AN: Once more through the breach.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MINE!

|STAR CITY
|March 19, 20:34 PDT

The night was rather brisk for California, even in late winter. The sea breeze helped to chill the air around me as I stood on top of a massive crane lift with Green Arrow at the Star City docks. I hadn't ever stood anywhere so high up. I mean, there was the jet incident, but I wasn't standing on my own then. Now, I was crouched on scaffolding about fifty meters above the ground. As I stared at the shipping containers and trucks below me, I felt myself becoming very uneasy. My grip on the railing of the platform tightened a bit; my attempt to steady my nerves, though it didn't help much. My stomach churned at the sight of the drop in front of me and I tried to forget the feeling of plunging out of the sky in a giant death machine. A strong breeze came in off the ocean and made the crane sway just a touch, but far more than enough to make all of the blood drain from my head.

I looked away and tried to focus on the mission. Below us, several gangsters, I counted thirteen, were loading crates into a moving truck from a couple of the shipping containers. Among them, a tall, broad African-American man in a fine tailored suit. He had long white hair that had been dreaded and pulled back into a ponytail. Daniel "Brick" Brickwell. We had been tracking him for a week now. He had been distributing some new drug, the likes of which Oliver had never seen before. Apparently the reactions it cause in people were random and incredibly dangerous. Some people weren't affected at all, while others were left completely catatonic. Some local gangs even began using it to test their new members, to see who's "tough enough to face it." Because of this, it had gotten the street name, "The Judge."

"Speedy?" G.A. asked me, "you OK?"

I grit my teeth and tightened my grip on the railing just a bit more. "I'm good."

"You're looking a bit pale," he added.

I glared at him, "I told you I'm fine."

He shrugged, "OK, I'll drop it." My stomach twisted when he said "drop."

"How are you doing?" I asked him.

His mouth pressed firmly into a line. I had recently found out more about my predecessor than I had ever wanted to know, in the worst way possible. Apparently, the Oliver's previous partner, Roy Harper, had been kidnapped very early on in his career as Speedy by the Light. They had then cloned him, and replaced him with the clone. After the clone broke free of their control, he set out to find the original Roy Harper, who everyone else had ridden off as dead. Come to find out, he found him, sans his right arm, a few weeks ago. The original Roy Harper was now in a hospital in town, but he's been unconscious ever since Clone-Roy had found him. No one seemed comfortable talking about it though. I found all of this out thanks to a conversation with Clone-Roy's wife, who was an ex-criminal named "Cheshire." Though, I wasn't so sure on the "ex" part. The more time I spent around these people, the weirder it got.

"Let's just focus on the mission," he said after a moment.

"OK..." I muttered anxiously. I had no objections to that. I looked back at Brick and his cronies, slightly swooning as I once more realized the vast difference in altitude. They were all focused on the drugs that they were loading into the truck. "They're distracted, we should go now."

GA gave me a very stoic nod. "Let's go."

Reaching into my belt, I pulled out a grappling hook attachment. After hooking it to an arrow, I shot it right at the shipping crates lined up about forty meters away from were the gangsters were smoking and checking their weapons. No one seemed to notice the sound as the hook hit the container, the line that lead up to me, or me as I hooked my bow over the line and slid down it to hide behind the shipping containers. As I took a second to breathe and notch another arrow in my bow, G.A. slid down the line and hid next to me.

"Ready?" I asked. Once more, he gave me a very emotionless nod.

I took a step out from behind the cargo container and fired my arrow at the gangsters. It zipped through the air and hit right in the center of them all. On impact, it exploded, creating a loud bang and a bright flash. All of the gang members who weren't affected by the flash-bang immediately began shooting at us. A couple of the gangsters jumped in the truck and began to drive off.

I stepped back behind the container and shouted over the sound of the guns, "I'll keep them distracted, take care of the truck."

"No, we'll work together-" he tried to protest.

"And let those drugs get away?" I asked.

He glared at me, but nodded. "Alright."

I flipped on top of the cargo container and fired two arrows, destroying the guns of two goons. With a second pair of arrows they were both tied up with bolas.

"Come on, Brick," I taunted, "This all you got? I thought you were supposed to be the new big bad leader of Star City's underworld!"

"Not another Speedy!" He shouted back. "I'm getting real tired of you little kids in red." He turned to his men, "Take him out!"

I jumped off of the shipping container and dropped about twenty five feet. As I landed, I fell forward into a roll and fired another arrow, taking out one of the thugs charging me with a knife. Two more thugs charged me before I could pull out another arrow. The first guy got to me and tried to stab me in my stomach. I hopped backwards out of the way. He stepped forward and tried to slash me across my face. I just grabbed his hand and threw him over my shoulder and into the cargo container. He slammed into it with a heavy CLANG. The second guy came at me with a pair of brass knuckles. He threw a right cross at me, which I easily dodged. I kicked him hard in his stomach, then smacked him across the face with my bow. He stumbled back and growled at me. Ooh! So scary! He stepped closer and jabbed at my chest. I took a step towards him and hit the inside of his elbow. His arm crumpled. I punched him in his stomach, then followed up with a strong right cross to his chin. He fell to the ground where I kicked him in his chest, knocking him over. Pulling an arrow from my quiver, I jabbed it into his chest. The tip began spewing foam that quickly covered his entire chest and arms. The foam then hardened into a solid form, trapping him to the ground. I stood up and dashed at the next thug as bullets showered all around me. Running as fast as I could, I slammed my shoulder into the thug's chest, slamming him into another shipping container. He fell to the ground unconscious. I hid behind a stack of ambiguous barrels as the remaining gangsters fired at me.

I looked up at Brick and grinned, "Come on! For a building material, you've got some pretty soft men."

"You know, I think I preferred the last Speedy," he called in reply, "At least he was quiet."

"Sounds like he was boring to me," I laughed. "Not much of a conversationalist."

I hopped over the stack of barrels and fired an arrow at brick. When it hit him, it exploded, knocking all of the other goons around him to the ground and shredding his clothes.

"Again with the suit?!" Brick roared.

In a fit of rage he began throwing random things at me, from barrels, to chunks of massive rocks, to even his own men.

"Dude, it's just a suit!" I shouted, as I ducked and weaved around his projectiles.

"You have no idea what I pay for my suits!" He shouted.

"Then buy cheaper clothing!" I shouted.

Slipping my bow into my quiver, I pulled a pair of metal fist braces out of my belt and put them on. I jumped in and began wailing on him. With each punch, he was driven back a little bit.

"I mean, you could just get like a t-shirt," I said.

"Shut up, boy!" He growled at me. He punched downwards at me. I hopped back and he punched into the ground. Then, he ripped a chunk of the ground up and hurled it at me.

I ducked under it and looked at him. "You know, when you say 'boy' it always feels like you're making it a race thing."

"I said shut up!" He shouted with rage.

I began to notice that the other goons, the ones still conscious that is, began to circle around me, each of them brandishing a different weapon.

"Come now, gentlemen, surely you wouldn't intrude in two chaps having a right proper offing of fisticuffs?" I asked in a mock British accent.

"No where to run, punk," Brick snarled.

"Who's running?" I asked.

"You should've stuck with Green Arrow," Brick taunted me.

"Sorry, he was busy, you know, with real gangsters," I chuckled. "He doesn't mess around with the little fish."

"Enough!" Brick roared. Just then, he lifted up a freaking forklift.

"OK, now it's starting to feel like you don't like me," I teased him.

"You talk too much kid," he snarled.

I readied myself for his attack, but before I could, a green arrow shot out of nowhere and hit Brick in the back. The arrow began spewing foam, covering him until he couldn't move. More arrows shot out from nowhere and shocked the remaining thugs into submission. Green Arrow came running up to me from behind the cargo containers. He ran straight up to me and started inspecting me like I was a piece of meat.

"Are you OK?" He asked, the smallest bit of panic in his voice.

I smacked his hand away from me. "What are you doing?" I demanded.

He seemed surprised by my reaction. "I was saving you."

"You're letting the drugs get away!" I shouted.

He grinned at me, "I already handled it."

He jerked a thumb over at where the moving truck had crashed into the base of the crane, the driver unconscious.

"Oh..." I muttered. "Alright then..."

He threw an arm around my shoulders, "Looks like that's a wrap to your first case as Speedy." He rubbed his right fist into my head adding, "You didn't do too badly for yourself!"

"Hey!" I complained, shoving him off, "Come on, G.A.!"

He grinned at me through his goatee. "Come on, we've got some late Valentine's Day gifts for the S.C.P.D."

I smiled, "Alright, but you're figuring out how we're transporting foam face."

His smiled faltered, "Ah... yeah..." An absolute ridiculous look plastered itself on his face.

I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing.

|ARROW CAVE
|March 20, 00:23 EDT

"You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask," I told Oliver as we walked down the steps from the old abandoned bar and into the "Arrow Cave."

"And what's that?" Oliver asked.

"Why do you call it the 'Arrow Cave?'" I asked.

"What?" He questioned, confused.

"I mean, it's not even a cave. It's a basement," I pointed out.

He chuckled, "It's kind of meant to poke a bit of fun at Batman. You know, he's got the 'Batcave' and I've got the 'Arrow Cave.'"

I pouted, "But that doesn't make sense. Bats live in caves. That works. Arrows are inanimate objects. They don't live anywhere."

He raised an eyebrow quizzically. "OK, Sherlock, what would you call our fortress?"

I pondered it for a moment, "How about 'The Quiv-'"

I stopped mid-sentence as we hit the base of the stairs to see Nightwing standing before us with Dinah. She looked as if she was holding back tears. Nightwing didn't look very chipper either. Oliver immediately went to Dinah.

"What happened?" Oliver asked.

Nightwing took a deep breath, almost as if he needed to steady himself. "It's Artemis," he said when hexactly finally spoke.

"Artemis?" Oliver asked. "What about Artemis?"

"She was helping me on a mission," Nightwing explained, "helping the Team to protect a Mars-Earth communication satellite."

I had heard of Oliver's last protégé before me, though after Harpereading, but I had never met her. I had mostly heard about her through my readings of the past dealings of the Team. Apparently she was quite the fighter, as well as one of the first members of the Team. She was Cheshire's sister, so I've read. What confused me was that I had heard that she had retired from the vigilante business.

"What happened?" Oliver asked, I swore I could hear his voice tremble just a touch.

"Oliver... I-" Nightwing stammered.

"What happened?" Oliver demanded.

"We were ambushed, La'gaan got captured and Artemis..." Nightwing continued. "I'm sorry, Oliver, she's gone."

Oliver glared at the ground. Dinah struggled to hold herself together as tears streamed down her face. All Oliver could say was, "Damn it!" Dinah's body shook as she failed to contain herself. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

Nightwing turned away from them and faced me, "The Team is getting toget her to... to support each other through this. You're welcome to come."

I furrowed my brow, "I'm not sure that I should-"

"Go ahead, Tommy," Dinah insisted, once she pulled herself together a bit, "things are going to get complicated around here. You should go and be with the Team."

My jaw set, but I didn't protest. "If you think it's best."

|MOUNT JUSTICE

|March 20, 03:58 EDT

I walked through the halls of Mount Justice towards the lounge, where I was told to go by Nightwing. In truth I felt that it was utterly pointless for me to go to this mourning party. I didn't know Artemis, I had never even seen her in person. I felt nothing from her death. Seeing Oliver and Dinah so distraught had been more upsetting than the news had, and I just found their blubbering annoying. I didn't understand why I should go and be with the others, whom I still barely knew. Unfortunately I knew that any attempt to explain this would look like I was just being selfish or rude or apathetic. I suppose I was being all three, but that was what I was used to. Still, I changed into my civilian clothes and I came.

When I got to the lounge everyone was already there, even the members that I hadn't met yet. Conner was standing at the entrance. I paused in the dark hallway before entering into the lounge, uncertain of how to greet him. I wasn't sure why, but a simple "hey" felt as if it would be improper.

Then, he turned towards me. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," I replied, simultaneously irritated and relieved at the simplicity of it.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

I hesitated to answer. Was it rude to tell him that I felt nothing? I mean, I was thinking more about my father than this girl I had never met before. Yet, I still felt like I couldn't tell him that. "I'm not sure," I finally answered.

He rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, it's hitting me pretty hard too."

I debated correcting him, but before I could we were approached by a dark-skinned man and woman. I recognized them as Karen "Bumblebee" Beecher and Malcom Duncan; he helped out the Team from time to time. They both seemed distraught.

"We'll find La'gaan, and Aqualad," Conner said firmly.

"No doubt," Malcom confirmed. "Where's Nightwing? He should be here."

Conner sighed, "He went to tell Wally."

"Wally?" I asked.

Conner paused for a moment, "Wally was Artemis's boyfriend."

"Oh," I muttered.

Karen looked at me and forced a smile. "You're Toby right? The new Speedy?"

"Tommy Crane," I corrected.

"Right," she said. "I'm Karen."

"And I'm Mal," Malcom introduced himself. "I wish we could've met under better circumstances."

"It's just the way things are," I said plainly.

He frowned at my comment. "How are you taking everything?"

"Me?" I asked.

"You're part of the 'Arrow Family' now," he pointed out.

"Family huh?" I murmured under my breath. "I'm fine."

"Did you ever meet Artemis?" Karen asked.

I felt awkward as I shook my head, "No. I never got the chance."

Karen smiled sadly, "I'm sorry about that, she would've liked to meet you."

I felt incredibly awkward, once more thinking that I shouldn't even have come. I was saved by Cassie from across the room waving to me.

"Excuse me," I said, moving to stand by her and Tim sitting at the breakfast nook by the kitchen.

When I got there, Cassie seemed a bit surprised. "Oh, I didn't mean you had to leave your conversation," she muttered.

I shrugged, "It's fine." I decided to add in the question everyone seemed to be asking, "How are you doing?"

Tim gaped at me, "Us? What about you?"

"Me?" I asked. Why was everyone so interested in me?

"You're Green Arrow's new partner," Tim told me.

"Yes?" I asked.

He seemed to be taken off guard by my response. "I just thought..." He stammered.

"We're just worried about you," Cassie clarified.

I shrugged again, "I never knew her. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm here."

Tim clenched his fist. "You don't have to be so cold," he snapped.

Cassie placed her hand on my arm. "You're here to support us, and we appreciate it." It sounded as if she were trying to instil the idea in my head, and Tim's for that matter, for me.

"Are you OK?" I asked them.

Tim relaxed a bit, "I'm alright. Mostly."

Cassie's grip on my arm tightened a bit, though I don't think she realized that she had, or that she hadn't let go. "I'm..." Tears welled up in her eyes. Her composure began to break as sobs racked her body.

I found myself desiring to comfort her, though I wasn't sure why, or how to for that matter. Looking over, I saw Malcom holding Karen around her waist. I thought back to what Hal did for me in the desert and how Oliver comforted Dinah. Decisively, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her head into my chest. She resisted for just a moment before she began to sob and collapsed into my embrace. She wept into my chest, soaking my shirt and making it stick to my chest. It was unpleasant. As she sobbed more and more, I pulled her closer to me to try and comfort her. She was warm against my body. She was quite a bit shorter than me. I could easily rest my chin on her head as I held her to me. I didn't imagine that I smelled particularly soothing, likely of sweat and the old leather of Hal's aviator jacket, though she didn't protest. She, however, smelled like lavender. It was likely her shampoo or soap, but it was a nice smell. Tim gave me a look that I couldn't place. It seemed to be a mix of anger, grief and longing. I didn't understand it.

As I felt her body shake against mine with every sob, I could feel a pain grow in me. Thoughts of my father's face permeated my mind. I was still so confused about whether I loved him or hated him. Now, I didn't even have the chance to determine that. He went and died on me. He left me alone. I didn't know Artemis, but these people didn't seem to have that kind of confusion and anguish on top of their mourning. If I didn't know anything else, I would still admire her for that. Deep inside of me, I began to feel as though I had truly missed out in not meeting this woman, and I did regret it.

Cassie pressed her face into me as she sobbed, "I can't believe she's gone..."

I looked up to Tim with a stern expression. "It was Aqualad who did this?"

He glared at the floor, nodding slowly.

Cassie recovered some of her strength and pulled her head away, leaving a wet spot on my shirt and a slight longing in my chest. "He was supposed to be our friend." she growled.

"We'll get him," Tim told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Cassie pulled away from me fully. She smiled at me, "Thanks, Tommy." Then noticing the dark spot she had left on my chest she gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry."

I waved off her apology. "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

She smiled, much smaller this time, and wrapped her arm around mine. "Well thank you, I needed that more than I thought."

I shrugged, trying to ignore my heart beating rapidly. "It was nothing."

She let go of my arm and smiled, though sadness still showed in her eyes, "That's sweet."

I was a bit confused as to how what I did was sweet, but I decided against arguing it. "I wish I could've met her..." I said.

Cassie let out a humorless laugh, "You would've gotten along just great."

"You think so?" I asked.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I think she would've."

AN: Sorry this is taking so long, but in my defense, I'm writing a book. Something I can actually, you know, MAKE MONEY doing. Ha ha. Never fear though, I still want to finish this story. And I still have plans to do so. And as always, thank you for reading!