Thank you all for your comments! I'm glad there are still others out there that don't buy into the Olicity garbage and really appreciate Laurel. As for my previous fic "An Archer and a Canary", I really want to continue that one as well. The inspiration isn't really coming to me write now, but I've thought of a few ideas for that one too. I hope that one day I can continue it. You guys are amazing. Thank you for all you kind words.

A Caged Bird

The Rescue

"It's the first batch of vaccinations," Tommy says as he sets down an array of packaged needles. "They'll be officially released in two weeks, but thanks to my father, I was able to get these before they're available to the public."

Oliver glances down at the counter at five packaged needles. "These will prevent V from messing with my brain?"

"Yeah," Tommy says. "Pretty sick, huh? The government was worried what might happen if a terrorist organization decided to weaponize this drug. So, inventing a vaccine was a high priority. Thankful my dad has a few friends in high places."

Oliver glances down at the needles. It's tragic, really. The only reason this vaccine exists is because rich men in power fear for their own security. How many women were victims of this drug while men in power turned a blind eye for months? It reminds him of his mission, and why this city needs change.

"It's sick," Oliver says. "How fucked up do you have to be that you'd want to force someone to obey you?"

"I mean, it's a twisted society we live in," Tommy replies. "How many people would stay honest if they thought they could control the people around them?"

Oliver does not answer Tommy's question. He stares down at the packaged needles on his marble countertop. Laurel's disappearance might have been as easy as drugging her, and Oliver fears what Count Vertigo might actually be capable of. Oliver expects nothing but the worst from a man that went out of his way to invent a mind control drug.

Hang in there, Laurel. I'll be there soon.

...

It's midnight when Oliver manages to slip away from Diggle's watchful eye. He makes his way to the glades where the warehouse is located. There are men unloading a semi - probably full of Count Vertigo's product. Oliver's anger boils as he scans the men. Their leader must be inside the building.

He perches himself in a perfect position and fires arrows at the men. They all scatter, searching for the source behind the sudden attack. One by one, the men fall to the ground until none are left standing. Oliver leaps down from his higher position and makes his way towards the warehouse.

Oliver scans the entrance. It's an obvious point of entry, and at any moment, his presence will be noted. He scans a the building to see a broken window. It will give him higher ground and conceal him from his enemies. Oliver aims his grappler at the window and fires a clean shot. He climbs up to the window, and pulls himself inside the building.

Quietly he sets his foot on the grated rafters. The dim lighting in the warehouse reveals four men around a dimly lit table. There's one balding man in a suit that appears to be their leader. Oliver grips his bow tightly and fires three arrows one by one into the other men surrounding the table.

The man in the suit draws a pistol and opens fire. There's a flicker of adrenaline when Oliver hears a bullet rush by him. It was close - almost too close. He rushes through the rafters till he reaches a vantage point to open fire on his assailant. He draws another arrow and fires. It barely misses. The man opens fire at him again, and quickly Oliver rushes through the rafters to avoid the array of bullets flying in his direction.

Oliver draws another arrow and sends it straight into the shoulder of his attacker. The man's pistol falls to the floor, and Oliver rushes over to a nearby ladder. He climbs down and approaches the man who is crawling towards his gun. Oliver kicks the pistol away and stomps on the man's hands.

"Where is Dinah Laurel Lance?"

The man laughs sardonically. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. My loyalty is to my superior."

Oliver grabs another arrow from his quiver. He's about to put that loyalty to the test. He sends the arrow through the back of the man's leg. The balding man lets out a loud scream.

"Where is Dinah Laurel Lance?"

"Jesus man, fuck this!" Oliver hears one of the balding man's goons scream. "I ain't dying for this shit! She's at one of our boss's properties. Last time I saw her, she seemed happy to be there. The dude's got a lot of money. She dated that Queen guy. Maybe she's into that sugar baby kind of thing."

It the drug. Oliver knows it's the drug. Laurel would never up and abandoned her family without a word under any circumstances. The suggestion that Laurel would willing be in a domestic relationship with such a despicable human being enrages him. He almost wants to shoot the man just for assuming that Laurel is happy being Count Vertigo's puppet.

He sends an Arrow through the balding man's head and steps towards his new informant. "Give me the address, and I'll let you live."

…

It's clever - hiding in plain sight. All this time, Laurel has been hauled up in a penthouse apartment. No one would have expected it. Oliver peers through his binoculars. She's sitting on the couch in front of a flat screen television no doubt under the influence of Vertigo's sick drug. Oliver imagines Vertigo's hands on her - making horrific commands - tearing her down through the use of a sick drug.

He knows what he did to her. There's no concrete evidence, but Oliver knows that he violated her. He can see it play out in his head. Vertigo orders her around to fulfill his every sick desire and forces her to put a smile on her face. He plays house with her, makes her tell him what he wants to hear, makes her do unspeakable acts...

I'm going to kill him.

He's going to bring Count Vertigo to his knees, and when he's done, that man will wish for his own death.

Oliver lowers his binoculars and grabs his grappling hook. The hook connects above the penthouse apartment. She's so close. He grips the rope in his hand and swings down toward the penthouse. His feet crash through the glass as he lands in a crouched position. He rises to his feet to see a startled Laurel on the couch. Her green eyes are wide as she gazes up on him.

He's forgotten how beautiful she really is - the prettiest girl in the whole damn world. She's here right before his eyes, and he'll do everything in his power to keep her safe for the rest of her life.

"Dinah Laurel Lance, I'm here to take you home."

"I don't want to go home," she says. "I want to be here."

Her voice sounds so dead. It's clear that she's been drugged. He can see it in her green eyes that she wants nothing more than to leave. Oliver retrieves a packaged syringe from his belt. Her eyes widen in panic as he unwraps the needle.

"It's a vaccine," Oliver instructs. "It will reverse the effects of the drug."

She backing away from him until her back is against the armrest of sofa. Vertigo must have ordered her to resist any rescue attempts. He approaches her and attempts to take her wrist in his hand.

"Don't touch me!" she hisses. "I told you I want to be here. I am happy here."

In a half effort to escape, she slips underneath him and falls face first onto the carpet. It's twisted what this drug has done to her brain. He hates pulling her against him. He hates forcefully grabbing her arm and jamming the needle into the vein of her arm. He hates hear her scream against him and try to escape his hold.

But, she finally softens in his arms. Her breath seems to steady, and she's no longer fighting against him. She starts to sob, and finally speaks "oh my god...oh my god".

"He forced me...he made me…" her voice drifts away as she breaks down into tears.

"You were under the influence of a drug," Oliver says. "None of this was your fault."

"I…" she says. "My dad, my mom...my sister…they must have been so worried. They must have thought…"

She dissolves into tears and he shushes her. "You're safe now, pretty bird."

Oliver lifts her off the floor and into his arms. He could wait for Count Vertigo. He can tears that man to pieces. But, he won't. She is his priority right now, and he'll forgo killing that son of a bitch if it means getting her home.

"Who are you?" her voice is soft and groggy from the vaccine.

"I'm what this city needs."

Laurel's head falls against his shoulder, and he can see the hazy look in her eyes. The vaccine is fighting the drug within her. She's free now from Vertigo's control. He'll take her home, and she can go back to her family. She can be Dinah Laurel Lance again.

…

When Laurel wakes, her head is resting against a pillow. She feels covers being drawn over her. She can vaguely hear the sound of a feminine voice. It takes her a moment to recognize it, but when she does her heart leaps. It's Sara.

"Thank you," Sara says. "I don't know who you are, but thank you."

Her hooded savior does not respond. The lights flicker off abruptly, and that's when her foggy vision begins to clear. Laurel sits up and scans the room. It's her old apartment. She thought that it might have been cleared out by now, but everything seems to be the same.

"Laurel," Sara's voice cracks.

"Sara…"

Sara throws her arms around her. Laurel draws her as close as she possibly can, and that is when she falls apart. Tears are running freely down her cheeks, and she's sobbing uncontrollably. She's not sure what to do, or what to say, but she knows all she wants is her sister to be close to her.

It feels like forever, but finally Sara pulls away. "I thought you were dead. What happened? Did he…"

"Yes," Laurel admits. "He made me with that drug."

"Oh my god," Sara's voice is so thin as she speak. "We need to call dad...we need to call the police. Mom...I need to call mom."

"Okay - okay - just stay with me for a minute. I can't just yet. Just give me a few moments."

"Okay…" Sara agrees. "Alright…"

Laurel lets her head fall on her sister's lap. Her head is clearing, and the drug no longer dictates her every thought. What do I do? She doesn't even know where to start.