Okay, so the last chapter was so short, I know! So I decided to post this one as quickly as possible. Thanks to all of you that have posted reviews! My muse, DocWatson loves them! And the more I receive, the more he pushes me to write! He's also be kind enough to let me play with Tommy and Oliver this past few days and ignore (no, not ignore, John, never ignore...temporarily put on the shelf, perhaps?) his story with Sherlock. If you haven't watched the BBC version of Sherlock, you really must! It's on NetFlix, I suggested you check it out!

The knock on the door at nine at night didn't surprise Laurel. She figured her dad would be over to try to convince her to not take Oliver's case. What did surprise her was the anxious face of Tommy Merlyn in the peephole of the door.

"Tommy," she said as she opened the door cautiously. He rushed past her into her living room, talking a mile a minute.

"What the hell are we going to do, Laurel? Ollie's going to go to prison! He just got back home! We can't – I can't lose him again! I haven't gotten the chance to tell him how I feel! I went to the station and they wouldn't let me see him because his lawyer hadn't showed up. Your dad was not so kind enough to let me know that Oliver requested you and you hadn't shown up! Why haven't you gone to see him, Laurel? He needs you! God, Laurel! How are we going to get him out of this?" he asked, suddenly focusing his accusing gaze on her, "What are you going to do to get him out of this?"

"I'm not doing anything," she said calmly, backing slightly away from him. She knew what was coming.

"What the hell?! Why the hell not?" Tommy nearly screamed at her, "He used to be your boyfriend-"

"Exactly!" she yelled, matching his tone, "He used to be my boyfriend. I shouldn't represent him for that reason alone. Plus, there's the fact that he no longer is my boyfriend because he took my little sister on a cruise that killed her. Then there's the fact that my dad is the arresting officer. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that I can't trust him as far as I can throw him…I'm sorry, but I just can't!"

"Laurel!" he said not really sure how else to continue.

When she just stared at him, not responding, he suddenly felt lost. He knew that Oliver was the Hood, but she didn't He had no idea how to convince her that it was in all of their best interests for her to help him. If she didn't get him out of this horrible mess, he wasn't going to be able to tell Oliver how he felt. He'd lose Oliver before he even had him.

That thought made the tears well up in his eyes. Normally, he would dash them away with his fist, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He deserved to cry for that love that he wasn't going to have.

He watched as Laurel's hard countenance melted into kindness. He wasn't averse to playing on her sympathies, especially if it meant hopefully saving Oliver. He let the tears slide down his face and let the opportunity play out.

"I don't know what to do, Laurel," he said honestly, "I can't lose him now, not when there's so much I haven't told him."

"Why didn't you tell him, Tommy?" she inquired, "You were going to drop me off and go see him."

"Dear Old Dad happened," he said quietly, the tears still trailing from his eyes, "I was on a plane within three hours of dropping you off. I left him a message to call me, but I really need to talk to him face to face. I can't lose him."

She sighed and he knew he had her.

"Fine," she said crossly, "But I just want you to know, I think this is a bad idea."

He walked up to her and hugged her.

"Thank you, Laurel," he said softly in her hair, "You really are the best."

"You're welcome, Tommy," she said, hugging him back, "And thank you, yourself."

He released her and stepped back.

"Huh?"

She smiled, "I was really on the fence. I wanted to help. I guess I just needed a really good reason to step in. But what I said was true. Our past and current relationship complicates things. And I honestly just don't trust him."

He turned away to face the window. He couldn't ask the next question as he looked at her without betraying his thoughts.

"Do you really think he could be the Hood?"

"I-I don't know," she said hesitatingly, "There are things that make me think he could be. I mean, he was gone for five years and the within a week of him returning, the Hood shows up. He's never where he is supposed to be. And from what I hear, his bodyguards quit on a regular basis because they get sick of him ditching them.

"At the same time," she continued, "he's changed. He's become more irresponsible and annoying. I don't hear of him helping people like he used to. He was never like that before he left. And the way he treats his family, disappearing for hours after that shooting? Who does that?"

"He's still trying to adjust, Laurel," Tommy defended, completely agreeing but not able to say so.

"I know," she said sadly, "I wish that was all it was. I know there's something else, but he obviously doesn't trust any of us enough to help."

He sighed. How do you tell someone who should know something that the something they should know could be beyond dangerous, especially as an office of the law?

"Well," he said, changing the subject, "I'm going to go. You need to get your rest if you need to get to court in the morning. You are going to court in the morning, right?"

She smiled as she opened the door for him.

"I'll be there, Tommy."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Laurel," he said as he turned and left. Oliver was in the best hands with Laurel as his lawyer, he thought as he wandered down the apartment building hall to his car.

So you know the routine...Read & Review, please! More soon!