Constant chatter filling the air. The smell of food fresh out of the kitchens spreading through the air causing any those that catch a whiff to instantly have their mouths start to water.
Low tones of music playing off in the background. A peaceful scenery. A scenery that would always take place every year.
The annual Queen fundraiser. A great event held every single year. A party where the whos who would attend.
The biggest party of the year. A party in which every single year a large fundraiser would be held to support the latest cause in the city.
The cause for this year was to support funding the families of local firefighters that had bravely lost their lives this past year doing what they loved to do.
A great cause. That nobody would disagree. A fundraiser that so far has been a big success. Some would even say a huge success.
Men and women such as the firefighters that have intended the event. Firefighters that smile politely and shake the hands of all those that donate even a single penny to the cause.
An event that has been a huge success. That is what one woman thinks. A blonde haired woman that listens politely in total silence as a woman that she has been able to count on to support her in any cause chats away with her husband.
Her husband of the last eight years. A man that she sees glance over towards her with a small smile causing her own to form.
A man that she has been able to truly count on for the past eight years. A man that never asked her questions that she couldn't answer.
Never asked her about things that she knew would end in only one outcome. And for these reasons she loves him.
A man that brings her some peace. Peace that she has needed for these past five years. These five long years.
Years that were nothing but hard. Nothing but painful to learn that her late husband had survived a horrible accident out at sea.
That is what everyone was to believe anyways. A man that had come back as something else. Some sort of monster.
A monster that donned a green hood hunting down the rich like so kind of Robin Hood. luckily he had been caught.
He had been locked away before he could do any more harm. But the damage had been done. The Queen image had been tarnished.
Tarnished with the blood of every single man and woman that he had killed. An image that slowly she has been rebuilding with her new husband hoping to put the past behind them.
A past that has slowly been forgotten with every passing month but on this night. On this night fate would have other plans for her.
A plan in motion when two individuals enter inside of the large ballroom that had been rented out for the occasion.
This sudden silence that fills the air. A silence that carries throughout the open floor and down every corridor. Down every hallway causing the very same reaction to be seen across everyone's faces.
A look that suddenly as she hears the chatter around her dying down until it is deadly silent suddenly as she sees a look of complete shock come across the woman's face in front of her turning her head to follow her gaze as she finds a similar reaction across every single person that she sees feeling her interest only increasing taking a couple of steps forward just as she is about to ask a nearby woman what the fuss is all about suddenly the sound of a heel clanging against the ground that seems just to echo off the walls causes her to look forward.
Look forward only for her eyes to go as wide as saucers at what she sees. A sight that she never thought she would ever see again.
Her son. Her only child walking slowly into the room leading a familiar face hanging off his arm inside of the room. A son that she never thought she would ever see again.
A son that she can't help but stare at in complete shock as her eyes slowly get watery with unshed tears.
" Oliver?"
Turning towards where he heard the faintest of voices coming from as he finds his mother staring directly at him with tears threatening to trickle down her cheeks at any moment feeling his lips tugging upward feeling his arm being squeezed turning to look towards his companion as he finds her staring towards him with a bright smile across her face despite her eyes that twinkle in nothing but mischief returning the smile with a slight tug slowly Oliver turns his head back forward and starts to lead her towards Moira finding silent tears trickling down her cheeks.
Silent tears that continue to trickle down before her watery gaze turns towards her son's companion causing her entire composure to change almost instantly.
Dinah Laurel Lance. Only child of the late Quentin and Dinah Lance. A young woman that she has watched grow for most of her life.
A woman that much like herself had gone through a series of changes ten long years ago. Only her changes had been terrifying.
Her changes turned her into something else. Something ruthless. Far more ruthless than Robert had ever been.
Black Siren. That was the name that she had given herself. An alter ego that had taken Central City by storm.
A alter ego that had been created on the same night many others had been born. Been born thanks to an accident.
Particle accelerator. An unique machine. A machine with a simple malfunction had changed the lives of many.
Metahumans. That is what they have been classified as. Men and women with unique powers. Some choosing to use these powers for good.
As for some others? Well she was the perfect example for choosing another path. A darker path. A path that has lead to so much destruction.
So much chaos that would never be forgotten. Much like it hasn't with the looks that are being directed her way by everyone in eyeshot.
A woman that as she locks eyes with Moira can't help but feel a cold chill run up and down her spine. His chill that makes her heartbeat race as she continues to lock eyes with the younger blonde haired woman.
Continues to stare into her green eyes that are telling her so much right now. Telling her to be on alert.
Telling her that something was being planned. Something sinister. Something evil that involved her. This look that makes her eyes widen as she watches the young couple come to a complete stop a couple of feet away from her causing her to break off eye contact to look over towards her son while she keeps her gaze on the young woman out of the corner of her eye.
Looks over towards her son taking in everything that she sees almost believing she was dreaming this. Almost believing this was some kind of sick dream.
But this wasn't a dream. This was reality. And reality is he is standing before her now. Standing before her looking so much older than he should be.
Looking like he has aged almost twenty years from the look in his eyes. This almost haunted look that she can see being hidden away.
This almost battle hardened look as though the smile across his face was being forced. A look that truly frightens her.
Frightens her deep inside as she continues to stare at him in total silence with everyone watching. Staring directly at him with so many questions running through her mind.
So many questions asking how was this even possible? Could Robert have been possibly lying about their son's demise and if so why?
Did he know? Did he know that Queen's Gambit sinking was no accident? A terrifying thought itself. What if he did know?
Questions that she would have answered but not now. Right now she does something she wished she was able to do so long ago.
To take her son in her arms again as she reaches out and gently wraps her arms around Oliver burying her head into his shoulder as she grabs a tight hold of the back of his suit.
An gentle embrace that she doesn't feel being returned at all. Doesn't feel being returned with any type of emotion.
Instead all she feels is nothing. Nothing at all. No arms wrapping around her. No soothing words being whispered into her ear.
Nothing. This act of defiance filled with hate that makes her lift up her head and slowly release him out of her embrace to take a couple of steps back.
" Mother."
Suddenly as she hears the slight cold tone being hidden away behind his voice forcing a smile across her face slowly Moira looks away from Oliver to look over towards his side at Laurel finding her staring at her with a smile plastered across her face.
Only this smile wasn't forced. The smile that she sees across the younger woman's face was genuine. A sight that confused her greatly causing her to put in the backburner of her mind to think about later.
" Ms Lance."
Feeling her own smile widening reaching down gently Laurel grabs a hold of Oliver's hand that can be seen wearing a long black glove and gently removes the glove tossing the piece of fabric over her shoulder before bringing his hand up to gently rest palm first onto her cheek as her eyes never leave Moira for a single moment.
An action that she sees getting the desired result that she was looking for when Moira's eyes glance away to look at Oliver's hand only for her eyes to go wide in shock as silent gasps could be heard coming from all around.
Gasps as everyone's sights turn towards his hand. This metal hand resting down on her cheek. This robotic hand that shines brightly.
This robotic hand that she gently rubs her cheek against as the sound of circuits coming to life echoes through the air as his robotic thumb gently starts to rub her cheek causing her eyes to flutter shut.
An act of affection that makes everyone in the area look on in total shock not believing what they are seeing.
Affection that comes to a stop when Laurel opens her eyes and looks over towards Moira finding her absolutely shell shocked.
Shell shocked with so many emotions radiating from her eyes. So many with the one dominating the rest.
Guilt. This look of guilt in her eyes. This guilt that only deepens with every passing second her eyes remain locked on the robotic hand resting gently against his cheek.
A look that makes a small ounce of pleasure radiate through her before she gently removes the hand off from her cheek and returns it back down to her side grasping it tightly in her hand.
A sight that seems to snap the Queen matriarch out of her trace and look back up into her eyes causing a satisfied smirk to come across her face before a familiar sound makes her glance away.
The sound of a gun being cocked. A sound that she hears echoing all around her as numerous off the clock police officers make their presence felt pointing the ends of their firearms at her.
A sight that just makes her smirk only deepen as slowly she shakes her head.
" Tisk,tisk,tisk. You boys sure do know how to make a girl feel wanted."
Hearing the sound of a silent footstep approaching from her side in a sudden move Laurel snaps her head to look to her side raising up her hand up high open palmed signaling an approaching officer to stop.
An motion that she instantly sees having the effect that she wanted before as a grin comes across her face slowly she wiggles her index finger.
" I wouldn't do that if, I was you. You see the thing is my husband doesn't like it when he thinks i'm in moral danger. He has a tendency to dare, I say….snap."
Taking a brief moment to glance away from who was considered to be one of the deadliest metahumans to ever set foot inside of Starling City just as he turns towards her companion instantly the officer's eyes go wide when he sees Oliver Queen staring a hole in him.
Staring at him with this stone cold glare. This murderous glare that instantly causes a cold chill to run up and down his spine.
This gaze that he can't turn away from. This gaze that remains locked on him as slowly his fingers reaches down for the trigger.
" I really wouldn't do that."
Snapping his eyes to the side instantly as he sees Laurel staring daggers at him the police officer's eyes go wide as saucers before they widen even further when he sees the glare across her face vanish as a smile comes across her face.
" My husband isn't the only one that lets the darkness take over from time to time."
Suddenly as she hears even more clicks from chambers being reared back glancing around finding every single firearm being pointed her way slowly Laurel shakes her head as a grin comes across her face.
" Just in case you and everyone else here has forgotten who exactly, I am. Let me remind you."
Without any hesitation at the top of her lungs as she starts to whistle loudly causing the entire room to start to shake and to her amusement countless citizens as well as officers struggling to stay up on their feet from the shockwaves bouncing off the walls around them after a couple of seconds instantly Laurel brings her whistling to a sudden halt and turns her gaze back towards the officer in front of her finding him making his way back up to his feet with his firearm slowly coming back up to be pointed in her direction once again.
Letting out a sigh shaking her head just as she opens her mouth with a response on the tip of her tongue suddenly as she sees Oliver leaning down to whisper softly into her ear after a couple of seconds nodding her head in agreement Laurel turns her head back towards forward giving the officer in question her full attention.
" And as my husband has wisely pointed out to me is it really worth having a blemish such as this on your record?
I can see the headlines now. Trigger happy police officer asshinates returning local hero. The media would have a field day with you.
No matter what you do such a blemish like that would never go away but the guilt? The guilt of killing an innocent man that had scratched and clawed for ten long years to get back home?
Such guilt could kill a man. That is if that man was lucky enough to live to see the age forty."
Suddenly feeling a cold hand gently grasping her own feeling her smile only widening giving the hand a squeeze without looking away from the officer slowly Laurel brings Oliver's arm around to wrap around her waist as she leans her head down to rest on his shoulder.
" Besides we've only just gotten here."
Tilting her head slightly leaning up gently Laurel presses her lips to Oliver's cheek allowing them to linger for an extra second before she lays a kiss on the side of his neck only trailing upward.
" We still have people to meet….lives to destroy….places to fuck…."
Just as the words escape her mouth feeling a hand coming up to gently cup her chin without having a chance to react Laurel feels her head being turned slightly before a pair of lips come crashing into her own.
This sudden gesture that is quickly followed by another as she feels a hand coming down to grasp her ass cheek causing a silent moan to escape her lips as she turns into his embrace to wrap her arms tightly around the back of his neck pulling his head even closer to her own.
A heated kiss that everyone around them can't help but watch. Some with absolute shock. Others with small blushes coming across their faces causing them to look away as though they were witnessing something that should be private.
This heated exchange that is broken up before it could get any further when she pulls away from the kiss and turns her head to look over her shoulder to pay Moira a quick glance.
" Afterall it is our honeymoon and in the end i always get what, I want."
Unable to help keeping her eyes locked on the younger woman's own as she sees an emotion behind her green eyes almost daring her to make a move.
Almost saying it was her turn now to make the next move that causes her to take action after a few seconds of silence to turn away from her gaze and take a slow step forward a nearby officer and lay her hand gently down on their wrist causing him to snap his head to look over towards her in question.
This questionable look that is repeated by a few more officers in the proximity while unknown to her knowledge a smirk comes across Laurel's face.
A smirk that just deepens as she blocks out what the queen matriarch is saying in favor of just staring at the older woman going to work.
Staring at the older woman in silence just watching her manipulate the situation by using her voice. By using her city wide power to her advantage as she convinces officer one after another lower their weapons.
Just like how she planned it. A simple plan that has been in motion since the moment she arrived back here in this dimension with another by her side.
A plan that has been going perfectly so far with so much more to come. So much more work to accomplish.
So much more to accomplish and this woman is the key. The key component to her plan. A puppet that she pulls the strings to silently as she just watches every officer start to back out of the room with some returning back to their respected partners of the evening yet still keeping a watchful eye in her direction.
Looks that she could care less about as she turns back towards Oliver with a predatory grin coming across her face.
" But you're not going to get off that easy. I believe you owe me a dance."
Letting out a chuckle seeing only her grin widening nodding his head in agreement taking her hand within his own with a tug slowly leading her through the crowd that just steps back allowing them a clear path as they approach before just as they near the area reserved for the dance floor turning on his heels reaching out gently Oliver rests his hands down on her waist causing him to feel her hands coming up to snake around the back of his neck almost automatically.
This automatic response that just makes his lips flicker upward before slowly he starts a slow dance never taking his eyes away from her own that just twinkle with nothing but mischief.
A twinkle that only deepens when she feels him leaning down to kiss the side of her neck that just sends a cold shiver through her whole body before she feels his hot breath against her ear.
" You've been a bad girl and deserve to be punished."
Shivering in delight leaning her head back slightly to meet his eyes feeling her lips curling upward leaning forward gently Laurel rests her forehead against his own nodding her head in agreement.
" Good, I would hate for this dress to go to waste."
Feeling his hands wandering down her black and silver strapless dress not even bothering to suppress her rather pleased smile from his boldness leaning forward gently Laurel grazes Oliver's lips with her own.
" What should we do with her?"
Glancing over her shoulder as he finds his mother glancing over in their direction despite her best efforts to not make it look so turning to look back towards Laurel with a grin coming across his face leaning forward gently Oliver pecks Laurel on the lips before he pulls back to plant a kiss on the side of her neck.
" Whatever you want my Dark Angel."
Feeling her lips curling up into a wide grin giving him a gentle kiss pulling back slowly Laurel looks over her shoulder back over towards Moira with a sinister smile coming across her face.
This smile that she can see having instant effects on any that come across it by turning to look away. Like she cared even in the slightest.
A smile that only widens at the possibilities being presented to her at this very moment. The possibility of having the very future she could only dream of having ten years ago.
A future that was hers now for the taking. But first she had one more thing to do. First she had one more item to cross off her list.
Wood chirping and cracking among the inferno. Pages being silently flipped to the side every few minutes.
Sounds that could usually be heard in this area. Be heard at this time of the night. The study. The large study room inside of the Queen mansion.
A place every single night one woman could be found. Could be found resting in her favorite chair next to a burning fire going over the latest reports from her company.
Going over any last minute details that she had missed at the office while her husband rests peacefully on the floor above her.
But on this night things were anything but normal. To the naked eye everything seemed so but for those that looked closer they would see the change.
The almost forced smile across Moira's face as she turns the pages with her eyes never truly reading anything on the papers.
Instead she could be found lost in her own thoughts. Thoughts that have constantly wandered throughout the hours ever since she had returned back home with every one of them returning to one source.
Her son. Her baby boy had somehow survived the accident. A boy that she thought she had lost so long ago.
A son that she didn't know what to make of. Didn't know if she should be happy or terrified of his return.
Such a state that has made her debate her next move. Debate what should be done. Such a state that had been played on by another as a blonde haired woman silently stalks her way through the shadows watching the older woman in silence.
Watching the wheels turn in the older woman's head knowing exactly what she was thinking. A strange sense of deja vu.
This sense of deja vu that has come to her thanks to another. Thanks to her husband describing everything that had been done by this woman on another dimension.
" Hello Moira."
Hearing a familiar voice coming from her side instantly snapping her head up as she finds Laurel standing by the open doorway leading into the study with her arms crossed over her chest feeling her eyes going wide silently Moira stares at the blonde haired woman with a look of total shock coming across her face that just makes a pleased grin come across the younger woman's face.
" We are due for a long overdue chat don't you agree?"
Not even bothering to wait for a response leaning off the open doorway silently making her way inside as she heads towards the chair facing the opposite of Moira's own unable to help herself glancing around slowly Laurel takes in the room with a hint of a smile coming across her face.
" I see nothing's changed since the last time, I set foot in this room."
Shaking her head in amusement taking a seat leaning back to rest comfortable in her seat reaching out Laurel lays her feet down on a nearby table and crosses her legs as she stares Moira dead in the eyes.
" Now you will be a good little girl and listen closely to what i have to say. Rest assure you, i'm not here to do you any harm.
Not this time anyways unless you don't do exactly what i say. Do you understand?"
Almost instantly as she sees Moira nod her head in complete silence feeling her lips curling upward reaching back Laurel tucks her hands behind the back of her head.
" Good because believe it or not i'm not your enemy. I could be if decide to do what you're thinking. I could never truly understand why you decided to enlist the services of The Triad but i suppose that do have their uses."
Instantly as she sees Moira's eyes go wide for a brief moment before they turn back to normal letting out a chuckle slowly Laurel shakes her head as a look of amusement comes across her face.
" Please don't insult my intelligence. I've known about your association with them for years. I do wonder how the citizens of Starling City would take the news?
I imagine it would put a stop to any dream of becoming the mayor to this city. Let alone any talk of expansion to another country."
Leaning forward gently Laurel threads her hands together as she sees Moira look down towards her small stack of papers resting on her lap.
A stack that she knew the older woman wasn't focusing on. Instead she was looking at another object. An object wedged deep within the left side of the cushion.
An object that she can see the older woman reaching for at this very moment as she just watches in amusement.
And she wasn't disappointed as in a sudden move the papers across Moira's lap go flying into the air when she snaps up to her feet pointing a handgun that had been hidden away in the cushion of her chair.
A scene that she can't help but smile at as her head comes back down to rest comfortably against her seat while her hands return back behind her head.
" You are so predictable. Did you really think i didn't know about the toy santa hide underneath of your cushion?"
Instantly as she sees Moira's eyes go wide in shock a wide grin forms across Laurel's face before she nods her head at the handgun.
" The chamber's empty. Take a look if you don't believe me. I won't bite."
Staring the young woman dead in the eyes seeing nothing but a cold calculating look glancing away from her towards the handgun pressing down on the button on the side unleashing the clip just as she looks down suddenly Moira's eyes go wide when she finds the clip completely empty.
A sight that makes her snap her head to look up towards the young woman with a questionable look earning a chuckle in response.
" As i was getting to, I know everything about you and so does your son."
Instantly as she sees a look of panic radiating from Moira's eyes feeling her grin only widening slowly Laurel leans forward in her seat.
" We know everything. The attempt to assassinate your husband while he was on board on The Queen's Gambit making it look like the boat had been lost out to sea leaving no evidence of foul play.
We know about your involvement with the famous world famous Undertaking that shook this city by its core."
Leaning back as she sees the words truly registering into the older woman's mind from the looks of shock she is receiving slowly Laurel leans back in her seat.
" But i'm willing to forget all of that. Oliver is willing to forgive you for everything you've done. All we ask is for a few simple things.
I'm sure a businesswoman much like yourself can appreciate it when a good deal is being presented to her."
Motioning for her to take a seat as she sees Moira silently retaking her seat nodding her head threading her fingers Laurel looks the older woman dead in the eyes.
" First when and i say when you become the mayor of Starling City you will appoint Oliver to be the new CEO of Queen Consolidated. He will not answer to you and you will not question any of his decisions moving forward in public."
Receiving nothing but a slight nod in response slowly Laurel's lips curl upward.
" Second you will contact and put your over priced lawyers to work wiping my record clean. We can't very well have the daughter in law of a billion dollar company having a shady background record now can we?"
Once again receiving nothing but a silent head in agreement returning the nod slight in a sudden motion Laurel sends a hard stone cold glare Moira's way causing the older woman's eyes to widen.
" And the last thing you will do is stay the hell out of our lives. There will be no social visits. There will be no family reunions of any kind.
The only time we will even acknowledge each other is when we are seen out together in public. When this happens you will put on your cheery mask and do what you always do.
I will do the same. This will be the only time that i will act even civil with you because honestly the sight of you sickens me.
I would like nothing more than to rid the world of you right here and now yet the only thing stopping me is your son.
You see he means the world to me. I would travel dimensions for him and he would do the very same for me.
I may hate everything there is to know about you but your son means the world to me. He may not have spoken the words out loud but his eyes never shut up.
For a reason that i won't share with you, he wants you to be kept alive but still has allowed me the final verdict which leaves me in a conundrum.
Do i seek vengeance upon you and keep the promise that i made to your son six years ago when i learned of your involvement with his premature demise or do i simply let it go.
Allow you to continue to breath the same air that i do while i want nothing more than to put you in the ground."
Staring into the young woman's eyes seeing nothing but pure hatred in them without having a chance to respond instantly Moira watches Laurel snap up to her feet with such speed causing her to flinch slightly in her seat.
An motion that doesn't go unnoticed as the young woman's lips curl up into a predatory grin for the slightest of moments before she sees her turn her face away and slowly make her way past her towards the open doorway.
" We'll be in touch and remember this."
Coming to a stop in a sudden motion Laurel snaps her head to look over her shoulder back towards Moira with a cold glare.
" I'm always watching you. Your son once called me his guardian angel. I tend to agree with him as for you? I'll be your worst nightmare if you ever dare try to do something. Make your choice. I'll be waiting."