Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.
AN: So, I know it's been a while, but the truth is I wasn't sure if I was ever going to be able to write this story again, as I haven't seen any episode of Arrow (excluding the four-way crossover) since 5x10, but then I found some inspiration. Thank you to anyone who is still reading, and I hope you like this chapter.
It has been a week since Oliver watched Laurel train with Ted and in that time things between Oliver and Thea have been getting better, partly because Oliver is trying to see his sister as the person she's become rather than who she was when he left on the Gambit, Laurel and Oliver on the other hand have mostly been avoiding each other and haven't really had another proper conversation since the one they had in Laurel's living room. While Roy and Sin are aware that there is something going on, they don't know the specifics as both Laurel and Thea have decided that it is Oliver's call as to when they find out, and neither have asked him about it.
It's late, or technically early and while Laurel has sent Thea and Roy back to the Clocktower, with instructions to head home after they leave their stuff there, she is still out on the streets handling problems by herself, without tech support or backup.
Having just taken down some drug dealers, who there seem to be more of lately, Laurel is jumping between rooftops, planning on doing one more sweep of the nearby area before heading back to the Clock Tower, and then home, when she hears,
"Don't you sleep?" And she turns to see Oliver, in his hood outfit.
"Probably not as much as I should." Laurel says, walking over to him, rather than continuing the way she was going, as she is pretty sure that he'll just follow her if she doesn't talk to him.
"Where are the others?" Oliver asks, knowing better than to say their names for the same reason why he hasn't removed his hood, and Laurel hasn't removed her wig or mask.
"By now, hopefully sleeping. I sent them home hours ago." Laurel reveals.
"And yet you stayed out here." Oliver notes, taking a step closer to Laurel.
"What can I say, I'm not sleeping much these days." Laurel admits, as ever since she found out about Oliver, and he found out about her, when she tries to sleep she just finds herself thinking about everything going on, while simultaneously avoiding thinking about what she feels.
"Have you told them?" Oliver asks, "Do they know about me?" he asks needing to know.
"Now, we decided it was your choice." Laurel explains, "But you need to know that I don't like keeping secrets from my team, my family." Laurel reveals, and as she does Oliver knows, without a doubt, that that is what Thea, Roy, Sin, and maybe even Ted are to her, family, and he isn't sure how to feel about that.
"I know." Oliver responds, "Do you trust them? Really truly trust them?" he asks, needing to know.
"More than I trust you." Laurel reveals, and even with everything that has happened between them that still stings for Oliver, but before he has chance to respond they hear a woman screaming so Laurel goes running.
After Laurel runs it take Oliver a few seconds, more than it ever should, to react, but once he does he goes running after Laurel and even with how fast he is he catches up with her in time to see Laurel use her Canary Cry to distract the man who is attacking a women and then she gets close enough to use her baton to knock him out.
"Are you alright?" Laurel asks the women concerned, having used her voice modulator.
"Yeah." The women say, sounding nervous, "Thank you."
"No need, call the police, they can handle this guy." Laurel says, and she disappears up another rooftop but because he knows her so well Oliver knows that Laurel will be watching until the police arrives, and he also knows that they won't be talking again tonight so he needs to think of another way.
The next morning, which is only a few hours later, Laurel is fast asleep in her room, while Thea, Roy, and Sin are in the kitchen of the Lance/Queen apartment eating the pancakes that Sin made.
"Do we know what time she got in?" Thea asks curious, looking between Sin and Roy, as she tried to stay awake to wait for Laurel, but ended up falling asleep.
"Nope." Sin answers.
"Normally I wake up when I hear someone climb in the window, or open the front door, but I didn't." Roy admits, "So it must have been late, or early I guess."
"Something's going on." Sin says, sounding worried though if it was anyone other than Thea, Roy, Laurel, or Ted with her then they wouldn't be able to tell, "Has been for like a week." She says, and as she does both she and Roy notice Thea looking down at her plate.
"You know something." Roy realises.
"No!" Thea quickly says.
"Oh yes you do." Sin realises, "I know when you're lying."
"We both do." Roy says, "What's going on?"
"Nothing!" Thea quickly says, feeling horrible about lying.
"Thea…" Both Roy and Sin say together, both drawing out the word.
"Okay, look, there is something going on, but it's not my place to say…. Hell, it's not even Laurel's." Thea reveals, and as she does something clicks for Roy.
"It's the Hood isn't it?" Roy asks, "Something's been going on since Laurel talked to him last week."
"You're right." Sin realises, "What's going on Thea?"
"I can't say, not right now." Thea admits, "I need you guys to trust me for a few days longer, then I promise, If I can, I'll tell you everything." Thea reveals, telling the truth as she is seeing her brother later, so she is finally going to talk to him about whether she can tell Roy and Sin.
Hearing Thea's words both Sin and Roy exchange looks,
"You've got a couple of days, Queen." Roy tells her.
"Thank you, both of you." Thea says, looking between the two people she considers to be just as much of family to her as Oliver, and as she does she notices the clock, "Crap, we told Ted we'd help him today." She says and as she does both Roy and Sin look at the clock too.
"Shit." Roy says, knowing that they are going to be late.
"Let's go." Sin says and the three of them go running out of the apartment, through the front door so they don't wake Laurel, leaving their dishes behind.
A while after Thea, Roy, and Sin went running out of the apartment, Laurel wakes up and as she gets up and heads to the kitchen she finds the mess that Thea, Roy, and Sin left,
"Really guys?" Laurel asks, speaking out loud as while Thea, Roy, and Sin sometimes leave messes they are usually pretty good about cleaning up after themselves, and so she gets started on cleaning up the mess, then has a shower and breakfast of her own, before getting on her motorbike and heading to Teds as she knows what today is and knows what her three kids would be doing.
After speeding through the city on her bike, once more not being the best follower of road rules, though she makes sure not to put anyone in danger, Laurel stops outside Ted's gym, parks her bike, removes her helmet, and heads inside.
Walking into the gym Laurel finds Ted's annual 'teach kids between the ages of nine and fourteen the basics of boxing' day and just like she knew she would she sees Thea, Roy, and Sin, each with their own groups of students.
Catching the eyes of each of them Laurel heads to the middle of the gym where she finds Ted supervising everything.
"Hey." Laurel greats, walking over to him.
"It's about time you showed, D." Ted admits, seeing her, "I was getting worried." He admits, as Laurel usually helps him supervise things.
"Sorry, it was a long night, I slept in." Laurel reveals, and as she does Ted knows exactly why it would have been a long night
"Are you okay?" Ted asks concerned.
"Fine." Laurel admits, "How are things going here?"
"Good." Ted admits, "Can I tank to you in the office? There's something I need to talk to you about." He admits.
"Sure." Laurel says, and the two of them head towards Ted's office.
About a minute later Ted and Laurel walk into Ted's office and he closes, and locks, the door behind him so that they can talk in private.
"What's going on Ted?" Laurel asks, suspecting that there must be something big going on.
"Have you noticed more drug dealers around lately?" Ted asks curious.
"Yeah, there has been a spike in the last week." Laurel admits, "Have you noticed something too?"
"Yeah." Ted says, with a nod, "There has been more accidental overdoses in the last week or so, more than normal." He admits, and as he does Laurel notices the look on his face.
"Ted, what is it?" Laurel asks concerned.
"One of the people who overdosed… I knew him, D." Ted admits, and as he does Laurel gives him a sympathetic look, telling him to continue, "He name was Eddie. He got dealt a crap hand, a lot like Roy really, but he was starting to do things differently. He was going back to school, I helped him move from his abusive father to his grandparents, and next thing I know he's overdosed." He admits, "Drugs was never his problem, D, this shouldn't have happened." He says, clearly sad and not sure what to say Laurel just walks the steps that separate them and hugs her best friend.
"I'm sorry, T." Laurel tells her best friend, kissing his check, "How can I help, what can I do?" she asks, wanting to do something to help, as they break apart.
"This is everything I've found." Ted says, walking over to his desk, to pull out a file, "It's not much, but maybe you can find a lead, maybe where you've been facing dealers lately can help."
"I will look into it and I promise I will find out what is going on." Laurel says, knowing that even if it may be a hard promise to keep it is one she will keep, no matter what.
"Thanks D." Ted says, looking relieved.
"You never have to thank me, Ted." Laurel assures him, "So, do you need me helping out today? Because if not I'm going to head to the Clocktower and start looking into this." She admits.
"We've got things under control here." Ted says, honestly wanting Laurel to get to work as soon as possible.
"I'll let you know when I have something." Laurel says, before leaving, and as he watches his best friend walk away Ted is relieved as he knows if anyone can figure out what is going on then it is Laurel.
A little while after Laurel left Ted's gym Oliver walks in and as he does he is surprised to see so many people, but through the see of people he spots his sister,
"Thea!" Oliver calls walking towards her, though he also continues to scan the room for Laurel.
"Hey Ollie!" Thea greats, looking glad to see him.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to do lunch, but I'm guessing now isn't a good time." Oliver realises.
"Actually, there is something I need to talk to you about." Thea admits, "Sin!" she calls to her friend.
"Yeah?" Sin asks as she turns to look at her.
"Can you take over for me for a little while? I'll be back." Thea explains.
"Sure." Sin responds.
"Let's talk." Thea says to her brother, and the two of them head out of the gym, Oliver having a sinking suspicion about what Thea wants to talk about.
A few minutes after they left Ted's gym Oliver and Thea are walking together in silence, but as it has been a few minutes Oliver decides to break the silence.
"Where's Laurel? I didn't see her in the gym." Oliver notes.
"She was hear earlier, but she left, I guess she had something at CNRI to handle." Thea assumes, being pretty sure that Laurel would either be there, or the clocktower.
"Okay." Oliver says, with a nod, "What did you want to talk about?" he asks curious, and as he does Thea looks around, everywhere, including all nearby rooftops, to make sure they are alone.
"Roy and Sin, I want to tell them who you are." Thea admits, and Oliver goes to say something, but before he can Thea is already speaking, "Look, I get it, you want to keep your secrets, and you don't know them well enough to trust them, well I do." Thea admits, "Me, Laurel, Roy, and Sin, are a family, hell if she could I have no doubt that Laurel would have adopted them to." Thea says, knowing them, "They saved us Ollie." Thea admits, and Oliver gives his sister a look, asking her to explain, "When Laurel and I met Roy and Sin, and Ted, we were drowning in grief, and pain, and anger, and they pulled us out of it, taught us to use what we are feeling. I don't think either of us would have made it through the last few years, at least not in a healthy way, if it wasn't for them, they saved us, and after everything we've been through I can't lie to them, not about this, so please don't make me, Ollie." The says, clearly meaning every single word that she is saying.
"You think what you, Laurel, Roy, and Sin do every night Is healthy?" Oliver asks.
"There are a lot more unhealthy ways we could have gone with to deal with what we were both feeling." Thea informs her brother, "Look, I may not understand what you've been through last five years, well you don't understand what Laurel and I have been through." Thea admits, and despite himself Oliver realises that his sister might have a point, "So if you're not sure you can trust them, then trust me and Laurel, trust the trust we have in them." Thea says, as while she is uncertain about a lot of things she does believe that Oliver still trusts her and Laurel, even if he doesn't trust anyone else.
"Okay." Oliver says, after a moment of hesitation.
"Okay?" Thea asks, sounding confused.
"You can tell Sin and Roy, but for the moment just them, not Ted." Oliver says, as he isn't sure how he feels about Ted knowing who he is, partly because of his relationship with Laurel.
"Thank you, Ollie." Thea says, looking relieved, "Look, I've got to get back to the gym, keep giving my beginners class." Thea reveals, then she realises something, "You wouldn't be interested in helping, would you?"
"Tempting." Oliver admits, "But there is something I've got to do." Oliver admits, "I'll see you later, Speedy." Oliver says, before hugging his little sister, and once they break apart Thea heads back to the gym while Oliver heads to what will become his nightclub.
Ever since Laurel left Ted she has been using Sin's computer station at the Clocktower to look into things, and as she works Laurel realises that she may just have a lead, but she needs to keep looking into a few things.
A little while after Laurel has found her potential lead, during which time night has fallen, Thea, Roy, and Sin, the ladder two still not knowing about Oliver as Thea hasn't had a chance to talk to them alone, arrive at the Clocktower, where they find Laurel where she has been most of the day, working at the computer station.
"Laurel, what's going on?" Sin asks, feeling concerned as she figures it must be a big deal for Laurel to be on the computers.
"When I went to the gym Ted gave me some information." Laurel explains, "In the past week accidental overdoses have gone up." She explains.
"There's been more drug dealers out in the past week too." Roy realises, knowing that as he has taken more than a few of them down.
"Exactly." Laurel says, "I'm using the information Ted gave me, and the list that Sin keeps off locations of where we take down people, to see if there is a specific location where the uptick is focused." Laurel explains.
"And?" Thea asks, as Sin sits down next to Laurel to have a look.
"There are a couple of places where activity is at the highest." Laurel admits, "I'm trying to find out everything I can about both before we go in to investigate."
"You should start with that one." Sin says, pointing to one of the locations.
"Why?" Laurel asks, looking at Sin, as while Laurel is sure that she has her good reasons she wants to know why.
"Because it's in a camera's dead zone. The other has surveillance on it because it's become a hot spot for illegal weapon trade, which people are starting to realise." Sin explains.
"Okay, then I guess we have our location." Laurel realises, as she stands up, "Let's suit up."
"Hang on, there is something I have to say first." Thea admits, and as she does Laurel sees the look on Thea's face and knows exactly what she is going to say, "Last week Laurel and I found out who the Hood is."
"Who is it?" Roy asks, as Sin looks just as interested.
"Oliver." Laurel answers.
"Your brother Oliver?" Sin asks, looking at Thea in shock, and she nods.
"Okay, maybe it's just everything we've been through, but I probably should be more surprised than I am." Roy comments.
"You're not surprised? Because I sure as hell am." Sin admits.
"Not really, it guess it kind of make sense to me." Roy says, with a shrug.
"I wanted to tell you guys sooner." Thea reveals.
"We both did." Laurel admits.
"But it was Oliver's secret to tell, not ours, so I had to wait until he told me I could." Thea explains, looking between the two people who mean so much to her and hoping they understand.
"It's okay, I get it." Sin says, being ninety percent positive that Oliver would only allow them to know if Thea, or Laurel, or both of them, fought for them to know.
"Same." Roy says, with a nod.
"Okay, I know we probably have a lot to talk about, but are you focused enough to suit up and go out?" Laurel asks curious, looking between Thea and Roy.
"Always." Thea says, with a nod.
"Definitely." Roy says, nodding once more.
"Good, then let's move." Laurel instructs, heading over to the manikin with her Black Canary outfit on it.
"You guys are heading into a camera dead spot, but I'll see what I can do." Sin says, starting to type on the computers so that she can see what she can find.
"Any help you can give will be much appreciated." Laurel says, looking relieved, and she, Thea, and Roy all start to get ready, and once they are ready, they all head out.
A little while after Laurel and Thea told Sin, and Roy, about Oliver being the Hood Laurel, Thea, and Roy in their Black Canary, Speedy, and Arsenal costumes respectively are together, while on coms with Sin, making their way towards a vantage point to look into the warehouse where they may just get some answers about what is going on.
As they get closer to what Sin informed them would be a great vantage point, Black Canary signals to Speedy and Arsenal to move silently, or at least as quietly as possible, and after about a minute the group of three Vigilantes get to the position to see what's going on.
"Well that's not good." Speedy comments, keeping her voice low, as the website seems to be a drug distribution centre, with at least fifteen people, maybe more, all of whom seem to be heavily armed inside.
"Really not." Arsenal says, as Black Canary starts to scan the faces of everyone in the warehouse, "What's the plan Boss?" Arsenal asks, looking at Black Canary
"Fall back." Black Canary instructs, as not only are they outnumbered but she recognizes some of the people in the room.
"What?" Speedy, Arsenal, and even Sin through the coms, say, all sounding shocked.
"Fall back, now." Black Canary says, clearly giving a very specific order, which isn't something she does often.
Hearing Black Canary's tone of voice Speedy and Arsenal exchange looks, and the two of them, and Black Canary all fall back from where they are.
A little while later Laurel, Thea, and Roy arrive back at the Clocktower, where Sin is waiting, and as they arrive back all three of them remove their masks, and Laurel takes off her wig while Thea and Roy remove their hoods.
"What happened out there?" Sin asks, curious.
"That's what I want to know." Roy admits, looking at Laurel, "Why'd you pull back? We could have handled that."
"We were outnumbered, and we don't know enough, it wouldn't have been smart." Laurel admits, as in the few seconds she observed she realised that if just she, Thea and Roy tried to attack then chances are Thea and Roy would have been hurt. "We need help." She admits.
"From who? The police?" Sin asks.
"No." Laurel says, shaking her head, "There were beat cops there, I recognized them." Laurel reveals, "So even if I went to my father for help there is a chance that he could go to the wrong person, or the wrong person could find out, and that would be bad for all of us." She admits, it being clear that she isn't just talking about them, but Quinten too.
"If we can't ask the cops then who?" Roy asks, trying to think of possibilities, "Because I'm pretty sure Ted's made it pretty clear he's not going to suit up again." He notes, knowing all about Ted's vigilantly history.
"I don't think Ted was who Laurel was thinking about asking for help." Thea realises, looking at Laurel, who nods.
"Then who?" Sin asks, and as she does the answer comes to Roy, even though he was the one to ask the question in the first place.
"Oliver, you want to go to him for help." Roy realises.
"Yeah." Laurel says, with a nod.
"Don't you completely hate his methods?" Sin asks, looking at Laurel with a surprised look.
"I do, I really do." Laurel admits.
"And you still want to ask for help?" Roy asks, feeling surprised by that.
"I don't know if we have many other options." Laurel admits, "I need to think." She says, before heading down through the trap doors, clearly going to one of the other floors as she leaves Thea, Roy, and Sin standing together in shock, as they are pretty sure that Laurel even thinking about asking Oliver, or more specifically, the Hood, for help is a pretty big deal.