Laurel and the Phoenix

Chapter 10: The Truth is a Hard Pill to Swallow

Dinah was sitting on her couch when her youngest daughter crashed through her front door and into her living room. Sara slumped down next to her mom and laid her head on her mom's lap. She needed a few minutes to process everything. She knew this conversation had to happen. She knew her mom wasn't going to like it and neither was she. Her mom and her had always been close and thinking that she was about to break that hurt but she had to.

"Mom, we have to talk" Sara said sitting up with tears in her eyes. Her mom took her hand and said "I'm listening baby girl".

Sara took a deep breath. "Mom, we have screwed up when it comes to Laurel. She is super mad at me right now and it all stems from the whole thing with Oliver. She doesn't think either one of us love her and now she doesn't even want to be a part of my wedding" Sara said breaking down.

Dinah had shown no emotion until then. It was like Sara breaking down was her cue to actually care. She pulled Sara close to her and said "it's going to be alright baby. Your sister will calm down and I'm sure you've done nothing wrong".

Sara pulled away from her mother and looked her in the face. Now she was mad. Her mom just blatantly proved everything that Laurel was saying. She totally ignored the part about Laurel and her feelings.

"Sara baby, what's wrong?" Dinah asked looking at her daughter with a sad look. "You are mom. Did you even hear what I said about Laurel? Do you even care? My big sister hates me right now because of what we both did to her. Then I go and tell her I wish she would just die making things even worse" Sara said breaking down again.

Dinah looked at her baby girl and tried to hug her but Sara pulled away. "Sara" she started but Sara just looked away. "Where is this coming from baby? I love you so much and I hate to see you hurting right before your big day" Dinah said trying to get Sara to talk to her.

"Listen Sara, your sister will come around and the fact she is acting like a child when she should be acting like an adult is just beyond me. She is just jealous and is taking it out on you. Someone needs to have a long talk with her. I'll talk to her later. You don't worry at all over it". Her mom said reaching out for her again.

Sara stood up and moved to the other chair. She stared daggers at her mother. "Do you have anything to say about Laurel, mom?" Sara asked venomously. Dinah looked at her and said "of course I love your sister" Dinah said nonchalantly.

Sara couldn't believe this. Her mom wasn't worried at all if people saw how little she cared for her eldest. She collapsed back into the chair. This whole time that Laurel had been upset she had reason to be. Sara looked around the living room and gasped when she realized what had always been in front of her. All the pictures were either of her, her mom and her dad; or her and her mom; or just her parents.

Sara couldn't take anymore. She needed answers. "Why isn't Laurel in any of the pictures you show off? Is this the reason she won't use her first name? You know I called her out on that earlier and now I realize I shouldn't have" Sara yelled at her mother.

Dinah looked at Sara in shock. "You're right Sara. I never did really love Laurel. I actually hated her from the day she was born. She was born sickly. She had a bad heart. We were in and out of the hospital constantly. Your dad spent weeks with her in the hospital. I didn't want to go so I made up excuses. To me she was never alive. She was just something that was too weak to make it on her own. I kept wishing whenever he called he would say she was dead but it never came. The happiest day of my life was when I had you and you were healthy and normal. You're my beautiful angel" Dinah said with absolutely no remorse.

Sara sat in her chair absolutely stunned. She was sick to her stomach. Her mother, their mother, had wished her sister had died just because she was sick.

"Did you tell Laurel all this?" Sara asked just having to know if her sister knew or not. "Of course I haven't. I want to stay on good terms with your father and you so I kept it to myself. When I thought you died my world collapsed and it only made sense when you came back into it. When you died again, I didn't know if I was going to survive. Thankfully your sister went and finally did something right and brought you home to me. Honestly, if your sister did die, I don't think it would bother me too much."

Sara couldn't believe what she was hearing. Thinking back to when the team and her went to Laurel's funeral in the other time, she cringed. She had witnessed that her mom was quiet and not very emotional at Laurel's funeral but she chalked it up to shock about her death and her being the Black Canary. Turns out it was her trying not to celebrate the fact she was finally dead.

Sara stood up; put her hand on her mom's shoulder and said "goodbye, mother, forever" and walked out the door and didn't look back.

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Dinah watched the door shut behind Sara. This was all Laurel's fault. She had turned her angel against her. She picked up her phone and put together this message

To the demon who stole my angel,

You will never be truly happy. People only smile and are nice to you because they feel bad for you. You were supposed to die before my angel came but you didn't. You will pay one day for this you she-demon.

Dinah Lance

She smiled as she re-read it and pushed send. She would get her baby girl back and make that unnatural thing pay for trying to take her.

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Sara had a new mission. A new goal. She would tell her dad and sister what had been said here. She would patch things up with Laurel and she will get the only person she wants as her maid of honor to be just that. With one last look at her mother's house. Sara got out her phone and typed

Dear Mother,

Thank you for all the help and support with my wedding but you are no longer a part of the planning stage and/or any other event to do with the wedding. I will let you know if you're still invited to the actual event after speaking to my father and sister.

Your daughter,

Sara

Sara re-read her message and pressed send. She took in a deep breath. For the first time since arriving at her mother's house she felt some peace. She started up the car and headed to her father's place. She had to talk to him about this, about what her mother had just confessed and about the wedding and Laurel because she no longer could talk to her mother.

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Leonard decided he should stop laying around with Scorpion and have a very important conversation with a not so very important person, Barry Allan. Leonard pulled into a space in front of Star Labs. He walked right past the disabled sign not really caring at the moment. He had to talk to Barry and figure this out.

"Hey speedy, you in?" Leonard yelled through the halls. He was about to yell a second time when Barry showed up in front of him.

"Now's not a good time Leonard" Barry said looking behind him. Leonard looked around him but didn't see anything. But before Leonard could say something, the two of them were sitting in a booth at Saints and Sinners.

"Dammit Barry, why did you do that?" Leonard growled. "Well, with Zoom and everything people are little on edge and after the nice visit we had from Mick earlier, the others are kind of on edge" Barry said as nicely as he could. He saw the confusion in Leonard's eyes when he mentioned Mick being there.

Leonard downcast his eyes. He missed hanging out with Mick. He should be having a conversation like this with Mick but instead he gets Barry.

Sighing Leonard said "I need advice Barry". Barry smiled brightly. Not very many people ask him for advice and usually when he gives it things go bad especially for Oliver. "I will help anyway I can" Barry said excitedly.

"Mick refuses to be my best man because Laurel and Sara are in an argument. I need him by my side Barry but I also don't want to say anything to hurt Sara. I love her so much and I can't lose her either" Leonard said putting his forehead on the table.

Barry just stared at him for a few minutes. This must've been exactly why Mick had asked him to be Leonard's best man. He had never seen Leonard like this. He didn't really know what to say but he had to try and help.

"I think you should do something for me, my man, and get Mick to help you, because I think you need to do a job together to get back in sync with the other. It's wonderful how you've both embraced a better lifestyle but it's thieving that brought you two together and I think it's thieving that will bring you back together." Barry said hoping it sounded as good to Leonard as it did to him in his head.

Leonard looked up and smiled. "Thanks Barry I think your right, now can you zoom me back so I can get my car. I have to talk to Sara about something" Leonard said laughing.

Laughing, Barry zoomed them both back to Star Labs. Leonard got into the driver's seat and sat there for a bit. He wondered why Mick had been at Star Labs and why he didn't even come by to see him at his place while he was this close. Slamming his hands on the steering wheel and swearing like a drunken sailor, Leonard started up his car and headed back to his condo. It was about time him and Sara had a little chat.

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Sara knocked on her dad's door. She could hear Donna and was glad that she was there. She also heard Felicity and got nervous because usually what Felicity learns, Oliver learns and what Oliver learns she was sure her sister would learn and even though she wanted Laurel to hear everything from her, she was determined to right this very serious wrong right now. Felicity opened the door and gave her a huge hug and pulled her inside. She sat Sara down and went and got a couple of iced teas. Sara thanked her and took a sip.

"Thanks Felicity, that's delicious" Sara said. Felicity smiled. Sara took a deep breath and said "Dad, Donna, Felicity, I need to talk to all of you" Sara said very seriously.

Donna, Felicity and Quentin all looked at each other and Donna and Quentin took a seat. Taking a deep breath and trying not to break down already, Sara told them everything her mother had said. After she was done she allowed herself to breakdown and let Donna hold her close.

Quentin got up and paced the room. Sara could hear him get on the phone but the only thing she heard was "stay away from the girls" and saw his cell phone fly into the room.

"Will you help me with my wedding even though I haven't been that kind to either of you?" Sara asked Donna and Felicity quietly. Donna pulled her in closer and kissed her forehead. "You're one of my little girls, of course I would be honored" Donna said smiling. "Me too" Felicity said smiling. Sara looked at both of them and felt overwhelming joy. Why had she let herself miss out on this? Maybe now she could fix things with Laurel.

Quentin came back in and sat next to Sara. Pulling his daughter into his chest he cried. "Baby you listen to me. You never, ever think that there is any resemblance to what your mom did to your sister and the sisterly spats you two have. Let me talk to Laurel about Dinah, you just worry about fixing whatever it is you two girls are fighting about because two beautiful angels shouldn't be fighting. And always remember you have a third angel to stand by you when you need someone" Quentin said smiling at Felicity. Sara cried harder and nodded her head.

Quentin rubbed her back while Donna ran her hand through her hair. Sara felt at peace for only the second time that day. And just like that her phone rang and it was Leonard's face that popped up. Donna and Quentin moved out of the way and allowed her to answer the phone.

Reluctantly Sara answered. "Hello baby" she said. "Hey beautiful, anyway we can meet at my apartment here in Central and have a small chit-chat?" Leonard asked calmly. Sara didn't like the way he said "chit-chat " but took a deep breath and said "I will be there in a couple hours darling, I'm in Star right now". She could hear Leonard groan and smiled. She loved his groan. "Alright, drive safely baby" Leonard said and hung up.

Sara looked at Quentin and Donna. "Go to your knight" Quentin said and hugged Sara. Sara gave Donna and Felicity both a giant hug and headed out to Central.

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Two hours later:

Sara pulled up to Leonard's condo. She loved his place and couldn't wait to move in. They had decided to wait until they were married so they didn't over do things. Taking out her key, she did have a key despite their mutual decision, she went to unlock the door but Leonard swung it open, scooped her up and gave her a deep kiss on the lips. He held her there for several moments before releasing her.

Smiling, Sara asked, "what was that for"? Leonard smiled. "Can't I kiss the most beautiful girl in the world and my future wife hello" he said with a grin. Nodding she kissed him again and with that he carried her into the condo.

Sitting her gently on the couch, Leonard went and got two ice cold beers from the fridge. Handing Sara one, he sat down and pulled Sara against his chest. The two opened their cans, clanked them together and both took that drink they each knew they needed. The last time they saw each other it was super stressful so they knew whatever this was would also be stress filled.

Leonard kissed her temple. She loved the smell of beer on his breath. "Sara, we need to talk" Leonard said seriously. Sara took a big gulp of beer. That sentence was never a good one.

Turning around and looking him straight in the eyes she waited. Taking in a deep breath, Leonard finally said "I don't think I can go through with this wedding if Mick isn't my best man, Sara. He has been through everything with me and it would devastate me if he wasn't by my side". He let the tears fall on to his beer can.

Sara just stared at him. He wanted to postpone their wedding for Mick "Pyro" Rory. She got up and slammed her beer on the table. "So Mick is more important than me" she screamed. Leonard stared at her. "I'm not saying that, I just want time to fix things between him and I before we do the ceremony, that's all" Leonard said trying to calm her down.

Sara took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Fine. One month but that's it" she said with finality. Leonard growled. Now he was pissed.

"You do realize it's because you and your sister started World War Three that Mick and I are in this situation right? I mean if you would stop being a bitch to her and if she would grow up and be the Big sister, the two of us would have nothing to fight about" Leonard yelled.

Sara slumped into the nearest chair in defeat. She knew that this was indeed her and Laurel's fault. "I'm sorry Len. I know we caused this. I found out today that my mom wished that Laurel had died from infancy just because she was sick. I can't believe I yelled at her for not using our mother's name. How can I tell her Len? How can I tell her our mother wanted her to die?" Sara said falling into Leonard's open arms. He pulled her close and held her tight.

"Sara, I won't postpone the wedding" Len said quietly. "No Leonard, let's wait. Let's wait until both of us can have the person we need standing next to us" Sara whispered back.

Leonard kissed her forehead and the two of them sat huddled together until Len got a phone call. He laid Sara on the couch and went to answer it. He came back a few minutes later, shook her awake and said "I've got something to do baby, I'll be back later" and he kissed her and headed out the door.

Sara watched Len leave with a confused look on her face but decided to let him have his space. She turned over on the couch, thought about Laurel and all that needed fixed and went to sleep.