Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or anything else you may recognize.
So, Oliver/Laurel or even Laurel in general isn't usually my cup of tea but I had to write something after the heartbreaking ending of last night's episode. I have not been Laurel's biggest fan in a long time but I admit that she really stepped up since the end of season three. And I have not liked Oliver/Laurel since season two but the way the writers have portrayed them this season, I wouldn't have minded if they got back together. But, the writers have to shove Olicity down our throats by killing Laurel off and making her an Olicity cheerleader on her deathbed. I'm telling you, if by the end of the season, if Sara doesn't pull something on Legends that undoes Laurel's death, I'm done with Arrow. But you're not here to listen to me rant.
This may turn into a story if enough people want it but right now it's just a one shot.
Warning: any Olicity shippers trying to start a fight will be laughed at or reported.
Starling General Hospital
Night
"Felicity, Dig," Laurel rushed over to the two of them and they looked up at her, "I came as soon as I heard. How is she?"
"It's bad Laurel, really bad. The doctors don't think she's gonna make it." Diggle said solemnly as Felicity buried her face in his broad shoulder.
"Is this her room?" Laurel asked quietly as she saw the closest room.
"Yeah." Diggle nodded at her.
Without another word, and without waiting to see if any doctors or nurses were there to stop her, Laurel walked inside. Closing the door behind her, Laurel almost froze at the sight of Thea. The younger woman was hooked up to a breathing tube, the only thing keeping her alive. Her skin was so pale. In the corner of the room, Laurel saw Malcolm, looking completely distraught but Laurel couldn't even muster up the hate for him that she usually could. All she could do was walk over and gently take Thea's cold hand.
"The doctors say there's nothing they can do." Malcolm broke the silence and Laurel's hate for the man returned.
"This is all your fault," Laurel glared at the man who had caused so much destruction, "everything that's happened, Tommy, my sister, Oliver being outed as The Arrow, Roy, Thea, it's all because of you. You did this, I should have handed you over to Ra's myself."
"Perhaps it is my fault," Malcolm admitted as he stood up, "but I am her father. And I'd like a moment alone with her."
Laurel glared at him one last time before looking down at the girl she had always considered a younger sister. Leaning down, Laurel places a soft kiss on Thea's forehead before turning around. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Laurel walks out of the room. As she shuts the door behind her, Diggle and Felicity look up. They look like they want to say something, but the look on Laurel's face says enough.
"Where's Oliver?" Laurel asked as she noticed the absence of her ex-boyfriend.
"There was a signal from the league; Oliver went to check it out." Felicity explained and Laurel looked at them startled.
"And you let him go?" Laurel asked shocked and angry.
"You know how he can get; there was no talking him out of it." Felicity said defensively.
"So why didn't you follow him from a distance? The last thing we need is someone else hurt or worse," Laurel demanded and Diggle and Felicity looked at each other, wondering why they hadn't thought of that, "Where did he go?"
Diggle pointed at the place where the smoke had come from not too long ago.
"How long ago did he leave?" Laurel demanded mentally thinking of the fastest way to get there.
"A few minutes before you showed up." Diggle told her and Laurel turned and ran down the hall.
Starling city
Not to long after
Laurel, in her Black Canary outfit, jumped onto the rooftop. Oliver was standing there alone, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He didn't seem to notice her presence, which was saying something for how out of it he was. Laurel slowly approached, concern flooding through her.
"Ollie?" Laurel called out.
"What do you want Laurel?" Oliver asked finally looking up at her.
"Felicity said there was a signal from the League." Laurel said confused.
"It was a messenger from Ra's. I have to go." Oliver moved to leave but Laurel grabbed his arm.
"Oliver, go where? What message?" Laurel demanded.
"There's a way to save Thea." Oliver explained and Laurel let go of his arm is shock.
"Oliver, I saw Thea…it's just not possible." Laurel said as gently as she could, not wanting him to have false hope.
"Yes it is," the two turned to see Malcolm step out of the shadows, "there are special waters in Nanda Parbat, they've enabled Ra's to live for centuries. And in rare instances…told in legend, those waters have been used to restore the dead to life. Ra's offered to use the Lazarus Pit on Thea, didn't he?"
"Wait, the Lazarus Pit?" Laurel asked in shock as she turned to Oliver.
"It's real Laurel, I've seen it." Oliver told her.
"And Ra's will bring Thea back…as long as you take his place." Laurel said as she put the pieces together, "Ollie, you're out of your mind if you think the team and I are going to let you do this."
"If you were in my place, if it was Sara and Ra's offered to save her, wouldn't you?" Oliver challenged and Laurel had no response, knowing that she would do anything to save her sister.
"This wouldn't save Sara and it won't save Thea," Malcolm said and the two turned to him again, "the waters change a person, in the soul. Even if it works, the Thea you lost will not be the one you lost."
"What we lost, because of you!" Oliver snarled as he took a step towards Malcolm.
"Oliver," Laurel said and he turned back towards her, "I'm going with you."
"Laurel-"
"Thea is as much my sister as Sara was, you won't talk me out of it. Besides, someone needs to take her home and after last time, are you really going to trust him with her?" Laurel asked gesturing towards Malcolm and Oliver nodded, conceding.
"We're going to need a way to get to Nanda Parbat." Malcolm pointed out.
"We'll we know a billionaire who owns a private jet." Laurel said smugly and Oliver smile briefly before getting down to business.
"I'll have Felicity talk to Ray. Malcolm, get Thea out of the hospital. Discreetly," Oliver ordered before turning to Laurel, "say goodbye to anyone you need to say goodbye to."
"There's no one that I need to say goodbye to." Laurel said before the three of them parted ways.
Palmer tech runway
Later
"This is goodbye." Oliver told Felicity and Diggle as Laurel and Malcolm, with Thea on a gurney, watched near the plane.
"Oliver…I don't know what to say man." Diggle trailed off in pain.
"Don't say anything. Whatever happens John, you're my brother. You're the best man I know. I know you can take care of the city from here on out. I can never you enough for everything you've done for me and this city. Goodbye." Oliver said emotionally as the two hugged one last time. They hugged for several moments before they stepped back. Oliver then turned to Felicity.
"Felicity, you helped me when I showed in your car with a bullet wound," Both blonde gave a dry chuckle at the memory, "when I have been at my weakest, you have showed me how strong I can be. I love you…but I think that we both know that, even if I don't do this, we could only end in tragedy. You deserve…whatever you want out of life. It just won't be with me. Goodbye."
Oliver leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before backing away. Unable to say anything without breaking down, the two simply watched as Oliver joined the others on the plane. Neither said anything as the plane took off.
Plane, en route to Nanda Parbat, the next day
Early morning
Laurel sat down in the seat across from Oliver as he looked over to the side, out the window. Laurel was quiet for a moment before she spoke.
"So what's up with you and Malcolm? I mean, I don't care if you're mad at him or anything but it seems like there's more tension than usual between you to." Laurel pointed out.
"He doesn't think I should do this, he thinks I should let Thea die." Oliver explained and Laurel scoffed.
"Who cares what he thinks? Thea's in this position because of him, so I think all parental rights are forfeited." Laurel snarked and Oliver smiled before turning pensive.
"I know I haven't told you…well, anything really of the five years I was away," Oliver began and Laurel froze, hardly believing what was happening, "I came back to Starling City once, during my third year."
"What?" Laurel demanded shocked and slightly angry that he had been back and not let anyone know.
"It's complicated," Oliver said with a slight smile at her 'story of my life' look before he got pensive again, "I saw you, I saw Tommy, I saw Thea, but none of you saw me. I saw that Thea had a drug problem so I confronted her dealer at Tommy's party. I snapped his neck."
"That was you?" Laurel breathed as she remembered the incident at Tommy's birthday party and Oliver nodded before continuing.
"I did it because I was angry but I also felt like I was protecting her." Oliver said and Laurel reached out and took one of his hands.
"You have done the best you can; you have protected her to the best of your ability." Laurel tried to sooth him.
"Malcolm warned me about what Ra's might do, but I never thought…I failed Laurel." Oliver told her.
"You did not fail, Malcolm failed as a father. You didn't put her in this situation, he did when he brainwashed her and had her kill my sister." Laurel tried to placate him.
"Maybe…but if I had been honest with her, then maybe none of this would have happened." Oliver said quietly.
Laurel had no response for that. It was probably true but Oliver didn't need to hear that. So she just sat there and squeezed his hand, hoping it offered him some comfort.
Nanda Parbat
Night
Oliver, Laurel, and Malcolm exited the plane, Oliver carrying Thea's body. They came upon hundreds, perhaps thousands, of men and women wearing attire similar to Malcolm's dark archer garb. They held torches and even banners. It was the League, Laurel realized. Some of the crowd parted and a bearded Caucasian man wearing a green robe and a ring around his figure approached as he was flanked by two assassins. This was Ra's al Ghul, Laurel realized with a little fear.
"Welcome home, Al-Sah-Him." Ra's said.
Oliver walked forward and the assassins kneeled as Ra's got a smug expression on his face. Ra's led them back to his palace, where Laurel was amazed by the sheer size of it.
"We must prepare for the ritual," one of the assassins that had flanked Ra's said as he walked forward to take Thea and Oliver hesitated, "I will treat her as though she were my own family."
Oliver finally surrendered his sister's body and the assassin walked away with it. None of the trio from Starling let their eyes leave Thea's carrier until he was out of sight. Oliver, Malcolm, and Laurel were shown there rooms. Laurel quietly thought that her room looked like a foreign suite without a television. The Assassin that had taken Thea walked into her room and she turned around, distrust entering her heart.
"I hope you find your accommodations comfortable Ms. Lance." He said.
"How do you know who I am?" Laurel demanded.
"Your sister and I arrived here the same year. Forgive me for my rudeness, I am Sarab." He said and Laurel's eyes widened in recognition.
"You're Maseo." Laurel realized and Sarab shook his head.
"In another life. Come, the ritual is about to begin." Sarab said and Laurel followed him.
Sarab led Laurel into a huge room with a large tub. Half the League seemed to fill the room and Oliver, Malcolm, and about five other assassins were above it. Thea, her body held in the air by rope, was lifted above the tube. Sarab joined the others by the ropes as a woman began chanting in another language. As she chanted, Oliver, Malcolm, Sarab, and the assassins lowered Thea into the water by the ropes.
Laurel, along with the others, waited with baited breath as Thea was completely submerged by the water. They waited and, for a moment, it looked like it didn't work. Then the ropes were pulled into the water and an explosion of water appeared as Thea jumped out of the pit. Any joy was short lived as Thea kicked Oliver to the ground on his back and snarled, acting like an animal. Thea jumped but assassins restrained her before they put something on her neck. Thea instantly stilled as she slumped into unconsciousness, Oliver grabbing her and lowering her to the floor as he checked her over.
"I have fulfilled my end of our arrangement. I suggest you begin to make peace with yours." Ra's said before he walked out of the room.
Ra's' palace
Later
Thea shot up in bed, her breathing heaving.
"I don't know you." Thea said as Oliver tried to comfort her.
"…Thea, it's Ollie." Oliver said gently.
"Ollie's dead," Thea said to everyone's shock before looking over at Laurel, "Laurel? What's going on, where are we?"
"We're somewhere safe Speedy, it's okay." Laurel said as she walked over to Thea's other side and leaned down.
"Where's mom? And Walter?" asked and Laurel, Oliver, and Malcolm exchanged a look.
"They're not here Thea. Why don't you lean back and get some rest, okay." Laurel said.
Thea nodded at her before leaning back and closing her eyes. Laurel walked over to Oliver, the unasked question in her eyes.
"It's a temporary side effect. Ra's told me that the confusion would pass." Oliver explained.
"She thinks your mother is still alive." Laurel said as she looked over Malcolm who sat at the sleeping young woman's side.
"She's alive, she'll be alright." Oliver said.
"Will you?" Laurel asked as she looked over at him.
"I have to be." Oliver said vaguely.
"Ms. Lance," Sarab said as he appeared at the door, "may I speak to you privately?"
After sharing a look with Oliver, Laurel followed Sarab out of the room. Sarab took her into another room that was mostly bare as Laurel looked around. After going through somethings, Sarab returned with a picture. As Sarab handed it to her, Laurel realized it was of her and Sara shortly before the Gambit.
"Besides the close on her back, this was the only thing your sister had on her when she was found by the League." Sarab explained as Laurel fought back tears.
"T-thank you." Laurel said as she pocketed the photo.
"I held my child in my arms as he died," Sarab said and Laurel looked up at him stunned, "there are so many things I would have liked to say to him but there was not enough time. The reason I am telling you this is because…if there is anything you wish to tell Oliver before you leave, now would be the time."
Later, Laurel walked into Oliver's room. Oliver sat on a chair, looking pensive. Laurel approached him and he looked up.
"This may sound like a stupid question, but what are you thinking about so hard?" Laurel asked and he let a slight smile grace his face.
"The first time I never thought I'd see Thea again. It was when that boat went down. The person that I was…the brother that I was…died when that boat went down." Oliver said.
"No, he didn't," Laurel said and he looked up her, "the night of the Undertaking, you told me that the island stripped away everything that wasn't and brought out the person you always were, the person you were meant to be. You know what? You were right. The island just allowed you to become the person I always knew you could be. You have saved so many people, you have changed lives, and you have become a greater person than I ever thought you could be."
"And if this is where it all leads…I don't know what it was all for." Oliver confessed.
"You're doing what you have to in order to protect Thea," Laurel said as she sat down across from him, "Ollie, I wish there was a way we could've saved Thea and not had to lose you in the process but it's just the way it is. And if this is just the way it is…then I have to tell you something. Something I probably should have told you a long time ago."
"What?" Oliver asked concerned.
"I love you," Laurel said as he stared at her stunned, "I have never stopped loving you. Believe me; I have tried to stop loving you. But I can't…and I honestly don't want to. No matter what happens…you will always be the love of my life."
Laurel stopped, waiting for him to respond. She expected him to reject her, saying that he was in love with Felicity. However, that was not what happened. Oliver took her face in his hands and brought her in for a kiss. Stunned, Laurel did not respond before Oliver pulled back.
"I never stopped loving you either." Oliver told her and Laurel felt a beaming smile cross her face as their lips met again.
It was like falling into instinct, they would later reflect. Laurel quickly shed her jacket as she helped Oliver remove his shirt. Oliver stood up and helped her remove her own shirt, revealing her black lace bra. Laurel pushed Oliver down on the bed as she began to straddle him as she unclasped her bra.
Later, Oliver and Laurel were wrapped up in the sheets, Laurel leaning into his side.
"So…wow," Laurel said amazed at what had transpired, "I really wasn't expecting that to happen when I came in here."
"Me either. But I'm glad it did." Oliver said as he leaned down and kissed her again.
"Me to." Laurel said after they broke the kiss.
"al-Sah-Him," Sarab's voice said from behind the door said and Laurel instinctively shielded herself, "your time is up. It is time to say goodbye."
As they heard Sarab's footsteps retreat, the mood was killed as they looked at each other sadly.
"It was nice while it lasted…I just wish we had more time." Laurel said softly.
"So do I." Oliver said as he leaned down and kissed her once last time.
They dressed and made their way to what was basically the throne room. Ra's stood with Malcolm and Thea, who still looked a little confused and frightened.
"You may escort your sister and friends to their way home. But I will have followed; to make sure you do not try and run." Ra's told Oliver who nodded.
Oliver led the way out of the palace. The group of four made their way to the edge of the island, where they had originally landed. Oliver stopped and turned to them, a solemn expression on his face.
"This is as far as I go." Oliver told them.
"I don't understand." Thea said sounding like the child she had been when Oliver and Laurel had been dating.
"Malcolm's gonna take you home Speedy." Oliver said as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You're not coming with?" Thea asked confused.
"Not know," Oliver said as he hugged her, burying her face in the crook of his neck, "I love you Thea. Don't ever forget that okay."
Oliver tried not to cry as he let Thea go. Malcolm led Thea away and Oliver turned to face Laurel. Oliver walked over and Laurel took a deep breath, attempting not to cry as hard as he was.
"How many times do we have to say goodbye, right?" Laurel said her voice cracking.
"Laurel…if I could go back, I would do right by you. We may have had a future together by now. But since I didn't, here's where we are. I need you to do something for me." Oliver told her.
"What?" Laurel asked, trying to stop the crack in her voice.
"Forget about me. You deserve the best of everything Laurel Lance…and I hope you find it. You are the love of my life…but I have to let you go. Move on, I need you to do that. If not for yourself, then for me." Oliver told her passionately.
Oliver leaned down and they shared one last kiss before Oliver stepped back. Oliver watched her go until she faded from sight. Oliver then turned back and walked back to the palace.
So, what do you guys think? Please leave any thoughts or comments in a review, feedback is greatly appreciated. I accept criticism so long as it is constructive, no flames.