He has returned. A simple message that spoke volumes with a clear message. A clear message for a selected few to understand.
Oliver Queen. The vigilante known as The Arrow has returned. Returned back here after just a few shorts months away.
Months that have been nothing but short. Hard could be one way to describe them. Heart breaking another.
The word though that could be best describe his absence has been change. A massive change in the way things have operated.
Team Arrow. That is the name that they have taken up. A team that has operated secretly inside of the city just like old times.
Only this time there was a new leader. One of the founding members of the team or so she thought. A woman that silently follows after two of her companions as they make their way quietly through an abandoned warehouse.
An abandoned warehouse just on the outskirts of the city where a meeting was to be taking place. A meeting in which a live was at stake.
Nyssa al Ghul. Youngest daughter of the demon. A woman that has proven to be a strong ally as she has hidden inside of the city away from her father.
Away from the very way of life that she had been brought up to believe. A woman that was set to be brought back home by a selected group of assassins lead by Oliver Queen himself.
An altercation that even she couldn't believe that she was about to have. Couldn't believe that this friend had turned.
Couldn't believe that this once hero had gone dark. Something that she just couldn't believe. She just couldn't.
Her heart wouldn't believe it. Her heart couldn't allow her to believe it. Couldn't allow her to believe that this man.
This man that she had only met a few short years ago would actually become the very thing that he had sworn to fight.
But he had. At least she thought so anyways. A small speck of hope that could be seen in her eyes gave her away.
This speck of hope that as she silently follows after her companions she can't help but gauge the reaction of another.
The woman standing directly in front of her. A truly amazing woman. An woman that has been through so much.
A woman that in a short period of time has gone from being one of the most successful lawyers inside of the whole city to be a full out kickass vigilante.
She guessed it must have run in the family. Dinah Laurel Lance. The second Black Canary. A woman that she sees with the same look of concern across her face as her eyes constantly dart around looking for any sign of an ambush clutching one of her trusty police batons in her hand.
A woman that she was deeply concerned about. A woman that everyone knew already of her past history with the man in question.
A pain filled history. Pain of betrayals. Pain of lies. And yet they always found their way back to each other.
Soul mates. That was the best way she knew how to describe it. An phrase that she had thought was nothing but a mere fairytale when her mother had spoken the words to her.
But it was true. It was no mere fairytale. It was reality. It was their reality. This reality that everyone could see.
A reality that despite everything the other would do to the other. Despite all of their hardships they would always end up together.
They would always fight for each other. The same fight that she can see in the slightly older woman's eyes as she follows after her.
See the determination in her eyes to claim back what has always been hers. To claim him back or go down fighting.
A claim so strong that nobody would stand a chance. Nobody would be able to get between them. A claim that even she was no foolish enough to think about testing.
This woman that she couldn't help but feel deeply concerned for. Concerned where exactly her mind was at.
Concern that only passes with every passing second she follows after her while their companion walks a couple of feet in front of them with his weapon of choice in the form of a handgun already locked and loaded resting firmly in his hand by his side.
But all of that suddenly goes out the window when the sound of a familiar voice is heard echoing from around the corner.
A voice that she could recognize from anywhere. A voice that she cautionless makes her way towards following after Laurel as she sees the older woman silently moving just a couple feet behind Diggle gripping her baton hard with both of her gloved hands.
Move forward until suddenly she stops and a small gasp escapes her lips. There he is. Oliver Queen. The man that had been left behind in Nanda Parbat.
Only this man didn't look like the Oliver that she knows. No something was off about him. Something was different about him.
This man that silently watches with a stone cold look across his face as two assassins bind a silent and willing Nyssa's wrists together behind her back.
A man that she can't help but watch with wide eyes turn to look in their direction. Turn her gaze towards them with something in his eyes.
With this look as though he was expecting them. This look as though he was ready to fight. A look that is recognized by one of her companions as Felicity glances away for a brief moment to find Diggle raising up his handgun with a bit of hesitation.
This hesitation to turn the end of his gun towards a man that they have called a friend for years. But nothing could prepare her for what is about to come next.
For what is about to happen when she hears the click of the barrel being pushed back until it happens. A vicious strike that happens so fast like a blur.
A vicious strike to the back of her companion's head curiosity of a police baton that sends him flying forward down to one knee as the handgun in his hand goes flying landing down onto the cold ground with a clang.
This sudden attack that she has only time to turn her head before the end of the baton comes smashing into her stomach knocking the wind out of her.
Knocking the breath out of her causing her to drop down to her knees clutching her stomach in pain as she tries to catch her breath.
Breaths that are hard and in between as she looks up and watches in total shock Laurel casually make her way forward past Diggle and kick his gun away with her heel before slowly she makes her way almost casually across the room heading straight towards Oliver.
Makes her way over discarding her domino mask to the side as though it meant truly nothing to her before to the blonde tech girl's shock she watches Oliver reach out pulling Laurel into his chest and gives her a deep kiss.
This kiss that she can only watch in shock is returned with equal passion as her arms come up to snake around the back of his neck while his hands roam down to grasp a tight hold of her ass pulling her even closer to him.
Breaking away from the kiss leaning forward gently Laurel rubs her nose against Oliver's own as a bright smile comes across her face.
" You have no idea how long i've been waiting to do that."
Returning the smile slightly as he feels her bringing him back into a kiss gently Oliver squeezes her ass cheeks causing a silent yet pleased moan to escape her lips before he breaks off the kiss to turn his head back forward to find a mixture of emotions across the faces of two individuals.
The first that looks up towards them with nothing but hatred in his eyes. This look that showed just how exactly he was feeling inside.
Betrayal. This sudden betrayal by someone that he thought he could trust. Someone that he thought highly of.
A woman that now looks down towards him with almost this sickening satisfied smirk across her face. This look that makes his facial features harden even more with every passing second.
As for the other. The other remaining woman looks up towards them with nothing but shock riddled across her face.
This shock with so many questions radiating from her eyes. These unanswered questions being directed towards the one woman that she thought she could trust.
A woman that as though was sensing her eyes on her turns and looks her way before she lets out a chuckle as she comes to stand in front of Oliver with his arms hugging her from behind.
" Why?"
Not even bothering to suppress the bitter chuckle that escapes her lips glancing over her shoulder back towards Oliver seeing his eyes locked forward on the blonde woman kneeling down before them turning her head back forward casually Laurel shrugs her shoulders as her lips curl up into a small smile.
" Why not?"
Feeling her eyes starting to sting gritting her teeth making her way up to her feet stumbling forward reaching out just as she reaches down and starts to help Diggle up to his feet suddenly Felicity snaps her head back when a familiar sound invades her ear drums.
The sound of an arrow being cocked. Only this time it wasn't just one arrow being cocked. No there were multiple.
Multiple arrows being directed their way by the countless assassins under the couple's command. Arrows just waiting to be unleashed.
A sight that she can't help but look towards with a horrified and scared look coming across her face before she turns her gaze quickly away to look over towards the couple with pleading eyes.
Eyes that just plead with them not to do this. Plead with them to stop this madness. Pleading with them that it isn't too late for them to change their ways.
This look that only makes Laurel shake her head slightly out of pity before she glances over her shoulder to find Oliver's eyes coming back down to meet her own.
A scene so many have seen countless times before. This scene that has been described by another as them going off into their own little world.
No words needed to be spoken. No gestures needed to be made. No nothing but staring into the others eyes.
This almost sense of knowing exactly what the other was thinking. Knowing exactly what the other wanted to do.
Staring deep into his eyes as she sees him nod his head slightly feeling her lips curling up into a smile turning to look to her side without any delay Laurel nods her head slightly causing a series of motions to occur.
Causes every single assassin to unleash their arrows sending them soaring through the air. Soaring through the air towards a shell shocked Felicity before she is suddenly pushed away.
Pushed away causing her to land down hard on the ground with a thud before she quickly snaps upright to a sitting position only for her eyes to go wide as saucers.
" John!?"
John Diggle. Codenamed Spartan. That had been the name he designed himself. A name giving him an identity.
An identity that he has held proud for these past few months. Spartan. A name that had been feared. A name that she wished would be feared further.
A man that she looks up in shock to find him barely standing with multiple arrows sticking straight into his chest.
Some that she could see hadn't made their way through his kevlar armor but not all of them could be said to have ended up this way.
No a few had hit their mark causing the ground below him to slowly be covered in a puddle of blood. A puddle that grows bigger by the second before suddenly it splashes everywhere in sight when he drops down to his knees clutching the end of one of the arrows tightly in his hand.
Clutches before in a sudden move he rips the arrow out from his shoulder causing Felicity to snap out of her shock and scramble over to kneel by his side.
Kneel down only for tears to trickle down her cheeks. Blood. So much blood. Almost as if she was watching a scene from a horror movie.
But this wasn't a horror movie. No this was reality. Reality that has turned into a nightmare. Her worst nightmare.
A nightmare that only gets worse by the second as she sees Diggle slowly lifting his head to look up only for an arrow to come soaring into his left shoulder causing Felicity to jump back in shock before another arrow hits him clean in the right shoulder.
So clean that a scream of pain escapes his lips that echoes off the walls. A scream in which she has never heard from him before.
A scream that makes her snap her head back forward only for her eyes to go wide in absolute horror. An image that would never forget.
The image of Laurel Lance. The Black Canary rearing back an arrow with a smile across her face and her eyes firmly closed as Oliver holds her in a loving embrace whispering softly into her ear causing her smile to only widen.
This sight that makes her tears intensify before suddenly she watches Laurel unleash the arrow sending it soaring through the air.
Soaring through the air that for a brief moment she felt as though time was slowing down. As though the impossible was happening allowing her to watch the arrow spin perfectly through the air.
Spin through the air before suddenly everything turns back to normal and she watches the arrow land clean against its mark straight through Diggle's skull causing his head to snap to the side and his body to fall back in a heap to stare in her direction with lifeless eyes.
Such a look that makes her turn quickly away and empty out her stomach onto the ground causing a chuckle to be heard.
" It was so easy."
Snapping her head up as she sees Laurel grinning down towards her instantly an intense glare comes across Felicity's face.
" Making you think i was your friend. Letting me in on your secrets."
Keeping her eyes locked on Felicity suddenly as she feels Oliver's arms wrapping around her from behind reaching down gently Laurel lays her hands down on top of his own holding them in place.
" You are so predictable…."
" Why!?"
Glancing over her shoulder as she sees Oliver staring straight ahead at Felicity with an emotionless look across his face reaching up gently Laurel lays her hand down on his cheek causing to her pleasure his facial features softening as she feels him leaning into her touch.
" When Oliver told me of his decision to accept Raus al Ghul's offer, I didn't know what to think at first.
What i did know was i couldn't lose him. Not again. Not after, I had just got him back so i made a choice. A simple choice. I did what, I needed to do…."
" So what!? You sold your soul to the devil!?"
Letting out a chuckle shrugging her shoulders gently Laurel leans back in Oliver's embrace as she stares down towards Felicity with a grin making its way across her face.
" If that is what you want to believe so be it. I could care less. The point of the matter is, I made a deal with the demon.
I get to have my soulmate by my side for eternity. In exchange, I provided my services to him. This city.
The fantasy world you live in is this sick place. A place that needs to be cleansed and we will do so. You said once before a new era was approaching and you were right."
Without looking away suddenly as she sees Laurel wiggling out of Oliver's embrace to approach her feeling her eyes going wide instantly Felicity jumps up slightly in surprise when she sees Laurel kneeling down next to her resting her gloved hand on her cheek.
" A new era is coming. You just didn't see the bigger picture."
Before she has a chance to respond suddenly as she feels a pinch in the side of her neck suddenly Felicity's world goes black.
" There is now vow more sacred noir covenant or holy than the one between man and woman. With this ceremony your souls are bound together…."
Hearing a voice off in the distance feeling her head spinning opening her eyes only to close them almost instantly from a bright light shining into them letting out a groan as she hears the sound of a woman's voice filling the air slowly Felicity cracks open her eyes only for them to snap open with shock at what she sees.
A darkened room. A familiar looking room. A room that she had been in once before. A room that as she glances around quickly to find countless members of the league of assassins standing on guard with their swords drawn and raised high up into the air.
Assassins that she can't help but stare in shock as she barely catches anything that a lone woman's voice is saying until one voice suddenly makes her head snap forward.
A familiar voice. The voice of Laurel Lance. This voice that she follows only to find another shock. Laurel Lance standing before an altar with Oliver by her side.
Standing by an alter wearing a unique black wedding dress dress as she stares into Oliver's eyes with a bright smile across her face.
A scene truly like no other. A scene that she can only watch in horror as she sees the couple turn towards a woman standing before them.
Turn towards her extending their free hands out towards her before she gently takes each of their hands in one of her own.
" The union has been sealed."
Just as the words leave her mouth releasing a breath that she was holding suddenly in perfect unison Felicity watches Oliver and Laurel turn their heads to look in her direction.
Turn in her direction with different emotions plastered across their faces but the most disturbing was the one that she could see across Laurel's face.
This sweet smile. This too sweet of a smile. A smile that only widens as she sees her approaching causing Felicity to stumble back in an attempt to put some kind of distance between them only to find herself unable to do so.
Unable to do so as she quickly looks over her shoulder to find herself bound up against a pillar in a tight chain that digs deep into her wrists.
Unable to keep the pleased smile from coming across her face slowly Laurel comes to a complete stop in front of Felicity and watches with satisfaction as she desperately tries to break free of her binds causing a small trail of blood to trickle down her exposed wrists to the ground below.
" I'm so glad you could make it. We couldn't very well have a wedding without a bridesmaid now could we?"
Instantly as she sees Felicity snapping her head to look up towards her with wide eyes feeling her smile widening without looking away slowly Laurel twirls around.
" Like my dress? I thought it fit the occasion. After All it's not everyday that you have a wedding and a execution scheduled on the same day."
Seeing the pure panic radiating from her eyes kneeling down gently Laurel lays her hand down on Felicity's cheek only to feel her push her hand away by snapping her head to look the other way.
A sudden act of defiance that makes Laurel's smile drop slightly as her facial features harden before in a sudden move she cups Felicity's chin roughly in her hand and turns her head to face her.
" We know what you did….murder."
Instantly as she sees Felicity's eyes go wide for a brief moment before turning back to glare at her slowly Laurel's lips curl upward.
" That's right. They might have sealed the records but that still doesn't change the fact at what you've done.
It was you and you alone that cost the lives of eight police officers. Eight good officers. Innocent officers. Some of the good guys. Men that left familes behind thanks to you."
Unable to keep the tears from trickling down her cheeks as she sees Laurel shaking her head just as she opens her mouth to respond suddenly Felicity's eyes go as wide as saucers as she scream out in pain when she feels something sharp digging deep into her stomach.
Something sharp that is being twisted further into her stomach causing her to look down to find the end of a knife being lodged deep into her stomach.
This sudden strike that instantly engulfs her white shirt into a crimson mess as trails of her blood trickle down her stomach and onto her jeans.
" You think you are so pure…."
Snapping her eyes up to meet Laurel's own as she stares into nothing but a pair of furious green eyes without having a chance to react instantly Felicity throws her head back and lets out an ear piercing scream when she feels the knife being ripped out of her stomach rather viciously.
" You think you are so innocent but in the end you are just like the rest of us."
Suddenly feeling the cold steel of the blade coming to rest against her throat turning her head to look back up towards Laurel before she has a chance to respond suddenly Felicity's eyes go as wide as saucers when she feels the older woman slash her throat with a flick of her wrist.
This sudden pain that fills her causing her to choke on her own blood as she tries to scream before after just a mere few seconds her world goes black and her body goes limp as her head comes to bow down.