Sing Me A Song.
(Author's Note: Yet another AU here. Oliver is the Green Arrow in S1, but he's utterly incapable of having even the most basic of conversations with the opposite sex. Hence, no Sara on the boat. Lauriver endgame, along with Barry+Kara)
Five Years and One Month Ago….
Oliver Queen was a hopeless romantic. It wasn't something he wanted advertised, really. He could only envision having to fend off people who wanted to know him for his money, and didn't actually love him for the person he was beneath the shell of privilege and affluence. But for the woman he would love, that'd be different. He could tell them, day after perfect day, what they meant to him. He could be the charming, sweet, and kind man he wanted to be. The man his family knew him to be.
But there was a problem. He could not talk to women. The literal thought of it terrified him. And, if he was being honest with himself, he knew where it started. His mother.
When he had first discovered that girls didn't actually have cooties, he was drug into his room one day. Moira, his mom, was waiting there and she was angrier than he can ever remember her being. Turns out he had talked to Raisa about how badly he wanted a wife and kids, and his mother had overheard. It pleased him to know Raisa hadn't snitched on him, because he always knew she wanted the best for him.
His mom didn't waste a second of time. She informed him that he would always have to be overly cautious with who he opened his heart to, and would recommend he never open his heart to anyone. She eventually got angry, reminding him of her own marriage and how romance was just a myth. Her anger guided her to darker and darker statements, eventually making him promise that he would never seek out the kind of love her boy craved. She demanded he only use women for sexual conquest, and never give his heart to anyone who would use it to enrich herself. When a horrified Oliver asked her why she wanted him to make that promise, she confessed that Robert had cheated on her multiple times, and she didn't want her son to feel like love obligated him to be with a woman who treated him like that.
By the time she was done, Oliver Jonas Queen was utterly terrified of ever being alone with a woman. His mother, whether meaning to or not, had somehow made her son believe that every woman he would come across wanted him only for his money.
He still dreamed about love, though, and there was one person he loved more than anyone else. He couldn't talk to her, couldn't dream of it, but he loved her from afar.
Her name? Dinah Laurel Lance. She was kind, and fiery, and so stunningly beautiful that it hurt him to look at her. And yet, in one of those cruel things that happen, he couldn't tell her how he felt.
So, he pined. He wrote every feeling he had down, hoping that one day he could beat his fear back enough to tell the love of his life how he felt. And, in his mind, he did and she loved him back. In the parts of his mind his terror could not touch, he was the perfect boyfriend, fiancé, and husband. He was smooth, confident, and perfectly handsome. In his mind, when he dreamed, he was perfect.
And then, his father took him on a boat trip to see if they couldn't find a cure for his fear in China and everything went to hell. And for five years, his mutism around women was not his primary thought. Sure, at first, it amused Slade to see him clam up around Shado and use hand signals to talk if he had to. Eventually, though, the man heard the full story. And Slade FUMED. How dare ANYONE tell this boy, this kind and sweet boy who risked certain death for the sole purpose of doing the right thing, that his heart should be closed to love and romance? He had suffered, and was suffering, without his wife and sons. There was no way he would ever allow anyone to suffer without love.
Five years later….
To the outside world, Oliver Queen had it all together. He had survived a desert island, and was running a nightclub with his childhood friend Tommy Merlyn who was in a whirlwind romance with one Felicity Smoak.
But and this only Tommy knew, Oliver was secretly broken. His mutism around women had only grown stronger, as his mother routinely reminded him of the promise, she had made him make. And, because the island had turned him from a soft college boy into a grown and powerful-looking man, there were many women who wanted him in their beds. But Oliver? He only wanted one person. Only needed one person. But he couldn't talk to her.
So, when he fell asleep, he didn't honestly suppose anything about his life would be different. But it was about to be.
For starters, when he woke up, he wasn't in his bed in a mansion. Rather he was on a platform in front of some sort of a weird vortex-looking thing, next to 2 other people who seemed just as confused as he was. He moved to introduce himself, and then stopped. One of them was a woman. Oh shit.
And then, as he was figuring out what in the world was going on, he suddenly felt a sharp yank and he was pulled through the vortex into a world that was almost the same as the one he lived in. He couldn't help noticing the differences, though. For one, he could faintly hear the sounds of a jazz saxophone just out of view. Secondly, and this pleased him and worried him in equal measure, Slade Wilson was sitting on his bed.
"Slade?"
"Yeah, kid. It's me. Just not completely the one you remember. I'm sure you've got questions, and I can answer some of them."
Exhaling, panic leaving his body, Oliver sat down.
"The man who brought you here is named Mr. M. His full name, for now, is irrelevant. As to why he has chosen you, he has seen your future. He believes you can lead a true age of heroes, men and women who represent the very best of us. All you need is a push, towards love and away from self-loathing and hate. This universe will serve as that push."
Thinking for a moment, the Green Arrow realizes something. Confidently, he smiles and leans forward.
"You're Mr. M, aren't you?"
At that, Slade grins.
"You're right, I am. But, because it feels like you need it, I will remain in this form. When you are finished, and you'll know when you are, call me and I will return you to your life with the changes you've made. Just be forewarned: You are not alone here."
And with that, the weird apparition left his room and Oliver took a moment to take stock of his situation. He was dressed as he normally was during the day and the cloudiness of the view through his windows made him think, for just a moment, that he was actually in Starling City. But and this part was confusing, he kept hearing that jazz saxophone just out of reach of his ears.
Furthermore, he got the sense this was going to be a fighting situation. So, he went into his closet and he looked to grab his bag. He figured that if things were going to go as he expected, he'd need his bow and his arrows.
For the second time he got a real shock. His arrows were here, but they looked… different. For one, half of them had new heads that looked less like the typically sharp ones he used and more like arrows with specific purposes. But, he supposed, that would be ok. If this really was Starling City, Verdant would still be here and he still had his target room to test everything out. The other thing was the color of the heads themselves, and for that matter, his bow. They were bright green, almost emerald. As he thought of that, though, it dawned on him that he didn't mind. If this new world he was in was meant to show him the power of love, it only made sense that he would be doing things with brighter colors than he did normally. Besides, this didn't have to be one of those changes he returned to his life with.
Grabbing his quiver and bow, and putting it inside the duffel bag he had for this purpose, he left his room and walked down the stairs. Thea was sitting on the couch, happy and full of life with no hint of the pain or addiction issues she was struggling with. He was going to bring that back with him too.
As he left the mansion, he committed every ounce of this to memory. When that weird Mr. M fellow saw him again, this was going to be part of the new life he built for himself.
When he stepped out the front door, though, he could feel the difference. For one, everything was rainy and gray. Also, his bodyguard John Diggle was in a suit that made it look like he was in one of those 40's and 50's noir movies he loved so dearly. Come to think of it, Thea was dressed like that too. Everyone was. Had this Mr. M dropped him into a film noir world?
He supposed, because his life had become precisely this weird since Lian Yu, that he was going to be in a film noir world for the next little while. For the first time, he wondered what was happening back in his own time.
Meanwhile, back in the "Real World" ….
Dinah Laurel Lance always knew how Oliver Queen felt about her. He couldn't say the words, or any words really, around her. But she always knew, like she knew her own name. And if she was being honest, she wasn't sure how she felt about it, felt about him.
He was always kind to her, making sure to hold out his chair for her everywhere he, Tommy, and her went. Often, he brought her flowers and movies she had mentioned liking, just because. If she didn't know any better, it would have seemed almost like he was courting her.
But he never talked, at least not to her. It seemed almost like he was terrified of being in her presence. That was really strange, though, because she could see a depth of feeling in his eyes whenever he looked at her that felt almost like unrequited love. The whole thing confused her.
And yet, she did feel fondly towards him. He was the only one who could make her relax when she wanted to pull all-nighters because her GPA was a 3.96 instead of a 4.0, or take her out to Big Belly Burger when her mother and father were fighting again because Sara brought some sketchy boy home and they disagreed on how to handle it.
Right as she was about to tell him she knew, however, the boat he went on with his father sank. For five years, her feelings towards him marinated in fear, regret, and guilt. Fear because she didn't, couldn't, imagine anyone could survive being shipwrecked.
Regret and guilt because she remembered something that had happened with Tommy on their last movie night at her home before Oliver left. It was common for the three of them to have movie nights together, but every time she asked where Oliver was, Tommy smiled warmly as if he was in on some kind of a plan. Then, she got a text from Oliver telling her to come to the back door of her home. Apparently, without her realizing it, she had fallen into a trap.
But before she could do it, the front doorbell rang and it was her baby sister, Sara, sloshed at the front door. By the time she got that handled, she walked to the back door and saw no one there. She knew she had stood him up, right then and right there.
For five years, she held onto it. Held onto that feeling, and knew she would find a way to make him tell her how she felt. Then, once she heard it, she'd be able to admit to herself if it was true. Did she really love him?
Back in Mr. M's World….
As Oliver Queen went through this "new" version of Starling City, his mind went to Laurel. Anytime he wasn't thinking about a mission, he thought about her. He wondered if he would ever find the courage to beat his fear back, and tell her that he loved her with every centimeter of his heart.
Maybe, in this weird world, his mutism was gone too. Could that be what Mr. M was trying to give him in that "push towards love"? The chance to tell Laurel, even if it was a version alternative to the one, he knew, was so good he couldn't pass it up.
But as he thought about it, he looked at his driver and bodyguard John Diggle and knew. He needed to go to the place that his Laurel would have been.
"Mr. Diggle, take me to CNRI" he said, with more confidence than he felt.
"Why, sir? What's there that we need? Don't you just want to go back home?"
With that trio of questions, Oliver Queen was on edge. He imagined that the John Diggle in his real world would have this same reaction. Honestly, he never got it. Oliver knew he needed, and craved, the sort of romantic love he wanted from no one else but Laurel. And yet, John Diggle didn't care. For all of his high-minded talk about keeping Oliver human, that only seemed to matter to him whenever Oliver violated his moral code. Making sure he was loved? That was insignificant.
But when the car skidded to a stop, and John Diggle got out and opened his side door, he knew this was different. Grabbing for his bow and an arrow, Oliver fired and watched as the arrowhead embedded itself directly into the palm of John Diggle. Running as fast as he could, pulling his duffel bag over one shoulder, the Green Arrow took stock of the situation.
He had just fired an arrow. He knew he usually carried 25, so that meant he had 24 arrows of which half were tricks. He still had to get to CNRI and see Laurel, and then somehow summon Mr. M to get this all over with. And, to his great horror, he realized that he has left his hood back at the mansion. He was going to have a very long day.
Back in the "Real World" …
Laurel Lance was working as hard as she could. For some reason, and she couldn't put her finger on it, she felt this sense of panic like something serious was about to happen that needed her full attention. And then, out of the corner of her blue eyes, she saw it.
Tommy Merlyn, Oliver's best friend. They had known each other since they were kids, and it had always felt like Tommy was Oliver's voice. Whenever he needed to do something nice for her, Tommy would invite her to a meal and then Oliver would show up right after.
But now he walked to her desk, sadly, and she knew something awful had happened.
"Laurel, it's Ollie. And he needs you. Felicity, Moira, and Thea have done all they can to make him comfortable. But he needs to hear from you" said a sad but determined Thomas Merlyn, and at that moment, Laurel understood why Felicity was so besotted with him.
"What does he need from me, Tommy? He hasn't seen me, or made any effort to contact me. It's almost like he's terrified of me. What on earth could he possibly need from me?" said an annoyed Laurel.
"Because he needs to know the truth, Laurel. He's been unconscious for 36 hours, and we've done all we can to make him comfortable. But if this gets any worse, he needs to know the truth. He needs to know how you really feel. Maybe hearing it, making it real, might be what he actually needs."
Right after dropping that bombshell, Tommy Merlyn left Laurel Lance deep in thought. And then, she knew. Every time she thought about dating anyone, she wondered if Oliver would like him. Whenever her mind wandered to having kids, Oliver was there.
HOLY SHIT. She loved Oliver. Now, with whatever time she had left, she just had to tell him.
Meanwhile, in Mr. M's World….
Oliver Queen stood outside CNRI and saw Laurel Lance working. Even though, intellectually, he knew that this wasn't his Laurel he still felt that flutter in his chest when he saw her. He knew he needed to tell her how he felt, but couldn't make the words form.
Then, like someone turning on a light switch, he knew. He wasn't in a film noir world; he was in a musical. And he knew the song. He had always known it.
"Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?"
(Author's Note: watch?v=Ajp0Uaw4rqo for the actual full song, if this is a thing that you might need.)
And as he finishes, and Laurel rushes into his arms, he knows he's done.
"Mr. M? I'm done. Send me back."
Waiting for his request to be heard, Oliver smiles. Things are feeling perfect.
Back in the Real World….
Moira Queen was PISSED. Had been ever since her daughter, Thea, had stormed into her bedroom and told her about Oliver. But she wasn't pissed at Oliver. She was angry with herself.
Why hadn't she played it softer, expected Oliver to trust his heart and the street smarts she always knew he had? Now, because she hadn't, the light of her life was broken emotionally. How had she let her own anger, her own resentment at the way her love with Robert had turned dark and ugly, warp her appreciation for love? She didn't think she could ever forgive herself for what she had done to him.
So, when her daughter explained what her son was going through, she knew she had to help. And then she thought about the one woman she trusted around her son, and knew she would have to be.
Moira Queen knew Laurel Lance didn't care about her money. If anyone was good enough for her son, and that was an open question, Laurel would be the closest.
Right then, she decided she would support their love. And if Oliver ever woke up, she'd apologize to him for doing what she did.
All she hoped was that it was enough.
In Mr. M's World….
Not hearing an answer didn't alarm the Green Arrow. He figured this was, in no way, going to be as easy as this Mr. M character figured it was. But it didn't matter. He had his bow, all of his arrows, and he had Laurel. He didn't need anything else, did he?
As soon as he asked himself that rhetorical question, though, he found he was getting help. A tall and statuesque blond woman flew…. Wait, did he say flew? Yup, he said flew. Regardless, a tall and statuesque blond woman flew in front of him next to a guy in a red jumpsuit with a white-bordered lightning bolt in the middle who appeared to have run faster than anyone could have tracked.
"Wait, Kara-bear, that's the guy we saw before we got sent to Krypton. Back before we discovered what we meant to each other. Do you think we should help him?" said the young guy with a smile on his face as wide as all outdoors.
"Us three against whatever's here to make sure we can't make it back to our lives? I think it works. Besides, it's going to be fun" said the blonde woman, her sunny disposition seeming to make her fit perfectly with who Oliver was thinking of as her new boyfriend.
Nodding his head, still apparently terrified about holding a conversation, Oliver looks at the two of them and simply holds up four fingers before gesturing towards Laurel. He wasn't going to leave her behind. Besides, he knew she could take care of herself. The woman he loved wasn't a shrinking violet who hid, and demanded others do the fighting. No, she would get in there and fight. He knew that about her, and if he was being honest, it was part of why she had taken his heart.
And so, the introductions were made. Oliver pulled this jump-suited fellow aside, whose name he discovered was Barry Allen, and told him everything including why it was he couldn't speak to the blonde. For his part, Barry Allen told him that he was the flash, and the blonde next to his Laurel was Kara Danvers, and she called herself Supergirl. Apparently, she was an alien.
And so, unsure of what awaited them, the four of them set out. Oliver had all of his arrows, and he had a speedster and a super-powered woman by his side. But, most importantly to him, he had Laurel.
Honestly, it didn't matter who was by his side. If he had Laurel, and her strength and spirit backing him up, he would fight anyone and be confident he could beat whoever it was.
And it was in that moment that he felt the fear break from him. With strength he knew he would need, he turned to the love of his life and used his words to tell her how he felt.
"I love you. Even if I only ever get to tell you in a dream world, I needed to tell you. I love you with all of my heart, and my everything. You are the only woman I will ever love. Please be mine. When I wake up from this, please tell me you love me too."
And at that moment, Mr. M appeared.
"I honestly thought this would take longer, you know. But, I am happy that you saw your love early. Now I can return you all to your lives, with the changes you've made here. You all will be on the same earth, and I know you will become the heroes you are all destined to become."
Snapping his fingers, they felt that pulling sensation again. Barry and Kara went through one hole, and Oliver went through another with Dream!Laurel standing in front of it with a smile on her face.
"Always" was the last word Oliver heard from Dream!Laurel and somehow, even as his vision blurred, he knew exactly what that meant.
Back at the Queen Mansion…..
Laurel Lance was crying tears of joy. Apparently, and she would be sure to tell him this when he woke up, Oliver talked in his sleep. And what he said was beautiful. He really did love her, with a depth and passion that would not be easily broken. Also, he sang to her, just her, with a love so rich that it made everyone in the room smile at the hearing of it.
Stirring back to life, growling as he woke up, Oliver looked around shocked for a moment only to find himself with two armfuls of…. Wait, was that Laurel? His Laurel? Could the dream have possibly been true?
"Always, Ollie. I will always love you." And at that moment, that second, he knew it was.
60 years later…
The Green Arrow and the Black Canary had served the world well. From the moment Oliver woke up from his dream, he had trained Laurel to the best of his ability. Turned out she was a natural martial artist, who took to training with true zeal and even sought out new trainers including Talia Al Ghul and Lady Shiva. They had saved the world, been in love the entire time, and generally been exemplars of heroism the whole way through.
But their service was done. Now, their children would take up the mantle. Mia Queen-Lance would become the Black Canary, and Connor Queen would become the Green Arrow. They were trained as their parents were trained, and made it sure the original versions could rest.
And so they did. They had beaten back aliens, Nazis, had their entire lives twisted by a strange book, and even stopped a multiverse-wide crisis. But now, they were done.
Their love was strong and complete. And no matter where it took them next, no matter what, that was all they really needed.