" You can call me Laurel. Dinah Laurel Lance."
As he feels her hand rubbing his cheek Oliver can't help but to smile at her touch as he looks into her eyes before he feels her pressing her lips to his again for a kiss. Feeling the softness of her lips against his own Oliver can't help but to get lost in the moment as the thoughts of he finally has her back enter into his mind. That he has Laurel back. Back in his arms once again. Something he would be lying to himself that he didn't think about over the years. Having the woman that he loves in his arms. But then it hits him. This isn't his Laurel. This isn't the Laurel that he knows. The Laurel of his world. Only a beautiful woman that is identical to Laurel.
Feeling Oliver breaking off the kiss Laurel opens her eyes to see Oliver looking towards the ground avoiding eye contact with her with a few emotions in his eyes that she was all too familiar with. Emotions of guilt and sadness. Guilt for what she suspected was happening right now. The guilt of kissing his world's doppelganger version of Laurel Lance. Something she had come to terms with on her way to Star City just days prior. The guilt of finding this world's version of Oliver Queen to be a replacement for her own lost love.
But as she had gotten closer and closer to arriving to Star City the words of Barry Allen echoed throughout her mind. The words of they were the same person. Her and this world's version of herself. The only difference was the hardships each of them had faced. While she had lost Oliver out to sea in her world and turned to a life of crime just years later her doppelganger on the other hand had gone in a different direction with the loss of Oliver.
Had fulfilled her dream of becoming a lawyer. A very successful lawyer of Star City. Something that had brought Laurel brief happiness when she found this world's Laurel Lance had achieved her goals and dreams while she did some research on her doppelganger as she traveled to Star City. But then came something that shocked her to her core. The shock of finding out just months after then Starling City was attacked by an event called the Undertaking later learned caused by a man named Malcolm Merlyn that her doppelganger had fallen in deep times and looked for comfort in drugs and alcohol. Something that caused her dream of a lawyer to come almost to an end until she was hired back months later to take on a major case in the city. The case of Starling City versus Moira Queen.
As she continued her research and followed her doppelganger's career through the years up until her death to find out she was one of Star City's greatest heroes the Black Canary that would often be seen fighting alongside Star City's protector the Green Arrow and the rest of what everyone referred to as Team Arrow thoughts of her lost love had quickly entered her mind. Thoughts of the Oliver from her world. The man that she loved and would do anything to have back. That was when suddenly it hit her. She could get him back. Get back her Oliver. After all even though they were from two different worlds the Oliver from her world and this one were the same person. Just like Barry had said.
The only difference between the two was the paths they had each taken. While her world's Oliver had been lost out to sea in this world this Oliver had returned a different man. A different man because of his time away stranded on an island. Stranded in unknown territory with no way to contact anyone to be safely returned home. What happened to him on that island she was unsure of but the one thing she was sure of was it lit a fire inside of him. A roaring fire that soon turned him into a vigilante upon returning to Starling City. Into the hero known as the Arrow.
But now as she stares at Oliver in silence with her mind made up lowering her hand down Laurel cups Oliver's jaw before she slowly turns his head to look towards her.
" I know what you are thinking right now. You are thinking that what we are doing right now is wrong but it's not."
" But you're not my Laurel."
" Yes i am. Although i may have come from a different world the Laurel Lance from your world and I are the same being. The only difference between us is the paths that each of us had taken to get to where we are right now. Just like you and the Oliver of my world are the same being. When i look into your eyes i can see it. Just like how i know you see it when you look into my eyes."
As she gives Oliver a few moments to process everything Laurel takes a deep breathe.
" What we have been given is a gift. A second chance. A chance to be with the one that we care about the most. And i will not allow this chance to be wasted. I have been waiting for so long to finally see you again. To be able to kiss you and be in your arms again. I cannot and will not lose you again."
Without giving him any chance to react Laurel leans forward pressing her lips right back to Oliver's for a deep kiss. After just a few seconds Laurel's lips curl up into a smile as she feels Oliver wrapping his arms around her waist before he pulls her even closer to him. As she feels herself getting lost in the kiss just enjoying the moment unaware to her's and Oliver's knowledge a blonde haired woman is slowly making her way back into the Lair.
As she waits for the elevator doors to open up one thing is on the mind of Felicity Smoak. Talk to Oliver. Talk to him about everything that had happened the last few days. Have a conversation about what she had seen on a television screen. Talk to him about how he had killed Damien Darhk in cold blood. Something she didn't approve of despite what she had told him the day of Laurel's funeral. To kill the man for killing Laurel. A woman that even though she wasn't close to had an influence on her. Made her into a better woman from seeing how Laurel handled herself. To take on any challenge without showing any fear.
But as she continues to wait for the elevator doors to open her mind shifts away from her fallen friend to Oliver. Thoughts of what could be going through his mind right now enter into her mind with a mental image burned inside. The look in his eyes. The empty void where there once was life. Once showed kindness to others that now showed nothing but sadness and anger every time she looked into his eyes. A look he has had ever since the day Laurel had died leaving nothing to her imagination. Leaving her with little hope that any chance of her getting back with Oliver would ever happen. Now all she could do was hope that one day Oliver would find some peace one day within himself.
Some peace she needed now. Especially after she caused thousands of lives to end just a few days prior when she advert a nuke that was heading for Star City to strike down into a small town called Havenrock. Ever since that moment every time she would close her eyes the images of thousands of men,women,and children being engulfed into flames would enter into her mind. Lives of everyone she knew she had ended since that night. But she had to be strong and get through it while Darhk was still alive. That was the excuse she used for the last few days but now that he was gone her inner demons had started to take over her mind once again.
Hearing the ding of the elevator arriving at the lower section Felicity snaps out of her thoughts and casually walks through the opening elevator doors with a fake smile across her face before she stops dead in her tracks and her eyes go wide at what she sees in the center of the command center. Oliver and Laurel in an intense makeout session. Something she never thought she would ever see again. As she stares at the couple in complete silence the only question on Felicity's mind is how. How is this possible? These thoughts are snapped when she sees Laurel opening her eyes and spotting her from her spot next to Oliver before she watches each of them turn to look towards her as she slowly makes her way up the steps of the command center.
" You're dead. But you can't be dead because you're standing right in front of me. Which means i'm either going crazy or i'm seeing a ghost. If you're a ghost that would explain the outfit you're wearing but that wouldn't explain everything else…."
As her eyes go wide listening to Felicity ramble on Laurel slowly turns to look Oliver in the eyes communicating to him are you fucking kidding me to him which causes him to smirk and shrug his shoulders before she rolls her eyes and looks over towards Felicity seeing looking to the ground.
" Will you shut up! You're giving me a headache!"
Once she hears Felicity go silent as she lets out a huff Laurel looks over towards Oliver with a smirk.
" Okay seriously how the hell do you put up with that? She just never shuts up."
" Hey! How dare…."
Without taking her eyes away from Oliver's own Laurel raises up her right hand signaling Felicity to stop speaking before she looks over towards Felicity with a grin across her face.
" Speak again and i promise you that they will be the last words that ever come out of your mouth."
As she sees Felicity taking a few steps back and gulp her throat Laurel slowly lowers her hand down before she looks back over towards Oliver.
" Is she really necessary? I mean why is she here to begin with? She has no fighting ability what's so ever. Hell i'm willing to bet she's a cat person."
Hearing the sound of Felicity taking a deep breathe Laurel snaps her head to look at Felicity with a glare across her face before the sound of a click of Felicity's mouth closing echoes through the room which causes a small smile to appear on Laurel's face as she looks back towards Oliver.
" She is a vital part of Team Arrow."
" But that's the thing Ollie there is no more Team Arrow. From what i had just heard Team Arrow has been disbanded. Speedy has gone to find herself again. Diggie is consumed with the guilt of killing his brother so you shouldn't expect him back anytime soon. That only leaves you. You're the only true hero of Team Arrow left."
" Hey just who the hell are you!? You're not Laurel Lance!"
As she rolls her eyes Laurel lets out a huff before she looks over towards Felicity seeing her with a raised right index finger pointing at her.
" Let's just get some things straight right now. I don't like you. The sight of you makes me want to vomit. Your voice makes me want to rip my own ears out just so i don't have to hear your voice ever again. And didn't i say to not speak?"
Right when he sees Laurel taking a few steps forward towards a retreating Felicity and hears her taking a deep breathe for what he knows is to unleash a sonic scream out towards Felicity in a sudden move Oliver spins Laurel around before he gives her a kiss to the shock of Felicity. As he breaks off the kiss and opens his eyes Oliver sees Laurel looking towards him with a grin across her face as he sees her eyes glancing back and forth between himself and Felicity before he feels himself being pulled back into a deep kiss. Opening his eyes up slightly Oliver sees Felicity looking at him with watery eyes and a look of shock and disappointment across her face before he watches her slowly walk down the command center's steps and back towards the elevator.
As she hears the sound of the elevator doors closing Laurel breaks off the kiss to look at the elevator doors with a small smile across her face before she looks back towards Oliver seeing him looking at her with an unreadable expression across his face.
" It needed to be said. I don't know what your relationship was with that woman but ever since i've been in Star City and have seen the interactions between the both of you all i've felt is tension between you two. Whatever happened between you and her will cause ripple effects to take place if you allow her to continue to work by your side. You will lose your focus and get hurt which will in return make me very angry. And trust me when i tell you this you don't want to see me angry."
For the next few seconds of staring deep into Oliver's eyes Laurel suppresses a victory smile when she hears Oliver letting out a sigh as he nods his head towards her.
" Good now if there was only a place we could go so we wouldn't be interrupted by any more unwanted guests. Someplace quiet that nobody would even think of looking for us. But where?"
As he sees Laurel going into deep thought a grin forms on Oliver's face before he watches Laurel look towards him with a small smile across her face.
" I know just the place."
Just an hour later of sneaking through the streets of Star City that still had celebrations of Damien Darhk's demise still being cheered on every street corner by the citizens of Star City Oliver and Laurel have managed to arrive just outside of Oliver's home. The Queen's mansion. A place thought to be abandoned ever since the Queen family had gone bankrupt and lost the mansion. A place unaware to everyone in Star City that it was not the case. That Star City's favorite son had returned back home. Returned back to his former home and had been secretly living there for the last few months ever since Felicity broke off her engagement to him.
As he walks up to the front gates and finds the gates thrown off to the side as if someone had driven a car through them most likely robbers that were looking to get something valuable from inside of the mansion Oliver let's out a sigh and makes a mental note to repair the gate before he walks over the remains of the gate unaware of the smile Laurel is suppressing from his side from seeing the look on his face. Looking over his shoulder finding the coast was clear Oliver slowly leads Laurel around the mansion as he sees a confused look across her face before he suddenly sees a smile form on her face when he leads her into his family's old garden. A place they used to go all the time when they wanted to just be alone. What Laurel called her's and Oliver's backup spot.
But even though she was enjoying the moment of just being with Oliver again there was still questions that she still needed to be answered. Questions of what happened here? What happened to his family's fortune? What happened between him and this world's Laurel Lance. Questions she wanted answered unaware that inside of Oliver's mind for the past hour he had been mentally preparing himself for these thoughts. To open up to her about everything. Just like how she would do for him.
" Ollie what happened here?"
" A couple of years ago my family and I ended up going bankrupt causing us to lose the mansion thanks to this scheme cooked up by one of my enemies."
" Must have been someone powerful if he caused the Queens to lose everything."
" He was. Still is actually. His name is Slade Wilson or known as to most as…."
" Deathstroke."
" You knew him?"
" No. I only know about him from what i've read in newspapers and have seen on news reports."
As she sees Oliver nodding his head one thought of what happened between him and this world's Laurel Lance once again enters into her mind as she feels herself being pulled deeper into the garden area.
" What happened between you and your world's Laurel Lance?"
Letting out a sigh Oliver looks over towards Laurel seeing her staring directly at him awaiting for his answer before he looks back forward towards the garden.
" Although you may think that i'm the same as the Oliver from your world i'm not. I had hurt you long before i had ever was stranded on that island."
" What do you mean that you had hurt me?"
" When i had gotten on that boat, I was a jackass. Someone that thought could get away with anything. A few days before i left you had asked me to get our own place together inside of the city but i was too scared at the time to tell you about it. Instead of manning up and telling you about my fears, I invited your sister onto the boat with me.
Once i returned home 5 years later and had this plan to take back the city by force as the Arrow, I had hurt you again. I had to put up this mask like i was still the same party boy Oliver. I still loved you but i had to protect you. If you had gotten hurt, I would have never forgiven myself. Then there came times when i thought you were going to die and i snapped. I unleashed the darkness inside of me upon the people that were trying to hurt you. The same darkness that is still there now deep inside that followed me home from that island.
But i couldn't stay away from you and we slowly started to rebuild our relationship. When we had gotten to a good place again and i ended up confessing that i was still in love with you even after all the years we were apart you told me that we couldn't go back. That was when Malcolm's undertaking had taken place and a friend of ours had died.
After his funeral i left Starling City for a few months with the guilt of failing all those that had died that night at Malcolm's hands that i still have to this day before Diggle and Felicity ended up convincing me to go back home. That was when an old friend of mine had payed a visit to Starling City seeking revenge for a friend of our's death. While he had one of his followers Isabel Rochev attempt to take over my family's company he plotted to get his revenge on me by taking away all of my loved ones. He ended up kidnapping Thea right before this big board meeting was taking place before during my time of weakness i signed over the power of Queen industries to Isabel Rochev and went out to search for Thea.
But that was when i found out that it was all just a ploy. A ploy for me to sign Queen industries over to Isabel. When i realized the ploy it was too late and i lost the company. While i tried to find a way to get my family's company back that was when Slade made his move one night when my mother,Thea,and I were traveling home in the family's limousine. He ended up tying me up and forced a gun onto each of their heads and made me choose who to kill. When i refused and choose myself instead my mother ended up pleading with him saying to kill her and leave Thea and I alone. He ended up taking his sword and driving it through my mother's chest."
As she feels Oliver coming to a complete stop and look off into the distance as if he was remembering that night Laurel gives his hand a small squeeze before she gives him a sad smile when she sees him looking over towards her.
" I'm sorry Ollie."
Giving Laurel a small smile Oliver looks back off into the distance as he gives her hand a small squeeze.
" It's okay. After my mother's funeral, I decided that was was going to give myself up to Slade. I didn't want to see anymore of my love ones die at the hands of Slade. I had gone to wait at this designated spot unarmed that i knew he would find me at. But that was when you found me. You and the rest of Team Arrow. You ended up giving me the strength to fight back against Slade. You had evidence showing that the mayor of Star City at the time was working for Slade Wilson.
That was when the night of The Siege took place. Slade had made an army of escaped prisoners into super soldiers using this substance from the island that gave them some enhanced abilities at the cost of their insanity. With the help of this secret group called the league of assassins, I ended up finding Slade inside of the city and was able to neutralize him before anymore damage could be done to the city. I couldn't kill him so i brought him over to this prison that i had made on the same island, I had spent so many years on before i locked him away."
" I don't understand. Why couldn't you kill him? Why couldn't you bring you mother's killer to justice?"
" When i was on that island, I wasn't alone. Slade was there with me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be alive today. He saved my life so many times on that island. He was like a older brother to me. I just couldn't kill him."
Nodding her head Laurel looks off into the distance where Oliver is staring but she glances over towards Oliver with a smirk on her face.
" So where does the annoying blonde come in? I'm guessing you had some kind of relationship with her."
A small smile forms on Oliver's face as he glances over towards Laurel before he looks back off into the distance.
" After The Siege, I thought that i couldn't have you so i started to see Felicity. If i couldn't have the woman that i truly loved then i had to settle for second best. But then a man named Raus al Gaul had come to town. The leader of The League of Assassins.
At the time your sister was going by the name of Black Canary and would come to Starling City every couple months to spend time with you and your family. One night after you had a conversation with your sister as you were leaving to your car Sara's body ended up falling from a rooftop next to you with a few arrows in her chest. Since your sister was a member of the league of assassins they ended up sending a few members of the league to Starling City to locate and bring Sara's killer to justice as i was searching for her killer as well. When the trail went cold the league had left town and you started training to follow in your sister's footsteps while i was searching the city everyday and night for any leads.
After a few months that was when i found out that Thea had killed her. Malcolm ended up drugging Thea and had her kill Sara so that he could have me pay a debt to the league. A bounty that Malcolm had on his head from the league that could be erased if he was to win a duel against Raus al Gaul. He told me that if i was to defeat Raus then any bounty that was on his and Thea's head would be erased. After i told everyone in team Arrow what i was doing i traveled to Nanda Parbat to confront Raus and challenge him to a dual. He ended up beating me and had kicked me off the cliff we were fighting on after he had driven his sword into my chest.
I wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for a friend of mine named Maseo. He ended up dragging my body into the mountains where his wife Tatsu was rescinding. After a few months she nursed me back to health and i returned back to Starling City to retake the city from this crime lord named Danny Brickwell who had taken over the city in the Arrow's absence. When i arrived i found that you had taken up the Black Canary mantle and with your help i was able to take back the city. After a little while back knowing that Raus would come for me and Thea once he learned the news that i had survived i ended up having Malcom train me and Thea so that i could defeat Raus. But when Thea learned that she had killed Sara and had confessed everything to you about her being under Malcolm's influence she had turned Malcolm over to the league. I ended up traveling back to Nanda Parbat along with Diggie to try and free Malcolm when i was captured by Raus and his men.
Instead of killing me right then and there he offered me his place in the league of assassins. When i refused and traveled back to Starling City Raus ended up following me after me. He framed me for murder and caused your father to issue a arrest warrant out for the Arrow. When that didn't work he kidnapped your father and told him that i was the Arrow. The next day your father called a press conference and told the world my identity. With no options left i turned myself into the police before a former member of team arrow Roy Harper had dressed up in the Arrow suit and gave himself up to the police claiming that he was the Arrow all along. When Roy faked his death and left town Raus payed Thea a visit in our apartment. He ended up stabbing her in the chest and left me no choice other than to accept his offer when Maseo had told me that there was a way for Thea to be brought back to life thanks to this magical water Raus had in his possession called Lazarus Pit.
Raus ended up keeping his end of the bargain and healed Thea with the Pit before i stayed by his side in the league. After a couple of months of training by Raus himself i learned that he was planning on unleashing this virus upon Starling City. When i learned this i contacted Malcolm and the rest of team Arrow telling them the dangers that the city was going to face. Once the day had come and Raus was transporting the virus to Starling City i confronted him and was able to kill him while the rest of team Arrow was able to make sure the virus wasn't unleashed upon the city. After this i left Starling City with Felicity for a couple of months before you and Thea showed up one day at the house Felicity and I were staying at. You ended up asking for my help against this new enemy that had made its way into Star City. That was when i encountered Damien Darke and ended up staying in the city taking up a new identity as the Green Arrow.
After fighting against Darhk for a few months i ended exposing Darhk to the media before i proposed to Felicity at this press conference. When we left the conference some of Darhk's men followed after us and ended up shooting up the limousine we were in. Felicity ended up becoming paralyzed from the waist down before a friend of ours Curtis developed this mechanical implant that enabled Felicity the ability to walk again. It was on this day when she broke off the engagement. A few days before you and the rest of team Arrow found out that i had a son named William with a girl that i had a fling with when we weren't dating.
We ended up catching Darhk and had him imprisoned when we were betrayed by Diggie's younger brother Andy. During the prison escape Darhk ended up stabbing you in the chest with one of my arrows. I rushed you as fast as i could to the hospital. You ended up dying a few hours later after you had gotten out of surgery."
As the images of that night start flooding back into his mind Oliver takes a deep breathe.
" After your funeral Darhk ended up kidnapping Thea and brought her to this city that he had built under Star City. Diggie and I ended up infiltrating the city and we rescued Thea at the cost of the life of Damien Darhk's wife. You know the rest."
Nodding her head for the next few minutes Laurel stares off into the distance processing everything that she had just heard from Oliver. Processing all of the pain he had gone through the years that was similar to her own before he thoughts are snapped when she sees Oliver looking towards her.
" So what about you? Not that i don't dig the outfit but how is this even possible?"
" Zoom."
" Zoom?"
" Your friend Barry Allen opened a portal to my world. Because of this a man named Zoom lead an army of metahumans to this world. I was one of those metahumans."
" How did that happen? You had to use a device in this world to cause the shockwaves. You on the other hand seem to have the ability to do it at will."
" It all happened after i left Starling City. When the Queen's gambit was lost at sea, I was devastated. For 5 years all i wanted was to walk out into the sea and drown. At Least we would have been reunited. One day i had received news along with the rest of your family that a survivor was found from the Queen's Gambit. At that moment i had hope that you had survived. That you had made your way back home to me. But when i discovered that it was your father that had survived and not you, I was devastated and decided to leave Starling City.
I moved away to Central City where one day years later a failed experiment at the hands of a man named Harrison Wells caused many others in Central City to become infected and eventually turned into what you would call a metahuman. When i found out that i was infected and given the gift of creating sonic scream i started to go by a new name of the Black Siren. For the next year while i bettered my craft and started to take over the city by force a man named Zoom suddenly appeared. He is the man that has the same powers that your friend in red possess.
When a portal was opened to your world he lead me and a large group of metahumans into your world with the purpose of taking over your world. When i had encountered Barry in Central City and he told me that you were alive i abandoned Zoom's plan and made my way to Star City. You know the rest. Oh and just to let you know. You totally owe me for saving your ass."
Oliver lets out a small chuckle as he nods his head before he looks down towards their joined hands.
" So what do we do now?"
" We live Ollie. Whether it's here in Star City or someplace else. Where you go, I go. All that i care about is being with you."
" You shouldn't."
" And why shouldn't i care?"
" There is nothing but darkness inside of me. Darkness that i thought i could control. Be caged deep inside. I thought this because of you. You were the light at the end of the tunnel. My guiding light through the darkness. When you died the darkness inside of me awakened. I dreamed about you dying every single night. Whatever light that was shielding me from the darkness had disappeared. The only thing i wanted the most at that moment was to hold Darhk's dead broken body in my hands. Tonight when i achieved that goal and watched him die, I didn't feel anything. No remorse. No pity for his daughter growing up without her parents. But something else happened tonight. When i saw you something happened to me inside. For a brief moment the darkness inside had vanished when i saw your face. When i saw you standing before me. I realized the moment after Darhk was dead and i held you in my arms that the light that wasn't there for so long had returned. That was when i realized i had to protect the light. In order to do that i had to keep you safe."
" I'm gonna stop you right there. I know where you are going with this. You're going to say that you needed to distance yourself from me and be all alone. Well guess what? That's not gonna happen Oliver. I won't allow it. I know that you want to protect me just like how i want to protect you but i don't need protecting. I had been on my own roaming the streets of Central City with an ironing fist before i had come to this world. Hell i was able to best Barry in a one on one battle without breaking a sweat. So i'm telling you this straight to your face, I don't need protecting. All i need is you. Just like how i know you need me. You know i'm right."
After a few seconds of staring into Oliver's eyes with an intense glare Laurel suppresses a victory smile when she sees Oliver breaking eye contact with her before she hears him let out a sigh as he looks back up towards her with a smirk.
" I can never win an argument against you can i?"
With a small smile forming on her face Laurel shakes her head at Oliver.
" No you can't and never will."
Author Notes: Just a little chapter to get a few things out of the way before the real fun starts to begin. There is still time for everyone to vote for who you would want as the Main Villian of the story. Key word main. Might have to let Canary have some fun.