The Archer | T.D. ✔

Chapter Nine

Rory awoke with a splitting headache and a pain in the side of her neck the next morning. What the hell happened last night? Looking on her nightstand she saw a note: 

"Ivy toxin gives you a killer hangover, take this. It will help."

~Tim

Rory looked and saw a couple of pills sat there with a bottle of water. Slowly she sat up and took the Advil and sighed. How did she get Ivy toxin in her system and why was her neck sore? With a groan, she got up and grabbed her robe and pulled it around herself. Looking in the mirror as she passed it, Rory sure as hell looked hungover.

Her eyes had bags and her hair was a complete mess, and was that a bruise on her neck? What had happened to her? The last thing she could remember was running from the giant monster plants and calling Tim an idiot, something to do with potatoes and lemons. But after that was completely blank.

Exiting her room, she heard commotion downstairs. Following the noise, she entered the kitchen and saw the entire Wayne family including  Bruce. Hearing the door, Jason turned to look and saw Rory there.

"Well if it isn't Sleeping Beauty, need a kiss to wake you princess?" he grinned.

At his words, everyone snorted a laugh and Tim almost choked on his food. Eyeing them all, Rory grew more suspicious. "What the hell are you talking about Jay?" she asked, grabbing a cup of coffee and drinking it immediately. 

"What do you mean, 'what the hell am I talking about'? According to Timbo and Babs, you made out with Ivy last night." he grinned, taking a bite of his apple.w

It was Rory's turn to choke on her coffee. "Excuse me? I did not." 

"You did when Jay and I got there the two of you were in a total lip lock. Speaking of which, how does the hangover feel?" Dick tried to hide his grin behind his cup.

"Why the hell would I kiss Poison Ivy, last I checked supervillains were not my thing boy, girl or other," Rory said sitting in the only open seat there was and that happened to be between Tim and Jason, and across from Dick.

"Should you tell her Timmy, or should I?" Jason teased, poking Rory in her side. 

"Don't touch me again, Jason," she said trying to drink her coffee in peace, and then looked at Tim awaiting an explanation. "Tim?"

Tim had been silent the entire time and barely looked at her, and Rory was confused as to why missing the looks Dick seemed to be giving them.

"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked, almost seeming afraid of her answer.

"It was when we were running from those monster plants of hers, I said you were an idiot and I vaguely remember something about potatoes and lemons. But everything is blank after that, I'm guessing that is a side effect from Ivy's toxic kiss?" she asked.

"Yup, isn't that right Bruce?" Jason called out with a grin. If looks could kill, Jason would be six feet under, again.

"Well, we managed to get away from those plants but we walked into a trap. She caught us and she was going to kiss me, but you managed to convince her to kiss you instead. When I asked you about it once we were out, you said it was better you than me. What did you mean by that?" Tim asked, his voice was quieter than usual and he was acting really odd, too odd for Rory's liking.

"I'm guessing I just wanted to protect my best friend. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you dragon boy," she admitted, it seemed like a reasonable explanation and she was sure Tim would have done the same.

When Rory called Tim her best friend, his heart plummeted. Of course, she had thought of him as her friend and her friend only. 

"But none of this explains the bruise on my neck and why it hurts so much."