Notes:

I'm so excited about this chapter and I really, really hope you guys like it. It's different, but I hope in a good way. Please let me know what you think!

Chapter 46

You pulled me out of coffin, you didn't know I was locked and showed me love when I was ready to be done, you saw something in me, I guess you're seeing yourselves I'm so thankful 'cause I needed your help

Roy

"I'll be damned! Are you sure Gideon?" Roy was almost certain that his AI was messing with him, big time. He had had Jax and Ray program her so that she'd monitor what was going on in Star City in general and with Sara and Oliver in particular, just to have an extra set of eyes on his pregnant friend. So that he would know about any possible dangers to her and her unborn baby, which he could then forward to Oliver.

That wasn't messing with the timeline, at least not in his book, he'd do the same if he were still a part of Oliver's team. Keeping an eye on the Green Arrow's Bird was something he'd done ever since they had resurrected her. Roy knew Sara meant the world to Oliver. He had seen first-hand what her death had done to his friend and just how devastated he had been after Sara's murder.

There had been a lot that he hadn't understood that year, many of Oliver's choices had made just as little sense to him as they had to the rest of the team but looking back now he understood… he understood why Oliver had done what he had done. Why he had been reckless and willing to risk his life, more than that, it had almost seemed as if Oliver were goading death into a fight, challenging it… looking back now, Roy could see what Oliver had been doing, why he had been willing and almost eager to throw his life away.

He hadn't cared about his life anymore.

He had no longer cared what would happen to him. Whether he lived or died… Roy was sure a huge part of Oliver had even banked on dying, maybe even wished for it. But Oliver was a fighter and he wouldn't just give up, not without a fight. And because his mentor was also a survivor, his survival instinct probably had kicked in and refused to let him die, no matter he might have wanted to.

Because he had lost Sara, for good this time. At least as far as they had known at the time.

Oliver had lost his Pretty Bird. His true partner. His best friend. The woman he loved. The moment Sara's chest had been pierced with three arrows, which had sent her tumbling off of a rooftop, had been the moment Oliver had lost his heart. The one person in the world who understood him completely. And loved him unconditionally. Sara's death had ripped the rug right out from under Oliver and made his world spin from its axis. He had lost a part of himself which had let to his uncharacteristic and rather erratic behavior.

It had taken him a long time to really understand the impact Sara's death had had on Oliver and how it had shaped him and guided his behavior. Roy had known that Sara meant a lot to his friend, that had been obvious from the moment she had stepped back into his life. He just hadn't been aware just how much exactly and how her presence in this world shaped the person Oliver was. Just knowing she was alive had an immense effect on Oliver. Having his Pretty Bird taken from him again, in such a sudden and horrible way, had been what had made Roy realize the monumental role Sara played in his mentor's life, choices and behavior.

Watching Oliver almost falling apart in front of all of them, when they found Sara's body in the Foundry, was edged into his mind for all of eternity. He would never forget… he would never forget the look of utter and complete shock which had turned into despair within seconds on Oliver's face. Losing Sara had completely shattered Oliver, and he wasn't going to let that happen again, not if he could help it. Plus, Sara was his friend, someone he cherished as much as he did Oliver. She had become his confidante and the person he turned to when he was struggling with his newfound leadership role and the responsibilities that came with it. He usually ended up talking to both Sara and Oliver, but Sara was easier to reach, and she had more free time on her hand than Oliver. Plus, he really liked her unique and levelheaded way of looking at things. She looked at the facts and didn't let her emotions get in the way, unless her family was concerned, but that was an entirely different situation.

"Yes, Captain Harper, I am sure. Oliver Jonas Queen and Sara Lance have gotten married at the Star City City Hall six hours ago." The AI repeated the news she had just given him not two minutes ago.

"Hahaha, good for them. It's about damn time! That's the best fucking news I've heard in a long time. Oh, and Gideon? Keep it under wraps for now, no one besides you and me are to know about this little turn of event, alright? I want to talk to Sara and Oliver first. This is an order, by the way." Roy couldn't stop grinning after the news he had just received. Oliver had finally married his Pretty Bird. He needed to get them something for the wedding, he'd take some time to think of the perfect gift and get it for them. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver and Sara Queen. Man, he had almost given up ever seeing those two together as a couple again. He had always thought the two of them breaking up had been a shame. They were perfect for each other.

"Captain, Miss Queen is trying to contact you. Would you like to take the call?" His AI's question interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll take it in my room. Thanks, Gideon." He put the matter of Sara and Oliver's wedding gift, his grin returned just thinking about it, even if part of him still found it difficult to believe, on the side in order to find out what Thea was calling about, hoping everything was alright. Maybe she was calling to let him know about her older brother's wedding? He doubted it, he just had this feeling that it wasn't something his friends would make public, he didn't know why, it was really just a gut feeling, but everything was possible.

One year ago

"Rumor has it you're looking for me." He flinched at the unexpected voice coming from the shadows behind him. He turned around, looking for the familiar face that he hadn't seen in a very long time. Too long. Way too long if you'd ask him.

"Rumor's right." He answered into empty space, turning around in a circle, still trying to make out where she was hiding and at the same time wondering why she was still hiding, and hadn't showed her face yet, even though she had made her presence known to him.

"Why?" Her voice gave nothing away. As usual, she was very good when it came to hiding her emotions, but he could detect the slightest trace of curiosity and confusion in it.

Where the hell was she?

He had turned in a full circle already and still hadn't found her. Oliver had nothing on her, seriously. Not that it was a surprise, Sara was a trained international assassin, who had been taught by the best of the best. He tried to focus on her voice in order to find her.

"Because I'm in need of some serious advice and figured, you're the best person to give it." He stayed completely still and closed his eyes, just like she had taught him all those years ago, to drone out all noises and focus on nothing but her voice.

"Ollie's better when it comes to giving advice than me." Slightly to his right, but from above, of course, there was a reason Oliver called her Pretty Bird. He turned towards the direction of her voice and looked up. Finally able to make out the silhouette that belonged to the Canary, perched up on the ledge of the building now right in front of him.

"Yeah, but since you know what it's like to be presumed dead and on the run, with no place to really call your home… or you do but home is where you can never go again, I thought you might be the best person to ask." He still couldn't make out her face, it was still hidden by the shadows surrounding her.

"Alright. Let's hear it." She jumped off of the ledge and landed gracefully on the ground just a few feet away from him the moment the words had left her mouth. Moves like that reminded him of a cat far more than a bird, but as he had been told by several different people, there was a reason she went by Canary instead of something more fitting like, Panther or Black Persian or Black Kitten or something along those lines. He had to admit, the fact that she had outsmarted a man the likes of Ra's al Ghul at the age of 21 was very impressive and definitely made up for the less fitting Canary instead of a more fitting cat related name. He focused back on the woman in front of him and the issue at hand. He knew she wasn't the most patient person on the planet and there was a reason she had gone MIA, and nobody seemed to have a clue where she was and how to reach her.

"I was offered… this British dude showed up and offered me a chance to save all of time from an immortal, godlike guy who goes by Vandal Savage, while time travelling, in a freaking space ship. And I don't know… it's a weird offer, but at the same time all I've been doing since I left Star was traveling and I guess looking for a purpose. I just don't know… This is crazy but at the same time it could be the purpose I was looking for or not, and maybe I'm better off staying low and doing what I have been doing for the past year… So, what do you think I should do? Take the offer or not? And how exactly did you learn I was looking for you? And where to find me?" He explained his current dilemma and why he had been looking for her. He couldn't help it; his curiosity got the best of him. Everyone he had contacted concerning getting in touch with her and how he could reach her had given him a negative reply, so he'd really like to know how the message had reached her in the end so that he knew what he needed to do next time he was looking for her.

"You told Thea, Thea told Ollie, Ollie called me, plus you told Sin and she let me know too. Do you want to do it? Because if you do, there's really no reason why you shouldn't." It was a logical explanation, and he could've reached that end result himself. Of course, Oliver knew how to get in touch with one of his oldest and probably his most cherished friend. And of course, Sara would stay in contact with Sin, as she had always done from the moment the two women had met.

Huh, that was a very simple answer to a very complicated situation.

Did he want to do it? Well, yes, obviously, who wouldn't want to travel through time and save people while doing that? And there really wasn't any reason he shouldn't do it. Nothing holding him back. It wasn't like he could go back home to Thea and get his old life back. He had made the choice to sacrifice that to save Oliver, a choice he would repeat all over again if it came to it. He owed Oliver his life; he had saved him, given him a purpose, and believed in him when no one else had. Oliver had been the first person who had showed him he could do more, be more, be better. That he could help people and make a difference without getting into trouble with the law… well, sort of anyway.

He owed him everything.

So, giving his life for his friend's had been a no-brainer. And he didn't regret it. Even if he sometimes wished he could go back home, be a part of Team Arrow again, help his city, his people again. But this was a chance for him to do that, to help people. To make a difference, even if it was in a completely different way than he had ever expected to.

He looked at Sara and smiled, impressed. She had that ability to break everything down to the core of the matter and helped you reach the simplest solution. Did he want to do it? Yes. Yes, he did.

"Thank you, Birdy. You just solved a problem I've been mulling over for days with one simple question." He admitted a little sheepishly but with a grateful smile.

"You're a lot like Ollie, you get lost in your own thoughts and forget to think about what you want." This wasn't the first time she had compared him to Oliver and brought up similarities in their characters. And he guessed she wasn't wrong about her observations. He did tend to get lost in his thoughts, the few times when he actually thought about his actions instead of impulsively doing whatever felt right.

"Well, I owe you one. How about we grab a bite to eat and we can compare the places we've been to, see if there are overlaps?" He really hoped she would agree to it. He had missed her, and he'd love to spend some time with her. There was something soothing and comforting about her presence. He wasn't sure what it was, but she just made him feel at home whenever he was around her. He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but there was something about her personality that just drew you in and you couldn't help but like her and seek her company.

Different from most people, it had never been difficult for him to understand why Oliver had cheated on Laurel with Sara, not from the moment he had first met the other Lance sister. Not that he condoned what they had done or took a side or whatever. He had agreed with everyone that it was a shitty thing to do and difficult to understand why Oliver would cheat on his girlfriend, someone like Laurel no less, with her sister. But the moment he met Sara he understood, well not understood understood, but he could see why… there was just something about Sara… and then there was the fact that Oliver and Sara seemed a lot more compatible than Oliver and Laurel… Oliver and Sara just seemed to fit naturally. They were so similar, and given the little he had learnt about the people they were before the island, it had already been the case back then.

"Only if we stay away from people." Her reply brought him back to the present, and he looked at her, really looked at her for the first time in years. It was easy to see the changes that her death and resurrection had caused in her. And it broke his heart. She had already suffered so much before all of this… it really wasn't fair. She was such a kind, good-hearted person. She didn't deserve all the pain life kept on throwing at her.

"Of course. Let me know what you're in the mood for and I'll get it after we found a place to sit and enjoy the food in peace." He smiled at her reassuringly, making sure that she knew he understood, that he was fine with whatever she wanted. That he wasn't going to make her do anything she wasn't comfortable with. He just wanted to spend some time with her, before he was going to leave for who knew how long on a crazy mission with a weird British dude from the future.

Sara returned his smile with that patented half smile of hers and fell in step with him. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the abandoned building he had been crashing in for the last couple of nights.

It was one of the best nights he had had in a long time. Just spending time with a friend. Sharing stories while eating food.

Sara had even hugged him goodbye before leaving, telling him to be careful and watch his back, giving him her cell number, just in case. He watched her walk away until the shadows had swallowed her before gathering what little belongings he had and leaving in order to start his new life. As a fucking time traveler.

Life was strange sometimes.

7 months ago

"Is he always this violent?" The new guy asked, turning towards Ray, Mick… and Oliver and Sara… what the…?

He wasn't sure if he was seeing right or if he'd finally lost his mind. Probably the latter, because why and how would Oliver Queen and Sara Lance end up in 1693's Salem? That made no sense. At all. So, having gone insane after spending months in a time period where a woman simply had to look at someone the wrong way to get labeled a witch and end up being killed for no reason at all made a lot more sense. He had spent the last few months trying to help, as well as he could, but all it had led to was to him being duped a male witch, which was what had led to him almost being hanged… only not really. The townspeople weren't an actual physical challenge to him. Far from it actually.

"Yeah."

"Totally."

"Hey!" He looked at both Oliver and Sara slightly offended, given their replies to the new guy's question.

"What? It's the truth. I remember trying to keep you from always throwing the first punch and actually using your brain instead of your fists for months…" there was a mischievous gleam in his former mentor's eyes and the slightest hint of a grin on his face. He looked from Oliver to Sara, hoping to get some help from her, but she wasn't even hiding her amusement given her partner's words. She just shrugged her shoulders, grinning at him.

"He's right you know." She leaned her head on Oliver's shoulder while backing him up. It was only then that he noticed their close proximity and their intertwined hands.

Huh, interesting…

"What are you guys doing here?" The question was directed towards his two friends while all six of them walked towards where he presumed the Waverider was. Picturing Oliver and Sara on the Waverider was almost impossible. Time travel was one of the things he was sure Oliver accepted as a possibility but decided to stay away from because it was just too out there and nothing he wanted a part of. But now here they were…

"Nate sought us out after he found changes in history hinting towards all of you being in trouble. So, we helped him look for you and found Mick. We decided to help them find you. Now, that we have, it's time for us to head back to our time." Oliver explained, slapping his shoulder and squeezing it for a moment, nodding his head in approval.

"You could stick around for a while, you know. Help out a little longer… or just stay for dinner to catch up." He knew he probably sounded desperate, but he had been stuck in the 17th century for months, with no friends. He had missed them a lot. He really hoped they would at least stay for another hour or two just so they could talk a bit.

"I guess we could stay for a bit, just to catch up." Sara had turned to Oliver, both of them communicating in silence, as they were known to do before the blonde answered his question. He was so grateful for her answer. He loved the Legends, but he had missed both Oliver and Sara, they understood him in a way the Legends couldn't.

They had stayed while the Legends picked up the rest of the team, even though they had stayed back on the Waverider and out of everyone's way. Neither of them had been big on small talk or interacting with the rest of the team. Sara even less than Oliver. But they had stayed for a couple of hours after the entire team had been gathered, except for Rip. And the three of them had talked about what had been going on in their lives lately.

It had surprised him to learn about the breakup between Oliver and Felicity and the reasons behind it. But he had also been amused about Sara's reaction to Oliver's recounting of the events and the argument that sprung from it. An argument that they seemed to have had several times before. Sara seemed to have a very strong opinion concerning Felicity's actions, and he couldn't fault her for that. He actually agreed with her, mostly anyway. Yet, Oliver was insisting Sara stay out of it and keep her opinion to herself, since it did not concern her. Sara didn't agree with him on that either, pointing out that everything that concerned him, concerned her. Period. It was hilarious to watch. He would've said Sara won that argument but Oliver refused to budge on the matter of Sara staying out of it and Sara refused to give him an inch, so they called it a draw and postponed the argument for now. He had a feeling they've done that several times already.

He had also learnt about Sara's struggle with bloodlust and everything that came along with it. Which explained their behavior and constant physical contact. Oliver was grounding her with his presence.

He in return had told them about Vandal Savage, about how the Waverider came to be at the bottom of the ocean and the team ended up scattered through time.

They made him promise to let them know if he needed help before saying their goodbyes and returning to Tanzania, where Nate had found them. They were traveling through the African continent with Oliver's Ducati, which was something they had planned to do together before they had ever set foot on Oliver's father's yacht, as he had learnt during their conversation. He always loved hearing stories about who they were and learning more about their past, before they had been through hell. He was glad that they got to do something they've wanted to do for years. He hoped it brought them some peace and happiness.

He watched them walk away and hoped they would get better soon. Oliver and Sara deserved to be happy more than anyone else in the world. He really hoped this time together, away from everyone, would help them get there.

Roy was still trying to wrap his mind around everything he had learnt during the last couple of hours, especially the revelation that Oliver had a son. That was a shocker. It was wrong, everything about the situation with William was just so wrong. It was breaking his heart. And he knew Sara agreed with him. Oliver should've been given a choice whether he wanted to be a part of his son's life or not. It should've been his choice to make and no one else's. This was so messed up. He understood Oliver's choice to give William up now, though. He was just trying to keep his son safe. He wished there was something he could do to help, to make the situation better. He wished there was a way for Oliver to be a part of his son's life without putting him in danger… this was so unfair! Oliver didn't deserve this.

He sighed before turning around and getting back on the Waverider. It was time to focus on the matter at hand here. They still needed to stop New York from getting blown up and find Rip.

4.5 months ago

Roy was woken up by the ringing of his cellphone. Who the hell would call in the middle of the night? At least he was pretty sure it was the middle of the night. Keeping track of the time of day was very difficult in the Temporal Zone. He answered without checking the caller ID.

"What?!" He knew he sounded harsh and annoyed but hell, he was just woken up and they've had had one hell of a day.

"Hey. I'm sorry to bother you this late." The voice on the other end took him by surprise, and not just because of the way it sounded. He moved his cell from his ear to check the name on the display, just to be sure that his brain wasn't playing tricks on him. It wasn't. Here the name was spelled out in bright letters.

Roy was wide awake within seconds.

"Hey man, is everything okay?" Roy was surprised about his former mentor's call. Oliver was rarely the one initiating contact. And that wasn't a gibe at him. He got it, Oliver had so much going on in his life at all times that remembering to stay in contact with people who weren't in his everyday life was not on the top of his list of things to do. Roy would never hold that against him. But that meant the more confused and worried he was when he saw his friend's name on his cell.

"No, no. It's really not." The older man's tone of voice didn't help ease his worry, the opposite actually, it only worried him even more. He wasn't sure when, if ever, he had heard Oliver's voice sound like this.

Defeated, almost desperate and broken.

"What's going on?" He asked quietly, hesitantly. He wasn't sure if his friend wanted to talk about it, if it was alright for him to ask... or if he really wanted to know. He was sure whatever it was that has led to Oliver feeling this way, it couldn't possibly be a good thing. He wished his friend could catch a break for once. He thought traveling with Sara would give him a chance to do just that, to take a breather... Sara, fuck! Oliver was traveling with Sara, he rarely had contact with anyone back home... Sara was the only person he was in contact with... Sara... the last time Oliver had sounded this defeated had been after…

Please, god, no, not again! Let Birdy be okay, please, don't take her from us yet again.

His previous worry had turned into full-blown dread, expecting the worst. So, Oliver's next words came completely out of left field.

"Sara's pregnant." Huh, that was the last thing he had expected.

"Oh." Roy wasn't sure what he should reply to that bombshell. He had expected her to be seriously hurt or dead or her losing control over her bloodlust and things having gone horribly wrong. Her being pregnant had never even been in the vicinity of his mind. It was so absurd and far off the target. He hadn't even been aware Oliver and Sara were a thing again, or them getting in a situation like this was a possibility. They had not appeared to be anywhere near to that possibility when he had seen them a couple of months ago.

"How... I mean, I know how... I just... I didn't know you guys are..." he wasn't sure how to finish the sentence. Or what he meant to say, if he were honest.

"We're not. It's not... it was a onetime thing. Sort of... Sara has refused to buy me presents for birthdays and Christmases for years, because as she put it she'd have to spend her hard-earned money to buy me something I could easily get myself. So, she always... she picked things for us to do together. Like go to a concert or whatever… once we… the last couple of my birthdays that we've knowingly spent together, it always led to sex. So, this year, we were in the middle of nowhere in South Africa and had been for weeks… she wanted… this wasn't supposed to happen. We were careful, we made sure it wouldn't…" Oliver sounded awful, and it wasn't like him to share such personal information with him. He must be really struggling and in a terrible place because of this.

Jesus, this was really bad timing for them to be having a child together.

With everything he had learnt the last time he's seen them and everything that was already going on in their lives. He couldn't even imagine what they must feel like, what they were going through. He wasn't sure what he should say, how to react. What Oliver wanted or needed from him. This was not… Roy couldn't remember ever feeling this out of his depths. This was a very unusual situation for him. Oliver confiding in him, sharing something so personal, so life changing with him. Something that he was obviously struggling with… Roy felt honored and scared at the same time. This was a completely new situation for him and he didn't want to fuck it up.

Oliver trusting him this much meant the world to him, and he really didn't want to let him down.

"What… is there something I can do?" It was the best he could come up with in the brief span of time he had before his silence could be misinterpreted.

"No, I… Sara just fell asleep again after… I just, I just needed to talk to someone, to tell someone… because I… I don't know what to do. I can't… Sara's a mess and I'm not much better and there's nothing I'd rather do right now then go out and beat the crap out of someone but… but Sara needs me to be here and I can't… I won't leave her alone or have her think we're not in this together but… I... I just needed to talk to someone. I'm sorry, Roy, I didn't mean to put this all on you. I just… I can't handle the judgment and attacks that will probably come with us telling people right now." Oliver's words were breaking his heart. Just listening to his friend, hearing how much pain both of them were in and the fear of the reactions that came with telling their families and friends hurt him so much. He wished he could do something to help them, to ease some of their pain, carry some of their burden… but he knew he couldn't there was nothing he could do.

"You don't need to apologize, Oliver. I'm glad you called. I'm here to listen whenever you or Sara need to talk to someone. That's what friends are for, right? Look, I don't know what to say or do. But if there is anything you guys need, anything I can do… just let me know. I'm only a phone call away. All I need is the time, date and place and I'll be there. Always." This was the best he could do. And he meant it. He owed Oliver his life several times over. He owed Sara so much too. She was the reason he joined the Legends. She was the reason he understood Oliver so much better than he had before she had stepped into his life. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them. Because he knew there was nothing they wouldn't do for him.

"Thank you, Roy. I appreciate it. And I'll let Sara know. I have to go, Sara's waking up. I'll talk to you soon. And again, thank you for listening. It means more than you'll ever know." Oliver hung up right after that. He had been able to make out Sara's muffled "Ollie?" in the background. She had sounded hoarse, as if she had been crying… which she probably had… god, he felt awful and helpless. He really hoped this would turn out to be a good thing… even if it didn't seem like it right now.

Why couldn't they ever get a break?

Roy laid back down in his bed, trying to catch another couple of hours of sleep, but it eluded him, not that it surprised him. So, he instead ended up reading up on pregnancies and mental health and options in situations similar to Sara and Oliver's… trying to learn as much as he could so that he could help his friends as well as he could. There had to be something he could do.

Notes:

I actually f***ing done it! I wrote Roy! Please be nice… but please let me know if I got him wrong. Because I love him so much and the last thing I want to do is get him wrong and not do him justice.

They lost Tommy, so now I'm giving them Roy.

And yes, Mila was conceived on Oliver's birthday. Yes, he fibbed while talking to the Lances and everyone else, it is again one of those things neither Sara nor Oliver think is anyone's business. They are known to twist the truth depending on the situation...

And yes, I know Thea believed in Roy before Oliver did. That's not what he meant. He meant Oliver helping him see there was a better way than getting into brawls and possibly killed for being reckless. Thea believed Roy could be more, Oliver gave him the chance and the means to prove it. That's what he meant.

So here's only a small rant, only managed to watch one more episode this week... lol.
The entire episode with E2 Laurel is just terrible. Everything with Felicity was just horrible, awful, so bad. Her intervening while Oliver was in the field and changing the plan on him during a possible attack without him knowing... is she trying to get him killed?! God, that was just so bad. And since when does she train? She throws two practice punches, gets one pointer from Oliver and manages to knock out Black Siren? Give me a break! And Oliver's reaction to it... this entire episode needs to be thrown into the trash... it made me want to puke! It was just so bad. And how did Dig end up in jail again? I seemed to have missed that... worst episode of season five so far... no Thea in it.

The chapter title is from the song "My Fans" by Tom MacDonald.