Summary: With all the fake Arrows running around loose in Starling killing innocent people, Oliver is hunted by the police. What if he gets seriously injured, and the LOA bring him to Nanda Parbat? This could be thought of as an AU version of episode 18.
AN: This plot bunny was formed when I first saw released pictures of episode 18, and it asked what would happen if things would go the wrong way…so I decided to work on it and share. Hope you enjoy. I am still rather new to this adventure writing, so I apologize if it is too simplistic. I have now decided to incorporate part of episode 18, but the story will drastically turn from canon quickly.
AAN: I so apologize for any confusion. Somehow, when I tried to upload this chapter, a chapter from one of my other stories posted instead. So…..here is my actual new story. Oh boy. Thanks again!
Oliver watched as Ra's and Maseo left. Suddenly, a light from a police helicopter hovering above them illuminated them, making them obvious targets to the dozens of police who surrounded them. The clicks of dozens of guns around them were heard. How did this go south so quickly? Instinctively, Oliver turned and ran to the ledge. He took a deep breath and leaped, bow in hand as he aimed the rappelling arrow. He was hardly aware of Laurel and Roy running behind him, the sound of Roy bringing back his bow as he aimed his arrow into the building as well. Oliver grabbed Laurel and they floated to the ground, with Roy behind them.
After landing safely, they began to run. Bullets rained down on them as Oliver raced behind Laurel and Roy through the city streets. I can't believe it has come down to this. Oliver thought as his mind quickly ruled out possibilities of escape. They reached a doorway behind several garbage bins and took shelter from the barrage of bullets.
"What now, Arrow?" Roy asked as all three of them leaned against the brick wall trying to catch their breath.
"How many do you think are up ahead?" Laurel asked.
"At least five heat signatures on either side of you," Felicity's voice came over the comms. "Driver and Wildcat are on their way to you. Hang on!"
"I'm not sure how we can," Laurel cried out, fear coloring her response as bullets continued to rain down upon them.
"Hey guys, Wildcat and I are now in position. Get ready to run in 3," Diggle's voice came over the comms.
Digg gave the count and the three vigilantes ran for the alley which represented freedom while Wildcat and Driver provided cover with their machine guns Roy and Laurel reached the alley, but Oliver caught a lucky bullet in his upper back. He tried to make it the rest of the way, but then one more bullet found a place in his body. He was flung back by its impact, then was hit by yet two more bullets, causing him to fall forward onto the pavement.
Diggle yelled into the comm, "Oliver! Oh no!" as he watched Oliver collapse.
Roy looked back, and watched in horror as yet another bullet found vulnerable flesh in which to land. He rushed out to Oliver before Laurel could stop him, picked Oliver up, supporting him as they ran to the alley. Surprisingly, they were able to avoid any more bullets.
Oliver collapsed against the brick wall. Laurel quickly began to scan his injuries. "Oh, no, he took five bullets. Five!" She cradled his face in her hands and yelled as she watched Oliver's eyes began to close, "Oliver, stay with us. Stay awake!"
Diggle was barely able to continue his barrage of bullets to hold off the police's attack over his worry for Oliver. Ted hadn't stopped his efforts and was doing a good job on his side of the barrage. Luckily, Diggle was able to shake himself out of his shock to help get the team to safety. He watched as they went around the corner where he had stashed their van.
Roy had instructed Laurel to get on Oliver's other side, and they half-carried, half-dragged the muscular young man to the van. Laurel opened the side door, and Roy collapsed inside the van with Oliver. Laurel quickly lifted Oliver's legs into the van and closed the door. She then quickly got in the driver's side and took off.
"Where am I going? How is he?" Laurel frantically turned to Roy in the back seat.
"Blood is coming out of him everywhere. I don't know where to apply pressure to," Roy screamed as his hands tried to cover all the bullet holes.
"What do you mean? He can't be that seriously hurt, can he?" Felicity's panicked voice came over the comms.
"Dig, I'm heading to the hospital. Roy, get him out of his leathers," Laurel instructed Roy.
Roy looked at Oliver's face, which was becoming paler every minute. Roy also didn't like how his breathing was becoming shallower. "You better get there fast. Make sure we're not being followed."
Felicity asked, "No way are they going to buy Oliver getting shot."
"That's the least of our worries. I don't know if he's going to make it there for us to worry about it," Roy said.
Laurel concentrated on the driving, trying to beat the red lights along the way. Attempting to calm herself, worried about Oliver, she kept checking the rearview mirror for any police cars.
They got to the hospital. Roy had changed Oliver's clothes, having to ignore Oliver's cries of pain, which became quieter every minute as well. Diggle met the van, and quickly exchanged his black hoodie for a jacket. Roy had also managed to change his clothes, and so they both carried Oliver into the hospital, while Laurel drove the van down the street to hide it.
Upon their entrance into the ER, the two men carrying their wounded friend were met by an alert medic. "We got Oliver Queen here. He was mugged outside Verdant."
The medic quickly got a gurney and several colleagues over, who got Oliver onto the gurney. They brought Oliver into the patient area, as Oliver and Roy watched the ER swinging doors close. Minutes later, they heard over the intercom, "Code Blue, ER room one. Code Blue, ER room one."
Roy and Diggle exchanged looks. "Maybe it's not Oliver," Roy said, with a question in his voice.
"I thought I saw them go into the room marked 'one' before the doors closed," Diggle said.
Laurel rushed through the doors at this moment and over to them. "How is he?"
"They just took him in," Diggle said.
"We just…" Roy started to tell Laurel about the Code Blue they had heard, but stopped at a glare from Digg. Roy changed it quickly to, "We should go sit down," indicating some empty chairs across from the doors.
They sat for thirty minutes, which seemed to be like 1500, until a man came out from between the two doors, dressed in scrubs covered in blood. He walked over to Laurel, Roy and Diggle. "Are you here for Mr. Queen?"
Dig looked heavenward, closed his eyes, said a quick prayer, and then answered, "Yes, we are."
"I'm so sorry. We tried all we could, but he had too many gun shots, and he lost too much blood." The doctor paused, then continued. "We weren't able to save him."
Laurel said, "No…no, it can't be. It just can't be."
Dig took Laurel in his arms as she began to cry. Shaking his head, not aware of his own tears, he said, "It probably was only a matter of time."
But why, God, why him? Why Oliver? He only tried to do good for this city. How could he be betrayed so? All Diggle could do was hold the young woman in his arms and rock them both back and forth. Diggle only became of his own tears when he realized he would have to break the news to Felicity. Oh how will I be able to bear telling her?
The woman in question arrived at the hospital only ten minutes after they were told the news. In a blur of blonde hair flying, she burst through the doors, frantically looking around her. Her eyes caught her two boys and Laurel in the corner, tears in their eyes, and the color faded from her face. Before Diggle could get to her, Felicity had fallen over in a faint. Luckily another man caught her head before it could hit the floor. Diggle thanked the man, and gently picked Felicity up and carried her over to Roy and Laurel.
After setting her on one of the chairs, Felicity's eyes fluttered open. Memory came rushing back, and she looked and saw Diggle's concerned face. She grabbed his arm, and desperation was heard in her voice. "Tell me he's going to be okay. He has to be okay."
"I'm so sorry, Felicity. There were too many gunshots. He's gone."
Felicity burst into tears, lowered her head as her hands frantically tried to find something to grab onto. Her hands blindly gripped and released bits of her hair as she tried to tear her hair out. Roy took her in his arms and tried to provide what comfort he could, but her sobs only got louder.
~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~
They made their way to Diggle's apartment somehow. Diggle didn't trust them to go home. He had called Lyla on the way to warn her, so she prepared their guest room and couch for their guests. She met the somber group at the door, unshed tears in her eyes. Roy, Laurel, and Felicity walked in, and Diggle brought the rear. Lyla rushed into his arms, and Diggle hugged her tightly.
They sat down in the living room, attempted some small talk, but no one was really interested. Laurel suggested they tried to rest, and everyone agreed. No one got any sleep, but they were resting.
Felicity was surprised to find she had fallen into a restless sleep sometime before dawn. She didn't know what woke her, and she was momentarily disoriented upon waking. Looking at the unfamiliar wallpaper, she suddenly remembered. Biting her lower lip she somehow fought against breaking down in tears again. She got up, rubbed her eyes, looked around and saw Laurel was still asleep in the twin bed beside her. She quietly got up and left the room. She made her way downstairs, to find Digg and Lyla standing across from one another, shocked expressions on their faces.
They didn't acknowledge Felicity's presence, even when she cleared her throat. She walked over to Digg and placed a tentative hand upon his arm. "What's wrong, Digg?"
Digg turned to Felicity, still unable to comprehend what he had just been told. How am I going to tell her this? I can't, I simply can't believe it.
"Felicity, Thea just received a phone call from the funeral home."
Felicity didn't think she would have heard Diggle use a worse tone than the one he used to tell her Oliver was dead. She was wrong. Now what can be wrong now?
Diggle swallowed. "He has disappeared."
"What?" Felicity looked at Diggle with a question on her face. "Who do you mean?"
"Oliver. His…his body. They can't find him. The funeral home says his body is missing. They absolutely have no idea what happened."
~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~OQ~~
Coldness. First there was coldness, as the pain and his other senses slowly disappeared. Then the feeling of falling into nothingness. The silence was overwhelming.
The quietness. The emptiness, the echoing in the void.
Awareness of the world around him slowly returned to Oliver. Feeling slowly returned to his toes, his feet, his upper body, and his arms. All Oliver was aware of was being so comfortable in a sanctuary of warmth. Dreamless sleep for once in his life, not interrupted by endless nightmares from the island. Until…
A memory. Of running away from Starling City's police and falling under a barrage of bullets. Of hearing Roy cry about not being able to stop the bleeding. The pain of Roy trying to change his clothes, of being carried into the hospital. The squeeze of Diggle's hand on his shoulder as an act of courage.
"I see you are finally awake," broke through his thoughts.
Oliver's chest constricted as he recognized the voice. Ra's. He looked at the man who had become such a menacing presence in his life. Ra's stood in the entryway, looking at Oliver with an inscrutable expression upon his face. Oliver closed his eyes as he tried to gather his strength, to enable him to control his fear and disgust of the man in front of him. He opened them to find Ra's still there.
"Well, you did it. What you avoided the first time by the very strength of your will, you gave us no other choice but to use this time."
"Whaaa…t do you mean?"
"The Lazarus Pit. Unfortunately, you forced my hand and I had to allow you to use it. Through your stubbornness you have to start too early with the cycle."
"It certainly wasn't my idea to become Public Enemy Number One and thus be pursued by the very police force I've spent my life helping the past three years."
"Because of your near death, I will ignore your impertinence." Ra's continued despite Oliver's sharp intake of breath to make a protest. "I have accepted that you wouldn't be the man you are without your extreme amount of stubbornness. However, I feel you cannot help but agree you have reached the point of no return."
"Why? Just because you have succeeded in branding me a criminal?"
"Actually, yes. Despite your inability to accept things easily, even you would have to admit the reality that you either accept the honor of becoming Ra's al Ghul, or spend the rest of your life in a cage."
Fear filled his heart as Oliver realized he wasn't going to be allowed to leave Nanda Parbat this time.
"Everyone believes you are dead. You cannot return to Starling without numerous explanations. And even if you do return, they will still believe you are responsible for the Mayor's death, as well as the others. Your former life no longer exists."
Ra's stood up, his guards coming to attention. "I will take my leave now, to allow you to rest. We will talk more tomorrow."
Oliver watched as the group took their leave. The heavy oak door slammed securely shut behind them, and the turn of a key in a lock was heard. He leaned against the pillows and let out a giant sigh.
What the hell can I do now?
AN: Thank you so much for reading! If you wish, please let me know what you think and leave a review. You would make me so very happy. Especially since we have no Arrow this week. Sigh.