Author's Note and Disclaimer:

This is a sequel to my story 'The Sins of the Past'. There are gonna be some appearances of Batman characters throughout the story but this is mainly Arrow fandom. I am considering writing more sequels, covering Year Four and Five but that depends on the reception this story gets.

Most of the story will follow the canon but I might diverge from the main plot from time to time and I might be involving my own OCs, just for the sake of Sara's own backstory I'm doing here.

Sara will be benched down to tech support and Laurel has replaced her as the Black Canary but at one point at the story, Sara will resume being a vigilante. And Laurel will not have half-assed training from Nyssa and Ted Grant, the boxer, like in the show.

I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Hope you have fun

With regards

Bl4ckHunter

The Arrow was running down the railroad, chasing the truck. "Got him, coming up 52nd Street, heading east."

"I hear you." Sara said. "Diggle, it's heading your way."

"Roger, I'm on it." Diggle said, driving the van.

The Arrow jumped on the container and fired an explosive arrow on the anchor before jumping on the truck as the explosion separated the container from the truck. Diggle drove towards the truck and opened it. "RPGs are secure. I've got eyes on."

"Roy, Canary, we're coming to you!" The Arrow shouted before punching a henchman as he hung on the door and then knocked out the driver as Roy, in red leather suit showed up and shot the tires, stopping the truck and taking down the henchman as the other gangster kept on running before the Black Canary jumped down from above and knocked him down as the Arrow approached her.

"All yours." She smiled.

The Arrow neared the thug. "Vincent Steelgrave, you have failed this city!" And the next thing Steelgrave saw was a fist nearing his face before the world cut to black.

Later, the Lair

Sara was on TV watching the news anchor about the Arrow and the Black Canary as she smiled before Oliver, Roy, Diggle and Laurel entered and she turned to them, slightly limping as she picked up her cane.

"We keep this up, there will be only two types of criminals left in Starling City." Diggle said as Oliver put his bow on the weapons stand. "The ones we put away and the ones that are running scared."

"You did good out there." Sara smiled as she hugged Laurel.

"The training was worth it." Laurel smiled. "But…" She sighed. "Tomorrow morning I need to get Steelgrave to the court. By night, I chase them down, by day, I gotta cook them."

Oliver's phone then rang. "It's Thea."

"Where is she now?" Diggle asked.

"Amalfi coast." Oliver said. "I keep telling her to send photos."

"I'm gonna do a patrol, clear my head." Roy said, heading out.

"Hey." Oliver turned to him. "You did really good tonight."

Roy nodded as he went up before Sara kissed Oliver on his cheek. "What about you and the company?"

"Tomorrow." Oliver said.

"I'm gonna go out too." Diggle said as he went up. "Lyla has me trying to build the bassinet from hell." He grumbled.

Sara then held onto Oliver as she put her cane on the table. "It's going to be a few more weeks before I fully recover."

"Aren't you missing going out?" Oliver teased.

"Every day." Sara admitted. "But, Laurel's doing well, I don't want to take that away from her."

Three years ago

Sara kept on training with the monks as she walked down the courtyard with Elian. "Thank you for letting me train here with you… even after…"

"What happened with mother was not your fault, Sara." Elian assured her friend. "It took a lot of persuasion from my side however, to allow the masters to let you train with us, even after you let Mr. Cain spoil the Well of All." Sara then looked at the sun. "I've seen the look in your eyes before. Full of guilt and darkness."

"I can't go home like that." Sara said.

"The darkness is a part of everyone, Sara." Elian assured her. "You can't keep running from it or bury it within you. Otherwise, it will consume you."

"I can't face Laurel or anyone else, if they saw me as who I am… as what I've done…"

"One day, your heart will shine brighter than the dark fury inside you, Sara." Elian held her hand. "And that day will be glorious. You just need to hold onto faith… otherwise you're truly lost. We've taught you everything you could. Perhaps it's time for you to learn how to live with it outside the sanctuary."

Present, Starling City Courthouse

"Steelgrave took a plea for 15 to 20." Laurel quipped as she walked down the courthouse with Oliver and Sara. "His lawyer folded like a deck chair after I hit him with the evidence that the Arrow and the Black Canary gathered."

"Good work." Oliver noted.

"We catch them, then I cook them. Did I say that too loud?"

"No, you're fine." Sara laughed.

"Did you think that we would ever end up like business partners?" Laurel asked.

"Is that why you invited us down here, Laurel?" Oliver asked. "To see Mr. Steelgrave send off to his new life?"

"No. I have a surprise for you." Laurel said as they neared to the press conference, where was Quentin with a cane and in police captain uniform as she walked over to him.

"You know, you could try to hide the fact that you're glad I can't get out in the field anymore." Quentin quipped. "As much as I am trying to hide that I'm not very happy about your… nightly activities with Oliver and your sister." He briefly glanced at them.

"I can't hide that I'm glad that you're safe." Laurel assured him.

"What's all this?" Sara asked as Laurel neared them.

"Your surprise." Laurel explained.

"Thank you all for coming." Quentin told the crowd. "Five months ago, this city was under siege. And the SCPD rallied behind two vigilantes. Well, I ended up with a captain's rank and neither of them even got a 'thank you'. But today, they do. Because today, the Starling City Police Department is formally recognizing the two vigilantes known as the Arrow and the Canary. And I'm using my new position to disband the anti-vigilante task force charged with capturing them. Now, make no mistake, vigilantism will never be tolerated but I refuse to hunt in the name of this city the heroes who saved it."

The crowd applauded as Laurel, Oliver and Sara smiled at him.

Oliver then took Sara aside. "So, I was thinking, would you like to go out for a dinner tonight?"

"Sure." Sara shrugged. "I mean, after I finish the physiotherapy today."

Later

After Oliver stashed his vigilante gear in safety, he entered the restaurant, talking to the receptionist. "Queen, party of two."

"Right this way." The man accompanied Oliver to the table, where was Sara waiting in black dress as they smiled at each other.

Oliver approached the table and sat down. "Hi."

"Hey."

"Can I get you two something to drink?" The waiter asked.

"Scotch, neat." Oliver said.

"Chardonnay for me, please." Sara ordered.

They looked at each other as Oliver chuckled. "I'm glad you're mostly on your feet."

"So am I." Sara said. "I can't believe I'm nervous about this, considering what we've been through together already." She admitted.

"Me neither." Oliver admitted.

"I mean, we've been through so many things together and…" Sara paused. "Actually, we never talked a lot about what happened to either of us after Amazo."

Oliver nodded. "You already told me that you met Jack, Henry, Nicole and Chloe after Amazo. And then you… left. Travelled."

"Back then…" Sara took a breath. "I… killed someone." She admitted. "And it wasn't self-defense, it was…" She looked down in shame. "I lost control of myself and I was so ashamed of what I did, I didn't want anyone to see me like that. I was so deep in darkness… I pretty much turned my back on everyone. Jack, Henry, Nicole, Chloe… I didn't want to be anywhere near them because I was afraid they would…"

Oliver nodded. "Something similar happened to me too." He took a breath. "After Amazo… I ended up in Hong Kong."

"Wait, I remember Laurel saying something about Tommy going to Hong Kong because someone had checked into your email account there." Sara remembered.

"That was me." Oliver nodded. "It's complicated but… you know about A.R.G.U.S. and what I did for them, right?"

"Jack told me." Sara nodded. "When I was in Shanghai, I asked Jack to look for you and he told me Waller was leveraging you into working for her."

Oliver nodded. "Tommy found out that I accessed my email account there and tried to find me. Waller tried to have him killed but I staged a kidnapping and rescue to convince Tommy not to come looking for me again. As far as he knew, he was tricked."

Sara sighed. "I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you."

Oliver nodded. "I have been thinking a lot recently about my time there. About the choices that I had to make."

"I know what that's like." Sara nodded.

"Sorry." Oliver wiped his mouth for a moment. "I'm a little out of my element here. The entire time that I was gone, I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long, you stop seeing people for people, you see… threats. Or targets. And when I decided to come home, I… I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. That was… until I found out you were alive again. It… it was a miracle. You survived Gambit, then Amazo… you've always been my anchor."

Sara smiled. "Deep down, I always knew we'd find a way back together. Even, when… I lost hope. And gave up on everything. There was a time, when I wanted to give up… but… no matter what happened, Jack, Henry, Chloe, you… you all have always been my constant in my life. If it wasn't for you… I don't know what would have happened to me."

Suddenly, they heard something as their instincts turned on and Oliver threw the table down and tackled Sara to the ground as the missile crashed through the window and exploded.

When Oliver came to, he grabbed Sara in bridal style and left the restaurant with her.

Later, the Lair

"Is she OK?" Roy asked as he and Diggle saw Oliver put unconscious Sara on the table.

"She's just knocked out." Oliver assured them.

"Saw it all over the news, police and fire are on the scene." Diggle said.

"Yeah, I didn't think it was a good idea to stick around and ask questions." Oliver replied.

Laurel then rushed down from downstairs. "I just saw the news. Is she OK?" She approached her unconscious sister.

"The blast missed us, don't worry." Oliver assured her.

"You don't think you and an explosion at the same time is a coincidence?" Diggle inquired.

Roy then showed Oliver a small device. "Hey, check this out. It's a GPS tag, I found it on your jacket, it's wasted now."

"You took out one of Steelgrave's crew earlier tonight." Diggle said.

"It was a set up, so they could plant that thing on me." Oliver realized.

"Oliver, I know what you're thinking." Diggle said.

"No, you don't." Oliver protested.

"Listen, I'm not other people." Diggle neared him. "I know exactly what's going on in your head and you are wrong."

"Diggle, somebody put a tracer on me and I don't notice?" Oliver snapped. "The only explanation… I lost my focus."

Laurel's phone then rang as she answered the call. "Hey, Daddy."

"Honey, about the explosion…"

"Yeah, I know, Ollie and Sara were there." Laurel said before realizing she made a mistake.

"What?!" Quentin shouted into the phone.

"Dad, calm down. They're both OK." Laurel assured him. "But, listen, whoever was behind it must have been working with Steelgrave. We need to know who's behind this."

"I'm on it."

Oliver hung up before approaching Sara as she came to, gasping as he held her. "Ollie…"

"It's OK, Sara. It's OK. You're safe now."

Later, elsewhere in Starling City

The Arrow and the Black Canary entered the building before the Arrow looked up and notched an arrow, to see Quentin there. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm on your side."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Black Canary demanded.

"For one, that is no way to speak to your father." Quentin snapped. "And for the other, these guys blew up a building, where was my baby girl, you think I'm sitting this one out? Suspect's name is Werner Zytle. He's a real nutbar."

"Keep your head on the swivel then." The Arrow said.

They scoured the area as the Arrow was walking down a corridor before he whirled around, facing a bearded man. "I'm Werner Zytle." He jammed a syringe into the Arrow's neck as he screamed and stumbled back. "But you can call me Vertigo."

"The Count's dead." The Arrow retorted.

"Some things never die. You, for example." Zytle said. "It's frustrating. Just means I have to try a little bit harder." He tried to throw punches as the Arrow blocked his attacks before he stumbled.

"The Count might be dead, true… but his glorious narcotic lives on, with a few enhancements, that will reveal to you your greatest fear, like gazing upon truth itself." Zytle's face then changed to Oliver's as he attacked the Arrow, who was unable to fight back due to the influence of the drug as Zytle knocked the Arrow on the floor and he saw Sara and Laurel lying on the ground in puddle of blood.

"No…"

Zytle pinned the Arrow to the wall, grabbing him by his throat as he was about to jam another syringe in his neck before a gunshot rang out and he turned around to face Quentin.

"Get away from him or get put down!" Quentin ordered.

Zytle threw another dart that hit the wall behind Quentin before Black Canary rushed at Zytle and hit him in the head with her nightstick. "Get off him, now!" She kicked Zytle back before she saw Quentin holding his chest and collapse on the ground. Black Canary pushed Zytle away as he ran, while she approached her father. "Dad!" She tapped her comms. "Sara, call an ambulance."

Later, Starling General

"Dad, what the hell were you thinking?" Sara demanded as Quentin was lying on bed. "I can't believe you would risk your health like that!"

"Do you know what an advanced healthcare directive is?" Laurel asked. "It's what they ask for, when you're going to die, Dad. The night of the Siege, the E.R. asked us if you had one." She said as both Lance sisters approached the bed.

"I'm sorry. I really am." Quentin reached out. "To both of you."

"Then why are you pushing yourself like this, Daddy?" Sara asked.

"I don't know how." Quentin said. "I've been a cop since before you two were born, it's all I know. If I'm not a cop, what am I?"

"You're our Dad." Laurel said as she held Quentin's hand.

Three years ago

Sara packed her things as she went down the road and Elian was accompanying her to an archway. "I've sent a message to Talia."

"What is her place in here anyway?" Sara asked.

"She helped my mother build this place long ago. It's supposed to…"

"Be a protection of the world from the Untitled, I know." Sara nodded before hugging her tightly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." Elian smiled. "Goodbye, Sara."

Present, Queen Consolidated

Zehra, in suit was waiting for Oliver in front of the boardroom. "Ollie, I know how hard you worked on this but… there's a problem."

"What problem?" Oliver asked.

"There's another bidder for Queen Consolidated." Zehra explained.

"Who?"

"Ray Palmer." The man behind Oliver said, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you. Love your company. And my secretary…"

"Felicity." Oliver said as he noticed the blonde next to him. "I remember you, you used to work at Queen Consolidated before Isabel Rochev fired you. I'm so sorry about what happened…"

"It's OK. Really." Felicity shrugged.

"So sorry I am late." Ray said as he entered the boardroom. "Traffic was terrible, which is why I took my helicopter. I parked on your roof, I hope that's OK." He smiled at Oliver and Zehra. "You guys validate, right?"

"Oh, dear…" Zehra muttered.

"Two years ago, people of Starling City thought I was dead." Oliver said, standing in front of the board members, Ray, Felicity and Zehra. "I came back. And so can Queen Consolidated. With Starling National Bank's new investment, we can take QC out of receivership and into the future. I mean, this company's my family and as my mother always said, there is nothing more important to me than my family. Thank you."

Oliver sat at the table as Ray smiled. "That was a good speech, hard to top." He took a breath as he got up and faced the board members. "Thank you all for coming today, I promise to be brief, if not a little entertaining." He lowered the board. "Anyway, science, numbers." He put a small device on the table as the projector shined on the board. "These numbers show QC's performance under Mr. Queen's management. I'm using that term extremely, BTW, also, BTW, these numbers aren't sanitized for Wall Street. This company's a symptom of a much larger problem and that problem is Starling City. Queen Consolidated can't hope to survive if the city, it's located in, is dying. Guess what? It is." He said as he walked around the table. "Nobody wants to live here anymore. And after two terrorist attacks, who can blame them? This city still needs saving and that is my vision for this company. To not only see it rise from the ashes but to take this city with it to that new horizon. And that new day has a name."

The board then showed the sign "STAR CITY" as the board members applauded.

"Isn't he charming?" Felicity quipped before she saw Oliver's hurt expression.

Zehra was with Oliver at the corridor. "I'm so sorry about this, Ollie, if I had known this was gonna happen…"

"Don't beat yourself up, Zehra, you did what you could." Oliver assured her. "Just… good luck." He shook his hand with her as she nodded.

"OK."

"See you."

Oliver was entering the elevator as he stumbled upon Felicity, who looked at him awkwardly. "Well…"

"Hey. Mr. Queen." She said nervously.

"It's Oliver." Oliver assured her.

"I… guess you weren't expecting to see me again." Felicity said slowly.

"I'm glad you found another job. I really am." Oliver said. "If you think you can make the company better with Palmer… all I can say is good luck."

Felicity nodded. "I… thank you." She said, surprised. "I… honestly, I expected you to feel like I was betraying you somehow because, you know… Miss Rochev fired me last year and…"

"I don't blame you for anything." Oliver said. "I… don't worry about it." He said as she nodded.

"Thank you."

Later, the Lair

"What did we find out?" Oliver asked as he entered.

"You know how we've got the number of crime bosses in Starling City down to three?" Roy asked.

"Well, our new man, Mr. Zytle, is trying to make it zero." Sara said as on the screen showed three photos. "Mikhail Petrov, Luciano Costa, Shintawa Shimasawa."

"What are their locations?" Oliver asked.

"Nothing on their last known addresses." Sara said.

"Werner could be moving these guys right now." Diggle said.

"It's not like they've been tagged." Sara snapped before it hit her. "Unless…" She typed some commands on the computer. "They're all on parole or out on bail."

"Ankle monitors." Oliver realized.

"That's odd." Sara said. "Look." She pointed at the screen.

"All in the same place?" Roy asked, confused. "Rockets Arena. The heavyweight title fight's tonight." He sighed in realization. "That's like Christmas for crime bosses. There'll be like twenty-thousand people there."

"He was willing to blow up a restaurant to take down one man." Diggle said. "He'll blow a stadium to take out three."

"Yeah but an RPG won't do it." Oliver noted. "I need you to look for a large explosive device. Roy, suit up."

"I'll call Laurel." Sara pulled out her phone.

"No." Oliver said. "I can't have her or you out in the field." He turned to Diggle.

"Really? What changed?" Diggle asked, confused.

"You're going to be a father." Oliver pointed out.

"Oliver, you've known for the past five months I was going to be a father, so I ask you again, what changed?" Diggle sighed.

"I have." Oliver replied. "My risks can't be your risks. That… Diggle, you have a life, a new life… life I can't have."

"Ollie, you can't let what happened last night get into your head." Sara pointed out as she got up, holding her cane. "Anyone could've died but we didn't."

"Your Dad is in the hospital…"

"Lance is his own man, who makes his own decisions and so am I." Diggle interrupted him.

"Not this time." Oliver noted.

"Ollie, we've given the past two years of our lives to your crusade." Sara pointed out. "Henry, Chloe and Jack have sacrificed their share of their lives as well. If it wasn't for us, you'd be dead ten times over." She said with a forced calm tone.

"You're right." Oliver nodded. "But this is my crusade, which makes this my decision."

Rockets Arena

The red archer was running down the corridor as on the rooftop, the Arrow and the Black Canary were facing Zytle. "Back for more?" He threw a dart and hit the Arrow in his shoulder. "It's as if you've developed an addiction to Vertigo."

Sara was helping Roy disarm the bomb as she was giving instructions over the comms.

The Arrow saw for a moment Oliver's face instead of Zytle's before he got a hold of himself and pulled the dart out. "I've made my choice." He engaged Zytle in a fist fight as Black Canary showed up and used her batons to take out one of Zytle's thugs. As another thug neared her, a man in black hood, with a ripped sleeve and a dragon tattoo showed up, swiftly throwing punches and taking him down as the Arrow smiled.

"I didn't think I was gone that long." Richard Dragon said.

The Arrow fired a bola arrow towards Zytle, incapacitating him.

Later, Richard walked down the plaza with Oliver and Sara. "It's been a long time, Richard."

"Indeed, it was." Richard nodded.

"If you're looking for Henry and Nicole and Riley, they've moved back to Gotham but promised that they'd visit us." Sara said.

"I know." Richard nodded. "I wanted to see you again and heard the radio chatter. You OK?" He asked as he noticed Sara limping.

"I miss jumping from rooftops but… Laurel's doing fine." Sara assured him. "Are you gonna stay around this time?"

"We'll see." Richard said. "And also, Elian told me that something happened with the sanctuary…"

"I know." Sara nodded. "I had to run, when it was falling apart."

"How have you two been?" Richard asked.

"We're… working things out." Sara assured him.

"My advice?" Richard said. "Don't hide behind your masks, because that's not who you are. Keep close to yourselves those, who don't wear one."

Later, Starling General

"Ollie, is everything OK?" Sara asked as they were in a corridor after visiting Diggle, Lyla and their newborn daughter.

"There's something that's been going on my mind." Oliver said. "Two years ago, I made the decision to cast Oliver Queen aside and be the Arrow, I can't unmake that choice."

"Ollie, please, don't…" Sara sighed, realizing where this was going. "Not after what we've been through together."

"Do you know why our date got interrupted?" Oliver asked. "I thought I could be me and the Arrow… but I can't. Not now. Maybe not ever." He said sadly.

"You can, Ollie." Sara pleaded as she held his cheek. "We've always carried that burden together. No matter what, I want to be with you, wherever this takes us. Please, don't push me away and don't ask me to move on because without you, I feel like my life is worth nothing."

Oliver took a breath. "I'm sorry."

Sara sniffed. "So, that's it?"

"I don't know." Oliver admitted. "But what I do know… is that not now."

Sara nodded sadly. "If you'll ever decide to come back to me… I'll be waiting." She kissed him. "I love you, Ollie."

She walked away as she limped slightly, a stray tear streaming down her eye as Oliver's phone rang. "Hello?"

"It's me, Barry Allen. I'm awake. I could use some advice."

Three years ago

As Sara was walking down the road and she turned around, looking at the mountains, under which was a beautiful sanctuary hiding, suddenly, darkness covered the sky and Sara looked horrified. "What the…" She ran into the forest and was about to go into the caverns before she saw the terrain in front of her crumble into dust. "No!" She wailed and broke down in tears. The place, in which she trained and full of good people and mentors, was buried under the rubble…

As Sara was driving down the road, she stopped at small town went into a small bar before she saw in the reflection of the glass a Vietnamese woman in green dress as she glared. Her old enemy has returned…

Present

Sara was waiting on the rooftop before she heard a familiar voice from behind her. "Hey."

Sara turned around and smiled. "Nicky, hey." She hugged her tightly. "How are you doing?"

"I've been visiting Mom here." Nicole smiled back. "How you've been? How's Quentin?"

"He'll be fine." Sara nodded before Richard approached them on the rooftop.

"Hey." He kissed Sara on her cheek, while kissing Nicole on her lips.

"I missed you."

"Not as much as I missed you."

"How's Riley?"

"He keeps asking if you're OK." Nicole said.

"I'd never leave my wife and my stepson behind." Richard said as Sara widened her eyes.

"Wife?"

Nicole flushed as she turned to her. "Oh, I should have told you… the night Richard left… we…" She showed her ring as Richard did the same.

"Oh…" Sara laughed. "Oh, my God…" She hugged Nicole and Richard tightly. "I wish you both well."

They let the moment pass by as Sara looked at Richard. "Are you gonna stay around this time?"

"We'll see." Richard said.

As Sara and Nicole were going down the alley, they looked up and to their horror, Richard was falling down with three arrows sticking out of his chest and hit a dumpster before landing on the ground. Instantly realizing that Nicole's husband and one of Sara's closest friends and mentors were dead, they rushed to him, breaking down in tears.

"Richard! No! No! Richard!"

Author's Note:

So, what do you guys think? Is it good? Is it bad? Should I continue?

Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this.

With regards

Bl4ckHunter