Green Arsenal - Broken Arrow

Part One - Miss Him

***The end of the episode "Public Enemy"***

Out of nowhere, the police car shook as hard as if there was an earthquake. The two men in the back were being thrown around like rag dolls. The car jumped up and down and slid to the sides, a loud banging noise coming from its roof.

"What the h*ll are your people doing?" Captain Lance yelled at Oliver Queen harshly, a look of anger and panic in his eyes.

"I told them to stand down," Oliver replied defensively, looking around in worry, not wanting to even imagine what Team Arrow has done to get him out.

"I guess your word carries as much with them as it does with me," Captain Lance remarked maliciously, looking back at Oliver as he hurried to get out of the now stopped car.

Lance jumped out of it, pulling out a gun with incredible swiftness - while serving for years in the police he had developed instincts - and whipping around, his black jacket swooshing behind him like a cape, pointing the said gun up at the police car's rooftop. A silhouette of a man stood there, a man in a hood, holding a bow, arrows strung on his back.

"Get down on the ground!" Captain Lance shouted hoarsely, with police officers crowding up behind him. The man didn't follow Lance's order, instead, gracefully leaping down from the rooftop and landing in front of the Captain. As he stood up, Lance tried again, backing away and moving forward once more, as if doing a strange, formless dance. "Get down on the ground!" He yelled, shoving the gun into the man's face.

The man slowly raised his hands up, speaking in the low, rusty, fabricated voice.

"You've got the wrong guy!" He declared, getting down on his knees cautiously, arms still in the air. "Oliver Queen isn't the Arrow," he continued, pulling off his hood, revealing the face of a guy in his early twenties, with a strong jawline, short, windswept, brown hair, and teal-colored eyes filled with fear, yet determination. A look that stated, "There's no turning back now."

Roy Harper spoke again, trembling as he did so. "I am!" He announced, and, as the crowd filled up with low chatter of disbelief, looked back, giving Oliver a slight nod. Oliver, who sat there, in the car, paralysed didn't nod back at him, and just looked at Roy incredulously, pure terror written all over his face.

..........................................................................................................................................................

Roy sat in the dusty investigation room all alone. He kept his head down, as if in shame, almost like he was expecting someone to walk in and bash him. Or maybe it was just the man himself who felt cynicism.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he peered at the slightly open window in the middle of the wall in front of him. The paltry crack allowed a glint of pure gold, blinding sunlight to pour in, lighting up the boring and dull, shadowy room. Roy squinted at it, tilting his head slightly. The bright, titan rays jumped around on the wall behind him like tiny, dancing fairies. Roy couldn't help that a hint of faint, bittersweet smile appeared on his face.

That's when he heard the door creak open. He snapped his head to look at whoever has come in, feeling a rush of relief and joy and shame all at once, when he saw his boyfriend entering.

Oliver moved as smoothly as a cat, carefully closing the door without a sound. He's still wearing the same coat he had on yesterday, Roy silently noted. He walked towards Roy in a cautious and soft manner, however, it did not pass Roy's attention that the man was basically dragging his feet with every step. Roy's assumption on Oliver's mood was proven correct when the latter looked up, revealing a somber expression, with dark circles under his beautiful, blue eyes that had a gleamingly dull emotion in them, that could only be described as a heavy heart.

Roy wanted to look down instinctively, unable to watch misery cloud his boyfriend's face and knowing it was his fault... nonetheless, he didn't; he just couldn't seem to rip away his gaze from the older man, like his eyes were glued to him, as he walked towards the spot in front of Roy, pulling out a chair from underneath the table.

Seemingly out of habit, Oliver looked around tensely as he sat down. He folded his hands on the table in front of him, leaning slightly forwards. Roy subconsciously mirrored his actions, leaning forwards as well.

"Why the h*ll did you do this?" Oliver almost whispered, his voice - a hiss of a snake, venomous and dangerous, and yet with an affectionate undertone, made of genuine care and concern.

Roy sucked in a breath like he was preparing to dive into an ocean of water.

"I had to do it," Roy spoke tentatively, words so simple; he saw no need for a complicated explanation, he knew this wasn't gonna get him anywhere. "Do you remember that night you saved my life?"

Oliver nodded ever-so-slightly, just a barely noticeable movement of his head, still fully engaged in the conversation. "I wanted to save yours, too. Besides, I love you. I would do anything to keep you out of jail."

Oliver sighed loudly, and, just as Roy had expected, began ranting. "You can't go to jail for me, Roy! I made this decision knowing what I was doing, knowing that, with this, I could protect you!"

Roy shrugged. "We, I and the team, couldn't let you do it. You're too important to us. I deserve this, anyways."

"Roy," Oliver winced in sympathy at his boyfriend's words, "that cop's death wasn't your fault!"

"That doesn't matter," Roy continued bitterly, in a tired tone. He didn't want to argue, besides, it was useless - no matter what Oliver could've said, he wouldn't be able to change his mind. "He's dead, even though I didn't intend to kill him, he's gone because of me. Mirakuru or no Mirakuru, I deserve to serve justice for taking an innocent man's life."

Oliver grabbed Roy's hands roughly, cupping them, squeezing them, like they were the only way Oliver could hold on to that thin string of reason and hope he had for Roy. Roy felt a painful pang in his chest - he almost wished that he could be rescued from this place by Team Arrow, just to cease Oliver's suffering for him. Almost.

"Roy, this city still needs you! I need you!" Oliver blurted in desperation, eyes - slits of oceanic blue filled with agony and wistfulness. Oliver's hands felt warm and reassuring on Roy's, despite everything, so he didn't pull away. "This city needs you more," Roy murmured, staring into Oliver's eyes in conviction. It is the truth, Roy thought.

"We can find a way the city can have both of us! You'll see, Dig, Felicity, and I will get you out of here!" Oliver nearly shouted, clutching Roy's hands tightly once more. Now, in a much steadier tone, he went on, "You're not going to jail, Roy, as long as I have a say in it, you understand?"

Roy slowly shook his head at Oliver's words. Oliver ignored his response, bunglingly getting out of his chair, so unlike how he walked before, hiking over to Roy's seat in a hurry.

Roy tilted up his face in an indication of a kiss, however, he did not get one. Not on the lips, at least. Oliver seized his shoulder with an iron grip, quickly stating, "We're gonna make a plan and you will be back with us in no time, Roy," followed by him ruffling Roy's hair (something he still did, although Roy was 23 and the two had been dating for roughly 6 months now), and planting a swift peck on top of his head before basically jogging off, and out of the investigation room.

Roy stared after him, and at the door after Oliver was long gone. "I'm gonna miss him the most", Roy spoke under his breath, finally letting himself be consumed by heartbreak and gloom, as a single, silent tear ran down his pale cheek.