A/N- I'm not quite sure how I feel about how this fic turned out, but I hope you enjoy it. This idea was conceived on the Lauriver Discord, a special thanks to them allowing me to spitball ideas over there.
She walked through the offices of CNRI with Joanna and their current client Emily Nocenti. The woman had lost her entire family the night that Martin Sommers and the Chinese triads had him killed because he was a good man. A man with integrity. A trait that was lacking in many that possessed power in the city.
She had to provide justice for Emily Nocenti and her deceased father. It was what was right.
She could hear Joanna giving advice and forewarning as to what Sommer's attorney would try to paint her as. A woman that was blinded by grief, and was trying to use Sommers as a scapegoat to get money.
"But I don't care about the money. I just want justice for my father." Emily said, looking between them as Laurel reached her desk.
"I'm not going to lie to you, Emily. This will be an uphill battle. There are people that don't want this to go to trial to proceed. Dangerous people."
Laurel's eyes flickered to a photograph on her desk of her and Jonas. Her German Shepherd. Perhaps the only constant in her life in the last five years since her life was uprooted. Looking back at Emily, who explained that she had lost her rock, Laurel wasn't sure what she would do if she lost her dog.
"They are going to have to kill me if they want me to give this up," Emily said emphatically.
Laurel bit her lip, looking at Jo, before looking back at Emily. It was a dangerous game they were playing. Organized crime wasn't exactly something to handwave away. She would have to try to figure something out to keep her client safe from any fallout, or attempts to silence her.
"Let's hope that it doesn't come to that," Laurel said, trying to reassure their client that they would win the case. Justice would prevail.
She heard her father's voice, and spun around, not expecting him to just appear in her office with several uniformed officers. "It won't." He said with confidence.
"Dad," she said. "What's going on?"
He pointed at the three of them. Her father explained that they were all receiving police protection, whether they wanted it or not. He then specifically looked at her, and his eyes narrowed. "No arguments, Laurel."
Laurel straightened her back and stood her ground, as she had done countless other times since she was a teenager. Most of the time, defending Oliver, or their relationship. "I'm a lawyer, it's my job to argue." She said, not trying to remove her annoyance from her tone, as childish as it was.
"I'm your father. My job as both a cop and as your dad is to ensure that you are kept safe."
Laurel folded her arms and pursed her lips in annoyance. She could hear her friend helping her save face with their client by directing her out to go on a coffee run. Laurel watched as several cops followed her father's orders and followed her friend and their client out of the office.
"Protective custody? It didn't work the last time you did that." She said, remembering how he had tried to keep her and Sara away from boys when they were in high school.
Her father sighed, looking tired. "This isn't a joke, Laurel. This is about your life, and ensuring that you are still breathing after this case." He then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sommers was attacked last night, there is a new player in town."
"What?"
"So please, Laurel?" He asked, removing some of his authoritative tone of voice and taking on a softer tone that she had missed. "You have kicked a hornet's nest, honey. And until the dust settles I want to ensure that you are safe."
"Jonas will protect me."
Her father gave out an exasperated sigh, "And are you going to take your dog everywhere?" He asked. "Consider them to be additional protection on top of your dog. "You are adamant about doing your job, fine. I commend that. But allow me to do mine not just as a father, but as a cop." He took a step closer to her. "These people are a lot more dangerous than you care to admit. A dog's protection can only go so far, even if he has had some police training." His voice sounded more scared as he said. You have made these people angry." He then gave her a small nod before leaving her and the office, leaving behind an officer.
An hour later, she and Jo finished up their work for the day, helping Emily with her case, with their shadows keeping a constant eye on them either from a distance or close by. They eventually wrapped up. She and Jo watched as Emily was escorted out of the building and into her home.
Jo turned to her and wrapped her arms around Laurel. "Stay safe."
Laurel returned the hug and returned home. She walked up the familiar stairs, then the hallway leading to her front door, before unlocking her door and closing it behind her. As she walked in, Jonas climbed out of his bed and headed to her, his tail wagging. He was always excited to see her home.
"Hey, boy!" She said, as she bent down to pat him, and kiss his head. "I'll go get changed, then I'll take you for a walk."
Laurel returned, took a bottle of water, fitted Jonas with a black harness and clipped on the lead, before heading out. She walked around the block before taking him to the local park, and let him off his lead, to allow him to run around the park to his heart's content.
Jonas sprinted around the park, taking in all the smells, all while Laurel kept her eyes around to see if any she didn't know turned up. After about an hour of letting him exercise and relieve himself, she clipped the lead back on and walked back home, watching her details follow her.
Laurel opened the door to watch as Jonas walked swiftly towards his water bowl and started lapping up the water to quench his thirst as Laurel had a shower, and then reheated last night's leftovers. She sat on her wicker chair, opened her laptop, and started to go over her case files to ensure that their arguments would be ironclad.
She was startled by a small knock on the door, followed by another. It was strange, her dad's colleagues had told her they needed to speak to her, they would call first, or use the specific knock they had shown her, before announcing who they were.
She swallowed down her fear, and lowered her dish on the coffee table, looking over at her dog, who was sitting in his bed chewing on a toy, not really caring about the knock on the door. She supposed she should take that to mean that it wasn't a stranger. Perhaps it was her father, checking up on her, or Joanna?
She slowly moved towards the door, snapping her fingers for her dog to follow. She took a glance to see that her dog grunted slightly, before slowly and lazily moving into step with her. His nails tapping on her hardwood floors.
She moved to the door apprehensively. Despite her dog's disinterest in the person knocking on her door, she could feel her heart beating against her chest. She forced herself to look through the peephole to see Oliver.
She sighed. Laurel clicked her tongue, snapping her fingers and pointing towards Jonas' bed. Her dog ignored her, instead, his sable black tail started wagging side to side, and made a strange cry, licking his lips as if greeting his old friend.
"Traitor." She mumbled at her dog.
Of course, it would be her luck that Jonas would remember Ollie. He had been there when her father had given her Jonas. He was only ten weeks old when she got him, and she had naively thought that Jonas would be her and Oliver's first pet together. They had taken Jonas on holidays, and he had even stayed at the Queen Mansion when she had spent countless nights at the library studying for her exams.
Oliver had loved the dog, and so did Thea. It reminded the youngest Queen sibling of the dog they had when she was a little girl. During the five years, the youngest Queen had occasionally visited them or joined them on a walk.
Laurel kept her left in front of Jonas and opened the door to hear her dog's whines as Oliver was no longer obscured by the door.
::-:-:-::-:-:-::
"You have to let someone in." His sister's voice echoed in his mind, as he climbed on his motorcycle. Thea was right, he had come back from the island a very different person from the one who left on The Gambit with his father and Sara. And the thought of only one person kept him alive. Laurel. And while he may not be able to tell her everything, he could at least try to make amends and talk to her.
He had hurt Laurel in the worst way possible, and he just prayed that she would at least let him talk to her, with no strings attached. He rode towards Laurel's apartment, before stopping at a small convenience store, and picking up a small tub of ice cream, unfortunately, they didn't have rocky road.
He had once mentioned to Slade one night after reminiscing that all he wanted to do was share rocky road ice cream with Laurel, and just sit there the entire night talking, just talking about everything and nothing.
He took the brown paper bag, and stopped his bike in front of Laurel's building, as he was about to enter the building, he noticed some cops watching him with a careful eye enter the building. He passed the doorman, who was sitting at his desk, watching a small tv, with what sounded like hockey, Sar City Stars, against the Gotham City Knights. The Stars were winning by one point.
He made his way up to Laurel's apartment and knocked a few times before the door swung open. The first thing he spotted besides Laurel, was a German Shepherd that looked like it wanted to come towards him, and was only stopped by Laurel's leg.
When did Laurel get a dog? He wondered. He put that thought on the backburner, before managing to look Laurel in her green eyes. "Are you alright?" She silently stared at him, and the dog seemed to become more subdued, silently staring at him. "There are two cop car's outside."
He watched as Laurel exhaled audibly, reigning in her frustration. "How exactly am I supposed to stay away from you, if you won't stay away from me?"
Oliver shrugged slightly and looked back at the dog, who hadn't kept his eyes off him. "I…" He stammered but was cut off by Laurel.
"What are you doing here, Ollie?"
She was giving him a chance to say his piece, and everything hinged on what he was going to say to her. He exhaled, and spoke to her honestly, finding it the most natural thing in the world, and it made his heart pang, that he had to keep things a secret from her. She didn't deserve to be dragged into the dark world that he had been living and breathing in the last five years. She didn't deserve what he did to her either.
"My sister… Thea. She pointed out that I have been too distant since I returned home. She thought that it would be a good idea if I let someone in."
Laurel gave a sarcastic nod, "So you thought you should start with the first person who drove away?"
He gave her a sad, apologetic smile. "I was wrong to do that. I was only trying to protect you from me." He noticed Laurel's demeanor change to a subdued one. "It was only after I saw you yesterday at the courthouse, did I realize that I hurt you."
Laurel sighed, and moved to the side, snapping her fingers and pointing at the bed in the corner of the living room. "Jonas, lie down."
His breath hitched as he heard the dog's name. He had forgotten about Jonas, how he was with Laurel when Quentin had given her the dog her birthday. He had spent so much time with the dog, even taking it on a holiday to with Laurel to a secluded beach.
The dog ignored Laurel and walked towards him, its tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth and ran to him nuzzling his leg. Oliver hesitatingly rubbed his hand along the side of the dog, and played with his ears, before he moved aside, to not overstep his bounds, and let Laurel direct her dog to his bed.
"Sorry," Laurel said. "He can be a little impulsive, and stubborn."
Oliver wanted to make light of the fact that her dog and here were very similar in that regard, but he didn't want to say anything to jeopardize the truce they had just made.
He thanked Laurel for letting him in, before looking at the apartment. Everything was how he had remembered it. Even the candles in the fireplace. It felt more like a home than what the mansion did. He found himself smiling, "This is just how I remembered it. It hasn't changed in five years."
Laurel seemed to take that as a slight. "I haven't had the time to redecorate." She defended herself before walking in front of him with her back turned.
"I'm a jerk, Laurel." He said honestly. " Five years ago I was a jerk who only cared about himself. And now…" What was he now? He couldn't tell her that he was the vigilante trying to right his father's wrongs to save the city. But he was damaged. The things he had seen, was forced to do, it changed him, and yet he still hurt everyone around him. "I'm a damaged jerk, Laurel."
Laurel looked at the bag that her dog had been sniffing when he had entered. "What's in the bag?"
Oliver was grateful at the change of topic, and that Laurel, for now, had seemingly put aside her anger. He lifted the bag, noticing her curious glances. "There was something that I thought and dreamt about when I was stranded on the island." He opened the bag and revealed the tub of ice cream. "Eat ice cream, with you."
Her pursed lips upturned, into a smile, and her shoulders relaxed. It reminded him of when they were teenagers. "I'll get the spoons."
For a while, they sat their contently eating the dessert he had brought. All that could be heard was the spoon hitting the side of Laurel's bowl and his side of the carton. During that time, Jonas had made his way and laid upon the sofa, above him, his legs touching Laurel, and his head hung over Oliver's shoulder.
The silence was a comfortable one. One so different from the tension-filled silence in the mansion, or the silence that usually meant that hell was about to break loose during his five years in hell. He placed the carton down, looking up at Laurel, while gently stroking her dog's head.
It reminded him of a time when they were eating a pizza, and tossing the crusts one at a time to Jonas to see how many he could catch.
"I missed this." He said wistfully. He then found himself talking about how his mother was trying to make him his father's heir, the prodigal son who had returned to reclaim his father's metaphorical crown.
"I can't exactly picture you as the master of the universe, ruling from your ivory tower."
He found himself nodding, and turned to look over his shoulder to see Jonas had fallen asleep. "You know, after five years, I have plans…" He found himself saying to the one person who wouldn't judge him, even when she had every right to do so.
Laurel gave him the advice to say no and to show his mother what he wanted to be viewed as, through his actions. She then assured him that she had ensured the disapproval of her parents. She didn't say it, but he knew that she meant her father. A relationship where they would argue with each other until their throats were hoarse but would close ranks if someone hurt the other.
"Oh, I have been on the end of your father's disapproval before." He then looked at the dog resting its head on his shoulder. "I think he hoped that I wouldn't like Jonas or the other way around."
Laurel took on a more subdued look. "He blames himself more than you. He thinks if he was closer to her, she might have given him a clue about her plans and put a stop to it."
"I am sorry, Laurel." He said, rubbing his hand over the dog's fur, noticing that Laurel was doing the same.
"You have said that before." She said quietly.
"And it will never be enough," Oliver said, looking into her eyes so that she could see his sincerity. "I wish I could have taken it back. Cheating on you, especially with Sara. Taking you for granted."
He watched as Laurel's face softened. "It will take some time, Ollie. You are important to me."
He was startled by a sound from outside, he turned to see that Jonas, like him, had heard the noise. He remained silent, though his ears twitched like a radar. "Did you hear that?" All of a sudden, Laurel's dog started growling a low deep growl, his fur on his back raised.
Oliver discreetly picked up the knife from the table. The dog growled, making his way between the windows and Laurel on the sofa. "Someone is on the fire escape."
He then pulled Laurel towards the door. The German Shepherd pounced tackling the man who broke through Laurel's front door before both he and Laurel heard him whine. Oliver dragged Laurel away from her dog, and towards her bedroom, only to find another person invading her apartment. They turned back to see China White, with a small bloody tactical knife.
"Your dog put up a fight and killed two of my men before they could get past the door." The woman said with a smug look on her face. "You both shall follow him soon."
Oliver held Laurel to his chest, protecting her the best he could from White, and her thug, only to hear a gun cock. He closed his eyes, kissing Laurel's head whispering a small apology before the thug was shot. A double-tap in the chest.
China White moved in to fight John Diggle, his bodyguard heard held his own for a short time, only for the enforcer of the Triads to overpower him with her skill. Oliver noticed her pull out the bloody dagger and threw the blade with precision to disarm the woman.
The next thing he felt was Laurel holding on to him tightly, he returned the embrace, until Laurel, he and Dig heard a small whine. Jonas with a blood-soaked muzzle managed to walk out to them from a small alcove near the front door. Laurel bolted to her pet, and grabbing a jacket and applying pressure to his side.
Oliver barely acknowledged Diggle, slowly moving towards Laurel and Jonas. The dog saved both him and Laurel from two thugs as they tried to defend his owner and home from China White. Diggle cased through the area to see if any threats remained, as he held Laurel's now red jacket over the wound, while Laurel leaned into him while whispering to her dog. He could hear her crying into the crook of her dog's neck.
Lance entered later after other cops had come after Laurel's dog was taken to a veterinarian to be operated on. Oliver watched as Lance held Laurel in his arms and Laurel explained to him what happened. He thanked Diggle and said that he is grateful that her dog protected her.
::-:-:-::-:-:-::
Laurel had declined Joanna's offer to go clubbing in order to get her dogs and stitches removed. After he had survived his surgery, Jonas had been forced to wear a plastic cone around his head to prevent him from pulling his stitches. Despite his sullen demeanor at being unable to move as freely as usual, Laurel had ensured that he had been allowed to sleep on her bed, as well as being able to have more treats and a couple of new toys.
She rationalized it as rewarding her boy for protecting her and Oliver. Though by the looks of it, Ollie didn't need protection. The way he moved was so different from the boy that she had loved. He moved like a hunter or a soldier. Though she supposed that was him adapting to living in the wilderness of a deserted island and having to avoid predators.
Laurel sat on the seat, Jonas resting on the floor, beside her legs, watching a cat in its cage curiously, before giving a soft whine, and nudging her leg with his head. Laurel leaned over to play with his ears, as she did, the vet opened the door, asking for her and Jonas to enter.
The older man lifted Jonas onto the metal gurney. "I'm just going to remove your stitches. Then you can go back to playing with Mom at the park."
Laurel smiled as the man spoke to her dog, to calm him. After a few more minutes the doctor had removed the stitches and gave her boy another once over to ensure that he was happy before she left the room, and headed to the counter and paid using her credit card.
Taking a soft hold of Jonas's grip, she walked out and headed into her car, she opened the door behind the driver's seat and waited for the German Shepherd to jump in and lay down on the plaid blanket. She and her dog headed home, walking up the stairs, and entered her apartment.
She walked in and flicked on her light, only to find out that the electricity was out. It was odd because she could just hear one of her neighbor's TVs as she passed by. She let go of her dog's leash and noticed that the window was open.
Jonas growled, in the darkness, Laurel rushed over to a set of drawers and pulled out her pistol. Jonas moved to stand just in front of her. Laurel had her pistol aimed at the intruder, a man wearing a hood and wielding a bow. The Vigilante.
"Hello, Laurel." The man said, ignoring Jonas's growl as if her dog wasn't there.
"Don't move." She commanded. "My Dad's a cop, you're making a huge mistake."
Jonas slowly moved towards the man, her stomach clenched as she imagined an arrow between his eyes, and yet, she couldn't afford to show weakness in front of her house invader. She watched, never lowering her gun, as her fog stopped growling, his ears no longer flat against his head. Instead, Jonas moved towards the intruder, his tail wagging and jumped up on his hind legs as if demanding a pat.
"Jonas!" She commanded her dog to heel, after a deep breath from the man that was effectively pinned by her strangely affectionate dog, rubbed his gloved hand over the dog's side, avoiding where he had his stitches, and allowed the dog to stand back on his four feet.
The Vigilante then lowered his hood to reveal Oliver. Oliver was the vigilante.
"Ollie?"
::-:-:-::-:-:-::
Oliver froze as he heard Jonas' low guttural growls, before he spotted him, his lead trailing behind him. He would have thought that the dog would have remained at the hospital for a few more weeks to recover. But here he was, a dog that shared one of his names, his hers flat, and his white sharp fangs bared at him.
Oliver could feel a bead of sweat drop down the back of his neck, he couldn't hurt Jonas. Not only because it would devastate Laurel seeing her adored pet being hurt, or killed, but because he also loved the dog.
His eyes looked up from the German Shepherd that was silently advancing on him, never deviating from the straight line he had, blocking Oliver from Laurel. Laurel had her gun aimed at him, and her lips pursed. She commanded him not to move.
Little did she know, he hadn't come to hurt her, but to ask her for help. Some part of him wanted to work as a team with Laurel. Even if she couldn't or shouldn't know who he was beneath Yao Fei's hood.
His eyes met with the dog's chocolate brown eyes, only for his demeanor to change completely. Gone was the ferocious guard dog that would do anything to keep Laurel safe. And in its place was the same dog that had defied Laurel's commands and greeted him like an old friend or a family member when he had turned up to this apartment with ice cream looking for normalcy and advice from the woman he loved.
He had expected the dog to try to rip his arm out or tear open his throat, he had never expected Jonas to jump, placing his paws on his shoulders, and giving him a long wet lick on his face. Oliver's face scrunched up as he felt the dog's wet tongue glide over his face from chin to forehead.
It was done, he realized. Jonas had just sold him out. Laurel was way too smart to not be able to decipher who he was now. With a weary sigh, hoping that Laurel, like Jonas before her, would be as forgiving. He rubbed the dog's sides, and lowered his hood, to see Laurel's wide eyes.
"Ollie?" He heard her ask.
He could still leave. It wouldn't be hard to establish an alibi. But she deserved the truth. Laurel deserved the truth, even if she called her father to have him arrested.
He gave a small nod, ignoring the dog nudging into his legs. "I'm the vigilante, Laurel." He said plainly, after clicking off his voice modulator.
A few seconds passed, before Laurel lowered her gun, and commanded her dog to his bed. "How? Why?" SHe asked, sounding stunned.
"To fulfill my father's dying wish. He didn't build the city, he failed it. And he wasn't alone. I learned everything while I was away and put on this green hood, and used a bow and arrow to stop our city from falling apart. The justice system is broken Laurel, it's not working for the criminal elite."
Laurel found herself sitting on the sofa, and Oliver numbly followed. "Why come to me, Ollie?"
"I knew that you would do anything to save the life of an innocent man." He swallowed. "A man by the name of peter Declan will be executed soon for a crime he never committed."
Oliver watched her head nod after he finished speaking. His heart still thumped in his chest. "Are you going to call your Dad?"
"Would you still be here if I did?"
"I would honor your choice, even if its one that I don't agree with."
Laurel clicked her tongue, placing her pistol on the coffee table as Jonas sat in front of Oliver on the ground. "I'll do what I can to prevent the execution and evaluate his case, and if he is innocent as you believe he is, I will represent him."
He exhaled, forcing Laurel to look at him again. "Would you have ever told me?" SHe asked. "If Jonas wasn't here would you have told me?"
Oliver shook his head. "I didn't intend to. I mean, I would like to think that I would, but I don't know, Laurel."
Her tongue darted out, moistening her lips in the darkness. "I see. I see. You should probably protect our streets, Robin Hood." Oliver could only nod with relief as she said the last part with some teasing, but he knew they would be discussing this more. He was being completely open with her. He rose from his seat, stepping over the dog, and giving him a quick pat on the head before heading to the open window.
"Ollie?"
Oliver looked over his shoulder to see Laurel standing up, next to her dog, who had his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. "If I am going to work with you. I want in. Equal partners or nothing at all."
He bit his lip. He didn't want Laurel near any of this, she had almost been killed by the triads, hell, even her dog was almost killed. "Laurel…"
"I'm not saying that I want to become a vigilante now. But for now, I can train, and help you with other issues that you may face?"
She was willing to compromise with him. This was Laurel extending him an olive branch. He couldn't help smiling at the fact that Laurel still wanted to help him. "Laurel Lance, always trying to save the world."
"And we can do it together."
He turned around and took a pace towards her, "Partners?"
Laurel smiled, "Partners."
It wasn't what he intended. He started all of this alone. He had a plane. Life had a different one. Between Thea and Jonas, he had been pushed towards Laurel, and subsequently showed the love of his life all the cards on the table. Perhaps this was the second chance that he had always dreamt of when he was alone during his five years in hell? "Meet me at The Verdant in an hour?"
Laurel gave a small nod. "Then later we can talk about Peter Declan's case."
"More than that," Oliver said resolutely. "I will be an open book, any question you have for me about those five years I'll do my best to answer with no lies or deceit. Jonas may have ousted me, but I want to show you that I trust you enough with my history and secrets."
A look of curiosity, followed by a worried look washed over her face. "I won't push for answers that you can't or won't answer me."
He gave her a sad smile and moved in to hug her. "Thank you, Laurel." He said Laurel, didn't resist as she melted into his arms. Before he pulled back reluctantly. "One hour."
"At Verdant. I'll be there." She whispered, her gorgeous green eyes not leaving him.
Oliver jumped out of her window, not sure of his future, but he felt a massive load off of his chest. Laurel knew he truly was, and he felt lighter, better. Thea was right. He needed to let someone in, and she would be elated to find out that he was letting in the woman that she admired. He hoped that his confession, and them joining forces would be the stepping stone to making things right with the woman he loves.