A/N: This chapter is a little short, but the next one will be longer.

Flash was pretty sure he was going to die when Batman stopped him outside the League meeting room. "Did you need something?" Batman put his hand on Flash's shoulder. Alarm bells started going off in the speedster's head. "Am I going to die?"

"Do you want to be taken off the case?"

Flash blinked. "What?"

"You reacted very extremely last time." That was an understatement. It had taken a few dozen laps around the globe for him to calm down. Even then Hal had needed to get Jay to stop him. "This case is very close you and Kid Flash personally. Do you want to be taken off the case?"

Batman was being nice?! Why was he the only one here to witness this?! Part too him wanted to say yes. He hated having to see Roy bruised and bleeding, knowing it was his guardian causing it. His mind flashed back to a time when he'd snuck a look at Wally's file while in the Keystone Police Station. The pictures of dark bruises and marks on a too small body still made him want to throw up. Then he remembered his promise to Wally. "No. I want to stay on the case."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. This case isn't easy, but I have to see it through to the end."

Batman nodded and turned away. Flash followed him into the meeting room and sat down. "Let's get started."

"Any updates on Star?" Green Lantern asked.

"I have one," Flash said and everyone looked at him.

"This should be good," Wonder Woman muttered.

"Kid Flash went with Robin to Star last night."

"What?!" Green Lantern demanded. "You let him go?!"

"I didn't let him go! He snuck out!"

"Don't tell me you two didn't know," Wonder Woman said, looking at Superman and Batman.

"Unfortunately we can't," Superman replaced, wondering how they could've missed it.

"How did you mss this?" Martain Manhunter asked Batman. "Aren't you supposed to know everything?"

"This….escaped my notice somehow," Batman muttered stonily.

"No doubt Robin had something to do with it," Aquaman said. Batman glared at him.

"Tread lightly," Green Lantern whispered.

"Admit it, that bird is as sneaky and conniving as you are Batman. Just like Kid Flash is as absent-minded as Flash."

"Hey!" Flash objected.

"I'm just saying, Robin could've easily convinced Kid Flash to come along."

"What happened last night?" Superman asked.

"I don't really know," Flash admitted. "I woke up at midnight and Kid was gone. I ran around Central looking for him, but he came home around 2 am. I grounded him for a few days-"

"A few days?"

"I….may have given him a panic attack. Don't give me those looks! I'm new at this parenting thing! Look, they both came home safe and if it helps convince Roy to leave what's the harm?"

"The harm is, the more heroes in Star the greater chance we have of getting caught," Batman said.

"Didn't you want all three sidekicks involved at the beginning?" Aquaman asked.

"That was a formality. I knew you'd say no."

"Regardless, I agree with Batman," Superman said. "The fewer kids we endanger with this crazy plan the better."

Batman leveled a glare at Flash. "Keep Kid Flash out of it."

"I'll do my best, but he's pretty stubborn about helping. He's not without his reasons for it too."

"Just keep a handle on your sidekick," Wonder Woman told him.

"Aqualad would never disobey me like that," Aquaman said proudly.

"Leave him alone with Robin long enough and he will," Green Lantern smiled. "That kid could talk anyone into anything. He's also just scary enough that no one will say no."

"Throw in Kid Flash and we're doomed," Superman added. Batman and Flash had almost equal looks of disapproval on their faces. It was scary. "Anyways, the decision is final. Robin is the only one who goes into Star. Understood?"

"Yes," Flash nodded.

"Of course," Aquaman replied.

"We should also move up our plans," Batman said. "Now that there's a real chance the operation has compromised, Robin should begin trying to actively make Speedy leave."

"Do you think he'll go? It's only been three weeks," Green Lantern pointed out.

"He has to. If he doesn't the consequences could be disastrous."

— —

Thunder shook the windows as lightning cracked against the glass. Roy jumped slightly as the flash of light jumped at his peripheral vision. "Are you really scared of a thunderstorm?" Oliver asked him.

Roy shook his head quickly. "Of course not." The lightning flashed again and he flinched slightly.

"Freaking kids," Oliver muttered, sitting back and taking a sip of his drink. Roy swallowed nervously and went back to his game. Oliver was considerably more easy to irritate when he was intoxicated, and also more sociable in an ironic paradox. He would've preferred to stay in his room, and possibly hide under the bed, but Oliver had asked him to sit in the living room and watch tv with him. Roy knew better than to say no, so here he was. Oliver sighed in an irritated way and Roy tensed up. He glanced up at the tv and his heart pounded.

"Luckily the Justice League was there to handle the situation, and civil causalities were 0," the newscaster said, ending a report on….an alien invasion or something. He hadn't really been paying attention.

"God damn goodie-goodies. I swear to fucking god they're just here to irritate me." He glanced at Roy. "Well, them and others."

"Maybe they're not as bad as you think," Roy said quietly. paying attention to his game.

Oliver muted the tv and turned to Roy, eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"

Roy paused his game. "M-maybe the Justice League isn't as bad as you think?" He was already regretting his words.

"Oh really?" Oliver turned his entire body towards Roy. "Roy, do you think you know more about other heroes than I do?"

Roy shook his head quickly. "Of course not Oliver."

Oliver took another sip of his drink. "Did you know that Batman is very unforgiving to his enemies? That he beats them within an inch of their life?"

"N-no."

"Did you know Batman considers me to be his enemy?"

"N-no."

"Is that what you want to happen to me? Do you want to see me beat nearly to death after all I've done for you?"

Part of Roy really did. Some part of his brain wanted to see Oliver bleeding and bruised. 'Don't be an idiot!' a voice hissed in his head. 'He took you in, you owe him! Who else is gong to want you? At least he tolerates you.' He swallowed. "Of course not Oliver." Oliver moved so fast that Roy didn't have time to move before his guardian was on top of him. His game lay forgotten on the ground as he focused all of his attention on the man pinning him down. "Ollie please-"

"Do not ever question me again," Oliver hissed. Roy gagged at the alcohol on his breath. "The Justice League are our enemies! They want to stop my mission! You're my partner, so I expect you to be obedient! If you won't do that-"

"I will Ollie! I will, I swear!"

"Don't interrupt me!" Oliver slapped him.

"Sorry…"

"If you don't then I'll beat it into you until you do!"

"No, no please don't! I'll behave, I promise!"

"You'd better." Oliver got off him and sat back in his seat. Roy pushed himself against the arm of the couch and curled up into a ball. Oliver downed the rest of his drink and sighed dramatically. "Since the rain kept us inside, there's no reason not to have some fun."

Roy wondered if it was possible to have a heart attack at 14. "F-fun?"

Oliver nodded and stood up. He staggered a little. "Come on." Knowing better than to argue, Roy followed. His heart pounded as he followed Oliver down to the arsenal. Another side-affect of Drunk Oliver: he liked to play games. Unfortunately, all of his games were usually dangerous to Roy's health or safety. Oliver grabbed his bow and quiver and a strip of green cloth.

Roy forgot how to breathe. "Ollie no-"

"Don't argue with me boy. We're going to have some bonding time."

"Yes, Oliver." Roy followed him back upstairs to one of the unused halls. They stopped briefly in the kitchen so Oliver could grab some fruit. They reached the hall and Oliver put his quiver on and put his hand on Roy's shoulder. He forcefully led Roy down the hall, ignoring the dragging of the teen's feet. They stopped at the end and he tied the cloth around Roy's eyes. "No peeking." Roy nodded as Oliver lined him up with his back against the wall. He waited tensely as Oliver placed something on his head. The green blindfold did a good job of preventing him from seeing anything. Not that he needed to see to know what was going on. 'William Tell' was Oliver's favorite game. He did his best to keep his breathing even and stay calm. An arrow suddenly thudded against the wall right above his head; causing him to yelp.

"Whoo! Good shot!" The sound of Oliver approaching was loud, so was him pulling the arrow out of the wall. "Here." He opened Roy's mouth and shoved the apple in. "Have a snack. You're always….freaking coming that you're hungry…."

"Fank ooo," Roy mumbled. He felt Oliver put another piece of fruit on his head.

"This time I'm…shootin' for the stem so don't move."

'I don't think I could move if I wanted to.' He flinched again as the arrow hit the wall above him. He breathed through his nose, trying to stay clam. He stayed perfectly still as Oliver continued to shoot at him, placing fruit of varying sizes on his head. After a while, his jaw started to hurt from the apple, but he had to keep his hands behind his back as part of the "game". He only moved once when he heard the snap of Oliver's bowstring and the sudden sting of an arrow sliced across his cheek. He gasped in pain and bit through the apple. He spit the piece out and moved to take off the blindfold. Oliver's hand stopped his. "Ollie-"

"Leave the blindfold on,"

"Ollie please-"

"We're still playing."

"Ollie please, can we just stop?!"

"No." Oliver grabbed his arm and practically threw him against the wall. "Stay."

Roy put his hands behind his back and sighed. He could feel the blood running down his face. He still flinched every time an arrow was fired, but they all found their marks, so he wasn't injured further. Not physically at least. It felt like forever before Oliver finally stopped firing. "A-are we done?!"

Oliver sighed dramatically. "Yes, since you insist on being such a sissy." He snorted. "Speedy sissy."

Roy took off the blind fold while Oliver laughed at his own joke. "Can I go to bed?"

Another dramatic sigh. "Fine. But don't say I never did anything for you!"

"Of course not." Roy passed him and handed the blindfold back. Oliver put his hand on Roy's shoulder, much to the teen's discontent. Even being half a foot away, Roy could smell the alcohol on Oliver. It made him sick to his stomach.

"G'nght kid."

Roy sighed. 'Maybe he's not perfect, but he's the only father you have,' a voice whispered in his head. He turned away as a tear slipped down his face and mixed with his blood. "Night Ollie."