Summary: What if the entire Nanda Parbat storyline hadn't happened? What if Oliver and Laurel got closer and began a relationship once again? Story takes place in the AU universe created by my story "Nyssa's Revenge", a new imagining of what the rest of season 3 would look like. (Not necessary to read the other story however).

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

AN: Thank you for checking this story out. I am excited about the possible fun times ahead with an almost total rewriting of season 3 of Arrow. Basically taking out the whole Nanda Parbat story. That wasn't my original intention, but with how the muse carried out my story "Nyssa's Revenge", it basically lends itself into a whole new story which I decided to give a try. So hope you enjoy it! (Especially if you are a Lauriver and/or Raylicity fan)

This story will explore the developing relationship instead between Oliver and Laurel, with Felicity allowing herself to explore a relationship with Ray. As well as how season 3 could have developed with these new changes instead of all that business with Ra's and Nanda Parbat.

But first, before the romances, we need to get Thea up to speed with everything. So that's what this chapter is. The romances will start in chapter two and beyond. As well as further action. (And probably no Darhk either).

Because the prequel to this story, Nyssa's Revenge, is rated "M", here is a PG version of the story. (If you still wish to check it out, do NOT read this paragraph). After Arrow episode 3 x 4, Nyssa changes her mind and decides she wants to capture Merlyn and have him face justice for Sara's death, as well as for the Undertaking. She returns several nights later and "persuades" Oliver to give him Merlyn's location. Upon Nyssa's return to Nanda Parbat with him, Ra's tortures and kills Merlyn, thus avoiding most of season 3, especially no ILY in the Arrow lair, thus no Olicity, no duel between Ra's and Oliver and no Wareeth al Ghul. Also, Thea wasn't killed or brought back to life via the Lazarus Pit.

Previously, from the ending of my story "Nyssa's Revenge":

As he listened to his teammates, Oliver couldn't help but think about his sister. He knew he needed to tell her about Malcolm being killed, and why. He also knew he would have to address with Thea all those unanswered questions regarding why she had kept her training with Malcolm a secret from him. As well as breaking the news to her about who really killed Sara. However, he needed time to absorb all of it, and figure out a plan.

Catching Laurel's eye as she made her way gradually closer to the men to be included in the conversation, Oliver knew he also had his hands full with integrating Laurel into the team. Knowing her stubbornness, Oliver knew once she had decided to become part of the team, it really was useless for him to object, knowing it was only a matter of time before Laurel would become a part of the crime-fighting team.

With both his sister and former girlfriend, Oliver knew he had his hands full indeed. Luckily he didn't have to worry about a vengeful head of assassins anymore. One less worry indeed. As he had told Diggle months ago, anyone tangling with the Head of the Demon courted death. He returned his attention back to the Team and pushed all the other thoughts aside for the moment to finish their tactical conversation.

With Merlyn dead, Slade securely jailed in the prison at Lian Yu, and no other Big Bad Criminal threatening the welfare of Starling City, Team Arrow settled into a comfortable routine. After Oliver had taken care of some business with his sister.

Shortly after Nyssa's visit to inform them of Merlyn's death in Nanda Parbat, Oliver asked Thea for a stay-in brother-sister bonding night. "Like the ones we used to have. I'll bring the popcorn." He felt a moment of guilt by presenting the night in such a way to her, but for a moment he wanted to pretend everything was indeed happy and routine. Before he bust their relationship wide open.

Oliver couldn't believe how much knowing Thea had kept her relationship with Merlyn a secret from him bothered him, hurt him even. He reminded himself, to be fair, he didn't know her reasons for not telling him. Not to mention the fact she didn't know he was the Arrow. For all he knew, if she had known he was the Arrow, she might have shared her secret about Merlyn. He wouldn't know until they'd discuss it.

So their movie night started as planned. Thea had picked "Die Hard". As she put the movie in, Oliver settled back in his chair with the popcorn and beer to enjoy it. For half the movie nothing interrupted the comfortable atmosphere except the occasional observation or comment from the watchers. Suddenly Thea paused the movie and apologized to her brother as she got up. "Gotta take a potty break, sorry."

"Your bladder never could get through a movie, could it?" her brother teased.

While she was gone, Oliver went to the kitchen and brought back two more bottles of beer and refills on the popcorn. He was waiting for Thea to return, then he'd bring up the subject he wanted to discuss. After she had returned and had resettled herself upon her sofa, he broached the subject.

"Thea, I promised you and myself there wouldn't be any more secrets between us. Do you agree?"

"Of course."

"And that it should go both ways."

Oliver noted her 'yes' this time had a slight hesitancy to it. "Is there something you want to discuss, Oliver?" she asked her brother, a slight blush rising up her cheeks.

Oliver didn't know how to broach the subject any other way but headlong. "You saw Malcolm over the summer. Actually, he was training you in fighting skills. Why didn't you tell me?"

Thea paled under his scrutiny. "How'd you find out?"

"Later." Giving his sister one of his scowls with which Thea was familiar, Oliver pushed. "Why'd you keep it a secret?"

"Malcolm thought it would be better. He told me since the Undertaking, you and he didn't get along."

"But he never said why we weren't getting along?" Clearing his throat, Oliver asked, "He never hinted at another secret?'

"No." A cloud passed over her face. "You have some more secrets to tell me?"

"Yes, two big ones. One is, I am the Arrow."

Thea considered his words, letting them sink in her stunned brain before all the implications joined together. Oliver could see her attempting to make sense of it all before she'd ask a question. Finally, the question she ended up asking was not the one he'd have bet on.

"Why tell me now?"

"That's your first question?"

"I figure something big is happening. Time for the other questions later. So why now?"

"What did Malcolm tell you about the woman who kidnapped you?"

"Wh…how did you know anything about that?" Oliver simply looked at his sister and waited for the proverbial light bulb to turn on. It did. "Oh! Yeah. I guess it will take a little while to get used to your 'night job'." At Oliver's quirk of an eyebrow Thea let out a sigh. "Oh, well, all he ended up telling me was she was gone. For now."

"Why didn't he want me to know you had gone with him? That he was training you?"

Thea shrugged. "He said you would just worry, and won't understand what I was doing. That's a laugh. Too bad he didn't know what else you did."

"He…he has known I'm the Arrow. Since the Undertaking."

Thea almost dropped her bottle of beer in her lap. "What? He's been lying to me as well?" She grabbed a sofa pillow and threw it across the room. "Damn it, isn't there anyone who doesn't lie to me?"

"I guess it comes with having people in your life who are involved with secret identities, and activities and such. That is part of it after all. It has nothing to do with you, that you cannot be trusted."

"I guess so." Thea punched the other sofa pillow in her lap. "I suppose I sound like a petulant child when I continue to complain about it."

Oliver grimaced. "Well…I wouldn't exactly deny it, that's for sure." Thea threw the other sofa cushion at him.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you the woman who had kidnapped you was Nyssa, the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Ra's is the leader of the League of Assassins, centered in a place called Nanda Parbat. The place Malcolm went for a few years to learn all the skills that, apparently, he taught you."

Oliver allowed her a moment to digest what he had told her. "I have something else to tell you."

Thea closed her eyes to collect her scattered thoughts. She opened them to see her brother watching her with concern. "I'm not going to like it, I take it." At her brother's solemn shake of his head, she sighed. "Go ahead, I guess."

"The reason he wanted to train you, was…he wanted to brainwash you to kill someone."

"What?" Thea first considered the first part of his statement. "Brainwash? How's that even possible?"

"Did Malcolm have you drink a tea every day, or eat or drink something else every single day, without fail?"

"It must have been that damn bitter tea he had me drink every morning. He said it was to help 'enlighten' me. Enlighten me, my ass!"

Oliver nodded. "He must have used Votura, a drug from Nanda Parbat. It leaves no memory of what happens when under its influence."

"But why? And who? And…did I actually kill someone?"

"Ra's al Ghul had gotten angry with Malcolm for orchestrating the Undertaking, so he had put out an order out for him to be killed. Nyssa, Ra's' daughter and Sara had…had a relationship. Malcolm decided if…if he framed you for murder, getting Ra's and Nyssa upset, I would then step up and challenge Ra's to a duel, fight and kill him, thus saving him."

"So…"

Looking into his sister's eyes, Oliver said, "He had you kill Sara, to get Ra's mad at you, motivating me to challenge him to a duel to protect you. If I killed Ra's, Merlyn would be safe."

"I…I killed…Sara? Our Sara? Laurel's sister, Sara?" Thea stood up and began to pace blindly in front of the couch. "Ollie, how…how could I have done this? I…I can't kill anyone, much less Sara." She stopped and looked at Oliver, eyes wide and unbelieving. "How could I have done that and not have a single memory of it? Not one clue?"

"That's what this Votura does. It makes a person susceptible to suggestion and removes all memory of it from the victim's mind."

Thea sat down on the couch and put her head into her hands. "Just unbelievable." Looking up, Thea asked her brother, "What happened? You didn't have to fight this Ra's, did you?"

"Luckily, no. For good or bad, before Merlyn could implement the rest of his plan, Nyssa captured him and brought him back to her home at Nanda Parbat. Where her father…" Oliver looked down at his hands in his lap.

"What is it, Ollie?"

Looking her square in the eye, Oliver said, "Malcolm's dead, Thea. As punishment for his crimes against the League of Assassins, including the Undertaking and framing you for Sara's death, Ra's tortured Malcolm to death."

Thea's lips formed a silent 'O' as she sat staring at her brother, occasionally blinking and shaking her head in an attempt to process what he'd just told her. She closed her mouth, pursed her lips together, took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well. That is some secret you had to tell me, brother." She grimaced. "Some secrets."

"I'm sorry. For better or worse, I know you considered Malcolm as a father."

"Who brainwashed me, his very own daughter, to kill a family friend. Am I really supposed to grieve for this man who now has ended up to be more evil than good?"

"It is totally up to you, Thea. I'll help you deal with all of this. It…it's a lot to deal with."

"What…what am I supposed to do with all of this, Oliver?"

Taking his sister into his arms, Oliver hugged her as tightly as he could. As much as he tried, he couldn't stop the self-blame going on in his head. He tried so much to protect his family, only for something like this to happen.

Pulling away, Thea looked into her brother's eyes. "Oliver, stop it."

Oliver looked in surprise at his sister. "What? I'm not doing anything."

"Yes, you are. You're blaming yourself. How can this be your fault?" Looking down, she said, "It's more Mom's fault. I…I wonder what she'd think of all of this."

"I don't know, Thea. But…."

"No 'buts', Oliver. If you want me to get better, you can't feel guilty. It's the only way I'm going to get through this, with my big brother at my side."

Considering his sister's words, Oliver nodded. "Okay. If you talk to my friends, you'll find out it's an area I've been working on."

"Understood. Oh, and one more thing I've been wondering…do you have room on your team for one more? I would like to use the skills Malcolm taught me for something good. And hanging out with my brother seems like a great idea to me."

Oliver shook his head. "I was afraid you were going to ask about that." He sighed. "I suppose I really can't talk you out of it?"

Thea shook her head, a determined set to her lips and a gleam in her eye. "Nope, I'm not budging."

AN: So what do you think, of this first chapter? I suppose this will build slowly. A lot of pieces to pull together first before the fun begins, I think. But I hope you enjoyed this beginning anyway. At least Thea knows everything now, and ready to join Team Arrow. Even though she also will have unresolved issues of her own to deal with.

This part took longer than I had expected. Lauriver will be showing up in the next chapters. Sorry there wasn't room for it in this chapter. And also, I struggled with showing how Thea will struggle with killing Sara. Another difference from the show. That will show up more in future chapters as well. Boy, lots of things to work into this new universe. It should be fun!

Sure hope this was entertaining, and worthy of our characters. If you like, please let me know via review how you liked it. Always, always appreciated! Stay tuned for the next chapter! It's going to be good!