"Oliver… he's gone."
"What are you talking about?"
"He joined the League. He's not coming back."
Laurel can hear the tears in Felicity's voice before she sees them spill down her cheeks; without even a moment's thought, her arms are wrapped around Felicity. Felicity clings onto Laurel, holding onto her for dear life as her sobs wrack her body, and Laurel can feel every breath that Felicity heaves as she cries on Laurel's shoulder, even as she murmurs "Shhh" and hugs her tighter.
For how long they're standing like that, Laurel's not quite sure, but then over Felicity's shoulder she catches sight of her father entering her office.
"Laurel, I need to talk to you about the – oh."
Immediately Felicity pulls away, turning so Quentin can't see her face, and Laurel can hear her sniff as she tries to stifle her tears with the back of her hand.
Before Quentin can say anything, Laurel says quickly, "Bad time, Dad."
"Miss Smoak," he says, ignoring Laurel.
"Captain Lance," she replies, her voice still thick with tears.
"Actually, you're just the person I want to see –"
"Captain," Laurel cuts across him, "may I speak with you in private, please?"
"I can leave," Felicity says, but Laurel shakes her head. She marches over to Felicity and, holding her gently by the shoulders, steers her over to the nearest chair.
"It's okay," Laurel tells her softly, her voice quiet so her father can't hear. "I'll be back in a minute. Just... stay here, all right?" Felicity nods and buries her face in her hands, and Laurel gestures for her father to follow her outside. She shuts the door behind her.
"What's she so upset about?" Quentin asks, barely after they're out of Felicity's earshot. The answer must be pretty obvious from Laurel's expression, though, because Quentin shakes his head in frustration. "Oh, wait, let me guess – you can't tell me?"
She sighs. "I don't know everything yet, but no, Dad, I can't tell you."
"And I'm guessing you can't tell me who was behind Queen's sister being admitted to Starling General for stab wounds so extensive that she was on life support?"
"What?" she says sharply. "Thea – what are you talking about?"
Oliver had said his sister wasn't well – he hadn't said why. Laurel's shoulders sink; it had been obvious he had been hiding something at the airport, but she had no idea it's this bad.
Quentin is regarding her with suspicion. "Yeah. Your pal Queen told the hospital that he was taking her to Central City, but I've checked, and none of the hospitals there have any idea –"
"Dad," she interrupts, trying to swallow the lump suddenly in her throat, "I don't know what's going on any more than you. That's the truth, okay? God's honest, I promise."
"Maybe your blonde friend has a better idea – she was Queen's right-hand girl, wasn't she?"
"No," Laurel says firmly. "She's my friend, she's very upset right now and I need to be there for her. And I need you," she adds meaningfully, "to drop this for the time being. Please."
Quentin shakes his head, turns around and walks off, without saying another word. Laurel groans inwardly – she's always hated fighting with her dad, but it's worse this time because unlike all the other times, he still hasn't forgiven her. And times like these, she wonders if he ever will.
Pushing those thoughts aside, though, she opens the door to her office. Felicity's sitting up a bit straighter now, and the tears seem to have stopped for the time being.
"You okay?" Laurel asks, sitting down next to her.
Felicity doesn't answer the question. "I wanted to tell you about Thea."
"What happened to her?" she asks gently.
"Ra's went to the loft and stabbed her with a sword. She was... mostly dead even after she was taken to hospital and..."
"Oh my God," Laurel breathes. "But – where is she now? Oliver said he was taking her to a specialist –"
"Ra's has this – pit, the Lazarus Pit, he called it, that can restore the dead to life."
Whatever Laurel expects Felicity to say, it's not quite that. "How is that even possible?"
"It's real," Felicity says. "It works. Thea's alive. She's at the loft now, with John. Not a scratch on her. And apart from her heart rate being a little fast, her vitals are all fine. We gave her an IV and some tranquilisers when we were on the plane back to Starling."
"But I don't understand how that even..." Laurel trails off, not even sure what to say.
"I know. It makes no sense. Logically, it doesn't, anyway." Felicity lets out a strangled sound and a fresh wave of tears threatens to overwhelm her, it seems, so Laurel reaches forward, covering Felicity's hand with her own. "Just like Oliver joining the League of Assassins to become the next Ra's al Ghul."
"Ra's agreed to –" (the word sounds strange in her head as it is, and when Laurel says it aloud it's even more unusual) "– resurrect... Thea, if Oliver accepted his offer?"
"Yes," Felicity says. Laurel winces as Felicity squeezes her eyes shut, as if hoping that will stem her tears. "We were going to tell you about Thea. But Oliver – he said he didn't want to tell you because you love Thea like a sister and if it didn't work out, it would just hurt you even more."
"It doesn't matter," Laurel says automatically. "All that matters is that Thea is okay."
"And I'm glad she is," Felicity says, "really, I am, but what about him?"
And now Laurel can't do anything except shake her head helplessly – because there isn't anything she can say that will make it better.
"We had to leave him there," Felicity whispers. "In Nanda Parbat. And we're – not getting him back."
Laurel closes her eyes. "I'm sorry," she says. "Losing Oliver like that – I remember how that felt the first time."
Her eyes are still closed but she feels the way Felicity's fingers tighten around Laurel's wrist. "I don't know how I'm supposed to get through this."
"Remember what you told me after we thought Ra's killed Oliver?" Laurel says, and she meets Felicity's eyes now. They're not full of tears anymore, but they're red-rimmed and tired – like she hasn't slept in days (which she probably hasn't). "You said I had to keep going, that we had to keep going, because there were people we care about that were still alive. And – it's not much of a consolation but Oliver's still alive. His heart is still beating. Just like yours."
"But I've – I've still lost him."
"Does Oliver know how much you love him?" The words are out of Laurel's mouth barely before she realises what she's said, and she's about to apologise when she notices the faintest glimmer of a smile on Felicity's lips.
"He does," she replies after a moment. "He definitely knows."
"Then you haven't lost him." And Laurel means it, but she can sense Felicity's apprehension nevertheless.
"I'm sorry, it's probably weird for you, me talking about Oliver like that," she starts to say, but Laurel shakes her head.
"It was weirder with Sara," Laurel admits. "And even then, it wasn't that bad. Besides, I know he loves you too. And I know that whatever he's agreed to do – regardless of the fact that he's away from his family – he's always going to remember that. That that thought will keep him going. He'd want you to do the same. Even though –" she takes a breath, trying to ignore the way her own voice is shaking, now "– even though you might feel this... emptiness, inside you, and you might wonder why you should even get out of bed in the morning because he's not there... you have to try to anyway. For him. And for yourself."
And at first Felicity doesn't answer – she reaches forward and hugs Laurel once more, burying her face in Laurel's shoulder. This time, though, to her relief, her shirt isn't damp from Felicity's tears.
"Thank you," Felicity says when she pulls away, and Laurel smiles back.
"Do you want to stay over at mine tonight?" Laurel offers. "I can always sort out the spare room for you if you want. And you look exhausted."
"I appreciate the offer, really," Felicity says, glancing up at the nearby clock, "but I said I would take over from John to watch Thea."
Laurel nods. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I don't know," she replies honestly, getting to her feet. "But – thanks for listening, Laurel."
"Promise me you'll take care of yourself?" Laurel's on her feet now too, and she lifts her hand up until she's squeezing Felicity's.
"I promise."