his head out.

He allowed Oliver four gasping breaths before he plunged his head under again. The next time he pulled him out though, Oliver had the sense to wiggle out of Bruce's grasp and fall gasping onto the ground a little ways away. "Alright, alright, I'm not drunk anymore ok. Yeesh, leave me alone. What did you come here for anyway?"

"Sit down", Bruce said angrily to him. Oliver, who had absolutely no idea what was going on at this point because he was quite wet and starting to shiver, but knew Bruce was serious, followed the order.

"I cannot believe you would do something like that to Roy, I cannot believe you", Bruce began irately.

"What did I do Bruce", Oliver asked desperately, "I haven't seen Roy in forever. I had the weirdest dream about him the other night though. It wasn't a very good dream at all."

"Did your dream happen to include me Dick and Roy coming to your place and you hitting him and then yelling at him until he left?" Now, Oliver looked totally bewildered.

"How did you…"

"Because it actually happened," Bruce roared at him, cutting him off, "You were stone drunk when we showed up here and you certainly gave us a hell of a welcome. You even attacked Dick." Oliver's eyes were huge.

"I can't believe it, I actually said those things, Ohh God, he must hate me."

"He hates himself more", Bruce said dryly, "He tried to kill himself." Oliver was ridged with attention now.

"What happened?" he asked. So Bruce told him, not bothering to leave out any details. He wanted Oliver to have full knowledge of what his actions had caused.

"Is he ok?" Oliver asked when Bruce was done.

"He's still in shock", Bruce said, "but otherwise fairly unscathed." Oliver got up from where he had been sitting and walked over to the wall. He leaned against it and turned his head away. Bruce could see him start to shake.

"Ollie", he said softly, now feeling slightly more compassionate towards his ally. Oliver turned his face towards his friend and Bruce could see tears streaking his cheeks and still coming down.

"What have I done?" he sobbed, "First I lose my fortune, then my son. What am I going to do? I just…after he started doing drugs I was just so mad. I couldn't understand why he did it."

"Because you abandoned him, because he felt like no one cared about him", Bruce said coldly, "losing the money hit him hard too, you know. I think he started doing the drugs for the same reason you started drinking." Oliver sagged against the wall and looked so broken and pathetic, Bruce came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What am I going to do?" Oliver repeated quietly. Then, just as Bruce thought he was going to start another round of sobbing, his eyes lit up and he looked at Bruce hopefully. "Take me too him Bruce, take me too him please and let me apologize." Bruce wanted things to work out, but he didn't know if this was such a good idea.

"I don't know Oliver…" he said.

"Bruce, please," Oliver said desperately, "I have to try and fix things with him. This is all my fault."

"I'm not letting you within twenty miles of Roy until you stop drinking and get your act together."

"Ohh, you're right", Oliver said, "I will, I will, I promise. I'll stop drinking right this second and then I'll…I'll go get a job. Yea, that's what I'll do. A good, well paying job that can get me money so I can support us, me and Roy."

He rushed eagerly over to his cupboard and pulled out all the bottles. Then, he took the whole armful and tossed then out the window. Bruce was shocked that he had started to fix things so quickly. He had been kinda hoping he would get to punch him out a little more before the message got through.

"Now", Oliver said, "where can I get a job? Please help me Bruce." Bruce smirked at him.

"I don't know, why don't you go out and look."

"Good plan", Oliver said eagerly, "Ohh, I've missed Roy so much, really I have, I can't wait to see him." He rushed towards the door.

"Ohh, hold on Ollie", Bruce called after him.

"What", Oliver asked, sounding agitated.

"You forgot to put on your pants." Oliver looked down at his boxer shorts.

"Good plan", he said, "I'll just go take care of that." Bruce grinned. His friend was back.

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When Bruce got home it was very late that night and he went into the living room to find a monster movie blaring and the boys asleep on top of each other like puppies, obviously having fallen asleep during the movie. As Bruce scooped up Dick to take him upstairs, Dick opened his eyes a little. "Bruce guess what," he said happily.

"What", Bruce asked.

"Roy laughed," Dick replied, and promptly fell asleep.

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A few days later, Bruce was sitting in his study, reading a few utility reports for Wayne Enterprises. He had already fallen asleep twice, but wasn't going to allow himself to do it again because every time he did, Dick and Roy came in and sprayed him with squirt guns filled with a suspicious liquid Bruce had yet to identify.

They were running around the house, squirting each other, and there was nothing Bruce would have liked more then to join them, but he had work to do. He gave a yawn and resisted the urge to put his head down because he could hear giggling outside the door.

"I know you're there you little monsters", Bruce called, "and I will find out with this stuff is I'm covered with." He heard two shrieks from outside the door and the pattering of feet as the boys darted away. He smirked and looked back down at the page in his hand.

Just as he was about to relent and go to sleep for the third time, the phone rang. Happy to have the monotony interrupted, he answered the phone. "Hello, this is the most board CEO in the whole universe, how can I help you?"

"Bruce, It's Ollie."

"Ollie," Bruce said, sitting up, "How are you?"

"Doing really well", Ollie said, "I got myself a great job and I have plenty of money now. Of course, nothing like what I had before, but it's still pretty good. I'll be able to live off this salary at least."

"That's great Ollie", Bruce said, genuinely pleased his friend was doing well.

"Anyway", Ollie continued, "I was wondering if maybe I could see my boy now."

Bruce paused and said, "Hold on." He got up and crept over to the door. After making sure the boy's weren't nearby, he sat back down. "I don't know Ollie, are you sober?"

"I sound sober", Ollie said, "Don't I? I haven't had a drop since I smashed all those bottles." Bruce felt hope rising in his chest, despite his skepticism.

"Alright", he said, "how about tomorrow at two, on top of the Wayne building, but come as the Green Arrow."

"Ok", Ollie said eagerly, "I'll see you there."

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"No", Roy said frantically, "I don't want to see him, I don't want to see him ever again. You said everything would be all right before and it wasn't. He hit me and said he never wanted to see me again."

"He was drunk Roy", Bruce said, exasperated, "people do strange things when they're drunk and say things they don't mean."

"I don't care", Roy said, "I'll run away if you make me see him."

"Roy please", Bruce said, "I'm asking this of you as your friend because I think it would be good for you. He really wants to see you son."

"Look, you go see him just this once and I promise, you'll never have to see him again if you don't want to. If it doesn't work out, I'll never speak a word about the man again and if you'd like, I'll take custody of you myself." Roy looked up at him with wonder in his eyes.

"You would do that for me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes", Bruce replied, "I promise."

"Well", Roy said softly, "you won't let him get near me, will you?"

"I won't let him touch you son", Bruce said, "I promise."

"Alright", Roy said, "but after this, I never want to see him again." Bruce nodded.

"Lets go", he said.

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Batman, Robin and Speedy were waiting silently on the rooftop, gazing off into the distance. The wind blew around them, but none of them noticed the cold from it. Speedy milled close to Batman, on edge.

Then, the Green Arrow swung out from an adjacent building and landed. For a moment, both groups gazed at each other. Arrow was the first to break the silence. "Hey Speedy", he said, "I…I brought your bow. I got some new arrows for you. They're pretty cool ones too, just thought then up. They're suction cup, you know, for climbing."

Speedy said nothing. He just gazed coldly at his mentor. "How…how have you been?" That was when Speedy lost it.

"As if you care", he yelled angrily, "you don't care about me at all, this is all just a dirty lie, one big dirty lie. You kicked me out and then you forgot about me, why are you even bothering to try and take me back?"

Arrow dropped to his knees and said softly, "I'm so sorry Roy, for everything, this was all my fault, the drugs, the pain, everything was all my fault. I wish you'd forgive me."

"I hate you" Speedy screamed, "and I never want to see you again. Come on Batman, let's go."

"Speedy," Arrow called after him.

"What?" Speedy snapped, turning around to face him. Arrow looked at him desperately.

"Please", he said, "Please just give me a second chance. I've missed you so much son and I really want you home. Please come home Speedy. I…I…I love you." Speedy looked back at him as if he were shocked that those words had actually come out of his mouth. He started to walk away again and Arrow was almost sure he wouldn't come back.

Suddenly though, he pivoted in place and rushed into Arrow's arms. He buried his face in Arrow's shoulder and sobbed, his shoulders shaking violently with pent up emotions. "Hey, hey", Arrow said gently, his voice soothing and low, "its alright son, it's ok." He patted Speedy's back gently.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore", Speedy said, in between sobs.

"Of course I still want you son," Arrow said, "there's always be a place for you wherever I am, don't you worry." Arrow looked up at Batman with grateful eyes as he held Speedy tightly.

"Speedy's still going to need help", Batman said, "He's still addicted, despite being recuperated partially." Speedy looked up at Arrow frightenedly, as if afraid that because this fact was now out, Arrow would dump him again, but he needn't have worried at all.

Arrow stroked his red hair and said, "Don't worry, I'll help him. It shouldn't take to long to fix this, should it speedster?" Speedy shook his head and leaned up against Arrow. "Come on Speedy", Arrow said, "lets get back to Star City. There's a gangster that just got out of jail who needs us to put some arrows through him."

"Hold on", Speedy said. He ran up and hugged Batman.

"Thank's Batman", he said, "for everything."

"No problem son", Batman said, "just do me a favor and stay clean."

"Will do", Speedy said. "Bye Robin."

"But", Robin said unhappily, "I'll miss you. Who's gona squirt Batman with goat's milk with me."

"A ha", Batman said triumphantly, "so that's what it was." Robin ignored him.

"I'll still come over to your house Robbs, we can find even more stuff to squirt him with then."

"And you're always welcome at our place Robin", Arrow said, coming up behind Speedy to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ohh well, all right", Robin said, "I suppose I can allow you to go."

Speedy rolled his eyes and said, "Thinks for giving me permission Robin, I appreciate that." Robin grinned wolfishly and the dynamic duo watched as the archers swung away. They stood silently for a moment, each engaged in their own private thoughts, until Robin broke the silence.

"Hey, can we go get some Kentucky Fried Chicken, I want some giblets?"

"Well", Batman, "all right, but if I beat you there, you have to look up the health facts when we get home."

"Deal", Robin said, and they swung heroically away.

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Epilogue: "Bruce, Bruce, wake up."

"What is it Dick?"

"I finally finished the movie Bruce."

"I knew you'd have nightmares, I just knew it."

"It was really scary Bruce, this guy got like ripped up into little tiny pieces. It was so horrible."

"Well, what would you like me to do about it?"

"Sit up with me for just a little bit."

"And do what, prey tell."

"We could watch a movie."

"Like what?"

"Well, I heard they got the first season of lazy town on demand, we could watch that."

"(Groan) Ohh fine."

"Yippee."

(Thirty minutes later)

"Ohh, look Dick, this part's good. Sportakis has to get out of this trap from Robbie Rotten. You know, I would have made it out by now. Sportakis is so stupid. I do agree with him on his eating habits though Dick, you should eat fewer sweets."

"Dick, Dick? Stupid kid fell asleep on me again. Well, you know Dick, I'm not taking you upstairs this time, no sir, you're staying on the couch. Now, I think I'll just lie down for a moment and rest my eyes before going upstairs to bed…"

(Snore)