Again, I know that Mallory's reaction was overly dramatic, but I felt like I wasn't doing her home life justice, so I wanted to have a good reason for her to move into the cave. I also wanted to give a good reason for Roy joining the team because I haven't really been talking about the mole plotline. This chapter jumps around a little bit, but I think it gets things moving in the direction they need to go. Hope you like the chapter. Of course, I'll never know unless you review...
Mallory stayed in Roy's apartment for four days. On the fifth day, Roy came home from patrol to find her packing the overnight bag she'd snuck from her house.
"You going to work things out with your folks?" he asked, leaning his bow on a chair and unstrapping his quiver.
"No, but I can't stay away from the cave much longer. Hey, thanks for sparring with me while I've been here. And thanks for letting me stay."
"Anytime, little sis," he said with a smile.
Mallory smiled and shouldered her bag. When she got to the door, she paused.
"And, Roy? I know how you feel about the team, but you're wrong. We aren't treated like sidekicks or less than. And we're family. You know you're always welcome to join. Just, think about it, all right?"
With that, she slipped out of the apartment and headed for the zeta tube.
"Mallory! Where have you been? Your parents have been calling me every few hours for the past three days," Wally said when she got to the cave.
"Sorry, I didn't think they'd bother you about it," Mallory said.
"Really? That's what you're sorry about? Where have you been?"
"Relax, Wally. I spent a few days at Roy's. Me and my parents have some stuff going on right now. Speaking of which," she said, turning to Megan and Zatanna, "I'm gonna need to stay in my room here for a while. Hope you don't mind an extra person at the cave."
"Of course not. It's your room, stay as long as you want," Megan said.
Mallory nodded her thanks. "Uh, I'm going to go to Metropolis for a few hours, I should be back in time for training," she said. She headed to her room. When she got there, she put the duffel by the bed and looked around at the room that she'd be living in for the foreseeable future.
"What happened?" Wally asked behind her.
"They're adopting a kid," she said emotionlessly.
"So?" Wally asked.
"Nothing, just that they've been making little comments for months about how they always wanted to have a kid around the house, and my mom always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Then I see that they've been going through paperwork to adopt since before I left the school, but they haven't told me anything. I know I overreacted, it just feels like they're replacing me."
"I get it. But if you know you overreacted, then why are you still moving into the cave?"
Mallory sighed. "Because I realized that our lives aren't connected, never were, really. They deserve to have a normal life with the normal kid they always wanted, and I belong here, where I don't have to explain why I have to let out some fire every now and then."
"Well, you have to talk to them. They're really worried."
She nodded. "I will. I'm going over there after training to pack up my room. I'll talk to them then."
Wally seemed satisfied with her answer and left so she could change into her costume.
That afternoon, Mallory was standing outside her house. She'd spent the day explaining her absence to the team, Isaiah, Superman, Black Canary, and Batman, and she was exhausted. But, she needed to get this done, and the sooner the better.
She knocked on the door and opened it. Elaine and Darrin came running down the stairs, but they stopped a few feet away.
"Where have you been?" Darrin asked, his tone controlled, like he was afraid if he yelled she'd run away again. Mallory shut the door. She had no intention of leaving until they'd straightened things out.
"I stayed at Roy's for a few days. I just needed some space, needed to think through some things."
Her parents clearly didn't like the answer, but they didn't say anything.
"I know I overreacted, and I'm sorry that I ran away, and that I ruined Thanksgiving."
"Oh, honey, we're sorry we didn't tell you about our decision. We just didn't know how you would react if we told you while you were still at your old school, and since you've been on the team, you haven't been around a lot," Elaine said.
Mallory took a breath. "Yeah, I know, that's actually what I came here to talk about. I, uh, I know I wasn't the ideal child, and I wasn't really around for you to raise me. I get why you want another kid, and I'm glad you have another chance for that. I mean, that's all you wanted when you took me in was to have a normal life with a normal kid, and I want you to have that. So I'm going to move into the cave. That way I won't be in the way with you starting your new life with the kid."
Her parents stared at her, dumbfounded. "Mallory, you can't really think that's what we want, " Darrin said, taking a small step towards her.
Mallory shook her head. "It's for the best. Don't you see? This way you can have the life you always wanted, and it'll be better for me, too. I won't have to worry about you or the kid getting caught up in my line of work, and I'll be able to focus more time on training."
Elaine was shaking her head slowly. "Mallory-" she started, but Mallory stopped her.
"I didn't come here to argue with you about this. I've already made up my mind. I just came to get my stuff and tell you that I'm not leaving because of the kid. It's just that our lives don't fit together."
She moved past them slowly and went to her room. She pulled out her suitcases and started packing her clothes, then looked around for what she wanted to take. She didn't have a lot of bric-a-brac, so she packed blankets and sheets and a pillow, then went to the bathroom and packed all of her stuff, putting the conditioner Wally gave her on top, then took one more look around her room. At the last second, she packed the picture of her and her parents the day she was brought home, then she lugged the bags downstairs, where her parents were still where she left them.
"Mallory, you don't have to do this," Elaine said.
Mallory sighed. "Yes, I do. I'm sorry. I love you."
Her parents hugged her, then Mallory dragged her bags to the zeta tube.
Mallory was unpacking the next day when Zatanna knocked on the door. "Hey, how you doing?" the magician asked.
"Fine. I'm almost done unpacking," Mallory replied.
"Wow, that's all you have?" Zatanna asked.
Mallory looked at the three suitcases. "Yeah. Every year we would have to empty our dorms so the school could go in and do maintenance and deep clean. It was easier not to have a lot, so I go through my stuff every few months and get rid of what I don't like anymore." Zatanna nodded.
"How long did it take you to get used to living here?" Mallory asked quietly.
Zatanna shrugged. "It's not that bad. I still get homesick sometimes, but Megan's great, and Conner at least tries."
Mallory nodded. She knew her friends wouldn't be a problem. She was worried she'd made the wrong decision, leaving home. Maybe she should just go back.
She shook her head, clearing away the doubts. Deep down, she knew she'd done the right thing.
Four days later, Mallory and Zatanna were at the cave training. Megan and Conner had gone out on a date in town, and the members of the team who didn't live at the cave weren't there yet.
While they were sparring, the zeta tube whirred to life. "Recognized, Green Arrow, 08, Red Arrow, b06," it announced.
Mallory was so surprised that she forgot she was in the middle of a fight and zatanna's fist collided with her jaw. She stumbled back, but ran off the arena floor to meet her friend.
"Roy? What are you doing here?" she asked, not so much surprised that he was there as she was that he was there with Green Arrow.
Roy shrugged. "I'm joining the team," he said.
Mallory's eyes widened. "What?"
"Yep. He finally decided to join up," Green Arrow said, putting a hand on Roy's shoulder.
Mallory stared at her friend. She knew there was more to his decision than that, but she didn't want to talk in front of the Leaguer.
"Well, Red, since you're going to be around a lot, you should probably get a tour," she said.
"That's a good idea. You go ahead, I'm going to contact the rest of the team, have them come over," Green Arrow said.
Roy followed her out the room and down the hall.
"Well?" Mallory asked.
He shrugged. "I thought you wanted me to join."
"Hey, I did, and I'm so glad you're here. But five days ago you were dead set that you couldn't. So what changed?"
"Well, GA told me that I got voted on the league. He wanted me to set a good example for you guys, or something like that. Besides, you weren't going to stop asking me to join no matter how many times I said no."
Mallory grinned. "The League? That's great, Roy! When do you get in?"
"Ollie said by year's end. I'll be out of your hair in about a month, I guess." His face grew more serious and he said, "I heard you moved out of your parents house."
Mallory nodded, the smile leaving her face. "Yeah, a few days ago," she said.
"That's good. You won't have to worry about them getting hurt that way."
"Yeah, I guess." Roy ruffled her hair. "You'll be alright. You aren't alone, just remember that."
Mallory smiled and gave him a hug, which caught both of them off guard, but they relaxed and when they let go, they smiled.
"Inferno and Red Arrow, come to the training room," Green Arrow's voice said over the intercom. They did as he said, in time to see The zeta tube deliver Megan and Conner, then Wally and Calder a moment later.
"Roy! I heard you're finally joining the team!" Wally said, and Kalder said, "I am glad, my friend."
Green Arrow put a hand on Wally's shoulder. "I know you've been wanting him to join for a while now," the Leaguer said.
The zeta tube word to life. "Recognized, Artemis, b07." Artemis appeared, looking ticked.
"Artemis, just in time. Look who's agreed to join the team," Green Arrow said, his statement punctuated by Wally's, "Finally!"
"Sure. Team's needed a real archer," Artemis said sarcastically.
Mallory and Wally exchanged a glance and Green Arrow moved to pull up a holographic screen.
"Okay, people. Listen up," he said. He pulled up a screen of Sportsmaster. "The dynamic duo's on a case in Gotham, but Batman gave me a heads up. Sportsmaster was spotted coming from the Louis Armstrong Louisiana international airport."
"In full costume?" Zatanna asked. "Nervy."
"In Street clothes. Facial recognition software picked up the ID. Find out what he's up to."
"All of us?" Conner asked. "Sounds like overkill for a shadow job."
"Perhaps a small squad. Miss Martian's camouflage abilities seem ideal," Red Tornado said.
Green Arrow tilted his head. "Actually, I thought the sidekicks," Roy, Wally, and Kalder glared at him, and he quickly corrected himself, "sorry, ex-sidekicks, could suit up on this. Aqualad, Inferno, Kid Flash, Red Arrow."
Mallory and the boys grinned at each other.
"Good. Stakeouts make me crazy," Conner said. Megan smiled at him. "We could use the night off."
"I want in," Artemis said, a little too forcefully. "With Megan and Robin out, no one's logged more hours piloting the bioship."
Green Arrow looked at her, slightly concerned. "Artemis, are you sure?" he asked.
Artemis narrowed her eyes. "Absolutely," she said.
Mallory bit her lip. "Hey, as much as I'd love to suit up on this, I don't really think my powers are going to be too useful, and with the Shadows, less is more. I'm not going."
Wally and Roy looked disappointed. "You sure, Mal?" Wally asked, and Roy said, "Really? You all but force me to join and then don't want to go on my first mission?"
She shrugged. "Sorry."
Megan smiled. "You can come with us," she said. Mallory shook her head. "Nah, I have a date," she said. The team going on the mission headed to the bioship, and Mallory changed, then zetaed to Metropolis.