Shaking her head and letting out a wounded sound, Olivia backed herself into the headboard. It wasn't real. He wasn't real. "Don't ignore me, Olivia." Fuck, he even sounded like her dad. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. "Why haven't you finished the List? You were supposed to right my wrongs. Stopping Malcom didn't cure this city, he was just a symptom!"
"Stop," she pleaded. "You aren't real."
"Why are you incapable of being a responsible adult?" Robert demanded, his voice hard. As he stepped towards the bed, Olivia could smell him. It brought back the memories of being afloat with his rotting corpse next to her as they drifted on the ocean. "I asked you to do one thing!" He shouted. Olivia couldn't take it anymore. She climbed out of the bed, ignoring the protest in her aching ribs, really her whole body.
"You should've never asked me!" She screamed. "I was a child. I was fifteen years old! You should've never put that on my shoulders!" She turned, grabbing the lamp on the bedside table and sent it hurtling in Robert's direction.
He was, of course, gone. The lamp shattered against the wall and Olivia was left panting and hurt. What was happening? "You're fine," she muttered to herself. "You're okay, you're fine- you haven't lost your mind yet." Maybe it was a side effect of the drug she was injected with? Or maybe the rat poison? She needed to see Barry. Had to ask if this was normal after getting your blood thinned with rat poison.
Mind made up, Olivia made her way to the spare room that she frequented a lot before the Island. She knew the pants would be a little short if she found some, but hopefully an old shirt would still fit. Or she could grab one of Tommy's. Thankfully, she managed to find a pair of old jeans, the fabric faded and torn on the knees. The legs ended a bit above her ankle, feeling like they were more on their way to becoming capris. She couldn't find a shirt, though, and grabbed a black button up from Tommy's closet.
She slipped on the converse she was wearing the day before and made her way out the mansion, pulling out her phone and dialing a number. "Liv, you okay?"
"Dig, can you come pick me up? I need to get to the foundry."
"Where are you?" she could hear him grab his keys and most likely a jacket.
"Tommy's. I'll see you soon." She hung up and waited.
"So, what's going on? You don't look good," Diggle commented as she slid painfully into the passenger seat of the black car.
"I need to speak to Barry."
They spent the rest of the car ride in silence, Diggle occasionally questioning whether Olivia was really okay or not, and the blonde decidedly ignoring him. When they reached Verdant, Olivia was in the building and making her way towards the foundry entrance quickly. She punched in the code and made her way down the steps. The familiar sounds of escrima sticks hitting against each other was a comforting sound and when she rounded the last step, she saw Joe and Slade engaged in training.
Slade looked over at her entrance and gave her a stern look. "Kid, we agreed you wouldn't be here today."
"I'm not here for training or anything like that," she said with a head shake. She looked over at Felicity's workstation and saw Barry leaning over something, both of them pointing at something on the screen excitedly. "I'm here for Barry." The lanky CSI flinched and then looked up at her with wide eyes. He hurried over, tall frame looking small under the heat of her gaze.
"Miss Queen?" Olivia's eyes flickered over Barry's shoulder, briefly meeting the other occupants' gazes before looking back at Barry's green.
"We need to talk." She led him into a secluded corner, thankfully far enough way where even Slade's hearing can't pick up on what they say. By the look he was giving her, Olivia knew he figured out the tactic. "Have you figured out what was in the syringes I was injected with?"
Not yet," he sighed.
"What about the rat poison? Are- are hallucinations a side effect?" Barry frowned, concerned.
"You've been hallucinating?"
"Just this morning," she replied softly.
"I can take a sample of your blood and see what's going on." She nodded and the two moved back to the main area. While Barry got a syringe ready, Olivia hopped up on a table.
"What's going on, Liv?" Joe questioned, moving up next to her with concern swirling his dark orbs. The bruised and swollen cheek he was sporting was much worse that day.
"Barry's just checking on something for me," she soothed with a small smile. "How's your cheek?" He shrugged, leaning into her side a bit.
"Cracked." He watched intently as Barry made his way back over and used an alcohol swab to clean Olivia's inner elbow before inserting the needle and drawing some blood.
"What's he testing for?" Slade asked, moving behind the table Olivia was seated on.
"Anything that can bring out some unwanted side-effects," Olivia answered, taping the wound shut herself while Barry went to get the tests set up.
"Olivia," Slade growled out. Her eyes slid over to him, wincing slightly at the serious look in his dark eye. She sighed, lowering her voice so only he and Joe could hear.
"I hallucinated my father," she admitted. "Bullet hole in the side of his head, and all."
"I thought he drowned," Slade frowned in confusion. Olivia paused. Had she really never mentioned how he died on the island?
"I guess we had too much going on for me to actually talk about it," she sighed. "He and the captain pulled me into a life raft. After a few days of aimlessly floating, we were running out of food and water. My father shot the captain and then shot himself, so I'd survive," she explained. Joe blinked.
"You were a kid," he whispered. "You watched your father murder someone and then kill himself at fifteen." Slade just stared at her with his eye wide.
"It's going to take a few hours to run a full spectrum analysis on your blood," Barry said, appearing at her side again. "You should probably get some rest," he suggested, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder but then re-thinking it quickly. Olivia nodded, hopping off of the table.
"I'll go take a nap in the back." She didn't meet Slade or Joe's eyes as she passed them, not wanting to see what was most likely going to be pity swimming in those dark orbs.
Stepping into the back room, Olivia slid off her shoes before climbing into the cot, snuggling up under the thin blanket.
She wasn't sure how long she slept, ignoring the voices she heard in the next room, but she kept waking back up. Olivia figured it was because she was no longer used to sleeping by herself since she and Laurel got back together all those months ago. She sighed, turning over in the cot.
Olivia saw something in the corner of the room that made her pause, letting her gaze focus in. It was a familiar yellow and black mask covering the face of a man taller than Slade. Her eyes widened and she shot up out of the cot letting out a surprised yelp.
It was Billy Wintergreen.
The door burst open a second later, Slade standing there with his katanas in hand, looking around the room. His eye landed on Olivia; her eyes wide as she stared into a dark corner. His gaze drifted over, but he didn't see a thing. She was the only one who could. It's just in your head, you idiot, she thought bitterly as tears of frustration formed. "Kid?" Slade asked, a gentle tone to his voice that she hated to hear.
"I'm fine," she sighed. Slade placed his katanas on a table and took a seat next to her.
"Who'd you see, Kid?"
"Wintergreen." Slade's eye closed in dismay. He was the last person he clearly wanted her to see. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and Olivia leaned into his side. They stayed in a comfortable silence before she broke it. "Do you still see her?" His shoulders stiffened for a moment before relaxing.
"Sometimes," he rasped. "She went away for a while after you died. Came back when I found out you were found."
"Did you see someone else when she disappeared?" He nodded.
"When it's not Shado, it's always you." Oh. She wasn't expecting that. "There's always two different forms of Shado; the first one was the one that was after blood – specifically yours after Ivo lied to me.
"The second was after you died. All she did was tell me how wrong I was to believe him, that you obviously wouldn't have gotten her killed. After her, was you. For almost six years, I saw you almost every day. You looked just like you did that day; broken in more ways than one. You always looked at me with hatred and disappointment." He had to stop for a moment and Olivia just pulled him a bit closer. "You never said a word to me. No matter how much I apologized or begged you to tell me you hated me. Anything but the silence. When you popped up on the news alive, Shado was back. She told me that we needed to find you and make sure you stayed safe."
"Is she here now?" Olivia questioned. Slade shook his head.
"No, she hasn't shown back up since Joe and I came to Starling." That was good, right? She questioned herself. Neither of them should be hallucinating. Olivia sighed.
"Guess all that's left is waiting on those results, right?" She questioned. Slade nodded, agreeing. She leaned further into him and attempted to fall back to sleep. With Slade there, however, it was much easier than she originally thought it would be and she drifted right off, listening to the sounds of his even breathing.
When Olivia came to again, thankfully not from a nightmare or visions of people long dead, but to thin fingers combing through her hair gently. Laurel her mind supplied helpfully. "You finally awake, sleepy head?" Her girlfriend's teasing tone floated through the room. Olivia hummed, leaning slightly into the brunette.
"What time is it?" The blonde questioned, blinking a few times to wake herself up.
"Half past eight." Laurel bit her lip as the two locked eyes. "You scared us. Tommy got home before I did and called me in a panic when you weren't there." Her green eyes softened a bit. "Thankfully for all of us, you're a creature of habit, and we knew you'd be here."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you both."
"Well, that's good to hear," Tommy's voice echoed through the room with a relieved note. "Maybe send a text next time? Or carrier pigeon?" The blonde's lips tilted up in a small smile.
"Will do."
"What happened, love?" Laurel questioned as Olivia sat up slowly. The medicine had definitely worn off by that point, and she was feeling every ache and every bruise.
"I woke up this morning and saw my father standing by the door." Laurel reared back in surprise and Tommy's blue eyes were wide. "And then later on, I saw someone from the island. I wanted Barry to run some tests to see what's going on."
"Liv, honey, why didn't you call us?" Tommy asked, hurrying over to sit down on Olivia's other side.
"You were both busy. You shouldn't have to deal with my issues," she answered firmly.
"Olivia, we're a team; a family. At this point, your issues and traumas are our issues and traumas, too," Laurel snapped back in her no-nonsense tone that Olivia imagined she used countless times in the courtroom. She reached out and cupped Olivia's face in her palm. "When Tommy was injured and comatose, you helped come back from the edge when I was drinking myself to death. You've been here for every step of Tommy's recovery. Why is it so hard for you to understand that we will do the same thing for you?"
Fuck, this was getting emotional. Laurel's green eyes turned misty, and Tommy was looking at her so earnestly with those damn bright blue eyes that Olivia's skin started to itch.
"I-"
"You don't have to answer, Liv," Laurel soothed, always the person who could read her the best. "I'm not trying to put you on the spot or make you uncomfortable. Just know that we love you, and we will always be here for you."
"We also wanted to give you these." She looked over and saw the familiar orange canister held in Tommy's grasp. "I'm sure you're due for another dose."
"You would be correct," Olivia grinned, catching the bottle easily when he tossed it to her. She dumped two into her palm and downed them dry, screwing the cap back on and placing it on the floor by her feet.
The door leading into the main room opened, and Barry stuck his head through. "Hey, I got the results back – Can I talk to Olivia in private?" Laurel and Tommy shared concerned looks before nodding and exiting the room. Olivia stood, approaching the scientist.
"What did you find out?" Barry took a deep breath.
"Your blood is clean. There's no traces of the rat poison or any other drug in your system besides the pain medicine." She frowned deeply, eyebrows knitting together.
"Why did I see my dead father earlier, then?" She demanded.
"I don't know," Barry shrugged helplessly. "From what I can see, though, this isn't pharmaceutical; it's psychological." Olivia's eyes closed and she sighed heavily.
"So, my brain is turning against me?" Barry shrugged again, before reaching out hesitantly and giving her shoulder a small squeeze in an attempt at comfort.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help, Olivia." His hazel eyes were so sincere, that Olivia smiled slightly. What a little cutie.
"Don't worry about it, Barry. I appreciate everything you've done for me." It was true; she also felt horrible about how she got him into trouble with his boss back in Starling, so she was going to ask Lance to give the SCPD Captain a call and tell him that Barry helped them on a case so he doesn't get into even more trouble for coming back late. She was sure Lance would be willing. Somewhat. She may have to have Laurel as back up for that one. "When are you heading back?" Barry looked at his watch.
"Train leaves in two hours."
"I'll reimburse you for the ticket," Olivia promised, glaring a bit when he tried to protest.
"Thank you," was all he said before turning and leaving the room. Olivia sat back down with a tired sigh, feeling the effects of the medicine as Diggle entered the room.
"Hey, John," she greeted, watching him as he sat down next to her on the cot.
"Hey, Liv. What's the verdict?" He replied in that easy tone he sometimes got when dealing with her.
"Nothing in my blood; I'm just losing my mind," she grinned. He eyed for a moment, eyes looking darker than normal.
"When I got back from Afghanistan," he started slowly, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "I saw my dead teammates. I saw a couple of people I had killed while over there. I had my ghosts, too."
"And how did you get rid of them? Your ghosts?"
"I listened. I tried hearing what it was they were trying to tell me." Not bad advice, Olivia supposed.
"I guess it worked?" Diggle's lips quirked.
"Yeah, it did."
"Thanks, John."
About an hour later, Olivia was climbing the stairs leading to Tommy's room in the Merlyn mansion, Laurel in front of her and Tommy behind her. The three of them were each cradling warm mugs of tea in their hands, Olivia sipping hers as they entered the room. She had told them about her conversations with both Barry and Diggle, discussing what it was she needed to be listening for as her ghosts from the past haunted her.
Diggle was periodically texting her updates on the nightly activities; he had dropped Barry off at the train station before heading back to Verdant to help out while Slade and Joe were hunting down the man from the night before. She wasn't thrilled that they were out there without her, but she knew they could handle themselves and she'd be joining them the next night.
Olivia's vision blurred from both medicine and general exhaustion as she plopped onto the bed with a groan. "There's going to a charity gala on Friday," Laurel commented casually as she was slipping off her pants. "Sebastian Blood is apparently hosting."
"The Alderman?" Olivia asked, hoping she was placing the name correctly. Laurel nodded, climbing into bed.
"Probably a good idea. It would look good for Merlyn Global to donate to charitable causes," Laurel mused, pressing herself against Olivia's back as the blonde rested her head on Tommy's chest. "Love, what do you think?"
Olivia just hummed in agreement, getting far too comfortable with the pain meds coursing through her system and the warm weight of her bedmates pressing in on both sides. Tommy laughed lowly. "Well, you heard our lovely girlfriend, Laurel. Looks like we're going." Olivia hummed again and started drifting off to the soothing sounds of her two partners quietly talking about their days.
Olivia was feeling better the next morning. Her ribs weren't as sore as the previous day, though she did feel a pull when she moved or turned a certain way. She and Tommy were going to be running comms that night, as Laurel was heading to Central to go see her mom and Felicity was still ignoring them- well, ignoring Olivia.
At around ten that night, Olivia and Tommy walked Laurel to her train, both giving her a hug and a kiss, not caring if anyone saw. "Have fun with Dinah and tell her I said hi." Laurel nodded, kissing Olivia one last time before sharing another one with Tommy.
"I love you both and please stay safe," the brunette pleaded before getting on the train. She waived from her window as it took off down the track. They both stood there, waiting until the train was out of sight before heading back to the Foundry.
Diggle was bouncing that night as Thea still hadn't filled the position. "Think I should help her out managing this place again?" Tommy asked as they headed down the metal staircase.
"I thought we were planning a corporate global take over?" Olivia questioned with a teasing grin.
"You're right. I wouldn't have time to manage this place iand/i take over the world."
"Why are you plotting world domination?" Joe questioned, head tilted to the side as he looked away from the computer screen.
"Why not?" Tommy inquired back while the blonde looked over Joe's shoulder to see what he was up to.
"Plane tickets?" Joe nodded, selecting a date for a one-way trip from Australia to Starling.
"Yeah, we're finally going to fly Grant here. I know it's not exactly safe here with the whole Mirakuru thing, but dad and I agree that we'd feel better if he was here."
"I agree," she said, placing both hands on Joe's shoulders and giving a light squeeze. "You don't have to buy a plane ticket, though." Joe turned his head to look at her quizzically.
"Is he supposed to swim here?" The corner of Olivia's mouth quirked up in amusement.
"Joe, honey, I'm a multi-millionaire. Tommy is a multi-millionaire. We each have a private jet."
"You do?" She nodded. "Oh. Cool. Can we go pick him up in a couple days?" We. They wanted her to go with them. "Grant is really excited to meet you. He's been waiting since we found out you were alive and not just a story that dad told us."
"Of course. Just let me know when you want to go, and I'll handle the rest."
Now that she and Tommy were there, Joe suited up and joined Slade out on a patrol. As much as Olivia wanted to suit up herself, she would've been a liability and could've gotten one of them hurt. "Pops?" She spoke into the comm as the computer lit up with activity. "There's a robbery on the corner of Park and Marcos. There's hostages."
"Sounds fun. Thanks, Kid." She heard him revving the bike as he sped his way to the robbery.
The rest of the night went similar, Tommy and Olivia listening for any sort of disturbance and passing it along to Slade and Joe. It was three o'clock in the morning when they decided to call it quits and went off in separate directions. Verdant was starting to wind down as she weaved her way through dancing bodies, waving goodbye to Thea, who was working the bar and giving a nod to Diggle who was at the front doors.
They headed back to Tommy's and Olivia kicked off her shoes as soon as they got to his bedroom. She had her back to Tommy, but she heard him close the door softly and moved towards her. His arms slipped around her waist gently and he mouthed along her neck.
This was the first night it was truly just the two of them together since they were fourteen. She was excited and a bit nervous. She and Tommy hadn't had sex since their first time as teenagers. Her thoughts were disrupted when his lips brushed that spot where her jaw and neck meet, and she melted back into him.
Olivia was turned around, Tommy's lips descending on hers hungrily. She wrapped one arm around his neck, fingers threading into his dark hair, and the other hand was working to untuck his dress shirt from his slacks. His hands roamed down her body, past her hips, and gripped just below her ass to lift her in the air. Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them to his bed to lower her slowly.
They made quick work of their clothing, and she felt like she had blinked and was suddenly bare for the first time in years in front of her best friend. His blue gaze drank her in, cataloguing every scar, every mark that covered her. Normally, she'd feel ashamed or embarrassed; but this was Tommy.
He gently moved her legs apart, peppering kisses along the inside of her thigh, sending little jolts of pleasure straight through her. "Tommy," she pleaded. He grinned up at her.
"All in good time, love." She tossed her head back into the pillow with a huff. Why did she choose two people that did nothing but tease her? Thankfully, he wasn't going to leave her hanging for long because the next thing she knew he was parting her lips and sucking her clit into his mouth. A louder moan that was expecting escaped her and her hips thrusted up. "No, Liv, don't move. Don't want you to hurt yourself." Tommy spread one of his large hand across her pelvis, keeping her hips down and as he dove back in, alternating between sucking and licking. He kept at it until she came with a soft cry, lapping her up noisily before pulling away and climbing up her. He settled himself between her legs, a groan leaving her mouth as she felt his hardness up against her inner thigh. "Are you ready?" He asked, pupils blown wide. Olivia nodded, lifting her knees up to bracket his hips as he guided himself into her slowly. She was still sensitive from her orgasm and a shudder went through her body as he finally bottomed out.
Tommy pulled out almost all the way before sliding back in more quickly than before. "Fuck, why did we wait so long?" She groaned, nails digging into Tommy's back as a particularly hard thrust made her see stars. He didn't answer, just bit at her neck as he kept up a steady rhythm. When his hips started to falter, she knew he was close. Olivia herself was close, too. He reached between her legs and flicked her already swollen clit and she came again as another orgasm ripped through her.
The clenching of Olivia's inner walls sent Tommy over the edge as she felt him empty himself inside of her with a shout. He gave a few gentle thrusts, milking his own release as Olivia panted beneath him. He rolled off of her and onto his back and she curled up into his side. "That was-"
"Amazing," Olivia finished with grin, leaning up to press her lips to his gently.
"Yeah, definitely amazing," he agreed. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" She was sore, yes. Her ribs were aching, and her left hand was throbbing, but she didn't care.
"I'm fine, Tommy." They shared another kiss before Olivia finally passed out.
Olivia startled awake, and she shot up quickly. Looking around the room, she wasn't sure what had woken her up. Glancing down at her bed partner, Tommy was still out, lightly drooling into his pillow. Sliding out of bed, Olivia grabbed Tommy's dark blue dress shirt he was wearing before and slipped it on and exited the room. Padding silently down the steps and into the kitchen, she reached into the fridge for a bottle of water. As the door shut and Olivia unscrewed the cap, she heard it. Movement.
Grabbing for a kitchen knife, she swung around, the knife held in a protective grip against forearm across her chest as she lowered herself into a defensive position. Ocean eyes scanned the dark kitchen, but she didn't see anything.
"Olivia."
The arm holding the knife dropped to the ground with a clatter, and she turned her head slowly. There was no way. Warm eyes stared at her from a beautifully tanned face with black hair cascading over shoulders. "Shado?" She croaked out. The apparition, figment of her imagination, whatever it was, moved towards her slowly, kneeling down in front of her. When had she fallen to the ground?
"Olivia, you need to listen to me carefully," Shado started, dark eyes serious. "You need to lay my father's bow down. You cannot face what is coming." Olivia frowned.
"What do you mean? I use this bow to honor your father," she protested.
"If you face what's ahead of you, you will die and my father's sacrifice to keep you alive will have been for nothing."
Is this what her ghosts have been trying to teach her? That wasn't strong enough? No. Bullshit.
"I have faced everything life has thrown at me," she snarled as she stood up slowly. "I will continue to face whatever comes my way. Even if it's someone hopped up on Mirakuru. I'm not afraid." Shado reached forward, acceptance dancing in black eyes, and Olivia could swear she felt the back of those slim fingers brush her cheek.
"You should be. This enemy from the past will not be easy for you, or for Slade, to face."
"Who is it?" Olivia questioned. Shado smiled gently at her and then disappeared. She blinked a few times before picking the knife off of the floor and setting it in the sink to wash that morning.
Taking a drink from her forgotten water bottle, Olivia steeled herself. She would face whoever this enemy from the past was. She and Slade both.
She wasn't afraid.
Two Thousand and Five; Lian Yu
They entered the submarine one at a time. It was a tight fit, but they managed. Shado and Slade were the last ones in, Olivia wafting at the bottom as Slade was lowered down to her. She propped him against the wall, eyes raking over him. He was fading fast, and she felt helpless. Sara and Shado got to work looking for the cure, and Sara found it easily.
"We can't give it to him without a sedative first," she protested as Shado was gearing up to inject it into Slade's arm. They started looking around, but all Olivia could focus on was Slade. She couldn't watch another father die in front of her. She didn't think she'd survive it.
"Why is there blood on your shirt?" She blinked, looking down at the man.
"What?" She asked dumbly.
"Blood," he rasped, "on your shirt. Why?" She glanced down, noticing that there was in fact blood on her shirt in the same spot as she was shot. The stitches must have pulled at some point and she just never washed it out. Slade reached out, pulling the fabric away from Olivia's stomach and noticing the hole. He lifted the hem of her shirt and saw the healing wound. "So, you lied to me. They did hurt you."
"I'm fine, Slade. Let's just worry about you for now, and you can yell at me later."
"You're – you're damn right I will, Kid." His voice was getting weaker with every word that came out of his mouth.
"Stop talking before you hurt yourself, old man," she sniffed.
"Olivia?" Shado called. Olivia reluctantly pulled herself away from Slade and towards Shado and Sara.
"What's going on? Did you find a sedative?" Sara wordlessly handed her a bottle; an empty bottle. "Was this all you could find?" Sara nodded.
"We'll just have to try without it," Shado decided, holding the syringe of the miracle drug a bit tighter in her hand.
"It will kill him," Sara protested.
"From the sound of it, I'm going to die anyway," Slade interjected, obviously overhearing them. "Just do it." Shado nodded, and she and Olivia knelt at his side, while Sara hung back. Shado took the cap off, preparing to inject, when Slade stopped her. "I'm sorry I never told you how I feel."
"Save it," Shado ordered gently. "You can tell me when you're better." Slade's one good eye seemed to shine with a happiness Olivia had never seen before.
"I'd hold him down," Sara suggested. "It's going to hurt." Olivia nodded, wrapping her arms around, apologizing softly when he grunted in pain and watched as Shado slipped the needle in.
Nothing happened for a solid two seconds before Slade's body seized in pain and screams tore from his throat. Olivia's hold tightened and she felt tears spring to her eyes. Shado reached out to him, helping the blonde hold him down as bloody tears started streaming down Slade's face. It seemed to last forever until the screams stopped and he went limp, eyes staring blankly over Shado's shoulder.
"Slade?"