Notes: Written for the prompt Standing Trial at Ladies Bingo Round 6. WC = 811
It started when the Laurel from Earth 2 was photographed by a Star City tabloid. The photographer had caught her in the middle of taking down one of Diaz's men. Suddenly, it was news all over the city that the Black Canary was back from the dead and working as a vigilante again.
The police came for Laurel less than a week after the story broke. "Dinah Laurel Lance, you're under arrest" the officer began, reading off her Miranda rights. They charged her with various crimes related to her activity as the Black Canary, including her association with the Green Arrow.
Laurel would have found it hilarious under any other circumstances. Of all the things she'd done that she could have been arrested for back on Earth 2, and instead she was being charged for the other Laurel's heroic deeds. It took every instinct in her body not to scream loud enough to deafen everybody in a five block radius.
Instead, Laurel allowed herself to be handcuffed and put in the back of the police car. She was considered a flight risk, having faked her death once before, and the judge ordered she'd be held in prison without bail until the trial began. Oliver came to talk to her on several occasions, convincing her not to try and break out. She knew he had no doubt she could have easily done so if she wanted to. She had the ability to break through brick walls with her canary cry, after all. Once yell and she could be outside the prison and halfway to Canada before the manhunt began.
On the day her trial began, Laurel walked into the court with her head held high. There was no way she was going to let these people see her in tears or make her feel ashamed of herself. She wore a suit that had belonged to the other Laurel, her own clothes being deemed 'too revealing' by her lawyer.
During the lunch recess, Laurel was under the watchful eye of several Star City police officers. Again, it would have been easy to escape. But she was turning over a new leaf, which meant trying to do the right thing instead of the easy thing.
As she sat on a bench outside the courtroom, Laurel was approached by a pretty brunette. The officers warned the brunette to stay back, but the woman ignored them. "I can take care of myself" she assured them nonchalantly. Then she turned to Laurel. "How are you holding up?" she asked.
Laurel stared at the brunette. "Do I know you?" she asked. What did a stranger care for her?
The brunette blushed. "Sorry, I keep forgetting we haven't actually met" she said, dropping her voice. "I'm Nyssa." She said it as if that explained everything. "I was friends with you - the other you, I mean."
Laurel guessed Oliver had filled the brunette in on what was going on. "Did Oliver send you to make sure I don't run?" she asked. "Because he's something of a stick in the mud, in case you haven't noticed."
Nyssa laughed at that. "Believe me, I know" she said. "I used to be married to him, and our divorce came as a huge relief."
Laurel raised her eyebrows at that. "He never mentioned being married" she said.
Nyssa shrugged. "It was arranged by my father. Neither of us wanted it" she explained. "It was hard to say who hated it more. He loved Felicity even then, and I wanted nothing to do with a man."
So Nyssa was a lesbian. Laurel found that interesting. The Black Siren had never placed a definition on her own sexuality, but if she was pressed to, she would say she was pansexual. Her attraction to people wasn't defined by their gender.
"But back to the trial" said Nyssa, interrupting Laurel's thoughts. "Would running away really be the worst option?" She glanced around the courthouse. "It would be so easy. We could be in Nanda Parbat in less than a day, and nobody would touch you there."
"Why do you want to help me?" Laurel asked, intrigued by the offer. It was the first time since Quentin's death that somebody had reached out to help her. "Were you in love with this other me?" Laurel had never been in love herself, but she knew it made people do crazy things.
Nyssa's face flushed, and Laurel knew she had guessed correctly. "I know you aren't her" she mumbled, struggling to look Laurel in the eye. Then, a little louder, she said "But I know she wouldn't want you to pay for her so-called crimes."
Laurel considered that for a moment. Then she said "Screw turning over a new leaf. Star City can kiss my ass."
They were in Nanda Parbat in less than a day, just as Nyssa had promised.