A/N: So this is my very first attempt at a crossover, so I am sure I will make some mistakes. But I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.
A/N2: I don't own Vampire Diaries or Arrow or any of the characters. I might have an OC show up at some point, but not sure yet.
A/N3: Huge thanks to sparkyCSI for all her help with this.
One
Walking into his bedroom after five long years and seeing it was exactly as he left it was a total surprise. Being on the island had taught him many lessons and he knew now that he was home he would have to become a better man than what he had been. Swiftly moving to his dresser, he opened the top drawer and saw the old shoe box was still there. Carefully lifting it out of the dresser, he made his way over to his bed and sat down with the box. Opening the top of it, he couldn't help but smile at how it was thrown together in a messy way. He had tossed everything into the box before packing for the trip with his dad. Five years ago.
Picking up a few pieces of torn paper he had to smile when he turned them over and saw they were the movie tickets he had taken her to. She hadn't been impressed with his movie choice, but then again neither of them had really paid attention to the movie. Being in the dark theater with the beautiful blonde sitting next to him had been just too tempting for him. There were many times in the last five years where his thoughts had gone dark and the one thing that truly brought him back was her. Picking up a picture, his eyes locked onto her smile. They had been at a hotel, one of many that they had gone to in the month and a half that she had been in Starling City.
After placing the picture back in the box, the sapphire and diamond bracelet caught his attention. Taking it into his hand, he set the box next to him and looked at it. The jewels were beautiful and expensive. It wasn't something she could afford on her single mother's salary, but it had been a gift from her uncle. A birthday gift is what she told him. Near the clasp was a charm with an engraving upon it. On the front it read To: C.F. and on the back it read From: M.M. & T.M.
"Are you planning to spend your entire day in your room?"
Glancing up, Oliver Queen saw his best friend enter his bedroom. He hadn't been expecting him to show up until much later or he wouldn't have taken out the box.
"Tommy…did we have plans?" Oliver asked, not remembering making any plans for the day, at least that he could recall.
"I just thought that I would-"
Tommy Merlyn stopped mid-sentence when he saw what his best friend was holding. "Is that Caroline's bracelet?"
Looking down at the piece of jewelry in his hand, Oliver could remember her wearing it when they had been sneaking around behind everyone's backs. She had worn it every time that he saw her with or without Tommy.
Looking up into his friend's eyes, he nodded as he held it out to his friend. "Yeah, I found it by the pool after you had taken her to the airport to come back home. I put it away until I got back from the trip with my dad."
Tommy's eyes softened up at the mention of Oliver's deceased father. Oliver had five years to process it as did everyone else, but it hadn't been as real for everyone back home as it had been for Oliver. To survive the boat going down while his father didn't make it, Tommy couldn't even imagine the grief that his best friend had gone through.
"She freaked out for so long because she couldn't find it. It was a gift from me and the old man. When he found out it was missing he was going to replace it but she didn't want a new one, she wanted that one. So Malcolm Merlyn did what he does best, he bought her matching earrings."
"Did that make it better for her?"
"She hasn't taken them out of the box. She has thanked him for them, but she says that it isn't the same. She'd rather have the bracelet back."
"And now she can." Oliver said, a small smile upon his face as Tommy finally took the bracelet into his possession.
"Now she can."
Glancing at the bracelet, Tommy knew that his cousin would be ecstatic about having it back. He wasn't sure if he would tell her over text or wait for her to make a decision about coming to visit him. She was out of school and didn't need her mother's permission to come back to visit the only other family she had left.
"How is Caroline doing?"
"Better now," Tommy said as he took a seat in a chair near the dresser. "A few years ago she fell in with a bad crowd and paid the price for it."
"Drugs?" Oliver asked, surprised to hear that the young woman that he had developed feelings for had turned down such a dark path. It just didn't seem as if that would ever be a choice she would make, especially with her mother in law enforcement.
"She doesn't talk about it. Caroline has this issue where if she is trying to move past it she won't want to talk about it or anything related to it. I never got the full story, but from what my Aunt Liz said, it wasn't her choice. Someone forced her into it and now she lives with the knowledge of how things can go bad in a short period of time."
"When did it happen?" Oliver inquired.
"About three years ago. It has been a rough three years for her, but she's finally getting back to my beautiful and perky cousin that is the one good thing in my family."
"She was not what I was expecting when you introduced us that summer."
Being at the home of his best friend Tommy Merlyn was nothing new for him. Oliver Queen was comfortable wherever he went and just because he wasn't in his father's mansion did not mean that he wouldn't make himself comfortable as he waited for his best friend to get back from some errand. At least that was the impression he had gotten from the staff in the mansion. After an hour of waiting, he could very well say that he was bored. The thought of giving up and just going home had just entered his mind when the front door opened and he could hear his best friend's voice along with another that he didn't recognize.
Sitting up and then standing, he made his way over to the duo who were still by the front door. He had figured Tommy had forgotten about the plans that they made last week to hit the new club while his girlfriend Laurel was out of town. He had been friends with Laurel for years before they had gotten into a relationship and he did have feelings for her, but they never felt like it did when he looked at the attractive blonde that was smiling at his best friend. Neither of them had looked his way and it wasn't sure if it was because they didn't care that he was standing there watching them or they just didn't know he was there. Not a minute later did he have his answer.
"Oliver!" Tommy said, surprised to see his friend in his house. "What are you doing here?"
"We had plans for tonight," Oliver said after he finally found his voice. "But I can see you have made other plans for the night."
"Is that a sex reference?" the blonde beauty asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Because that's gross."
"Oliver Queen, I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Caroline Forbes. Caroline this is my best friend Oliver."
"Cousin?" Oliver asked, the feeling of relief taking over knowing that there was no romantic interest from his best friend for the woman in front of him. "So are you moving to our fine city or just visiting?"
"A summer visit to get away from…" Caroline started before stopping herself. "Never mind. If you have plans, don't let me stop you from them."
"Why don't you join us?" Oliver suggested, not wanting to leave her behind. Not when there was a slight chance of him getting to know her better. He couldn't help but take in her sparkling blue eyes, as if he was in a trance. Thankfully his best friend's voice made him realize where he was.
"You up for it Caroline?" Tommy asked, knowing the last thing his cousin wanted was to stay home and sleep. She would want to have a distraction from her home life.
"For a club?" she asked, a grin creeping up her face and reaching her eyes with excitement. "Always. I just need some time to get ready."
"No problem." Oliver said before Tommy could say anything.
"Just try not to take all night." Tommy told her with a grin.
Reaching down to pick up one of her bags, Caroline was surprised to see that her cousin's friend had beaten her to it. "What room are you in?"
"I don't know-"
"She's in the one across the hall from mine."
"Because it has become my official room when I visit?" Caroline asked.
"I'll help you."
After showing Caroline where she would be staying, Oliver walked back down the stairs to see Tommy waiting for him. "Everything okay?"
"Caroline is off limits."
"Tommy-"
"She's family, Oliver. That is a line you won't cross."
"I was just being friendly," Oliver said putting his hands up in defense. "Honestly."
"Just keep it that way."
"Oliver Queen is alive. The Starling City resident was found by fishermen in the North China Sea five days ago. Five years after he was missing and presumed dead following the accident that claimed the Queen's Gambit."
Sitting in the living room of her mother's home, Caroline Forbes could hardly believe what she was hearing. For five years he had been gone and presumed dead. She had called her cousin and asked him to come for a visit and when he arrived they mourned together. Tommy had been best friends with Oliver since they were kids and losing him hit him extremely hard. Caroline had only met him that summer, but it was still hard knowing that she couldn't tear him apart for lying to her that summer. She had fallen for him faster than she ever thought possible and when Tommy called and told her about the Queen's Gambit going down with Oliver's father on board with Oliver as well as Oliver's girlfriend's sister. Caroline didn't have a clue that Oliver Queen was the type to sleep with his girlfriend's sister.
Her time in Starling City had shown Caroline that her little town was exactly that. A small town. Starling City had so much more to offer someone. But her thoughts of moving there had fled at the airport when she was boarding her Uncle Malcolm's private jet. Tommy had told her that Oliver was going to come, but his girlfriend had come back into town and so she had surprised him by showing up at his house. So it had just been Caroline and Tommy on the trip to the airport.
Grabbing her cell phone off the end table, Caroline turned it on and scrolled through her contacts before picking the one person she needed to talk to. Looking at the smiling face of her cousin, she switched the phone off before taking a deep breath and turning it back on. Going to Tommy Merlyn's contact, she decided against calling since she wasn't sure what he was up to.
Caroline: You awake?
Tommy: Like I could sleep after finding out Ollie pulled off a real-life Gilligan's Island. What's up?
Caroline: Is he really back?
Tommy: Yeah, Thea confirmed that she saw him in the hospital. But neither Robert nor Sara made it.
Caroline: When are you going to see him? Will you tell him about you and Laurel?
Tommy: Tomorrow and hell no! No way I'm telling him that. He wouldn't understand that she didn't want to mourn him to her dying day.
Caroline: Do you really think he thought she would? Especially after he took her sister on that boat.
Tommy: Of course! They were the perfect power couple. Just what he needed when he took over QC from his dad.
Caroline: You think she would have stayed with him even though he cheated? With her sister and who knows how many others!
Tommy: Wouldn't be the first time she'd made that decision.
Tommy: No matter what he did or who he slept with, Laurel always took Oliver back.
Caroline: Do you think she'll go back to him?
Tommy: My heart says she'll choose me, but my head says she'll get back with him.
Caroline: She's a fool if she does.
Caroline: Are you going to tell him about me?
Tommy: Laurel has always been a fool where Oliver is concerned and that is your secret, not mine to tell. Only if you want me to tell him.
Caroline: I don't think a billionaire playboy can handle what I am…I don't know how you do it.
Tommy: Lol. At least he probably hasn't seen Twilight.
Caroline: I don't sparkle!
Tommy: I'm sure I could find a way to make you sparkle when you see him again!
Caroline: You aren't funny Thomas Merlyn!
Caroline: I'm never setting foot in your city again!
Tommy: I guess I should be grateful you didn't middle name me.
Tommy: Of course you are coming to Starling again. You promised to help me talk dad out of me taking over the company.
Caroline: Why would he listen to me? You know he doesn't listen to anybody but himself!
Caroline: And I never agreed to come.
Tommy: You can just threaten to drain the life out of him. Yes, you did. Read your last text you sent me before today.
Caroline: Drunk texting doesn't count!
Caroline: Uncle Malcolm would kill me if he knew what I am.
Tommy: I did not know you were drunk texting, so yes it does. And no, he would not kill you, he will just try and convince you to turn me so I could be something other than a disappointment to him. Less of a reminder of my mom.
Tommy: And you know how h is. Always telling me to man up. He would be happy to call me his son if I was a cold-blooded killer.
Caroline: Tommy…
Tommy: It's true and you know it.
Caroline: I wouldn't force this on you if you had another choice.
Tommy: I'll never be anything but a reminder of mom to him.
Tommy: At least if I was a vampire, I could make him see me another way.
Caroline: Fine. I'll come.
Caroline: When?
Tommy: Next week please!
Caroline: Answer me a question first.
Tommy: Of course.
Caroline: Why didn't you ever tell him the truth? When I came out there and lied when I said I was 21?
Tommy: You deserved to go clubbing with us. It's the same reason I got you that fake ID. You needed to have FUN!
Caroline: I was 17 Tommy. But that summer was the best of my life…until I realized my bracelet was missing.
Tommy: You were always too serious Caro. You deserved to blow off some steam. I told you I would replace the bracelet.
Caroline: I don't want a replacement.
Caroline: I hope you have some forest areas nearby.
Caroline: Or bags of blood.
Tommy: You know we do, right behind the house. If not, there is plenty up by Coast City and that's just a short train ride away.
Caroline: It's been five years Tommy.
Tommy: Can you imagine Ollie without alcohol and sex for five years? It is going to be one epic club crawl to welcome him back. You in?
Caroline: Like you'd let me out of it.
Tommy: You'll be okay with all those people?
Caroline: I'm in control of my urges.
Caroline: What if he has changed? What if the Oliver you remember isn't the one that came back?
Tommy: Please. Ollie would never change from his horn dog ways. Have I?
Caroline: Answer me this. Have you been with anyone else since you've been with Laurel?
Tommy: NO. I only want her and trust me, if you knew what she was capable of you would understand.
Caroline: I already understand. Love changes a person.
Caroline: I need to head to Elena's. Let me know the flight info if I'm still using your father's jet?
Tommy: Will do. Night!
Caroline: Night Tommy.
Releasing a long sigh, she had known that texting with her cousin would take up some time. With the two of them being as close as they were, their texts were usually long and if one of them didn't answer within a period of time the phone would be ringing soon. The time difference did play a factor at times, but not always.
When Caroline had first become a vampire and she was getting used to her new lifestyle she tried to avoid telling her cousin anything. But she hadn't foreseen him coming all the way to Mystic Falls because she wouldn't talk to him. Her biggest fear was that he would reject her. The rejection from Tommy would hurt more than anything else, but then something else happened. He told her that he loved her and that he would always be there for her. And he was. Tommy Merlyn had no idea that the things that went bump in the night truly existed and it scared him, but it wouldn't stop him from supporting his cousin.
Caroline: Can't make it tonight.
Elena: Everything okay?
Caroline: Yeah, just some family stuff I need to work out. I might have to leave town for a little while.
Elena: What's going on Caroline?
Caroline: Have you seen the news?
Elena: No.
Caroline: Oliver Queen is alive. Five years on an island and now he's back home.
Elena: Don't go there just for him. He wasn't worth that pain he put you through.
Caroline: I'm not going for him. I'm going to see my cousin. Tommy is the only reason I go to that city.
Elena: Want me or Bonnie to come with you on your trip?
Caroline: No, this is something I need to do myself.
Tossing her phone back on the table, Caroline got up and made her way to the kitchen to find where her mother had hidden the bottle of vodka. Tonight, was the perfect night to have some of it, or even the whole bottle.
A/N: Okay, so this is the first chapter. I'm nervous about posting it, so let me know what you think!