Unraveling

By angellwings

Out of everyone in the League Dinah had always been closest to Oliver. She knew that was strange considering how they met and how different they were, but that also meant they were the balance the other needed. Although at this particular moment Dinah didn't know what to say. Clark was excluding Oliver from something that was obviously League business. She knew from her phone calls with Oliver that things had been becoming tense for the two. They often disagreed on how to handle things, and the Cornfield Killer situation was no different, but she never expected Clark to exclude him because of it. She heard Oliver's voice from behind them and let out a sigh of relief. She looked up at Bart and he gave her a mischievous glance. Leave it to Bart to go behind Clark's back and call Oliver. Her attention snapped back to Clark and Oliver as they began to argue again.

"By 'take care of' do you mean murder?" Clark asked

"Kay, dudes, you guys got some, uh, serious tension going on here," Bart stated awkwardly.

Murder? That didn't sound like the Oliver she knew. Sure, he got a little carried away sometimes, but murder? She needed to hear an answer from him.

"Ollie, what's he talking about?"

Oliver's eyes never left Clark. One minute he should his head as if begging Clark not to say anything and then the next she could see that he was glaring at him...daring him to announce whatever secret Clark knew that the rest of them didn't.

"Oliver crossed the line. He killed Lex Luthor," Clark announced.

"You're making a big mistake," Oliver told him. There was a hint of desperation in Oliver's tone. Dinah couldn't believe what she had just heard. She knew Oliver had a grudge against the Luthors and it was completely justifiable, but he wouldn't go as far as to kill a Luthor would he? Clark had been misinformed. He had to have been. She silently glanced back and forth between Oliver and Clark. This wasn't happening.

"You're not one of us anymore." Clark said sternly.

What was going on? The League seemed to be falling apart in front of them.

"Is that right?" He asked rhetorically. There was a small trace of hurt in his tone that only those who knew him well would be able to catch. For a split second Dinah thought about going after him. She stayed only because she couldn't seem to will her fit to move. He had kept something from her. She had been under the impression that the two of them had formed a pretty solid friendship. He should have told her. Anger began to build up and simmer inside of her chest. How could he do something so stupid? Did he realize that by killing Luthor he had stooped to Lex's level? He had given himself the excuse of justice, but he had really been looking for revenge. Anger blurred her mind, and caused her to stick by Clark's side. Deep down she knew she would eventually regret not going after him, but for the moment she let her anger take control. Dinah and Bart left shortly after Oliver. Dinah sped off toward Metropolis on her bike. She and Bart were supposed to canvas the area for Chloe and Davis while Clark monitored the police scanners for any hint of where they might be. If they found them they were supposed to get back to him. She needed to stop by her hotel first, and then she and Bart were going to meet up for the search. She was surprised to find Oliver waiting outside of her room when she arrived.

"You have to let me explain," Oliver said immediately.

"You should have told me," Dinah said with a sigh.

"Oh yeah because that would have gone over real well," Oliver said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes, "I would have been pissed just like I am now, but I would have been more willing to hear your lame ass excuses as to why."

"I didn't want your opinion of me to be damaged for the rest of our lives," He said honestly.

"Oliver, you're an alcoholic womanizer with a maiden in distress complex…my opinion of you CAN'T be any more damaged than it already is," Dinah told him bluntly.

"Alcoholic womanizer is a little different than a murderer," Oliver told her.

She sighed and turned to face him, "Why don't we have this discussion inside, okay?"

He nodded and followed her inside the room.

"Your psyche is one of the most damaged one's around, Ollie. I'm not saying that gives you an excuse to kill, but at least I know you did it for what you thought was the greater good. You're not a psychopath or deranged super criminal. You're a man who's experienced one too many tragedies in his life, and finally found someone he could blame most of it on," Dinah told him as she motioned for him to sit down. "I still think you went way too far, and agree with Clark to some extent, but I know you, Green Bean. I know that you're a flawed but good man."

Oliver let out a long sigh of relief as she finished speaking, "I've regretted it since the moment it happened. Killing someone is never what I want, but I wasn't thinking clearly…"

Dinah sat down beside of him, "I get it. I've been there. Luckily I had someone to keep me from actually succeeding to kill."

"What?"

"I found my dad's murderer several years ago. I almost beat the guy to death, and I know I would have if my Uncle Ted hadn't stepped in and pulled me away," She told him honestly. "And if you had just been up front from the beginning I would have done that for you. Hell, I still will considering when you're pissed off you tend to get carried away."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Dinah glanced at her watch and stood up, "Okay, I've got to go."

"Where?" He asked.

"I'm meeting Bart to go search for Chloe and Davis."

"You're sticking with Clark's plan?"

"It's the only one we've got, Ollie," She said with a sigh.

"It's not going to work not the way he thinks it will, at least," Oliver said sadly. "Splitting Davis from the Beast may not truly save Davis. With everything that's happened it might just be too late to save Davis at all."

Dinah nodded in sad agreement, "So what do you suggest we do?"

He hesitated before revealing his plan, "You've got to understand something first…Clark's plan could and will most likely result in his death. We can't afford that. Clark's more powerful than the entire League put together. He's convinced that his plan is the only way. He would never agree to go along with my plan so that would mean-"

"Getting Clark out of the way for a little while," Dinah said with a sad sigh. "There's only one way to do that."

"I know."

"Then you also know that it will probably change the dynamic within the group permanently?"

"Yes."

Dinah bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. Oliver was right…they couldn't risk losing Clark.

"I'll call Bart," She said finally.

Nothing had gone according to plan. Everything had unraveled around them. Davis had been too damaged to save and it had cost them Jimmy. Oliver had been right. Dinah had spent most of the day with Chloe. She and Chloe had never been particularly close, but Dinah felt protective of her. She was one of them, and she needed them.

Once the sun set Chloe and assured them she was fine, and sent Oliver, Bart, and Dinah on their way. The three of them walked together in silence. Chloe had decided to stay in the place Jimmy had given her just before he died. His wedding present to her. Dinah was sure that if she were Chloe she would not be staying in the place where her husband died. But Chloe saw something in the place that the rest of them couldn't see.

"Is this our fault?" Bart asked quietly. He and Chloe were very close and Dinah could tell that seeing Chloe so wounded and hurt him deeply.

"No," Dinah said with a sigh. "Sometimes this life just sucks."

"What do we do now?" Bart asked in the same empty tone.

"I know what I'm gonna do," Oliver said with a shake of his head. "I'm leaving."

Dinah's head snapped in his direction, "Leaving?"

"Jimmy would never have been involved in this if I hadn't hired him," Oliver said as he pushed his sunglasses higher up on his nose.

Dinah closed her eyes and spoke sadly, "Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet," He lied.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes you do. You just don't want us to follow you or try to bring you back."

"It's time to face facts, guys. It's over," Oliver said. "This team…is through."

Bart shook his head, "I don't believe that."

"Believe what you want, but it's true," Oliver told him sternly. Dinah's jaw clenched.

"You are such a jack ass, Queen," She said. "I told you this would change things. I told you that we would have to deal with that, and you're STILL chickening out?"

She was angry. Oliver was giving up. They had come so far, and NOW he was giving up.

"You know what…fine. You go do your own thing. Go be the rich boy we all know you are. As for Black Canary…she's not abandoning the cause. I'll be out there doing what you're afraid to do," She said curtly as they approached where they parked their cars. "Call me when you realize what a mistake you're making."

Dinah ignored Oliver's protests and cries as she got in her car and sped off. It wasn't over. Oliver just needed time to get his punk ass together. She meant what she said about not giving up. The League may be over, but Black Canary was still a part of her. She would keep going with or without the team. She made a split second decision and headed to the airport. She had a friend in Gotham that could maybe use a little help. A city like Gotham should keep her plenty busy.

I wanted to write a piece about the League because that scene in the barn was just so amazing. Through out the whole episode though I kept wondering what Dinah and Bart must have been thinking or feeling. There they were caught in the middle, and yet we barely see any reactions out of them at all. So think of this as my tribute to Alaina and Kyle and their amazing yet underused performances.

Enjoy!

angellwings