Disclaimer: WB/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this.

AN: This is my take of what will happen the rest of the episodes of season 3, after episode 3x18 "Public Enemy". Partly based on previews, partly based on spoilers, it may indeed be proven right. Most likely not, though, so this will probably be AU as soon as the rest of the episodes air. Hope you enjoy.

The morning after Roy's arrest and Oliver's release, Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle were in the Arrow cave preparing to flee. They had decided to find another hideout, since they knew their current place was jeopardized. Working mostly in silence, each member concentrated on their tasks of getting the cave packed up. Meanwhile, miles away, at Iron Heights Prison, during a prisoner transfer a fight breaks out. Typical jail fight. A hidden shank pulled on an unsuspecting prisoner, and a young man ends up dead.

Oliver's phone rang. He picked it up as he was standing behind the computers. He registered it was Laurel calling as he answered. Diggle watched as the color drained out of his teammate's face, unable to determine the nature of the call because Oliver didn't make a sound as he listened. Oliver stared into space as he disconnected the phone and gently placed it on the desk. He closed his eyes as tears began to course down his tanned cheeks.

"Oliver, what is it?" Diggle asked, drawing Felicity's attention. She turned to face the men, also becoming concerned by Oliver's reactions. Her heart turned cold as she realized she had never witnessed such a look upon her friend's face before.

"That was Laurel. There….there was a fight at Iron Heights. Three men jumped Roy. They…they…"

"What are you saying?" Felicity asked, fear apparent in her voice.

"He's dead. Roy is dead." Oliver's voice sounded robotic. "He was killed in a prison fight while they were transferring him."

Dig's heart broke. For Roy, for Thea. But most of all for the young man in front of him, who was forever taking on all the world's burdens onto his shoulders. Dig knew Oliver was taking the entire blame for this, even though he really shouldn't. But Oliver was nothing if not consistent, and taking blame for everything wrong happening in his sphere of existence was his mode of behavior.

"I can't believe it happened. I can't believe Roy is dead. It is all my fault." Oliver sat down, barely registering the chair behind him. He buried his head in his hands.

Felicity shook herself out of her paralysis. "Oliver, it's not your fault."

"No use in trying to persuade him, Felicity. He's going to believe it regardless of what either of us say," Diggle said gently.

Oliver looked up from his hands and asked, "What else can I think, Digg?"

"You wouldn't be you, I suppose, without trying to carry around that ton of guilt you insist upon carrying. All the time. Despite common sense."

"How could I let him take the blame for me?"

"Oliver, you must realize that all of us have the right to our own decisions. Roy did also." Dig walked over and placed a gentle hand upon Oliver's shoulder. "He wanted to save you for once. That doesn't make you responsible. He made his own decision to take the blame. The only one at fault here are the men who killed him. And Ra's."

Oliver jumped up. "But don't you see? If I had only accepted Ra's' offer in the first place, no one would've died. None of those innocent people, not the mayor." He paused, then said quietly, "Not Roy."

Felicity said as she walked towards him, "How could you know? You said it seemed like an innocent offer, without conditions. He didn't make it sound like a threat."

Oliver shook his head. "I need some air." He grabbed his jacket and left. Felicity was about to follow him, but Diggle caught her by the arm.

"Let him be. He needs some time alone." As if he had to make himself say it, Diggle added, "He'll be fine." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Felicity or himself.

Felicity worried her lower lip. "I hope so, Dig, I hope so."

~~OQ~~FS~~OQ~~FS~~OQ~~

Oliver walked along the streets of Starling, occasionally kicking a spare pebble. He knew Diggle and Felicity were right, like they usually were. That it wasn't his fault. None of it. However, believing it went against his belief system. How could anything be right again when a young man died because of following his example? Of trying to save him, when it was his mission to begin with? Why would he be worth saving over Roy?

Suddenly a van pulled up next to him. Oliver took a defensive stance, and watched Maseo get out of the passenger side.

"Ra's wishes to speak to you, Oliver. Please come with us without trouble."

The side door of the van opened up, revealing two other assassins inside the van. Oliver decided to accompany them, to avoid any passers-by being hurt in the possible squabble.

They rode in silence for about a mile until the van stopped in front of one of the many abandoned warehouses in the Glades. Oliver got out of the van, followed by the assassins. Maseo walked in front of him into the building.

Torches were lit along the way, and at the far end of the room Ra's waited, wearing his traditional robes.

Does he always wear those damn robes? The miscellaneous thought went through Oliver's mind. Oliver prepared himself for another round of verbal battle, Ra's-style.

"Hello, Mr. Queen," the cultured tones of Ra's reached out to him.

Oliver watched as Ra's walked towards him. Again. With a look in his eyes which made Oliver very uncomfortable.

"What do you want?"

"To extend my condolences. I am so sorry for the loss of your teammate."

Oliver was torn between screaming at the man in front of him and tearing him to pieces. "He was more than just a teammate."

"I know," Ra's said in a deceptively gentle tone. The look on his face appeared sympathetic, almost like a father's to a son, but Oliver knew better.

With everything he had, Oliver struggled against the desperate need to pound Ra's into the ground. However, looking at the guards accompanying him, Oliver knew it wasn't a good idea.

"What do you want, Ra's?" Oliver gritted his teeth so hard he had the passing thought of wondering whether a person ever did break his own teeth.

"To make you an offer," Ra's said.

"Again? What is different this time?"

"You seem to have forgotten. One of the benefits of being Ra's al Ghul is inheriting the Lazarus Pits. You alone can determine who can use them to return to life after being killed."

The words echoed through Oliver's brain. Could he actually bring Roy back? Was it worth his very soul to bring the young man back? Picturing Thea's face when she learned of Roy's death made his decision a no-brainer.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

Oliver looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and let it out in a huff, closing his eyes and lowering his shoulders. He opened his eyes to see Ra's with a small smile on his lips, head slightly cocked, and waiting patiently for Oliver's answer.

"Okay, I agree to be your heir. If you bring Roy back from the dead."

"You misunderstand. I don't make you ascending to your role as Heir a condition to which the lad will be resurrected. As Heir, you will have access to the Pit. As I have said, you can choose who uses it."

"If so, I choose to accompany you to Nanda Parbat with Roy and the rest of my team. We will then resurrect my friend, and they will leave. Without further complications or conditions." Oliver paused, attempted to slow his racing heart, and said, "I will then stay and become your Heir."

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Ra's took a step forward. "I am certain, given time, you will not regret this decision." He took pleasure in the small grimace crossing Oliver's face. "I have arranged for your friend to be loaded upon our private jet. We will leave tomorrow at noon." Adopting a look of concern, Ra's continued. "That does give you enough time to settle your affairs, I hope."

As if I had any other choice.

"It should. I will see you then."

~~OQ~~FS~~OQ~~FS~~OQ~~

The remaining members of Team Arrow were all gathered in the foundry, waiting for Oliver. Oliver had sent them all a text asking them to meet there, but didn't give any other details except it was urgent.

"I wonder what Oliver wants to talk about. Any ideas, Digg?" Laurel asked.

"No. I haven't talked to him. Just received his text."

Felicity asked, "He was away on his walk for an awfully long time. Could something have happened?"

Diggle shook his head. "I don't know. At this point… I just don't know."

They were interrupted by the sound of Thea coming down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom and looked at Laurel, Felicity and Diggle.

"Ollie's not here yet?" Thea asked, looking for answers in the others' faces.

"No. You received his text as well?" Felicity asked, her face showing her surprise.

"Yeah, you too? Wonder what he wants to talk about."

Felicity walked over to Thea. She took in the younger woman's reddened eyes and weary posture. "How are you doing, Thea? I'm so sorry."

Thea flew into her open arms. "I don't know why this had to happen now. We just got back together. We were finally happy again," she stammered between sobs.

They were again interrupted by the sound of feet. Thea stopped crying with some effort as Oliver walked in, a somber look on his face.

"Thanks for coming, guys. I …I have something to tell you."

He took one last look at each teammate's face, meeting their eyes fully aware the reaction his news would have on them. His eyes rested on Thea last, noting the tear-soaked face, and he took a deep breath.

"On my walk I ran into Ra's. We had a talk." Taking a breath, he said, "I've decided to accept Ra's' offer. I'm going to be the next Ra's al Ghul."

Oliver watched as various expressions crossed his teammates' faces, as they struggled to process his news. As expected, Felicity was the first to speak.

"Why, Oliver? You need to tell us why."

"So we can get Roy back."

Four voices cried, "What?"

"You guys might not believe me, but I really do hate keeping secrets from you. It's just that…there's always so much involved with each of them." Oliver got up and walked over to the table of arrows, and picked up an arrowhead. "I know we talked somewhat about the existence of Lazarus pits."

Diggle raised an eyebrow. "Really, we had thought it was a myth."

"No, during our visit to Nanda Parbat Ra's showed me one of those pits and told me about how it has kept him alive for over 400 years."

"Four hundred years? You've got to be kidding, Ollie." Thea asked.

"No, it's true."

"So, what? You sacrifice yourself once again? For one of us?" Felicity asked.

"We get Roy back. He'd be alive. To be with you guys." Oliver looked at his sister, who was watching him with wide eyes. "To marry Thea someday. To have a family he deserves." He paused, then continued. "The plan would be…we would all go to Nanda Parbat, get Roy taken care of, and…when he's ready to travel, you would all then return to Starling. Without me."

"What about you? Don't you deserve a happy ending?" Felicity asked through her tears.

Oliver shrugged his shoulders with his characteristic sheepish look on his face he wore when he was feeling self-conscious. "Don't make me out to be some type of hero, Felicity."

Felicity walked over to Oliver and took his hand. "You still don't get it, you dummy. You are a hero. Our hero. Why do you always have to be so self-sacrificing all the time?"

Anger crossed Oliver's face, and he pulled his hand away. "Don't you think I don't want to be? I never wanted this." He spread his arms out, taking in the surroundings of the foundry. "Any of this. Don't ask me why these things keep happening to me, but they do." He sighed, anger disappearing into reluctant acceptance. "They just keep happening, so what else can I do?"

"We could…" Diggle started.

"No, I've thought of it all. No army exists which could storm Nanda Parbat. There's really nothing I can do to stop Ra's from pursuing his insane desire to make me his heir. Nothing." Oliver gave Diggle a weary look. "I'm just tired of this. He has left me with no other move. I can't have anybody else killed because of this."

Diggle looked at Oliver, then at Thea, whose eyes were appearing glassy. He shared a look with Felicity, who gave a little shrug then nodded her head reluctantly. Diggle looked back at Oliver and nodded. Team Arrow was heading for Nanda Parbat.

AN: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think. And enjoy the new Arrow episode airing this week. I sure will! (Despite the foreshadowed sadness.)