Like clockwork Oliver would arrive at a certain time once a week for a month. He even stopped by on Christmas and New Years. But today he was nowhere. He was late.
Laurel paced her ARGUS cell. She hated seeing him. Hated the moments when he reminded her of Ollie. Of her Oliver who died. She didn't know how he could stand it. If he had loved her doppelgänger as much as she had loved his. Ten years and a failed marriage later and she stilled loved him.
It made her furious she had worked so hard to bury it. Bury her heart so she no longer cared, so Zoom could no longer hurt anyone she may care about. She had lost them all. Her whole family. In some way or another. Most dead, others lost to her with no way to return. But she couldn't help the trickle of concern that crept up inside.
Why wasn't he here? Had he finally given up? No that wasn't her Oliver. No. He was not her Oliver. Was he hurt?
She hated this cell. The walls made to withstand her Cry. At least that's what they thought. Maybe if she gave it all she had she could run. She could bring this whole building crumbling down. Yeah. With her inside. Angry she paced faster.
"Hey." The familiar voice stopped her cold. Relief flooded through her. Then disgust for caring for nothing more than a copy of the man she once loved. "Sorry I'm late."
"I was beginning to wondering if you've finally given up." She kept her voice cool and calculating.
"Never." He said stepping closer to the door looking in through the clear widow courtesy of Star Labs.
"Maybe next week."
"No, not next week or the week after that. Never." Determination hardened his voice.
"I should have killed you."
"But you didn't. You could have but you didn't. Why?"
'Weakness' her inner voice whispered. Some part of her had foolishly hoped that she could be free. Free from the darkness. Free from her past. That she could be this Earth's Laurel. This Laurel who had a family. Had people who still cared. This Laurel who had died. And she hated herself for that brief sliver of a chance that he would believe her would trust her.
Stalking forward to the window. She let her hatred out in the only way she knew. "When I kill you I'm going to take my time. I'm going to scream and shatter every bone in your-"
"Enough. Stop running. Stop hiding. You're not like this. Stop-" His voice rising with every word.
"Stop what, Ollie. Stop being myself. Or stop reminding you that your Laurel is gone. I'm not her. I will never be her." The venom that coated her first words had slowly worn off. She was tired. Tired of him, of one cage after another. Of the wrongness of seeing long dead faces. "Go away Oliver." She turned away from him walking to her bed.
"Ollie?" The vulnerability in his voice made her flinch. Her shoulders stiffened. "Laurel."
Damnit. She had slipped up. Fury made its way through her. "I said go away." She screamed but the cell absorbed it. She tried again and again. The cot she was given folded in on is self, the pages of her notebook fluttering. She destroyed everything she was given, which wasn't much to begin with.
She turned around ready to take it out on the door. To see if she could get to Oliver to see if she could hurt him. Hurt him the way he was hurting her, but he was gone.
Guilt and regret flooded through her. Why. Why could he stir up so much emotion when they barely spoke he never stayed long but this may have been the shortest time. Why did he still come see her? She had tried everything. Threats, targeting his insecurities, even mocking everyone he held dear, using all the information Prometheus had given her. But he still came back every week.
She screamed again.