Disclaimed. I don't own Arrow or anything DC related. Not claiming to own, nor making any money from this.
Canary Cry. Canary Fly
Laurel closed the door to her shed home and stepped into the quiet dark room. Exhaustion soaked into her very bones, making her arms heavy and her head spin. She couldn't remember the last time that she had slept. She had been too busy too. All the searching, the complete scouring of the city.
Looking for Sara.
But her sister was very good at staying hidden. Frustration burst out of her as she tore off her gloves and threw them at the wall. The thump the reinforced leather made when it connected to the wall, did little to make her feel better. She reached up and pulled off her mask, before staring down at it with a blank face. A far cry from the smiling, teasing face she'd shown the hooded vigilante earlier.
She might have been out looking for Sara, that didn't mean she was going to ignore someone needing help when she came across it. But despite her reservations against the archer, she was happy to see he too was there helping people. He was different from what she had expected, different from what the other masks had assumed.
He hadn't made himself out to be some judge, jury and executioner. He was something else altogether. She had found she got a slight enjoyment of teasing him, of shaking up his own assumptions. And from what she could tell he had a lot.
Running into him had seemed like a bright spot of her night.
But Sara. Laurel heaved a deep breath, swallowing a few tears and the urge to burst into torrents of them.
"Are you alright?" A woman's voice suddenly asked, as the overhead light flicked on. The surprise of not being alone and the sudden light cause Laurel to jump. She spun around cursing herself for being taken by surprise. Ted would have her head, not to mention…. "Mom?!"
Dinah Drake gave her a soft smile and crossed the room pulling her daughter into a much needed hug.
"Mom I'm sorry," Laurel said muffled into her mother's shoulder, the other woman shushed her while reaching up to stroke her hair. Laurel finally gave into tears, "Sara."
"I know," And the other woman probably did know. Be it from Ted, or Oracle. Or she could have just hacked Laurel's comms for herself. Dinah Drake's voice was heavy with its own emotions, but still so comforting. Laurel didn't want comforting. She pushed back from the hug to stare at her mother with streaming eyes.
"The League of Assassin's." She didn't quite yell it, but the name seemed to linger in the air. They both knew what it meant, either from meeting the League themselves or someone else who had survived an encounter. There was enough pain and blood drenched into the words meaning that Dinah's flinch was obvious. Her face stilled and her jaw set as she repeated her earlier. "I know."
Though the women's time as Black Canary had been years ago, she still carried its vestige with her straight back and resolved face.
"I know," she said again.
#SC#
Gotham
The ClockTower
Laurel sat perched on the edge of a desk as Barbara ran the crossbow bolt through what seemed like endless tests. The young red head seemed in the zone, as she moved from computer monitor to computer monitor. The only sound in the Clock Tower was the relentless clicking keys.
She crossed her arms across her chests and resisted the urge to bounce her heel. Turning to look out of the corner of her eye. Standing there looking more statue like then the gargoyles that decorated the outside of the tower. Was Batman.
His face, what was visible under the cowl was blank. As if the endless quiet and waiting didn't seem to affect him at all. She forced her leg to stop bouncing and after a moment thought, uncrossed her arms.
"So…." She started only to pause when Batman's icy blue eyes flicked to her. She took a breath and told herself that she wasn't nervous about his inhuman icy death eyes, plus she was really curious about something. "Those guys you were fighting… The League of Assassin's. What's their deal?"
"Their deal is that they're a centuries old organisation of Assassin's under the leadership of Ra's al Ghul," Laurel's surprise of getting an answer didn't last long, as she focus on what the answer was. "They aren't just assassin's 'though. They believe it is their duty to bring about reformation of decadent civilizations around the globe."
"Reformation?" Laurel echoed blankly.
"They wipe out cities they believe have fallen," Batman replied.
"Surely people would have noticed…." She trailed off, wondering to herself if she believed her own words. The world seemed to keep getting stranger on her.
"They've done it before," Batman answered simply, confirming her thoughts.
"Guys," Barbara called over her shoulder. "Results are back. Not so much on the good news 'though. Crossbow bolt was mass produced, stolen from a sporting goods store."
"Ok," Laurel said getting up to walk over to the monitors. She heard Batman following behind her and resisted the urge to look. "Any good news there?"
"I'm picking up trace particles on the bolt," Barbara responded pointing to a graph on one of her monitors. "It's a chemical used by Ace chemicals, now Ace stopped using this a few years ago. But they obviously still have some in storage."
"In the old Ace chemical storage warehouses," Batman completed, just as a city appeared over on one of monitors. A red mark on one of the buildings. Barbara tapped it with a satisfied motion. "Bingo."
Batman turned sharply and strode from the room.
"Wait! I'm coming with you." Laurel called moving after him, Batman stopped to look at her over his shoulder. "I found those bodies…. I need to go with you."
He didn't reply just continued to look at her, before turning to exit the tower. Laurel stared after him.
"You better hurry," Barbara remarked behind her. "Before he leaves without you."
#SC#
"I remember the first time I saw this hood." Sara stepped back from the cabinet he had his suit stored in. "Shado was wearing it." She gave the base a look around before giving a small smile with no real emotion behind it. "This is quite the set-up that you got here. Where you're launching your one man war for starling."
"I'm not one man." Oliver replied just as Diggle and Felicity walked in. "These are my friends. This is John Diggle and Felicity Smoak. Guys. This is Sara."
"We just had an uninvited guest in the Queen mansion." Oliver informed his friends. "Trained. Highly skilled. I'm betting League of Assassin's."
The look Sara gave him was part horror part panic.
"Now…. putting aside why the League of Assassin's agent was dressed like Malcolm Merlyn." Oliver continued with a grimace a because he really was curious as to why that was. "I would like to know why they are after you."
"He's called Al Owal," Sara answered after a moment, looking down because she couldn't say this while looking him in the eyes. "The First. I tried to tell you, Ollie, but you wouldn't listen."
"That's where you've been….That's where you learned to fight." Oliver realised taking a step back from her. He stared at her in shock before he breathed out finally "You're one of them."
"After…. after the island…. a member of the league rescued me." Sara replied as if some dam in her had burst. "They took me in and brought me to Nanda Parbatt. They remade me into what I am. And I swore them my allegiance. But I left. And there's only one way that you leave the league. But I…I couldn't…I'm a murderer, Ollie."
"Black Canary knew about the League of Assassin's," Dig spoke up after a moments quiet.
"The League knew about her," Sara replied suddenly more subdued and more willing than ever just to tell them everything she knew. "They had some run ins with her, and someone they called him."
"Him?" Oliver echoed with a frown. Sara shrugged in reply.
"I only heard stories," She looked confused for a second. "They defeated a team sent into Gotham. That's almost unheard of, but what was really strange was that the team…they pulled back. The League didn't go after them."
"Something else we don't know about that woman," Oliver muttered sharing a look with Diggle.
"Felicity," Oliver said redirecting the conversation. "I need you to find this Al Owal."
"What?" Felicity replied with a confused look on her face. "How?!"
Her confusion grew as Oliver placed a small bag of dirt on her desk. "Gee, Thanks. I always wanted a bag of dirt."
"I found it in the house. I want you to analyze it." Oliver ordered before turning to the others. "Hopefully it'll lead me right to him. Maybe…maybe we can find Black Canary. Maybe she knows something that will make the League back off."
#SC#
Felicity did what Felicity did best. She found the Assassin. In dark a factory Oliver and Sara clashed with the forces of Nanda Parbatt and lost. They had been forced to retreat but Al Owal's threat to Sara's family chased after them.
In the lair where they licked their wounds, they made plans to get Quentin to safety.
"Please don't tell him anything about me," Sara pleaded to Felicity as the blond tech left to warn her father.
"I can keep a secret," Felicity replied with a comforting smile.
"What about Laurel," Sara asked, turning a desperate look to Oliver. "I couldn't find her. I have no idea where…"
"I have her number," Oliver cut her off reassuringly, "I'll call her."
#SC#
It had been a trying day for them both. But having her Mother around had helped her deal with a lot of the stress. Despite Dinah Drake's own emotional upheaval about her youngest daughter and learning of her involvement in such a dangerous organisation. Her past combat knowledge and street smarts had helped strip everything past the painful emotions and back down to the basic facts.
"The League is ruthless," Dinah stated the well-known fact, "If they can't get to their target, with given how hard it is to find Sara. Might be a possibility. They will go after anyone close to them, to try to draw them out."
"By going after their families," Laurel said completing the thought. "You, me and …. Dad."
"Your father is an obvious target," Dinah replied softly, her blue eyes full of worry for the man that had been her husband. "A public figure. Easy to find."
"We have to do something," Laurel cried surging to her feet. Fear for her father and determination fuelling her haste. She pulled out her Black Canary outfit and was working to put it on when her phone rang.
"Hello," She answered, while pulling the pieces of her suit on.
"Laurel hey," A familiar voice greeted over the phone. Any other time, she would have been happy to speak with him. Full of joy that he had called her. But right now, all she could focus on was getting to her father.
"Ollie hi," She replied, or tried to as it came out muffled through the gloves held between her teeth. She finished adjusting her suit and pulled the glove free before trying again. "Hi…. sorry, you just called at a really bad time. I'm just about to run out the door."
"Oh," The disappointment in his voice cut through her more then she thought it would. "I was just wondering if you want to grab some dinner or something."
"I would love to go to dinner with you Ollie," she replied surprising herself with how much she was actually happy that he asked. "But I can't tonight."
"Oh…. are you sure we can't meet up later?" He tried again, and Laurel found herself frowning. There was something in his tone, with the way he was pushing. But she didn't have time to analyse it now, not with an Assassin after her father and her sister.
"Sorry Ollie," She replied, moving her thumb to the end call button. "Maybe another time. Gotta go, bye."
"Wait…." Whatever else Ollie was going to was lost when the call ended. Laurel frowned down at the device, "That was weird."
"What was?" Dinah asked, even as she made herself at home at Laurel little computer set up.
"Nothing," Laurel said brushing it off, and moving towards the door. "I'll call him back later."
#SC#
Oliver threw his phone down on the table and slumped forward resting against the shiny metal surface.
"Now what?" Dig questioned crossing his arms.
"I really need to find out where Laurel is staying," Oliver muttered. "She checked out of that hotel room and disappeared again."
"Well lets just hope that if we can't find her neither can the League," Dig said ever the practical thinker.
"I don't remember Laurel being this elusive," Oliver said wonderingly.
"It's been five years Oliver," Diggle replied with a shrug. "A lot could have happened in five years."
#SC#
Gotham
The streets of Gotham flashed by in a dark shaded blur, as the Batmobile tore down the streets. Laurel refused to admit that her nails were digging into the leather seats, telling herself that in the dark interior no one could tell anyway.
The ride was smoother than any car she had been in. She had barely felt the initial acceleration, save for when he really decided to floor it, it was the same for the deceleration as they glided to a stop. The dark glass canopy slid back and the two climbed out.
Batman disappeared to the roof, to follow his usual entry style. While Black Canary found an old ground level door. She got the door open easy enough, and quietly made her way into the building. Ace Chemical had used this building as a storage facility, leaving large vats of questionable contents sprawled around the massive building.
She made her way through the dark building that had obviously not seen any human visitors in what had to be years. When a source of light in the distance caught her attention. She stealthily made her way over, pausing at her last piece of cover, an old metal vat, and peaked around the edge.
It seemed the building did have some life left in it. At least in a little corner of it. A computer was set up on an old table, with another bench covered with crossbows and bolts. A small cot of to the side. Movement came from the corner of her eye, and she moved out of the way just in time to dodge a knife.
She spun around, dropping to a fighting stance. As the woman across from her moved into her own. She was dressed in purple and black with a long black leather duster, her hair was long and dark. But what surprised Laurel most was the mask she wore.
The woman gave a ferocious yell and came in slashing with her knife. Black Canary knocked the swipe aside, before blocking the woman's punch and kick. She was good, Laurel thought grabbing hold of the woman's arm and tried to disarm her. She was forced to block a hand full of blows, before the woman grabbed her own hand and tried to force the knife down into Laurel's leg. Black Canary turned sharply and elbowed the dark-haired woman in the face.
The knife dropped, and the woman went sprawling. She recovered quickly enough, flipping to her feet and produced a small crossbow. But before she could even aim it however it was knocked from her hands by a black batarang.
"Enough," Batman stated as he appeared from the shadows. He stared down at the dark hair woman before identifying her. "Helena Bertinelli. AKA. The Huntress." He stepped in close enough to loom over her.
"We need to talk."
#SC#
Felicity's task to get Quentin to safety backfired, when she became unable to explain exactly how she knew he had to get to safety.
It was then in the dark street that Sara revealed herself to her father.
In a small Chinese restaurant Sara's almost natural use of Chinese caught her father's attention.
"You speak Chinese now?"
"Picked up a couple things in the past few years." Sara smile was less amused and more painful.
"Yeah. I guess," The pain Quentin was feeling was evident in his voice. "Why didn't you let us know that you were alive? I mean, your mother and I… we missed you."
"I know you got divorced." Was Sara's mumbled reply.
"Yeah. But it wasn't your fault." Quentin replied quickly. "That was on me… Because of me. A lot… a lots changed, I guess."
"Like Laurel?" Sara asked softly.
"I don't…." Quentin couldn't finish the sentence because he really didn't know what to say or do about his eldest daughter. "She took your death hard…. yours and Queens."
The fact he said the last name through clenched teeth wasn't lost on Sara. Bringing back memories of Laurel and Oliver, and of her and Oliver. Of them running off together, that started this whole thing.
"I'm sorry." She muttered.
"It's all right. Honey, it's Ok," Quentin said putting a hand on Sara's shoulder, trying to ignore the way his baby stiffened at the gesture. "None of that matters now. You know why? 'Cause you're home, sweetie, you're home."
She started shaking her head, and he finally truly looked at her. The way she sat, always watching the people around her. Her eyes on the doors, front and back.
"You're in trouble aren't you… You are. You sent Felicity Smoak to warn me to leave town." He'd been a cop for long enough to learn how to read people. He knew he was right. "Which means…You know the Arrow. You're one of those girls wearing the masks. You've been kicking the crap out of creeps in the Glades. You've been home for weeks."
"Dad," Sara gasped as she turned to him with pain filled eyes.
"Which one? Huh?" Quentin said, because if he knew this much he might as well know it all. "Black Canary?"
"No," Sara admitted, before snorting to herself.
"What so funny," Quentin demanded, because he failed to see anything funny about this whole thing.
"Where I was…." Sara started before wetting her lips with her tongue, "They called me Canary."
"Where were you?" Quentin asked, trying to keep the desperation for answers out of his voice.
Sara stood up, "We can't stay here," She stated, "Plus it's a …. long story."
#SC#
For all her rush to get to her father, she couldn't find him.
He'd left the precinct on time from what she could tell. So, he wasn't at work, he also wasn't at home. She knew, she'd searched the building from top to bottom. Before standing on the roof top and searching the area around.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Her jaw worked, as her breathing picked up. Eyes darting around, as her hands clenched and unclenched. Before the building panic and anger got to much for her, and she released it all into the sky in the form of a canary cry.
The scream missed the building thankfully, but a nearby water tower wasn't so lucky. The metal exploded, spending water flying that too, was scattering outward with the sonic cry. She watched the destruction with tear filled eyes, as she heaved in deep breaths through clenched teeth.
"Hey, calm down," The voice in her ear was comforting, even with its reprimanding tone.
"Oracle….my Dad," Black Canary's voice was flat, a far cry from the emotions swirling inside her.
"It's alright," Oracle's voice was soothing, as she did her best to comfort her friend despite the physical distance between the two. "We'll find him."
#SC#
It was morning by the time they got a sight of Quentin.
Black Canary had all but torn the city apart in her search for her father. She gone through old gang bases, questioned street thugs, even sent Sin and her street friends out searching for answers. All the while, Oracle ran searches on camera's and police reports.
But there was no sign of her father, or Sara for that matter. She wondered briefly if maybe the two were linked, then promptly decided it didn't matter. She wasn't going to rest until she saw her father for herself.
Which was why after Oracle informed Laurel that Quentin Lance had appeared at work, she rushed over the precinct to see for herself.
"Dad," She cried and all but threw herself into his arms.
"Sweetheart," Quentin gasped in surprised, but returned her hug never the lest. Truthfully there seemed to be a touch of desperation in his embrace also.
"Dad?" She pushed aside her own worry about him and focused on his. "Did something happen? Are you ok?"
"One day, honey, when you have a daughter of your own." Quentin said pulling back to cup her cheek, "You'll understand that being a parent, it means you just never stop worrying about your children."
"Dad," she whispered frowning at her father's face, watching as his grisly features dropped in sadness. "Dad, what's wrong."
"I wish I could tell you," He muttered, before pulling her into another hug. "I wish I could tell you."
He was trying to protect her, she realised as she returned his hug. She wondered, what or who he thought he was protecting her from.
#SC#
Gotham
"It's not what you think," Helena or rather Huntress said from her place on the ground.
"What that you didn't kill all those men," Black Canary replied stepping closer to Batman's side.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," The dark-haired woman replied glaring back at her, "I've been set up."
"I'd be more willing to believe you if you hadn't already killed people," Batman replied flatly.
Huntress turned her glare from Black Canary to him. "I've been hunting my father, and the men loyal to him. They knew I was onto them. So, when I arrived to confront them, they pulled out crossbows like mine and started killing people. I got out, and then followed them."
"It's a trap." Black Canary realised glancing around the suddenly too spacious warehouse. She realised something and turned back to the other woman. "And you came anyway?"
"My best chance of getting at them," Helena gave them a hunter's smile.
"You're not killing anyone tonight," Batman ordered his voice tight and deeper than normal.
"The hell I…." Huntress snarled back before shaking her head, "You're not the boss of me."
Just then there was a burst of noise and activity as groups of men with weapons stormed into the building yelling, with guns aimed at the three of them.
Batman simple reply was all she heard before the night erupted into chaos.
"Tonight I am."
A/N: Sorry for the wait. But hey I finally got Batman, Huntress and Black Canary in a room together. 'yay' right.
Quentin went with Sara back to the tower, they had a run in with the League. It happened exactly the same as in the episode. S2e5 League of Assassins. There was no new info about Laurel, so I didn't feel the need to just rewrite the scene. Some dialogue taken or inspired from the episode which I do not own.
