For the first time in over 5 years as he looks down towards Laurel and listens to her in silence retelling him everything that has happened over the last 5 years to herself and his family members a sense of peace is felt inside of Oliver Queen. A peace he has not felt in over 5 years.
Peace of knowing he was truly home now. Back where he was meant to be. To be by Laurel's side as he holds her in his arms. His beacon of light. His guiding angel that had saved him so many times on the island. Gave him the strength to continue on through the harshest of days and eventually the strength to rise up to fight back.
As he listens to Laurel talking Oliver can't help but be shocked at some of the new information he learns from her. Information that his best friend Tommy Merlyn a known party boy like himself had suddenly quit visiting the strips and went to work with his father Malcolm Merlyn at his father's company. A massive company just like his family's own known as Merlyn Global Group. A very large financial juggernaut that is well known throughout Starling City.
But when he listened to Laurel changing the subject and tell him about what she had been doing for the past 5 years Oliver couldn't help but smile down towards her as he listened to her telling him that she had gone to law school and became a lawyer. That she had accomplished one of her dreams in life in being able to help people every single day.
To serve out justice to all those that would break the law. Something he knew one day she would be able to do with her unique gift. A gift of being able to read people so easily. To be able to read him like she knew him from the back of her hand. A gift he knew would cause everyone that she defended in court to instantly have the upper hand.
As minutes ticked on by and the sun started to set bringing nightfall down upon Starling City remaining just content on lying down on the bed with Laurel in his arms after just a few hours Oliver had slowly lead Laurel down stairs to join the rest of his family for dinner much to his dismay. An event he considered to be awkward at best due to the dead silence in the room that filled the air when he had stepped into the dining room with Laurel and felt everyone's eyes suddenly turning towards him watching his every move.
Something that immediately made him uncomfortable until he had glanced over towards his side to see Thea smiling towards him and Laurel. A sight he knew would lead to her pouncing on him with another hug as she would bombard him with questions about what had happened between him and Laurel.
From there thanks to the help of Thea and Laurel the rest of the dinner went as if everything was back to normal. Oliver would listen from his chair as Thea and Laurel would engage in all sorts of topics they knew used to drive him crazy to hear about.
Topics that used to make him just go off into his own little world to ignore. But now he can't help but listen to the girls talk with a small smile on his face. A smile that would always widen when he would see Laurel glancing over towards him to give him a smile.
However as much as he enjoyed the moment something was still feeling very odd to Oliver. Especially when he would see out of the corner of his eye Moira looking in his direction with a small smile across her face. But that wasn't what was unusual to him.
Although he saw the smile her eyes were telling him something different. A mixture of different emotions radiating from her eyes. Emotions he could tell were made up of guilt and something else that he couldn't figure out. He had a good idea why she was feeling guilty. Guilt for what he suspected of having a relationship with Walter. That she would think he would see this as an act of betrayal.
But as much as it pained him to see he understood. He understood why she would think this due to the close relationship he had with his own father. But he knew that it must of been hard for her over the last 5 years. Hard for not only losing him but also his father at sea. In which she needed someone to be there for her. To have someone take the pain away. He knew this from the pain he had felt every single day.
The pain of not being able to see anyone of his family. To not be able to talk to any of them other than we had imagined them sitting next to him or dreamed of them every single night. One of the most painful experiences he felt while he was on the island.
The pain of slowly forgetting what they looked like. Slowly forgetting what their voices sounded like. Pain that had almost driven him to go mad one night before he had watched his imagination take over bringing him the form of Laurel to sit next to him as he watched the fire in front of himself slowly burn the scraps of wood he had gathered from nearby. The softness of her voice that had instantly calmed him down before he had awoken the next morning to find that it was only a dream.
But unaware to his knowledge as she watches Oliver sitting silently listening to Thea and Laurel talking an internal battle rages on inside of Moira Queen. An internal battle over so many different things. Mostly so much guilt she feels towards her son.
The guilt of when she saw the look in his eyes for the first time at the hospital. The look of so much pain in his eyes. Pain the was only proven to her when she had a private conversation with Oliver's doctor learning details no mother should ever want to hear about their child. Information that he had suffered not only so much physical pain but also psychological pain as well.
Guilt for when she saw the emotion in his eyes when he noticed Walter's arm around her waist. Something that she knew he would be quick to put together and see as an act of betrayal. Betrayal to his father. Betrayal for moving on from his father even though they were never officially declared dead just lost at sea. The ultimate act of betrayal in his eyes.
However that was not only what she was guilty about. She was also guilty about a deep dark secret that she had been keeping for so many years. The truth about what had really happened on the Queen's Gambit. What really happened to the boat. The truth as to why Oliver had suffered for so many years.
Why he had endured so much pain. Pain that he was not meant to endure. Pain that she should have made sure he didn't endure. Made sure that he wasn't on the boat. Made sure he wouldn't have gotten the chance to go out to sea with her husband.
But now as she stares at Oliver with the words of his doctor repeating themselves in her mind Moira makes a promise to herself. A promise to her son that she will do everything in her power to help him recover. She would hire the best doctors money could buy. She would give him all the time he would need to recover. She would do whatever it took to ensure that he would live the rest of his life with no worries. No burdens from the outside world. No worries about anything other than what he wanted.
And right away she could tell what he wanted. Not only were his eyes telling her this right now but from the words he had spoken at the hospital. The words of where Laurel was. Laurel Lance. A fine young woman in her opinion. A woman that she had always liked from the moment she had met her when she was a teenager. The woman that she knew her daughter looks up to as a big sister. Especially how the two reacted around each other.
But what she admired most about this woman was the impact she had made on her son's life. How she had become the voice of reason for him. How she had became a good influence on him the moment they started dating. Influence that lead to him not only stop his club hopping days but for him to also bond more with Thea.
Something that always brought a smile to her face when she would see the three of them sprawled together inside of the living room watching some new movie that had just come out. See them outside in the garden watching the sun set in the distance.
As she sees Oliver along with Laurel slowly getting out of their chairs and make their way out of the dining room with guilt felt eyes Moira looks over towards Walter seeing the same look before she suddenly gives him a nod and gets up from her chair to follow after them once she sees Walter giving her a slight nod. Hearing the sound of the front door opening and closing Moira stops dead in her tracks at the entrance of the mansion as once again the words of Oliver's doctor enters into her mind once again.
Words of wisdom he had given to her as to handle everything he had seen coming from Oliver. How to handle a few things that she knew Oliver had kept away from the doctor including his sleeping habits. Of how Oliver had been described as a patient that looked as if he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in years.
Hearing the sound of the front doors opening once again Moira snaps out of her thoughts as she puts the doctor's words into the back of her mind before she takes a deep breathe as she sees Oliver entering into the mansion without Laurel closing the doors behind himself. As she sees Oliver reaching down to grab his wooden box from the ground that had been left at the door Moira begins to wonder what could possibly be inside of the box before suddenly she glances over her shoulder when she hears footsteps approaching from behind herself.
With his wooden box safely tucked in his hand Oliver slowly looks back up towards Moira with a confused look before he looks over his shoulder to see Walter making his way over towards her. As he watches Walter closely suddenly Oliver watches as Walter stops by his mother's side as he sees his mother tense up from his presence before he slowly gives her a small smile.
" I'm glad that you have gotten back together with Laurel."
As he gives her the slightest of nods Oliver watches Moira tense up once again when he sees Walter gently putting a hand on her shoulder before he watches her glance over towards Walter then back towards him as she takes a deep breathe.
" Oliver about…."
" It's fine mom. I understand. You moved on from dad when you thought he was dead at sea just like i was. I understand more than you will ever know."
Looking on Oliver watches as Moira and Walter share a surprised look with each other before a small smile forms on each of their faces.
" Well it's getting late. I'm going to bed."
As he slowly walks past Moira and Walter and starts to descend up the stairs towards the next level of the mansion sensing a pair of eyes watching Oliver glances over his shoulder to see Moira and Walter looking towards him with a smile before he slowly ascends up the stairs and down the hallway towards his room.
Hearing the sound of some music being played from the outside of Thea's door as he passes on by Oliver slowly comes to a stop before slowly with a smile on his face Oliver reaches up and knocks on the door with his free hand. As he hears the sound of the music dying down Oliver slowly reaches for the door handle.
" Come in. It's unlocked."
Reaching down Oliver opens up the door before a smile comes to his face when he sees Thea lying down on her bed like he used to see her doing countless times before listening to music.
Music that often drove him sometimes insane to hear on a nightly basis but also at times for him to listen with her. Listen to soundtrack after sound track of bands before he would surprise her now and then with front row seat concert tickets. As he sees Thea opening her eyes to look towards his direction Oliver snaps out of his thoughts before he gives her a small smile.
" What's up Ollie? Is everything okay?"
" Yeah. Everything is okay now. I just wanted to say goodnight to you and wanted to see that if you didn't have any plans tomorrow if you wanted to spend the day out with me. I don't care if you drag me out to go shopping and be your bag holder. I just want to spend some time with you."
For the next few seconds Oliver watches as the biggest smile he had ever seen forms on Thea's face as she slowly gets off her bed before he watches her slowly make her way towards him.
" You are going to regret those words Ollie."
Suddenly without having anytime to react Oliver feels Thea wrapping her arms around him for a embrace. An embrace that he quickly returns with his free hand as a smile forms on his face before just seconds later he feels Thea pull back to give him a nod.
" Okay Ollie. You have got yourself a deal. First thing in the morning we are off to the mall."
As he sees a smile returning to Thea's face Oliver gives her a nod before he slowly starts to walk towards the open doorway before he comes to a stop to look over his shoulder at Thea.
" Good night Speedy."
" Good night Ollie."
Turning his attention back forward Oliver walks out of Thea's room closing the door behind himself before he slowly walks down towards the hallway into his bedroom. A bedroom that once seemed so familiar to himself now seemed unrecognizable. Sure he had looked around the first time when he had previously enter the room a few hours ago but now he felt as if he was in unknown territory. Unknown waters for the first time.
As he silently closes his bedroom door behind himself and slowly makes his way towards his bed Oliver can't help but glance around the room once again as a few memories start to come flooding into his mind. Memories of similar times when it was just him and Laurel. Them just laying on his bed. Him attempting to have a few study breaks with Laurel when she was studying.
Snapping out of these thoughts Oliver gently places his wooden box down onto the bed before after just a few seconds of staring down at the box he slowly reaches down to undo the locks on the box and slowly opens the box revealing his possessions from the island. The objects that he had always carried with him each and every single day. A ripped hooded sleeveless green shirt and pair of ripped pants. A box along with a dozen arrows made of wood that the island provided to him. And most important of all his most prized possession that laid on top.
The object that had kept him alive over the years. His possession that gave him strength each and everyday he would look down at it in his hands. A picture of Laurel. The very same picture she had given to him the day he had set sail with his father. A picture that always no matter how hurt he was. No matter how much he didn't think he was going to make it would give him the strength to go on. As he reaches down and gently takes the small picture in his hands and starts to trace Laurel's smiling face Oliver can't help but think back to that day.
The day he set sail. How she had surprised him at the Queen's Gambit. How she told him the picture was in case he missed her when he was at sea. Something that only she knew how powerful those words would be for the coming years. How powerful her next action was when she kissed him. How he had dreamed of that moment so many times on the island along with their greatest hits.
Placing the picture down gently on the bed Oliver turns his attention back towards his wooden box as he reaches his hand under his island clothes when suddenly he pulls his hand out of the box revealing a book. A black book belonging to his father. His father's journal.
The very same journal that contains a secret inside. A list of men and women that have wronged the city. What they did he didn't know. All he knew was the promise he had made to his father. The promise that he would do everything it took to right his wrongs. To save his city. But how?
As he slowly walks away from the bed with the journal in his hands and slowly makes his way towards the bathroom inside of his room thinking about what he could possibly do to keep his promise suddenly Oliver comes to a stop when he sees his reflection in a nearby mirror. A face that is unrecognizable to him. His own face. The face of a stranger in his eyes.
Reaching up with his free hand Oliver gently places his hand on his cheek as he studies himself in the mirror. Studying what he sees reflecting off the mirror towards himself. Snapping out of his thoughts Oliver slowly turns away from the mirror and slowly makes his way into the bathroom closing the door behind himself.
He's home. These are the words going through the mind of Thea as she stares up at the ceiling of her room with a smile across her face. Her older brother is back. That he is alive and has been alive for the past 5 years. Something in her heart she knew would happen one day.
That one day he would return home. He would return home to her and Laurel. He would find a way to make it back to Starling City. And sure enough after 5 long years her prayers were finally answered. He had made it home. Now it was time for him to heal. Time for him to heal just like everyone else. Time for her to finally heal.
To finally be able to start to have a normal life again. To start to have a family once again. Unlike what had happened the last couple of years. Very long years for her. Years that consisted of her sitting out back in the garden all alone staring up at the sky. Sometimes with Laurel sitting next to her side. Days where she rarely spoke to her mother. Days where she would lock herself away in her room refusing to come out.
But now that he was back she no longer had to worry. Things would slowly go back to being normal. She would watch her older brother slowly heal along with herself. She would help him every step of the way. The same she knew could be said of Laurel.
The woman that she knew in her heart Oliver belongs with. The woman that she has always considered to be her older sister. Someone she could always go to whenever she was in trouble or needed some advice. The woman that she knew one day would be the next Mrs Queen.
Hearing the sound of a scream coming from the hallway Thea snaps out of her thoughts and quickly gets off her bed before suddenly her eyes widen when she recognizes who is screaming. Racing out of her room Thea quickly makes her way out down the hallway and towards Oliver's room and throws open the door before suddenly her eyes widen when she hears Oliver screaming as he thrashes around across his bed.
As she slowly takes a couple of steps forward suddenly Thea comes to a stop when she hears two pairs of footsteps quickly approaching before she sees Moira and Walter stopping directly behind her with wide eyes from what they are seeing. Turning her attention back forward Thea slowly makes her way over towards Oliver unaware that Moira just missed grabbing her shoulder.
" Thea don't touch him!"
Ignoring her mother's call Thea races over to the bed before she gently kneels down next to Oliver as she slowly shakes him.
" Ollie! Ollie wake up!"
As she continues to watch Oliver thrash around his bed unresponsive to her words with tears forming in her eyes Thea shakes him even harder.
" Ollie it's only a dream! Please wake up!"
Suddenly Thea's eyes go wide when she sees Oliver snap his eyes open before within a second she feels herself being brought into a tight embrace. As she wraps her arms around Oliver and feels his head on her shoulder Thea forces her eyes to close as tears slowly trickle down her cheeks to the bed.
" Shhh. It's okay Ollie. You're safe."
As she feels Oliver shaking his head as he mumbles something that she can't understand Thea opens her eyes to glance over her shoulder to see Moira whispering something to Walter before suddenly she watches them disappear around the corner. Without letting go for a single second Thea holds the embrace for the next few minutes as she feels Oliver shaking in her arms in totally fear from whatever he was dreaming about when suddenly she slowly unwraps her arms from around him as she knows what will help him calm down.
Slowly reaching up Thea places her hands gently on each of Oliver's cheeks before she raises his head up to look at her.
" Everything is going to be okay Ollie. I'll be right back."
Slowly getting up from the ground Thea makes her way out of Oliver's room as she sees in the corner of her eye Oliver looking down towards his hands that are shaking viciously before she quickly makes her way back into her bed to grab her cellphone.
Quickly running through her contacts Thea dials the number she is seeking before she places the phone up to her ear. As she hears the other line keep ringing Thea keeps repeating in her mind to please pick up when suddenly she hears the sound of the phone being answered.
" Thea? It's….2 O'clock in the morning. Is there something wrong?"
" It's Oliver. I need your help."
Suddenly Thea listens as the sound of what she imagines to be Laurel instantly snapping up from her bed echoes through the line.
" What is it!? He is okay!?"
" I don't know. He had some kind of nightmare that has really freaked him out. I've never seen him like this. I need your help to calm him down."
As she hears the sounds of some shouting coming from down the hallway Thea suddenly snaps her attention towards the sound as she slowly makes her way forward.
" Speedy!? Are you there!? What was that sound!?"
" I don't know. Please hurry."
Snapping her phone shut with a thud Thea takes off back down the hallway and down towards Oliver's room when suddenly her eyes widen as she looks into the open doorway to see Walter along with a few of the mansion's security guards holding down Oliver on his bed while she sees Moira in the corner of her eye with a needle in her hands.
" What the hell are you doing!?"
Without giving anyone in the room anytime to react Thea suddenly rushes forward and using all her might pushes everyone away from Oliver freeing him from their grasps before her eyes widen again when she sees Oliver's eyes start to get heavy and his body slowly relaxing on the bed. Reaching down Thea gently takes Oliver's head in her hands as she sees him fighting to keep his eyes open before she snaps her head around to look over her shoulder at Moira.
" What the hell did you do to him!?"
" I'm helping Oliver."
" By drugging him!? How can that possibly be helping him!?"
Snapping her head back forward letting out a grunt Thea slowly starts to help Oliver sit up on the bed as she puts his arm around her shoulders before she slowly starts to rise up from the bed bringing Oliver with her.
" What the hell are you doing Thea!?"
" I'm protecting my brother and am getting him the hell away from you."
Taking slow and steady steps Thea starts to lead over out of the bedroom as he sees a security guard reaching for her before she snaps her head towards him to give him an intense glare.
" Don't you dare touch me!"
As she sees the security guard retracting his hand Thea slowly leads Oliver down the hallway and towards the stairs as she feels around in her jeans pockets for her car keys. Feeling her keys in her pocket Thea quickly snatches the keys from her pocket and slowly descends down the stairs with Oliver before she looks over to Oliver as she hears him mumbling.
" Run Thea."
" What?"
" You need to run Thea."
" No! I'm not going anywhere without you."
Making it down the stairs Thea quickly leads Oliver outside to her car and slowly helps lay down in the backseat before she quickly rushes towards the driver's door as she hears the sound of the entrance doors to the mansion opening revealing Moira and Walter.
" Thea!"
Racing inside Thea quickly puts her car key into the ignition bringing the car to life before she steps down hard on the gas sending the car flying forward at high speed as she sees in the back mirror Moira and Walter running down from the entrance. As she sees Moira and Walter disappear into the distance reaching into her pocket Thea grabs her cellphone out of her pocket and dials Laurel's number before she places the phone to her ear as she looks in the front mirror to see Oliver not moving in the backseat other than his stomach rising up slowly.
After just one ring suddenly Thea hears the line being picked up from the other side and the sound of a door closing echoing through the phone.
" Is everything okay Speedy!? Is Oliver okay!?"
" I'm on my way over with Oliver right now."
" What's going on? What happened?"
" My mother did something to Oliver. I think she drugged him. I don't know. I should be at your apartment complex in a couple of minutes."
" I'll be waiting outside."
Snapping her phone shut with a thud Thea tosses her cellphone into the passenger's seat as she looks into her front mirror seeing Oliver's sleeping form before she turns her attention back forward and steps harder on the gas sending the car flying down the road at high speed.
Within minutes of flying down the road at her car's top speed Thea brings her car to a stop as she sees Laurel's apartment complex coming into view before she slowly pulls her car into the complex's parking lot as she sees Laurel making her way quickly over from her car. As she turns off the car and hears the sound of a back seat door being opened Thea looks over her shoulder to see Laurel kneeling down next to Oliver with his head in her hands as she watches her inspect Oliver's face gently before slowly she watches Laurel look up towards her.
" We need to get him inside."
Giving Laurel a nod Thea quickly exits out of the car and makes her way over towards Laurel's side before for the next minute she gently helps Laurel retrieve Oliver out of the car and helps lead him to the apartment complex. As she looks over to her side to see Laurel glancing over towards Oliver with a few emotions she couldn't read coming from her eyes Thea snaps her head back forward and helps lead Oliver up the stairs along with Laurel towards Laurel's apartment before within minutes of entering she helps lower Oliver down onto Laurel's bed.
" Is he going to be okay?"
Turning her head away from Oliver slowly Thea looks over towards Laurel seeing her giving her a nod as her eyes remain focused on Oliver.
" He's going to be fine Speedy. From what you told me you're mother must have given Oliver something to help him sleep."
" No way! You didn't see what they were doing to him."
" What do you mean? What were they doing to him?"
" Walter and some of the security staff of the mansion were holding down Oliver on the bed when he was screaming at them to stop while my mother was holding a fucking needle in her hand!"
As she looks down towards Oliver's sleeping form unaware to her knowledge slowly Laurel's hands start to clutch into tight fists before after just a few seconds they unclenched as she takes a deep breathe to look over at Thea seeing her staring down at Oliver.
" Are you going to be okay Speedy?"
" I don't know. When i was leading Ollie out of the mansion he told me to run."
" Why would he tell you to run?"
" I don't know. I really freaked out about all of this. Ollie was pleading with me to run as if i was in danger or something?"
" He probably something Ollie saw in his dream. Whatever he dreamed about scared him and made him go into protect mode of everyone close to him. Neither of us know what happened to him while he was gone. That's what terrifies me the most."
Turning her attention away Laurel looks back down towards Oliver with concern riddled across her face as for the next couple of seconds she slowly gets lost into her thoughts about everything she had just heard coming from Thea to only snap out of her thoughts when she sees Thea looking towards her out of the corner of her eye.
" Can i sleep here tonight? I really don't want to be home right now."
As a small smile forms on her face Laurel gives Thea a nod before she slowly leads Thea into her living room towards her couch. Leaving Thea's side for just a minute Laurel walks around her apartment gathering a few bedding supplies for Thea before she leaves Thea's side and makes her way back towards her bedroom. As she nears her bedroom to see Oliver sleeping on her bed Laurel quietly closes her door behind herself and slowly makes her way towards the bed before within seconds she sits down on the bed and starts to gently stroke Oliver's hair.
After just a few seconds of staring down at Oliver's face in silence suddenly Laurel's eyes widen when she sees Oliver's eyes move.
" Run Thea."
" Shhh. Everything is okay Ollie. I'm here now."
" Laurel?"
With a smile forming on her face Laurel gives Oliver a nod as she continues to gently stroke his hair.
" Ollie what is going on?"
" Pocket…."
With a confused look coming across her face Laurel reaches down with her free hand and starts patting at his pockets of the sweatpants he is wearing when suddenly she comes to a stop as she feels an object in his right pocket. Gently reaching into his pocket Laurel grabs a firm hold of the object before she retracts her hand revealing a black book. For the next few seconds Laurel inspects the book with interested eyes before she looks back down towards Oliver with a confused look.
" What is this?"
" No more secrets…."
Turning her attention towards the book in her hands Laurel quickly flips through the book seeing every page completely empty as a confused look comes across her face.
" I don't understand."
Taking her eyes away from the book slowly Laurel looks back down to see Oliver's eyes fully closed and his chest starting to rise up and down slowly before she turns her attention back towards the book. Placing the book down Laurel slowly lays down on the bed next to Oliver taking his head in her hands and placing his head gently on her chest before she slowly reaches over and takes the black book in her hand once again.