Roy was barely aware of the chaos going on around him his hearing distorted and eyes closed blind and partly deaf to the murmuring crowd of onlookers.
"Poor kid, do you think he'll make it?"
"Did you see that?! he pushed her out of the way!"
"Is he dead?!"
Thea glared at them "Everybody just back up and give him some room!" She growled. "You don't even know him!..not like I do.." She pulled the limp body into her lap held his cheek in her mitten covered hand.

A screech of tires caused Thea to flinch the sound still fresh in her mind. A black plateless van pulled up and Arrow quickly hopped out, approaching the large crowd eyes searching for Roy and Thea. The people dispersed giving him room and he moved his pace up to a brisk jog as his eyes fell upon the two he had been searching for. Oliver knelt down for a moment and observed Roy he was not a doctor but he could see the saw movements of breathing which meant his brain was receiving oxygen. Still he could see blood from Roys' mouth and Nose which were indicators of internal bleeding. "Give him to me Thea, he needs medical attention now."

She nodded and slowly removed herself from underneath Roy struggling to keep her composure. "Please..save him.", was all she could manage before the tears began to surface and threatened to spill over. She cupped her hand to her mouth muffling her sobs just in case Roy could hear her.

Oliver nodded and spoke. "I'll do my best, I promise." He knelt down and slowly lifted the young mans' limp body. One arm under his shoulder blades, the other behind his knees. "Hang in there kid." He began to walk towards the van an oxygen tank and mask prepared to help keep him stable until they got to the hospital.

It was in that moment that a thought occurred to Thea, her friend Roy, this may be the last time she saw him alive. She sprinted after The Arrow. "Wait!" The hooded man paused for a brief moment allowing her to kiss his forehead and he heard her whisper faintly in they brunettes' ear "I love you Roy, no matter what happens." Oliver cleared his throat "I'm sorry, but we can't wait any longer."

He resumed his stride and entered the van holding the young man in his arms, and strapping the mask behind his ears so that it fit snuggly to his nose and mouth before he pulled him close. Oliver could not imagine if it had been Thea, who had been hit. The last member of his true family. There would have been no more Oliver Queen, the last of his humanity would have vanished, his identity swallowed up, hidden, by the mask and hood he adorned every night.

He brought the youth close, his forehead pressed into the side of the young mans' neck. An embrace, this grateful show of affection was the most he had ever shown to the kid, he regretted it now always being so stern towards him. He sighed and just focused his ear on the sound of Roys' pulse. "Thank you." He murmured holding his partner in his strong and protective arms.

Diggle focused as he pulled away breaking the speed limit but also being cautious with his movements. A quick changing in lanes shook the van slightly and squeezed a groan from the young man.

Olivers' eyes opened and he lifted his head quickly. "Roy? Roy can you hear me?" The brunettes' feature were tense with pain and his voice hoarse. "T-Thea..is she..alright?" Oliver nodded and pulled the boy close once more so he would be able to hear him better. "She's fine thanks to you."

Roy coughed slightly and suddenly gasped his eyes snapping open. He writhed in Oliver's arms and his mentor quickly lowered him to the floor, pulling off the young mans' hoodie he could see a dark bruising along his side. "Roy what hurts? you need to tell me!" Roy was struggling to breathe gasping loudly, desperately, it a reflex to the pain. Though instinctive and beyond control each intake of air was injuring him further building pressure within his chest. A rib had been fractured when he was hit and Olivers' caring embrace had severed the bone completely breaking it, plunging it into his lung.

Oliver noticed the tightness of skin in that area. "Your lung is punctured.." He reached into his quiver pulling out an arrow "I have to get the air out, or it's going to kill you..do you trust me?" Roy nodded quickly and Oliver pulled him close "hold your breath..this is going to hurt." His hand moved forward and the arrow stabbed through skin and flesh making a cutting sound 'shunk!'

Roy tensed at the painful stab of an arrow piercing between his ribs it fueled the agonized scream into his mentors' ear. Oliver turned the arrow so the puncture could let air escape. He then reached into his quiver once more, and got an injector from a different type of arrow and pushed it inside the wound. Roy grunted in pain but quickly sighed in relief as the pressure was removed from his chest.

He went limp again and Oliver stared at him in concern Roy couldn't maintain consciousness and that was not a good sign.

"How much further Diggle?" Oliver asked from the back of the speeding vehicle.
The driver grunted as he pulled into the parking lot. "We're here!"
Oliver's phone buzzed and Thea texted him

'Roy is heading to the hospital please let me know if you find out which one he is in.'

He sighed and texted back 'I'll see what I can I can do, are you ok?'

She replied. 'Thanks to him I am this is all my fault.'

Oliver swallowed slightly.
'Thea blaming yourself isn't going to help Roy..I'll let you know if I find out where he is.'

The man slid his phone back into his pocket and took the oxygen mask off of the young man quickly walking towards the entrance of the hospital.