Reality And The Art Of Archery Movies.

(Author's Note: This takes place during that weird Season 1 where Oliver, Laurel, and Tommy Merlyn have that strange love-triangle situation. I'm about to nip that in the bud. This is the beginnings of the Black Canary right here.)

At the Queen Mansion…

Oliver Queen was damaged, and he knew that. Surviving five years away from the people he loved, on a desert island in the absolute middle of nowhere, meant that there were more days than he liked when it was the height of strength to lever himself out of bed, put on the Dolce and Gabbana suits he was thinking of as more of a costume than the Hood's outfit was, and pretend to be Oliver Queen. But he wasn't that, anymore. He couldn't be. That charming, smiling, HAPPY life of the party was gone. He didn't like the taste of alcohol anymore, even. Instead of doing what it did for most people, and making them forget their troubles, it was like shining a searchlight on his. But he couldn't say that to anyone, out loud. So, he gave an answer that wasn't entirely a lie. He explained that after 5 years away, he had decided to go sober to honor his father's memory. Most people believed that.

But he still needed some things. And the biggest one of them was Laurel Lance, the love of his life and the person he thought was a soulmate. They hadn't really talked since he got back, minus that tension-filled night at the club for his resurrection party before he showed Adam Hunt what true fear was. But a few days ago, he had seen her out at a supermarket where it looked like she was buying a frozen pizza for her dinner. He told her he needed to tell her things, and that after he was done, if she wanted to never see him again he'd understand.

Good thing for him, then, that tonight was movie night. It had started five years ago. Every Friday, when classes at UW-Starling City ended, Laurel would get in her impossibly beat-to-shit Subaru and drive over to the mansion and they'd watch a movie of her choice on the Queen's cinema-quality home theater. It was entertaining, and chest-warming, to watch her grumble about police movies where the cops did things she knew they shouldn't be doing. When he was gone, struggling to fight for his life while still having some bit of his humanity left, the memories of that night kept him warm. Now that he knew she had graduated with honors from UW-Starling City's law school, and was a proud member of the Order of the Coif, he wanted that memory back.

So, as he waited just inside the front door to see her coming, he was pleased beyond words to know that this still existed. He was always going to love her, he knew that now. There weren't words, couldn't be words, for how deep his love of her felt. All he hoped, craved really, was that he could find a way to tell her. But just as much, the Hood couldn't be a part of this. If he had to give it up, to LIVE with her instead of just surviving as the Hood, he would. He'd figure out some other way to carry out his father's wishes. Because, and he should have known this, he couldn't live without Laurel Lance. Not anymore.

Meanwhile, on the Easley Bridge…..

Dinah Laurel Lance had ABSOLUTELY no idea why she was going to the Queen Mansion. Sure, Oliver had asked her to come to clear the air. And honestly, she thought of all the things they had been through there and realized he really did deserve to finally let him explain.

But what she didn't know is why she had agreed to go back to his house, for movie night of all things. She supposed if she was going to do this, and lord only knows what in the absolute hell had made her agree that she WAS, it was probably for the best that she didn't do it at a more neutral location. The mansion Oliver lived in was loaded with memories of their time together, and of their love. Love that she had hoped would be stronger than anything, even the way her sister looked at him. Sara had always made no secret of the fact she lusted after Oliver in a way Laurel couldn't, or didn't want to, verbalize.

If she had to regret one thing, it was that she never really TOLD Oliver how she felt, how thoroughly she loved him and wanted him. She knew they loved each other, and she imagined so did he. But you could not have reasonably expected them to stay together if Laurel didn't tell him she was attracted to him, too, and she can't remember the last time she did.

And then there was this other thing, this nagging drumbeat at the back of her head that had just been repeating again and again. Could Oliver be the Hood? Logically, it was the only thing that made sense. He had just returned from this desert island, and she had to believe he wasn't sitting on the beach eating fresh fish and drinking coconut water for 5 years. But emotionally, she didn't want to imagine him having suffered like that.

So, in the spirit of lawyers like Benjamin Cardozo and Clarence Darrow, Laurel was about to interrogate her client. But she knew she couldn't do it by pointing a finger at him, and demanding to know the truth. He would have prepared for a frontal assault like that. Instead, she'd set a trap. She picked out a whole bunch of movies that had one thing in common. Archery was the key thing.

Laurel Lance was about to find out if her boyfriend really was the Hood.

Back at the Queen Mansion…..

At times like this, it felt like Raisa was a godsend. Sure, Tatsu had taught him enough about how to feed himself that he'd never have to worry about starving, but this was different. This wasn't going to be a rapid-fire wolfing-down of drunken noodles behind a bar in Singapore City. This was Laurel, and she deserved better than that.

And Raisa knew it, too. He supposed that, even more than Thea or his mom, Raisa had always hoped he and Laurel got together. So, when he told her it was movie night, she went into something approaching overdrive. She managed to make Nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookies, salted caramel popcorn, and German chocolate brownies in a few hours. He wanted to woo Laurel, and knowing her like he did, a copious amount of junk food made by Raisa might just be that.

And as he was thinking of her, the door opened. Even though she hadn't announced that she was in the house yet, he could just tell it was her. The air somehow felt lighter, and better. Every second he was around her, even if she was in the living room and he was in the kitchen, he felt more like the man he wanted to be.

So, he smiled and brought a tray of goodies into the home theatre knowing Laurel would smell them and come running. Whatever movies she came up with, he'd be happy. As long as he got to be near her, it was honestly more than someone like him deserved.

But then, as she walked in, he saw the titles of the movies she had picked and felt his stomach drop somewhere near his feet. She had picked all of the worst archery movies ever made. Kevin Costner's Robin Hood, that damnable Avengers series where Jeremy Renner did more to set back the practice of archery in 2 hours than all the Rambo films did in three generations, and…. was that Lord of the Rings in there?

She was thinking he was the Hood, and was going to try and make him admit it. Was it so she could have the FBI, or SCPD, here? Or…. Did she want to help? Neither answer sounded particularly appealing.

But, he realized, he couldn't lie to Laurel anymore. Whatever the cost to his freedom would be, he'd tell her the truth. And right now, he'd do it. Before whatever silly trap he could see she'd been planning began to close, because she had always really deserved to know the truth.

Holding her hands, willing himself to remember every single feeling he had at this moment in the more-and-more-likely event he would be spending his time in a federal prison, Oliver Jonas Queen looked into Dinah Laurel Lance's eyes with all the love and passion he could still access.

"Laurel. I don't want to lie to you anymore, and I don't want to be the same man I was before I left for that island. I want to spend the rest of my days being someone who is worthy of you, so I'm going to tell you the truth now. But you can't tell anyone. You can't tell your dad, or Joanna, or anyone" Oliver Queen sighed, knowing what he's going to do is going to change his, and her, life forever.

"I am the Hood. I wish I didn't have to be, but it's something I can't give up. It's as much a part of me as the law, and seeking justice, is for you. If you need to report me to justice, if you can't envision a life with me in it anymore, I'll understand. But I need you. I always will" and with that, the Hood walked away for good fully prepared to go to jail.

And then, he heard the lyrical voice he had dreamt about, and DREAMT about, and knew suddenly things were going to be alright.

"You have ALWAYS been worthy of me, Ollie. It's me who had to learn how to be worthy of you, to tell you the things you needed to hear. I love you, Ollie, and I want you. Since I was old enough to know what wanting someone felt like, you were the only man I have ever wanted in my life and in my bed. But just being your girlfriend, and waiting up for you, isn't enough for me anymore. I want to join you, to help you. Please show me how to be like you. Show me how to protect my city like you have." At that exact moment, he couldn't help himself. Oliver Queen hugged Laurel Lance, and as they did, they made each other unspoken promises.

"After. Raisa made snacks, and she'd be really mad if we didn't enjoy ourselves" smiled Oliver Queen, and for the first time since coming home, he actually felt happy.

And that was how their night ended. Watching movies about archery, which Oliver responded to by being properly appalled at the incorrect technique, and slowly getting used to being intimate with each other all over again. They'd start small, with just snuggling, but they both knew. This was what they were always intended to be. It has caused them more pain than it was worth to get there, but they were here now. And they would not be moved.