2012-06-11 - Cutscene: Heroes Crisis - Family Reunion

Returning home was a nightmare for Arsenal. The condition of the Titans Tower had him in a panic. Only Starfire appearing by him and holding him kept him from going mad on the spot. What he felt, what he thought, Roy never wishes to remember it. He could not operate, it as if everything turned off and he was dead. While the other Titans rallied to go help others, Starfire fretted over Roy. Her words fell on deaf ears in trying to get him to move. Until finally, she had to leave; people needed her.

Roy could not leave the Titans Tower. He was hurt, his clothing ripped up, dehydrated, hungry, but none of it seemed to register. He went through the remains and could not find the body of his daughter. Does that mean she was alive or buried beneath the debris? He went through the debris till his hands bled, yet he could not stop. He could not cry, or perhaps he did.

Starfire returned late, pulling Roy away and trying to plead reason to him. She tried to soothe, to comfort, and to give hope. The few hours sleep gained, was Roy gripped in nightmares, and Starfire calming him. Roy cannot forget those nightmares, or the whisper of the voice of Starfire drawing him back from the abyss.

Before the sun was fully peaked above the edge of the waters, Roy was already searching again through the debris. Starfire was calling for him though, but he did not respond. It was not till he heard a high pitched; "Daddy!" that Roy came back alive. He felt his heart beat; he felt he could breathe again. And he ran toward the voice.

He tripped and hit a knee hard on some debris, but stood back up and began to run again. Starfire was there, his little girl holding her hand. Lian let go, still wearing her Red Arrow outfit and her little quiver of arrows as she ran toward her daddy. When Roy got his arms about his little girl, he cried tears of joy.

It felt forever, but was likely minutes before Lian with her own eyes tear filled complained she could not breathe and Roy had to loosen her grip. Roy finally looked up then, seeing a slightly battered Rose, and a fully decked out Deathstroke behind her staring at him. Deathstroke. Perhaps no one had a more complicated relationship with the Titans than him.

No matter that Roy would rather not see Deathstroke for the rest of his life. In this moment, he could have been no more thankful. "Thank you, both of you," his voice cracking.

Lian, with her own face tear streaked says, "Daddy, you got beat up again."