Chapter 4

Roy felt the eyes of the team on him as he offered to sit with Artemis for a while. He knew that they thought it was strange but he wanted to be close to his sister and take care of her. Of course he couldn't tell them that any more than he could tell them that what he really wanted to do was to try and heal Artemis. To do so he would have to tell them who he really was and he really didn't want to deal with the questions that would raise if he didn't have to. Instead of telling them any of that he said, "I'll sit with her for a while, it's the least I can do after being such a jerk for so long. You guys need a break anyway."

After a long pause in which Roy knew that they had a mental conversation, they agreed leaving him alone with Artemis.

Roy sat next to Artemis holding her hand to tell her that she wasn't alone. Roy let his senses heighten from that of a human to what he was truly capable of and listened carefully to be sure that no one was close enough to interrupt what he was about to try doing. Just when he had decided that it would be safe to start he heard the computer announce the arrival of Black Canary and Green Arrow. Roy paused, something about that didn't seem quite right but he couldn't remember what.

Then he remembered, it was September 1st, Oliver never ever did anything on the 1st of September. Roy prepared himself to protect Artemis as he came to the conclusion that 'Green Arrow' must be someone or something else pretending to be their mentor to get at the Tingia. He listened as Dinah asked Miss Martian to link their minds with Artemis's, it was a common enough request, after all it was the easiest way to communicate with Artemis, but Roy refused to take any chances and used his own power to carefully slip into Artemis's mind forming a shield to protect her from any mental attacks. The shield would allow communication between Artemis and those Miss Martian linked but nothing else. It would also, hopefully, be undetectable to the young Martian unless Artemis was attacked mentally.

Roy pulled out his knife keeping it hidden as he waited for them to enter the room. As they did Roy stood, moving into a slightly protective stance in front of Artemis.

"What are you doing here?" Roy questioned harshly.

"Why shouldn't I be here? I just found out that my protégé is severely injured and wanted to see her." Oliver answered taken aback at Roy's harsh tone.

"Wonderful logic, but it's the 1st of September. Who are you?" Roy nearly spat the question.

"What? Roy, you ok? It's me Oliver, Green Arrow, your mentor and adoptive father."

"Prove it." Roy demanded.

"Roy, this really is Oliver." Dinah asserted.

"What can I tell you that will make you believe me?" Oliver asked surprised that he had to prove himself to his former sidekick.

"Something only the real Oliver and I would know."

"You are better with a bow than I am and always have been from the first time I met you. Is that enough proof?"

"Pull out your bow and string it but do not put up an arrow." Roy requested slightly less harsh than before.

Oliver did so. Roy relaxed. "Sorry, I had to be sure. It isn't like you to go anywhere on the 1st." he apologized.

"Why didn't you believe me first off? You really think that someone could make themselves look like me, get into the cave, and convince Dinah that they are me? Really?"

"There are ways it could be done."

"I suppose but why would someone do so, especially going to the trouble of figuring out my civilian ID to get in here, seems to me that it would make more sense for someone who wanted to get in to come in uniform."

"No it wouldn't, it would make more sense for someone to figure out and come as you in your civilian ID to put us off guard."

"Why have you thought this out so thoroughly?" Dinah asked thinking of how Belen had snuck in by impersonating Roy.

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared." Roy shrugged.

"Why are you so prepared? Thinking about sneaking in somewhere?" Oliver asked slightly teasing.

"No, not right now but from experience it is better to blend in and thought harmless than to stick out, no matter what the situation is; especially if you are around people who might kill you for even existing." Roy answered mumbling the last part.

"What? When have you ever been around people who would kill you for existing?" Oliver asked alarmed.

"Every d… never mind it isn't important why are you asking? Did I say I that I've been around people who want to kill me? I mean we all have haven't we, it's part of the job right?" Roy stuttered, mentally kicking himself for becoming so comfortable that he nearly slipped.

"Every… What? Roy, what are you keeping from me? Are you in trouble of some sort?" Oliver asked concerned.

"No, everything is fine nothing to worry about. I'm not keep..gak. Damm it I thought that wore off already. Alwoad I'm going to get you for this next time I see you. I'm never letting my guard down enough for you to drug me again." Roy said the last part in his mind forgetting that he was linked to Artemis and through her Oliver and Dinah.

"What are you talking about Roy?" Oliver asked at the same time that Dinah asked "Was that Roy?"

Roy gritted his teeth as he realized his mistake, they had heard him and he hadn't changed his mental voice like he did his regular voice. He was really spending way too much time with Alwoad, he was slipping all over the place, and he hoped that he could get himself out of this mess.

"It's nothing important. You came here to see Artemis, I'll just leave." Roy said trying to get around them to leave.

"No, I think that this is important. I can talk to Artemis after we resolve this." Oliver decided.

Roy really, really wanted to swear, the only thing keeping him from doing so was the memory of getting his mouth washed out when he first started living with Oliver. This was going downhill way too fast for his liking and his magic was trying to react to his emotions, which would be a disaster because 'Roy Harper' didn't have magic, at least that's what everyone thought.

Dinah remembered where she had heard a lilting voice like 'Roy's' mental voice before and gasped looking at Roy closely before asking, "Belen?"

Roy froze in shock before looking at Dinah with wide eyes. He opened and closed his mouth unable to speak. His thoughts raced, how did she know his real name? Did she know his Uncles or was she someone who was after the Tingia?

Oliver looked at Dinah in surprise, what was she talking about this was Roy not Belen, Right?

"Are you Belen?" Dinah asked again almost unnecessarily.

"How?" Roy whispered, "How do you know my real name? How did you find out?"

"You did a great job pretending to be Roy, both times, but the first time you were here, when you did a spell on Artemis you were caught on tape." Dinah answered motioning to the security camera in an upper corner of the room.

"Belen?" Oliver asked just to confirm for himself that this person in front of him that looked like his protégé was in fact his son.

"Yes, my name is Belen. I'm sorry for deceiving you I just wanted to blend in, My Uncles told me it wouldn't work forever. But I was young I wanted to try like my mother had tried, it didn't work, I'll just take my sister and go home I promise that we will never betray any secrets that we know." Belen said as quickly as he could.

"What? No don't leave Belen. I've been trying to find you for years." Oliver objected.

"You've been trying to find me? Why, I didn't think you were the type to hunt my kind, I guess I was wrong, all the better to get the Tingia away from you then." Belen pulled out his knife again, this time holding it out ready to use.

"Hunting? Belen I've been trying to find you because you're my son."

Belen could see the sincerity in Oliver's eyes, He lowered the knife.

"How do you know?"

"You claimed Artemis as your sister, right?"

Belen nodded.

"We've done DNA testing to prove that she is my daughter."

"What made you think that she might be? I mean what made you think of it now? She has been your protégé for months so you obviously didn't pick her because of the relationship."

"You actually." It was Dinah who answered.

"Me? How did I make you think of it?"

"Earlier this week you snuck in here and cast a spell of Artemis, you were caught on tape."

"I was?"

"Yes and I would like to know what you did with the real Roy." Dinah asked.