Long Live Love

by kayemen22

Starling is still reeling from the destruction brought on by Malcolm Merlyn. This city needs a hero and Oliver Queen decides he's ready to be that hero,but behind every great hero is a woman with a weird nickname who he's been in love with for practically his entire life.When it seems things are going right, dark secrets of the past seem to threaten to tear them apart. Oliver/OC

21. Unexpected Guests

Chapter 21

UNEXPECTED GUESTS

"Life just doesn't care about our aspirations, or sadness. It's often random,

and it's often stupid and it's often completely unexpected, and the closures

and the epiphanies and revelations we end up receiving from life,

begrudgingly, rarely turn out to be the ones we thought."

-Khaled Hosseini

---

There is nothing more annoying than the ticking of a wall clock. Katie's eyes were locked on that wall clock that was telling her that with every passing second, was another second lost to help her friends.

"I'm sorry Ms. Robins, am I boring you?" Katie suddenly sat up in her seat and turned to the gray haired man who sat behind the desk in front of her.

"Not at all Mr. Fox." Katie replied with a smile and a nod.

"Well you're boring me Lucius." Came the reply from Bruce who was seated beside Katie. Both her and Lucius rolled their eyes at the man. "And you've gone over every detail imaginable, is there really anything else you need?" The man chose to ignore Bruce before turning to Katie.

"In light of Queen Consolidated take over, a lot of the board members are just a bit worried that RI is next in sight."

"Weren't they here for when this guy stabbed me in the back and took my company?" Katie asked pointing a thumb over to Bruce. "I doubt I have the ability to sign over anything right now" Lucius glanced over to Bruce who simply turned away from the man's gaze. "What?"

"Well I made the mistake of believing Mr. Wayne when he said that he'd had someone explain the scope of your position here." Fox replied sitting up from his seat. "Ms. Robins you are still the CEO of this company. Your father implemented a safeguard in that contract, for there to be certain restrictions placed on the CEO if someone on the board felt said CEO wasn't making the best decisions for the company." Katie turned a furrowed brow to Bruce. "In essence Ms. Robins, you are still in control, you just have a few more loops to jump through to get things done."

"Let me guess, this bastard is the biggest loop."

"Yes, Wayne Enterprises must sign off on all decisions made, but-"

"Lucius-"

"I'm sorry Mr. Wayne, but we had a deal and you broke that deal. You were supposed to be honest with her, but you seemed to have glossed over a couple of details." Lucius said turning back to Katie. "I'm not sure what pushed Mr. Wayne to make the decision to add these restrictions, but Jacob Robins named you the CEO of this company and I have to believe that was for a reason. And so I will stand behind any decision you make when it comes to this company." Katie turned back to Lucius before standing to her feet and reaching out a hand, to which he shook.

"Thanks for your honesty Mr. Fox and if you would pretend that you do not see me hit Mr. Wayne." Katie said with a smile.

"I see nothing." Lucius said swiveling his chair around. The moment he did, Katie turned and punched Bruce hard in the arm.

"Son of a-" Bruce jumped to his feet and took a few steps back in case more blows came his way. Katie simply rolled her eyes before turning back to Lucius.

"It was nice seeing you again Mr. Fox." Katie said and the man turned and stood to his feet. "I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting."

"And I you." Lucius said showing the woman out of the office. He turned and looked to Bruce who sent a glare his way.

"Honesty in business is not always a good thing Lucius." Bruce states rubbing his shoulder.

"Maybe not, but I have a feeling it's the reason I'm here." the man replied with a wink before going back to his desk.

"Yeah, yeah." Bruce muttered finally leaving, the office. He spotted Katie waiting for the elevator and walked over to see her with her cell phone to her ear.

"How did it go?" she asked once again stepping forward to press the button for the elevator. She glanced over to him, but simply rolled her eyes once again. "Good, hopefully it gets to him." the doors finally opened and both she and Bruce stepped on. "I'm just getting out of my meeting, I can grab a cab and-oh, of course. When did he leave?" Katie chuckled. "I guess I will see you soon Smoaks, alright, bye." she hung up her phone before sliding it back into her purse.

"So how are things on the Slade Wilson front?" Bruce asked and Katie glanced over to him, but simply turned away. "Am I no longer allowed to help?"

"With this, no." Katie replied. "You broke my friend's heart, so no you can't assist on this one. I don't even know why you're still here." The elevator doors opened and Katie took a step, but Bruce moved to stand in front of her allowing the doors to close once again.

"I almost did it." Bruce said and Katie looked at him in confusion. "In the penthouse, when the Joker had that gun to her head and he said he'd let her go if I took my mask off, I almost did it." Bruce shook his head, haunted by that memory. "I can't get that close again."

"So the logical thing to do was to break up with the woman that you love, of course." Bruce shot the woman a look.

"You don't get it. That mask is all that is standing between my city and ruin and letting that slip away, do you understand what that could mean?" Bruce asked and Katie looked at the man for a few moments before shaking her head.

"Who do you think you are?" Katie asked. "No seriously, who do you really think you are? Bruce I commend you for what you're doing, and I truly do think you are making a difference, but you're not the messiah. You're a man. A man who fell in love and couldn't hack it. You couldn't handle the pressure to be Bruce Wayne. It's easy to put on that mask and fight when no one knows who you are, but inviting someone into your life and letting them see just you." she shook her head and walked around to open the doors. "You got scared Bruce, and you let that fear take away the woman you loved." she glanced over her shoulder to the man. The doors to the elevators opened and Katie spotted Oliver across the lobby, entering through the doors. She stepped off and Bruce was right there beside.

"You're right, it is easier to be the man behind the mask and I figure it's not just a problem I'm having." Bruce whispered over to her, just as Oliver walked over.

"Hey." Oliver greeted, placing a kiss to Katie's cheek before turning an annoyed glare to Bruce. "You're still here?"

"Yep, I'm still here." Bruce replied with a shrug, before turning to Katie with a nod. "I'll see you around Robins." and with that the man turned and walked away.

"What is he doing here?" Oliver asked turning back to Katie.

"No idea. He was at the meeting between Lucius and I, and he's been around every time I look over my shoulder." Katie replied with a shrug. "Maybe he just needed to get out of Gotham."

"Yeah, maybe." Oliver replied taking her hand and heading outside to his bike. They walked over and Oliver climbed on, before handing Katie the helmet, but she didn't take it. "What?" Katie stared at the man for a moment.

"Look at me Oliver." Katie stated simply and the man looked her over, now realizing that her current ensemble of a white blouse and blue pencil skirt probably wouldn't go well on the motorcycle.

"I guess I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to make sure I got here before the meeting was over." Oliver said climbing off the bike.

"It's fine, I'll just take a cab and meet you at the club." Katie says glancing up to the street for a cab. She shot up a hand, only for Oliver to reach up and take it in his. "What are you doing?"

"I will have someone pick up my bike." Oliver replied, before holding out his elbow to her. Katie simply looped her arm around his as they began walking down the street.

"I hate that I missed operation blow shit up." Katie whined dropping her head to Oliver's shoulder. "I would've been so good, in the black and the ski mask."

"Yeah, well operation blow shit up just put his plans on pause for a while." Oliver said with a shake of his head. "We have to figure out his next move."

"Well we know he's going to be looking for am industrial sized centrifuge to make his serum." Katie replied. "That's what was destroyed in the explosion. He's going to need a plan B to spreading the Mirakuru."

"Yeah, but what is plan B?" Oliver asked and Katie sighed unable to answer that question. They continued their stroll in silence for a few moments.

"So you meet with your lawyers tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Oliver sighed still beating himself up for getting himself pulled in by Isabel. "You know what I don't want to talk about Slade, or Isabel, or any of the other massive fuck ups that surround our lives right now."

"Neither do I, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about them." Katie says stopping when she spots something across the street. She nudges Oliver's side and he follows her eyes.

"What's that?" he asks as they walk over.

"That is a swing." Katie says simply at the swing that hangs from a tree. "I think I read a few weeks back about this artist putting this swing here in the middle of the business district in hopes that people will stop and just remember a simpler time." Katie walks over and sits on the swing and begins drifting back and forth.

"Do you remember that swing in Mrs. Crumbcakes backyard?" Oliver asks moving to stand behind her, before gently pushing her.

"I do, I also remember that not being that woman's name." Katie says laughing. "Your mother use to give you that look every time you called her that."

"It's not my fault her name was too difficult to pronounce." Oliver said joining into to her laughter. "That lady was so weird."

"And yet we had to go to her house and play with her even weirder grand daughter, Helga." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Who if I'm not mistaken was your first kiss."

"I could've sworn we pinkie sweared that out of the realm of existence." Oliver said stopping the swing and leaning over to her. "Unless you want me to mention your run in with Lawrence Dale, and your seven minutes in heaven." Katie groans at the memory of being trapped in that closet with that boy who smelled of cheese and asked to smell her shoes.

"I hate you so much for bringing that up." Oliver chuckled as he brought his lips to hers.

For a few brief moments, the rest of the world didn't exist outside of the two of them. There weren't any mad men, or deadly serums that made men crazy with power, there weren't backstabbing women who steal your families company. It was just them...or so they thought.

Parked just across the street, in the back seat of a black SUV was Slade Wilson and his accomplice Isabel Rochev.

"You know it would be so easy to just walk over there and-"

"Easy yes, but I'm not finished toying with our dear Mr. Queen." Slade says not able to tear his eyes from the couple who was laughing as if their lives weren't in his hands. "I want her."

"He does not make it easy. " Isabel says glancing out the window as well. "He really does love her and he's holding on tight. Keeping her close, always with someone, never alone. It makes a clean capture that much harder."

"I don't care, I want her." Slade says once again before turning to the woman, who simply nods.

The next morning, Katie sat cross-legged on her bed with her laptop in front of her. She stared, biting her lips as she read yet another article on mass blood transfusion trying to find a way that Slade could pass the Mirakuru along to his new soldiers.

"He's going to need a medical professional!" Katie called just as Oliver stepped from the bathroom. "We should see if anyone with a medical background has mysteriously gone missing."

"I'll pass it along to Felicity." Oliver says grabbing his suit jacket and sliding it on. Katie stood to her feet and stood next to the man as he fixed his tie in the mirror. She soon pushed his hand aside, so she could do it and he smiled down to her. "Come with me."

"Oliver, this is a family matter-"

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're family." Oliver says placing his hands above hers. "You here alone-"

"Where my house is covered with cameras, where you know the moment my front door opens, I know I'm so vulnerable." Katie says stalking out of the room, suddenly stopping in front of that door she tries religiously to pass as if it is not even there.

"Just go in." Oliver mutters from behind her. He maneuvers around her to grab the door knob before twisting it and pushing it open. The room was dark, with the slight sunlight filtering in. Katie took a deep breath before finally stepping inside the room. Oliver reached over and flicked on the light switch, illuminating the large room. Katie inhaled, the air stale, but she swears she can smell hints of her father's cologne.

"The last time I was in this room was the morning-" she felt the lump in her throat as she remembered the day her father had his stroke. "I was sitting on their bed, watching my dad as he rambled off his schedule before turning to me and telling me to be on time to meet him at the car lot." she walked over and sat on edge of the bed. "I'm tired of seeing you in that death trap of yours." she chuckled trying to mimic his voice.

"You know I think I remember seeing you in that ridiculous car. " Oliver laughed sitting beside her. "Once or twice when you were in town from college. I couldn't help but wonder why your dad would buy you that old for fiesta."

"He didn't." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "While in college I had a job. I worked in the library of a senior center. I needed a car, so I bought one." she glanced over to Oliver who looked confused. "When I was young, my dad would always tell me that he would give me the world if I wanted it, but he said there's nothing more gratifying then working hard and taking the world yourself, and I don't know I believed him." her eyes looked around the room, so many memories hitting her one after the other. She simply shook her head before standing to her feet and walking from the room.

"Twinkie-" Oliver called following her into the hall. Katie stopped walking and turned back to him. He opened his mouth the speak, when the doorbell suddenly rang. "That's John."

"Go, I'm fine." Katie say leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips. "I will be here when you get back." Oliver sighed as he placed a hand on the woman's cheek and stared into her eyes. Even after all this time, there were still those moments that he had absolutely no idea what was going through her head. He shook away the thought before, dropping his head to meet her lips. It was these moments where everything else seemed to disappear, and he was starting to need those moments lately. The doorbell rang again, and Oliver let out a low groan. "Go, before you're late to the meeting. I'll walk you to the door."

"Fine." Oliver sighed, taking her hand and walking down the stairs to the door. Oliver pulled open the door, and as expected there was his friend.

"Oliver paying you extra to meet him at the door?" Katie asked and John laughed with a shake of his head. "You're playing the role of the black driver very well."

"Not well enough I'm guessing." John says turning to Oliver. "I'm playing bodyguard today." Katie looked at the man confused, before turning to Oliver as well. "And I'm guessing he didn't tell you." Oliver didn't turn to her, but she knew John was telling the truth. She held up a finger to John for him to wait a minute before she closes the door.

"Twinkie, before you-"

"You're really starting to offend me Oliver." Katie says with a shake of her head. "I understand you're afraid that at any moment Slade is going to magically appear and stick me in a box to torture you or something, but-"

"You can take care of yourself, I know that, Diggle is backup. He's good backup." Oliver says before reaching forward to open the door. "And you're taking the help."

"That sounded awfully like an order." Katie says glancing over to John. "Didn't that sound like an order?" John simply rose his hands in surrender, not wanting to get in the middle of anything.

"It's not an order, it's a suggestion. One you're going to take whether you like it or not." Oliver replies.

"It's the whole like it or not that makes it an order." Katie adds, only for Oliver to just simply lean forward to kiss her cheek.

"Tomato, tomahto." Oliver muttered before turning and walking out the door. Katie and John watched as he got into his car and drove off, before turning to each other.

"C'mon, I have coffee." Katie says moving aside to let the man into the house.

Coffee somehow turned into a game of cards, as the pair traded old stories. Soon conversation strayed to John's time in the army, and Katie couldn't help but ask him the one question she's been trying to answer since she stepped foot back in Starling.

"How did you do it?" Katie suddenly asked and John looked over to her, unsure what she was asking. "How did you alter your head space from being in the middle of a war zone, seeing people die, being the person behind the weapon that takes someone's life, and then coming back here and not going ballistic on someone whose upset that their non fat latte has too much foam?" John chuckled dropping his cards, with a shake of his head.

"The truth?" John asked and Katie nodded. "I had to talk to someone. I had seen a lot, like stuff I had nightmares about and it got bad." John sighed, looking down to the table. "Like sitting in a dark and holding my glock bad." he glanced back up to Katie. "That was the moment I realized that if I didn't talk to someone, if I didn't get all of that out of me, I was going die." Katie sat down her own cards. "You know I still have some business cards of some good counselors, I could lend them to you if you would like." Katie looked over to the man for a moment, about to reply when the doorbell rang. They both turned toward the door. "Felicity said she was sticking around the foundry to check out that flash you got."

"Plus she has a key." Katie says standing to her feet and heading through the kitchen door.

"Hey, wait." John says following behind her. "This seems a little funky to me, maybe we should just head out the back." Katie furrowed her brow with a shake of her head.

"Anyone bold enough to ring my doorbell deserves an answer." Katie replies before continuing to the door, ignoring John's protests. She reached forward and pulled it open, not expecting the person on the other side. "Jeremy?"

"Long time no see cuz." the man replied.

Felicity Smoak bled computers. She used to tell people that if you looked at her blood in a microscope, you would probably see tiny zeros and ones. It was this fact that made her ashamed to say that she was having a difficult time accessing the information on the USB drive Katie recovered from Martin Ellis.

"Son of bitch!" she snapped angrily when another access denied message appeared in front of her. She slapped the table with her palms before standing to her feet and beginning to pace back and forth. She tried closing her eyes and imagining the process, but she kept coming to the same line of code that seemed impossible to crack.

"Robins has you nervously pacing too." a voice said and Felicity stopped and looked over to see Bruce standing at the base of the stairs. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I was just-"

"What are you doing here Bruce?" Felicity asked, and he couldn't even lie. The way she asked, the annoyance and aggression in her tone stung.

"I was looking for Oliver, there are some things that I've found that I need to pass along to him." Bruce replied.

"Oliver is obviously not here. He's in a meeting trying to figure out how to recover his company from Rochev the bitch warrior princess." Felicity said before turning and taking her seat back in front of the computer. "He's at the mansion." Bruce stood there for a moment, still not getting used to the woman's blatant dismissal. He shouldn't be surprised. He goes over that moment again and again in his head. He's standing on the balcony of the penthouse and she's standing there after saying the most beautiful words he thinks he's ever heard.

Felicity Smoak had just spoken three words to Bruce Wayne, that he think literally took his breath away. He'd just locked away the bane of his existence at the moment, after a long grueling chase that almost cost him is anonymity.

"If you don't say something I think I'm going to explode." Felicity said still waiting on a response from the man. She'd decided on the way here that she was no longer going to play these games with him. She wanted to be honest and just put her feelings out there. It was something she knew was dangerous, and made her vulnerable, but she didn't care. She needed him to know and she also needed to know his feelings as well.

Bruce still stood trying to form a coherent thought and Felicity's heart was ramming in her chest with anxiety. This was her greatest fear of this moment. That he would tell her that he didn't have the same feelings.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Felicity said turning and grabbing the railing of the balcony, trying breathe. "This was stupid right. After everything, I just-"

"When I saw you standing in my front door after I specifically told you that I didn't want your help, I think I absolutely knew without a single doubt that I was head over heels in love with you Ms. Smoak." Felicity turned her eyes back to him. "And then I told you leave, and you stood in front of me and told me no. You said that I couldn't do everything on my own and because of that you were staying and you were going to help me whether I liked it or not." A smile pulled at Felicity's lips and Bruce felt sick, because he knew his next words were going to ruin this moment. It was going to change something he'd been analyzing and deliberating ever since he met the woman. "And then a crazy clown put a gun to your head and I nearly risked everything to save you. I nearly tore the mask off my face, and begged him to let you go because I think if he really did kill you then the world wouldn't have Bruce Wayne or the Batman." Bruce clenched his jaw and dropped his head, yelling inside of himself to stop talking, to not ruin this. He knew it was his heart, and yet his brain seemed stronger. "The Joker, no matter how sadistic and insane he was taught me something. "he looked back to the woman's awaiting eyes. "He taught me that when fighting the bad guys, you can't have your hand showing. You can't have any tells and you can't have such an obvious weakness." Bruce took a step toward her, but Felicity backed away, and the look in her eyes nearly tore the man apart. "You, Felicity Smoak, are my weakness and I can't-"

"Stop talking." Felicity interrupted bitterly. "I think we both get the gist of what's happening. You're breaking up with me, if that's what you can even call it since we never even defined-" She bit her tongue, as she felt herself breaking down, but she remembered her mother's words in this moment.

Never let them see you cry honey. If no one sees it, then it makes it that much easier to pretend as if it didn't happen.

Felicity took a final deep breath before looking back up to Bruce.

"The Batman is a hero, he saves the people of Gotham and he shows the bad guys that there is someone here willing to stand up for justice. " she shook her head and looked him over. "Bruce Wayne is an asshole. He's pompous, and he's arrogant and he's an idiot. I would've made you happy Bruce, but you just had to ruin it." Felicity shook her head woman again before stalking back into the penthouse. "I will pack my things and be out of here in a half an hour!"

Bruce has never had as many doubts about anything, as much as he has about deciding to end things with Felicity. He kept telling himself that it was the most probable thing to do, that if he didn't end it, that they would regret it in the future and he couldn't do that to her. He refused to do that her. At least now she had a chance at even a semblance of a happy future.

Felicity growled once again, slamming her palms against the computer's keyboard.

"What are you working on?" Bruce asked and Felicity sighed glancing over her shoulder. "Look I get you want me to leave, but in the off chance that I could help you, do you really want to turn me away."

"It's too soon Bruce." Felicity said with a shake of her head. "It's only been a couple of weeks, and the memory is still fresh. You can't come here and just pretend like what happened, just didn't happen." Bruce stalked over and took the seat beside her, but she still refused to look at him.

"You said that you would've made me happy." Bruce spoke and Felicity turned to him. "I just wasn't sure I would've done the same for you. One day you're going to thank me for-"

"Stop talking Bruce." Felicity said with a shake of her head as she turned back to the computer. "I'm the last person you should expect sympathy from." Bruce shook his head before glancing to the monitor, his brow furrowing at the code he saw. Felicity glanced over to him. "What?"

"What is this code from?" Bruce asked and Felicity sighed turning back the screen.

"Martin Ellis." Felicity replied and Bruce turned to her with wide eyes. "The guy whose been dishing out these weird lessons, who keeps kidnapping her and making her kill people." she turns back to the monitor. "Apparently it's Mr. Ellis, who we all thought was dead, because that's what Katie told us. I'm still not even sure-"

"It was a story cooked up by ARGUS." Bruce said standing to her feet. "Maybe they know where he is-" Bruce turned and headed for the stairs of the club.

"I doubt it!" Felicity called after him and he turned to see her looking back at him. "Martin Ellis is being questioned."

"By who?" Bruce asked and Felicity rose a brow as she debated on telling him the information Oliver had adamantly told them not to reveal to anyone. "Felicity, this is important?"

"Why?"

"Because if this is Martin Ellis, then we may have bigger problems then we anticipated." Felicity stared in confusion, still missing the alert that someone was attempting to hack Katie's security system.

John chose to stand, his arms folded as they all found themselves in Katie's kitchen. Katie sat across from Jeremy who stared right back at her, neither even touching the coffee in front of them. John told her that something didn't seem right about this, that her cousin just mysteriously showing up was just all a little bit suspicious.

"Either you're stupid, or you have a thing about punishment. I could call the police right now and have you thrown in to a very dark prison for what you've done." Katie said and she couldn't believe that he chuckled. "Something funny? I trusted you. I had no idea how to run that company-"

"Exactly!" Jeremy snapped and John stood up a bit straighter, his hand slyly going to the gun he had tucked away behind him in his waistband. "I went to Harvard business school, and you went to medical school in Princeton. I have a MBA and you have a PHD. So tell me, why the hell would he name you the CEO?" Jeremy shook his head, that question he wished he could ask Jacob. "Your place was not at the head of that company, it was mine. It was always supposed to be me."

"And because you were skipped over, you decided to what, get back at him by stealing from the company he built?" Katie asked moving the mug out of the way. "I trusted you and I was going to give it to you, but you screwed up." she shook her head and stood to her feet.

"I got tired of always having to run everything by you. I was tired of everyone praising the hero of the Glades who also found time to keep her father's memory alive. It was supposed to be my time and you stole that away from me." suddenly the lights flickered above them and both Katie and John looked up confused. Soon the lights stopped flickering and went off all together.

"Katie?" John says moving toward the woman. "We need to leave."

"That's not happening." Jeremy says and both Katie and John look over to the man who stands to his feet. "You see dear cousin, I thought all hope was lost for me, but then something wonderful happened. I got offered a job. A great job and all I had to do was one thing."

"Jeremy, what-" before the sentence even came out of her mouth, Jeremy pulled a gun from somewhere inside of his jacket, and pointed it at John. "Jeremy, do not be stupid. Put down the gun."

"I can have it all back." Jeremy said staring at John, whose hand still gripped his gun. "Put your hands on your head John." John clenched his jaw, but released his gun and did as he was told, placing his hands on the back of his head.

"You're making a mistake." Katie said and Jeremy chuckled again. "It's why he chose the girl with the PHD over the guy with the MBA. You make too many mistakes that could easily be avoided." Suddenly they heard the front door open and everyone froze. There were high heeled feet that got closer, and soon a familiar face appeared. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Dr. Robins, good to see you again." Isabel Rochev said with a smile before turning to Jeremy who still held the gun aimed at John. "Shoot him."

"Jeremy, don't-" Katie's pleas fell on deaf ears, because the words weren't even out of her mouth before that shot rang through her house. She stood there frozen as she watched John fall back to the ground, and in an instant a familiar feeling crept inside of her as she turned back to Isabel who wore smirk.

"Alright doctor, I gather at his point you know what is happening. You are to come with me and-" Isabel stared at the woman, whose eyes still looked at the man gasping for air as he held a hand to the bleeding hole in his shoulder. "Doctor-" she was still ignored. "Listen you stupid bitch-" and for some reason beyond the realm of belief, Katie began laughing as she finally met Isabel's confused eyes.

"You couldn't honestly believe that it was going to be that easy?" Katie asked, her eyes darkening as she looked between Isabel and Jeremy. "You shoot my friend, and then think all obstacles are out of the way?"

"Give it up. You're all alone, with no one to protect you." Jeremy said with a shake of his head.

"And at what point did you start believing I needed someone to protect me?" Katie asked and without missing a beat, she grabbed the kitchen table before flipping it over and running out up the stairs that lead to the second floor of the house. Jeremy took a step forward, but Isabel caught his arm.

"I got her, you stay and watch him." Isabel replied before stalking toward the stairs. She climbed to the second floor, moving slowly, and keeping her ears open. "You know I've been waiting for this moment." she found the first room and pushed opened the door. It was a bedroom. She noticed the laptop on the bed, and the woman's clothes in the closet, figuring this was Katie's room. "The moment I finally get to wipe that self righteous look off your face." Isabel searched the room, but didn't hear anything and so she left to go to the next. "And now he's going to use you to make that airhead of a boyfriend of yours pay for everything he's done." Isabel stopped when she thought she heard a noise from the room she stood beside and so she turned and pushed open the door. This room seemed a bit thick with dust as if no one had been in it in a long time. "Awww, is this mommy and daddy's room?" The woman let her eyes roam over the room as she walked around. "You know I met him once, and he was just as annoying as you. If you ask me the day he was murdered was a great day in Starling." Isabel stopped moving when she felt the presence behind her and so she slowly turned to see Katie standing there. "And I was so hoping to find you cowering away in some closet somewhere, oh well." Isabel took a step forward, reaching out a hand to grab Katie, only for Katie to grab the woman's arm and push it from her. Isabel, swung her free arm, but Katie dipped to dodge it before sending a forceful kick to the woman's stomach sending her collapsing to the ground.

"He told you this was going to be easy." Katie said watching as the woman stumbled back to her feet. "And you believed him. That was your first mistake." Katie suddenly ran at the woman, tackling her to the floor.

Felicity stood in a state of shock after Bruce told her a story she wasn't quite sure she could believe. She turned away from him, still debating on the validity of the story and she had no reason to doubt it, but at the moment she really didn't think her team could handle any more life shattering information. Her eyes suddenly fell to her cell phone that was blinking and she quickly went over to it.

"Shit!" Felicity said as she swiped over her screen. "Shit! Shit! Shit!." she turned to Bruce with wide eyes.

"What? "

"Problem, one big fucking problem!" Felicity replied already dialing before bringing the phone to her ear. "You need to get to Katie's house, I think she may be in trouble." Bruce didn't ask any questions before turning and running out of there.

Oliver stood in the living room of the mansion after their lawyer left. The only way to save their family's income was to move assets from Isabel and to do that they all needed to sign off on it. Including Thea,who wasn't talking to either one of them at the moment. He watched as his mother signed the contracts after telling him of his father's past affair with Isabel.

"You take this to Thea, and you convince her, somehow, to help us fight back." Moira said before handing her the papers. Oliver simply nodded before the woman turned and walked from the room. Oliver glanced down to the papers when his cell phone suddenly rang. He mindlessly pulled it from his pocket before bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Oliver?" Felicity's frantic voice spoke. "We have a problem, you need to get to Twinkie as soon as possible."

Without a word, Oliver gripped the contract before running out of the house to his car.

Isabel rolled down the stairs as Katie stalked down toward her. Both woman looked tired and beaten, but it was obvious who had the upper hand. Isabel pushed herself back away from Katie, trying to place as much distance as possible, but soon Katie was standing right there in front of her.

"I'm going to kill you now." Katie said before reaching forward to grab her.

"Don't move!" a voice called and Katie stopped and turned to see John on his knees as Jeremy held a gun to the back of his head. "You touch her and he's dead." Katie's eyes went to John who was growing pale from the blood loss. She looked back to Jeremy who stared nervously to the woman still on the floor.

"Katie, just go, get out of here!" John yelled at her and Katie looked back to him with a small smile. "Just go. You and I both know Slade can't get you."

"And yet she has no other choice." the woman seethed, before punching Katie so hard in the face, the woman dropped to the floor, only catching herself on the palms of her hands. Isabel let out a satisfied breath before pulling her cell phone from her pocket and dialing a number. "You see Mr. Diggle, Slade Wilson always gets what-" There was a gunshot that didn't fire from Jeremy's gun. Isabel watched as Jeremy stood there for a couple of seconds, his eyes still open even with the hole in his forehead before simply dropping to the floor. John slid out of the way, behind the couch as Isabel turned to Katie who held a gun pointed at her.

"I have weapons all over this place." Katie said taking a couple of steps toward the woman, as she wiped the blood from her lip with the back of her hand. . "You are going to tell me where your boss is before I kill you and make it last for as long as possible." Isabel stared at her with a tilted head, still surprise at the events that lead to this moment. "So help me, if you don't start talking!" Katie heard sirens outside, and turned her head.

"Katie, she's running!" John called and Katie turned to in fact see the woman heading for the kitchen. Katie turned, running after her. She barreled through the kitchen and out the back door, but there was no one there.

"SCPD, drop the gun!" a voice from behind her ordered and Katie held up her hands. Suddenly an officer was behind her, snatching the gun from her hand before pushing her face down in the grass, as cuffs were forced onto her wrists. Katie lifted her head, still scanning the area in hopes of spotting the woman, but she really was just gone.
The moment Oliver pulled up in front of the house, his heart sank into his stomach. There were squad cars lined along the block, as police officers moved about the house. He couldn't see her and right now he thinks the only thing he needs is to see her. He began moving toward the house, but a police officer moved to block him.

"I'm sorry sir, this is still an active crime scene, I can't let you anywhere on the premises." the officer ordered, and Oliver's jaw clenched, and he was only able to take a single step toward the man, before he's grabbed from behind and pulled away. It wasn't until he turned, did he realize who it was.

"Bruce, what are you-"

"I was with Felicity when she got the alert." Bruce said letting his eyes going over the house that was now being taped off by the police. "Where is Robins?"

"I don't-" Oliver turned back to the house, trying to ignore the tightening in his chest. Suddenly a familiar face appeared, and Oliver's eyes widened seeing John now being rolled out on a stretcher, a bloodied bandage wrapped around his soldier. Oliver and Bruce ran to meet him, before he is placed in the ambulance. "John-"

"Oliver-" John tries to sit up, but the EMTs, push him down. "I told you I'm fine!" he looks back to Oliver whose still awaiting him answers. "You need to get in there, she's-" John dropped his head for only a moment.

"Diggle?"

"She's not in a good place." John replied once again meeting his friend's eyes. "It was Jeremy, he was working with Slade and he tricked her and when push came to shove, she-she chose to save my life, even if it meant taking his." Oliver's eyes widen as he looks back to the house. "They're questioning her now, but she's doesn't seem to be taking this well." without another word, Oliver just bolted toward the door, ignoring the orders from the police. He ran inside the house, and he saw her immediately. She was sitting on the couch in the living room and he quickly ran over, kneeling in front of her. Officers followed about to grab him, but suddenly a hand lifts to stop them.

"It's alright." Lieutenant Frank Pike says as he looks down to couple. "Ms. Robins I think I get the gist of what happened here, but if i have any more questions I'll give you a call. This all seems like it was self defense, but for now I would try to get some rest, maybe-" he looked around the house that was wreck. "Maybe find somewhere else to stay for the rest of the night." he looked back down to Oliver, who still held Katie's hand as he continued looking toward the woman's blank eyes. "And Mr. Queen, my officers usually give orders for a reason. Next time follow them."

"Yes sir." Oliver muttered not even turning to the man.

Soon the crime scene had been process, and the only people left in the house were Katie and Oliver who hadn't moved.

"Talk to me." He finally followed Katie's eyes to see her staring at a blood stain on the carpet in front of them. "You didn't have a choice, you-"

"I had a shot to his shoulder, maybe a graze to his neck." Katie said still staring at the stain in the carpet. "I had a choice and I chose the kill shot." she finally turned to Oliver meeting his eyes. "I chose the kill shot." Katie's eyes turned back to the blood stained carpet for just a few moments. It was a choice that once again brought out some many insecurities she thought she had over came.

"You can't stay here." Oliver muttered letting his eyes look over the place. "We thought this place was safe, but obviously it's not. I'm bringing you to the mansion-"

"Oliver, this only proves that I am a very volatile person to be around and I wouldn't dare put your family at risk-"

"They're already at risk, with or without you!" Oliver snapped standing to his feet so he toward over her. "Slade got too close to you this time. He found a way-" Oliver glanced around the destroyed house. "A way into our house and I don't know-" he shook his head looking back down to her. "I don't know what else to do. The mansion is big and there's more security around." Katie thought for a few moments and at the moment didn't have an argument to combat that. She thinks if the moment wasn't as fresh as it was, if her fingers still weren't tingling and the dark feeling wasn't still moving around her skin, she thinks she would, but simply turned to Oliver and nods as she stands to her feet.

Oliver walks with her upstairs, looking around to the damage that had made it up there. Katie stops at her parents bedroom door, and simply shakes her head before going to her room to pack some clothes.

Once they arrived at the mansion, Katie stepped out of the car and looked up to it for a moment.

"You're poison, killer." said the voice that only she could here. "It's only a matter of time before you infect them all." Oliver soon took her hand and lead her to the door.

"My mom had another meeting this afternoon, so she's not here, but I called her and told her you would be staying here."

"I'm sure she was thrilled." Katie muttered as they walked through the doors of the massive home. "I need to shower and change.

"And I'll call the others and tell them to meet us at the foundry." Oliver replied. Katie nodded before heading up the stairs.

Hot water fell on Katie's head as she tried to tear her mind from seeing it over and over in her head. The bullet going into her cousin's head, and the look on his face as the life behind his eyes just drifts away. She didn't need another death on her back, but that's exactly what she got today. Katie let her eyes close, and lifted her head so the water fell to her face.

When the bus station finally came into sight, Katie doesn't think she's ever been more relieved in her life. For a while there, she thought the strange British man was leading her on some kind of wild goose chase that would end with some sort of goat sacrifice or something. They arrived just outside the doors of the station, before Constantine turned back to her. He pulled a ticket from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Alright, here it is." he said and Katie took the ticket from his hand and glanced down to it.

"Black Eagle Montana to Coast City?" she said in confusion before looking back up to the man.

"It's the closest you're getting home, once you're there, I'm sure you can call your father and he'll send the national guard or something for you." the man replied and Katie sighed. He gave her a nod, before turning about to walk away.

"Wait!" she said and he stopped and turned back to her. "That's it. You rescue me, get me to safety and now you're leaving?"

"What else is there, love?"

"How about the truth?" she asked taking a step forward. "Tell me how did you know where I was, how do you know my mother, why did you bring me here?"

"I already told you all the truth you need to know. Anything else, you're just not ready for."

"Passengers going to Coast City, your bus is now boarding." A voice said over the loud speaker. Katie's eyes went back to the man who gave her another nod before turning and finally leaving. Katie took a deep breath before turning and stepping through the doors of the station. She glanced up in search of the way to her bus.

"You look lost." a voice said from behind her, and Katie froze in place. It was a familiar voice from someone she thought she had escaped. Katie finally turned around to the eyes of the woman she really hoped never to see again. "I'm glad I found you."

"Agent Michaels, let me guess my new British friend is one of yours?" Katie asked asked glancing around, now seeing the eyes on her from surrounding agents trying to blend in.

"No, your new British friend belongs to no one." Lyla replied looking up as two agents walked up behind Katie. "Which only surprised us when he gave us a call telling us where we could find you." the woman pressed a finger to the comlink in her ear. "We have her, and we're moving out."

Katie stepped from the bathroom where she found Oliver now changed and standing in the middle of his room.

"I told everyone we'd meet them over there in an hour." Oliver said and Katie nodded before walking over to her bag and taking out some clothes. Oliver simply watched her, looking for some sort of indication of what was going in in her head. "What do you need?" he asked suddenly and Katie turned and looked to him. He walked over to stand in front of her, his hands going to rest on her hips. "Right now, this moment, what do you need?" Katie smiled up to him, sliding a hand along his cheek before shaking her head.

"Right now the only thing I need is to forget and I don't think there is much you could-" Her words were cut off by Oliver's lips against her own, proving her own words a lie. The moment his lips moved against hers, and his tongue swept inside her mouth, she did forget everything, even if it were for only a few moments.

When he pulled back, their breaths mingling as he gently dropped his forehead against hers. He stared into her eyes for a few moments.

"You're not a monster." he doesn't know why he said those words, but he just had a feeling that right now she needed to hear them. Katie looked up into his eyes, his words hitting her unexpectedly. She had to drop her head from his gaze, had to will the tears from emotions she wasn't even sure why she was having, from falling.

"How do you know that?" she whispers and Oliver fingers slid underneath her cheek to lift her eyes back to his. "I don't even know that."

"I've seen a lot of monsters in my life. None with your heart." he smiled as he pressed another kiss to her lips. "And none who would let me call them Twinkie." they laughed as he brought his lips back to hers.

When they finally got to the club, the others were already waiting inside, including a Mr. John Diggle who wore a sling around his arm.

"Why aren't you in the hospital?" Katie asked the man, walking over to look at his arm.

"Because I've been shot far worse then this, and still went back to the fight." John replied and Katie looked up to his eyes. "I've been meaning to thank you."

"Don't thank me John for saving your life." Katie sighed with a shake of her head.

"I'm sorry you had to do that, if there is anything I can do-" Katie simply held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm fine." she replied looking over to Felicity who silently stared in concern. "Really I'm fine." she glanced back over to Oliver. "More important things-" she looked over to Sara. "Your dad, how is he?" they were all a bit worried when they heard that Lance was arrested for not revealing where the Arrow is, but they were hoping the fact that he was telling the truth would get him out of this mess.

"He's willing to go to jail for the arrow." Sara replied glancing over to Oliver.

"What about Roy?" Katie asked looking around. "Anyone heard from him?"

"I had went to check out his apartment before I came by your house today, it was empty." John says glancing over to Oliver. "Seemed like he cleared out days ago."

"Where the hell did he go?" Oliver asked, more to himself, but he shook his head. "Look , Roy will have to wait. Right now we need to deal with Slade. Figure out what his next move is." Oliver spoke as he lead the others to the basement. " I know Slade, and today he failed at getting Katie-" they walked down the stairs to the basement of the club. "He's not going to stop-" Katie suddenly grabbed his arm stopping him from taking another step. Oliver turned to her in confusion, but soon he wasn't confused anymore.

"Welcome home." came a deep raspy voice and all their eyes turned to see Deathstroke standing there in the middle of the lair.

After that, everything erupted in craziness. The man pulled out a gun and began firing and everyone went searching for cover. Oliver wrapped an arm around Felicity, before jumping over the railing and pushing her to cover. He stood quickly, looking up to see Katie jump over the railing as well. He threw his hands up to catch her as they all dropped to the floor to take cover from the bullets. Soon the lights went out, and they heard the scream of Sara as she went to attack the man who only caught her by the throat and tossed her like a rag doll. Oliver looked to see John running toward the man with his own gun and cursed under his breath.

"Diggle stay back!" Oliver yelled the warning, but John just didn't hear him because he kept going, even when he ran out of bullets that didn't even seem to be hurting the man. He growled turning back to Katie and Felicity. "Stay here." he suddenly bolted toward the man who sent John flying through the glass display. Katie peeked from their spot to see Oliver now fighting with a pair of steel escrima sticks against Slade's sword. Both men moved quickly, each move being matched by the other, until Slade got the upper hand, using his sword to push against Oliver's sticks. Soon his blade met Oliver's arm causing the man to scream in pain. In one swift movement, Slade swept the sticks aside before grabbing Oliver and flipping him on his back.

"Don't forget who taught you how to fight kid." Slade growled before standing to his feet, his eyes searching the darkness.

Katie made to stand to her feet, but Felicity caught her arm and held on tight. Katie glanced over to the woman, who she could see silently shaking her head. It was too dark, and Katie pulled from Felicity's grasp to the light switch, flicking it on to find the man gone. Katie stood there, her eyes scanning around to see everyone pushing themselves from the floor. She ran over to John who was moving slowly.

"I'm fine." he grumbled, but she could see through it. She grabbed his arm and helped to stand before going over to Sara, who had a gash on her forehead. The woman stumbled as she stood, but Katie grabbed her arm before she could hit the ground.

"I got you." Katie said, tossing the woman's arm around her neck trying to carry her to a chair.

"I'm fine." Sara muttered as she lowered to the chair.

"I will decide that." Katie said looking closely at the wound on her head. "It could just be a hairline fracture, but you're going to need a CT to be sure."

"What, no hospital." Sara argued. "This is your job right? Just patch me up." Katie sighed glancing over to John who pulled back his sling, revealing some torn stitches. She shook her head before turning back to Oliver who still stood in a bit of shock at what just happened.

That's when the laughter came to her ears again, that cackle that always sent a chill down her spine. She glanced over to see her own personal ghost in the corner just laughing at her.

"Can't be scared now monster. There is no fear." he said and his words were echoing in her head. "Only action. Ask him." Lian nudged his head and Katie turned to follow his eyes and there standing with a smirk on his face was her cousin, the hole in his head oozing blood.

"You didn't hesitate to shoot me and yet you cower from the man in the weird mask." he said. "And he was actually dangerous. I was just your idiot cousin and yet I'm the one in a body bag."

"Twinkie?" Oliver spoke noticing the woman's sudden silence. He walked over to stand in front her, her eyes seeming to look beyond him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a slight shake, but there was no reaction.

There was a humming sound coming from somewhere around her. Katie sat on the window seat of a small plane, the distant voice of Agent Michaels talking to her, but all she heard was that humming. Suddenly a hand reached for her, and she has no idea why, but she grab the perpetrators hand before they could touch her, twisting it and pushing them back. Suddenly the sounds of clips being pulled back echoed around and Katie found herself back in the moment. She looked down to see agent Michaels now on the floor holding her wrists as agents aimed their guns at her.

"What the hell was that?" Lyla growled standing to her feet and lowering herself back to her seat. She waved the agents to drop their weapons, which they did before taking their seat. "Katie-"

"What now?" Katie asked the woman. "I escaped and now you have me again. Do I go to Gotham, am I going on some secret mission, are you shipping me off to steal some painting from Paris. What now?"

"Waller will give you your orders." Lyla replied simply and Katie rolled her eyes before turning back to look out the window. "I know given the circumstances, this may be a stupid question, but are you alright?" Katie let out a slight chuckle.

"You're right." Katie muttered not even bothering to look at the woman. "That is a stupid question."

A blinding light seemed to be hit Katie expectantly causing her to jerk back. There was a hand that grabs her arm, and she nearly attacks, but stops when she realizes she knows the perpetrator.

"Chris, what are you doing here?" Katie asked the man.

"I work here." Christian replied, and that's when Katie looks around to see that she's currently in a hospital room. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was at the club with Oliver and-" Katie stops when she figures that maybe she shouldn't mention the ambush from the crazy guy in the mask. "That's it." she looks back over to the doctor with a slight shake of her head. "What happened?"

"How are things going with Oliver?" Christian asked and Katie stared with a quirked brow. "It's just I noticed the bruise on you cheek, and then there are the bruises on your arms." Katie glanced down to see that the man was right. There were bruises appearing from her tussle with Isabel this morning. "Look if you want to tell me something-"

"Chris stop." Katie says meeting the man's eyes. "Oliver didn't do this. Oliver wouldn't do this." she glanced around. "Is that why he isn't in here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you alone in case-" the man sighed with a shake of his head.

"Christian?"

"Last year when I wanted to hire you, I did the necessary background check and you were perfect for the job."

"But Bruce bribed you and you rejected me, what's your point?"

"Well after that, I received more information from the background check. Something that kind of shocked me." Katie looked at him, and noticed the look of pity that was suddenly in his eyes and she already knew what he'd found out.

"You know about my kidnapping."

"I do and now you make so much sense now. The no sleeping, and the irregular eating patterns, the stress and the toll its taking on your physical and mental health." Chris said and Katie shook her head before turning to stand from the bed. "You need help. I think you've needed help for a long time." Katie stood from the hospital bed and walked over to grab her jacket. "You need to be admitted and monitored, maybe even medicated."

"I'm fine." Katie muttered not really interested in the doctor's diagnosis.

"That's just it, you're not fine!" the doctor snapped standing to his feet and moving to block her way out. "Look at me." Katie turned to meet his eyes. "You know I'm right. Know that if the tables were turned, you'd be doing exactly what I'm doing right now." Katie tried to side step him, but he continued to block her. "How can you walk out the door? You know the risks associated with PTSD. Know how dangerous it could be if it gets really bad."

"I do know the risks, but I do not have PTSD. I'm just-" Katie shook her head trying to describe her current state of being, but was coming up blank for some reason. She turned back to Christian who waited for an answer. "I'm fine, because I have to be fine. There's no time for me not to be fine."

"Why not?"

"Because there just isn't." Katie replied once again trying to get around the man, but he moved to block her. "Please move or I will move you." Christian sighed stepping aside letting the woman move toward the door.

"One day your house of cards is gonna fall Katie." Christian said stopping the woman as her hand touches the door knob. "Just remember you had the chance to stop it and chose not to. As a patient it makes you look foolish, but as a doctor it just makes you look stupid." Katie didn't say anything before pulling open the door and walking out into the hall, almost bumping into someone.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't-" Katie looked up to see yet another unexpected familiar face. "Laurel?" The woman seemed to study Katie's face, her eyes lingering on the bruise on her cheek. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing." Laurel replied meeting the woman's eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Katie replied automatically. "It's just been a crazy day."

"Tell me about it. I just came from seeing Sara. Apparently her and Oliver were in some kind of motorcycle accident." Laurel replied and Katie's eyes widen. She wasn't aware of the story, but figured she should probably play along.

"Are they alright?" she asked glancing down the hall.

"Their fine. Sara just has a hairline fracture, and Oliver barely has any scars." Laurel replied and Katie turned letting out a sigh of relief. "You didn't know about this?"

"No, I had an appointment." Katie lies with a nudge down the hall. "I should probably go check on Oliver." Katie made to step, but Laurel stopped her.

"Do Oliver and Sara hang out often alone on his motorcycle?" the woman asked and Katie knew what she was getting at. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to make any assumptions, I just know Oliver."

"I think I do too."

"I've also had experience in being Oliver's girlfriend. He's into self sabotage, so if I were you, I would be careful with him." Laurel replied turning to see Oliver himself walking toward them. "Well I should get going." she gave the man a nod before hurrying down the hall.

"Hey." Oliver said his hand automatically, wrapping around Katie's waist and pulling her to him. "Are you alright? I would've stayed but Dr. James kicked me out."

"That's because he thinks you did this to my face." Katie said, and Oliver's eyes widen in disbelief. "Don't worry I told him you didn't."

"So what happened? You totally just blanked." Oliver said and Katie just shook her head.

"It was nothing. Just the day catching up to me, but I'm fine." Katie replied, turning away from Oliver, a move he knows means she's not being completely honest with him.

"Is that what Christian thinks?" Oliver asks and Katie sighs pulling from his grasp and turning to walk down the hall. "Honesty remember? We promised." Katie stops walking and turned back to him. "What is it?"

"He thinks I have PTSD. That I should be admitted and monitored to see how severe it actually is and to see if there is some kind of treatment that may need to be in place." Katie says with a roll of her eyes. "But it's a load crap because I'm fine. Where's Sara, we should go." Oliver didn't say anything as he stood there staring at the woman, still trying to process the information. "Don't look at me like that. I'm fine." That look in his eyes, that pity she really hated seeing from people looking at her was very clear in his eyes. "Look we don't have time for me to have these kind of issues. We have bigger problems." she turned down the hall to see Sara who seemed to be walking over almost hesitantly.

"Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine. We should regroup, find out why Slade decided not to kill us." Katie said turning back to Oliver. "He had us pinned down and he chose not to kill us. Either he's grown a heart or it was another game and we're just not seeing what he's playing at." Oliver still didn't says anything as both Katie and Sara looked to him waiting for some kind of response. "Liver-"

"Can you get back to the club on your own?" Oliver asked turning to Sara who silently nodded, before glancing over to Katie. "Good, I will meet you there." Sara nodded again before walking away, sharing a confused look with Katie as she past. Once she was gone, Oliver turned back to Katie's awaiting gaze.

"Don't do this Oliver. Don't make this, this big thing that needs to be dissected and picked apart because it really doesn't."

"If this was me, what would you do?" Oliver asked simply, and Katie shook her head turning away from him. She hated that he asked that question because she didn't like the answer.

"I'm not being admitted." she stated simply. "I don't need to be admitted."

"Then maybe you need to take a step back from this Slade front." Oliver said and Katie turned to him with wide eyes. "Twinkie, for the past couple of months, I've been looking at you, wondering how you can go through what you've gone through, what you're still going through and come out the other end-" he sighed. "Just fine, but I'm starting to see the truth. Behind that mask you have up. You're not fine, you're probably miles from fine."

"How dare you judge me?" Katie asked taking a step toward the man. "Can you stand there and say you're one hundred percent? That Slade being here hasn't thrown you off your game."

"I will admit that, but for the first time I think I'm finally noticing that your demons maybe darker than mines." Oliver said and Katie scoffed, turning from his eyes once again. "Twinkie-"

"Take me home." Katie says turning back to him, and the look in her eyes, the look of betrayal she sends him cuts deep, but he doesn't show it. He's doing this for her, whether she believes it or not.

Katie realized the moment they pulled up to the mansion, that Oliver wasn't taking her home. She figure he probably wouldn't and at this point she didn't feel like arguing with him and so she stepped out of the car and headed for the door. She had to wait for him since she didn't have a key and the moment he appeared beside her, he didn't even attempt to open the door. Katie rolled her eyes before turning to him.

"Would you open the door?"

"You never answered my question." Oliver says and Katie sighs. "If this were the other way around, what would you do?"

"What does it matter?" she asks turning back to the door.

"It matters because I think your answer might prove how much of a hypocrite you're being." Oliver replied and Katie sent him a glare as he reached forward to open the door. He let her walk inside, before following behind her. "My mom is probably here somewhere." he glanced back down to her. "You should eat something, maybe take a nap, watch some televisions-"

"And just pretend like I didn't kill my cousin this morning, followed by watching my boyfriend and my friends getting their asses kicked by some psychotic guy who wants to spread a disease in our city." Katie turned for the stairs, but Oliver caught her around the waist.

"I just need you to take one night to just stop and breathe." Oliver says placing a kiss to the side of her head. "I'm strongest when you're at my side." Katie turned back to meet his eyes. "You're my guardian after all." Katie placed a hand on his cheek before leaning forward to place a kiss to his lips.

"You're so annoying." she mutters before turning and heading up the stairs. Oliver couldn't help the smile that came to his face as he watched her.

"I love you too Twinkie." he called after her, only getting a wave in response.

Katie stepped inside of Oliver's large empty room and let out a deep sigh. She was no good at being idle, and yet here she was. She stripped off of her jacket and walked over to the bed and laid down, her eyes going to the ceiling.

"You're fine." she whispered to herself. "You can close your eyes and just go to sleep." she did as she said, slowing her breaths hoping that it would just happen, and yet there was something inside of her that didn't want it to happen. That part of her that was just afraid of reliving those three years, and witness all the terrible things she's been through. Katie didn't give up though. She lied there, tossing and turning, hoping that at some point sleep would just happen. When she finally opened her eyes she realized that the little sunlight that was there, was now gone. It was still hard for her to admit that there was a problem and so she would keep denying the obvious. "Milk!" she sat up from the bed and headed from the door. She remembers when she was younger and had a difficult time sleeping after her mother died, her father always made her a glass of warm milk that knocked her out.

Katie decided to change into her pajamas so there would be nothing keeping her from getting to bed once she's had her milk. She grabbed her robe, tying it around herself before finally leaving Oliver's room. It was the moment she stepped into the dimlit hall did she realize how creepy the big mansion was to be in alone. It reminded her so much of Bruce's house when she was younger and would get lost all the time. When Katie reached the steps, she found herself looking around for life somewhere in the house. It was late, and she figured that maybe everyone here was probably already asleep.

The kitchen was illuminated by a small light in the corner, which at least let Katie know where the refrigerator was. When she opened it, her eyes widened at the array of foods and beverages that stocked the shelves. It was very different then her refrigerator which she and Oliver were terrible at stocking. They usually lived off of take out because she couldn't cook. She always had the suspicions that maybe he did, but just hid it in an effort to saving himself from being deemed the cook of the house.

"Milk...milk...where is the-" her eyes caught sight of a carton of milk and she quickly grabbed it, but frown as she read the label. "Organic milk?" she grimaced as she placed it back in the refrigerator. "That does not sound appetizing at all."

"It's healthier." a voice said startling Katie who turned to see Moira. The woman stood make up free in a night gown and long silk robe, and even now in this dim lit kitchen still looked pretty. It was the word Katie thought many times as she admired the woman. You'd never know the woman standing in front of her, was digging through her own shit storm. "Plus I guess the cows are treated more humanely. Or at least that's what Thea said while badgering me to have it stocked."

"I'm sorry, I was just looking for something to help me sleep, and I thought a warm glass of milk might help." Katie says closing the refrigerator. "But alas Organic has come to ruin my life."

"You're a very peculiar doctor." Moira said with a soft smile.

"That is not the first time I've been called that. I'm all for being healthy, but I am also a strong believer in indulgence. Sometimes you just want milk that has fat." she shrugged, feeling slightly nervous suddenly being alone with the woman. "I'm sure I can manage with out it. I'll get out of your way." Katie headed for the stairs.

"I'm sorry." Moira said suddenly, stopping Katie in her tracks. "I feel so-" she shook her head turning to meet Katie's eyes. "I'm ashamed of the things I said to you."

"Mrs. Queen-" Moira held up a hand to stop her and Katie just closed her mouth.

"I'm not sure you understand what it's like to be a mother. It's hard, because you'll give anything-" Moira sighed walking over and taking a seat at the kitchen table."The happiness of my children mean the world to me and I would've given anything to not see that look in my daughter's eyes when she found out the truth." she glanced over to Katie with a shake of her head. "I think I let it get the best of me. I said some very nasty things to you, about your family and-"

"Mrs. Queen." Katie says once again hoping to get a word in. She walked over and took the seat across from the woman. "I'll admit that the things you said did-" she turned her head trying to find words to convey what was going in her head. "They were hurtful-" she looked back to Moira, whose eyes seemed to grow with more guilt. "But I do understand wanting to keep the people you love happy no matter what and I understand that it can become morally compromising sometimes and we can push ourselves to far, but that's not what matters. What matters is that we've have the heart to realize when it happens and correct it." Moira silently stared at the woman for few moments, and Katie soon realized where Oliver got his knack for his silent contemplation. "What?"

"I'm glad he has you." Moira said simply and Katie turned away bashfully. "He needs someone like you."

"I know lots of people who would disagree with you on that." Katie muttered. Moira quirked a brow and Katie soon wished she hadn't said anything. "Forget I said that." Katie stood to her feet hoping to just run away from another painfully awkward conversation. She was already heading for the door, when Moira's voice once again stopped her.

"There are only two people in a relationship." Moira said and Katie stopped and turned to her. "Only two people whose opinions matter. Remember that." Katie smiled with a nod. "And if you're really interested in something that will knock you out, I may have something that will help." a coy smile came to the woman's lips and Katie lifted a brow in curiosity.

"Does it include alcohol?" Katie asked.

"Maybe a smidge." the woman replied and Katie smiled once again. "That's not a problem is it?"

"Not at all." Katie said with a shrug before walking over. "Tell me, has Oliver ever told you anything about Drunk Twinkie?"

Fortunately, Moira's smidge didn't unleash Drunk Twinkie, just brought out the slight buzzed Twinkie who soon found herself lying on the couch in front of a blazing fire alone. Her eyes were getting heavy as she watched the dancing flames and soon she got what she wanted.

Katie kept her eyes ahead despite the eyes she felt on her from the agents who seemed to freeze in the hall as she walked by. Apparently none of them thought they would see her again, and to be honest she thought the same thing. Lyla led Katie to a door to which she knocked.

"Come in." A familiar voice called from the other side and Lyla turned to Katie.

"You're not coming in?" Katie asked and Lyla simply shook her head. "So that bad huh?"

"You won't know until you go inside." Lyla replied giving the woman a pat on the shoulder before walking away. Katie's eyes went back to the door, when she took a deep breath and finally took the steps to walk inside. The moment she did walk inside, her feet froze when she saw Agent Waller sitting behind her desk and none other than Martin Ellis sitting across from her.

"Katie, have a seat." Waller said pointing to the empty chair beside Martin. Katie didn't even attempt to move, still confused and suspicious of everything at the moment. "It's quite alright, I assure you are safe." still there was no movement.

"Here." Martin says standing to his feet and reaching behind him for the gun he had tucked away. Katie took a slight step back, her fist clenching at her side on the offense only for the man to hold the gun out to her to take. "I get the feeling having this will help you feel more comfortable."

"But it won't make me comfortable." Waller said clearly annoyed by the man's gesture. Katie glanced over to her, before reaching over and taking the man's gun. She quickly removed the clip to see that it was loaded before putting it back and walking over to sit, keeping the gun visibly in her lap. "Now then-" she looked over to Martin who took his seat as well, before turning back to Katie. "I'm sure you have many questions-"

"None that you will answer, so how about we skip that part and just get to the reason we're all here." Katie said turning to Martin. "You betrayed my father, aligned yourself with these people, and Ra's and aided in my kidnapping." she turned back to Waller. "You're the bitch who trapped me with a psychopath who shot at me." Katie sat back in her seat with a smile. "And now I'm sitting in a room with both of you with a loaded weapon."

"I told you this was a mistake." Waller said turning her glare from Katie to Martin who kept his eyes on Katie who a look of amazement. "She's not ready."

"Maybe not, but we had a time frame and that time is up." Martin says finally turning to the woman. "There is a plan in place Agent Waller and no one deviates from that plan."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Katie asked and Martin turned back to her with a smile.

"You're finally getting what you want." Martin replies.

"She's still a valuable asset to this agency. With more training, and a little more discipline-"

"She has managed to escape your capture, and that of the demon and mine for that matter." Martin replies with a slight shake of her head. "She has done what was intended."

"There are still threats, there is no verification that Ra's-"

"Special Agent Waller as much as I respect and admire you, I'm going to have to ask you to stop speaking now." Martin said and Waller's eyes widen at the man's tone. He turned back to Katie who still sat confused unsure what exactly is happening. "In about-" he glanced down to his watch. "-eighteen hours you are going to arrive on the steps of the American Embassy in Bosnia where you are going to tell the take of how savage extremists took you away and kept you locked in a dark cell until one day the door opened and no one was there and you ran and ran until you saw that big red, white and blue flag."

"What?"

"It's time you get back to the real world." Martin says with a firm nod. "Time for you to finally get out of hell." Katie looked at him with wide eyes, before turning to Wallet who still wore a sore expression.

Katie felt a hand on her cheek, and her eyes snapped open to find very those blue eyes she'd been waiting for long time to see.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Oliver asked, his voice filled with exhaustion.

"Your mother got me drunk and couldn't carry me upstairs." Katie muttered sitting up, so Oliver could sit beside her. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her to his side as she snuggled against his chest.

"I hope you're joking." Oliver muttered glad for the moment to just sit and close his eyes.

"Long night?" Katie said.

"Yeah, Slade stole some device that's going to let him transfer blood to multiple people." Oliver said and Katie lifted her head to look at him.

"How did he even get it?"

"The attack was a diversion. He took the skeleton key and broke into Star Labs to get it."

"And we're not knocking down every door to find it because..."

"Slade is one man and for him to transfuse that much blood, it's going to weaken him and when it does, that's when we attack." Oliver replied lifting open his eyes to the ceiling.

"Too easy." Katie said and Oliver looked back down to her. "I know I'm always playing Debbie downer, but Slade isn't the guy who doesn't plan for every detail." Katie's hand slid to Oliver's cheek and he turned to her. "Is this all we have on him?"

"Yeah, Felicity says if this thing is powered on, it'll need a lot of power and that will draw attention. "

"Once it does, we have him?" Katie asked and the man nodded. "You're not wearing your triumphant face."

"I'm not celebrating until I'm standing over that man's body." Oliver said slight stretching his sore muscles. Katie reach up a hand to his shoulder, hoping to soothe the tightness the man was holding. "Hopefully Isabel will be there with him." he let out a sigh, enjoying the comfort to his shoulder. "I went to the office to see her."

"You what?" Katie stopped and he glanced over to her. "Why?"

"I was tired of doing nothing and just waiting. She knows where Slade is-"

"She's also a crazy Slade Wilson stan who seems too loyal for her own good." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Pair that with the fact that she broke into our house-"

"A fact that seemed to hit me the moment I saw her sitting behind my desk. I don't think I've fantasized about hurting a person as much as I have for that woman." Oliver sighs closing his eyes once again. "How are you feeling?" Katie opened her mouth to reply. "And please use a word besides fine."

"Alright, I'm splendid." Katie replied and Oliver looked over to her with a tired smile. "I took my night off and I'm ready to get back into the hero business. So what's the plan tonight, besides wait?"

"I have a meeting, or I should say the Arrow has been requested for a meeting." Oliver says with a slight shake of his head.

"With who?" Oliver seems to turn away from her, and Katie lifts a brow. "Oh, that's a look I don't like. Must be Laurel Lance." Oliver turned back to her and she just knew she was right. "She wants to talk about her father and the fact that he's still in jail because he's protecting you."

"I know."

"But you're going."

"Yes, is that a problem?" Oliver watched as she turned away as if in thought, and that always made him worry. He always knew where her head went whenever the topic of he and Laurel came up and he hated that he put that image in her head. Katie turned back to him and placed a kiss to his lips.

"Absolutely not. You're a man of the people Mr. Queen, who am I to try to keep you all to myself." Katie replied as Oliver pulled her into his lap. "We are in a public domain of your mother's house."

"I know, but right now it's your turn to ask me what I need." Oliver said and Katie looked at him for a moment.

"I would, if I already didn't know what you needed Liver." Katie replied placing another kiss to his lips. "A shower." Oliver couldn't help but laugh. "You smell really bad." he only hugged her tighter, making her squeal in his arms.

That night, Katie paced behind Felicity who was trying her best to ignore her any pay attention to the power grid.

"He's not running off to have an affair." Felicity finally said and Katie stopped and looked over to her. "Laurel. Isn't that what your nervous pacing is about this time?"

"What? No!" Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Laurel Lance is the furthest thing from my mind."

"Well what's the closest thing on your mind?" Felicity asked and Katie continued pacing.

"Slade Wilson and the fact that I can't see him doing something and not knowing the ins and the outs of the plan." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Have you had any luck opening that drive I gave you."

"Don't even mention that demon." Felicity groan and Katie looked over to the woman. "I have tried every string of code I can think of, which believe me is a lot and yet nothing even chips away at the lock. The only thing I get are these random letters that I've tried deciphering, but nothing."

"I could use a distraction, let me look." Katie says sitting at the computer beside Felicity.

"At this point I'll try anything." Felicity replied handing the flash drive to Katie who plugged it into the computer. Soon the letters Felicity was talking about appeared on the screen and Katie's brow furrowed as she watched them move across the screen.

"G.C.D.E.E" Katie muttered when the letters disappeared and new letters appeared. "E.D.E.C.C." Katie eyes narrowed as the string of letters just kept alternating. She kept repeating the letter, something about them oddly familiar, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Alright." Felicity said and Katie looked over to her. "Apparently Laurel was called away, so we still have no idea why the call for the secret meeting."

"Is Oliver on his way back?" Katie asked and Felicity shook her head.

"He's supposed to be meeting with Thea." Felicity replied and Katie nodded remembering Oliver had told her that Thea agreed to meet him after the club closed.

"I don't know why he just won't let me talk to her." Katie muttered turning back to her own computer. "He's just gonna keep going back and forth on this."

"Well she did find out her father is Satan." Felicity replied and Katie chuckled. "Plus your heart to hearts can get pretty brash sometimes."

"Brash?"

"Your pep talks usually include the words suck it up, stop being a little bitch, and only babies cry so stop being a baby." Felicity replied and Katie sent the woman a glare. "It's why I don't train with you anymore."

"That's an exaggeration." Katie said looking back to the letters. "And I think you should know that I do know these letters from somewhere. I just-" she tilted her head to the side. "This is annoying that I can't remember this."

"Well when you do, please share." Felicity replied when she noticed something on her computer. "Uh Oh." the woman started typing furiously and Katie lifted her head.

"Someone consuming a very large amount of electricity?" Katie asked standing to her feet.

"Bingo." Felicity replied when she finally got the exact location. "I should call Oliver."

"Worst possible moment ever." Katie sighed looking at the screen. "Yeah, you have to call him, I am going to get changed." Katie turned and headed for her closet and opened it to find it empty. "Where-"

"Which means someone either plugged in the world's largest hair dryer, or the biotransfuser just went online. The power cycle on this machine is very specific. You have 30 minutes." Felicity said and Katie walked back over. Katie reached over and pressed the speaker button and began speaking.

"Oliver, are you sure you want to do this now? This moment with your sister, and dealing with your family is important."

"Yeah, but if we don't stop Slade then it won't matter either way." Oliver replied.

"Fine, I will meet you-"

"No, you're still out on this." Oliver interrupted and Katie groaned. "Twinkie-"

"I'm not interested in having the same argument Oliver." Katie sighed with a shake of her. "You think you can do this without me, then do it. I will be here with Felicity waiting."

"You're upset-"

"No, but I am deeming you a liar Mr. "I am stronger with my guardian." Katie said with a shake of her head.

"That's not-"

"Oliver, thirty minutes." Katie replied before reaching forward and ending the call. Katie glanced down to her watch before turning and walking over to grab her jacket.

"You can't do that. Lie and then do it anyway. That messes with the dynamic of the team." Felicity says swiveling her chair to face the woman. "Then there's this big Twiver verbal warfare and the rest of us get caught in the cross hairs, just please, think of the children."

"What children?"

"I don't know." Felicity sighs turning back to her computer. "I'm working with twenty four hours of no sleep."

"Do you need coffee?" Katie asked.

"I would love coffee, but none of the stuff they serve here." Felicity muttered.

"Then I will run over to Java Square, I think they're still open." Katie says backing away toward the door.

"Twiver warfare!" she called to the woman's retreating form. "He doesn't want you near Slade, in case things go south tonight. "

"Good thing I'm not going to be near Slade!" Katie called before exiting out the back of the basement. She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed a number and brought it to her ear. "Hey, it's me. Where's Thea right now?."

Katie stood outside Big Belly Burger where she could see Thea sitting alone in one of the booths. She smiled before walking inside, heading over and sitting across from the woman. Thea glanced up a bit surprised to see Katie and it showed all over her face.

"What-" she glanced around the restaurant expecting to see her brother, but he wasn't there." What are you doing here? "

"I'm here to see you." Katie says and Thea sighs sitting back in her seat. "We need to talk."

"How did you even find me?"

"Maybe there's a hired security guard whose job it is to make sure you're not left unprotected again." Katie said with a shrug. "At least until they find the crazy man who took you." Katie sighed shaking her head. "Look, we really need to talk about-"

"About this contract my brother and mother want me to sign so badly to save the company that only needs saving because of them." Thea stated with a shake of her head when her food finally arrived, which consisted of french fries covered in cheese. "Thanks."

"Did you need anything?" the waitress asked to Katie, who shook her head. The woman simply nodded before walking from the table.

"Thea I can't even imagine what's going through your head right now-"

"Really, cause I'll tell you. I don't trust any of you, because you all found it so easy to lie about something so big." Thea shook her head before grabbing her purse about to leave. "And you're supposed to be my family." Thea stood to her feet and headed out the door. Katie pulled some cash from her pocket and put it on the table before following the woman out the door.

"Thea wait!" Katie called practically chasing the woman down the street. Thea didn't stop, and so when Katie finally got close enough, she grabbed the woman's arm. "Thea Queen, will you stop."

"Let me go!" Thea snapped pulling her arm away.

"We can't do that." Katie said said with a shake of her head. "You know what you're being a real brat right now."

"Excuse me!"

"C'mon Thea, I get this was big, but you have to see this from all sides. No one kept this from you to hurt you or to torture you. We kept this from you in an attempt to prevent this moment."

"You know I don't expect you to understand. You know who both your parents are, no one has lied to you about them." Thea said before turning and stalking off.

"One would think!" Katie called after her and Thea stopped and looked back to her. "You're not the only one dealing with the secrets of your parents, but at least you still have one around. I have no one to ignore and be a bitch to." and with that Katie turned and stalked off down the street, unable to agree with a Felicity that maybe she is a little too brash with her heart to hearts.

Katie walked, immediately feeling guilty after a while. She sighed when her phone rang and she glanced down to see that it was Felicity.

"Don't worry, I'm on my way back Smoaks." Katie says walking to the curb and looking out for a taxi.

"Well you need to hurry!" Felicity spoke frantically. "Oliver found Slade, and guess what he wasn't the source of the transfusion."

"Who else could-" Katie's heart dropped the moment it hit her. "Roy, is he-"

"Unconscious, weak pulse, loss of a lot of blood. Yes, yes and yes, they're bringing him here and you need to be here when they do." Felicity replied.

"I'm-" Katie closed her eyes, a million and one things going through her mind. "He's going to need blood."

"We have blood."

"Yeah, O neg, but he'll do better with his blood type." Katie says finally flagging down a cab.

"I don't know his blood type."

"I do." Katie replied stepping inside of the cab. "I know all of your blood types. Give me thirty minutes. If they get him there before me, hook him up to the blood right away and monitor his pulse."

"Where are you going?" Felicity asked.

"I'm going to need more supplies." Katie replies before hanging up and leaning forward toward the drive. "Glades Memorial Hospital please, and if you can get me there in five minutes, I'll give you triple the fare."

The driver got Katie there in exactly five minutes and to her word Katie wrote the man a check before climbing out of the car and rushing inside of the hospital. The

place was unbelievably quiet, which she was glad of. She walked over to the desk to find only one person there, with his head in his arms asleep.

"Ethan, wake up!" Katie says flicking the back of the man's head. He jolted awake, blinking rapidly as he looked up to Katie.

"I'm still dreaming aren't I?" he said looking to Katie with narrowed eyes. "Wait, why do you have clothes on?" Katie rolled her eyes before hitting him again. "Ow!" he stood to his feet. "You're real."

"Yeah, and I don't have much time." Katie says walking around the station and grabbing the man's arm and pulling her with him. "I need your help."

"After abandoning me, you really expect me to help you?" Ethan says pulling his arm from the woman. " I don't think so, you're not that hot."

"Ethan, this is so serious right now, I wouldn't ask if I really didn't need your help." Katie pleaded and Ethan groaned, because even after all this time she still had him in her hands like putty.

"Fine, what do you need?"

"It's kind of illegal, well it's totally illegal." Katie replied nervously and the man looked at her with a quirked brow. " Which I figured you wouldn't mind much since you're the ring leader of poker Fridays in the doctor's lounge."

"How illegal we talking?"

"I may need a few liters of blood, a heart monitor and your pedophile van." Katie said and the man shook his head about to walk away. "Ethan, please, I just-"

"I'm coming with you." the man said and Katie shook her head.

"No, you're-"

"You come here wanting me to risk my career and possible jail time, then I'm going to figure out why."Ethan replies walking away to grab his things. "My shift just ended and my night is entirely open."

"Ethan!" Katie called following after him hoping to talk him out of this.

Everything moved so quickly as Oliver carried Roy into the basement, lying him on the table in the middle of the room.

"Where is Katie!" Oliver growled not liking how pale the man looked on the table.

"I called her, she says she's getting supplies and for us to get him hooked up to the blood we have on hand." Felicity said looking over to John who was already moving. Oliver stood there for a few moment, before pulling the hood over his head, and going to get changed.

"What supplies Felicity!" Oliver called pulling on his t shirt and Felicity turned to him with a shrug of her shoulder.

"She didn't say, just-" suddenly the door to the basement open and in rushed Katie who was carrying a big blue bag, which she sat on the floor. "There she is."

"Katie, where-" Oliver's words stopped when the door to the basement opened again, and in rushed someone he didn't expect to see, rolling in a heart monitor. "Ethan."

"Oliver." the man said with a nod, trying not to even think about how bizarre this moment was. He followed behind Katie, everyone backing out of the way as the two doctors seemed to work. The others seemed to congregate off to the side as they watched Katie and Ethan moving around Roy's body effortless without even bumping into each other. It was clear that the pair had did this many times before.

Soon, both doctors stopped and just looked down the man, and glanced over to the monitor that showed his heart rate.

"So you want to tell me now what's going on?" Ethan asked looking over to Katie.

"Great idea!" Oliver said walking over to Katie and she shook her head because the tone in the man's voice spoke volumes. "What is he doing here!"

"Helping." Katie replied simply glancing over to Ethan. "Roy needed more medical supplies than we have here."

"Which we could've gotten-"

"Not in the time we needed to make sure he stayed alive. This was the only option and the only way Ethan was going to help me was if he knew why." Katie replied glancing over to the doctor who just stared at Oliver. "I trust him-"

"It's not your call who to bring here!" Oliver snapped angrily and Katie let out a deep breath. "This is serious, these are peoples lives and if he decides to-"

"What, tell?" Ethan said suddenly and they all looked over to him. "Why would I do that?"

"Why wouldn't you do that?" Oliver asked and the man looked over to Katie.

"Because she believes I won't and when people have that much faith in you, you try your hardest to live up to it." Ethan replies glancing over to the others before looking back to Oliver. "You may not trust me and fine, we haven't known each other well enough for that to happen, but trust her-" Ethan glances over to Katie. "Me and that woman have been elbows deep in intestines together and that sort of thing is what trust is built from." Katie looked at the man with a confused quirk of her brow. "That sounded better in my head." the man shook his head before looking over to Roy. "Plus this guy's my patient now, and I'm all for patient confidentiality and all that crap." and with that the man grabbed his stethoscope and walked over to listen to Roy's heart. The others gathered around in hopes the man would tell them what was happening. Oliver chose to grab Katie's arm and pull her across the room, away from the others.

"Liver, if you brought me over her to yell at me some more you can save your breath. Time was of the essence, and decisions needed to be made in a hurry. Ethan was my only option and if this goes bad on us, then I will take all the blame, but right now please trust me." Katie says, taking a deep breath after the speech. Oliver sighed looking over to where Ethan stood speaking to the others. He really didn't know much about the man, other than his slight crush on Katie. "Do you trust me?" Katie rarely asked that question, unsure if she would like the answer or not. Oliver's hands slid around her back and pulled her closer. Katie's hands lifted to rest on Oliver's chest and a deep sigh escaped his lips. "Slade?"

"Got away, but Isabel is dead." Oliver replied, and Katie turned away. A part of her was relieved at the news, but she knew it wasn't over. She turned back to Oliver with a nod.

"So then it's time for a new tactic." Katie says dropping her eyes from Oliver, and he could practically see the wheels moving in her head. "We've been letting him keep the ball, it's time for us to bring it back to our court." she looks back to Oliver. "It's time we've knocked him off his game."

"You're right." Oliver says before pulling away, and walking across the room. Katie turns in confusion, watching as Oliver walks over to a drawer and pulls something out.

"What's that?" Felicity asked, everyone now looking over to the man.

"Mirakuru." Oliver stated and everyone's eyes widened.

"Mira-what-what?" Ethan asked, but everyone just ignored him.

"Where did you-" Katie walked over and stopped looking at the vile of green liquid in Oliver's hand. "You weren't thinking of taking it, were you?"

"What? No, we're going to use it to make a cure." Oliver stated looking over to the others.

"Oliver we don't even know if the effects can be reversed." Felicity countered glancing over to Roy with a slight shake of her head.

"Yes we do." Oliver sighed and they all looked stared unsure what the man meant.

"I think you mean you do." Katie replied walking a bit closer. "I think you may know more about this then we do."

"Ivo created a cure." Oliver said.

"Oliver, why-why didn't you tell us this before?" John demanded and Oliver turned away.

"Because I was ashamed." he admitted.

"Of what?" John asked and Oliver's eyes looked over to Sara, who gave a slight nod. Katie watched the exchange, once again realizing that there would always be that connection between Oliver and Sara that she may never understand.

"Five years ago, I had the chance to use the cure on Slade. I chose to kill him." Oliver revealed, much to everyone's surprise. "Everything that's happening right now is my fault." The room fell silent for a few moments as everyone wrapped their heads around the new information.

"Maybe it is, or maybe we're in the middle of a series of fucked up events." Katie said and everyone looked at her, but she just kept her eyes on Oliver. "It doesn't change what needs to happen now. How do we create this cure?" she looked over to the others for any suggestions.

"Cisco and Caitlin!" Felicity stated quite loudly. Everyone looked at her waiting for her to actually explain herself. "They're lab techs over at STAR Labs, maybe I can see if they can help with a cure."

"Alright." Katie says looking over to Ethan who still looked unbelievably confused. "Ethan-"

"Wait, is this Mira-what-what, the reason this kid isn't waking up?" Ethan asked and Katie nodded, before the man turned and walked over to Roy, grabbing a syringe on the way.

"What are you doing?" Oliver asked.

"I need to have his blood analyzed, see how fast the poison is spreading, and the effects it's having on him internally." Ethan replied before grabbing his bag and heading for the door, but Oliver moved to block him. "Yes."

"I don't trust you, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt because Katie does, but if this bites us in the ass-"

"There was a fire a couple of blocks down on Howell, maybe a couple of months ago. Everyone got out, everyone except the woman on the fourth floor who wasn't going anywhere without her annoying Chihuahua. Then the Arrow showed up, went in and carried the woman on his back and carried the dog in his hood. That woman was my mother." Oliver looked surprised, because he does remember that fire, and that dog that peed on him. "I believe in what you're doing man, I'm not here to mess it up." he glanced back to Katie. "Plus I have no doubt my girl would murder me if I even thought about breaking her trust." Ethan gave the woman a smile before turning back to Oliver, and giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry dude, I'm totally good at keeping secrets." and with that the man walked around Oliver toward the door.

"Make sure you're keeping the test very low key!" Katie called after him, only for Ethan to just wave her off.

"Not my first rodeo Kit Kat!" the man called before finally leaving.

Once he was gone, the room once again went silent, but only for a few moments. Soon Felicity, rushed off to catch the techs over at Star Labs, Sara left after finding out about her father's sudden release, and John left to shower and change. Only Oliver and Katie were left, both finding themselves watching Roy's still form. Katie was attaching another liter of blood, glad of the color that was coming to the man's skin. She glanced over to Oliver who leaned against a nearby table, staring down to Roy.

"He's getting better." Katie spoke suddenly. "His heart rate is getting back to normal, and he's starting to look less and less like a corpse." Oliver still didn't say anything. "You should go." he glanced over to her. "Find your sister, talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to me."

"So, you're her brother and you love. You don't care if she wants to hear you or not, but you talk because you're family." Katie shrugged. "That's what family does." she looks back down to Roy, and runs a hand over his head. "Me and Mr. Harper here will be just fine."

"I'm not too fond of the idea of leaving you here alone." Oliver says walking over to her. "Slade's has already-"

"Yeah, I know." Katie says before placing a kiss to Oliver's lips. "John probably won't be gone long, and I'm sure Sara will be back soon, and then there's you who can't go too many hours without being in my presence." Oliver smiled placing another kiss to her lips, before pulling back, only for Katie to hold on to him firmly.

"Where is the Guardian's Suit?" Katie asked and Oliver sighed.

"Some place safe." He replied, only for Katie to pinch his side. "Ow, hey, it's in the chest on the combat mat."

"Thank you, now you can leave." Katie said, finally letting the man go.

"Call me if there's any change with him." Oliver said grabbing his jacket, and I'll text John to see if he'll head straight here.

"Because I'm so helpless here by myself." Katie deadpanned with a shake of her head.

"Better safe than sorry." Oliver countered and Katie just waved him off. "Plus right now I don't think I could even handle if something happened to you because of me."

"I know, I'm the light of your life." Katie replied walking over to the man. "Now go and come back. I'll be here waiting for you." Oliver nodded, before pressing a final kiss to her lips before turning and finally leaving.

Katie stood there for a moment before turning to Roy with a soft smile.

"I guess it's just you and me Roy. For a little while anyway." she walked over and took the man's hand in her. "I'm sorry we didn't go looking for you." she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Don't worry, I won't make that mistake again." Katie sighed, about to walk over to grab a bottle of water, before something hit her. "Light of your life." she turned looking at the computer. "Sunshine." she suddenly rushed over to the computer, plugging in the flash drive, and the familiar letter appeared. "These are musical notes." she watched the letters. "That stupid song dad made me practice after school." she watched the letters as they switched and an idea struck her. She reached forward and typed "You are my sunshine." Suddenly the screen changed, and folders appeared. Katie narrowed her eyes as she read them over, and then one caught her attention and so she clicked. "You have got to be kidding me. This can not be what I think it is." Katie read over the file, titled Personnel File :SLADE JOSEPH WILSON. Katie skimmed the file, "New Zealand...Australian Secret Intelligence Service. What the hell is ASIS?" Katie continued scrolling when something stopped her. "Mission, search and rescue of Chinese ally Yao Fei." Katie leaned in closer at the signature of the person who assigned the mission, shocked because she recognized the signature. "Special Agent Jacob Robins." Katie sat back in her chair as the pieces fell into place. "Dad?" she stood to her feet and began pacing once again, trying to make sense of this new information. She suddenly stopped and looked over to Roy. "This is his fault, it's all his fault this is happening."

That night, on the other side of the city in a very small motel room sat a very exhausted reporter who at this point was even sure anymore what she was doing in this damn city. Lois brought her mug to her lips and sipped the horrible coffee, while she listened to the ringing phone at her ear. Soon the voice mail kicked in again and she sighed.

"Clark, don't get me wrong, you're a grown man capable of making your own decision, and that means you don't have to check in with me everyday, but as your partner it's only common courtesy to give something more than two word text messages. Please call me so I'm not wondering if I should buy a single return flight ticket back to Metropolis." the woman shook her head before tossing her phone on the bed and looked back up to the wall that at this point was covered in photos and yellow post it notes. She stood to her feet and walked over to one photo, and shook her head. "What am I missing with you Dr. Robins?" there was a sudden knock at her door, and Lois quirked a brow before turning and walking over to the door. She reached inside of her purse and pulled out her gun, making sure to hold it firmly as she looked through the peep hole. There was a woman there, someone she'd never seen before "Can I help you?"

"Lois Lane." the woman spoke. "I think we should talk."

"And who are you?"

"I hear you've been asking questions about my agency." the woman replied and Lois quirked a brow before reaching forward and pulling open the door to see the sharply dressed woman, who stood tall.

"Who are you?"

"My name Special Agent Amanda Waller." the woman stated. "I'm with-"

"ARGUS." Lois whispered, in a bit of shock, her hand now gripping her gun.

"That's right. I'm here because I want to know how you even know we exist." Waller replied tilting her head slightly. "Who's your source?" Lois looked at the woman for a moment before gaining her composure and shook her head.

"No way I'm telling you that. But you being here, proves they were right, and I wonder what the American people are going to think about the super secret government agency that moves in the shadows making moves that aren't considered legal."

"Ms. Lane, I'm not sure you completely understand the position you've found yourself in." Amanda said taking a step forward, seemingly unbothered by the gun in the woman's hand. "You're a smart woman, a woman I'm sure General Lane is very proud of." Lois straightened, a dark look settling in her eyes at the mention of her father. "And I'm sure you want nothing to happen to him or that cousin of yours back home in Metropolis."

"You don't scare me." Lois declared and a smile came to Waller's lips.

"Then maybe you're not as smart as I thought." she replied before turning and walking off. Lois watched as the woman marched down the hall, turning down a corner out of sight. She stood there for a moment before slamming the door closed.

Amanda walked down the side walk toward toward her car, with her phone pressed to her ear.

"This is Waller, I'm going to need a dig team on Lois Lane. She wants to play this game, then I'll play with her." Amanda spoke when suddenly a car pulled up behind her SUV. "Call me when you got something." she ended the call and slipped her phone back into her purse. She glanced around to see if there was anyone else around, but there was no one but her and the mysterious car. The door suddenly pushed open and she figured she was supposed to get inside and because her curiosity at this point was piqued and she made sure her people were always close by to make a move in case something happened, she walked over and stepped inside.

The moment Amanda stepped inside of the car, she froze and all color drained from her face as she looked across the seat to see the face of someone she never thought she would see.

"You.. you're-" she couldn't form coherent thoughts at the moment and then it suddenly clicked. "You're the source. How-I mean why, no, how-" she pointed still finding this moment hard to believe. "You bastard!"

"Good to see you too Amanda."

"Cut the crap Jacob, how the hell are you alive right now?!"

---

Author's Notes

Sorry for the sporatic updates. I'm really trying to crank these chapters out for you all.

This chapter..

What did you think of the last line? Jacob Robins is alive and he's Lois' source. What the hell is he up to?

Review Replies

sarahmichellegellarfan1: Thank you very much!

GhostofaGirl03: I like where your thinking is going, and you're very close to the truth. Both of those things are still mingling in the air and are going to be apart of a very import decision that's going to be made. Yep Jeremy came and went which is going to take a toll on Katie as well. She took the kill shot and that's something she's not going to be able to shake for a while.

adela: Thank you, and I hope you liked today's chapter!

I just want to thank everyone riding this train with me. I'm really having fun with this story and you're support means the world. Thanks to everyone who added this story to your fav/follow lists and and special thanks to the few who left reviews. I'm almost to 100 which is soooo cool. Help me get there, pretty please.

And without further ado...

Sneak peek

"What?" she asked once again. And Oliver stared at her once again, the glint in her eyes, flush of her cheeks, her parted swollen lips and this was it. He knew without a doubt that this was the moment.

"Will-" suddenly his phone on the nightstand began vibrating and Katie glanced over, but Oliver just looked to her.

"Your phone is ringing." Katie replied turning back to the man.

"I know." he replied before leaning down to kiss her, hoping to distract her enough to forget about everything else around them. He once again pulled back, this time only inches from her face. "Katie, will you-"