areanna123: Thanks :D! Personally, I love Speedy in YJ. I can't see why anyone would find him hate-able. The only problem I have with Speedy is the amount of screen time.

A great, big thanks to whoever read this!

A little while before the introduction, and after the first chapter

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Jinx bursts in. Robin waves hi, and types, probably changing the door codes.

"Hey guys," she says. "Look!" she tosses a file to me and Wally. I open it up.

"Ship with drugs as cargo. Illegal trading, for sure. Tonight!" Wally reads quickly and summarizes. We all look at Robin, even Jinx, who claims 'bird boy' has no authority over her. Even me, even though I've gone solo.

"Sorry. Everyone's busy. I just sent Star and Raven to deal with a robbery." We give him a look. "It was at a nuclear scientist's house, and his … 'interesting' notes were stolen." We gulp.

"This says they're armed with power inhibitors." Wally looks to me, as does Jinx and Robin.

"Wait, me?" My first solo mission?

"You are solo. If you don't, then I'll send it to, uh," Funny. Robin never stutters. "to other heroes in the area, or to Batman." He means Mia. Mia and I may seem like always-joking siblings or friends, but there's a lot of hostility lying underneath. And I'm not letting the Justice League take this mission. They'll send Green Arrow and Black Canary. I know it.

"Solo? Nice! But Roy, Speedy, it's easier trying the field with someone else. If you have anyone to like, go with you …" Jinx starts. I turn away, but I know she and KF will share a loving look. A pang of longing punches my heart.

"No, it's mine. Thanks, Jinx." I grab my bow, and go.

.

It feels so good to get out. The night air blows my (sorry, but I have to: gorgeous)red hair and it feels really good. The last time I was out doing something, I was with Robin, and I'd said I also wanted a hiatus from being a hero. Everything. To put a pause on everything, look back, and ask myself, what the hell have you done now, Roy? And now what? And Rob was totally cool about it, and let me borrow his extra apartment in Jump. (No Ollie, no house.)

I throw my helmet on, and speed away on my motorcycle, a gift from Dinah before I knew she and Green Arrow were getting it on like rabbits.

I murmur the details of the mission to myself to keep my thoughts of my ex-family away.

"Harbor, east side, 12:30." I check my watch; it's 11:57. Plenty of time to prepare. I kill the engine, and stash my bike somewhere hopefully undetectable. I climb a few giant loading crates up, and wait.

I don't have long to wait before a black van quietly rolls in, waiting for the ship. I nock an arrow.

"Think those hotshot leaguers will come?" A male voice, quiet as it is, doesn't escape my tentative ears.

"Our business is too small for them, isn't it? They deal with alien invasions." The second voice takes on a mocking tone. "Maybe the Titans." Soft laughter comes from them. Maybe I'd be offended normally, but this is solo Roy now.

"Doesn't matter. Reinforcements are coming soon to make sure the exchanges goes smoothly."

Cue Speedy. I shoot into the night, and I know my aim is perfect. I hit the middle of the side window, just to get myself noticed. I really do love action.

"An arrow! You don't think … Green Arrow and Canary or Speedy?" The second guy sounds afraid.

"They say Speedy's dead. No one has seen him. He's completely gone underground, or something. Don't be stupid."

"The girl, Speedy. She's good too." I cringe inwardly. "What if we get busted?"

"Relax. We could take anyone. And just wait. Reinforcements, remember?" Hm. I wonder who their reinforcements are. The amount of villains in this city … I may need backup.

A low menacing laugh. I shoot again, and changing my angle, I hit their tires. Two tires per arrow. Nice.

"Yeah? Hear that? Doesn't seem like they're giving up. Turn on the inhibitor now. Just in case."

"Fine." A low hum comes from the back of their van. I smile to myself. Suckers.

Ugh. 12:32. I climb up two more giant crates and freeze. Surrounding me is half a dozen henchmen, all holding a handgun in one hand and a lead pipe in the other.

I can't help it, and laugh. Right! Really professional. Lead pipes. Please. Oh, if Ollie could see me now …

I shoot arrows at several non-fatal points, trying hard not to think about hero training lesson number one: DO NOT KILL OR USE BRUTE FORCE UNLESS NECESSARY (Superman taught that to us personally) – and drop to the ground, using my bow and leg to send some of them down.

Well, that was easy.

"We … need … help …" hisses someone into their walkie-talkie. I can't help myself and shoot his hand. The sickening sound of flesh being hit … I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open my eyes to find one of the fallen slowly rising up. He does something totally unexpected. Even though I've nocked an arrow with a tip especially for hurting (and killing), he just puts his meaty hands on my bow, and wrenches it from me. We're both so surprised (him that it worked, me that I just lost my bow) that we both just look from my hands to my bow for a minute. I can't believe he just … grabbed it. And I can't believe I didn't even bother stopping him. Do I have a death wish? Then he tosses my bow, out into the ocean. The splash almost hurts my heart.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Seriously. Have you ever seen an archer just getting his bow unceremoniously ripped out of his hands?

"You started it!" Oh, how very mature. Whatever happened to all the real villains? I punch his lights out.

If I'm bow-less, then I'm a sitting duck. Worse, I'm a dead duck. I'm an idiot.

.

A voice jars me out of my self-bashing moment.

"… get the sneaking hero. I hope …"

Oh god! You have to move, Roy. Like, right now. I bite my lip, and move over one crate, and press my back into it.

Oh, no. Too close. I can feel the other person breathing. Footsteps, loud and clear, come from right. Around. The crate.

A blade shines moonlight into my face, and then the killer drops it.

.

"Speedy." She whispers. It's her, it's Cheshire. Delight and pure joy battle with suspicious and terror. And I thought she'd changed. Well, well. It appears Mia made a serious miscalculation.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper back.

"Working. You?" This would be normal … if she weren't picking up her weapon.

"I'm working too." I huff.

She laughs, and eases off her mask, just so I can see her mouth. Her lips curve into a smile.

"I had no idea you did … this sort of thing. No one else is here?" she asks.

"I'm solo." I say, hating the words. Just me. Oh, and damn it! She's gotten me to say no one will miss me if she kills me. She tilts her head at me, calculating me behind her mask. Then she moves behind the crate and sits next to me. Her fingers just lightly touch mine for a second, sending sparks down my arm, and the night feels wonderfully warm, even though I was freezing a second before.

"Are you jealous of them sometimes? Jinx and Wally?" she murmurs. Jade is able to voice everything I think at the same time. I know exactly how she feels. She touches my wrist lightly. We could be holding hands. I shrug at her.

"Maybe. Yes." I whisper.

.

"You don't think the hero took Cheshire out, do you? Ship'll be here soon, and we might need her!" The guy's voice jars us out of our thoughts.

"Here." Cheshire – Jade – hands me a familiar and wet bow. "Take them out." I grin. "I'm under contract right now." She answers my questioning glance.

Well, alright then.

I aim for their legs, (a non-fatal spot, I hope) and shoot a few knockout arrows. I raise an eyebrow at her.

"That's all." She says.

"Why?" She knows. Why help a hero?

"Because it's you." She holds my look.

"This is a crazy night." A smile appears on her lips as I utter a low, sarcastic laugh. I appraise her. "Beautiful." I whisper.

"What is?" she whispers, as well.

"You."

We fall silent. After months of trying to deal with going solo, a new team, trying to avoid Dearden, this is the one moment that feels completely right. Like I don't have to justify anything to anyone. Completely at peace, even though I'm sitting next to a killer. It feels good. It feels like I'm not alone. She holds out some of my arrows.

"Going hardcore, I see. These arrows were meant to hurt … to injure. And not in the non-gory way … who hurt you, Roy? Only reason you'd use these arrows, am I right?" She caresses my face, and a tear runs from under her mask. "Because I'd like to hurt them very, very much right now." I wipe her tear away, and with my hand lingering on her face, we say nothing for a few more minutes. She knows me too well.

"Red arrows …" I think.

"Yes, well, you hit something. Someone." She grins. "Blood."

"Know what I think? I think Red Arrow would make a pretty sweet name."

"Red and green go together." I startle, because I think she's brought up Oliver, but she just lifts her arm, motioning at the coloring of her sleeve. Green.

"Someone told me to give you a chance." She says thoughtfully.

"Someone told me you weren't an assassin anymore."

She shrugs. "Mia's very smart.

"So's … Jinx?" I guess. She smiles a perfect smile.

"We're not evil … or good. It's just a job." I nod. I get it. She purses her lips, and leans against me. "We're going to have a train wreck of a relationship."

"Yeah? Roy Harper … solo hero and a bad one at that. Jade Nguyen, assassin. I think I can see why it'd be a wreck. But you know what? I think I like train wrecks."

.

"So you left Green Arrow?" No judgment exists in her voice. I think I might just sing.

"It's kind of a weird time in my life right now, if you haven't noticed."

"No kidding." She sighs. "I'm just so conflicted." I wrap my arms around her. It feels right. It is right.

"What should I do about the ship?" It's come, bearing drugs. Oh, joy.

"Take it down. Whatever. Jump doesn't need any more drugs."

"Help me?" Heal my heart.

She lifts her mask. "Always." I lean in to kiss her, really kiss her, but we hear guys on the ship shouting. She sighs, slides her mask back on, and I nock an arrow. I stand up, revealing myself. After all, I have Jade. Who needs to hide when you've got someone by your side?

.

"Hey, Cheshire. What do you think of Christmas in the Queen household?" I ask her. Oliver will so freak out.

"Sounds perfect. Wait one minute, I'll be back." She jumps down to take the rest of the people down, and to alert the authorities.

"Red Arrow." I murmur, staring at the bloodstained arrow. There's even blood up to the middle of the shaft.

"Was I even gone a minute?" Cheshire asks me smugly.

I grin. "No, but I missed you just as much."

She yanks off her mask, and kisses me. Like, full on. I stagger back, but hold her tight.

I'm on top of the world. Nothing compares to this moment with her.

Pfft. Kid Flash and Jinx are the legendary love story? I'm going to give them a run for their money.

.

"Really, Christmas dinner? Green Arrow won't mind if I walk into the Queen household?" Why does not it surprise me that Cheshire knows Oliver's identity?

"Oh, he'll mind. He is going to go apeshit."

She laughs. We watch the (terribly inefficient) police clean up the mess.

.

Red Arrow.

I like it.

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A/N: Only a 2 chapter story, here. Now complete.

Well, I've finally remembered to reply to a review. Thanks for reading. Think i'll type up my Christmas story soon.