Terry McGinnis was the oldest twenty eight year old on the planet. Over the last ten years he'd spent most of his life getting his ass kicked so his body had more aches and pains than most sixty year old men had. He'd fought small time crooks, super-villains, even Superman.

But nothing could prepare him for getting punched by his baby brother.

Things had started out well enough. He'd called his mother back after her strange phone message in which she'd hinted at "problems with Matty and you're the only one who can help."

When Terry had walked into his mother's apartment and saw her face he was scared by the worry there.

"Mom, what is it? Is everything…?"

She smiled a bit, nodding. "It's fine, honey. I just…it's only been a few days and I don't know who else to talk to besides…well I'll explain."

They sat and she stared at her coffee, barely looking up and when she spoke Terry almost asked her to repeat for fear he'd misheard her.

"Your brother is in love with another man. I don't know who he is, but I think I might. I just…he's been like a zombie suddenly and I'm worried. It was only a few days ago he was glowing and now he's pale and withdrawn and…."

Terry grabbed her hand. "Tell me who you think this guy is."

She met his eyes then. "Roy Harper? I might him at Matt's party."

Terry swallowed, his throat suddenly bone dry as he took a drink. He barely knew Roy but what he'd heard from Bruce and Dick did not bode well for his brother's taste. Roy was a player, plain and simple. The man was enamored with Jason for the last few years, or at least according to Bruce he was and Bruce seemed to notice more than most people.

If Roy was fooling around with his brother and had already dumped him Terry would kill him. Or have Bruce do it, which would be much easier and then neither of them would get their hands dirty.

He swallowed and put the cup down. "I don't know him very well but he's…he gets around. He seems like a nice guy, just not horribly reliable. Bruce has known him for a long time though and he goes through lovers like water. This isn't the guy for Matt, mom. You need to talk to him."

Mary covered her mouth, hiding a sob.

That was the precise moment Matt came in the door and he froze taking in the scene. The younger man's gaze went from his mother to Terry, then back again. "What did you do?" Matt asked, his voice cold.

He went to his mother and she shook her head.

"Matty…" Terry started, touching Matt's arm.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! I'M NOT A BABY!" Matt yelled, pushing him away.

Terry stared. "Okay, sorry. I didn't…we want to talk to you, okay? Just sit down."

Matt stared at his mother, and then shook his head. "I'll stand."

Terry sighed. "It's about…Mom says you've been acting like a zombie the past few days and she's worried."

Matt looked at Terry, glaring. "I'm FINE."

Terry took another drink, and then sat the coffee down. "Is it about Roy Harper? Is that what's got you so upset?"

Matt froze, his face paling and the pain in his eyes was frightening.

Mary shook her head. "Honey, talk to us. Please."

Terry sighed, annoyed. "If he hurt you, in any way, just…tell us. He's entirely too old for you anyway, Matt. You don't need to see that guy a…."

Before he could finish Matt punched him quite hard square in the jaw, knocking the man known as Batman off his chair. Terry stared up at Matt, his baby brother's eyes full of tears.

"Don't you DARE tell me who's too old for me you FUCKING hypocrite! And don't worry, NOTHING HAPPENED AND NEVER WILL!" Matt yelled, running off and out the door, slamming the door so hard Terry felt the vibration in the floor.

He sat up, wincing.

His mother looked at him.

"Oh honey," she whispered.

Terry rubbed his face, sighing.

"I'm fine."

She shook her head and he said quickly, "I'm going after him, Mom. And if I can't find him, I'm gonna find Roy Harper and punch him in the jaw."

Roy had spent the last three days in complete solitude, barely eating or even sleeping. Most of the day was spent punching the bag in his gym because trying to shoot arrows wasn't even an option, his bow was ruined it seemed he could barely hit anything anymore.

He couldn't get the image of Matt's crying face out of his head, and the more he refused to see anyone the more worried his friends were. Wally constantly had sent messages and so had Ollie, and even Dick, who wondered why Wally and Ollie were calling him.

He answered none of them, determined to get this kid out of his head no matter how much it hurt.

It was eight o'clock when there was a buzz and he ignored it, but then it buzzed again that someone was at the gate. He sighed, putting down his boxing gloves and pressed the vid screen.

Terry McGinnis's face stared back at him. "What?"

"I need to talk to you," Terry said, the anger in his voice obvious.

"I don't see why you would," Roy said absently, his stomach tying in knots.

"My brother is missing and I want to know why."

Roy felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. "Missing? Where…"

He buzzed Terry in and watched as the Batman drove up his driveway on a motorcycle, parking in front. Roy went to open the door and just as he did Terry punched him in the face.

Roy had expected that, but didn't move away from it. He deserved it anyway.

"I'm sure you don't even have to ask why I did that." Terry said, rubbing his knuckles.

Roy rubbed his jaw. "No. Where's Matt?"

"I don't know. By the time I went after him he was gone. If you even TOUCHED my brother, I'm gonna kill you. I'm sure you know that."

"I didn't…" Roy started, trying to keep his voice even, "…we kissed. More than once. Nothing else. I wasn't…I didn't want to start…"

Terry frowned. "Didn't want to start what?"

Roy turned away. "Do you wanna come in?"

"No. Finish what you were gonna say."

Roy sighed. "I didn't want to start something I knew I wouldn't want to stop," he whispered, feeling tears in his eyes and hating himself.

Terry was quiet.

Roy looked at him. "What?"

Suddenly Terry smiled. "You're in love with my brother, aren't you?"

Roy blushed, looking away again. "I'm not, I just…it's just…it's not."

Terry laughed, rubbing his own jaw again. "Well now I know why he punched me."

Roy looked at him, surprised. "He PUNCHED you?"

Terry nodded. "Yeah, surprised the hell out of me. C'mon," he said, gesturing for Roy to come outside.

"No."

Terry frowned. "Why?"

Roy shook his head. "I'm not…if you find him, let me know," he said quickly.

The younger man looked surprised, but nodded. "Okay, have a good night Mister Harper. But I have a feeling you won't get much sleep."

Roy nodded and shut the door, leaning against it and letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd held in. He closed his eyes.

Matt didn't have a cell phone.

He didn't have any sort of protection.

Anything could happen in New Gotham at night, everyone knew that.

Roy shook himself and walked up to the stairs, stopping at his door and again worrying. He remembered trying to teach Matt how to use the bow, and knew the boy didn't know any self defense skills, except apparently he could punch pretty hard. He sighed and went inside his room, falling back on his bed with a thud.

He closed his eyes, kicking off his shoes.

"I just hope he's someplace safe," he whispered to himself.

"I hope so," came the whisper, and Roy opened his eyes to see Matt sitting on his pillow with red-rimmed eyes.

"You're here," he whispered in awe.

Matt nodded. "I came in through the garage. The alarm was off."

Of course it was. He hadn't even bothered in the past three days to do anything but brood.

Roy stared at him, then sat up, scooting closer and reaching out to touch his cheek feeling that Matt was real. "You're really here?"

Matt nodded again, "Sorry."

Roy shook his head. "No, it's…it's good. That you're here."

Matt shook his head, laughing his voice thick with tears. "Why? You don't want anything to do with me."

Roy smiled, leaning in close enough that their lips were touching when he whispered, "That couldn't be further from the truth," and kissed him.