When Tommy first found out about Oliver's 'secret identity' he had been pissed. Rightfully so, if you asked him. It wasn't so much about Oliver's nightly activities as the fact that Oliver thought he needed to keep this a secret from him. The two of them were brothers, hell, they were a lot more than that. And, no, that didn't apply to the many years they've spent under the lime lights together. They had the most fun together, that's true, but they had also gotten each other through their toughest times.
Tommy had lived with the Queens for two years when his father took off. Oliver leaned on Tommy when Thea was born and suddenly had all of the attention on her, making Oliver feel like he was forgotten by everyone. They've stood by one another when their life took a turn for the worse, with disappointed relatives, no purpose in life and more money than they knew what to do with. There were nights where they thought they were young and invincible, but there were also the nights that gave them clarity - like some drunken stupors do - about how far they've fallen.
When the Gambit went down Tommy felt like the life had been sucked out of him. He spent a week in a drunken haze, stumbling through his condo, emptying one bottle of whiskey after another. Then one day - he wasn't sure what time it was - he fell down, smashing an empty bottle of Jack when he hit the floor. It took him a while, but eventually he noticed the throbbing in his palm and he saw the blood pouring out of it when he looked down. That's when he felt the pain. The all consuming pain that started out in the palm of his hand and traveled up to his heart, pressing on his chest making it harder to breathe with each next gulp of air he took. And for the first time since he heard the news, Tommy let himself grieve. He wasn't a fool, he knew that the likelihood of there being survivors from that shipwreck was slim to none and it only grew slimmer the more time passed. So Tommy let himself grieve for the brother he lost and the only father figure he'd known.
When he'd looked at his phone for the first time since he chucked it violently into the sofa and saw the one too many missed calls from Thea, whom he regarded like a sister of his own, he made up his mind. He wasn't the only one who's lost him. Moira and Thea have lost Oliver and Robert as well. He needed to make sure they got through this. And then there was Laurel, who didn't have anyone to really lean on.
And while it was difficult in the beginning they all got through it. He'd become an honorary Queen. He was glad for Moira and that she's found solace in Walter, who was a genuinely nice person. He and Thea were closer than ever. And Laurel, man, she was... something else.
Five years later, all hell breaks loose when Oliver turns out to be alive and back home. Even then Tommy did his best to support his best friend.
All of that were reasons why it hurt and pissed him off so much when he finally found out Oliver was "The Hood". He hated it that Oliver didn't trust him enough to tell him about it. In a burst of anger he'd called his best friend a 'murderer' and from that day on something between the two of them broke. The irrevocable trust they had was broken.
And then the truth about his father - no, Malcolm - came out, and Oliver turned out to be right. That made him start thinking that maybe he was too quick to judge Oliver and his 'mission'. But before he had any opportunity to do something about it, the Undertaking happened.
Tommy didn't remember much of the night the Glades fell. He remembers moving that pillar in order to save Laurel. It was an action he would never take back. No matter how hurt he was to find out that Laurel had - for all intents and purposes - proven his fears right, he couldn't change the way he felt about her. He had the feeling it was something that was never going to go away.
She was Laurel.
His Laurel.
She was the one person who managed to make him want to grow up and be better.
The only one who saw through all his bullshit and wasn't afraid to call him out on it.
Which is why when he found himself trapped in the same place he'd just freed Laurel from he couldn't bring himself to regret it.
Tommy honestly thought he was going to die that night. Hell, he even recited a speech in his head about what he would tell his friends and loved ones if they were with him in that moment.
He was very confused when he woke up in a hospital two weeks later with Laurel standing vigil at his bedside, looking like she hadn't slept in at least a week. At first he wasn't sure he could look at her - the bitterness of her betrayal returning with a vengeance. But Laurel did something that made him remember why he fell in love with her in the first place. She stayed by his side, pretending to go temporarily deaf when he asked her to leave him alone, she never left his hospital room and when he was released from her hospital she'd made it clear that she would be the one to take care of him. She endured a lot of his whining and frustrations during physical therapy. Slowly, he learned to trust Laurel again and it didn't take them long to get back to where they were before the break up. They went through hell and they survived, coming out stronger than ever before.
The only other thing - aside from saving Laurel - that he was aware of was Oliver pulling him out of that building before it collapsed. Oliver saved Tommy's life that night and in the blurry moments before he lost consciousness Tommy remembered seeing a glimpse of his friend back.
The months after the Glades fell were a mess. Tommy had been ordered by both Laurel and Team Arrow (a spunky blonde with a very loud voice included) to stay indoors. Due to Moira's confession, most of the people were out for the Queens, but Tommy was a Merlyn. His own 'father' had been the mastermind of it all. They'd lynch him if he so much as showed his face outside.
With little to do to pass the time, Tommy started hanging out around Verdant. It took him less than ten minutes to decide that he wanted nothing to do with 'Merlyn Global' and Malcolm's 'legacy'. He was going to make a name for himself. So he asked Oliver if he'd give him his old job back, stating that now that he was 'in the know' about The Hood he was the perfect choice for a manager since Oliver, Digg and Felicity wouldn't have to worry about being caught sneaking in and out of the club at odd hours of the day.
Tommy also told Oliver that he wanted in on their mission. When Oliver protested against his decision, claiming it was too dangerous and all, Tommy promptly shut him up by saying that he too had a father whose sins he had to atone to. Oliver couldn't really say no to that, because that would make him one hell of a hypocrite. He did however, promise Tommy that he would do better from now on, that he would find another way. He promised Tommy he wouldn't be a killer anymore, because that would make him no better than Malcolm and his cronies.
Personally, Tommy thought that was a bit of an overkill, but as long as it made Oliver feel better about what he was doing he wasn't going to do anything about it.
And so Team Arrow gained a new member. They've found their balance as time passed. Tommy became the face behind Verdant and Oliver's alibi when QC couldn't provide that. He and Felicity had become surprisingly close, forming a united front when Oliver was in one of his moods. Tommy also found her rants and babbles to be incredibly entertaining. As for Digg, well their bond formed mostly by watching Oliver and Felicity go at each other like an old married couple, exchanging smug, knowing smirks with each others as well as the occasional eyeroll at their friends' antics.
That is how he got to where he is now, pushing his car to go faster since he got a distressed phone call from Thea about Oliver rushing off and that something was wrong at work.
He'd just parked in his spot at the club when he saw a disheveled Felicity walk out the back door.
"Are you okay?" he asked immediately, noticing that she looked wearier and more tired than usual.
"I'll be okay," she soothed him, "But you should get down there. He needs you." she motioned towards the club.
"If you need anything..." Tommy said, making a 'phone' sign with his hand at her.
Felicity nodded and walked the small distance to her Mini after waving a goodbye at him.
Tommy waited until she'd started the car and was out of sight before he entered the club and headed for the basement.
He found his best friend with his back to the door and leaning with both hands on Felicity's desk.
"You okay, buddy?" Tommy asked, heading for the Island trunk, knowing all too well that's where the vodka would be.
"Depends," Oliver's barely audible response only confirmed Tommy's suspicion that his brother could really use the alcohol support.
He poured the vodka in two of the glasses they kept there (per Felicity's request) and nudged Oliver's side, offering him a glass.
One look at Oliver's face was enough to know that he'd gone through Hell.
"You wanna talk about it?" Tommy asked him quietly, settling into Felicity's chair.
Oliver said nothing, and Tommy knew better than to push him. He would talk when he felt comfortable with it.
"I'm sorry, Tommy," Oliver said at last, once he downed the vodka in one gulp and let the burn settle in his throat.
"What are you sorry about?" Tommy asked, getting up to get the rest of the bottle.
"I broke my promise to you." Oliver said, turning to face Tommy, his eyes full of sorrow. "I killed tonight."
Tommy stayed silent. He knew that he should let Oliver let it all out.
"The Count... He found out about me." Tommy re-filled his glass.
"He had to go." Tommy nodded in understanding.
But Oliver surprised him by shaking his head. "It's not that," he said "He had Felicity." Oliver's voice died in his throat.
And suddenly, Felicity's less than perfect appearance made sense.
"He had her, Tommy... and he was going to hurt her and I ... I lost it..." Oliver stuttered through his explanation. "I just... Can't... Lose her. I can't." Oliver was at his breaking point and Tommy could hear that in his voice alone.
"I shot three arrows through his chest." Oliver confessed, downing his glass in one gulp once more.
Tommy on the other hand, laid his glass on the desk - careful to keep it away from Felicity's 'babies' - and went to put a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder.
"I get it, buddy," Tommy said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
"She's your Laurel. I get it."
I hope you liked it guys! I know I love how it turned out.
I would love to hear what you think,
~Anna