What If?

Making The Call

Chapter 13

Close Encounters

of the Lance Kind

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the general idea you see within this story. And oops, just learned that Shrive is supposed to be Shrieve. I'll be sure to use the correct spelling from now on. Sorry on that folks. And watching CSI: Miami may have inspired me to use something from that for here. Anyways.. Let's get it on!

Ever since Oliver had woken up after what little sleep he had, he'd been feeling a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. And considering all the crap he'd been through in the last near 3 years, to be feeling that of all things was a bit alarming for him. He hoped like crazy that Waller wasn't about to show up back in his life to include him in some job she needed him for. He was done with that thank you very much! Even a late breakfast hadn't really quelled it, so he decided to head out back and make use of the punching bag. Little did he know though that the cause of that dread was headed his way.

Normally she would be on her way to work by now but instead, she was actually on her way to the Queen mansion to finally have a little chat with that jerk faced cheating ex of hers. She had even called in sick at CNRI just so that she could do this. And Laurel honestly felt it was high time the two had it out. After all if he can laze about on his ass for the past few months since getting back and intimidate would be suitors of Thea with Tommy. Then he can damn well talk to her! Hell, maybe even get on his knees and beg for forgiveness. Not that she would give it to him anytime soon of course. Upon arriving at the mansion, she made quick strides to the front doors and rang the door bell since she figured Raisa or anyone else wouldn't be near the doors to hear any knocking.

For Raisa, seeing Laurel Lance was the last thing she was expecting today. "Oh! Ms. Lance! To be honest it is a surprise to see you here. Are you sure this is a good idea?" She really hoped the young lady might re-think what she was here for. As she didn't quite feel that Mr. Oliver was quite ready to face off with the young lady just yet.

Laurel smiled at the older woman whom she had always respected. Especially in how she'd been able to deal with Ollie's crap for all the years she'd been with the family. "Oh I'm pretty sure this is a good idea Raisa. He hasn't even so much as tried to come and talk to me. And I'm tired of it." Had she known what the reasons for why he had yet to do so, she likely really would have waited til another time.

Raisa sighed in resignation at the young woman's words. "There are reasons for why he has yet to approach you. Of course I can assume you would not have been willing to hear them had he come to you first before today." Laurel had to admit to herself that the woman may likely be right in that regard. Especially if he had come to her several days after he had come home for example.

Raisa said nothing else but indicated for Laurel to follow her. Seeing as how the young woman was set on what she was intending to do and figured anything else she could say would do no good. Laurel instantly felt curious that they didn't seem to be heading to his room, where she thought he likely might be. Well at least he won't be able to try and charm me in to his bed then. Course she would give him one of the biggest slaps he'd ever get for his attempts.

As Laurel stepped into the back yard, sounds of something being hit followed by grunts could be heard. Which briefly made her wondered if Ollie's time away put him onto some weird crap. The sight of the punching bag dispelled her of any further disturbing imagery that was going on in her mind. She noticed his hair seemed longer, which was unusual for him. But chalked it up to him thinking it was cool now to have longer hair or something inane like that. She never would have figured him to be the type to hit a punching bag, the fact he was in a white sleaveless shirt and black sweat pants was also a bit of an unusual sight for her too. "Ahem, Mr. Oliver you have a guest." Called out Raisa.

Oliver froze in mid punch, his earlier fear of Waller coming to pay him a visit now surging back in his mind. Turning slowly to face Raisa and the mystery visitor, his eyes widened in what some might think of as surprised relief that it wasn't the Beast Incarnate come to try and force him into doing something for her. Although realizing it was Laurel didn't help the dread in his stomach any however. "L-Laurel! What, what are you doing here?"

Laurel was now getting a better view of her ex and it was even surprising for her. As normally Ollie was the type who looked his best. She was starting to think that maybe he wasn't trying something to be cool. But she wasn't about to let that stop her.

"I thought it was time we talked." She told him simply and to the point.

This made Oliver do his own sigh of resignation, no where near ready for this. Damn it, why now? He thought to himself, kind of wishing it had been Waller now. He also noticed Raisa getting the heck out of dodge too.

His not saying anything made her feel a bit angry and decided she would just go first then. "Really Ollie? You don't have anything to say? Not even an apology for getting my sister killed cause of your damn in-ability to keep it in your pants and stay faithful to me?"

He noticably winced at her words, which only spurred her to go on. "My family is pretty much in pieces now cause of the decsion you and her made to go on that damned boat."

Oliver lowered his head down in shame. He honestly had no idea how deeply things had affected the Lance family. "You were never even supposed to know about it. Had I even known what would happen, I never would have brought her along for the ride. I'm sorry Laurel..." He told her quietly, but still to where she could hear him.

His response made her even more incensed, not even really giving a crap that he had made an apology to her. It would take more than one apology for him to ever be able to make it up to her. Before she could even really stop herself, her hand found the side of his face rather loudly. He only stumbled but regained his footing and looked at her, the look in his eyes clearly telling her to do it again as he felt he deserved it. "Not supposed to even know!? She was my sister Ollie! You likely could have done this with any other whore out there, but instead you took my own sister!" Her voice by then was pretty high and the anger and hurt could be heard in it. She slapped him again, even harder this time it felt like.

He just looked at her again, not bothering to do anything. He really didn't think there was anything he could say to her. "Well? Say something already!" Laurel demanded angrily.

"What do you want me to say Laurel? That I'm sorry it was Sara? That I'm sorry for being a coward instead of being a man? I'm sorry every damn day that I wake up. I am so damn sorry for a lot of things that some days I am so weighed down by the guilt I feel that I can't even move. I was a jerk back then and probably still am one now, hell you even knew that too and yet you still stuck with me despite the facts you were damn well aware of!" He finally said to her, albeit with little to no emotion in his voice.

Laurel's face had tears coming down it now, the anger more felt with in her after he said his piece. She then flew at him with out much thought and began to beat on his chest, yelling all sorts of things at him. The fact he was still not doing a damn thing only making her want to keep hitting him. She then screamed at him before decking him right in the jaw and hauled ass back to her car. Ignoring Moira and Raisa's calls of concern. Meanwhile, Oliver just laid where he was as he held his rather sore jaw. I deserved that, and I still deserve so much more. He thought warily, getting an idea as to what he should do next.

His mom could be heard calling out his name as she rushed to him. Obviously having been told by Raisa that Laurel had been here to see him. "Oliver! Sweety what happened!?" She frantically asked as she helped him get up by getting under one of his arms. Causing him to groan as well since Laurel had hit his damaged shoulder area rather hard a few times.

"Just... A discussion is all." Was all he wanted to say and removed himself from his mom and took off for the inside of the house, Moira also following along. Really wanting to know more about this conversation that took place. Thea could be heard asking what had happened to him as the two passed.

Oliver quickly disappeared into his room and then came out moments later with shoes and a black button up shirt on him. Keys in hand and only saying he had something he needed to do when asked what he was up too. Leaving 3 women very worried for him, even if one of them was still annoyed at him for the whole Shane thing.

Nearly an hour later...

Detective Lance had decided to immerse himself in paperwork that was in much need of catching up on. Plus using it as a means to keep himself occupied and away from distracting thoughts of climbing into another bottle or three. But a commotion caused him to look up to see Oliver Queen of all people headed his way. Oh this little piece of garbage is not what I want to deal with right now. He thought sourly.

"Detective Lance!" Oliver's call to him made him sigh in annoyance.

"What could you possibly want Queen? By the way, ya got some nerve showing up here ya know." He grumbled at the kid, his annoyance plainly heard and seen.

Oliver took a moment to collect himself before speaking. "Sir... I'm here to place myself under your arrest." This took the older man completely by surprise.

"Arrest? Are you kiddin' me here!?" He yelled out, now on his feet and going around his desk to get right in the punk's face.

"Yes sir, I am here to be arrested." Was the calm reply.

Quentin scoffed at this, wondering what the punk could have possibly done to make him come to him to and be arrested. "Alright, I'll bite. What the hell did ya do that was so bad? Other then getting my little girl on that damned boat of yours." He noticed they were getting an audience, but he just couldn't really give a damn at the moment. The more people who saw this little bit of self humilation was a good thing in his book.

Oliver just looked at him with emptiness in his eyes, but resolve in his voice. "That's just it Detective Lance, I'm here to place myself under arrest by you for the death of Sara Lance."

Now this really shocked the hell out of the detective, and to be honest made him a bit angry too. Scoffing at the younger man's audacity, at least in his head anyway. "What the hell are you playing at here with me Queen? This is low even for you!" He tried to keep his voice from rising but it was hard for him to do it.

"No games, no lows, just me here asking to be arrested for something that was clearly MY fault." He even held out his hands for Lance to put the cuffs on him.

Oh how Lance really wanted to knock him on his ass. But refused to get in trouble over this punk. "Quentin..." Hilton called out warningly as a sort of just in case kind of thing.

He knew what his partner was implying, but for Christ's sakes did this kid have some stones on him! "Look here... Yes, my daughter is dead cause of YOU. But I, as MUCH as I WANT too, am not allowed to arrest you for what happened. And trust me Queen that burns me up like hell." He turned away, not wanting to see the kid's face anymore.

Oliver however was yet to be deterred. "But sir, its what I deserve! I DESERVE TO BE ARRESTED! LOCKED AWAY FOR WHAT I'VE DONE! I'LL EVEN LET YOU SHOOT ME IN THE HEAD IF ITS WHAT YOU WANT!" The Queen scion couldn't help but yell all that out. Wanting nothing more then for the man to arrest or even shoot him.

Quentin turned to lunge at him but Hilton and several other police officers stopped him in time. Making sure to hold on tightly to him. "GET OUT OF HERE PUNK! BEFORE I DO DECIDE TO PUT A BULLET IN YOUR DAMN HEAD! GET OUT!" The rage was no longer contained and out for all to see. Hilton could even be heard trying to calm the man down.

This made Oliver decide to cut his losses and sag his shoulders in defeat. And walked away from Lance. The rest of the day and most of the night passed by the Queen scion in a blur as he had decided to simply get as drunk as he possibly could. Wishing to just forget things for awhile. And as he was about to go with some girl who's name he'd likely never even remember. Tommy showed up, and if Oliver had not been so drunk. He would have been wondering how his best friend even knew how to find him. "Buddy! I've been lookin' all over for you! Do you have any idea how worried your mom, Thea, and Raisa are!?"

Oliver just swayed a bit to the side causing the girl he had an arm around to stumble a little. "Aww 'ommy, 'm ooookay! Yew should join meeee man..." The state he was in had pretty much left Tommy pretty concerned.

Looking over at the girl Oliver had an arm around, he told her to get gone in a serious tone of voice. The girl groaned in annoyance but did as asked. "Should you even be drinking anyway with the meds you're on?" Tommy asked concernedly.

Oliver just laughed at that. "Aww yer no fun! Be fun 'ommy! And no pills for meee! Not even takining thems." The Merlyn scion's eyes widened at that as he knew that not only would Moira be unhappy. But so would Raisa not be too happy either!

Tommy just sighed in the end before speaking again. "Come on man, let's get you home."

"Aww whatever! Dey no fun either!" But Oliver went with him anyway. Making Tommy breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn't more of a fight to get him to do it. And soon they were on there way with Oliver passed out in the passenger seat with out a car in the world at that moment.

Author's Notes: Well here we are with this chapter. Hopefully the interactions here are done well enough to be seen as a believable thing that could have happened on the show itself. As for the next chapter, I'm thinking of it as being Thea centric. I figured it would make for a nice little perspective to see how she's decided to react to everything since Oliver came home. And also, later down the line I'm thinking of including Superman in this. But how I plan to do it is either a Superman who was active from the 40's to say maybe the 70's and then retired or some such. And then finally returns for whatever reason. Or using the Smallville based version, but keeping Alicia Baker alive cause to Hell with her being killed and them feeding us with another 5 seasons of Clark and Lana afterwards. And as always, much thanks for all the support! R and R!