Title- Let There Be Light

Author- Gottaluvit

Summary- What if Green Arrow responded differently when he found out about Speedy's drug addiction?

DC owns all characters.

Notes- Some quotations are direct from the Green Lantern/ Green Arrow story "They Say It'll Kill Me But They Won't Say When"

part 1

"YOU'RE A LOUSY JUNKIE NO BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE SNIVELING PUNKS." Green Arrow yelled. He had just walked in on his young ward about to plunge a syringe full of heroin into his arm.

"If that's the way you see it Arrow...Go ahead hit me! Maybe that'll make you feel better."

Roy Harper replied his voice shaking with emotion.

"MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT." Green Arrow replied hitting the table Roy was sitting at and sending the drug paraphernalia flying across the room.

"A big man like you doesn't need drugs, does he? You get high on your own self-righteousness." the teenager said as he rose to confront his guardian.

"Shut up I'm not interested in excuses! I'm not interested in you! Not any more." Green Arrow growled, his voice had dropped to become low and threatening...Taking a step towards the boy he raised his hand to strike him then paused, before spinning on his heel and walking out the door

Hearing the door slam behind the angry archer, Roy stood shaking...He never thought things would go this far, he had needed to escape from the dark emotions that plagued him, fear, loneliness and depression amongst others. Having no one to share those feelings with he had bottled them up inside eventually turning to drugs to help hide and dampen the depths of his despair, and now he had disappointed the only person in his life he had cared about..now he was being rejected yet again. Slowly the boy sank to his knees, before burying his face in his hands, his shoulders shook and he began to sob uncontrollably.

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Dinah Lance answered the urgent knock on her door, surprised to find Green Arrow standing there, after quickly checking that no one had seen him arrive, she ushered him inside.

One look at the emerald archer's face and she knew there was a problem. "Ollie what's the matter...What happened?" she asked as they both sat down on the sofa.

"My wards a rotten junkie, that's what." he replied angrily.

Dinah stared at the archer for a moment before replying, "Roy?...Speedy?..No there has to be a mistake..Ollie Roy wouldn't..."

"I caught him in the act, he was about to shoot that poison into his arm when I walked in on him." Ollie paused a moment before he lowered his voice.."A rotten junkie." he whispered, as if saying the words again would make it more believable.

"Ollie, what did you say..where is he now, did you get help for him?" Dinah asked concerned, she'd only met the boy a couple of times, but he seemed like a nice kid.

Ollie shook his head.."Nah, I came straight over here..I can't believe it."

Dinah felt her shock make way for anger. "You left him alone, you knew what was happening and you walked out and left him without help?"

Ollie stood up and walked a short distance away, rubbing a hand through his hair he said, "He got himself into this so he can damn well find a way to dig himself outta it...I never raised that kid to be weak, I taught him to be strong and this...this is how he repay's me for all I've done for him."

"For crying out loud Ollie...we aren't talking about him getting a bad grade at school here...This is drugs Ollie, kids die from this every day..That boy owe's you nothing, you chose to take him in, if anything you owe him...You owe him to be the guardian he needs, not just while its easy but through the tough times as well..."

"He knew better, he knows how bad drugs are...I got no time for a kid that willing to waste his life away on that shit..." Ollie stopped his angry tirade as Dinah cut in.

"Have you really thought about this Ollie?..." This time Dinah found herself cut off by Ollie.

"Of course I've thought about it...Do you know what the other guy's in the League are gonna think..Their going to think I failed here..The boy knows right from wrong, I didn't fail him, he's failed me!" Ollie snapped.

"The other guy's in the league?..Your reputation? That's all you're worried about?..Ollie what are you going to think about when the boys gone..What will you think when your called in to identify his body when it's laying on a slab at the morgue? What will go through you mind then?" Dinah yelled.

Ollie's eye's widened, he hadn't thought that far, yes he knew drugs could kill, but he hadn't thought that could happen to Roy..but then he hadn't thought Roy would ever turn to drugs either. "Shit...what should I do Dinah, I don't know what to do." He said, his anger finally making way for concern.

"Go to him Ollie..That's the first step, make him understand that you will be there for him, I'll help in anyway I can..you have to talk to him." Dinah pleaded.

For a long moment Ollie stood thinking.."You're right, I've have handled this badly..I'll go to him now." he said.

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A short while later Ollie entered the living room of his home.

"Roy?...Roy you in there kid?" he called as he approached his wards bedroom.

"Look I'm sorry for going off like that kiddo...you know me, I'm always mouthing off before I..."

Ollie's words faded off as he pushed the door open, his eye's taking in the disarray of the room, it was obvious the boy had collected his things and left..Ollie glanced to the floor where he had knocked the table over earlier that evening..the heroin he'd knocked on the floor was gone.

end 1