By Razial Beneath the Mask

Disclaimer: I do not own Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance or anyone else from the combined DC TV verse, they belong to DC comics, WSB and anyone else who owns the rights.

Rating: NC-17

Paring: Oliver/Laurel

Notes: This is an alternate take on season 1 of Arrow with some important changes including Oliver and Laurel still having obvious feelings for one another and there been no romance between Laurel and Tommy, also Oliver will be a bit more truthful with Laurel as to what happened to him and other changes may also appear as we go.

Summary: Oliver comes home after five years on an island damaged and suffering from chronic nightmares but committed so fulfilling his Father's last wish, however seeing Laurel again after dreaming of her for so long makes him decide not to push her away but to bring her into his new world.

+BTM+

Oliver Queen stared out into the darkened streets of his home city trying to recognise anything familiar, but it was hard to see anything but his memories of the Island and the utter agony he had survived to finally come home. Unable to help himself he rubbed his shoulder where he had acquired his first real scar which still sometimes hurt even five years later, it was a wound that reminded him of the people who he had met on the Island and helped him become a survivor. The sudden opening of the door to his room and a gasp made him frown as he recognised the tone of voice even if she had not spoken, he had not expected her to come anywhere near him when the news broke of his return. Slowly he turned around to find his former girlfriend standing behind him, Laurel Lance was as stunning as he remembered if not more so and he recalled all those nights wishing and praying to see her again back on the Island.

Laurel had tried not to come when she first heard the news of Oliver's survival, had tried not to feel the pull to see him after five long years apart when she had believed him dead along with her Sister but she had failed and she had come. Now she was frozen as she stared at her ex boyfriend's scarred and burnt body, a body far more muscular than she remembered but it was the damage it had taken that horrified and kept her attention. What had happened to him on that Island, it was supposed to have been deserted but considering the damage she didn't see how that was possible. Slowly almost without realising it she moved forward until she was right in front of him, her eyes ran up over his scarred torso before becoming fixed on the tattoo on his shoulder and she wondered how he had gotten it because he sure did not have it before he left. It was again more proof he could not have been alone, finally her eyes moved up until they met his eyes.

"Laurel" he said in greeting followed by a small smile, but the intensity of his look as he ran his eyes over her face was far more intense than she had ever seen before and made her tremble slightly.

"Ollie" she replied hesitantly. "I tried not to come didn't want to come but I came anyway" she found herself babbling and stopped and tried to organise her thoughts. "What happened to you Ollie, why is your body covered in scars and burns?" she asked.

Oliver looked down and realised he couldn't exactly lie as the evidence was right in front of her as he had not been wearing his medical scrubs apart from the pants, but he couldn't get into the truth right now and especially not with Laurel and yet he did not want to lie to her period even though he knew it would be the best thing to keep her distant and safe from the crusade he was about to launch in order to fulfil his Father's dying request.

"I can't say right now Laurel and it's not a short story" he finally told her. "But if you really want an answer when I've gotten out of here and settled I'll tell you" he offered wondering what the hell he was doing even opening the door to her.

Laurel was about to angrily retort at his evasion but settled when he continued and offered to tell her what had happened to him later on once he was settled, she supposed she should give him time to settle into been back home. And clearly like he said it was a long story, stepping back she nodded.

"Ok I can accept that but tell me one thing is Sara alive?" Laurel asked locking her eyes onto his.

Oliver wondered how to answer this, he was going to say that Sara had gone down with the boat so her parents and Laurel could remember her as she had been before she got on Ivo's boat and before the Island. It was better that way but again he found he could not summon the will to lie to Laurel after all he had put her through, but he really did not know if Sara was alive. He had thought her dead once before and she had turned up alive, wasn't it possible she might still be out there somewhere.

"I don't know Laurel the last I saw her she was alive but we were on a boat different than the Gambit and she was swept overboard, I thought her dead once before after the Gambit went down and she turned up alive but if she is alive then why has she not come home?" he told her.

Laurel listened to him speak and could sense no lie or evasion just honest confusion that if Sara was alive then where was she, why had she not come home yet? One thing was certain Sara had been on the Island with Oliver at some point then on a ship which had been sunk as well leaving Oliver once more stranded on the Island and Sara lost at sea.

"I was going to say Sara went down with the Gambit Laurel to spare your parents the pain of hearing she was lost twice and perhaps might be alive somewhere but has chosen not to come back" Oliver admitted. "I know your Father probably hates my guts and has a right for feeling that, I took Sara onto the Gambit just to escape my own fear of commitment to you and it might have cost her, her life" he continued unable to stop himself from admitting this simple truth. "It's not just that she was lost twice Laurel but she was forced to change who she was to survive just as I had to change, I am not the same person I was when I left" he told her his eyes going distant as his memories threatened to overwhelm him and Laurel quickly noted the change and found it very disconcerting as it was so very unlike the Oliver she had known before.

The idea of not only him but her Sister having to change who they had been to survive what had happened to them whatever it was he was holding back right now chilled her, just what had they gone through and how much had they changed to survive it. Then her mind switched to whether or not her Sister was still alive, if she was then where was she and why had she not come home already? She really did not want to contemplate that she was dead even if she had believed that for the last five years, now she knew Sara had survived the sinking of the Queen's Gambit she would hold onto the possibility she was still alive even after been involved in another sinking.

"What should I tell them?" Oliver asked breaking into her thoughts and Laurel was surprised to find he was actually asking for her advice which was very unlike him and began to actually prove he had really changed during his time on the Island.

"We need to tell them the truth Oliver about Sara at the least surviving the Gambit going down, if we don't and Sara turns up alive my Father will kill you and disown me forever and that is not a joke" Laurel answered as seriously as she could. "You don't have to tell them about the changes she underwent if you don't want to, for now it is probably best left unsaid until we know if Sara is alive" she added to which Oliver nodded. "I should probably go before your Mother turns up, since the Gambit went down our families have not been as close as they used to be mostly down to my Father's hostility at you but sometimes I feel as if your Mother judges me on his attitude and so I usually stay out of her way" she explained. "Once you've settled in come to my apartment and we'll have that talk Ollie, for now I'm just glad you're alive even if some part of me isn't sure why" she finished before surprising him once more as she quickly hugged him before departing his room leaving him alone once more.

Twenty minutes later his Mother finally arrived as he had expected her too, thankfully she did not see his scars and burns as he had remembered to put on the top half of his scrubs. He hugged her and tried not to act too differently to what she remembered, but it was so hard to be that person after what he had endured on the Island. He waited whilst his Mother signed him out whilst he put on the clothes she had brought him, he felt better been in a simple pair of jeans, t-shirt and jumper again and yet it felt strange after only wearing his Hood outfit back on the Island for off and on for four years. What no one knew yet was he had spent an entire year in China thanks to Argus before dropping him back on the Island for their own purposes; there he had stayed until he was finally ready to return to civilisation to complete the task his Father had set him before he had killed himself. That fact he would keep to himself, better that his Mother and Sister not learn that hurtful fact.

"Come on Oliver it is time to go home" Moira Queen stated as she took her son gently by the arm and led him out of the hospital still finding it hard to believe her Son was alive.

She had to block out the fact she was partly responsible for whatever misery he had endured in the last five years, that his Father her late husband was dead because of her duplicity in the plot that sent the Gambit to the bottom of the sea. Oliver could not learn that and Thea especially could not learn it, they'd never understand why she had done what she had been ordered. She hadn't known Oliver was going to be on the ship until the last minute and by then it was too late to stop him going, and she hadn't known about Sara until the ship had gone down. She had been heartbroken by their deaths made all the worse by her own actions in helping cause them not that she'd had much choice in the matter. Still best not to think about it at all, focus on been there for her Son that was all that mattered she decided as she got into the car with him and waited for their driver to get them home.

+BTM+

(Merlyn Manor)

Malcom stared hard at the TV as it continued to report the survival of Oliver Queen found alive against all odds on a remote island in the China Sea, he didn't understand how it was possible for a playboy son born into wealth had survived on his own for five years. He would never expect such a feat from his own Son Tommy, Oliver's best friend and like Oliver a playboy who coasted by on the wealth of his family. He sometimes wondered how Tommy would have turned out if his Mother had not been murdered; god knows he had not been a good Father after that event. He had left for Nanda Parbat to learn how to gain his revenge by becoming a faceless assassin, once he had learned all he believed he needed he had managed to find a way to leave the League which was no easy feat and returned to Starling City. Once he had returned home to the city he had begun to set in motion everything that would lead to his grand plan to wipe away the blight which had led to his Wife's death, he had found allies among his friends and fellow wealthy businessmen including Oliver's Father Robert.

Robert had been a good friend for several years but sadly he had grown a conscious as the plan evolved and had begun to show signs of wanting out, Malcom knew had Robert pulled out without action he would have told the police or maybe even someone higher what he planned and that would have been it. So he had reluctantly taken steps with Moira to ensure not only the safety of the plan but their lives including their families, thankfully Moira fears for her children had allowed her to be easily manipulated into helping to sink the Gambit. It also hadn't hurt that her marriage to Robert was once more on the rocks due to his many affairs, what he had not known until it was too late was Oliver had gone with his Father on the trip and pulled Laurel Lance's Sister Sara along for the ride. He had never meant any harm to either of them, sadly they had gone down with the ship or at least he had believed so but now he knew Oliver had clearly survived the sinking. What worried him was the possibility that Robert might have survived for a time, long enough to inform Oliver about the plan and who was behind it. Downing a shot of whiskey he let out a sigh as he knew he'd have to take steps to learn if Oliver knew anything, he could not count on Moira right now as she was probably too emotional after getting her Son back.

+BTM+

(Queen Mansion)

Oliver looked up at the imposing family home for the first time in five years; he did not count his one off trip here during his time working for Waller and her agency. It had not changed much; he followed his Mother into the mansion to find two people already waiting to greet him. One he instantly remembered as the maid Raisa, the other took him a few minutes to recall as Walter Steele his Father's friend and deputy of Queen Industries. Why was Steele here at their home waiting for his return, it would make sense he would come see him maybe tomorrow but now was a time to reconnect with Family and friends before suddenly a thought accrued. Five years was plenty of time for things to change, he glanced at his Mother and noted she was exchanging a worried look with Walter and it seemed to confirm his thought.

"Welcome back Oliver, it's good to see you home" Walter said finally stepped forward and offering his hand which Oliver shook and nodded at him.

If his Mother had moved on and started dating or perhaps even married Walter then that was her call, he couldn't fault her for finding someone to share her life with once his Father was gone. He doubted his Father would have wanted her to go on alone should anything have happened to him, letting go of Walter's hand he waited for them to confirm his belief.

"You remember Walter don't you Oliver, your Father's deputy at the company and his Friend" Moira inquired nervous about how to explain that Walter was also now her husband.

"I remember him Mother but I do have a question as to why he is here to greet me in our home" Oliver responded turning to glance at her and noticing her shift uneasily as he spoke.

"Your Mother and I are married Oliver, I really don't want you to think we forgot your Father or just jumped into things" Walter spoke up seeing how uneasy Moira was at her Son's insight. "She was crushed by Robert's death and withdrew from the public for almost a full year, I eventually decided someone had to reach out and help her move on and thus I stepped forward hoping to aide in that as I believe Robert would have wanted" he explained. "Neither of us were expecting to fall in love but slowly as we spent time together we ended up doing just that, within seven months we were engaged and married a few months later with Thea's blessing and what I would have hoped was yours and Roberts" he informed him.

"Thank you for been honest Walter and I do give you my blessing as I do not think my Father would have wanted Mother to spend the rest of her life alone" Oliver replied with a smile pleased his observation had been spot on. "I understand Mother there was no reason to be uneasy explaining the truth" he added turning to his Mother who looked quite shocked.

"I didn't know how to explain it to you Oliver especially as you've only just returned" Moira stammered somewhat. "I didn't want you to think I'd dishonoured your Father's memory" she added.

"You did what you would have expected you to do and move on once you had grieved properly" Oliver assured her. "And you would have known if you had not as Thea would have raised hell, welcome to the Family Walter and thank you for looking after my Mother and Sister" he added shaking Walter's hand once more.

Walter grinned in true relief that Oliver understood the situation as well as he did, he had been truly concerned about how the boy would react to learning his Mother had remarried and to his Father's best friend at that. Thankfully there had been no explosion just calm understanding, Oliver seemed different than he remembered but then after what he had been through was that so hard to believe he supposed not.

"Thank you Oliver" he finally said in reply as he released his hand allowing Oliver to greet Raisa who smiled and hugged him before a bang of noise instantly gained Oliver's attention and Walter smiled at the reunion about to take place.

Thea had confided in him quite a few times the pain she felt at the loss of her elder Brother, yes she missed her Father as well but it was the loss of her Brother who had always been there for her that troubled her the most. The news that Oliver had been found alive had been first shocking for them all but for Thea even more so, Thea had broken down on the spot hardly able to believe it. Whilst he did not want to really want to admit it Thea had spun around a dangerous destructive behaviour since the Gambit had gone down, hopefully with her Brother returned then she would regain her former happy personality.

Oliver quickly moved over to the stairs and looked up just as Thea came running to the top of them, the smile that lit up her face was one neither Walter or Moira had seen since the sinking of the Gambit. Thea shot down the stairs and straight into her Brother's arms doing her best not to cry, Oliver quickly wrapped his arms around his little Sister almost unable to believe he was been able to hold her again. After Laurel he had missed Thea most of all as he had always been close to her when they were growing up, even with his playboy lifestyle he had ensured to always be there for her. For Thea it was mind blowing been in her Brother's arms once more, the very fact he was alive was still hard for her to believe after five years of believing him dead. Closing her eyes she relaxed against him just enjoying the fact he was solid against her, she thanked whatever power she had to for him been returned to her.

"Hey Speedy, I've missed you" he whispered as he hugged her tightly.

Thea snorted at hearing her old nickname something she had thought she'd ever hear again, smiling she shook her head against his shoulder. "Still the worst nickname ever" she responded as she slowly disengaged from him.

Oliver smiled as he stepped back pleased to see his Sister looked in good shape, which was better than the last time he had seen her which was when he had visited the city whilst working for Waller. He had found his Sister suffering depression and seemingly doing drugs; he had tried to interfere and ended up killing the dealer she was scoring from at a party his best friend Tommy Merlyn was hosting. He hadn't meant to do it but the dealer had seen his face and realised he was alive; Waller had made it clear what would happen should anyone learn he was still alive. Hell he still remembered with cold clarity how she had expected him to execute Tommy when he had come looking for him after he had foolishly accessed his e-mail account on one of his attempts to escape, thankfully he had managed to not only come up with a plan to spare his life but ensure his survival remained a secret. Shaking his head he shook of his memories of the past and focused one the present, turning as his Mother stated she'd a special meal prepared he nodded as they all headed for the dining room. He paused as a host of pictures caught his eye on a nearby table in the hallway, the one that draws his attention is the one of him and his Father taken at least two years ago on a fishing trip they'd taken.

"You know I told you so many times boats suck" a very welcome voice said from behind him as he heard the door open.

Turning he found his best friend Tommy Merlyn standing behind him in the door way, a smile worked its way across his face as he quickly walked over and pulled him into a quickly hug which Tommy eagerly returned.

"Tommy, man I've missed you" he said in greeting as they pulled back to see Tommy smiling at him.

"Not as much as I've missed you man" Tommy responded so very glad to see his best friend alive once more.

The last five years had been bad for everyone involved with either Oliver or Sara and whilst he knew their families had been affected the worst by the loss of the Gambit and everyone on board he had felt the loss just as keenly as he had known Oliver since they were all young kids. He recalled two years back someone accessing Oliver's email and he had flown all the way to China to see if it was possible his friend was indeed alive, sadly that had been a scam to draw him into a kidnapping plot which thankfully had been foiled and he had returned home feeling the loss even more. Then the news had broken that Oliver had been found alive and well on an island of all places, it couldn't even described the joy he had felt at hearing the news and had come over as soon as he knew Oliver had arrived which he did thanks to Thea giving him the heads up. He just hoped now with Oliver home Thea would stop the self-destructive behaviour she had been showing since the sinking, he had done his best to help as had Laurel but Thea could not or would not listen to them but perhaps she would listen to her Brother.

"Was that the door?" Moira inquired as she returned to find out why Oliver had not followed. "Tommy I should have known, how are you?" she inquired of her Son's best friend as well as the Son of Malcom a man she feared and yet was in league with.

"I'm feel great now that my friend is back" Tommy shot back having made sure to keep in contact with Oliver's Mother and Thea especially to ensure they were okay or help if they needed it.

"We are about to sit down for his welcome back meal you are of course welcome to join us" Moira offered with a smile of her own knowing Oliver would want to reconnect with his friend and Tommy had done his best to help during the years Oliver's had been believed dead.

"Thank you" Tommy said as he followed her into the dining room beside Oliver to find Thea and Walter already seated and both greeted him warmly as he moved to sit down whilst Raisa began to dish everything out.

+BTM+

(Mason's Bar)

Quentin Lance smiled absently down at the glass of near empty whiskey as he tried to ignore the repeat news of Oliver Queen's survival, from the moment of the first announcement of this fact he had felt nothing but intense rage. He blamed Queen for all that had gone wrong in his life, from the loss of his youngest Daughter Sara who he had taken aboard the Gambit to the collapse of his marriage to his Wife. He had been battling alcoholism for almost the entire time since he learned his Daughter was dead; if he was not drinking he was working almost obsessively to avoid thinking or feeling his pain. He had been in and out and different A.A groups to try and get a grip on his problem and for once it seemed he had begun to real himself in, now he was blowing it to try and drown his rage in drink. He did not hear the door open or his Daughter come up behind him shaking her head at seeing him once more in this condition, she supposed she should have not been surprised that this was her Father's response to learning Oliver was alive.

She dreaded to think what he would think if he learned she had actually gone to see him at the hospital or invited him to come see her at her apartment once he was settled back in, what he would think if he knew no matter the anger she felt at him that she still loved Oliver Queen. It would not be pretty that she knew, even she had not really known that was how she felt until face to face once more with Oliver. Putting those thoughts aside she stepped up and removed the glass from her Father's hand gaining his attention, she ignored the incoherent ramblings as she led him out of the bar and to her car. He could come back for his when he was sober, after getting him in the car she headed for the driver's side knowing that things from here was just going to get complicated and nasty especially if somehow she and Oliver ended up back together.

Granted such a thing happening was a long way off as they had so much to talk about and sort through, plus the five years of anger she had built up inside her at learning her boyfriend had run off with her little Sister. Why was still a mystery to her but she vowed she would get the answer when they finally talked, snorting as she started the car she could barely believe what she was thinking but clearly her connection to Oliver was not dead as she had once believed.

+BTM+

(Queen Mansion)

Oliver tried to get into the spirit of the family get together but it was so hard after five years of fighting and killing, of been always on guard and it was a struggle to stay on his guard to ensure they only saw the Oliver they had known before the Gambit had gone down. If he was to carry out his plan then no one could no know just how changed he was or what he was now capable off, then he thought of Laurel and realised he may end up telling her the truth as he had promised to do so as he found he had no strength to lie to her once he was face to face with her once more. For five years he had struggled to stay alive and one of the ways he had done that was to think about seeing Laurel again, of somehow finding a way of fixing their relationship that he had so foolishly and selfishly broken out of fear. Tommy was going on and on about things he had missed whilst he was missing and Oliver was trying to keep up with it but he had so many other things on his mind, things he had to do to prepare to carry out his Father's last wish.

"So what was it like on that Island all by yourself for five years Ollie?" Thea finally asked the question he had been expecting since returning and he amusedly noted how quickly it stopped all conversation at the table.

Turning to face his Sister he gave her a small smile before answering. "It was cold and miserable most days, no one to talk to and only so many things to keep you busy" he told her having some up with a few tales to tell to cover up what had truly happened on the Island.

Of course he knew it would not hold up forever as the scars on his body could not all be counted as accidental, any competent Doctor would realise most of them were from acts of torture and violence. Eventually he would have to admit there were other people on the island and that they had not been friendly, but for now he could avoid that and no matter what he would never admit the full truth of what he had endured on the island.

"So what did you do then?" Thea inquired knowing their Mother was frowning at her line of questioning but for now was staying quite due to her own curiosity.

"Hunted most days for food and getting water to drink, I ran a lot exploring the island" Oliver answered with a simple shrug.

"Sounds very boring I doubt I would have been able to cope" Thea shot back as she finished her own meal.

"No one knows what they are capable of enduring until it is upon them" Oliver couldn't help but respond gaining odd looks from everyone. "Believe me before I ended up stranded there I would have said I couldn't survive on my own with so little to do, but I did" he told them before he excused himself and left the table and headed upstairs hoping to find his room as he had left it.

Moira tried to scold Thea for been insensitive but inside she was worried about just how much Oliver might have changed due to what happened to him, Doctor Quan had said he would be vastly changed but she had not wanted to see it but she was beginning to see it in how he spoke and sometimes acted. Thea realised she may have pushed a little hard and promised herself to talk to Oliver later, she had to remind herself he had only just come back home. Tommy watched his friend leave worried by his behaviour and somewhat distracted nature as he had talked but he supposed it was strange been around so many people again when he had been on his own for five years. Walter let out a sigh knowing there was going to be difficult days ahead as Oliver adjusted to been back, he knew it was going to be just as hard for Thea and Moira to adjust to whatever changes Oliver had undergone.