Lets just jump right in shall we?
Dr. Caitlin Snow and Barry Allen were on the run to Starling as soon as Felicity hung up. As the team waited Oliver kept Roy focused on him while Felicity was trying to calm Thea.
"What is wrong with him? Why can't he hear anything?" Thea was panicking, terrified her boyfriend had gone deaf. Hearing is the most important instinct for an archer, let alone a vigilante. Felicity tried to explain that Caitlin would find out what was wrong and answer all her questions but for now she needed to stay calm for Roy's sake.
Roy on the other hand was asking a million questions with his eyes and Oliver didn't know how to answer them all. Oliver started to try by placing his palm on Roy's cheek. The younger man silenced his questions at the touch. Diggle had brought over a chair so that Ollie could be comfortable during the conversation.
Oliver sat down and placed Roy's hand on Oliver's own chest to help him understand. Breathe. Roy nodded and began taking breaths with Oliver which helped calm them both down. Oliver then began to attempt to answer his protégé's questions. Just as he was about to speak, the Central City natives appeared with a gust of wind and charge of electricity. Cait went straight to Roy while Barry hung back by the computer bank.
Caitlin gave the confused boy a gentle smile before ever so slowly asking him if she could take a look at him. It took Roy a full minute to understand her question. When he did he nodded his approval. The doc started by taking a flashlight to shine in his eyes. Roy's only reaction was a slight flinch.
"Well, with the light in his eyes, his pupils should be dilating, but they don't even react. This is a sign of a major concussion. It might also be the cause of his hearing loss." As she was talking she began to feel Roy's head to check for any lumps, or a point of pain where he might have impacted with a solid surface. "Found it. He has a contusion on the back of his left temporal bone. That could be putting pressure on the parietal lobe." Everyone but Barry and Felicity was confused but Caitlin didn't notice and continued her inspection. "It has to be that because seeing as the only tear in his ears is the skin of the canal leading to the inner ear, then it must be the pressure in his brain." Cait had used an otoscope to look in his ears while the others moved slightly closer to Roy.
"Cait," Barry chuckled at the confusion clear on the other's faces. "Maybe dumb it down a little, for the non-scientists." Caitlin looked up in shock to see the incomprehension in everyone's expression.
"Oops. Sorry." Looking down in embarrassment, she tried again. "He has a wound on the left side of his head which is putting pressure on the part of the brain that processes hearing, and other senses, and since hearing seems to be the only one affected, the pressure must be closer to that processor then any of the others. I could tell you more," She looked concerned towards Roy. "but I need him at S.T.A.R labs to do that. Moving him now would cause more damage. The best thing to do is to move him to a cot down here and let him sleep for a few days, waking him up every four hours, so that he can heal."
Thea latched onto that last part instantaneously.
"So that means that it isn't permanent?" She pleaded mostly with her eyes, as her voice was breaking.
Caitlin gave her a reassuring smile. "We won't know for sure until I can do a brain scan, but it shouldn't be. No." Everyone let out a collective sigh. Oliver took hold of Roy's shoulders and allowed him to see the hope in his eyes. Roy was beginning to lose consciousness once more, but he was determined to find out what was going on with him first.
With a tilt of his head he asked the question. What is it? Oliver smiled in return. Talking as slow as he could, Oliver explained that his condition may not be forever and that he needed rest to truly know. Roy nodded in response and then shifted slightly, asking another silent question. Go to the cot? Oliver nodded and helped him up. Ever so slowly, the mentor and protégé made it to the cot in the back of the lair. Roy settled down but before he sunk into a slumber he needed to know one more thing.
"Is she safe?" Roy had a mission to protect the woman he had rescued. He had to be certain she was taken care of. Oliver gave him a soft reassuring smile before making the younger man lay down and sleep. With Roy settled he moved back to the main area, and went to his sister's side.
"Speedy, listen to me okay?" Thea and him locked eyes, the only two that seemed to matter at that point. "Roy is going to be okay. I don't know when but I do know that he will heal," Thea soaked in what her brother was telling her, calming with each word. "You need to wake Roy every four hours to check on him. Ask him basic qustions then let him go back to sleep. If you need anything let me or the team know, Okay?"
"I got it Ollie. I'll take care of him I promise." Oliver knew his baby sister would do anything to protect her love, and that she had found that with Roy. They were safe together. Kissing her forehead gently he let Thea move to Roy's side, a spot she would only leave for necessities. Oliver turned to see a worried speedster and doctor watching him expectantly.
Barry moved slightly to the right away from the group, portraying a silent question. Oliver wondered when he became so fluent in silent conversation.
"You don't have to leave Barr. Stay for dinner at least, then you can run home. I'm sure Cait wouldn't mind checking on Roy before you guys leave to reaffirm her assessment." With a breathy laugh, the scarlet speedster nodded and took a seat on the table Roy just vacated.
"Okay, then may I ask what the hell happened to lead to this?" Barry was attempting to figure it out and Team Arrow commended him for it.
"Well Barry that is a very long story. Why don't we go upstairs and get something to eat while it gets told?" Mark knew they all needed to eat and come up with what they were doing next. The others made noises of agreement and they all went to the kitchen in the club.
Oliver went straight for the fridge while Barry raided the cupboards. Their efficiency in which they moved together to make a meal, despite having never done so prior, amazed the siblings and amused the heroes' girlfriends. Within twenty minutes dinner was finished and served, the tale of past events was half over and everyone was enjoying themselves some quiet time. The main storytellers were Mark and Oliver, switching view points easily.
"That sucks," was all the speedster could come up with when the two men ended their tale. "I mean, kidnapping, not your best idea. Putting Ollie's loved ones in danger is just gonna piss him off, not very cooperative. Not to mention, an explosion of unknown origins." Oliver's head hit the table in frustration.
"We get it Barry, we've had a crappy few days. What we need to do is figure out how to stop this maniac." Felicity was exhausted, worn down and getting crankier by the minute. Barry's eyes had widened when she snapped at him. She was usually so calm and gentle.
"How about I call Anatoly and then we head to the mansion for some rest." Oliver had taken hold Felicity's arm, gently pulling her towards him. "Barry, you guys are welcome to stay with us if you don't feel up to running home just yet." As Felicity curled into Oliver's side, Barry and Caitlin looked at each other in question. "Mark, why don't you take the other cot downstairs, Viv can watch over you and Speedy, and if Brian wants he can come to the mansion. Only for the night," he rushed to reassure the siblings as Brian's eyes filled with fear at the thought of being separated from his brother and sister again. He had even moved closer to Marks side, as if to shield himself from Oliver's idea. "I would even give you guys a set of burner phones that have the other's number programmed into it. But that is only if you are comfortable with it Brian." Mark looked at his youngest sibling and asked him what he wanted to do. Barry and Caitlin were talking to each other at the other end of the table in the kitchen.
"I can leave when I want to right?" Brian watched Oliver for his answer, a reassuring smile and a small nod, before turning back to Mark. "And you guys won't leave again right?" He was sounding more and more like a young child terrified of being alone. The poor boy was barely 23 and he had already lost his parents and his siblings. He refused to lose them again. Vivian wrapped her arms around her baby brother and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"We aren't going to leave you Brian, I promise you that." Vivian whispered to him in hopes to calm him. It did wonders in doing so. Brian nodded and looked to Oliver for more instruction. Oliver smirked and motioned for the boy to follow him. The siblings said a final goodbye for the night and then the 5 departed while the twins went to the cots.
Queen Mansion: 8:00 am, the next morning.
Felicity was the first one up surprisingly. Oliver was still asleep when she got dressed and left the room. The IT genius was ambling around the mansion looking for the kitchen when Raisa found her. The Russian guided her to her destination with a loving smile. Both women were chatting while Felicity woke up completely while Raisa made breakfast. This is how the Emerald Archer found his love about an hour later.
"Hey," Oliver spoke softly so as not to startle them. "I thought you left." Oliver had never looked more vulnerable to Felicity than he did in that moment. Her response was to stand and wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest.
"Not a chance, your stuck with me." Oliver returned the embrace with Raisa watching them fondly. They only moved when Brian stumbled into the room, still half asleep.
The other couple came down shortly after. With breakfast consumed the group headed out to the foundry, meeting Diggle at the door. First thing Caitlin did was check on Roy.
He was currently awake and watched her approach with apprehension. Hoping to calm the boy Cait began explaining what his rapid improvement might mean as slowly as she could. He could hear the shifting wind but that was it. The swelling on his head had gone down considerably. His ears had begun to scab over and some of his cuts on his face and neck have as well. Caitlin told him they would be able to take him to S.T.A.R labs tomorrow.
The youngest couple lit up with up at the news. Oliver came down with the rest of the mac and cheese from last night to feed them. Roy ate an entire bowl before passing out again. The others began doing routine things around the club and Foundry when Oliver's phone went off. It was Anatoly. Oliver took the call in private coming back with frustration pouring off him in waves.
The archer simply set the phone down before turning to his team, they all were worried.
"Anatoly found out who shot the RPG. It was a merc for hire who works for Dod. Apparently he decided he wanted you dead. They found a compound near the docks that belonged to the organization that he runs. Bratva are on standby if we require backup. He has a hostage. Two actually..." He trailed off, not looking anyone in the eye. Everyone was worried now. He shifted slightly before looking up at his best friend as he and Laurel came down the stairs. The dark haired billionaire froze at the look his best friend was giving him.
"What is it Oliver?" Tommy was becoming more and more concerned.
"Dod has hostages Tommy." Oliver then shifted his gaze to the ADA. "Our parents. My mom and your dad Laurel."
Laurel's eyes widened in shock before rage replaced it. Felicity was flitting through the news websites and channels and sure enough, reports were coming in of kidnappings of the Queen Matriarch and the police detective who used to be friends. Laurel raced down the rest of the stairs to stand right in front of her ex.
"What are you going to do about it Oliver?" Laurel's eyes were dark with rage and Tommy knew he had to intervene before she stated yelling at him. The dark haired billionaire wrapped his arms around the lawyer and pulled her back gently. Oliver smirked darkly just before Felicity started talking about the building they were infiltrating.
"You guys need to be careful. Dod has set up an army to defend himself. I don't think he realized just how much he pissed us all off. This is going to be a long night," Felicity commented as she pulled up the blueprints on one of the bigger screens. The active vigilantes all gathered around it.
"Well," Diggle sighed. "She's not wrong."
Sorry this one took so long guys. I kept hitting a road block, and me nit wanting it to turn out wrong kept taking breaks each time. Hopefully it made up for it? I researched the condition, and it is plausible to temporarily go deaf if there is enough pressure on the brain. To hopefully clear things up, Oliver, Dig, Barry, and Thea are the active ones. The others, even the siblings are staying behind. Until next time Archers!