A/N: Here's the new update! Usual Disclaimers Apply.

PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER!

Enjoy.

When the plane landed in Starling City, Oliver Queen turned his phone on. There was one call. And one voicemail. He frowned when he saw who had called. Oliver turned to Felicity and Diggle. "I have to get this. I'll be right back."

"Oliver," Laurel's voice hung in the air. Oliver froze at the tension in her voice. "I'm at Starling General. Sara left with Nyssa… my dad… Ollie, my dad's got internal bleeding. He's having surgery and… I hope you get back safely. Bye."

Every muscle in his body tensed. Oliver turned to Felicity and Diggle. "Detective Lance is in the hospital."

Felicity's hand went to her mouth. Diggle regarded Oliver calmly. Oliver nodded. "I need to get there. We'll figure some stuff out soon."

He ran to find a cab. He heard Felicity call out to him, but Oliver ignored her as his heart began beating too fast.

He walked into the surgery waiting room. Laurel was sitting in a chair she'd moved to look out the window. He slowly approached her. He saw a familiar leather coat on the chair beside her. Her eyes met his in the reflection.

"He went in an hour ago," she whispered. Oliver approached her and put his hands on her shoulders. She smiled at him sadly. "He was bruised so bad, Ollie. We barely made it… he was coughing up blood and…"

Oliver's hands squeezed her shoulders. Laurel gazed out the window. "Slade is gone someplace where he can't hurt you again."

Laurel turned her head to look at him directly in the eyes. "What happened to the love of your life?"

Oliver chuckled. She raised an eyebrow. His grin faded. "I'm not going to deny that I love her."

Laurel simply smiled at him. She looked out at the night sky, the city lights blaring back at them. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

Oliver took another chair and dragged it over to Laurel. He put his feet up on the sill and turned his head at her. Laurel had tears running down her cheeks. "Want to hear my sob story?"

Laurel shook her head and wiped her tears away. "Not really. It'll make this worse."

Oliver grinned and took her hand. Laurel shook his hand away and crossed her arms. Oliver gazed out the window. "I'm not abandoning you. Whatever happens in the next few hours, I'm not leaving."

"The city needs you," Laurel whispered. Oliver shrugged. She gazed at him. He smiled softly.

"Not leaving," Oliver repeated. Laurel looked down at her lap. Oliver sighed and bit his lip. "It sucks losing a parent. I won't lie to you. You feel like apiece of you is gone for a while… but it gets better. Each breath we breathe… life gets better."

"Who taught you that?" Laurel muttered. Tears were running down her cheeks again and Oliver gripped the chair to fight the urge to take her into his arms.

"You did," he told her. Laurel's eyes met his and he grinned. He put a hand in her hair. "You… don't even know. There were so many times... but you're here now. I'm not…"

"Why are you here if Felicity's your lifelong love?" Laurel asked him. Oliver withdrew his hand and tensed in his seat. "I don't need someone here to tell me about…"

"You're my friend," Oliver interrupted. He gazed at her from his chair and she glared at him. "You… need someone with you in this time of need."

"Go away," Laurel muttered. She wiped tears from her eyes and she heard someone call her name. Laurel rose from the seat and raised her hand. A woman in pink scrubs came over and shook her hand.

"He made it out of the worst… but he needs early retirement." Laurel nodded at the doctor and the woman smiled at her. "We'll set him up for physical therapy… in a few weeks."

"Thank you, Jessica," Laurel whispered. The woman nodded and hugged Laurel. Laurel hugged the woman back. Jessica walked away. Laurel gathered her things and started to walk to the post-op patient rooms. She turned back to Oliver.

He stared at her and flinched when her eyes were cold. "Why are you doing this?"

"Get your company back," she ordered. She shouldered one of her workbags. "I need… no, I want time for myself. I'm done running after men who don't want me. I can't do it anymore, Ollie. Go and have fun with Felicity."

Oliver stood there, watching Laurel walk through the doors away from him. He crossed his arms. A smile formed on his lips. "Damn woman."

He walked away from the waiting room shaking his head.

Oliver pulled out his cell and hit a number. "Walter… it's me. I need some… Yeah, I just heard. Can you help me? I need some advice."

Walter Steele stood in the conference room at Starling National Bank. He watched his former stepson walk in and held out his hand. Oliver shook it and they sat down at the conference table. Walter adjusted his tie. "How can I assist you?"

"I want to get Queen Consolidated back," Oliver stated quietly. Walter froze and Oliver put his elbows on his knees and cupped his chin with his hands. "I need advice on how to do that."

"I… your track record leaves much to be desired, Oliver," Walter began. He fiddled with his cuff links while he considered his response. "I do, however, have a piece of advice. If you want consumer confidence to rise, you must show them that you're trying to improve."

Oliver thought for a moment. "I have one semester to finish for my bachelors degree."

Walter nodded. Oliver gazed at the man while he considered his options. "Well, I guess I'm going back to school."

Walter grinned at him. "I'll pay for your fees. Do you need any more financial assistance?"

Oliver shook his head. "I can figure some options out."

Walter nodded and they shook hands as the men stood. Oliver hugged Walter and promised to be in contact.

Walter watched the younger man walk out of the bank with a small smile on his lips. Moira would be proud of how Oliver was proceeding down his path.

The next few months went slowly for Oliver. Even though Laurel knew his secret, she hadn't been in a hurry to contact him. The crime rates in Starling had gone down as well, so the Hood wasn't needed as much as Oliver wanted the distraction.

Roy didn't offer much when they were training because Diggle had taken over. He needed something to help his stress levels… over impending fatherhood. Oliver was wrapped up in textbooks, so Roy needed someone to continue his training.

Felicity and Oliver grew closer, which Diggle supported with his whole heart, but no one could see that Oliver's heart was closed. Nothing romantic happened, and despite Felicity's disappointment, Oliver was secretly relieved. He couldn't bring himself to anything. Oliver swept himself up into schooling, and the random nights he needed to patrol the city.

He missed her, though. No matter what… he missed Laurel in his life more than anyone could know.

Laurel Lance was a busy attorney. Between her father, his appointments, and her job requirements, she didn't think about a certain blond haired man with vivid green eyes. Only when she was taking a break from her rapid life. Or right before she went to sleep, when her mind slowed down enough for her to acknowledge that she missed him. If she was really honest with herself, this past year went by extremely slowly.

She was too busy for him. She convinced herself that not thinking about him was the best way to live. She was determined to create a world where she was convinced he didn't exist.

It wasn't easy when every breath she took wanted to remind her of him. She would not be one of those women that were labeled as desperate, or secretly seeking attention by the male species. So, Laurel kept busy between her job, her father, and her extracurricular activities.

She was training under an old family friend to become a better boxer, or as the older gentleman had put it "damn better with her footing."

Laurel sat down at her desk and started to ponder. She wondered how long she could put up this pretense of avoiding him. Her heart and resolve grew stronger every day. She felt herself becoming someone different, but still being able to call herself good. Her heart was finally beginning to heal.

"Miss Lance," the administrative assistant called out. Laurel looked up from her desk and saw the older woman walking over with a postman to her side of the office. Laurel smiled at them. "This man says he has a package for you."

"From who?" Laurel asked. The postman gazed at her blankly and Laurel sighed. "Fine. I'll sign for it."

She signed off for it and gazed at the small box for a second. The assistant stood by her desk, perplexed and curious. Laurel sighed and opened it. A single rose fell onto her desk. Then an envelope. Laurel saw familiar writing and her heartbeat quickened.

She opened the envelope; a three-page letter was in it and a tattered photograph of her. Laurel's hand went to her mouth as she quickly scanned the pages.

It's always been you. You've been my everything for more than half my life. I'm not giving up on us. I'm forever yours.

Laurel wiped a tear from her eye. She gazed at the rose and laughed with tears running down her cheeks. She took out her cell and dialed a number she knew by heart. She cleared her throat just before the person picked up.

"You think one rose is going to change everything?" she breathed. She heard a light chuckle from the other end. "I don't think a love letter, picture, and rose will solve everything."

"No, but two dozen are a good enough start," he whispered back. She smiled down at her desk. "Wipe your tears and look up."

Laurel looked up. Oliver was standing in the doorway of her office with two gigantic vases. The assistant sighed out her breath. Laurel raised an eyebrow and Oliver smirked at her. He came in and sat the vases down, while whipping out a messenger bag. Laurel gazed at him. He handed her two photo frames.

"I got my degrees," he stated. Laurel gazed down at the two diplomas. She smiled at them happily. He knelt down beside her. She turned her chair toward him. He took her hands. His green eyes gazed into hers for many moments before he cleared his throat. "Marry me."

Laurel shook her head. His hands tightened on hers. She smiled at him. "I'll settle for a coffee first."

"Coffee's good," he conceded. She smiled at him. "Want to move in together?"

"Oliver Queen," she seethed. His eyebrows rose up mischievously. "I'm not bargaining with you about this. Coffee first. Everything else, later."

Oliver nodded and kissed her. Laurel laughed into the kiss and her breath was taken. He smiled at her reaction and laughed lightly into the kiss. She pushed him away from her. She straightened her hair.

"You're not welcome here until 5," she told him. Oliver raised an eyebrow. "No. You're not getting any concessions."

"No celebration party tonight?" he whispered against her ear. She shoved him away from her and he stood. "I'll be by around 4:45. With your favorite coffee from that little store."

Laurel raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you want dinner afterwards."

"You may have to buy," he joked. She nodded and went back to her paperwork. "Look at us, engaging in an adult relationship."

"Don't push it, buster," Laurel muttered and turned back to her computer screen. Oliver grinned. He laughed softly the entire walk out of her office.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it!

Okay, so I don't know if all my readers know about the idea for June and July… but what I'm planning on doing is collecting prompts, publishing as much as I can for the Laurel x Oliver section on this site for June and July. Which means, this will get updated, but other fanfictions will be written as well. I'm looking for people to help with ideas/things they want to see written/whatever they feel would be an awesome addition.

I'm already working with someone on a multichapter fic, but I would definitely welcome any one-shot prompts. Every publication will be dedicated to the person who provided the prompt.

Love you all, Lauliver Family!

Until Next Time,

DBA