Title: EoN - The Lady and the Harper
Disclaimer: None of the characters involved in this story belong to me. No profit is being made due to this story. (Unless people want to throw me money to stop subjecting people to my stories.) Any resemblance to anyone living or dead could be deliberate, but most will be entirely accidental.
Author's Note 2: This is an official, but unbeta'd, EoN story.
The Lady and the Harper
March 3, 2051
Roy Harper, Arsenal, paced impatiently around the main conference room of the Titans Tower, a scowl on his normally cheery face as he vented. A small group of young people sitting around the table hid their smirks
and expressions of amusement as they watched Roy fly off the handle.
"I don't see why the paper-pushers think we need a liason with the Justice Department! The Titans do good work without any hand holding, even from the Justice League. Hell, half the current members of the League came from the Titans at one point or another," Roy exclaimed as he paced.
One of the youngsters, a young man of perhaps eighteen years clad in a familiar red and blue suit, shook his head as he spoke up, "Roy, even the League had to accept a liason in order to operate on American soil.
You know how paranoid people can be about people who have as much power as a neutron bomb."
Roy nodded, acknowledging the comment, "I get that, SB, I really do. But the League got a former president! Who do we get?"
A clear but soft voice came from the door to the conference room, "The Titans, Mr. Harper, get a combination office manager, lawyer, and psychologist."
Roy jumps, sputtering a bit in shock, "Ahh ... good morning! Welcome to Titans Tower, Miss...?"
"Doctor. Doctor Rachel Montgomery."
May 23, 2051
Roy stood in front of Dr. Montgomery's desk, his hands flat on it as he leaned over it. "You can NOT do this! Shade is fine, the ribs are healed!"
Dr. Montgomery looked across her desk at the red haired hero, "My decision stands, Harper. Shade is off-duty for at LEAST six weeks. I don't care if he can recreate himself from atoms or if every scratch is
possibly fatal! He was tortured by Deathstroke, Harper. He is off the active roster until I say otherwise!
July 4, 2051
Rachel Montgomery stood on the observation deck of Titans Tower, leaning against the railing as she watched the holiday celebration and smiling as Superboy and the young lady known as Flair used their
respective powers to create their own fireworks.
"Penny for your thoughts, Dr. Montgomery."
She jerked a bit in surprise, then turned to look at Roy as she spoke, "What could it possibly matter to you what I am thinking, Harper?"
Roy sighed as he leaned on the railing next to her, "Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot. I'm sorry. It ticked me off that the feds felt we needed watchdogging and then you forced Shade to stand aside
while his friends were in danger."
"Not that it stopped him when he found out the Titans had been captured," she replied. "Roy, it's not like it was when you were a kid hero slash sidekick. There are a lot more laws regarding the care of children, whether or not they can fly and do amazing things. As
it is, the Titans break at least fifteen federal laws just by letting minors around the technology you have in the Tower."
Roy turned his head to look at Rachel, "And they know how to handle and operate all the equipment safely, well mostly." He winced at the thought of the near disaster the previous week when Flair had hit what she thought was a light switch and nearly blew up the Tower.
"That doesn't matter, Roy. The only reason that the government is letting Titans continue to operate is that the people who matter in the Justice Department know that if they aren't here, they will be out there with no support system doing the exact same thing. And
no one wants that."
Roy nodded, then passed Rachel a glass of bubbly, "I'd like to propose a toast, Doctor. To friendship and to keeping these kids safe."
"I think I can drink to that, Mr. Harper."