The sun shining through the open window woke him up the next day. A cool breeze blew the curtains around as the sound of the city drifted inside. The delicious smell of warm food wafted through the apartment.
He leaned up and stretched, wincing when the strain pulled on the stitches. There was an indentation where Thea had slept the night before, the covers still strewn about from when she had left the bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood up. Shaking off the feeling of dejavu, he walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen
Thea stood infront of the stove, flipping pancakes around on a griddle while humming to herself; bacon sizzled next to her. Her hair swished as she moved, her completely unaware.
Just like i always wanted, he thought silently to himself. He stood there for a moment, enjoying the sight and smiling. He leaned on the counter, causing it to squeak. Thea spun around holding the grease covered spatula high.
"Holy crap," she said startled. "I didn't hear you get up."
"I was enjoying the view," he replied with a flirty smile.
"Oh," she giggled with a blush, her eyes gazing at his shirtless torso.
"About last night…" he started scratching the back of his neck.
"Dont worry about it," she finished with a smile, turning back around and changing the subject. "I was planning on waking you up with some breakfast."
"Technically you did," he laughed. "You didn't have to."
"I wanted to," she insisted. "Besides, i think you need it."
She flipped a few pancakes onto two plates, all but dropping one. She lunged with the plate, catching it just before it fell below the countertop. She stood up, piled some bacon on both plates and motioned with her head to follow her. They walked over to the small table that sat between the kitchen and the living room and Jacob pulled two of the chairs out.
"A gentleman too?" Thea asked, smiling as she sat the two plates down.
Jacob grinned and pushed her chair in gently behind her. They sat down without another word and ate. After a few minutes, a rattling sound emanated from the other end of the table. Thea hopped up, grabbed her phone out of the tangle of objects and flicked the screen on.
"It's Felicity," she groaned, reading the text. "Ollies looking for you."
He nodded wordlessly in response, scarfing down the rest of his food and heading into the kitchen with his plate. She sat down and finished hers as well while he started rooting around for his shirt. She waved at the pile of boxes on the table, her mouth full of food; he caught the meaning and pulled a new one out of the box laughing. She swallowed a big mouthful and took her plate before heading to the door where her shoes sat. She slipped on a pair of sneakers and picked up her tangle of keys and her small purse as Jacob laced up the new shoes she had given him. Opening the door, Jacob caught her hand and pulled her close to him. With one swift motion, he placed his hand under her chin, tilted it up and kissed her. She smiled, placing a warm hand on his cheek and returned his kiss.
"Thank you," he whispered to her, breaking the kiss. "For everything."
"Just kiss me again," she replied, smiling.
Arrow cave- the quiver
Oliver stood with one hand on his head and his other arm crossed his chest in frustration/annoyance. Felicity sat in her usual spot, in front of the computers.
"You let him leave?" Oliver half growled half groaned.
"Well yea," she shot back. "What was i supposed to do, chain him to the infirmary bed?"
"Felicity," he groaned rubbing his temples and talking slower. "He's a man from another earth. We barely know anything about him or even if he has a doppleganger on this earth."
"I checked," She replied, spinning in her chair to face the monitors and bringing up several searches. "There is no mention of Jacob Lance anywhere, no criminal files, police reports, no missing persons, birth certificates, death certificates, social security, nothing. He doesn't exist here."
"What about in the list of victims from Prometheus' killing spree?"
"He. Does. Not. Exist." she insisted, waving her hands at the search records. "That was one of the first things i checked."
He groaned audibly.
"I thought everyone was supposed to have a doppelganger on each version of earth."
"Well yes there are doppelgangers," she sighed, taking her glasses off and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "But they don't exist with the same names, blood type, or anything like that. You exist as you are on this earth, but on any other given earth you might not be exactly the same; you could be a painter, a teacher, a lawyer, what have you. The fact that Jacob is from an earth where you were his father and you two have the same blood type is an astronomical improbability but isn't impossible. Just like he existed on his earth, under that name, as he is, doesn't mean he'll exist as the same person here."
"So you're saying he got really lucky," he groaned in frustration.
"Pretty much yeah," she sighed. "If you put it into complete layman's terms."
The elevator hummed to a stop and the doors opened. Out stepped Thea and Jacob, hand in hand and laughing. Oliver looked from Felicity, to Thea, then to their hands interlocked. With an audible grumble, he folded his arms over his chest and glared at them both. They stopped abruptly and Theas hand tightened in Jacobs.
"Where were you two," he asked with a growl.
"Needed some air…" Jacob started to say before Thea cut him off.
"I thought it would be better for him to get out of the infirmary and try to adjust to new surroundings," she said, squeezing his hand.
"And that?" he asked, nodding to their hands.
The two started to say something at the same time before Felicity cut them both off.
"You two shush," she interjected waving her finger at the couple and running her hand over Oliver's shoulder. "Oliver, let it go."
Olivers face showed his obvious frustration and annoyance as Felicity tried to calm him down. He closed his eyes and sighed, muttered something to her before he looked up at Jacob.
"I need to talk to you," he grumbled. "Privately."
"Yea, sure," Jacob replied.
Thea gave his head a squeeze before she let him follow Oliver out of earshot. Felicity waved her hands at Thea, motioning her to come closer and they lowered their voices.
"You did, didn't you?" Felicity asked her in a hushed whisper.
"What? No." Thea retorted, rolling her eyes and blushing. "But i wanted to."
"Oh come on," She giggled. "The way he looks at you, the hand holding, something had to have happened!"
"Well," Thea admitted, biting her lip and looking away. "We went out, i figured he was hungry so we ate. We got caught in the rain on the way back to my place…"
Felicity's eyes lit up as she gave a squeal of delight.
"Its not like that!" Thea exclaimed, her voice raising slightly as she blushed again. "I didn't think he should have to spend another night in the infirmary and well my apartment was closer. We had a moment...his eyes are just….but after we showered...separately!...he was asleep on my couch and…"
"You jumped his bones didn't you!" Felicity assumed, squealing.
"No!" she protested, turning a deeper shade of crimson. "Again i wanted to….but he was muttering in his sleep and he just looked s
o broken. We got to talking and well….I kissed him…"
"Shut up…"
Thea just nodded, looking over to where Jacob stood where she could only assume Oliver was interrogating him.
"Yea. I kissed him, and he kissed me back."
Oliver and Jacob stood on the other side of the room, across from each other with Olivers back to the ladies. He had his usual scowl fixed on his face, glaring at Jacob who shifted nervously.
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Jacob asked, nervously scratching the back of his neck.
"I understand being cooped up," He started slowly. "But you can't exactly go roaming about on a new earth."
"I wasn't exactly roaming," Jacob replied dryly. "No offense to you guys, but your infirmary gets a little old after a while."
"That's not the point," he glowered back. "I don't exactly know what would happen if you ran into your doppelganger here…
"And you dont trust me," Jacob finished, frowning. "Look. I get it. You have trust issues. The thing you need to realize about me is, despite you not being MY family, i'm not a danger to any of you."
"I don't know that," Oliver argued, folding his arms over his chest.
The two stood there for a few moments, half glaring at each other. Oliver shook his head and looked towards the wall where the arrows still speered balls to the wall.
"I see you're good with a bow." he offered, waving his hand in the direction.
"Yea," Jacob replied, looking away. "My father taught me."
"Were you…"
"A Vigilante?" Jacob finished. "I prefer to consider them Heroes, but no. I wasn't."
"Why not?" Oliver asked looking at the young man questioningly. "You seem to have the skill."
"Oliver and his rule." he reminded him.
"Right, no young partners." Oliver nodded. "Speedy was for a while here. She wasn't the first partner i took on, young or otherwise."
"I take it you had a Helena Bertinelli and Roy Harper here as well?" he asked grimly.
"We did, and do. Both are still alive, at least Roy was the last time we had info on his whereabouts." Oliver confirmed. "How did they die?"
Jacob went silent for a few minutes, walking over towards a pillar and leaning against it.
"Helena was headstrong and reckless. From what i heard, she received some shady information about a deal with the Triads, tried talking Oliver and Roy into joining her. Eventually Helena charged right in, leaving Roy and Oliver to try and bail her out. She didn't make it and it hit Roy pretty hard, turned to some illegal substances and ended up with a massive drug problem. Eventually it was what killed him." He recalled, eyes glossing over with remembrance.
"She was a kind woman and Roy was like an older brother to me. I'm not going to lie, it hit us all pretty hard."
"Sounds like you've seen and experienced a lot of death in your short life." Oliver stated.
"Ya think?" He laughed, bitterly. "Thats something ive been thinking about since i woke up here."
He turned and faced Oliver, looking directly into his eyes.
"I've seen good men and women die while i was forced to stand by," He pointed out. "I can't do that here. I want you to train me. Wherever you go on an earth, there is crime and deceit."
Oliver stared him down, taking a minute before he replied.
"Is it justice you want to fight for, or is it vengeance?" he asked quietly.
"Both," Jacob admitted. "I want to bring justice for those who the system has failed. I want to honor those who lost their lives. Most importantly, i want to use what my family has taught me."
Oliver went silent, considering his answer.
"Your justice sounds a lot like vengeance to me," He admitted.
"...is it so different from what you felt when you lost your Laurel…" Jacob shot back quietly.
Oliver spun around, anger spreading across his face and poised to yell.
"We both lost Laurel," Jacob continued. "You lost a friend, the woman i know you loved, despite you preparing to marry Felicity. I also lost the woman i loved more than anything."
Oliver raised his hand and pointed at jacobs chest, mouthing opening to say something before he grumbled and closed it.
"I avenged her." He said quietly, dropping his hand. "I killed Damien Darhk with my own hands and tried to honor her by making sure she wasn't the last Black Canary."
"Giving someone else her name, isn't honoring her…"Jacob shot back. "No one, i don't care who they are, will EVER replace Laurel Lance."
"That at least," Oliver sighed. "We both can agree on."
The two stood there in silence.
"What's going on with you and my sister," Oliver asked, breaking the silence.
Jacob jumped, and fumbled around.
"Well she….we...I.." he stammered, refusing to look him in the face.
"Are you two sleeping together?" He asked, grumbling.
"Well i mean," Jacob stammered again. "We slept….and i do mean slept...together...that's all."
"I'm sure," he said sarcastically.
"Oliver," Felicity called, making him flinch. "That's enough. Let. It. Go."
He let out one last sigh of protest and grasped Jacob by the shoulder.
"Remember," he growled. "I have arrows. Sharp ones, and a very good aim."
"Not the first time i've heard that," Jacob chuckled under his breath.
Oliver snorted, trying not to laugh as they turned and started back to the ladies. Felicity was tapping away at a keyboard as Thea sat beside her.
"Does that mean you'll do it?" Jacob asked a little louder, causing both Thea and Felicity to look up.
"We're not discussing it right now," Oliver replied, stepping up onto the raised floor towards the computer screens.
"Discussing what?" Felicity and Thea both asked, looking from Oliver to Jacob.
"Nothing." Oliver said firmly, looking over Felicity's shoulder.
'I want him to train me," Jacob broke in at the same time.
"Honey," Felicity cooed. "It wouldn't hurt to have someone else watching your back."
"With me in retirement," Thea pointed out. "Someone should be there."
"I have John and the team," he declared.
"What's one more?" Felicity asked.
"I said," he growled, veins sticking out in his forehead. "We're not discussing it right now."
He stared at Jacob for a few minutes before turning his attention to Felicity.
"Now where are you with the…" Oliver trailed off, looking over Felicity's shoulder.
Jacob shook his head in defeat, at least for the moment, and walked away from the platform. Thea shot her brother a dirty look and followed after Jacob. With a few quick steps, she caught up to him and pulled him behind the elevator wall. She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Don't take it personal," she soothed, kissing his cheek. "He's always been a bit stubborn but eventually he'll come around."
Jacob sighed and nodded.
"He wouldn't even train Laurel after Sara died the second time. Granted she sort of went around him with Ted Grant and even Nyssa later." she added.
Jacob stiffened and she pulled away to look at his face. She could almost see the light bulb of an idea turn on in his mind.
"Sara….Nyssa.." he muttered. "Thea, you're a genius!"
He kissed full on the lips deeply before letting her go and rushing over to a table.
"I am..?" she asked slightly caught off guard. "What do you mean?"
He waved her over, pushing aside a random assortments of parts and leftover scraps of mechanics.
"The only other person who would understand wanting to fight for a lost loved ones memory," he babbled, grabbing a piece of paper and starting to scrawl things down. "Sara."
"But she's on The Waverider?" she said, baffled.
"Exactly." He laughed, turning around and kissing her again. "Thank you."
"Well i mean, yea." she stammered out.
"Thea," came Olivers voice sternly. "We're needed at the office."
Oliver briskly started walking towards the elevator, opening the door and holding it, waiting for Thea. She sighed, kissed Jacob on the cheek as he scurried around picking up parts and laying them out on the table. With a shake of her head, she joined Oliver in the elevator, he allowing the doors to close.
"That was sort of harsh," she grumbled at him as they ascended to ground level.
"I don't trust him," he replied flatly, not looking at her.
"But i do…" she whispered, crossing her arms over her chest.