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Alight, so this next chapter is a little bunny trail from the main story simply because I need more time to finish up the next chapter and I'm not going to be able to work on it for another week, my summer has been kinda busy lately, it's a lame excuse I know but I hope you like this. It delves a little deeper into a relationship which I find pretty unique and there is a some romance at the end but don't worry there will be plenty of action and Team/Shadow dynamics coming soon!"

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Red Arrow glanced at the clock on the wall in the lounge area of the Cave. It was 6:38 and past time for him to go. He turned to leave. "Sorry, guys, but I need to go."

"But Rob hasn't even woken up yet!" Kid Flash glared at him a little and set aside his chips indignantly, wondering where in the world Red Arrow could be going right now.

"Yes, but he's fine." Red Arrow regretted having to this and turned his head slightly to look at them all and continued. "Just tell him that I'm glad he's alright, okay?"

"Must you leave so soon though?" Aqualad, seeing the regret on his friends face, walked up to him.

Staring at the ground with his eyebrows pushed together Red Arrow responded. "Wish I could stay, but I can't."

"Well, if you have to go you have to go." Artemis looked at him with kind eyes as she grabbed Kid Flash's chip bag and ate some of it. Wally dove for the chips only to have Artemis whisk them away and eat a few more.

"Thanks." Red Arrow could barely glance at her and shifted awkwardly before departing. Sometimes things were still awkward between them, well at least it was for him, but it was getting better. Perhaps this won't be so bad…

Roy Harper, dressed in his blue shirt and jeans, sped down the street on his motorcycle, going just enough over the speed limit that he wouldn't get caught, yet being able to make the appointment at the same time.

Can't be late, Can't be late…he thought over and over again.

He passed the nicer streets until he got deeper into the ghetto. Trash lined the buildings and people dressed in shabby clothes wandered around dark corners and alleys.

Finally he pulled up in front of an old, dilapidated corner building in downtown Star City. With the amount of paint missing the entire walls along with the lingering color, it looked like the entire building was made of Swiss cheese.

"Why did we have to meet here? The place looks like a villain's hangout..."

Roy said as he pulled off his helmet and set it on the handle, then thought better of it and picked it up again. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if it would be impolite and too informal to bring the helmet in, before rolling his eyes.

"This is ridiculous! I'm taking it inside. Screw formality!"

So he tucked it under his arm, with his face set in grim determination, pushed open the door, and hoped that the dirty, orange neon sign reading Jimmy's Chili's wouldn't suddenly fall down and hit him.

With his luck, it probably would happen.

A bell rang, but no one said 'Hello'. In the low lighting of the rotting wooden building, Roy heard a sizzle and smelled the thick layers of burned grease hanging in the air from the grill in the back of the building. In front of the bar filled with holes Roy thought originated from bullets, five tables were scattered about in the middle of a small area and six booths were lined on the far wall under a dusty, cracked mirror.

"Here of all places?" He groaned inwardly as he spied the reason he had even come to this rundown restaurant, sitting innocently in the corner booth. He trudged over and sat across from her, setting his helmet beside him.

"There you are," A sultry voice purred from behind the choices of food such asJimmy's Gut Buster Special, Chile Cheese Dogs Galore, and Chili Cheese Burgers.

She gently set the menu down and smirked at him. "You're late, and did you have to bring that inside?"

She had dressed casually, wearing blue jeans, sneakers, and a green tank top with a jean jacket.

This is bad, this is bad, this is a bad idea! Why did I even agree to this, why?

But resisting the urge to get up and leave he said, "I didn't want it stolen and, I was busy helping a friend."

He then eyed her suspiciously. "You wouldn't know anything about that, though."

"This is a date,not an interrogation," She told him and picked up the menu once more, but left it closed so she could still talk to him. "Although, your new playmate has caused quite the stir."

"What do you mean?" Roy leaned forward a little, interested in what Jade could have heard.

"I'm not sure about the details," She ran a finger down the dinner choices, fighting a smile because she knew how bad Roy wanted the information.

She glanced up to see him glare and her and laughed a little. "Alright, Red I'll tell you what I know," She leaned in to. "But you better make it worth my while…"

Roy, unfazed and resolute, told her. "I'll buy dinner."

Jade huffed back into her seat and didn't look at him. "It's a start." She spoke mostly to her herself, than addressed him once more.

"According to my sources this girl has caused quite the flub in the Light's plan. I would even go as far to say that it beats your one little set back when you and your friends freed the Justice League." She leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table, waiting to see his reaction.

Roy kept his face stoic as his memories stirred a little at the mention of what happened during New Years, but he kept his mind focused. "How big of a mess could this be?" He asked after a moment, narrowing his eyes a little at the table as his mind started turning.

"Bigger of a mess than you might think," Jade was delighted to continue and watch as his mind tried to piece it all out.

"Your friend has opened doors that would have taken a few more years for the Light to have accomplished,"

She looked at the menu again, even though she knew what she wanted, and paused for Roy to digest.

He hadn't even opened the menu; he was getting too deep in thought.

What doors are we talking about here? Batman and Canary mentioned something about inter-dimensional travel and string theory, but…

It was so mush to think about, and he was feeling tired.

Jade was watching him the whole time, and was a little disappointed that he didn't say anything and before she lost him completely added. "Like I said, I don't know much about the details, but you better keep a close eye on her."

That got his attention as she had hoped and he whipped his up to face her.

"Why are the Shadows going to kill her?"

Jade shook her head slightly and a moment later their waiter, a tall lanky teen with bad acne, came up to take their order.

Both of them ordered water, and Roy scanned the menu fuiriously to try and fond something decent enough to call food

"I'll have the Gut Burger," Jade said, glanced at Roy, then ordered for him. "And he'll have the Chili Cheese Dog.

"Al'ite," The teen drawled an walked away grabbing the menu from Jade and Roy's hands.

The red haired archer stared at her irately, "What if I didn't want the cheese dog?" He asked her.

"Well you were taking too long." Jade told him and took a sip from her drink.

Roy let it go, Just this once, he thought as he wanted to get back on track.

"So have they contracted you to kill her?" He said in a low tone.

"If they are going to 'take care of her'," Jade said stirring up her water with a straw. "They haven't contacted me yet."

"Because your trying to get out." Roy said it more as a statement and Jade sent him a look that said she really didn't want to get into this issue, but replied. "It's not an easy process."

"Ya, I know." Roy dropped the issue, knowing that it couldn't be easy to leave the Shadows and there was a short pause between, broken when Roy murmured. "I don't even know if she's all that stable."

"What do you mean?" Jade stopped playing with the water and looked at him intently, waiting for this new information.

Roy glanced at her and sighed, knowing she would only pry until he gave in. "When we fought once, she went berserk." His eye brows knitted together as he remembered the insane way Shadow had attacked them, very different than the first time.

"It was like she was out to kill us. She was out of control."

"Maybe that's just her fighting style?" Jade offered as a solution with an almost admiring tone.

"No," Roy disclaimed and picked up a fork and started tapping it lightly on the wood. "In a previous fight she was more controlled, definitely had training."

"Interesting…" Jade's curiosity was peaking and she was upset when she saw Roy shake himself out of it and tried to change the subject with, "Let's not talk about work. How was your day?"

After that Jade tried to make small talk, which Roy was not very good at, but eventually he started to warm up.

Both of them hardly noticed when their food arrived because Roy managed to tell a successful joke and Jade wound up spewing water from her nose. He was too busy dying of laughter and getting assailed by napkins to notice the eye roll the waiter gave them.

They had finished eating and Roy was signing the bill when he realized that, he didn't quite want this to end. But, I got a lot of things I need to do tomorrow. Get a hold of yourself Roy, you can't be with her. He glanced at her while she took one last drink of her water.

"Say," she set the glass down and sent him a look that he knew meant she was up to something. "Why don't you and I go for a ride?"

"Sorry, my bike doesn't fit two people," Roy lied; he had taken off the second seat in case she asked. He couldn't risk this going any longer.

Jade rolled her eyes. "I have my own bike. We'll just drive around a little."

Roy looked at her, unconvinced.

"Come on," Jade leaned in and rested an arm on the table. "What's the harm in one little drive?"

"Alright, fine," Roy stood up, grabbing his helmet. When did I become so weak?!

"That's the spirit," Jade said with a sly smile and followed him out the door.

"So where's your bike?" Roy asked when he reached his, knowing he was going toregret this desicion. She didn't answer, so he turned around.

She was gone.

Crap did she ditch me? Was it a set up?He reached for his hidden bow on his motorcycle, but, before he grabbed it, a green bike shot out of the darkness of an alley way and sped off.

Cheshire! He thought angrily while he ground his teeth together, set on the helmet, swiftly mounted his bike, revved it up, and then sped after her.

She zipped in and out of the streets, passed honking cars and yelling angry drivers.

Roy followed her through every twist and turn, all the while thinking, She's a maniac and going to get herself killed!

Eventually he saw her ride into the parking lot of a park, a wooden fence dotted with trees separated it from the asphalt. The sun was setting, coloring the pond in the distance with reds, yellows, and vibrant oranges.

Roy pulled up next to Jade as she set down the bikestand.

He pulled his helmet off, about ready to throw it at her. "You could have gotten us killed!"

"Well, you didn't have to follow." She smirked then made her way into the park.

Roy was soon behind her. "Why did you want to come here anyway?"

They were walking on a path that winded around the trees and disappeared deeper into the land.

"It just seems peaceful." Was her quiet answer.

Her olive skin and thick black hair reflected the rays of the setting sun so…beautifully that Roy had so make sure he stopped himself from staring.

Finally she stopped walking and leaned up against an oak tree, resting her hand on her palm and gazed at the sun, which was almost gone and caused the park to be bathed in shadow.

"You know we won't be able to keep this up much longer," Roy told her.

Jade shut her eyes. "Don't ruin the moment, Red, just live in it."

"You can't just ignore what's going on though. If anyone knew what we're doing, we'd both would be in some serious trouble!" He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Although, shouldn't we at least tell Artemis?"

Jade let out a short laugh. "Heh, do you really think that she would take it well?"

"How would I know? Do you two even talk much?" Roy was a little curious about the two sisters relationship.

Jade turned gracefully around and asked, "What do you think?"

"Right, dumb question for a former member of the Shadows." He stared at the grass and scratched the back of his neck. The sun was gone now and it was hard to see, though a nearby light post helped.

He felt Jade place her hand where his was, the motion startling him so much he jumped slightly.

"What are you doing?" He asked, feeling very uncomfortable at the close proximity, and the feeling of her body trapping him between the tree.

"Living in the moment," She whispered, before placing her lips on his.

He had a split second of wanting to turn and run.This was not right!

But again, instead of listening to his instincts he grabbed her around the waist and turned her so that her back was against the tree.

Kissing her was the best decision he had made that night.