Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow.

So, this chapter contains spoilers for the episode Eleven-fifty nine and some of the following episodes. So if you haven't seen those episodes, read at your own risk.

Oliver's loft

Midnight

Oliver was sitting at the table again, going everything he had seen. Once all this was over, he needed to go back to the list. His city would never be safe as long as those people were still at large. And his relationship with Felicity was a toxic influence on his life and on the team. That stopped now. He'd been so consumed with his relationship with Felicity that he hadn't seen the obvious threats, like Hive. And he'd been neglecting his other relationships, like Thea and Laurel, in favor of Felicity. He couldn't afford to do that anymore. And after talking to Tommy, he felt…relief that his friend didn't blame him for his death. Now, he felt like he could stop holding back and hoping for death. He felt like he could start to live again.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a familiar voice spoke up behind him.

Confused, Oliver turned around to see Laurel standing behind him. Even more confusing, she was dressed in her Black Canary outfit without the mask. He hadn't even heard her come in, had his skills really declined that much?

"Laurel, what are you doing here?" Oliver asked as he got to his feet.

"Haven't you figured it out by now? I'm your last spirit guide." Laurel told him and he stared at her stunned.

"But…you're not dead." Oliver said confused.

"Not yet," Laurel said ominously as the now familiar door appeared behind her, "come on, there are some things you need to see."

Still not fully processing what she was saying, Oliver nevertheless followed her through the door. Once he walked through the door, he and Laurel found themselves in Iron Heights Prison. It appeared there had been a riot and Oliver's future self, dressed in costume, and Spartan were there. Damien Darhk had a gun to Diggle's brother Andy, who was restrained. After a moment, Green Arrow and Spartan both lowered their weapons and were restrained.

"Now was that so hard?" Darhk asked as he walked over to Andy, "now I believe you have something for me?"

To Oliver's shock, Andy was released and he pulled out something from his shirt pocket. He then handed it to Darhk, amidst a shocked exclamation from Diggle

"Sorry man," Andy said as he took a gun and aimed it at Green Arrow, "I've been tracking your movements for months, I knew every place you'd been. All I needed to hear was that it was you."

"Was there ever a chance for you?" Diggle demanded.

"Your brother's far beyond redemption Mr. Diggle," Darhk said as he put the stone he had received from Andy into the totem, which powered up, "now I'm afraid there's work to be done."

Oliver and Laurel watched as Speedy and Laurel's past self entered the room and a fight ensued between the two sides. Darhk powered up after killing two of his own men and used his power to subdue Team Arrow. After freeing the prisoners, Oliver saw Malcolm walk in just as Darhk revealed how he had put together Oliver's secret identity. Darhk then used his powers to knock Speedy and Spartan against the wall roughly, knocking them both out. But it was what happened next that filled Oliver with horror and rage.

"Ms. Lance," Darhk said as he approached Black Canary, "nine months ago, I made your daddy a promise. I told him what I would do if he ever betrayed me."

Green Arrow then managed to fire an arrow at Darhk but Darhk easily caught it. Oliver wanted to cry out, to beg Laurel not to show him what he knew was coming. But he was paralyzed with dread, he couldn't seem to speak.

"Impressive. Now where was I? Oh yeah. I want you to give your father a message from me. I want you to tell him," Darhk then stabbed Laurel with the arrow and Oliver cried out in horror, "I am a man of my word."

Darhk twisted the arrow before releasing Green Arrow from his hold. Green Arrow rushed over and picked up Black Canary. The scene then changed to the hospital. Laurel's future self, still alive to Oliver's relief, was talking to his future self.

"Ollie, I know I am not the love of your life, but you will always be the love mine." Future Laurel said.

Oliver turned to Laurel and opened his mouth to tell her it wasn't true when he saw the look on her face. It was a grim look that suggested he keep watching. Oliver turned back to the scene just as future Laurel started convulsing. To his horror, doctors rushed in along with the rest of Team Arrow. The doctors frantically tried to help her but, to Oliver's horror, the line went flat and he heard the most horrible buzzing sound he had ever heard in his life.

"Time of death, eleven-fifty nine." One of the doctors said sadly before the scene froze.

"No! Tell me it's not true; tell me it's not true!" Oliver demanded wildly as he turned to Laurel.

"I told you Ollie, I'm not dead yet…but I will be soon if you don't stop it." Laurel told him.

"I'll stop it, send me back right now and I'll stop it." Oliver pleaded.

"Not yet, you still have so much you need to see." Laurel said cryptically.

The scene changed to a street. Diggle and Andy stood across from each other. Diggle having a gun in his hand and half turned away from Andy.

"Tell me, how does it feel to know that you have no problem pulling the trigger to protect some Afghans you don't even know, but you don't have the guts to do what needs to be done to protect your wife and child?" Andy taunted.

Andy pushed the right buttons because Diggle turned and, to Oliver's shock, pulled the trigger. It appeared it shock Diggle and Andy as well, because they both stared at each other in shock as Andy stumbled back into a crate and slide down the crate before the light left his eyes.

The scene changed to the back of an armored truck. Darhk had Lyla completely frozen in his power and he walked over to her. He forced her wrist upward and held his hand out and Lyla screamed as her wrist turned bright red before something flew out of it and into Darhk's hand.

The scene changed to the Arrow Lair. Lyla and Diggle stood at the table with Oliver and Felicity sitting down.

"Rubicon." Lyla said.

"I thought Rubicon was being stored at Argus." Oliver said.

"It was, until Shadowspire tried to steal it. After Waller's death, I had it moved for security reasons." Lyla explained.

"To where?" Felicity asked and Lyla showed her wounded wrist, "under your skin?"

"A subdermal plant. Darhk ripped it out." Lyla explained.

"Lyla, you need to tell us what Rubicon is." Oliver told her.

"A ballistic launch override protocol. Designed to stop any country, even out own, from launching a nuclear missile." Lyla explained.

"Something tells me Darhk has a different plan." Felicity muttered.

"With the right codes and expertise, Rubicon can be corrupted to launch missiles instead." Lyla explained.

"To what end? I don't mean to apply logic to a bad guys plan, but Darhk destroys the world, then what? He'd be ruler of nothing." Felicity pointed out.

"Unless he wants to rebuild. Andy told me Genesis was coming." Diggle said.

"Genesis, the old testament. God flooded the world so mankind could rebuild." Lyla pointed out.

"He destroyed the world with a flood, Rubicon is Darhk's flood." Oliver realized.

The scene changed to Star City at night. It looked the city had just rioted. Green Arrow and Dark were righting in the streets, as were the people of Starling and Hive. Green Arrow punched Darhk, sending him to the ground before the archer picked up an arrow. Green Arrow picked up Darhk by his shirt and held the arrow.

"What are you gonna do now Oliver? Stop posturing; we both know you can't do it. You spared the life of the man who killed your mother." Darhk reminded him.

"You killed a friend of mine; you killed tens of thousands of innocent people. With Slade Wilson I had a choice, this time I don't." Future Oliver said before stabbing Darhk with the arrow.

After a moment, he pulled out the arrow and Darhk dropped dead.

"After that, things got better for the city…but worse for you," Laurel said and Oliver turned to her, "you became mayor, but John, my dad, and Thea all left the Team. You felt lost, you felt like you weren't making a difference, and Felicity was still there, trying to change you. It all came to a head one night."

The scene changed to Oliver's loft. His future self was sitting at the kitchen table; drinking a glass of scotch greedily when Felicity came in. she walked over to him, disappointment written all over her face.

"Oliver, you can't keep doing this to yourself." She told him.

"Felicity…I call it a crusade because it requires sacrifice," Future Oliver as he stood up, glass in hand, and looked over at her blankly, "tell me, what have you sacrificed?"

Felicity opened and closed her mouth but no sound came out. Future Oliver laughed, a broken, bitter sound that made chills go down Oliver's spine.

"That's what I thought. I have sacrificed everything, lost almost everything I love…and I'm honestly not sure what it was all for or what I have to show for it." Future Oliver said bitterly.

"You have me." Felicity said immediately.

This was clearly the wrong thing to say. Future Oliver snarled and threw his glass, Felicity having to duck to avoid it. It hit the wall and shattered.

"I'd give you up in a second if it meant I could get back everything I lost! My parents, Shado, Tommy, Roy, Laurel, my son! I lost them all and it doesn't seem to mean anything anymore!" Oliver shouted.

"Oliver please, just calm down!" Felicity pleaded.

"Don't tell me what to do! All you do is try and control me! I don't need you in my life and I don't need a team with just me and you! I don't need you here Felicity!" Future Oliver roared.

"You don't mean that." Felicity said.

"You're right Felicity. It's not that I don't need you here; it's that I don't want you here! Get out!" Future Oliver roared.

"Oliver." Felicity pleaded.

"GET OUT!" He roared.

Honestly fearful, Felicity all but ran out of the loft. Future Oliver slumped to his knees, looking like he couldn't understand what had just happened.

"You were a broken man," Laurel told Oliver as she saw the look on his face, "you couldn't deal with the pain anymore. Anyway, Felicity left town within the week. Not long after, a new player showed up: they called him Prometheus. You searched for him for months before you found him. He was a familiar face from your past."

The scene changed to Star City at night. Green arrow was fighting someone who looked like a cross between a member of the League of assassins and Deathstroke. The two were righting when Green Arrow landed a punch to Prometheus face, knocking off his mask. Green Arrow stared at him stunned, as did Oliver.

"Kyle Reston." Green Arrow said stunned.

"You killed my father." Reston said darkly as he glared at Green Arrow.

"Your father died because of your greed." Green Arrow told him.

"Shut up!" Reston shouted as he went after Green Arrow.

"You put up a good fight," Laurel said as she and Oliver watched them fight, but you had long since lost the will to live. You had nothing left to keep you going, so eventually…"

The scene changed to Star City cemetery. They were in front of a grave and Oliver was shocked to see whose it was.

Oliver Jonas Queen

May 16 1985-March 7 2017

Loving brother, cherished friend, and hero

He will be missed

"You died," Laurel finished unnecessarily, "and this is Star City in a year's time after your death."

Oliver and Laurel were suddenly on the balcony of his loft, overlooking the city. People were rioting in the streets, buildings were on fire, and the police were trying to stop it with minimal success. Oliver looked at his city, horrified.

"This is why you can't give up," Laurel told him as she looked over at him, "this city needs the Green Arrow, or else it will descend into chaos. You have the knowledge to change the future; all you need to do is take action. You can save this city, save me, all you need to is do something with the knowledge. But in order to do it, you need to be who you once were. You don't have to be a killer again, but you were successful a whole year with minimal killing before your skills declined."

"Okay. I'll do it, I'll change it. I won't let him kill you Laurel, I promise." Oliver said as he looked over at her.

"Good, can't wait to see how it all turns out." Laurel said with a smile.

"Laurel…Felicity's not the love my life," Oliver began and she looked at him confused, "seeing Darhk stab you had me more worried than I have been about Felicity, ever. I realized that…despite what I told myself for the last two years, I never stopped loving you."

"Well…you better make things up to your Laurel then." Laurel said with a coy smile.

Oliver laughed before Laurel stepped closer to him. Oliver knew what she wanted and, considering her Oliver hadn't had his epiphany in time, he allowed it. Oliver in and they kissed for a moment. When he pulled back, she was gone and he was back in his loft.

Oliver stood there for a minute before he walked up the stairs. Walking into his room, he dug around in his closet before he found a small box. Opening t, he pulled out The List. Staring at it, he picked it up before he went over to his laptop on the dresser. Turning it on, Oliver opened the book and looked at all the uncrossed off names. It was time to start planning.

So, what do you guys think? Please leave any thoughts or comments you may have in a review, feedback is greatly appreciated.