++++++ Hello everyone! I bet you've missed me. Have a chapter. Now that I've got things in some sort of pattern I will be updating once a week or once every two weeks. There is a few things that you need to know about the past few months. A week and a bit ago, I left my husband. It was hard but I had to do it for my son. I'm much happier and I'm finding the desire to do things once again. Writing is one of them. My son is 11 weeks old now, such a cutie. He's found his voice and smiles all the time.
Please enjoy this chapter ++++++
Forty-Two
My head was pounding like a base drum when I woke up.
Pound.
Pound.
Pound.
My entire body felt like it had gone ten rounds with a boxing robot and I could barely see out of my left eye. I groaned as I sat up, my body protested each movement reverently.
"You shouldn't have fought me whilst you were drunk," Oliver warned me suddenly.
I glanced up to see him sitting by the cot I was lying on in the Watchtower.
"To be fair, Diggle hit her over the head with the butt of his gun," Felicity piped up from her usual spot at the computer.
I shot Diggle a glare and he shifted back a little as it all came flooding back.
"Three words. Bring. It. On."
Oliver looked at me. "River. I don't want to fight you. Your sisters are worried about you. Roy asked me to find you and bring you back."
I snorted. "Yeah I'm sure he did."
I dropped the duffle bag on the ground and lifted my fists up. "You don't get it, Oliver. I loved Roy. With everything I am. I loved him and now that's gone." I shook my head and laughed. "We died on that island. We should have ever come back."
I took a swipe at Oliver and he stepped to the side.
"I'm not gonna fight you, River," Oliver scowled. "You're drunk."
"Pleasantly buzzed," I sneered at him. "I've decided to loosen up a little bit. Be at one with the people. I decided to take a leaf out of the page of the Good Book of Oliver Queen. Had a few friends over for some fun times." I launched myself at him and Oliver knocked me to the ground.
I hit the ground with a thud and groaned as the snow soaked through my jeans.
"Look at yourself," Oliver growled, "you're fighting in cage matches, you stink of alcohol. You're a shadow of yourself, River. Everyone's worried about you. We've found out more about the Undertaking and the other Archer has a partner."
"I don't fucking care," I snapped. I stood up and threw a handful of dirty snow at Oliver's face before tackling him to the ground. The two of us hit the ground and I didn't waste any time laying into him. I punched Oliver in the face and he grabbed my arm, the two of us rolled along the ground, I could hear Diggle yelling in the background and a small crowd cheering me on.
I managed to stop rolling and grabbed Oliver's head, slamming it against the ground until I felt the barrel of a gun up against my head.
"Don't make me use this, River," Diggle warned.
I growled and slammed Oliver's head against the ground one last time before lashing out at Diggle.
Oliver grabbed my ankle and pulled me backwards. I swore and shouted, using my free foot, I kicked Oliver in the face. I struggled to my feet and went to kick Oliver again when something hard hit me in the back of the head.
This time when I hit the ground, I didn't get back up.
"They don't make aspirin for being pistol whipped," Felicity babbled as she shoved a bottle of water and a couple of tablets in my hand. "But this should do the trick. Also you need a shower, you really stink."
I lifted my arm up and smelt it. "A tip toe through the tulips, F," I grinned.
Felicity rolled her eyes. "What was this doing in your pocket?" she asked me, changing the subject ad showing me the Bat symbol card. "This is from the Batman isn't it?"
I shrugged. "Could be. Said he's putting a league together."
Felicity stared at me. "Are you joining the Bat? Did he say who else he asked to go? Oh my god! Do you think he asked Superman? Or Wonder Woman? Maybe the Green Lantern?!"
I laughed. "Jesus, F, calm down. You're gonna give yourself a brain aneurism."
She stuck her tongue out at me at turned back to the computer. "Oliver went to get something to eat after you went back to sleep. Diggle went out, didn't want to suffer the Wrath of Shade if you went crazy and tried to hurt him."
I took the aspirin and knocked back the water. "I'll have a shower and get out of your hair. I shouldn't be here F."
Felicity turned around in her chair. "Roy misses you. I don't think he counted on you having that kind of reaction to finding out about who you were. We spent hours talking and then he just took off. Than Oliver arrived and asked me to find you, no matter what it took. I think Roy told him where the Watchtower was."
I rolled my eyes. "I didn't come back for Roy. In fact, I'm not back at all. I'll get some more clothes than I think I might take the Bat up on his offer."
"You can't leave!" she argued with me. "Whatever the other archer is a part of, it's happening soon. Like real soon."
I shrugged. "Don't care, F. Not my job anymore." I stood up and tossed the water in the bin before grabbing my coat and duffle bag. "Tell Oliver later, this time. You won't get to me. The Bat as some powerful friends. Later." I spun around and almost slammed straight into Roy standing there in his red hoodie.
"Where the hell have you been?!" he snapped at me. He sounded angry but in fact, he looked seriously relieved.
"Piss off," I snapped. "Like you fucking care anyway."
"River!" Felicity snapped. "That's not fair and you know it."
I glared at her. "Like I fucking care." I turned back to Roy. "Move or I'll break an arm. I have somewhere to be."
"You stink like a bar," Roy told me, ignoring what I had to say. "I've had your sisters and your mother on my back asking me where you are. Felicity's been helping none stop trying to find you. Hell, even Peter's been looking for you with Lance's help. Get your head out of your ass, River."
I scowled. "Why? It's a neat trick I learnt from Oliver. I get a better view looking up at people."
Then suddenly Roy slapped me.
I stopped dead and blinked a few times.
Felicity opened and closed her mouth like a fish.
I turned slowly to glare at Roy. "I meant what I said before, move or I'll break your arm. I have plans." Snatching the card off Felicity's work station, I pocketed the two halves and walked around Roy, heading for the door.
Oliver stood in the doorway.
I glared him down. "Next time, don't waste your time. I'm not coming back. I have bigger fish to fry. Tell Diggle I'm sorry I tried to attack him." I saluted him and pushed passed him.
My intentions were to leave Starling City behind me as quick as I could.
But first, I needed to get myself to a phone.
++++++ I have plans for this now. Everything's coming together. This part of the series will be finished soon. I've started outlining my Flash story and it will center around Barry Allan's twin sister who will feature in the next book of River's story. Kōngxū is book one. The next book will be short covering the few months River is in Gotham and than book three will start when River comes back to Starling. The Allen Twins will be in it like Barry is in S2. Hope you all enjoy ++++++
