This was truly different. A sight she never thought she would witness. Never thought she would be staring at herself that wasn't merely her own reflection. But yet again this is a reflection. A different type of reflection. A reflection in which none have ever gotten to experience before. To be able to stare at a possible self. A different version of yourself that had chosen the exact opposite of your past choices. A version that is twisted. A version that is filled with so much hate. Filled with so much rage and anger. Filled with the drive to make other people suffer. Emotions that she knew she has deep inside. She too has felt them once before. Felt them when she learned how Oliver had been cheating on her with her little sister Sara. Had felt them when he had returned home just a year after The Undertaking to once again be thrown to the side in favor of Sara. But she had forgiven him for his past sins. He may not have spoken the words out loud to her but she knew the reason why he had done those things. The very same thing that had often caused her to pause. The one emotion that many can't overcome.
Fear. He was afraid. Afraid of moving forward. Afraid of taking the next step with her. Such fear that made him get on that boat long ago with Sara. Fear that had made him leave Starling City when his own guilt took over about what happened to Tommy. The same fear that had caused them to dance around each other for the last few years. But no more. She would be damned if she would let it control her anymore. She would be damned if she would allow another to have what is rightfully hers and hers alone. Much like her own reflection. A woman from another world. A woman that is almost a carbon copy of herself. The long dirty blonde hair. The piercing blue eyes. Even the way she holds herself is the same and yet this woman is different. This Laurel Lance is different. Far different than herself.
A Laurel Lance that just stares at her from the other side of the glass with this sinister smirk. A smirk that she couldn't wait to wipe off the meta's face but for now she has more pressing matters to deal with. Matters that require her immediate attention causing her to take a couple of steps back before hitting a button across a panel causing this glass cell to be covered with this almost shield barrier. Taking a few seconds to make sure that the prisoner is secure turning on her heels making her way out of the chamber and back into the familiar main room of The Lair being met by numerous pairs of eyes from a few younger men that she has never met before the moment she sees a streak of blonde hair making her way over to her out of the corner of her eye unknown to anyone's knowledge Laurel's right gloved hand clentches back into a tight fist.
" Laurel…."
Without giving her a chance to finish her thought instantly Laurel right hand surges up smashing into Felicity's face causing the blonde tech girl to fall down onto the ground upon impact as her glass go soaring off a few feet away. An action that causes looks of shock around the room as all eyes turn to look towards her. Looks that she ignores in favor of staring down coldly at Felicity as the tech girl looks up towards her with a look of outrage holding her nose with traces of her blood slipping through the cracks of her fingers. Outrage and anger that disappears into nothing but fear when she meets her eyes.
" I trusted you."
Unable to keep the anger from appearing across her face flexing her fingers a couple of times causing the leather of her gloves to crack each and every single time glancing around the room daring any to make a sudden move towards her returning her attention down towards the only familiar face inside of the room an intense glare comes across Laurel's face that just makes Felicity's face pale even further.
" I trusted you to look after him. You….John and this is what I get rewarded with? You make me sick."
Seeing her words stinging the blonde down below with every single word hitting her like another blow shaking her head closing her eyes for a brief moment taking a deep calming breath Laurel opens her eyes to once again stare down towards Felicity with a cold look coming across her face.
" After everything he's ever done for this city. After everything he's sacrificed for us. After everything he continues to sacrifice for us, you still don't get it do you? How much more do you want him to give? How much more do you need him to suffer before you are satisfied? How much more do you truly need to see before you are satisfied with yourself? Hmm? Does he need to die too? Perhaps he needs to be broken mentally too before you are satisfied with the finished project?"
Taking her eyes away from the flinching blonde that now has tears streaming down her cheeks silently turning her head to address the room waving her right hand around in a sweeping motion Laurel one by one turns her piercing glare to each other occupant in the room.
" All of this. Everything you see. This whole place everything you see. Take a good look around you. You may think this is all a game but you're wrong. This isn't a game. No this is your own personal hell. Just like it has been his own."
Being met with nothing but questionable looks from the younger crowd shaking her head sadly Laurel takes a quick glance around The Lair never focusing on anything for a long period of time.
" I was once like you. So naive thinking I could make a difference. A true difference in this city. The adrenaline and thrill i felt every single time i would put on this suit. Every single time I would swing one of my batons. Every single time I would take down a group of bad guys with the canary cry. But when all of that isn't there? When the adrenaline is finally gone and you are left with only this? Left with watching criminal after criminal rise up from the shadows in their place showing you haven't made the slightest of differences? You feel angry don't you? You feel almost helpless like the ones you go out there to protect. Now just imagine what it would feel like to come back here every single night feeling completely empty inside not truly caring about anybody or anything. Including yourselves. It's not a pretty sight is it?"
Seeing mixture of looks coming across the faces of her audience turning her attention fully back towards Felicity kneeling down to be almost eye level with her fixing her with a glare Laurel locks eyes with her.
" That is exactly how he feels every single night. Every single time he puts on that hood. Every single time he wields that bow. Every single time he stares up at that computer screen. You were just so arrogant to see what was there for you to see. When i died, I knew something like this could happen but i never thought you or John would ever let it get this far. I never thought you would abandon him like you have but I was wrong. He changed didn't he? He unleashed something that was deep inside of him. Something far worse than Damien Darhk could possibly ever dream of. I could feel it. Feel his suffering. I could feel his pain. How i still don't fully understand myself but i could. I can still feel his pain even now. So tell me this Ms Smoak. You've seen me angry many times before over some of the smallest of things. If that was me being angry before, how exactly do you think I feel knowing the man that i have loved since the moment i laid my eyes on him has been suffering while you and your little band of misfits haven't done a goddamn thing about it?"
And just like she receives her answer in the form of silence. This uncomfortable silence as silent tears trickle down Felicity's face. A woman long ago she could have looked at as an equal. Could have looked at as an ally but now? Now the mere sight disgusts her. The mere sight of her just makes her blood boil. A sight that she has to look away from as she rises up to her feet before without muttering another word she makes her way back through The Lair paying nobody a single glance before she disappears around the corner heading down a long hallway with her eyes firmly on the last door to the right. A door that she approaches silently with only the sound of her heels clanging against the cold pavement giving her away. A door the moment her hand reaches towards makes her heart ache when she hears a sound coming from the other side. A sound in which she has never heard coming from the man behind the door before. The sound of muffled sobs. A sound that makes her blink away the tears that start to form in her eyes before quietly she enters into the room closing the door behind her before a sight at the far end of the room makes her freeze. A sight that makes it feel like she had been stabbed by Damien Darhk all over again. The sight of Oliver Queen laying down on a makeshift bed clutching the end of the sheets tightly within his hands as silent tears trickle down his cheeks. Tears that go unnoticed as she hears him mumbling to himself. What those words are she couldn't be too sure but she didn't need to hear them to know how he is feeling. Didn't need to hear him speak the words. They never have and never will. They let their actions do the talking.
We control our fears, it's not the other way around.
Words that deep down she truly believed. Truly believed to be true but for so long this fear had controlled her. Had truly had a tight hold on her to remain pat when her heart pleaded for her to take action. Begged for her to step forward. But no longer. No longer will she allow such an emotion to ever control her again. Never again would she stand pat allowing another to take her place. Never again would she deny herself as she slowly approaches his distressed form. As she silently takes a seat next to his side causing a small shift that doesn't go unnoticed. Silently undoing the laces from her boots tossing them off to the side slowly lifting up the covers before she too lays down facing him being met with a pair of watery blue eyes. Eyes that she stares into unwavering as her lips curl upward before reaching out gently she wipes away the tears the pour out with her thumb as she feels him leaning into her touch. A moment neither of them ever thought they would ever have again.
A few hours prior….
This was the moment she has been waiting for. Has been waiting for three long months. The moment she would be reunited with him once again. The moment she would rush back into his arms. The moment she would make sure her intentions are crystal clear with no one not even him denying her what she wants. How all of this was even possible was truly a bizarre tale. A tale of another Lazarus Pit existing. Many more actually. One in which had been used to bring her back by the unexpected. By a woman that swore to destroy the very thing that was used to corrupt many before her. But she would forever be grateful to Nyssa for this second chance at life and she wouldn't waste it. And now after returning back here to Star City. After searching through the city for a sight of him now she has found him. Found him at the one place she knew deep down in her heart she would find him but he isn't alone. In fact she still couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was like she was seeing a ghost. Like she was staring at her own reflection. A reflection that approaches him very slowly softly whispering out comforting words that she can barely hear herself. A carbon copy of herself that she snaps out of her shock to do something that she hasn't done for so long. Cause for her to activate the device attached to her neck and scream out at the top of her lungs sending this imposter soaring through the air. A scream so loud that causes Oliver to drop down to one knee holding his ears as his eyes shut. As the large statue of herself cracks slightly from the shockwave.
" Get the hell away from him, you bitch!"
A shout that echoes through the howls of the gusting wind. A shout that causes his eyes to snap upright to meet her own. Cause for a split moment a look of realization to be seen in his watery blue eyes. A look that just makes her want to run over and take him in her arms but she can't. Not yet. Not until this imposter is dealt with. An imposter that rises back up to her feet and stares at her with a brief look of shock before it vanishes into nothing but a smirk that just makes her blood boil. Makes her facial features harden as her hands clutch into tight fists by her sides. An imposter who just seems amused by the gestures causing her smirk to widen before very slowly she starts to circle around her. A motion that she copies while she keeps an eye on Oliver out of the corner of her eye seeing him just glancing back and forth between them. That is until she strikes. Until this imposter lunges forward with her right fist causing her to catch the closed fist in her gloved hand. A closed fist with such impact makes her glove pop before she is forced to catch another closed fist in her other hand. But an action that costs her when a well placed boot lands clean into her stomach causing her to be sent flying and land down hard on her back. A landing that she barely has time to feel before she is forced to roll out of the way when a pair of heels come landing down where her head used to be. In a sudden move driving her left leg through the air crashing her heel clean into the imposter's exposed side causing them to stumble back and down onto one knee snapping up to her feet quickly getting into her fighting stance the moment she sees the imposter turn her head to look her way rearing back Laurel sends a left high kick her way that is instantly blocked by the imposter's hands. Blocked and with tremendous force she feels herself being pushed back and off her feet before she reacts quickly pushing her arms underneath her doing a small flip and landing down on one knee facing the imposter that does the very same thing back at her. Causing two pairs of green eyes to stare coldly at each other. Two pairs of eyes that don't look away for even a single second as both rise up to their feet.
" I have to admit. I'm rather impressed. Nobody has lasted this long in a fight against me before."
Keeping quiet just looking for an opening to present itself after a couple of seconds of nothing but heavy gusts of wind flowing through the area causing her dirty blonde hair to flow freely with the wind a low chuckle can be heard through the wind.
" What's wrong little birdie? Cat got your tongue?"
Choosing not to answer the imposter standing before her as she watches the woman standing across from her reach up almost mockingly to tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear clutching her hands into tight fists positioning herself to get into a ready position to defend herself at even the slightest of moments hearing another chuckle coming from the imposter Laurel's eyes stare dangerously back at her.
" All well. I suppose coming back from the dead has a way of screwing up things. Don't worry. You both will be reunited on the other side very soon anyways. That is after I have my fun with him."
Clutching her hands so tightly if it wasn't for her gloves they would be piercing her skin the moment she sees the imposter's eyes glance over her shoulder instantly Laurel lunges forward driving a right fist forward. A closed fist that hits nothing but air causing her to see a smirk come across the imposter's face out of the corner of her eye. But a smirk that doesn't remain for long when she repositions herself in mid motion and drives her right foot around hitting directly into the back of the imposter's legs causing her to be swept off from her feet. A motion that she quickly follows by driving her right foot back down only to feel her ankle being caught before it can hit its intended target. A foot that is pushed back causing her to stumble back a few feet before she leaves her feet leaping up into the air to drive her right fist into the imposter's face the moment she tries to get to her feet. A fist that connects against its mark sending the imposter stumbling back a foot before she once again sends another closed fist her way that hits up against a forearm when the imposter raises up her right arm to block the attack. A block that is followed by another when she brings her other arm up as Laurel continues to rain down punch after punch before in a series of motions that go unnoticed a sound of a silent click coming from her belt is faintly heard through the wind. A click that is rapidly followed by Laurel reaching out to grasp the imposter's leather jacket in both of her hands before not even a few seconds later she is sent tumbling over rolling across her side when a vicious backhand lands clean against her cheek. Shaking away the cobwebs glancing over her shoulder sending the imposter stalking her way over towards her with a look of hatred across her face instantly Laurel matches the look.
" Bye bye birdie."
With her glare only getting deeper as she watches the imposter come to a stop and take a long deep breathe knowing fully well what is about to come without moving from her spot suddenly with a hint of satisfaction coming to her face Laurel watches the imposter bring her motion to a stop to look questionably her way. A look that only deepens before the imposter's eyes travel downward towards her right gloved hand when a small shine comes from within. A shine that makes her eyes widen when she sees a small switch in her hand. A hand that she had no chance to react when Laurel drives her thumb down hard causing a surge of electricity to surge through the imposter's body. An electrical surge coming from the right pocket of her leather jacket. A surge that makes the imposter scream before after a couple of seconds she drops down to the ground with a loud thud.
Snapping out of her thoughts feeling a hand coming up to gently rest against her bruised cheek turning her eyes back down to meet his own feeling his thumb gently rubbing the bruise forming against her cheek leaning into his touch reaching up gently Laurel rests her gloved hand down on top of his own holding it in place as she stares deep into his watery eyes.
" It's you. It's really you."
Feeling her own eyes getting watery to match his own nodding her head slightly scooting even closer into his side to rest her forehead against his own retracting her hand reaching down Laurel lays her hand down on his cheek before she leans forward to graze his lips with her own.
" It's me. I'm back and I'm not going anywhere."