Balance of Two Lights

by literarrow

Oliver Queen has set off on a suicidal course as he tries to save the Star City alone as the Green Arrow while running it as Mayor. Kara Danvers, an intrepid reporter who has one of the most influential voices in Star City, wants nothing more than to save her dying city. What happens when these two cross paths and alter the course of each other's lives in unimaginable ways?

15. A True Friend Stabs You in The Front

With it being the Holiday season, I thought we could all use a happier chapter. Especially in a story that's had some heavy moments that have been difficult to write in a time where I've struggled with depression, I think we could all use some moments of levity. So here's a chapter full of levity! Get you some hot cocoa, wrap yourself in a nice fuzzy blanket, and enjoy the fluff!

"Look at this," Kara exclaims with excitement as she throws a newspaper on Alex's bed. "The Daily Planet is writing about what Clark is doing in Metropolis."

Alex purses her lips and nods as she skims through the front page. "Calling him Superman is a little bit much don't you think?"

"I like it," Kara shrugs her comment off. "Metropolis sees Clark as some unbreakable man of steel. That seems pretty 'super' to me."

Alex raises an eyebrow. "I thought it was for the 'S' he's wearing on his chest."

"We've been over this," Kara retorts drawlingly. "It's not an 'S,' it's the—"

"Crest of the House of El, I know, I know," Alex interjects, waving her off. "But to us not from Krypton, it's an 'S'."

Kara rolls her eyes as she takes the paper from her hands and walks back towards where her bed sat along the sidewall of their bedroom. She knew that Alex was still learning about where she came from and the culture that followed her, especially with Clark showing the world that it existed. But sometimes she wished that she would show some more respect in favor of the traditions and intricacies that she spoke of.

"I love that he's wearing that crest," Kara tells Alex with a prideful gleam. "He's made it mean something to people not from Krypton."

Alex smiles knowingly as she swiftly gets up from her own bed and makes her way to Kara's. She takes a seat close to her as she whispers, "you know you could do the same one day."

"You've heard Eliza," Kara begins, her spirit fading as she thinks of the things that she cannot have. "I don't need to show the world my powers. It'll keep all of us safe."

Alex chuckles. "You're still in high school, Kara. She's just being protective."

"What, so you're saying when I get older she'll be okay with me doing what Clark is doing?" Kara asks, disbelief ringing strongly in her tone.

Alex tilts her head side to side as she considers the thought, nodding into submission as she answers firmly, "I do. And you'll be able to inspire people in ways that even he can't."

"I hope you're right," Kara says with sanguinity. "Ever since he's started doing this, that's all I've been able to think about. Using my powers to protect people, save people like he is. . . wearing that crest."

Alex grins pridefully. "And you will. . . Superwoman."

"See I wouldn't want to just rip of Clark like that," Kara tells her, dismissing the suggestion. "It needs to be distinct enough for me to pave my own path but still seem related."

Alex raises an eyebrow. "Super. . .girl?"

Patience was hard.

It was even harder when Kara's mind kept falling back to the times in which Alex wasn't so jaded by work principles. She was her biggest supporter growing up. She was her best friend— her only friend. She was the only one who heard Kara's cries when she missed home. She was the one who sat in their bedroom and waited with open arms as she heard the yelling matches between Kara and Eliza about using her powers. She knew who Kara was at her core, more than anyone. She knew what she strove to be.

And that person is now unrecognizable.

She craved for that to be the sister she still had— and she believed that it was still there. But she had been so corrupted by the ideology of ARGUS that she couldn't be right now. She didn't know how to get her back.

She was willing to show grace. She wanted to be patient. But it was becoming increasingly more difficult as the hours without contact with Alex continued to pile on. And with the Christmas holiday being a mere two days away, it only deepened that longing feeling inside her chest.

She just wanted her sister back.

She felt the tears puddling in her lower eyelid, making the brisk wind blowing against her face feel even colder. Yet, as the thought of where she was heading was making it's way to the forefront of her mind, that lonely void became a secondary notion. She wasn't going to begin the celebration of the Holidays on her own— no, she was going to be with the people she was beginning to feel at home with.

So she let her tears dry out before they could even touch the top of her cheekbone. This wasn't the time for them.

She tried to allow herself to get lost in the environment around her. Garlands wrapped around light posts, people rushing around to try to get their last minute shopping done, a steady flurry falling from the white skies above her. She could hear the faintest of hint of seasonal music as she walked by coffee shops and boutiques.

And that, as well as the destination that she was walking towards becoming more in her line of sight, finally put a sense of relief in her heart. She could let go, for now at least.

So she made her way through the apartment complex, electing to take the stairs as the elevator seemed to be packed. She found irony in how decked the halls of his complex were in Christmas decorations, while his actual apartment didn't even have hint of red or green. She knew that would change today though.

So she knocks on the door, immediately wondering why she even knocks anymore. He knew that she was coming.

"Hi," Kara greets as she sees Oliver's face from the other side of the door.

He smiles as he moves from the doorway to let her in. "Hi."

"I'm sorry I'm a little late," Kara begins as he takes her coat and bag, maneuvering around the clothing draped over her forearm. "I slept in a little longer than I was planning on."

He chuckles, looking down at himself in his tee and sweats. "Clearly I did too."

"I didn't wake you up, did I?" Kara asks apologetically.

He shakes his head as he walks into his kitchen, picking up a mug filled with what she assumed was coffee as he affirms, "I've been up for an hour now. Just haven't gotten around to changing yet."

"Lived in is a good look on you," Kara tells him with a slight grin, forcing one to form across his lips as well as he looks away. She holds up the pantsuit over her forearm and asks, "is there anywhere that I can put this until I'm ready to change into it?"

Oliver offers his hand to grab it while walking towards her. "There's a guest bedroom upstairs. Barry's stuff is in there but I'm sure he won't mind you storing your things up there for the time being. I can take it for you."

"I don't want to make you do that with your ankle and all. . ."

He smiles as he takes her clothes from her anyways. "Please. If I can take down drug dealers on it, I can walk up a flight of stairs. Barry probably left a mess up there for me to clean anyways."

"Where is he, by the way?" Kara asks as she glances around in the realization that his apartment was much quieter than it typically was when Barry was around.

Oliver talks as he walks towards the staircase to her left. "He went back to Central City. Had somethings to take care of. He'll be back soon."

"So it's just us for now?" Kara questions, loud enough to compensate for the growing distance between the two of them.

"Just us."

"Fantastic," Kara utters as she had made her way into the living room and saw all of the boxes resting on the floor. Oliver and her had definitely spoken about decorating, as he had told her that he had a few things stocked in storage. But this was far from what she was expecting. There were boxes, on boxes, on boxes of what she safely assumed were full of all of the things that Oliver said he wasn't going to touch this year.

And as she saw him walking down the stairs, she folds her arms as she tells him in her confusion, "where the hell did all of this stuff come from?"

"I told you, I had this in storage. . ."

She takes another glance at the boxes. "No, I mean, how did you get all of this?"

"I used to live in a mansion, Kara," Oliver tells her plainly. "All of this was my mother's. It's been in storage for four years. . ." He trails off as he chuckles dryly. "This isn't even half of what we had."

Kara nods, remembering that he was once a billionaire and this apartment living was still a relatively new concept for him. It wasn't that she was unaware. If you lived in Starling City, you knew about his family and his riches. But she had grown so accustomed to who she saw now and who she had grown to know, that version of him that she didn't felt so far away.

"I bet it was beautiful this time of year. . ." Kara tells him as the begin the process of taking things out.

He smiles as he takes a knife to the tape covering a box near him. "It was. And the best part was, I never had to do a damn thing."

"Oh, you were missing out then," Kara retorts with a knowing grin. "Putting it all up is the best part."

He winks. "Guess you're going to have to show this spoiled rich kid a good time."

"I guess I will then."

Oliver wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting when he agreed to this.

He knew that he felt like he owed Kara for the help she had been since the day that they met. At first, he believed that this was the reason that he did not put much of a fight when she suggested throwing a party in the midst of everything going on with Prometheus. But the more time that he was spending with Kara, doing something that he never saw himself doing when the calendar struck December and the Christmas countdown for most began— he realized just how much he needed it.

It was the laughter that ensued when he tried to hangup a garland and he misaligned the edges, leaving it looking as if he had gone back to old smoking habits before laying it across the hooks. It was Kara giggling as he got flippantly frustrated every time she told him "more to the left" or "move it up a little."

It was going through boxes on boxes of decorations that were filled with wreaths, flowered and lit garlands, stockings, nicknacks, fake poinsettias— all things that once filled the walls and halls of his old home— and reminiscing on the days that he still felt that Christmas magic just by walking through the manor.

And as they were going through the final box, that nostalgic feeling was at an all time high. He started talking about a box of candy canes, that likely were still edible, much to both of their dismays, and how he and Thea had a special tradition involving racing to finish them.

"Sounds like you do have some good holiday memories," Kara tells him in response to his explaining of this.

He nods, smiling as he says, "my parents weren't perfect. But they made sure Thea and I had good memories of growing up. Christmas was always special to our family." He lets out a breathy laugh. "They threw a Christmas party every year, ironically enough. I tried to recreate the magic of those my first year back from the island. After everything my family and I had been through, it wasn't the same."

"It couldn't have been all that bad," Kara begins as she reaches into a box, taking out a photo frame and handing it to him. "You look pretty happy here."

Oliver feels his breath hitch upon seeing the photo resting within the wooden walls. He can feel his throat closing in as the tears started to puddle in his eyes. He felt his heart sink as he looked into the stilled eyes of not only Laurel but the eyes of his best friend. They both were smiling, as was Oliver. They were all together in that moment— and despite the fact the Laurel and Tommy were romantically involved in spite of the feelings that Oliver had for her, he cherished every second that he got to spend with them and they did the same with him. This sentiment was reflected in the bliss in the trio's faces.

And as Oliver continued to stare at the one fond Christmas memory he held in the years since he had returned home, he longed to once again be in the presence of two of the people he still held close to his heart. He wanted to feel the joy he so clearly radiated in that photo.

So he swallows the lump in his throat before looking at Kara and saying through restricted air, "I was happy."

"That's Tommy Merlyn, isn't it?" Kara asks.

He nods, a fond grin forming on his lips as he replies, "never went to parties without him."

"You might have been better off for it," Kara jokes.

He shakes his head as he chuckles, "I got him into as much trouble as he got me. We both grew up though. . ." He trails off as he tilts his head side to side, squinting as he hesitates to finish with a smug grin, "eventually."

"Now you've got Barry, who probably decreases your maturity by the day," Kara quips with a smile after finding humor in Oliver's remark.

Oliver laughs heartily as he sets the photograph up right on the coffee table in front of him. He stands, wiping dust off his hands onto his pants as he says, "I think I need that sometimes. I may have a slight problem with taking myself too seriously."

"A slight problem?" Kara asks with disbelief across his face.

Oliver looks at her with mocking question, scoffing as he says, "I can be loose. . ." He trails off as he sees her scrunch her eyebrows in her continued disbelief. "I'm throwing a party, aren't I?"

"Now you want to take credit for it?" Kara asks in forced contempt as she stands up, placing a casing of fake poinsettias on the table next to the frame in a quick attempt of productivity. She folds her arms as she stands only a few feet from Oliver, asking him in flippant pointedness, "if you can let your hard ass exterior down for one night, you'll earn that credit."

"So us going out for drinks and my inviting you over for takeout wasn't letting my exterior down?" Oliver asks, the corner of his lips rising slightly.

Kara glares at him knowingly as she makes her way to a larger box and he follows. "You were still hiding your biggest secret from me. You still had a guard up. I just want to see you let that down for once and have a good time."

Oliver bends over the box, sliding open a pocket knife and slitting the tape down the middle. He rips it open and reveals to Kara the pieces of the ten foot tall Christmas tree. He sees the excitement in her eyes and he can't help but allow the same sentiment to be shown in his. There was a warmth beginning to grow within him— a feeling in complete contrast of the winter air outside these walls. A reminder, almost, that this time of year was like no other. Especially when one is around people who make it special.

And that joy he saw in the reflection of the woman in front of him— oh, it was the magic of ten Christmases.

And there was a thrill that he had never gotten to experience, as growing up, he'd always observe as hired decorators would meticulously put up the staple of all homes in the Holiday seasons. Sometimes he wouldn't even see the process of it being put up, he would come home from school to lights and tinsel tree bringing the spirit of the season into the manor. But as he put the same tree together piece by piece, or watched as Kara floated and set the top layer on her own— it brought a bliss he wasn't expecting.

They strung the lights together. Kara had wrapped the strands across her shoulders like it was a boa, which in turn paused productivity for a moment as Oliver chuckled and stared as he took a mental picture of the sight, forcing an even heartier chortle out of Kara. Her face lit up brighter than the lights that were illuminating against it.

And as Kara once again floated to the top to place the warm white lights over the branches, Oliver couldn't help but observe in awe. He hadn't seen this tree in four years. It seemed to have mimicked the dark, painful aura that once ailed the Queen home the last time he laid eyes upon it. But he could feel the heat coming off the tree as he stood in front of it. There was an elation he hadn't felt since he was 21 years old— the last time he had seen it in a time when his life hadn't been so marked by suffering.

He could feel Kara come back to the ground beside him. They both stare at the tree for a moment, relishing in the pride of their work. The pride drove the charm of the moment. Them feeling the other's presence only furthered that feeling of delight. And once they've both gotten a good look at what they did, they turn and face the other with a gleam that only strengthened that comforting warmth growing inside of him.

He knew that she felt it too. There was a softness residing in her gaze that only became more clear as the seconds went by. Eventually her lips once again covered her teeth and contentment was present in her demeanor. He could feel her inching closer like a magnet and there was no force that could come between them.

But despite the moment feeling right, Oliver stops himself from being drawn too far in. That doubt had found it's way back into his mind. He expected a surprise from Kara but that contentment never left her kind eyes. She simply put a calm hand against his shoulder, tilting her head backwards as she says, "I was thinking about wrapping the last garland around the railing of the staircase. Maybe put the strand of flowers on it too."

"Yeah," Oliver adds, snapping himself out of the trance he had found himself in for so long. "You're the visionary. You do what you want."

She presses her lips together, nodding. There was a longing in her eyes as she kept them locked into his for another brief moment in time. There had to have been something she was feeding off of in his gaze because the fire kept burning even when Oliver was rejecting it inside.

And as she walked away and an urge to take her hand and pull her back towards him had made itself known, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He lets it vibrate for a moment as that hesitation that he had just felt had become one of yearning. She was only across the room but she felt like she had left entirely.

So he lets out a drawn out exhale as he takes his phone from his fleece pants answering immediately after seeing who was calling. "Not a great time, Adrian."

"We think we may have a lead on Prometheus. . . " Adrian trails off. "Or the woman in black at least."

"What is it?"

"A bank account that we are struggling to trace," He responds, his voice almost becoming a whisper as he asks, "should I see if Felicity could have any better luck than the ACU?"

Oliver sighs while looking over at Kara, hoping that she wasn't listening or paying attention to the conversation while she worked on finishing up decorating. Of course, it didn't matter how loud he answered. She could hear the quietest of his whispers from fucking China. He massages the bridge of his nose as he responds in impatience, "why are you working today? I told you all to take the weekend off."

"I didn't have anything better to do. . ." Adrian tells him nonchalantly. "I still have another two hours before I go to your place."

He shakes his head. "Get it to Felicity. She'll take care of it. Then go home and enjoy your time off, please."

"Well, what if we find something?"

He looks back in Kara's direction. She was listening. He could tell by the pleading stare that she gave off. He once again lets out a drawn out exhale, saying something that he never believed he'd say. "We'll worry about it after Christmas unless something urgent comes up."

"You're really taking this break seriously, aren't you?"

A calm sensation comes over him as he continues to watch Kara get back to work. He smiles loosely as he tells him, "yeah. We all need it."

"Won't argue with you there," Adrian adds. "I'll see you tonight. You guys need me to bring anything?"

Oliver chuckles lightly. "Alcohol."

After a quick affirmation, Oliver hangs up and begins the tedious process of packing the smaller boxes into larger boxes and moving them out of his living room. He knew that Kara said that this was the "fun" part, and he had believed her for most of the day. But now, as he had to deal with a mess, the fun was a lot less easier to be had.

But he still did it, without complaints or asking for help. It was the least that he could do.

So as he finished, placing all of the empty boxes into an empty closet in his bedroom, he watched Kara put the finishing touches on her productivity. He couldn't help but laugh at the irony of his entire apartment being filled with decor that didn't reflect at all his mood on the season up until this point. Kara just had a way with him- and the closer that they got, the less of a reason he found to fight it.

"Do you want me to do anything else?" Oliver asks as he walks to where she was stringing lights over the flowered garland on the railing of the staircase.

She doesn't take her attention away from it as she tells him without hesitation, "do you know how to make pecan pie?"

"Give me a recipe and I can figure it out. . ."

"There's one in the bag with all of the stuff in it," Kara tells him, bringing her eyes off of the now finished product. "If you want to get started on it, I can be there in a minute to help."

Oliver nods. "If you want to rest for a while before people start coming, I can take care of it."

"Nope," Kara responds with a fervent shake of her head. "I told you that you weren't going to have to do a thing and yet you're still helping. Not letting you do something I had full intentions on doing."

Oliver glares at her knowingly. "Kara. . ."

"No."

There was no more discussion after that. Oliver accepted that there was nothing he could say that would make Kara relent and actually allow herself to rest, despite that being the one thing she preached to him about him needing. She was simply driven by what she could do for others and ultimately, he respected that.

So he did what she asked of him. He was rolling too- following the recipe she gave him and made two crusts in the time that it took for her to finish what she was working on and make her way into the kitchen. They both were sat out in the pans, ready for her to make her own pie while he made the one that she instructed him to make.

Impressed, she folds her arms over her chest as she tells him through an exhale, "well damn. I should have just taken you up on your offer to take care of it."

"I told you," Oliver begins with a haughty shrug of the shoulders. "Just give me a recipe and I'll figure it out."

She shakes her head, a smile forming across her face as she pulls a bowl closer to her and starts setting out ingredients to make a filling. "What can't you do?"

"Hang up a garland, apparently," Oliver jokes, getting a giggle out of Kara as he closes the space between the two of them. Their hips were nearly touching as they fiddled with the materials in front of them. Kara was working on the filling for another pie while Oliver was filling the crust of the one he'd be on.

He thought about their earlier conversation, and how Kara had wanted him to loosen up a bit. A smug grin formed across his face as he found an opportunity to do just that as he removed a single pecan from the plastic bag on the counter and tossed it into Kara's glass bowl.

Her jaw dropped with her widening eyes as he glared at him in fake contempt. She scrunched her eyebrows and nose together as she tells him with forced question, "I don't think pecans are needed in pumpkin pies."

"Queen family recipe," Oliver jokes. Kara tries to stifle a smile as she takes the nut from the bowl and tosses it into his crust. He begins to vehemently shake his head as he tells her, "now pumpkin purée definitely doesn't belong in pecan pie."

She shrugs her shoulders. "You did it to yourself."

"I hope you're the one who gets the splash of bland pumpkin in your incredibly baked piece of pecan pie," Oliver tells her with joking resentment.

"This pumpkin isn't bland, " Kara deflects knowingly. "I just put the spice in it."

Oliver sticks his spoon in it and takes a scoop, putting it into his mouth and immediately recoils as he tells her, "needs bourbon."

"Bourbon?" Kara asks in shock.

He nods. "I've got some in that top cabinet over there. Just try it."

There was clear distrust and hesitancy in Kara's demeanor as she slowly walked away, going to fetch the bottle of liquor and even while she opened the bottle and began to pour the amount that Oliver suggested. She stirred it around until it got mixed in and Oliver patiently waited for the inevitable. She took a scoop of her own and put it into her mouth, immediately reacting to it like it brought her to the most peaceful state that she could be in.

"Holy shit," she begins with a full mouth, enamored with the taste. "This is really good."

Oliver smiles and nods knowingly. "I told you."

"Here," Kara gives him her spoon to take a taste of his own. "Tell me if I need to put anymore in."

He takes a bite, feeling his tastebuds sing as they recognized the flavor and were satisfied with it. He nods fervently. "That's all you need."

"Yeah?" Kara asks with a grin as he continually nods. She chuckles as she then pours the filling into the pie crust, shaking her head as he tells him, "out of everything I have seen you do, baking was the last thing I thought you'd ever be good at."

He shrugs his shoulders as he puts the finishing touches on his own creation. "I learned a few things on the island. I've been cooking and baking for myself since I've been living on my own."

"When I first started living on my own, I always left baking to Eliza," Kara admits. "I've gotten better at cooking the longer I've had to cook for myself. But baking? I feel like I always nearly burn my apartment down."

"Good thing you have freeze breath, right?" Oliver quips, getting a playful shove from Kara as she flares her mocking contempt. He then places both pies in the oven, letting out a sigh of relief as he turns and sees Kara leaned against the counter. He folds his arms across his chest as he asks her, "what now, boss?"

"I have to start getting myself dressed and ready soon," she begins as she pushes herself off the countertop. She makes her way over to him, putting a kind hand over his cheek as she tells him, "thank you for all of your help today. I know you didn't have to do it."

He smiles as he nods. "What else where would I want to be?"

Before Kara could respond, they hear someone walk through the door. Not walk, more like rush like a harsh wind. They didn't have to question who it was. The signs were telling enough.

"It looks nice in here. . ." They hear Barry remark from the living room. They both hear his footsteps come into the kitchen area, forcing them to increase the space that existed between one another. They stood awkwardly as the greeting grins across their lips matched their demeanor as he made eye contact with them. He nods at Kara as he says, "there's finally some life in this place."

Kara presses her lips together as she tilts her head in Oliver's direction, smiling as she adds, "he helped too."

"Look at you," Barry tells Oliver with prideful gleam. He puts a plastic bag with aluminum pans pushing through the plastic. "Joe whipped these dishes together for us. He said we just have to stick them in the oven."

Kara nods. "Is that what you went to Central City for?"

"Uh," Barry stutters as he looks at Oliver with almost panic. "I had to run an errand for my girlfriend. Joe knew I was coming and that we were all having dinner together tonight so he-uh, made it last night and put it in the freezer."

Kara glances at Oliver, who's face had turned into a neutral stare at the countertop after pleading with Barry for a moment with his eyes to simply shut up. She didn't notice that his expressions had changed but she had a clear wonder in her gaze as he forced a smile in her direction. She waves him off shaking her head as she tells them, "I have to start getting ready. Can you two get those in the oven after the pies are done?"

"Mh-hm," Oliver utters through pressed lips with a nod.

She rubs his shoulder gently as she walks by, thanking both he and Barry as she walks out of the room. Oliver waits until the sound of her footsteps are almost non-existent as they go up the stairs.

"Did you get them?" Oliver whispers, keeping his question subtle in the case that Kara was listening.

Barry nods with an excited grin. "I hid them both behind the tree. They look great."

"Good," Oliver says with satisfaction, talking slightly louder. "They've both earned it."

"Did you ever get to talk to Clark?"

"I talked with him about Kara's gift," Oliver begins to explain. "I asked him about coming tonight to help present it to her but he was spending the weekend in Smallville."

Barry sighs. "Damn. I was hoping to see him tonight."

"With Kara being around, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him."

"True," Barry agrees. He gives him a look of confusion as he looks towards the staircase before asking him, "why did Kara ask us to take care of all of the food just so she can get ready? Is it really going to take her that long?"

Oliver glares at him. "For Iris' sake, I really hope that you can answer that question for yourself."

"Oh," Barry interjects, as if something Oliver had said reminded him of something. "Iris told me to invite you and Kara over for Christmas dinner at Joe's on Monday. I know how you feel about Holidays so I told her I'd ask but I didn't think you'd want to—"

"No. . ." Oliver trails off as he thinks about his shift in perspective today. "I'll be there."

"Sheesh."

Oliver hears Barry from around the corner. When he makes eye contact with him, he has to follow his eyes that were scanning Oliver up and down. When Barry notices his questioning look, he smiles as he finally keeps his eyes in one place and says, "you should wear a suit with jeans more often. You look good."

"I didn't really know what Kara wanted," Oliver tells him through a grimace. "So I just assumed that business casual was enough."

"I told Adrian we were wearing tuxes," Barry says with regret. "I didn't know either. So I wore this," he motions down to his untucked button down over jeans. "But it'll be funny if he shows up in one."

Oliver glares at him knowingly before walking into the kitchen, speaking as he does so, "he doesn't even keep his suit on at work. No way in hell he shows up in a tux." He turns around for a moment while grabbing a bottle of wine as he tells Barry through squinted eyes, "and you really need to loosen up on him."

"I am relishing in the time that I have where I don't have to be an example for a team," Barry explains, getting an immediate eye roll reaction. "What? I find joy in giving him a hard time."

"Remind me to give Cisco or Caitlin a hard time the next time I visit," he remarks.

"Now that's unfair."

Oliver then walked out into the main area, opening his mouth to respond to Barry before a quick glance to his right became a gaze at a fixed, but moving point. She walked down the stairs, the lights reflecting off of her skin. Her hair shaped her face in a way that he had never seen it, falling onto her shoulders that were not covered by a strap. Her glasses were off and he could see the sapphire surrounding her pupil radiating off of her cheekbones. The scarlet color of her pantsuit only strengthened the vivacity of her eyes and light locks, sending the tenderest of smiles to curve the corners of Oliver's lips.

He could feel his teeth separating with the lowering of his chin. His throat feeling the air escape through the tiny gap his opening lips were creating. His breath had been taken away and he didn't know if she would ever give it back. He didn't know if he ever wanted her to.

Her growing smile as she came down the final set of stairs only tightened the edges of Oliver's stomach. He watches as her eyes glow brighter as she gets her first good look at him. She laughs, almost through breaths in a flustered fashion as she makes eye contact with his longing gaze.

He'd open his mouth to speak the closer she got to him and words wouldn't come out. So he just laughs with her before finally telling her, "you look really nice."

"So do you," she replies kindly. She looks around the room, her attention falling on the now glowing lights from garlands and the tree that were illuminating the inside of his apartment. She became entranced in that beauty only for Oliver to still be locked in on her's. She then brings her gleam back to him as she says, "it all really comes alive at night, huh?"

He nods, biting his lip as he tries to refocus his attention.

"Everything should be good to go," Barry says, being the one to finally bring Oliver back down to earth. He turns around to a knowing glare coming from Barry as he continues to direct his words at Kara. "Food is ready, drinks are out. Oliver and I took care of it."

"Thank you guys so much for the help," Kara tells them kindly. "I know I kind of forced this party on you both—"

Oliver shakes his head, finally able to formulate a coherent sentence as he replies, "we're happy to do it. You didn't force a thing."

There was then a knocking on the door, leading Barry to leave the conversation and open the door for whoever was waiting on the other side.

"Holy shit," Barry says in awe as he opens the door. "Look who's the first one here." He walks back into the kitchen, whispering in Oliver's direction, "he's not wearing a tux."

"Good to see you too, Allen," Adrian retorts as he makes an entrance, holding a bottle of whiskey in his hands. He presents it to Kara after embracing her in greeting, telling her, "Oliver told me to bring alcohol. This was the best I could do."

"We have plenty of wine," Kara suggests, looking at Oliver with confusion. "And champagne."

"Every party needs liquor," Oliver tells her nonchalantly, getting an agreeing nod from Adrian.

She shakes her head as she places the full bottle on the counter. "Did you ever find anything out on that lead?"

"The bank account has a routing number that belongs to an account at Starling National. . ." Adrian begins to explain, looking at Oliver as he finishes lowly, ". . . but when we called, they said that the account hadn't been opened in years."

"Did they give a name?" Oliver asks, his interest peaking more than it did during their earlier phone conversation.

He shakes his head. "Personal information had been wiped from all records."

"But that means that we know this person is a Star City resident right, or at least was at one point?" Kara adds. "That somewhat narrows the search."

"Especially since the whole city doesn't bank at Starling National," Oliver says, optimism filling his tone. "We can keep a close eye on it and keep working it."

"After Christmas?" Adrian asks, already pouring a glass of neat whisky.

Oliver nods. "After Christmas."

After spending so much of the last four years tunnel visioned on his mission, he'd thought that he would never be so adamant on keeping an active investigation on the back burner. But here he was, practically demanding that a serious lead be worked after a Holiday. It made him feel uneasy every time that he thought about it. Like there was something screaming inside of him to pay attention to it.

But today, he was deciding to allow himself to live a little. Maybe it was foolish. It probably was. But as he looked around, seeing the levity of the people in the room, as opposed to the stressed tension often resting in everyones eyes, he knew that they all needed it.

Thea and Felicity had made their way there as well. Felicity quickly remarked on the lead with Oliver as he walked her in and he swiftly caught her up on the talk that he had with Adrian.

Thea walked around, immediately recognizing the decorations as the ones that she had grown up seeing. There were tears forming in her eyes as she walked up to Oliver to embrace him tightly as she told him, "Mom would love this."

"I think she'd love us being together more," Oliver adds, prompting a quick pat on the cheek from Thea as she walked away to grab a glass of champagne.

Kara observed this from a distance. She felt alone, despite being surrounded by people that she cared for. There was something about watching Oliver and Thea interact with a fondness, a clear admiration and love in each other's eyes that made her crave to be in the presence of her sister once more.

She hadn't thought about it all day. She had allowed herself to become distracted by the business and lost in the time spent with Oliver. But she knew that this wasn't something that she could just suppress. It was something that she had to face.

But as she pulled her phone out to begin typing a text to Alex, she heard a knocking on the door that she wasn't expecting. Everyone that she had invited was there. Seeing that everyone was also occupied, she hesitantly made her way to the door.

Alex was on the other side as she pulled the handle towards herself. She couldn't stop her jaw from slightly dropping at the sight, as she was completely dumbfounded by her presence.

"What are you doing here?" Kara asks immediately upon letting her in.

She awkwardly walks by, turning her head to face her for a brief moment as she closes the door behind her. "I was invited."

Kara nods in acknowledgment, walking away to find Oliver in hopes to get some sort of explanation as to why she was here. It wasn't that she was necessarily angry. Confusion was a better way of putting it. She didn't think that Oliver or anyone on the team would have sought her out- because why would they with someone they didn't know?

Oliver was standing in the kitchen, talking with Adrian as Kara tilted her head towards his bedroom as a cue for him to follow. Despite a questioning gaze, he followed with hesitation. They don't stand far from the door as she begins to try to get some kind of answer.

"Do you know why is Alex here?" Kara asks.

Oliver folds his arms across his chest, peeking in the living room to confirm her presence before putting his weight against the door frame. He shrugs his shoulders, "I invited her.

"You invited her?" Kara's voice sharpens, confusion in her widening eyes. "When?"

"When I went to talk to her the other day. . ." Oliver trails off, guilt ringing in his tone as her eyes begin to signify recognition.

"Is that where you went Thursday morning before we trained?"

Oliver nods, expecting Kara to voice her frustrations about lying or not telling her he spoke with Alex. Instead her eyes softened to an almost grateful gaze. "I wish you would have just told me."

He tilts his head. "I didn't know if she would come. She didn't give me a firm answer when I asked."

"No, I don't care about that. It's your apartment," Kara explains, waving him off. "I'm talking about you going all the way up to ARGUS to talk with her— and how did you even know where she was?"

"Well, we've worked together before," Oliver explains, getting a surprised reaction from her. "She's helped us on a few cases through the years. It wasn't until you and I talked about her working for ARGUS that I made the connection."

Kara mouths the realization syllable of "ah" before nodding. She narrows her eyes as she asks softly, "well what made you think to go talk to her?"

"I don't know," Oliver shrugs. "After you and I talked, I guess I just thought that a third party that she trusts might help her see things through a non-ARGUS lense."

She bites her bottom lip, trying to stifle the smile trying to sneak upon it. "And inviting her to the party?"

"She's your family. It's the Holidays," Oliver begins before motioning his head back out to where the crowd was. "You should be with her."

She could no longer hide it. The smile had made it's appearance and it was shining in Oliver's direction. He didn't notice though— as he practically forced them out of his bedroom by leading the way out. There was something in Kara that wanted to stay. Stay in the moment. Close the door, hide away from those on the other side and outside the walls.

She nearly took his hand as he walked away, to pull him back into the lapse of time that she was longing to stay enclosed in. But the open door with chatter ringing through it served as a reminder— there were other people in the world besides her and Oliver. Other people that she cared about. And they deserved her time too.

So she followed Oliver into the welcoming arms of the people she loved. They were scattered throughout the living room. Barry and Adrian sitting on the couch, chatting away about who knows what. Oliver had made his way to Thea. Alex and Felicity had found one another and looked to be catching up as if they were old friends. So Kara took a deep breath as she walked towards them, keeping herself in check as she knew she wasn't going to start anything that may flare up her and Alex's recent disagreement.

"You two seem to know each other well," Kara greets.

Felicity nods with a subtle grin. "Our good friends John and Lyla work closely with Alex. We've talked a lot over the phone but very rarely in person."

"I see Oliver and John more than I see you," Alex says, almost jokingly. "It's nice to talk in a non-work setting."

Kara forces a smile. "I bet."

"It's insane to me that I knew two of your family members before ever meeting you," Felicity remarks with a chuckle. "You've got a really special circle."

Kara looks to Alex for a moment, the awkward tension fading for a moment as she speaks softly as the altruism becomes genuine, "I do."

"Your sister is pretty special too, by the way," Felicity adds, directing her words to Alex but looking at Kara knowingly. "I know you probably already know that."

Alex nods, a hesitation in her eyes as if she wanted to say something but was holding herself back. An awkward tension followed, leaving Kara to interject as kindly as she possibly could to try and ease it. She made some excuse that had to tend to something in the kitchen. She quickly put a hand on Felicity's shoulder as a sign of gratitude before walking away.

She scrambles around the kitchen, trying to put up an appearance that she was doing something. Her frustration was building and she knew that she was doing a horrible job at hiding it. So she turns around, away from the sight of everyone in the other room, and rests her forehead in her fingertips.

"Kara. . ."

She hears Adrian come from behind, making his way next to hear as he leans against the counter. He levels his eyes with hers as he asks, "what's going on?"

"Nothing," Kara tells him, pushing herself off the counter and turning around as she begins to rip the foil off the tops of the pans of food. "Just don't want the food to get cold."

"You can heat it up with your X-Ray vision," Adrian quips, following her as she starts to set the pans along the edge of the island.

She flares a quick glare on contempt. "Now isn't the time."

"You don't have to tell me what's bothering you," Adrian says submissively as he refills an empty glass of whiskey. He takes a quick swig before adding, "but whatever it is, please don't let it ruin your night. You've worked hard lately. Enjoy this."

Kara takes a deep breath, reveling in the notion that he was right. She nods as he puts a kind hand on her shoulder before walking back towards where everyone was standing around and chatting.

The next portion of the night went by smoother. Group conversation over dinner made it slightly easier for Kara to avoid any kind of confrontation with Alex. Despite the few times that they made eye contact while others were talking, they had no interactions that would cause anyone else in the room to feel uncomfortable. In fact, there was a comradery in the air that brought her back to the why.

These people were special to her. Every one in the room was. And despite the mutual contempt that existed between Alex and her at the moment, she was glad that she was there with her.

These are the moments that gave her strength, that gave her hope.

And as the conversation moved into the living room, Oliver was beginning to feel that togetherness that Kara was. He began to do a lot of retrospective thinking- as he was realizing that he was in a place that he didn't even believe was attainable just two months ago. He had allowed people back into his life. He had allowed himself to have trust in other people once again.

He looked around feeling pride, not only in himself for getting over the mental hurdles it took to let people in again, but at the people that were around him. He didn't talk much as he observed, soaking in the time that he spent among them

"I'm not one for sappy speeches, if you couldn't tell. . ." Oliver trails off, waiting for quick chuckles to subdue. "And, if you didn't know, all of this was Kara's idea. I just helped put decorations up. Even then, it was mostly Kara." He looks in her direction, keeping his eyes locked on her as her face lit up in laughter. A subtle smile forms on his face as he continues, "but as we did that, I was reminded of what made the Holidays special to Thea and I growing up. It was being together, with our family and friends."

He glances in his prideful sister for a moment before continuing. "It may not look the same anymore and that is something that I am learning to accept. I'm trying to grow. And each of you have made that growth easier this time of year. So thank you all for being here. Not just tonight but for me this year."

He had nearly lost his train of thought, as his eyes once again met Kara's and the glassiness in her eyes had a reflection of the lights on the tree behind him. They were nearly sparkling as he spoke. He tried to move his eyes around to allow everyone the acknowledgment of words but he kept finding himself in a trance when his gaze locked onto Kara's.

His words were sincerely directed to everyone in the room. But Kara. Kara's role was different. And despite the adamance in his words, he wasn't sure if he could quite articulate just how different she was to him.

"You brought us all together, Ollie," Barry breaks the silence, holding up his glass of wine as if to toast. "We're all pretty damn thankful for it."

"Cheers to that," Adrian adds, pulling his lone whiskey glass with it.

Kara stands up from her spot, going next to where Oliver stood as she says with a smile, "I know I'm grateful."

"I'm just glad that Oliver finally realized he was cheating death every time he went out by himself," Felicity jokes.

Thea, who had been hitting the bottle pretty hard throughout the night, snickers? As she adds, "amen to that."

As the room settles back down, Oliver looks to Barry. There's a cue in his wink that was a not so subtle hint for Barry to know it was time for something. He picked up on it immediately. Oliver soon sits, trying to take any and all attention off of himself. This next moment was not going to be for him.

It was going to be for the two people who had made his life a hell of a lot easier in the last couple of months- and well, better.

"So, Kara," Barry begins with an apologetic tone as he stands up. "I might have told a slight fib earlier about the errand I had to run."

Kara was confused as she takes a seat next to Oliver on the loveseat across from him. She narrows her eyes at him as she asks, "and what was that?"

"I had to make a quick run to S.T.A.R Labs," Barry says through a grimace as he picks up two large, wrapped boxes, one by one. He hands one to Adrian and then one to Kara. "For the record, these are from the whole team. Not just me. It was Oliver's idea."

Kara looks at Oliver, who was resting his head on his fist as he switched glances between her and the box, urging her to open it with his eyes only. She could hear Adrian exclaim in excitement after opening his quickly, not looking as she wanted to be completely surprised in what awaited her in the box.

So she slowly took the wrapping paper off, anticipating each subtle rip as she got closer to the steel case that she assumed held the gift. She quickly presses the small button on the edge of the casing and the top comes loose. And as she lifted the top, she felt her breath hitch upon seeing what rested neatly in the basin.

She saw the chest of a suit with grated material— it was a rich and dark blue, accented with a red collar. There was a diamond shape covered with a plastic material that she chose to wait to acknowgdlge until she saw the entire thing. She took it by the shoulders and lifted it, revealing the waist down as well as the arms.

The torso was lined with red insets along the outside of where her abdomen would rest. There were similar linings along the biceps, along with red piping that would sit on the tone of her muscles. The pants were a slight darker blue, the color being more remisncent of a navy with more red piping along the outside of where here thighs would be. There was a skirt reminiscent of one a gladiator might wear, covering her groin area as well as some of the inner parts of her hip and thighs.

She could feel a wetness building in her lower eyelid. There was something moving, something empowering about seeing a suit that she had dreamed of dawning for so long. It was as if she was staring at her fantasies as some tangible quantity.

She had gotten so entranced in the intricacies of everything else that she had forgotten that she had completely glossed over the covered diamond shape in the middle of the chest area. So she sat the suit in her lap, slowly removing the thick plastic that was covering something that nearly sent her into sobs as she saw it.

It wasn't a diamond. It was a crest. The "S" shaped symbol resting in the middle of it, just as she had worn around her home. The same symbol that represented a hierarchy in the special place that was Krypton. The same symbol that represented her blood, her family. And that meant more than any fancy lining or material any suit could give.

The tears weren't able to be stifled so she tried to stop herself from crying aloud, putting her hand over her mouth as she tried to keep her cries of joy inside. She couldn't speak. She felt like words would not be adequate to show her gratitude towards Oliver, Barry, Felicity— or anyone else who was involved with this.

And when she looked over at Oliver, and his eyes were glowing in gleam, just as hers were, she felt her tears become an even more steady flow.

"There's one more thing," Oliver says, giving her another box. This one wasn't wrapped. It was a simple white box, the only thing on it was a taped note.

From, Clark.

She couldn't help but chuckle in her joy as she read the words. Wiping the tears off of her cheek as she took the top off of the box. She knew what it was immediately. The cloth was red. It was thicker than any material even available on this planet— because it wasn't from Earth. It was from Krypton.

And she remembered the last time that she saw this exact remnant of her home. She watched as Jor-El and Lara wrapped the then infant Clark in it as they sent him away to Earth.

So she pulled it out and the length was nearly covering her legs like a blanket. It was bunched at the top, leading her to realize— it was meant to be her cape.

"I don't even know what to say," Kara begins, glancing at Barry and Felicity for a moment before locking her attention on Oliver as she says through tears. "Thank you."

He smiles. "No, thank you. For everything you've done for this team, this city. You deserve it."

"Plus, you kind of need a suit," Barry adds. "The hoodie was kind of getting old. . ." He turns to Adrian, who was still admiring his new gear as Barry finishes smugly, "I still don't see why we made him a new one. He's got a good one."

"That new suit has actual kevlar. It's a thinner, more breathable material that'll help him move better," Oliver begins, getting an excited look from Adrian as he continues. "Plus the helmet is pretty damn souped up."

Kara then got her first glance at Adrian's new suit. The helmet that was once a simple black helmet with ski-goggles was now a legitimate protective helmet with a visor. His upper body piece was a navy color, blue lining going across the chest. It was slicker and less bulky than the handmade one that Adrian had created for himself. Kara couldn't help but chuckle at the "little kid on Christmas morning" look on his face, as she had never seen him so elated in the time that he had known him,

"You deserve it, Adrian," Oliver tells him proudly.

Adrian lets out a hard exhale, shaking his head and smiling as he tells him, "thanks, man."

And as he stands to come over to Oliver and shake his hand, Kara notices Alex standing off away from the group, tears filling her eyes. When she makes eye contact with Kara, she swiftly removes herself from her line of sight, as well as everyone else in the room. Instinctively, Kara stands up quickly and follows.

She taps on her shoulder as she finally catches up with her in the kitchen, forcing her to turn around. Tears were streaming down her cheekbones as guilt flared from her reddened eyes. She begins to shake her head profusely as she tells her, "I'm so sorry. . ."

"Why are you apologizing?" Kara asks, assuming that she was referring to her cries.

She wipes the tears off of her cheekbone as she tries to regain her composure. "For holding you back. . . All of these years, I have held you back and I'm so sorry."

"You haven't held me back," Kara assures her, putting her hands over her shoulders as she continues. "What makes you say that?"

"I have told you to keep your powers hidden, and I thought that I was protecting you by doing that," she begins, her words straining as her throat was closing in while tears continued to fall. "But all I was doing was keeping you from becoming who you are truly meant to be. And I'm not just talking about a superhero that flies around saving people. . ." she points to the living room. ". . . I'm talking about someone who makes everyone around her better. A leader. Those people need you, Kara."

"And Goddamnit," Alex continues. "The world needs you." Kara realized that the dam holding her tears had already broken, so she wasn't even going to attempt to stop them. Alex took her hands into hers, pulling them into her chest as she says, "it needs you to be a light, a beacon of hope. And using your powers, saving people- that's how you do that."

"Alex. . ." Kara begins, her lip quivering as she does so. "You don't know how much I needed to hear you say that."

She smiles through pressed lips as she nods. "You're going to do amazing things, Kara. And I'm so sorry that I ever made you feel different."

"No," Kara denies, as the dam that was holding her tears had finally broke. "You were the first person who made me feel like I could be more to this world. I wouldn't be here without you."

Alex pulls her in to her chest for a tight hug, caressing the back of her head as she tells her, "I'm so, so proud of you."

"Thank you," Kara says as she allows her chin to fall into her sister's neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

And when Kara feels her sister's arms wrapped tightly around her neck, she finally feels free. There were emancipating feelings that came with showing her powers to the world— but nothing that compared to this. She was ready to live her truth. She was ready to embrace who she was because she knew that the most important person in her life would be behind her every step of the way.

The chains were finally gone. She was ready to fly.

They wipe the saturation off of the others cheek, Alex laughing as she says, "sorry I took away from your moment in there."

"That moment wouldn't have been complete without you," Kara tells her through a wide smile.

"It's a beautiful suit," Alex tells her, peaking her head around the corner as she tells her, "but you should probably go back in there and be with the people who gave it to you."

She nods through a chuckle as she bats away the single tear trying to leave the corner of her eye. They then make their way back into the room, feeling the attention drawn on them as they're noticed.

"So," Felicity begins as Kara and Alex take a seat next to one another on the floor. "I feel like Kara needs a codename so I'm not constantly referring to her by her first name on coms."

"Anything can be better than Adrian's," Barry quips, grinning smugly at his continued shots taken at the man sitting beside him. He finishes mockingly, "Vigilante."

"I like it," Adrian shrugs it off. "It has a certain flair."

Oliver scoffs. "Settle down on the whiskey, please."

"At least none of you were given your childhood nick name," Thea pipes in with annoyance. "Speedy."

Alex then looks over at Kara, as if the thought of a childhood name set off a memory in her mind. She smiles before looking back at the group and saying, "what about Supergirl?"

"This was a lot of fun," Kara begins. "I think we all needed this."

They had separated themselves from the others, instigated by Oliver as he felt like he wanted a moment alone with Kara. They had made their way to the staircase that was far enough away from where the group sat in the living room but close enough for them to join if their presence was once again requested. They both sat along the bottom step, looking ahead and watching with joy as their friends and family interacted- laughing, talking amongst each other,

Oliver nods at Kara's statement , feeling every bit of the notion Kara was speaking of. "You did good, Kara."

"So did you," Kara tells him with a smile. "If I sent the invitation, you were the inspiration. Barry was right, you brought us all together."

He chuckles, shaking his head as he brings his attention to her. "You played a bigger role in that than you realize."

"When are you going to realize how important you are to every one of those people in there?" Kara asks, looking intensely into his eyes. "You are the glue that holds everyone together. We're here because we believe in you."

"And you're all here because I believe in each of you," Oliver adds nonchalantly. "So I guess it goes both ways."

"Guess that's the point of a team, right?"

"Right," Oliver nods. "But all of this, bringing us together to celebrate the Holidays, that comes from you. Your warmth, kindness— that giant heart of yours." She grins, a fondness coming through her gaze that only personified exactly what he was describing. He then goes on to remark, "so, it seems like you and Alex worked things out."

"She's on board now. And that's all I ever needed to know," she tells him through a fervent nod. She narrows her stare as she states, "and I can't help but feel like you played a role in that."

He scoffs, waving her off flippantly. "I didn't do a thing. She believes in you, Kara. She loves you. She was always going to see you for who you're becoming. It doesn't take much for someone to do those things."

Kara then scoots closer to him and for the first time, nothing in his mind is dragging him away. She wraps her arms around his bicep, pulling him towards her as she rests her head along his shoulder. He releases his tension, loosening up as he allows his head to fall on top of hers.

"Thank you, Oliver," she tells him softly.

"What for?"

She places her hand gently over his thigh, rubbing it slightly as she finishes kindly, "for coming into my life exactly when I needed you."

He closes his eyes and allows himself to get lost in the sensations of the moment. The security that he felt in Kara's touch, the serenity that he felt as he places his palm over her forearm. He knew that doubt could no longer drive him, as this was a feeling he wanted to hold onto forever. He could feel Kara's body leaned against his and it was as tranquil as his was.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he chose to ignore it at first. He knew that as soon as he picked it up, he'd never get this moment back. But as the rings continued, and they both got tenser and tenser, he realized that the moment was already gone. But he was surprised to find that it wasn't a phone call, no, it was several text messages.

"I've got to go to the office," Oliver begins as he slowly sits up "There's been some kind of security breach and they need me there to make sure nothings been taken or compromised."

They both begin to stand as Kara asks, "do you want me to go with you?"

"You stay here, be with them," Oliver affirms. "I'll be back soon. This will be a short trip."

She nods hesitantly. There was a worry in her eyes that was off-putting for him as she says, "are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Oliver assures her as he walks to the door, grabbing a coat on his way out.

The night was cold. There were no longer flurries falling from the now dark sky. It was just a bleak winter evening that reveled in the silence of those who chose to stay in their homes. Those warm feelings that had followed Oliver throughout the day were not able to survive it. It was almost as if hopping on his bike and driving into the brisk wind set off the fight or flight mode he often tried so hard to avoid.

There was only one light on as Oliver approached City Hall. He could tell from the streets that it was his office. It was eerily quiet as he walked through the building and then to the main hall. There were no signs of life anywhere and it felt like it was only him roaming throughout the dark. No- he began to realize that he was likely the only breathing soul there.

Oliver was no longer cautiously walking the halls as he made his way to his office. He was walking stealthily, beginning to lean into his instincts rather than falling back into trusting his surroundings. There looked to be someone standing in his office, proving his theory wrong and leaving him tense as the figure's shadow only became more apparent as he was getting closer and closer to the stained glass door.

And when he opened the door, he felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach. The pulse was still there, pushing hard against his abdomen. He readjusted his eyes, one too many times, to see if he could get a clearer look at the woman who stood before him. But it only stood as more confirmation that he knew exactly who he was staring at.

It wasn't possible. He watched these eyes close for the final time. And now they were staring right into his.

"Hi, Ollie," Laurel says, an innocence resting in her kind gaze.

Oliver quickly wraps his arms around her shoulders, feeling her's wrap along his torso. She pulls her head into his chest, feeling his heart open all over again. He could feel her breathing. He could hear he breathing. She was breathing.

"How are you. . ." Oliver says through short breaths, tears forming in his awestruck eyes. "How are you alive?"

She points behind him as she says softly, "he brought me."

"Who's he. . ." And as he turns around, a familiar mask is there to meet him. Not only was Prometheus there but a needle met his neck.

And as the world around him began to black out, he regretted letting his guard down. Even for Laurel.

When he woke up, he was in an entirely new place. There were cement walls surrounding him and the concrete floor that his now bare back laid on was as cold as the air outside. He jumped up quickly, soon realizing that his wrists were being constrained with chains that were locked on the floor.

There was no sign of sunlight around him. No windows. Not even an air vent.

He had no clue where he was. But an all but familiar voice interrupted his observation time and soon he was once again face to face with his adversary.

"So we meet again. . ." He says. "If I had known that Laurel would make you that vulnerable, I would have used her as bait months ago."

"Months ago?" Oliver's rage nearly brought his words to a whisper. "How is she even alive? What the fuck did you do to her?"

"She was resurrected," Prometheus says. "She was brought back by the Lazarus Pit. Just as I was."

Oliver immediately lunges in his direction, trying to pull the chains with him in an attempt to break free. He had no luck. So he attempted to get into the face of Prometheus, who hadn't moved an inch. "Who put here in there?"

"You know, my father tried to chain you up as well. He chained you some pipes that were on the ceiling," he begins. Oliver could sense the curve of his lips form a haughty tone as he continues, "you broke free. I figured chaining you to the concrete floor would make it much harder for you to escape."

"What?" Oliver rasps, his eyebrows scrunched as all he could feel was the anger he was sending in the direction of the menace in front of him. He's been locked up many times. He's been tied to chairs, tied to pipes, pillars. But only one person had tried to isolate his arms in a way that forced him to use his pure strength and brute force to pull himself upwards to break himself free.

And his son. . . it couldn't be.

"I put her in the pit, Ollie."

He shakes his head in his fervent anger, as he prepares to demand through screaming for him to stop calling him that. But he soon realizes— there's a reason why.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Oliver asks, his words nearly coming out of desperation.

"Because. . ." He trails off, pulling his mask and hood off to reveal the face that's been hiding for all of these months. "I always have."

And suddenly, it felt as if Oliver could no longer breathe. His throat was closing in. There was a numbness coming about him that nearly made him lose his balance. His worst fears, that had only just began to manifest in the moment, were coming true. The only response he could formulate was a simple question— a name rather. And it came out through the weakest choke that he could possibly manage.

"Tommy?"

. . . okay, so I didn't say it would be entirely happy, right? ;)