DISCLAIMER: The Arrow and all of its characters belong to DC and CW respectively. I make no claim of ownership. I make no money - please don't sue. The plot bunny is mine. Whenever you see quoted text in bold and italics - that is your clue that this dialog is from the show. Definitely not mine. I'm a historian - it isn't plagiarized once it's cited. This is covered under Creative Commons under as derivative fiction.

AN: Ok, so this is a bit of a jumble, but I hope to sort it as I go.

I don't know anything about planes, so anything here about planes is the result of a cursory internet search. If details are grossly incorrect, please correct me. Otherwise - let's just all pretend that it makes sense.

I apologize in advance for any of my fight scenes. I still haven't really worked out how to create the dynamic flow in writing that I get visually. Probably doesn't help that I usually skip the fight scenes in books, but watch them avidly on-screen.

Also, it is entirely possible that Nyssa has daddy issues; Oliver has daddy issues, mommy issues, PTSD, abandonment issues, survivor's guilt, commitment issues, and issue issues ... just sayin'

"Things without all remedy should be without regard. What's done is done." MACBETH, Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 11-12

Ra's al Ghul stood over him, sword in hand, as a frigid mountain wind whispered promises of death. He could feel the icy embrace waiting to take him down. He would never be warm again. There was no fear, not now. He agreed with Ra's assertion that "Death comes for us all." His death was long overdue. He could be free. Suddenly, Ra's al Ghul's face morphed into Nyssa's furious visage, "Do you think to escape our bond so easily? You will never be free."

Oliver woke with a start as turbulence jolted him from his uneasy dreams. He fumbled slightly with an answer to a question about his dream and lied about the content. "Rebirth," certainly seemed a more politic answer than seeking the freedom death could bring. Although, if anyone could understand that concept, surely the foremost assassin in the world would. He glanced towards Nyssa, his wife, and wondered what she thought. She had her "I'm a badass assassin who feels nothing" face on. Her mask to the world. She held herself aloof, but he had seen it crack, ever so slightly.

He listened as his insane father-in-law waxed on about steadying his hand in the destruction of Star City. He waited for his cue. Then one of the turbines faltered slightly, and the plane bucked. Ra's al Ghul immediately realized there was a problem. Oliver watched as Nyssa stood ready to back him in his recklessly dangerous plan to end the threat to Star City and everyone he cared for.

Ra's al Ghul seemed genuinely surprised that Oliver would fight for the survival of his city. Had he not given Al Sah-him his daughter? Were they not family now? He offered an eternal legacy. Why wouldn't Al Sah-him embrace the holy mission of eradicating evil and replacing it with cleansing death? Of creating and maintaining a necessary balance? Even if some portion of Oliver Queen survived, surely he could see that years of struggle had failed to purge his city of corruption?

This denial. This rebellion. He knew the source. Of course, he did. His daughter. First Talia, now Nyssa. He had hoped she would see the wisdom of obedience – well, now she would pay the price for her defiance. He had grown soft, trying to spare his youngest from the consequences of her foolish emotions. No more. She would die. Her husband would fulfill the prophesy or die. He could always start again.

The fight was brutally fast. Oliver knew he had to kill Ra's al Ghul. If he could just keep him distracted long enough to crash the plane. Destroy the viral weapon in flames. It didn't matter if he survived. He was ready. He saw Nyssa fighting with deadly grace against her fellow Shadows, even as he battled Ra's.

Kick. Back fist. Punch. Forearm block. Duck. Elbow strike. Kick. Punch. Head snap. Ribs crack. Absorb the pain and use it as fuel. As he fell again to the merciless power of the ancient assassin, he still fought. When the cargo door opened, he felt a rush of panic and pushed to stop Ra's. So close. So very close. Ra's al Ghul smiled in triumph as he took the single parachute and carried away the destruction of Star City in a silver tube.

Oliver and Nyssa shared a look of desperation. The plane shook and buckled under them. An engine fire, so carefully planned for, designed to weaken the structural integrity of the wing, fry the wiring, and use damaged fuel cells to cause a catastrophic failure.

"Survive." His father's command. His burden. Oliver casually thrust back and back fisted the assassin who emerged from the cockpit. He wanted, more than anything, to scream in frustration. Now isn't the time. Assess the damage. Land the Plane. Stop Ra's. Survive.

"Strap in," he barked the order and was relieved to see Nyssa follow it quickly. It was a quality he had grown to appreciate. She had the ability to know when to ask questions and when to simply act. She trusted that he knew what he was doing. Never thought I'd be thankful for Amanda Waller and her insistence that I improve my aviation skills. Dad gave me the basics, but she made sure I could fly almost anything. Bitch.

Oliver knew the odds were not in their favor. The plane was going down. He snapped commands and did everything he could improve their chances. Shut down the fuel line. Check the hydraulics. Flaps. Slats. Ailerons. Attempt to decelerate. Control the angle of descent. Look for a "hard landing" spot. Survive. Survive. Survive.

Nyssa listened and watched as Oliver struggled to land the plane safely. She followed his lead easily trusting in his expertise. He knew what he was doing. She doubted they would survive, but if it was possible – then Oliver Queen would accomplish it. He had a way of surviving in the most improbable ways. Perhaps he truly is the prophesied heir. Regardless, he is my fate now. The sour thought that she would likely die with him today was only buoyed by the knowledge of seeing Sara, Ta-er al-Sahfer, again. The first person to truly see Nyssa as herself. Her Beloved. If there is any peace in the afterlife, I will join her. She braced for impact.

Oliver didn't understand how they had survived. By all rights, they should be dead. The twisted, burning shell of the aircraft should have been their tomb. He assessed his injuries, stifled the pain, and turned to Nyssa.

"You good?"

Nyssa grimaced as she ran her own internal assessment. She had fought with worse injuries. She nodded sharply in agreement.

"Al right. We need to get to your father and stop this."

Nyssa clicked her teeth in impatience. "Oliver." The edge in her voice stopped him, mid-step. "You are smarter than this. You are reacting emotionally instead of thinking tactically." She paused and looked at him expectantly.

Oliver had the grace to look at her thoughtfully. He ran his hand across his face and lightly rubbed his eyes. "You're right," he agreed ruefully. "Ok, let's salvage what we can and regroup. We need a plan. A better plan." He paused, calculating. "How many teams did your father send ahead?"

Nyssa's mouth quirked into a half-smile. Better. She had seen glimpses of tactical expertise in Oliver before. This. This was the man who defeated a Mirakuru army. Who had survived her father. Who had the potential to finally defeat her father. She gave a quick nod as they moved to strip weapons from bodies and salvage any usable equipment.

"He has been sending in people for months. Ever since your defeat on the mountain. There more Shadows in Star City now than there are in Nanda Parbat."

Oliver nodded as if unsurprised, "Great. I guess he wanted everyone here to watch the transfer of power." Abruptly he punched the metal wall of the broken plane in frustration. "It's too much, Nyssa" He sounded broken, defeated. "I can't stop him."

"Who are you? Are you Oliver Queen or not? What is this weakness? You have fought impossible odds before." She leaned into his face and snarled, "You are not weak. You are my husband. You are Oliver Queen, Al Sah-him. You are the Arrow. We don't have time for doubt or weakness. Remember who you are." She turned on her heel and stalked away.

Oliver caught up with Nyssa, carrying a large portion of the salvaged gear. He smiled half-heartedly at her scowl. "You're right, we don't have time for weakness." He shoved his doubts away, pushing them into his box of failure. He could always bring them out later. "We still need to come up with a workable plan."

Nyssa nodded impatiently. She was waiting for him to state the obvious, but he had fallen strangely silent as they walked toward the city. Finally, she questioned, "What about your team? They have resources and they know what is coming. Do you think they are back yet? Has your fleet-footed friend saved them?"

Oliver shook his head. "They don't trust me anymore, Nyssa. They probably have more faith in Merlyn than me right now." A dry chuckle. "No, the last thing person they want to see is me."

Nyssa looked at him in astonishment. "So. They don't trust you. Do they want to live? Do they want their city to live? Husband, they don't have to trust you. Use them. Willing or no, trusting or no – use them to save the lives in this city. Or are they so small and selfish, they would let the city die rather than work with you?"

Oliver didn't respond with words this time. He raised an eyebrow at her outburst and then let purpose focus him. He had one target: Ra's al Ghul. One goal: save the city. Everything else fell away.

Nyssa watched as the very air seemed to still around Oliver. Any softness fled. This was the true Oliver Queen. The Arrow. He would fly into the heart of darkness. His team would submit to his will. He would save his city. And then, Husband, I will kill my father, and you WILL become Ra's al Ghul.