Ellie Bishop: No kidding. And it's going to get a lot worse.

Verdant

Afternoon

"No, that needs to go over there," Thea said as she directed the workers decorating the club for Moira's rally later tonight.

"You bossing everyone around, no one doing anything right, feels like old times," Roy noted as he came up behind her and she turned around, surprise on her face.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Thea asked n surprise.

"Well, since your mom is getting ready for her interview, Oliver told me to come down here and keep watch over you. Slade and Emiko took you once, we want to make sure it doesn't happen again," Roy explained. "I can just stay in the background; you won't even know I'm here."

"No, I'm actually glad you're here. With everything going on, I haven't had a chance to check on you. How are you doing?" Thea asked concerned.

"About Jade?" Roy asked lowly and sighed as she nodded. "Well, when your girlfriend turns out to be a psychopath who's working for Slade Wilson, it's not a good feeling. She was using me the whole time. I sure can pick 'em, huh?"

"Do not blame yourself," Thea said firmly. "You could never have seen Jade coming. I mean a daughter that Slade never even told Ollie about? You couldn't have known Roy."

"I know. But I can't help but feel I should have known that Jade was playing me. I grew up in the Glades, in foster care, been on my own since I was sixteen. You'd think I'd know when someone was playing me by this point," Roy said with a heavy sigh.

"Considering I had no idea my brother dressed up in a green hood and went out as a vigilante, I can tell you that you don't look for the signs that seem obvious until you learn the truth," Thea pointed out and Roy let out a humorless chuckle.

"I told Felicity the same thing last night. But I'm having a lot more trouble believing it myself," Roy said and it was quiet between them for a moment. "Thank you though."

"We may not be together, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you," Thea said as she took his hand.

As their skin made contact, Thea realized Roy was right. It did feel like old times. Too much like old times. After a moment too long to be considered friendly, they let go. Thea walked away, going back to overseeing the decorating as Roy blended into the background.

At the bar, Sara was looking down at a picture, deep in thought. Coming up behind her, Oliver saw the photo and paused. It was of a younger Sin and a man that looked vaguely familiar. It took him a moment to place the man.

"Isn't that the pilot whose parachute you and Slade used to get onto the Amazo?" Oliver asked and Sara nodded.

"Yeah. He was Sin's father," Sara revealed, surprising Oliver. "He gave me this picture just before he died. Told me to look after Sin. I always kept this photograph, I never knew why. Then, not long after I came back, I saved Sin from three guys trying to rape her. It was like seeing a ghost."

"Like her father's ghost had sent you to her, to protect her," Oliver said lowly and she nodded. "Does Sin know?"

"No. I could never bring myself to tell her the truth. I told myself I was sparing her but…maybe I'm really sparing myself," Sara said uneasily.

"If I can gave you my two cents, when we get Sin back to normal, and we will…tell her the truth," Oliver said and Sara looked up at him. "My mom told me last week that it was time to leave the past in the past. You and Sin are being haunted by her father's ghost, the same way I was being haunted my mine. The only way to bury that ghost…is to confront him, head on."

"Maybe," Sara said lowly, looking down at the picture with a haunted look in her eyes.

"Feels weird, being back down here," Felicity said as she sat at the computers in the lair, Oliver and Sara standing behind her. "Anyway, I've been tracking Sin's movements and there doesn't seem to be any real pattern. It's like she's just wondering aimlessly."

"She might be moving on instinct," Oliver noted before his phone rang.

Pulling it out, he saw it was Anatoly and answered.

"Did you find anything?" Oliver asked.

"Some of our brothers spotted your friend entering a clock tower in The Glades," Anatoly said and Oliver stiffened.

"I know where it is," Oliver said lowly, looking over at Sara who eyed him curiously.

Sin's clock tower

Night

"Sin?" Sara called out as she and Oliver entered the top level, dressed in their gear and holding their weapons.

For a moment, it was silent. Then, there a loud thump as someone jumped down from the ceiling. The two whirled around, seeing Sin crouched a few feet from them. She lifted her head, a blank look on her face.

"Sin, Sin it's me. It's Sara," Sara said as she removed her mask, hoping this would help her reach Sin.

Sin did not respond, which Sara wasn't sure how to take. Still, she pressed on, heading towards Sin. Behind her, Oliver was tense; holding his bow, hoping Sara could reach Sin but prepared to attack if worse came to worse.

"You are a good person," Sara said gently as she reached Sin. "You never asked for this, you never wanted this, I know you didn't. So let us help you. Let us get you out of here, give you the help you need."

Cautiously, Sara held out a hand to Sin. For a moment, Sin just stared at it blankly. Then, fast as lightning, she struck. Grabbing Sara, Sin violently threw her across the room. Sara hit the wall, getting knocked out from the impact as Oliver rushed Sin. He struck her across the face with his bow but this had no effect. Sin punched him and Oliver was sent stumbling back. He grabbed a nearby beam for support when Sin stomped on his leg. He cried out in pain as he felt the bone pope out of its socket before Sin punched a hole in the floor. Oliver could only watch as Sin jumped through it, fleeing the room.

ARGUS base

Later

"Some of the damage is chronic, likely the costs of jumping off rooftops," an ARGUS doctor told Oliver, Sara and Lyla as he showed them the scans of Oliver's leg.

"I need to get back on my feet," Oliver told him and he nodded.

"I expect nothing less from the vigilante, Mr. Queen. I'll set you up with a brace, but you'll still be in a lot of pain," the doctor said before opening a drawer, pulling out a bottle and setting it down. "These will help with that. I'll be back with the brace."

The doctor walked out of the leaving, leaving the three alone.

"Sin got into an altercation with two officers after your scuffle at the clock tower. They're both in Starling General," Lyla said and Oliver and Sara looked at her sharply. "They're stable but in critical condition. They might not make it through the night."

"We need to get Sin off the streets," Sara said and Oliver nodded in agreement.

"We may be passed that now," Lyla said, looking back and forth between them. "I know you both care about Sin, but she is a threat. I can't let another Slade Wilson on the loose on top of everything else we are dealing with."

"I don't give up on my friends Lyla. I did that once and we're seeing the consequences of that," Oliver said, remembering his choice to try to kill Slade instead of curing him. "Besides, it can't be done. I shoved an arrow into Slade's brain, it did nothing. He swam from the wreckage of the Amazo to shore, his arms were cut down to the bone, and it all grew back. There isn't anything we can do to kill her. The best option we have is to sedate her until Star Labs get that cure ready."

"And how long will that take?" Lyla challenged.

"As long as necessary! We are not killing Sin!" Oliver snapped and it was silent in the room.

"I hope you know what you're doing Oliver. For all our sakes," Lyla said before she walked out of the room.

"She has a point," Sara said once she was gone. "As much as I want to save Sin….how many people are we willing to let die to protect her."

"The moment we give up on Sin, we give up on ourselves. I have to believe that, after everything we have been through, everything we have done; we can come back from it all. I have to believe that. That includes Sin," Oliver said as he looked over at Sara. "Are you gonna help me save Sin or not?"

"You know I am. I just hope we're not creating an even bigger monster than Slade," Sara said uneasily.

Starling City

Later

Sin was wondering the streets aimlessly when a voice called out to her.

"Cindy."

Sin turned around, seeing a man standing a few feet from her. In her Mirakuru crazed mind, she didn't recognize him, although she felt like she should.

"It's me. Its Daddy," her father said as he approached her, looking at her tearfully. "I'm sorry Cindy, this is all my fault. I left you all alone when you needed me. You were just a little girl. I should have taken a less dangerous job, instead I left you alone. But I'm not the only one. Your so called friends, Sara, Roy, Oliver, they left you alone to. I'm paying for my sin sweetheart. But they haven't paid for theirs yet. Make them pay Cindy. Make them all pay for abandoning you."

Her father then vanished as Sin began heading in a new direction, listening to her hallucination.

Verdant

Later

In Thea's office, Moira was going over her speech when the door opened and Thea walked in.

"You ready for tonight?" Thea asked as she closed the door behind her.

"As I can ever be," Moira said with a smile before frowning. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Thea asked.

"Because you have that same look on your face you did when your father and I made you give up the 'cat' that was actually a tiger. What's wrong?" Moira demanded and Thea cursed the fact that her mother knew her so well.

"I wouldn't say wrong but…Roy and I kind of…had a moment earlier," Thea finally got out.

"And that's bad?" Moira asked confused.

"Not bad but…we broke up because I couldn't handle his double life. And I'm not sure I can handle it now," Thea admitted and Moira was silent for a few moments.

"Thea…we never know how much time we have," Moira began gently, thinking of the Spectre's warning. "Had I known that watching him get on the Gambit would be the last time I would ever see your father…there were a lot of things I would have said to him. Do not make my mistakes Thea. If you love Roy, tell him before it's too late."

"I'm just not sure it a good idea, after everything with Jade," Thea hedge and Moira smiled sadly.

"Do not let fear stop you from living your life Thea. I know I did not raise a coward," Moira said gently as she walked over, taking her daughter's face in her hands. "You are just as brave and determined as your brother. You have never let fear hold you back before. Do not let it hold you back with Roy. None of us knows what will happen in this new timeline Thea. You may regret it if you do not tell Roy how you feel. It's never too late to start over."

Moira gently kissed Thea on the forehead as someone knocked on the door. They turned towards the door, Moira's hands falling to her side as Mark entered the room.

"They're ready for you Moira. Are you ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be," Moira said with her best smile.

"You okay?" Roy asked Oliver as the two of them and Sara stood in the crowd waiting to hear Moira's speech, noticing Oliver using a table for support. "Maybe you should go rest for a bit."

"I'll be fine," Oliver said as Thea joined them. "She ready?"

"As she can be," Thea said as Moira took the podium, the four of them joining in on the crowd's applause.

"Thank you, thank you," Moira said as the applause died down. "When I was first approached about running for mayor, the prospect of winning seemed a distant, nearly impossible feat. Now, how could a city that had suffered so much place its faith in someone so responsible for its suffering? But as the weeks progressed, good people such as you raised your voices in support, and I began to think that I could make a difference. I could help save this city. But recent events have changed things," Moira paused, thinking of the Spectre's warning before seeing Thea and Oliver watching he in the crowd. "And now I know I can make a difference. And should the honor become mine, I promise with every breath I take to do what is necessary; to sacrifice what is necessary for the good of this city. Starling City is my home, you are my family, and there is nothing more important to me than family. Thank you, thank you all."

The crowd broke into applause, none louder than Oliver and Thea. As Moira began heading off the stage, Oliver felt his phone ring in his pocket. Stepping away, he saw it was Lyla and answered.

"What's wrong?"

"Sin is on her way to Verdant. Satellite imagery caught her five minutes out and heading there fast," Lyla said and Oliver paled. "I'm sending a squad there but they won't make it time."

"We'll handle her," Oliver promised as he hung up.

After explaining the situation to Roy and Sara, Oliver limped down as fast as he could to the lair, where Felicity was waiting.

"How many of those venom arrows do we have?" he demanded.

"About twenty," she said as she helped him over to a medical cabinet.

"I need all of them. Lidocaine. Now," he ordered.

Felicity opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle and a syringe. Sticking the syringe in the bottle, she began to fill it.

"The bottle says the proper dose is-"

"All of it," Oliver said, cutting her off as he reached out and pulled the syringe all the way up.

Oliver then yanked it away from her and jammed it into his knee, injecting himself. Now able to move without pain, Oliver pulled the syringe out, put it on the cabinet and began to head upstairs.

Upstairs, the party was going perfectly. Moira was talking to some of her supports as Roy and Thea watched from a table, Roy keeping a look out for Sin. Suddenly, gun shots rang out. Everyone whirled around to see a guard struggling with Sin, his hand bent backwards as rounds fired off aimlessly. Sin tossed the guard through a glass table as the crowd cried out in panic.

"Thea, get you mom out of here, now!" Roy snapped.

Thea rushed towards Moira as her security team started to pull both of them out of there. Sin tossed another guard across the room as Roy pulled out a gun, taking aim at Sin.

"Sin, don't make me do this. I don't wanna hurt you," Roy almost pleaded.

Without another word, Sin grabbed his hand and threw him across the room. Roy lost his gun as he slid across the room, hitting a table. Dazed, Roy pulled himself to his feet but suddenly found it difficult to breath. He realized it was because Sin was holding him by the throat, blocking his air way.

"Sin," Roy choked out.

Suddenly, a shot rang out. Sin let him go as she fell on one knee, a bullet hole in her leg. Roy fell away from her, gasping for breath as he messaged his throat.

"Stay down Sin," Sara said, dressed in her suit as she aimed at Sin, a pistol in hand. "I don't want to hurt you if I don't have to."

"Please, do it," Sin begged, trembling as she looked up at Sara pleadingly. "Kill me."

"No," Sara said brokenly, tears falling from her eyes.

Suddenly, three arrows hit Sin in the chest, all in non-fatal points. She fell back as she was injected, out cold as Oliver entered the room.

"No one dies tonight," Oliver declared.

Not long after, the three of them and Felicity were in the lair, Oliver hooking Sin up to an IV with Tibet Pit Viper Venom as the young girl was lying on a med table.

"Ah, Tibetan pit viper venom. A constant dose of that can't be good for you. Right?" Felicity asked uncertainly.

"It'll keep her sedated until we can get that cure from Star Labs," Oliver said as he finished.

"And what happens when we run out? It's not like you can buy this stuff over the counter. Unless you're in Tibet. Then maybe," Felicity rambled.

"We take care of our own here," Roy said firmly.

"Roy's right. I'm not giving up on Sin," Oliver said as he looked at Felicity pointedly.

"Ollie's right, we just have to hope Star Labs can get that cure for us fast," Sara said.

"Okay," Felicity said, realizing that was as good an answer as she was going to get right now. "So, are we gonna move her to the safe house?"

"Eventually. For now, just take a moment to breath," Oliver said as he looked over at Roy. "Time to get Mom and Thea back home."

As Oliver and Roy made their way upstairs, Felicity went to the computers, leaving Sara alone with Sin. Pulling out a chair, Sara sat next to Sin, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry," Sara said emotionally. "I couldn't protect you from this. I failed you. But I promise…I won't fail again."

Upstairs, Oliver and Roy approached Moira and Thea as they finished talking to an officer. As the officer walked off, the two women saw them and Thea started at the bruises on Roy's face.

"Are you okay? Thea asked worried.

"Aside from nearly being strangled by Sin, I'm fine," Roy said dryly and Oliver shot him a look.

"He's got some bumps and bruises, but he'll live," he assured his sister.

Thea nodded before, to Roy's surprise, she wrapped him in an embrace. After a moment, Roy returned the embrace, the moment feeling far too intimate to be considered friendly.

"Come on, let's get to the mansion. We'll all stay there tonight," Oliver said in a tone that left no room for argument.

Not long after, the Queen family sat in the back of their car as Roy drove them home.

"How do you deal with this?" Thea finally asked her brother. "I mean, just seeing Roy do all this is…it's enough to drive me crazy."

"I try to let the people I love in," Oliver said after a moment. "It's not easy. The first year back, it felt impossible. But I try to lean on all of you. The two of you. Roy. Sara. Laurel. It helps."

Thea stared at her brother, considering what he was saying. But, before she could respond, suddenly, their car gave a suddenly and violent jerk as they were T-boned. The glass shattered as they were all knocked out.

The next thing Oliver knew, he was coming to on the ground to a scene of his past and his nightmares. Moira and Thea, terrified, were on the ground, on their knees, hands bound. Slade stood behind them, a silent, menacing presence.

"Oliver!" Moira cried out as she saw her son was awake.

"I was dead the last time you were offered this choice," Slade said as he walked over to Oliver, kneeling down in front of him. "I often wondered how you looked when he pointed the gun at Shado…and took her from me."

"You freaking psychopath," Oliver sneered as he pulled himself to his knees, finding he was bound as well. "Shado, Shado wasn't yours!"

"No, she was yours!" Slade snarled. "Until you chose another woman over her!"

"That's not what happened!" Oliver snapped.

"Yes, it is what happened! It is! She told me!" Slade roared, pointing behind them all to…nothing.

"What do you mean 'she'? There's nobody there!" Oliver asked in bewilderment, beginning to realize the depth of Slade's mental deterioration.

"Where-where's Roy?" Thea demanded, hating how afraid she sounded but wanting to know the fate of the man she loved.

"He is at the crash site, unconscious. You need not worry about him Thea," Slade said, seeming to regain his composure as he began to circle them. "It is not Mr. Harper's time to die…yet. I'd be much more worried about yourself."

"If you touch her-" Oliver started.

"I'm not going to do anything Oliver. You are," Slade said as he pulled out a pistol. "Five years ago, I trusted you to make the right choice."

"Then let me make the right choice now. Kill me, please," Oliver begged.

"No!" Moira cried.

"Ollie don't!" Thea cried but they were both ignored.

"I am killing you Oliver, only much more slowly than you would have liked," Slade told him coldly as he clicked the gun.

"Don't," Oliver begged.

"Choose," Slade said simply, taking aim at the back of Moira's head as she and Thea cried.

"Don't," Oliver repeated, growing more desperate.

"Choose," Slade said as he switched to Thea's head and Moira let out a wail.

"I swear to God, I am gonna kill you!" Oliver snarled.

"Choooooose!" Slade roared.

"No! No!" Oliver snarled.

And suddenly, clarity hit Moira. This was it; this was the moment she was going to die. The moment The Spectre had warned her about. Evidently, something things could not be changed. Calmly, Moira to her feet, causing all three parties to look at her confused.

"Mom? Mom, what are you doing?" Oliver asked, fear beginning to settle in his stomach.

"There's only one way this night can end," Moira tearfully told her son before turning around to face Slade, her face hardening. "We both know that…don't we, Mr. Wilson?"

"Mom, please don't!" Oliver pleaded, struggling against the robe around his hands.

But Slade, knowing him better than almost anyone, had bound him tightly and evidently, had searched him for weapons before bringing them here. There was nothing Oliver could do.

Slade was half turned around away from Moira, eying her with his eye as she continued.

"Both of my children will live," she declared.

"Mom! What are you doing?!" Thea cried out.

"Thea, I love you," Moira tears falling as Slade aimed his pistol at her head. "Thea, close your eyes Baby!"

"No!" Oliver cried in anger and horror.

"You possess true courage," Slade noted, seeming to hesitate on pulling the trigger.

To their equal parts shock and relief, Slade lowered the pistol to his side, beginning to turn away as he put it back in its holster.

"I am truly sorry," Slade said as he walked a short distance away.

"What?" Moira asked in confusion, not understanding.

"You did not pass that on to your son!" Slade roared as he whirled around, brandishing a sword.

Before he could do anything, they all heard what rounded like a rocket before Slade was stuck by something. There was an explosion, the force of which sent Moira flying back, hitting the ground. Slade dropped his sword as he cried out in pain. Suddenly, the clearing was filled with ARGUS operatives, taking aim at Slade.

"Try it douchebag and we'll lit you up like the Fourth of July," Rick Flag warned Slade, taking aim with his missile launcher gun.

Slade breathed heavily, the wounds from the first missile already beginning to heal. But he knew he could not take another right now and he certainly couldn't kill Moira, not under these circumstances. Quickly, he reached inside his jacket.

"Another time kid," Slade told Oliver before throwing a flash grenade on the ground.

They all covered their eyes and, when they opened them, Slade was gone.

"Are you alright?" Flag said as he approached Oliver, beginning to untie him as the other operatives saw to Moira and Thea.

"I'm fine. Roy-" Oliver started.

"At ARGUs, his injuries are getting treated. When Lyla told us to keep watch over the tracer you had on your family limo, I thought she was being paranoid. Guess not," Flag muttered.

Oliver didn't respond, looking over at his mother and sister. Thea seemed to be in shock before she suddenly launched herself at Moira, wrapping her in a hug as she sobbed uncontrollably. Moira hugged her back, too stunned to offer words of comfort.

"Let's get you all home," Flag said.

I tried to make Sara seem more like herself rather than Helena in Sara's body, hope I succeeded.

ARGUS saving Moira and stopping Slade is a modified version of a scene that was taken from Aragorn II Elessar's 'The Devil and Arrow', as was the idea of a tracer on the Queen family limo. Thank you to him for allowing me to use it.

Hope you all enjoyed the Rick Flag cameo.