Lost Stars

Chapter Twelve

-Athena's POV-

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Roy asked, staring at me. That stare had been showing up more often since I came back to Gotham. I hated it. It was a look that had been on everyone's face. It was an unsure and concerned look. I hated that everyone was now unsure if I could handle myself.

Although I was slightly angry, I decided to let it go. "Are you? Last time we trained together I remembered a sparring session that didn't go in your favor," I winked as Roy unlocked his training warehouse.

"I've been training hard these past few months," Roy let the mood get playful, "I think I can beat you."

"Well, then let's go." I walked in and glanced around. Roy had redecorated. I pulled off the bow and quiver him and Artemis had given me for my nineteenth birthday. Thinking back to that awful birthday party, I was happy that my twenty first birthday was almost six months away.

I stood in front of a target and lined up my shot. Drawing back, a fired one of my special arrows. It hit right on the edge of the bulls eye. Roy chuckled and grabbed his bow. He closed his eyes and fired. His arrow struck dead center.

I crossed my arms. "Show off."

Roy strode over to me and grabbed my bow from me. "You would think that the League of Assassins would teach their students archery," he glanced over his shoulder and fired an arrow, "guess not."

I followed as the arrow twisted through the air. Once again, it hit dead center. The arrows were side by side. I ripped his bow away from him and notched an arrow. "They did teach me. I'm just out of practice," I said. I let an arrow go. It went through the air and straight through Roy's arrow. "See?"

"Beginner's luck," Roy stood behind me and wrapped his arms around mine, "like this." He slowly raised my arms and guided my hands. Achingly steady, Roy pulled the arrow back, his fingers locked around mine.

I had never felt anything for Roy before. I had known that he had liked me, that was obvious. But, no matter how much he did, I had never felt myself love him. Now that Dick refused to even talk to me, Roy's romantic actions went from platonic to heart felt. A deep, warm feeling spread from my toes to my fingers. I turned to look at Roy just as he let the arrow go. He watched the arrow zip through the air before looking down at me. We met eyes.

I leaned forward, stepping up a little on my toes. Before anything could happen, a knock on the door turned our attentions away. Roy walked away from my embrace to go check the door. With him gone, I shivered. I hadn't been held in someone's arms in so long. What had I become?

Roy unlocked the door and let someone in. I instinctively clutched my bow. Donna stood beside Roy. She tossed her black hair over her shoulder and gasped when she saw me. I expected her to be as hateful as she was before. Instead, she ran forward and picked me up.

Wonder Girl was strong. I already knew that. But, I had never been hugged by her. That was when she was really strong. Donna hugged me closed to her chest, burying my face into her hair. She enveloped me in her grasp. It was so strange. I expected her to hate me. Just like Dick. But, she just hugged me.

After several moments of awkwardness, Donna let me down. She smiled softly. "I'm just glad you're alright. Roy described you as so much worse," She said, studying me. I laid my bow down. I studied her back, skeptically.

"Well, last time I saw him, I was in a pretty bad state," I replied. Roy nodded solemnly in agreement.

"Yes. Well, I'm glad you built your body back up. And that you got some training in with the worst archer in Starling City," Donna teased, tossing a glance at Roy over her shoulder.