A/N: There's some strong language in this chapter. Just some swears, so be aware.

Robin crouched over the edge of a building, peering down at the lit alley. He could see Speedy down below with Green Arrow. His eyes stay trained on the teen as he watched his mentor interrogate someone. The interrogation itself didn't really bother the young bird, he worked with Batman after all. He'd seen Batman dangle criminals off tall buildings to get information. So he wasn't bothered when he saw Green Arrow shoot the guy in the leg, then twist the arrow. He could tell though, even from this distance, it was bothering Speedy. Green Arrow had been keeping Speedy with him the last few days, making it impossible for Robin to talk to him. Luckily, Speedy was looking away from grizzly interrogating in front of him, looking up to avoid it, and spotted Robin. His heart stopped.

'What is he doing here?!' he thought, looking away quickly. 'If he gets caught Green Arrow's going to kill him!'

"Speedy!" Green Arrow snapped.

"Y-yes?"

"We need to find this guy's buddies. I want you to search this neighborhood."

"Yes, Green Arrow." His mentor turned away and he got a glimpse of the criminal, who now had an arrow in his neck. He tried to quell the uneasy feeling in his stomach and jumped onto a fire escape. He pulled himself up and started climbing up the structure. He finally made it to the top and did a quick sweep to make sure that Green Arrow wasn't around. Satisfied he was gone, Speedy tried to find Robin. "Robin. Robin?"

"Here," Robin said from behind him.

"Jeez! Stop doing that kid!"

"Sorry. Been a while."

"Yeah. I've been busy lately."

Robin eyed a bruise peeking out from under Speedy's mask, a deep cut on his cheek, and dark bruising on his neck. It had been there last time, but it should've started to heal by now. 'Unless he was strangled again recently.' He swallowed. "How've you been?"

"Uh….fine. Where's Kid Flash?"

"He couldn't come. Flash found out about him coming last time."

"H-he did?"

"Yeah. Kid's grounded from hero duty and not allowed to come. He told me to say hi though."

"Is-is that all?"

"All what?"

"Flash just….told him he couldn't go out as Kid Flash?" Roy didn't know why he was asking. Part of him was saying he should leave it alone.

"Yeah. Why, what else would Flash do?"

"I- nothing? I guess?"

Robin crossed his arms and sighed. It was now or never. "Speedy, I know."

"What do you know?"

"I know what Green Arrow is doing to you."

"He's not-"

"I saw it happen you can't deny that it does!"

"He was just having a bad day!"

"That doesn't give him the right to hit you!"

"I shouldn't have ticked him off! It's my fault really. You can't blame him for that."

"Speedy, listen, pease. What Green Arrow is doing is wrong. I want you to come with me."

"Where?"

"Gotham."

"Gotham?!"

"Yes. If you come with me, the Justice League can protect you."

"No."

"They'll help you."

"No! The Justice League is corrupt! They're corrupt and act like gods, expecting people to worship them!" Speedy's voice lacked conviction for his words, but more than made up for it in how desperate he sounded. Like he was desperately hoping what he was saying was true.

'Wow, Green Arrow really got to him.' Robin tried to figure out how to get Speedy to come with him. "You trust me, right?"

"I….yeah."

"Then come! I promise the League won't hurt you. They just want to help."

"I can't! Even if I did believe you, which I don't, you don't understand."

"Then explain. Help me to understand."

Speedy swallowed. "I can't leave Green Arrow. He-he took me in when I had nowhere to go. He's the only person in the world who remotely cares about what happens to me. I owe him."

Robin had never wanted to rip off his mask in public so badly. 'If I could show him who I am he'd know that I understand.' He took a deep breath and squashed his frustration. He couldn't get upset. "Speedy I care about you. I'm worried about you. Kid Flash is worried about you. The whole Justice League is worried about you."

"Why should the Justice League care about me?! They don't even know me!"

"They know you're in a dangerous situation! You have to admit that what Green Arrow is doing is wrong."

"He's just toughening me up-"

"That's not how sidekicks and mentors are supposed to interact. He shouldn't treat you the way he does. His killing people isn't right ether."

"You don't know anything about him!"

"I know he's a murderer! He kills people Speedy! It's not right!"

"No. No." Part of him wanted to believe Robin. He wanted to believe that the other heroes were as good as Robin said they are. That there was someone out there who cared about him sides Green Arrow. That he was right for being uncomfortable with how Green Arrow killed indiscriminately. He shook his head. "I can't. I just can't. If I try to run again Green Arrow will kill me. Besides, it's not as bad as it seems."

Robin resisted the urge to point out Speedy had just admitted Green Arrow would kill him. "This isn't safe-"

"You should leave."

"Speedy-"

"Leave!"

Robin sighed. "Ok."

"Don't come back."

Robin walked to the edge of the roof. He stopped and looked back at Speedy. He took something from his utility belt and tossed it to the archer. "It's a beacon. If you need help just hit it to activate it. It'll tell me where you are. No matter what time of day it is, if you need help, don't hesitate to use it. I know you think you owe him, but you owe him nothing. This isn't what being a hero is about, or what being a mentor is supposed to be like. Please just….consider it. If you want out, Batman will help you. I promise."

Speedy watched as Robin jumped off the building and disappeared. He looked down at the bat shaped beacon in is hand. He should get rid of it. If Green Arrow saw it he'd be in a lot of trouble. He shouldn't listen to Robin. Instead, he hid the beacon in his quiver. He took a deep breath as he started his search for the other gang members. He spotted movement two blocks away and lowered himself down into the alley. There was a man with a recognizable tattoo on the back of his neck. Speedy nocked an arrow and stepped out from his hiding spot. "Don't move!"

The man turned around and laughed. "It's the little archer. Are you lost, boy? Is the Green Murderer right behind you?"

Speedy kept his arrow trained on the man; right at the center of his neck like his mentor taught him. "Where're the rest of your friends?"

"Like I'm going to tell you." Speedy quickly moved his arrow and shot the guy in the knee. "Ah!" he fell to the ground in pain. "Fucking brat!"

"Where are the rest of your friends?!"

"I ain't snitching kid!" Speedy shot out his other knee. "Gah!"

"Tell me!"

"Or what?" Despite the pain and blood, the man managed to look at the young vigilante and smile. "You'll kill me? Like your oh so benevolent Green Arrow?"

"Tell me what I want to know!"

The man started laughing. "You won't kill me, kid. You know how I know?"

"You don't know what I'm capable of."

"I know because I've killed people. I know the look of a man who can live with the blood on his hands. You're just a scared kid. Your hands are shaking!"

Speedy realized they were and shot another arrow. It hit its mark, the crook of the man's elbow. Another howl of pain, which drove an icicle through his heart. "Tell me!"

"No." The man took a ragged breath. "You'll have to kill me." He watched as the young archer loaded another arrow and aimed it at him. "Go on kid. Prove how much of a man you are." Speedy aimed the arrow for his chest. He knew where to shoot it so it would slide between the man's ribs and hit his heart. All he had to do take his fingers off the bowstring. He stood there like that, bow taunt and ready, the bleeding man on the ground jeering at him, for a long time. Finally, though, he eased the string back into a resting position and put the arrow back in his quiver. The man started laughing. "I knew you couldn't-" He didn't get the chance to finish as an arrow suddenly embedded itself in his throat.

Speedy recognized the green fletchings immediately. He turned his head and fear gripped him as Green Arrow walked out of the shadows. "Green Arrow I-"

"Did you get any useful information from him?" Green Arrow asked, walking past the teen.

"No."

"Hm. Let's head north. They have a safe house not far from here."

"Yes, sir." He followed close behind, unable to get the image of the arrow killing the man out of his head. They found a derelict building that looked like it'd seen better days, and Green Arrow looked at him.

"You go in from the left, I'll take the right. No one gets out. Understood?"

Speedy nodded. "Understood." He left his mentor and crept to the left side of the house. It was kind of dwarfed by the taller buildings around it, giving him plenty of shadows to hide in. This part of the city was a mishmash of older mill buildings and houses. He found an open window and carefully pulled himself up. It was hard to see through the grimy glass, but he could just barely make out the room was empty. He climbed inside, setting himself down gently. He nocked an arrow and headed for the doorway. He put his back against it and spun out into the next room. He found three men sitting at a table playing cards.

"What-" one of them said upon seeing him The other two reached for their guns, but Speedy quickly shot them all in the hand. "Son of a-"

"Language," Speedy warned him, shooting them each in the knee so they couldn't run. He went into the hall and quickly shot another man in the leg. The man went down and Speedy shot him in the hand to keep him from reaching for a gun. He heard a gun fire and spun around, ducking to the side as he shot. His arrow found the barrel of the gun just as a bullet found the wall. He shot again, taking the man down by shooting him in the leg. He got up and shot the guy's hand. He kicked the gun away and went into the next room. He fired off three arrows and three more men fell to their knees clutching their hands. He shot their legs to keep them down and kept moving. As he went from room to room and hall to hall, taking out gang members as they came at him, he couldn't help but feel the dread in his stomach. He wasn't killing these guys, despite what Green Arrow often told him he should be doing, but he was leaving him for the other archer to take care of.

They'd reached a sort of pseudo-agreement where Speedy could keep the criminals from running away and leave them for Green Arrow to handle. All these guys he was taking down were incapacitated, but once Green Arrow came in they'd be dead. There was no way he could prevent it. 'You shouldn't worry about them dying,' he reminded himself mentally as he shot another gun out of someone's hand. 'They're criminals. Gangsters. Innocent people die every day because of them. Who knows how much suffering they've caused.' He kept repeating that in his head, trying to convince himself that it was ok to let these guys die. He finally finished his sweep, now on the second floor, and he went back downstairs to wait for Green Arrow. He didn't see his mentor as he walked, but he didn't mind. He did, however, see arrows sticking out of chests and necks. One even had an arrow in his eye. The sight of it almost made Speedy throw up. He hurried on, leaving through the window he'd come in through.

Once he was outside and took a few, deep breaths of the cool night air. Star didn't have a terrible smog problem, luckily. He looked up at the sky and felt of pang of sadness. Back on the reservation, he could see all the stars at night. He remembered how there had been far more than anyone could ever count. In Star though, there was too much light pollution. He couldn't see as many stars, ironically. There was a movement behind him and he spun round, pulling out an arrow, nocking it, and pulling his bowstring back in one fluid motion. "Oh." He recognized Green Arrow and relaxed, putting the arrow away. "Sorry."

"At least you didn't shoot," Green Arrow muttered. "Let's go home." Speedy nodded and followed, trying not to think of the dead bodies they left behind.

— —

Once they were home and changed, Roy was putting his quiver away when he ventured to ask Oliver what had been on his mind. "Um….Ollie?"

"What?"

"I….I was just wondering…"

Oliver turned around and narrowed his eyes. "Wondering what?"

"If-if maybe killing the bad guys is-is really a good idea?"

There was a moment of tense silence between them. "Come here."

Roy felt the blood drain from his face. Oh he knew that tone of voice. "Ollie-"

"Don't make me say it again." Roy's feet felt like lead as he made his way over to Oliver. He stood in front of him for a moment before Oliver slapped him. He stopped back, but Oliver grabbed his arm and jerked him closer.

"Ow! Ollie, please! That hurts!"

"What have I told you about questioning me?" he shook Roy, taking him off balance. "How many times do I have to tell you before learn, boy?!" He threw Roy on the ground, but the teen stayed down. Oliver kicked him in the chest, and then in the stomach. "I'll just have to beat into you until you get it!"

"No!" A kick hit him in the mouth and his mouth was filled with blood. He spit it out, only slightly concerned about the tooth in the puddle. "Ollie, please! Please stop! I'll listen, I swear!"

"Shut up!" Oliver grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to his feet. "I'm tired of you questioning me! I put a roof over your head! Food on your plate! Make you the best damn archer I can, and you still disrespect me!" He threw Roy into one of the arsenal racks, knocking all the arrows onto the ground. Roy flipped over onto his back and stared at Oliver. He backed up a foot.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I won't do it again! I swear!"

Oliver crouched down and grabbed Roy by the jaw. He held the teen with a vice-like grip. "I kill criminals because they deserve it. They're scum who feed off the suffering of others. Do you think all the people they hurt, the children they made orphans of and the widows they leave behind would mind if I killed them?"

"N-no-"

"Then stop questioning me. I let you in on my mission because I thought you wanted to help people."

"I do! I do!"

"Well, this is how you do it! Heroes like Batman and Flash, as weak-minded and blind as they are, don't understand that. The League would rather I stand by and let people suffer than actively do something to prevent it. Is that fair?"

"No-"

"So, do you think it's right, that I kill them?" When Roy didn't answer he punched him. "Is it right?!"

"Yes! Yes, it's right for you to kill them." Oliver released him and Roy crawled away. Oliver stood up and Roy almost flinched at the contempt in his eyes. "Clean up this mess."

"Yes, Oliver." His guardian walked away and Roy slowly got onto this knees. He eased himself up to his feet, wincing and gritting his teeth. He ran his tongue alone the empty space where one of his teeth used to be. He flinched and hissed in pain as he fixed the rack. Picking up the arrows was even harder, given how many times it required him to bend down. Every once in a while he had to spit blood out of his mouth and into his shirt. He finally got all the arrows back in order and went to go clean up his blood. He didn't have any towels, and he wasn't going upstairs and coming back down. So he took off his shirt and used it to mop up the small puddle after picking up his tooth. He put the tooth in his pocket, he wasn't sure why, just because, and stuffed his shirt in his mouth, trying to absorb the bleeding. Before he left he went to his quiver and pulled out the beacon Robin had given him. He stared at the bat-shaped object for a moment before putting it in his pocket with his tooth.

He went upstairs to the bathroom so he could take care of his mouth. He rinsed it out, wincing as the water hit the now empty gum socket. He grabbed a cotton ball and shoved it into the space, hoping the bleeding would stop soon. He changed into his pajamas and grabbed a handful of extras and exited into his room. He knew he should go to bed, but he wasn't tired. Terror was still gripping all his nerves and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep for a while. So instead he went out onto the small balcony outside his room. When he'd first moved in the balcony had excited him. It was new and exciting, like everything about Oliver. It was still one of his favorite spots. It was only three feet by four feet in size, but it was a chance to be outside and enjoy the fresh air. He sat on the railing and set his cotton balls down. He changed out the one in his mouth, wincing in pain. The beacon and tooth wee resting on the railing next to him. He stared at them for a few minutes. 'What if Robin is right?' He shook his head. 'No, I can't think like that. I can't run away again. Not again.' Part of him wanted to though. There was a desire in his heart to grab his bow and quiver and run far away where no one would ever find him. Instead, though, he titled his head back and looked up at the sky, trying to find the stars.