All characters and all rights at 'Arrow' belong to CW Network, Berlanti Productions, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. The following story does not serve any commercial purposes, but was written only for pleasure. An injury of Copyright is not intended. All further persons belong to the authoress.

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Chapter 11

"You did what?"

Stunned Julia starred at Oliver.

"He is your friend and has kept more than once your back! A single time he asks you to do something for him and you prefer Laurel to him? Oliver, you're an idiot! Is it not enough to you that you've lost Tommy's friendship? Now you give up even John's friendship? Do you think friends just fall out of the blue? You give up your two friends just like that for Laurel? Do you really think that you can live with her 'happily ever after'? After all, what's happened? When do you realize at last that you and Laurel are not meant for each other, no matter how you feel about her?"

Meanwhile, Julia was so angry that she yelled at Oliver. That was something he had never experienced. Felicity's eyes went wide in horror. She would never have imagined that somebody would speak thus with Oliver. However, Julia was right. Oliver got what he deserved.

When Julia looked at Felicity, she knew that she had gone too far. She took a few deep breaths to get herself under control again.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you, Oliver. But John has saved your life. More than once. How can you give thanks to him that way?"

"I had to make a decision, Jules."

"As you made a decision once before?"

Oliver froze.

"That was something different."

"There you are seriously mistaken." Julia swallowed hard. "I remind you only reluctantly, but we both once had a conversation about when we will see who is a true friend and who is not. This time you haven't been one."

Julia could see in Oliver's face that he digged his heels in. Shaking her head, she grabbed her things and left without another word.

…

"Julia?" Diggle had not expected this visit. "What are you doing here? And how do you know where I live?"

"Felicity has told me that you were hurt. I wanted to see how you're doing." As Diggle did not respond, Julia became more direct. "May I come in, or am I an unwelcome guest?"

"Does Oliver send you?"

"No, John. He knows nothing about my visit. I'm here because we're friends and I'm worried about you."

Finally Diggle stepped to the side and let Julia in.

"You have not answered one of my questions."

"I just know it, I won't say no more to this."

Diggle had his guess, but could also see in Julia's face that she had said anything on this subject. Julia could be not less stubborn than Oliver. Diggle sighed softly.

"So, how are you? And please, no platitudes."

Diggle pointed at his face.

"This will be alright, it's not so bad. Felicity took good care of it."

"And?"

"He's gone too far."

This time, Julia sighed.

"Yeah, I know. I've already told him. What's next?"

"I'm out. Because of him six good men are dead and Lyla nearly was caught."

"Not to speak of you."

Julia felt suddenly only tired. But she still had to ask one question.

"May I call or visit you now and then?"

For the first time during this conversation Diggle smiled.

"Of course. That's between Oliver and me doesn't concern you."

Julia hesitated, but then she hugged Diggle.

"Take good care, John."

"You too."

…

Julia drove aimlessly through the night. As tired as she was, she would have better gone to bed, but her head was working overtime. After their common operation during the attack on the social clinic, Julia had deliberately kept out of Oliver's nocturnal activities. There were plenty of secrets in her life, so she had no desire to add also a secret identity. But to act without John meant that Oliver was on his way without backing. Julia had all the skills that were necessary to ensure such backing. But to help Oliver now would mean to support his behavior. Julia did not want that in any case. She could only hope for the best and pick up the pieces in case of doubt.

…

a few days later

Oliver and Felicity completely forgot about Julia's presence. They were so busy with their plan, how they could get information from Alonzo's computer that they no longer perceived anything around them. Therefor Julia was more attentive. When she heard that Oliver wanted to go completely without backing in this action, Julia shook her head uncomprehendingly. Nevertheless, she stayed out and waited.

…

After Oliver and Felicity had made their way to the illegal casino, Julia decided that she would be the backing. She armed herself with the Glock she had used once already. Besides Julia decided on a Springfield M1A that had been upgraded to a sniper rifle. In addition to sufficient ammunition for both arms a knife topped off her equipment as always. Before Julia left the hideout in the steel factory, she sat down at Felicity's computer, called on all data from the casino and transferred these to her smartphone.

…

From her place Julia could see Oliver, the main and the side entrance of the casino. How Slade had taught her, she adjusted the rifle and arranged herself. Then Julia waited.

Oliver abruptly jumped up, pulled the hood over his head and put the two guards at the entrance out of action. Then he disappeared inside. There were shots and Julia could stop herself only with difficulty to abandon her posts. But until she got down there, everything would be over.

Finally, Oliver and Felicity left the casino through the side entrance. Both looked distraught. Julia feared the worst. She quickly grabbed her things. She had to be ahead of the two in the lair in order to clear away the weapons. Julia did not want Oliver to learn of her action.

…

the next day

"Hello, Felicity!"

Peppy Julia ran down the stairs. After trying all day to create order to Miller's chaotic documents, she downright panted after exercise.

"Where is Oliver? I urgently need a hard battle."

Julia stopped short and turned around. Felicity had not responded to her greeting and now ignored her also.

"Felicity, what's wrong? Where is Oliver?"

"He wants to free Walter."

"What?"

Julia dropped her bag and got next to Felicity, who was staring intently at her monitors.

"Walter is alive? Why don't I know this? And what do you mean 'he wants to free Walter'? Is he with John?"

"Alonzo has kidnapped Walter for Malcom Merlyn and Moira Queen knew about it. Walter was a pledge to make Mrs. Queen working with Merlyn. She had lied to Oliver all the time. I could find out where Walter is imprisoned and now Oliver is heading there. And no, John is not with him, Oliver is going alone."

Julia turned white as a sheet.

"Where is he, Felicity? When John isn't with him, he needs someone else to give him backing. I have to go now so I still can catch him up."

"You won't make it."

In hasty words Felicity described Oliver's plan. She was seriously concerned.

"With a parachute...no, not again..."

Without further ado, Julia grabbed another chair, sat down next to Felicity and also stared at the monitors.

…

Exhausted, Oliver arrived at the hideout. He was relieved that he was able to free Walter. But the knowledge that his mother was involved in the kidnapping, weighed him down.

"You fucking idiot!"

Julia slammed short and hard. Completely surprised by the blow, Oliver staggered back. Confused, he rubbed his chin.

"Jules? What's the point of that?"

But Julia ignored him and left without a word the hiding place.

"What's the matter with Jules?"

"She's right, Oliver, you're an idiot. But I'm glad you've saved Walter."

…

a few days later

Annoyed Julia looked up from her book when there was a knock at the door. She had been looking forward to a quiet evening.

"Yeah?"

"Jules, it's me, Oliver."

A loud sigh exclaimed Julia, but she got up and opened the door. Expectantly she looked at Oliver.

"May I?"

After some hesitation, Julia nodded and stepped aside.

"I'm sorry."

"And what?"

Oliver wined hardly noticeable. Julia did not want to make it easy for him.

"The fact that I haven't told you what I wanted to do and that I went in alone."

"You seem to have used no help. Walter is free and nothing did happen to you."

"Yeah…"

Oliver did not know what to do next. The conversation with Diggle had been easier. Men were less complicated in some things.

"I was with John and apologized. He was right about everything, I should have listened to him."

That surprised Julia now nevertheless. She had not reckoned on the fact that Oliver would do this.

"I was under the impression that you are meticulously paying attention, not to admit that you're wrong."

This time Oliver winced visibly. Julia had hit a nerve.

"Jules ..."

"I'm glad that you made up with John. You need him, whether you want to admit it or not. Even if you started as a loner seven months ago, now you have two partners who stand by your side. You should act accordingly."

"I know. Jules, I really would like to promise you that I never will make a mistake or a wrong decision again. But I can't do that. John, Felicity and I will have different opinions in the future again and again, and probably I will get my own way. Or at least try. Having two partners, means for me not only help and support, but also that I am responsible for the welfare of John and Felicity."

"If that's the explanation why you've freed Walter on your own, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought. Oliver, John was in the Army. He knows exactly what he got himself into with you and does it because he is convinced about it. John may very well take care of himself and when it comes down to it, even for you. And as for Felicity: On the one hand, she is far away from danger in the steel plant; on the other hand, she is much tougher than you and John think. You very underestimate her."

"Quite possible, Jules, but that doesn't alter my responsibility."

Both competed with expressionless eyes until Julia finally shrugged.

"As you may suppose, Oliver. It's your life."

She opened the door.

"I had a busy day and would like to spend my time on my book again."

Oliver did not give up so easy.

"Are you coming back for training?"

When Julia did not react, but still looked at him blankly, he went one step further.

"You could get rid of your frustration and anger against me by trying to beat me."

Gently Julia pulled up an eyebrow.

"That's poor, Oliver. And by the way I defeat you often enough."

His cheeky grin in response revealed a trace of uncertainty.

"Maybe I'll let you win, so that you have a sense of achievement every now and then."

Julia's eyes narrowed to thin slits and her body tensed.

"Get out. Right away."

This time Oliver grinned confidently.

"See you tomorrow, Jules."

…

the next day

The metal rods crashed rattling on each other. Oliver was not surprised that Julia was seeking for a real fight and not just a sparring. The vehemence with which she fought, however, was unexpected. At the last moment he dived under one of her blows.

"That was close."

Diggle and Felicity looked fascinated at the two opponents.

"Julia is really mad at Oliver."

This remark by Felicity made Diggle smile.

"Oh yeah. But she has her anger under control. Therefore Oliver does not have the little game with Julia, which he'd expected."

"Good."

Felicity smiled satisfied.

A painful groan from Oliver showed a hit from Julia. Slowly he realized that he either had to end the fight or had to beat just as hard as Julia. A look on her face made sure that Oliver chose the second option.

The change immediately occurred to Diggle. This was no more training, this fight was about something else. He shook his head. That was not good, not at all.

Julia was at her best. Her attacks became more precise, faster and faster. Oliver countered every attack, but it became increasingly clear that she was equal, if not superior to him. With a completely unexpected combination Julia struck one of the rods out of Oliver's hand and finally felled him. Julia was not satisfied with this. She wanted to defeat Oliver completely. There was something that looked more like a brawl than as a struggle. At the end Julia had an honestly stunned Oliver in a headlock. This time, Oliver decided for giving up, because that seemed safer.

Although Julia was angry with Oliver and had just given way to that anger, she did not forget, however, that she had fought with a friend and not an enemy. To the astonishment of Diggle and Felicity she let Oliver immediately off, as he tapped out, jumped up, walked to the edge of the training zone and bowed correct before she jumped on a bottle of water.

"I didn't expect that."

Diggle was really surprised.

"Oliver forgets too willingly that he was not my only teacher. My coach in Germany was a master who knew exactly what he was doing. He taught me a lot in the few months, John. So far I have shown only a small part of it."

"I've seen that. If the next time I'm...um...prevented for any reason you're welcome to accompany Oliver instead."

"Absolutely not." Oliver joined in, also a water in the hand. "You forget that Julia is not a soldier, Dig. Our training fights do not have much to do with our operations."

"I see things differently. Julia has just shown a very impressive performance. In addition, she knew exactly what she was doing when she helped us with the social clinic."

"That was harmless then. It is not that easy usually, you know that."

"Hey, I'm here! Don't talk about me as I am not there. Maybe you should ask me first, if I ever want to accompany Oliver."

"Jules, I don't discuss this with you."

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because I do not want you to kill a man."

Suddenly there was silence. Nobody had expected this answer.

"I beg your pardon?"

"To kill a man changed one, whether one likes it or not."

Oliver looked at Diggle, who nodded slowly. He knew only too well what Oliver meant.

"And I don't want you to go through this." Oliver spoke with deep earnestness. "During this short joint operation I could always just think 'Hopefully Jules does not have to kill someone'. Believe me, you do not want to have the associated thoughts and feelings."

"Why do you assume that I have never killed? That I do not know what you're talking about?"

"I'm not talking from hunting or fishing, Jules."

"Neither do I."

Again there was silence. Oliver scrutinized Julia.

"Jules?"

"I was quite a while on Lian Yu without you, but that doesn't mean that I was alone all the time."

Oliver got a very bad feeling in the stomach. His eyes seemed to penetrate Julia, but she stood firm.

"Felicity, come on, we get something to eat."

Diggle stood up and handed Felicity her jacket. Meanwhile Julia had not stopped to stare at Oliver. She spoke again only when the two were gone.

"A few months after your death, well, I thought at the time you had died, I quasi bumped into two men when I was on the hunt. I had no idea how they had come to the island. At first I was relieved because I thought I could finally disappear from Lian Yu. But the two had no intention to save me. Instead, they wanted to 'have fun' with me. They have assumed that I was weak and helpless and not expect that I would defend myself. One of the men I've stabbed, the other I shot with his own gun. Then I searched for their ship. It was in a small bay at anchor and they came ashore with the dinghy. On the ship I had to realize that I could not control it. It was all completely computer controlled. And when searching the ship, I found that it was full of drugs. Even if I had thrown all drugs overboard, it would still have given plenty of traces of them. If I would have ended up with this ship somewhere on the Chinese coast, one would have imprisoned me immediately and thrown away the key. So I have made the ship sunk in the bay, after I had it set on fire to destroy the drugs. The dinghy has relieved me fishing for a while, but in a storm it was damaged beyond repair." For a moment Julia's eyes were aimlessly. "Thanks Shado's training I could survive on Lian Yu. And Slade's training has prevented me from being raped. Really a shame that I didn't have you taught me how to drive a fully computerized yacht." Julia stared again directly at Oliver. "So I know more about killing a man than you think."

Oliver's eyes became gentle.

"I'm so sorry, Jules. I never wanted that for you."

"I know, Oliver. But it just had happened. And you were absolutely right. Killing changes you. In different ways."

"But that doesn't change anything anyway. I still don't want you to kill. And if you'll help Dig and me, exactly that will happen sooner or later. Probably sooner."

"It's my decision whether I'm willing to take that risk."

"No, Jules. It is my fight and therefore my decision."

"And John? You have drawn him in your fight."

"Dig was a soldier. He knew exactly what he was getting into. You have killed in self-defense. This is something entirely else."

Julia wanted to say something, but Oliver stopped her with a wave of his hand.

"Believe me, Jules, that's how it is."

"Maybe. But I'm about something else. I don't want to become a permanent member of your team. I'm completely satisfied with the fact that we are friends. But I don't want you to take a risk that could be avoided if I would be there. Oliver, I don't want John or Felicity to bring me the message of you being seriously injured or even about your death, if my presence would have prevented it."

Oliver looked brooding at Julia. Suddenly the penny dropped with him.

"You were at the casino, right?"

"Yeah."

"All the time I had the feeling of being watched, but could not see anyone. The strange thing was that I wasn't worried. It just was weird. How did you know about the operation?"

Julia smiled weakly.

"You are all so used to me being in the lair that you sometimes do not even perceive me. As I would be a part of the device. Thus this was that evening too. And thanks to Felicity's computer training, I was able to download all the necessary data to me."

"And how did you want to come to our help? You must have been out of reach, otherwise I would have seen you."

"Just out of reach for your eyes and your arrows. Not for a Springfield M1A."

Only a twitching of his eyes revealed that Oliver was surprised.

"Slade has taught me a few things that you and Shado didn't knew. My skills as a sniper are limited, but available." Julia took a deep breath. "You have only two options. Either you exclude me out of your life completely, or you will be using me whenever it is necessary. Your choice, Oliver."

…

"Where's Julia?"

Seeking, Felicity looked around.

"Jules has left. She gave me the choice."

Oliver gave the gist of his conversation with Julia.

"And how will you decide?"

"I don't know."