Roy stared in horror and pain as the verdant club was in flames. Vertigo stands in front of the team laughing maniacally - but the only sound Roy could hear was the ringing. He tried to get up but the stress of being awake for three days straight, and the fight with Bane.

Vertigo took his time walking over to Roy probably taunting him saying how the original Green Arrow wouldn't have let vertigo find their base. All the same things Roy was cursing himself for.

"I mean god can you be anymore pathetic" laughed Vertigo twirling around kicking a piece of brick. Felicity groaned as the brick landed near her. Vertigo turned around and walked over to her and kneel next to her.

"Hey didn't I seen you before last year?" he asked as he pulled out a knife and slowly dragged it near her neck.

"D-don't!" Roy struggled to yell out. Vertigo turned toward him and made a tsk sound waving the knife back and forth.

"Oh don't worry kid you'll still be first" Vertigo said walking over to Roy grabbing him by his collar and lifting him up. Roy tried to fight him but he couldn't do anything his vision was already going in and out of focus.

"Thanks for trying kid" said vertigo as he pulled back the knife. Sorry Oliver. Roy let his eyes closed.

"You failed this city" Vertigo taunted.

"Stop" yelled a voice which was quickly followed by two gun shots. The grip on Roy's collar loosened and he collapsed to the floor forcing him to open his eyes to see Vertigo had two gun shot wounds in his chest.

Then Roy closed his eyes for the final time.

Bright light flooded the darkness and thought had returned.

Roy groaned as he took in his surroundings. He was in what he could guess a pretty big bed room. He kind of recognized the mahogany dressers, the dark green curtains that was swept aside to allow sunlight through a six foot long window with an arch at the top.

Finally he recognized where he was, the guest room in Queen Manor.

"Oh Good, your awake" said a masculine voice coming from Roy's left. There was a man in a t shirt and jeans sitting at a fancy looking desk with a bookcase behind him. The man got up and walked over to Roy.

"W-" tried to ask but let out a coughing fit.

"easy now there kid" said the man as he slightly pushed back Roy into the mattress.

"You have a bruised lung, and a fractured rib." The man explained as he looked over Roy's bandages and began muttering himself as he pulled out a notepad and began writing on it.

"I'm Doctor Lockhart" the man finally said as he put the notepad in his back pocket.

"I knew the original Green Arrow, Oliver, and I assumed you and...your friends wouldn't want to go to a hospital so in the confusion i was able to transport you and your friends here." He said as he dragged a chair near the bed so he could sit next to Roy.

Roy opened his mouth to ask a question but Lockhart beat him to it, "You're friends are okay, it seems that you were the one that took most damage." This actually made Roy feel bad because truth be told he wasn't going to ask about his friends but not bad enough that killed his curiosity.

"Vertigo" he managed to croak out.

Lockhart's expression darkened, "when Verdant blew up, there was a nearby beat cop close to get there in time to shoot vertigo before he could kill you." Roy stared at him.

"He's alive Roy, in ICU cursing the cop who stopped him to hell."

Roy looked away in shame, "My fault" he coughed trying to get up.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Yelled Lockhart as he tried to push Roy back onto the bed.

"Got to watch vertigo make sure he doesn't try to escape custody again." Roy said as he weakly tried to push Lockhart off him.

"Don't be stupid Roy, there are cops gaurding him 24/7 you're not needed you need rest." Lockhart persisted getting over Roy and physically laying on top of him making Roy "oomph".

Roy began to cry not in pain but just this overwhelming feeling of helplessness. He didn't want to be green arrow because he knew he would fail. He wanted to help his city but all did was allow it to burn.

"Roy" hushed Lockhart as he slowly got off the young man, "The world doesn't rest on your shoulders and didn't rest on Oliver's either."

"Green Arrow is a symbol to fight to make your city better, that there is still a little bit of light in the darkest night."

Roy was still crying but it had soften to a few streams.

"Remember why you chose to become a hero, Roy, remember how the green arrow inspired you and how your continuing that by continuing his fight."

Roy did remember, he felt like his options were limited he was just a kid in the glades who had a rep as long as his arm. Graduating high school was nowhere near his mind, but it wasn't till he was going to be killed on that subway and the green arrow was pleading his case that he could change.

he felt like he needed to repay that and to do that was to be a hero to make a 180 on his life and help as many people as he could and then Oliver gave him that scholarship.

"Thanks"whispered Roy. Lockhart smiled as he stepped away from the bed.

"Don't worry about it Roy, even heroes need saving."

Edmaster: sorry this chapter is so short but thank you for coming and reading this.