Young Justice

"Mending Fences"

Summary: Ollie spends some time with Roy—mending fences.

Author's Note: Companion to 'Bonding' and 'Downtime' series.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ

Roy Harper pulled back on the bowstring, drawing it tight, closed one eye to aim, and released…

The arrow flew straight into the bulls-eye!

"Aced it," he said to himself, smiling.

"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch," a voice behind him spoke, causing him to tense.

Roy didn't have to look back to know who it was—he'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"What do you want, old man?" he asked Oliver Queen, gripping his bow tightly.

Ollie crossed his arms over his chest.

"Now that's quite the greeting for the man who raised you," he said, sarcastically.

Roy sighed.

The eighteen year old turned around to face the man who had been his father in every way but name since he was ten years old.

"Did Dinah send you out here?" Roy asked him, curiously. "How'd you even know I was here?"

"J'onn tracked you down for me," Ollie said, smirking. "I wanted to talk."

"I said all I needed to," Roy told him, setting his bow back in its case. It looked like practice was over for today.

"Well, I didn't," Ollie told him, angrily. "You just walked out, Roy. You never even gave me a chance!"

"A chance to what?" Roy asked, glaring. "Treat me like a little kid again?"

"You weren't—aren't—ready to join the League," Ollie told him, firmly. "You may not have liked it, but that's the cold hard truth."

"Why?" Roy demanded to know, gritting his teeth. "Why aren't I'm ready? What? I'm old enough to join the freakin' army, but I can't join the stupid Justice League?!"

"Roy," Ollie said, sighing. "I didn't come here to fight…I came here to try and mend fences."

"The fence has been smashed to pieces," Roy told him, heartlessly. "It can't be fixed."

"I don't believe that," Ollie told him, quietly. "Neither do you—why else would you warn Artemis she'd better watch my back?"

"Never figured her for a tattle-tale," Roy muttered, sourly.

"She thought I should know," Ollie told him, quietly. "Apparently, she was trying to cheer me up."

"Well, good for her," Roy snorted. "You got her now—why do you need me?"

"One child can't replace another, Roy," Ollie told him, sternly. "Whether you like it or not, you're still my son…"

"I…know," Roy said, swallowing. "I can't change how I feel, but I guess I can at least stop blaming you…"

"Roy," Ollie said, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "You know if I thought you were ready, I'd have backed you to the hilt. You know that, don't you?"

Roy nodded.

They had they'd share of arguments and disagreements, but there had never been anyone else who stuck by him the way Ollie had.

"Yeah, I know," he said, sighing. "It just pissed me off, that's all."

"I know," Ollie told him, reaching out to give his shoulder a squeeze. "Your time will come. I promise you that—and when it does I'll be right beside you."

Roy smiled. "Thanks, Ollie," he told him, nodding. "That—well, that means everything to me."

"Anytime, anyplace, kiddo," Ollie told him, chuckling. "That's my motto, remember?"

Roy laughed.

"Yeah, I remember," he told him, smirking. "So, tell me, is Artemis a better sidekick than me?"

"Well, she's certainly not as mouthy," Ollie told him, chuckling. "Girl barely says two words unless you ask her a question!"

"Bet that drives you crazy," Roy said, grinning. "I might just have to send her flowers…"

Ollie laughed.

"Now there's the Roy Harper I know and love," he told him, slapping him on the back. "Genuine smartass!"

"And damn proud of it," Roy said, reaching out to wrap an arm around the older man's shoulders. "C'mon, old man, I'll buy you lunch."

"Nuh uh, kid," Ollie told him, shaking his head. "This one's on me…c'mon!"

Together, the two of them walked off the archery range and headed for the parking lot.

It seemed that fence wasn't as shattered as Roy had thought.

Maybe they could mend it…with a little time and a lot of love.

The End.