Feeling a bright light slowly trickling through her closed eyelids as she lets out a yawn slowly Laurel opens up her eyes before a small smile forms on her face when she sees what position she is in. A position of feeling someone with their arms wrapped around her. Looking down Laurel's smile widens when she sees the state of Oliver's face.
The look of seeing him in a peaceful sleep. Something she had a strong feeling he hasn't had for over the last 5 years. But with that questions that had entered into her mind the moment she found the black book in his pocket come flooding back into her mind as she stares down at his sleeping form. Questions of what happened to him on that island? What did he mean by when he said no more secrets?
Shaking these thoughts out of her head slowly Laurel untangles herself away from Oliver's grasp as she reaches over and grabs a firm hold of the black book. As she quietly gets up from her bed and slowly makes her way over towards her dresser Laurel can't help but look down towards the book in her hand with interested eyes. Interested in knowing what was so special about the book? Was there something hidden inside? Is it meant to symbolize that Oliver would never lie to her again by writing his confessions in this book?
Putting these thoughts on the back burner Laurel grabs a new set of work clothes from her dresser quietly before she throws the black book on top of the clothes and slowly exits out of her bedroom. Quietly losing her bedroom door behind herself as she turns her attention forward towards the living room Laurel can't help but to smile over towards Thea as he sees her cuddled up next to a pillow with another safely tucked into her arms with a smile across her face.
Letting out a silent chuckle Laurel slowly tiptoes her way past Thea before just a couple of seconds later she closes her bathroom door behind herself. As she puts her work clothes on the sink and slowly starts to undress Laurel can't help but glance down towards the black book on the sink every few seconds before after a few seconds Laurel lets out a sigh as she makes her way over towards her shower and steps inside.
For the next 15 minutes as she feels hot water slowly washing across her body Laurel can't help but get lost back into her thoughts again as the previous day comes back to her.
A day filled with anger. A day filled with happiness. How she had felt so angry when she saw Oliver Queen reappear before her eyes at her apartment. Something she had never thought she would ever see again. A sight that a part of her had hoped for so long she would never see. But another part of her at that moment was overjoyed.
Overjoyed at seeing him again. Seeing the man that for so long she had hated. Hated for believing he had caused the death of her little sister Sarah. Hated for believing she had changed him. Hated herself for believing he had changed instead of being the party boy like his father and friends were.
But she was proven wrong in that regard when she saw the look in his eyes when he had told her what had happened. A look she knew in her heart meant he was telling the truth. The look of so much pain when he confessed over and over again that he was sorry for not being able to save her sister.
To not be able to save her from her own ways. Save her from her ego to walk her own path. A look that told her so many things at that moment. The pure guilt that he was caring for truly believing he had caused her sister's death. Guilt that he hadn't done enough to ensure Sarah's survival.
And yet there was something else she saw in his eyes. A look she had only seen once before when she looked at her reflection when she heard the news of the Queen's Gambit being lost at sea. A look describing intense pain. A pain that she was terrified of. Especially of what could have happened to him while he was away. Pain of enduring unimaginable things for the last 5 years.
But as quick as she saw the pain she had watched him quickly disappear from her with the look of defeat across his face. The look that nothing truly mattered to him anymore. A look of so much pain. It was then at that moment she knew where she needed to be. She needed to be with him. She needed to help take away his pain. She needed to be with him.
As she had made her way towards the mansion the memory of so many emotions had run through her mind. The memory of feeling a trace of anger still inside of her for a piece of her believing that what he had told her was a lie. But once she had listened in quietly as Oliver confessed everything to Thea from inside of his bedroom any trace of anger she had quickly vanished away and the need to be in his arms became far too great for her to care about anything else at that moment.
A moment a piece of her has prayed to happen for over 5 long years to happen. To feel his arms wrapped around her. To feel him kissing her with passion only she knew he could provide to her.
Snapping out of her thoughts Laurel reaches over for her shower knob and turns off her shower before she steps out of the shower and slowly makes her way over towards the sink. As she reaches over and grabs a nearby towel and starts drying herself off Laurel can't help but look down once again at the black book on the sink before she slowly starts to get dressed.
As she applies the last item completing her attire letting out a sigh Laurel reaches down and opens up the black book before she starts to quickly go through the pages of the book when suddenly she comes to a stop when she thinks she sees a few words on one of the pages she passed. With a confused look forming on her face Laurel slowly flips the pages back to not see any words located anywhere before she shakes her head saying to herself that she must have imagined it.
Closing the book with a thud Laurel gathers her clothes from the ground as she tucks the book in between her clothes and slowly makes her way out of the bathroom before suddenly Laurel comes to a stop when she hears Thea's voice from the living room.
Reaching over Laurel quietly opens up the bathroom door and slowly makes her way into the living room before she looks over towards the living room couch to see Thea sitting on the couch next to a awakened Oliver as she sees him looking towards the ground.
" How are you feeling Ollie? Looks like mom gave you one hell of a hangover drug."
As she hears Oliver letting out a small chuckle Laurel rolls her eyes before she watches Oliver reach up to rub his eyes.
" So how are you feeling Ollie?"
Looking on Laurel slowly watches Oliver and Thea turn to look towards her with the former giving her a small smile.
" I'm feeling alright. Thank you for letting us stay here last night."
As he sees Laurel giving him a smile Oliver watches her slowly make her way through the living room and towards the kitchen area before he sees her stop to look over her shoulder at him.
" I will make us some coffee."
Receiving a nod Laurel turns her attention back forward before she slowly enters into her kitchen with a smile across her face. As she gets her coffee machine going and starts to gather a few cups suddenly Laurel turns her attention back towards the living room when she hears Thea taking a deep breathe.
" Ollie what happened last night?"
Suddenly Laurel's eyes widen as she sees from her spot in the kitchen Oliver slowly lower his head down to look towards the ground before she watches Thea slowly scoot over closer to him on the couch.
" It was just a nightmare."
" What was your nightmare about? Was it about me? Why did you tell me to run?"
As she listens in to Oliver going dead silent slowly Laurel makes her way out of the kitchen and towards the open doorway before she sees Thea leaning closer to Oliver as she sees him closing his eyes.
" Ollie?"
Feeling a pair of eyes watching her slowly Thea takes her eyes away from Oliver to look up towards the kitchen before she sees Laurel looking towards her. As she sees Laurel shaking her head Thea glances over towards Oliver before she gives Laurel a slight nod and watches her disappear back around the corner into the kitchen.
After just a mere few minutes with concern riddled across her face Laurel slowly makes her way into the living room with 3 coffee mugs as she sees Oliver looking down towards the ground with his eyes shut before she slowly sits down on the couch next to him as she places the mugs on her coffee table.
Seeing Oliver's eyes open to glance towards her direction briefly reaching over Laurel gently grabs his hands and gives him a small squeeze as she gives him a small smile.
" Ollie?"
As she slowly sees Oliver looking up towards her with the same look of pain she had seen just a mere day ago Laurel gives his hand a small squeeze as her concern for him deepens.
" It's okay. You're safe now. It's only us in this room. When you are ready you can tell us. Okay?"
For the next few seconds Laurel looks into Oliver's eyes in silence before she watches him give her a small nod. As she returns the nod Laurel reaches over towards the table and hands Oliver a coffee mug before for the next couple of minutes Laurel watches with concern along with Thea as Oliver slowly sips his coffee while he stares down at the floorboard avoiding their eye contact.
With her concern deepening Laurel for a brief second glances down towards her watch to see that she needs to go off to work before she slowly gets up from the couch as she sees Oliver glancing up towards her. With a small smile coming across her face Laurel reaches down with her free hand and places it on Oliver's cheek before her smile widens when she feels Oliver leaning his head into her hand.
Rubbing her thumb gently across his cheek Laurel slowly pulls her hand away as she walks over towards the kitchen with her coffee mug when within seconds she is joined by Thea and Oliver.
As she deposits the mugs into her kitchen sink and slowly walks to the door to her apartment to gather her things Laurel glances over her shoulder to see Oliver looking back down towards the floorboard as she sees Thea looking behind him with concern across her face.
Gathering her things Laurel slowly leads Oliver and Thea out of her apartment locking the door behind them before she slowly leads them out of the apartment complex to the parking lot. As the near her car suddenly Laurel comes to a stop and turns to look at Oliver before in a sudden move she brings him into a gentle kiss.
" I will see you in a little while."
As she feels him nodding his head against her own Laurel gives him a small smile as she unwraps her arms from around the back of his neck and slowly makes her way over towards her car. Reaching into her pocket as she looks over her shoulder to see Thea looking in her direction as she follows after Oliver with a serious expression coming across her face Laurel holds up her cellphone up into the air and points to it with her free hand before she watches Thea give her a nod.
Now just minutes later as she drives slowly back towards the mansion and to where she knows her furious mother will be Thea every few seconds can't help but glance over towards Oliver with concern as she would see him staring out the passenger's window in dead silence as if he is replaying a horrible memory in his mind. A memory she knew must have been extremely painful for him from the reflection of his face from the window. The look in his eyes that described it all.
However as she continues to drive through the city Thea can't help but think of Oliver's words from just over a couple of hours ago. The words to run. Questions of what did that mean. What did he mean by run? Was she in danger? She had heard the panic is his voice. Heard the pleading in his voice to run away. But run away from what? Was it like Laurel said? That he was only saying that because of the nightmare he had. Or was it something else?
As she sees the mansion coming into view Thea snaps out of her thoughts and slowly mentally prepares herself to what is going to happen the moment she walks back into the mansion with Oliver. Mentally prepare herself for what she knew to be a yelling match between her and her mother. To prepare herself to defend her actions for what she believed to be protecting her older brother.
Just like how she knew he would do for her. After all he has always done it in the past. And now she knew without a shadow of a doubt he would be more than willing to defend her now from anybody.
Pulling the car to a stop Thea takes a deep breathe as she turns off the ignition of the car before she slowly exits out of her car and makes her way over towards the front doors of the mansion with Oliver following behind her. As she reaches over to open up the front door suddenly Thea comes to a stop when she feels Oliver gently placing a hand on her shoulder before she slowly feels herself being pushed behind him as he reaches for the front door.
An act that brings a ghost smile to Thea's face as she thinks he is the same old Oliver. Always looking out for her.
Snapping out of her thoughts Thea watches Oliver open the front doors into the mansion and slowly enter before she follows after him closing the door behind herself. As she glances around seeing nobody in sight Thea lets out a sigh in relief before slowly she turns her attention towards the side when she hears footsteps approaching.
Letting out a groan Thea watches Moira slowly emerge from behind the corner with an angry expression across her face before she slowly matches the expression with equal intensity.
" And just where the hell have you been!? You had me worried sick!"
" Oh like you really care!"
" Off course i care Thea! I'm your mother!"
" Then where were you when i needed you the most! Huh! Where were you when i was crying myself to sleep every night! Where mom! Where!"
As he hears Thea and Moira going back and forth arguing Oliver closes his eyes as the guilt of the pain that Thea experienced while he was gone enters his mind. The guilt of not being there for his little sister. The guilt of hearing the pain she had gone through every single night he was away.
Pain he knew too well as he would often get lost in his own thoughts on the island thinking about her and Laurel. Thinking about all the times the three of them had spent time together. The memories of just being content on watching a movie with them while he had an arm around each of their shoulders. Memories of sharing laughs in the garden as they would watch the sun set in the distance.
Snapping out of his thoughts as he hears Thea taking a few deep breathes as she stares at Moira with an intense glare reaching over Oliver puts his hand gently on Thea's shoulder before as he sees Thea turning to look towards his direction Oliver reaches over with her free hand and pulls her into an embrace.
An embrace that after just a mere second he feels Thea returning in full as he feels Thea burying her head into his chest before slowly he places his head on her shoulder and leans over towards her ear.
" Go get dressed Speedy. I'll be right behind you."
As he feels Thea unburying her head out of his chest leaning back Oliver looks down to see Thea looking up towards him with a look that she didn't agree before he sends her a small smile.
" Everything is going to be okay. Go get dressed. You can drag me to whatever store you like after."
For the next few seconds Oliver stares down at Thea in complete silence before suddenly the silence is broken when he hears Thea letting out a sigh as he feels her arms unwrapping from his back. As he watches Thea walk over and ascend the stairs leading up towards the second level Oliver can't help but send Thea a smile every time he sees her stop to glance over her shoulder at him with concern.
After just a couple of seconds of seeing Thea disappearing out of sight and hearing the sound of her bedroom door closing slowly Oliver turns his head away from the stairs to look over towards Moira seeing her looking at him with concern.
" The same question applies to you as well. Just where have you and Thea been? You had me worried sick."
" We were staying over a close friend's house. A very close friend. Since we are on the subject of questioning each other what in the hell were you doing last night?"
" I was just helping you."
" You have a funny way of showing it. I don't think drugging someone is protecting them."
" You may not agree with it but it had to be done. Drugging you without your permission was my way of protecting you. You may not like it. Hell you may not even agree with my methods but it had to be done.
I've seen all the test results from your doctors. I know you have been deprived of sleep. I know you must have nightmares every single night that don't allow you to have any rest. Any relief when you sleep. I was only trying to help you. Just like how it's my job to protect you and Thea. No matter the cost."
Without giving Oliver any chance to respond Moira turns around and slowly starts to walk out of the room before she comes to a dead stop when she nears an open doorway leading into the living room area of the mansion. Taking a deep breathe slowly Moira looks over her shoulder to see Oliver looking at her with an unreadable expression across his face as she gives him a small smile.
" I have arranged for you to meet with a few doctors this afternoon. The best doctors in Starling City. They will be able to help…."
" No. I'm not going to make those appointments."
As he sees Moira's eyes widen in a sudden move Oliver snaps his body around and slowly makes his way towards the stairs unaware that Moira is slowly following after him before as he starts to ascend the stairs he glances over his shoulder to see Moira looking towards him with an angry look from the middle of the room.
" You need help!"
Stopping dead in his tracks Oliver looks over his shoulder and down towards the middle of the entrance to see Moira looking towards him with watery eyes.
" I don't know what happened to you while you were away. I can't imagine what you had gone through. But i'm telling you this because i love you. Please let someone in. This pain you are feeling inside will slowly destroy you unless you let someone in. Let me help you."
Taking a shaky breathe Oliver slowly shakes his head as he looks at Moira before he watches a lone tear escape his mother's eye to the ground below.
" I'm sorry. You can't help me. Nobody can."
Turning his head back forward Oliver takes a deep breathe as he slowly ascends up the rest of the stairs not catching the tears escaping Moira's eyes to the ground below before he slowly makes his way towards his room.
As he enters his bedroom closing his bedroom door behind himself slowly Oliver leans his back against the closed door and slowly starts to slide down the door to the ground below before as he hits the ground he reaches up to cradle his head in his hands.
As he takes slow and steady breathes Oliver leans his head back to hit the bedroom door as he replays the words of his mother in his mind. Words that he knew were true. That he did need help. Help he desperately needed. But help he couldn't receive.
Help that if he was to receive would reveal the truth about what had happened to him on that island. Truth that would make everyone look at him different. Not as a survivor. Not as a big brother or son. Not as a lover. The only thing they would see is a victim. A man that had suffered so many beatings. So many torture sessions. Sessions that would go on for hours to only start up again the next day.
For the next few minutes as he remains seated on the ground leaning up against his bedroom door hearing loud whispers coming from down the hallway by whom he expected to be Thea and Moira slowly Oliver regains his composure before in a sudden move Oliver rises up to his feet and makes his way over towards his dresser in the corner of the room. Grabbing the first set of clothes that he could find in the first drawer Oliver slowly makes his way over towards the bed and starts to undress as he throws his new set of clothes on the bed.
After just a few minutes of getting his lower body dressed suddenly Oliver comes to a stop when he looks over to the side to see his reflection in a nearby mirror. A image of someone that looked as if they went to hell and back. Ignoring the shirt on the bed slowly Oliver makes his way towards the mirror as he slowly reaches his hand up towards his chest to trace each of his scars.
Scars that each told a story. A few small stab wounds that had been delivered to his chest that went straight through his back. A small scar next to his right shoulder that had pierced through the other side. And most disturbing of all the scar on his right side. The scar that he would often dream about every single night being given to him. The memory of having a large blade being carved deep inside of his side as he was questioned for information. Information he refused to give up.
As he slowly reaches down and starts to trace the scar gently with his fingers with closed eyes unaware to Oliver's knowledge his bedroom door quietly opens revealing Thea on the other side.
" Are you ready to…."
Suddenly Oliver's eyes pop open as he snaps his head to look over towards the open doorway to see Thea looking towards him with wide and watery eyes as she eyeballs the scars on his chest. Quickly turning his body away Oliver closes his eyes as he hears silent footsteps making their way towards him.
" Don't you know how to knock!"
Ignoring Oliver's tone Thea continues to slowly make her way over towards Oliver before she gently puts her hands on his arms and moves them away from his chest as she stops in front of him.
" Mom mentioned you had scars. But not like this."
As she looks all across Oliver's chest to see every single one of his scars Thea can't help the tears from slowly fall from her eyes to the ground below as one thing goes through her mind. Who would do this to another human being? What kind of monster would do this to another? Snapping out of her thoughts Thea slowly looks up towards Oliver's face seeing him avoiding her eye contact as he looks towards the floorboard.
" What happened to you out there? Who did this?"
For the next few seconds Thea stares at Oliver in dead silence as she continues to see him staring towards the floorboard before she lets out a huff as an intense glare comes across her face.
" You never want to talk to me about anything!"
As she turns around and slowly takes a few steps away from Oliver intending to leave the room suddenly Thea comes to a stop when she feels her wrist being grabbed. Taking a deep breathe Thea snaps her head to look at Oliver before her glare suddenly disappears when she sees Oliver's eyes watering as he glances back and forth between her and the floorboard.
" It's not that Speedy. I have to protect you."
With her facial features softening and her concern growing Thea slowly turns around to face Oliver before she takes a few steps forward towards him.
" From what? What are you protecting me from?"
" Everything. If you knew what happened to me when i was on that island you wouldn't look at me the way you do now. You would only see me as damaged. A monster just like i do."
" I will never look at you like that. Do you know what i see when i look at you? I see my older brother. I see Ollie. Just like how i know Laurel does. No matter what happened to you always remember that we only see you and not the scars."
Without giving Oliver any chance to react Thea suddenly reaches over and pulls Oliver into an embrace. An embrace after feeling Oliver tense up from the shock Thea seconds later feels him returning the embrace as she buries her head into his shoulder. For the next couple of seconds as Thea closes her eyes and attempts the tears to stop free falling from her eyes a silent promise is made in her head.
A promise to Oliver. The promise that she will find those responsible for this. She will find them and make them pay for what they have done. Taking a deep breathe slowly Thea releases Oliver from her embrace before she looks up towards Oliver as she wipes the tears away from her eyes.
" There is something, I want to show you around back."
With a confused look coming across his face Oliver slowly follows after Thea towards the open doorway as he grabs his shirt from his bed and follows after her out of the room.