I saw tears forming in my mothers eyes as she saw the picture. I was majorly confused at this point. The inside picture was of the Black Canary but my mother said that it was about Aunt Laurel. I looked up at her. "Mom, why did you say this was about Aunt Laurel and there is picture of the Black Canary" I asked very confused. Mom looked at me with sadness in her eyes and said "Your Aunt was the Black Canary my love and she was great at her job. She was killed by the man who attacked your party, Damien Darhk. She was brave and kind and didn't deserve to die the way she did. We put together this book of letters of things we didn't get to say to her while she was alive" mom said staring down at me. "I want you to read these, get to know your aunt and then when you get to the end come and find me and we shall talk some more because these letters will reveal other secrets as well" and with that she left the room closing the door behind her. I stared down at the book. The picture of my aunt staring back at me. She was beautiful in that mask and pulling out a picture of her without it I realized how beautiful she was without it as well. I turned the page and there was this printed on the page before the first letter.

The two of them alone in the hallway...both wracked with grief, yet ALONE in their own way. The others sought comfort in each other, but Oliver and Lance were alone in each other's presence. Tragic in its own way.

The words hit me like a stack of bricks. My father refused to talk about Aunt Laurel. He always changed the subject or left the room. For the first time I actually understood why. I started to read the first letter and my jaw dropped even further.

Dear Laurel,

The moment I saw you with my arrow sticking out of your chest my heart stopped. I questioned everything. I questioned if I should've shot that arrow knowing that Damien had regained his powers? Should I have allowed you on that last mission? I know in my heart that no matter what I could or should've done matters now. The sight of your smile, telling me that you still loved me but wanted me to find happiness with Felicity will stay with me forever. I will also remember all the talks we had about being strong for myself as well as others. Those five years I spent on that hellish island don't compare to the hell I'm living through right now. The sight of your father collapsing to the ground when he learned you passed, the sound of Thea's tears and the all to natural impulse of anger and frustration in your hospital room when you died. I tried to make sense of everything at that moment but nothing made sense. I sat there, holding the picture I held for five years in my hand. I swore to not kill after Tommys death but I found a reason. Neither you or Tommy deserved what happened to you and it was all because I was the Green Arrow. I told myself I wouldn't take all the blame but some of it is my fault. The fact I never let you know just how much you meant to me, how much you meant to the team. Damien took you from us and we shall take him from this world. I just hope that your wings have fully spread open my darling canary and your flying free. No matter what, you are my canary, my beacon and I will always have a place for you in my heart.

Your broken arrow

Oliver Jonas Queen

I wiped the tears from my eyes. The words my dad wrote were terrifying and painful. Also truthful and heartfelt. I also couldn't believe my dad was the legendary Green Arrow. I mean I read about him in news articles and seen stories about him on television but to find out he was my dad was beyond believable. I wonder why he gave it up since the Green Arrow hadn't been seen for almost, oh god, I gulped and finished my thought, fifteen years. He must of quit when I was born. But why? I would've loved to be a part of that legacy but he ended it. I stared at the letter. So many questions without a lot of answers. I wanted to run and ask my parents all about this but my mom said to read all the letters before I came to her. I decided that's what I should do before running in so I have all my questions ready.

I sat the book down on the bed and relaxed a bit. If all the letters were that sad I didn't know if I could take reading them in one sitting although on the other hand it would get me to the answers of my questions quicker. I stared down at the picture of my Aunt. I was disheartened because I never got to meet her or talk with her. My grandpa and grandma talked of her a lot and Auntie Sara always was making jokes about what she would do or say if she was here. I shook off the sad feelings I was feeling and knew that the answer to my future lied within the pages of this book.

I laid down and stared up at the roof like the plaster would answer all of my questions and doubts. I turned onto my side. Something caught my eye and I turned back onto my back. Perched on top of my television was a bird. It was black and beautiful. It was a black canary and it was staring right at me. I sat up and stared at it. The bird came and sat right on top of my book. That's when I saw the weirdest thing, the bird had a single tear drop in its eye. I reached over to touch it and that's when it disappeared. I heard laughter. It was a dark laughter. It was the laughter of the man who attacked my birthday party. He was watching and laughing at my pain. I tried to close out the laughter. I saw things start to shake and that's when I heard her whisper "cover your ears my love" and I did. That's when I heard it. The legendary canary cry. It shook the Windows, tv and glasses in my room. When it stopped I could no longer hear the laughter. I knew my aunt saved me from the beyond. I knew that my guardian angel was The Black Canary. I heard she used a vocal amplifier but I started to doubt she needed it. I quickly dug out the book of articles I had kept on the black canary. I scanned the pictures and in none of them did I see this so called vocal amplifier. I think that my aunt just pretended to need it to make everyone else on the team feel better about not having super powers. I stared over at the door expecting my parents to burst in at any moment due to the loud noise but nothing. She had contained the canary cry to this room. I felt the warmth of tears on my cheek. My aunt never got the respect or love she deserved and even if it kills me I would make sure that the world knew who and what she was and what she did. I took a deep breath and screamed. Much to my dismay it was just a regular old scream. I sulked and fell back against my pillows. "My beautiful niece, the cry will come to you when your ready. Please continue to read through the book your mother gave to you so you may learn more about your past to make your future brighter" the voice of my aunt said again. I shook my head yes because I wanted to know. I wanted to learn and if the man who took my aunt from the world and myself was back then I would find a way to punish him. I saw the black canary perched up on the television again where she could watch the whole room. I fell asleep knowing that my angel was there and would protect me from anything.

The next morning came way to fast. I looked up and saw that the canary was still perched upon my tv so I knew I had to keep my parents from coming in. I didn't want them to freak out or anything. I wonder if my mom knew that my dad had been the legendary green arrow? I pondered this while I poured myself a bowl of cereal and ate it so quickly I amazed myself. I was rejuvenated. I couldn't wait to get through that book and find out more about who I was and more importantly who the black canary was. I ran past my mom and dad who were just waking up and with a quick kiss on each of their cheeks I headed back in my room, closed the door, got comfortable and started the next letter.