Holy crap. It's actually over. How is this possible-?

Whew, what a journey this has been, eh? I'm so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you who has come along with me during this story, and even if you're new, I just want you to know that you're the absolute best and I love you. I hope this ending does it justice, because you deserve it. :)

Disclaimer: If you don't know by now that I don't own this, then I'm sorry, mate. There's not much we can do to help ya' at this point.

He didn't want to do this.

There was nothing in the world, at this moment, that he didn't want to do more.

But John was right.

If he left without seeing Barry, the stubborn fool would just track him down. Probably while he was still injured and God, Oliver couldn't handle anymore of Barry's blood on his hands-

And so that's how he found himself in front of the door to where Barry was. Where Barry nearly died.

Because of you.

His hand hovered above the doorknob, something constricting his throat and he didn't know whether it was fear or guilt - maybe both - but he found that he couldn't find it in him to open the door.

So to say it startled him when it suddenly did open, was to say the least.

"Oh!" Felicity exclaimed, nearly running into him. "You really shouldn't hang out in doorways," She teased, a gentle smile on her face that he couldn't return because he didn't deserve her kindness-

She sobered up, looking at him with a small frown. "Somebody wants to see you," She nodded her head back to the room she came out of, before giving his arm a gentle, encouraging squeeze and leaving him behind.

He inhaled sharply, taking a step forward and into the room before he could give it another thought, and oh no, oh no, this was a bad idea-

But Barry was already looking up at him with that stupid smile on his face and he couldn't back out of it now.

He tucked his hands into his jeans, debating on closing the door behind him or not, because did Barry really want to be in a room alone with Oliver? What if-

"You can close the door, Ollie." Barry said gently, as if he were handling a wild and distraught animal and for a moment, Oliver felt the resemblance was a bit too accurate for his liking. "I trust you," Barry added, upon Oliver's quiet resistance.

Oliver turned back around, gently closing the door with a click.

"You shouldn't," He stated, and Barry frowned.

"Why not?" And he shook his head, again with that stupid smile-

"Barry, look at you." Barry did as told and Oliver resisted the urge to roll his eyes at being taken so literally.

"Nothing a little rest won't heal," He shrugged. "I'll be back to kicking your ass in training in no more than a week." He smirked, and Oliver huffed, feeling the desperate need and want to just swing back into their normal banter but knowing that he couldn't.

May never again.

"Oliver, sit down." He opened his mouth to protest but Barry beat him to it. "Hey, I'm injured, just play along."

As if he needed the reminder.

When he made no move to sit down, Barry sighed theatrically.

"I can still make you, ya' know. Injuries or not." That got him to sit down, for fear of Barry hurting himself even further, if not reluctantly.

He chose the chair farthest from Barry, nearly right next to the door and he didn't miss the way Barry rolled his eyes.

"Alright then," He murmured, swinging his legs gingerly over from the makeshift hospital bed. "If you're gonna' be so stubborn." Barry grumbled and began making his way over to the chair next to Oliver.

His movements were so much slower than Oliver was used to.

And you're the reason why.

He opened his mouth to protest once more but Barry held his hand up.

"Hey, I gave you the chance to make this easy," He remarked, but the grin on his face made it apparent that there was no real heat lacing his words. He all but collapsed in the seat next to Oliver, and for a moment, all they did was sit there.

There was no talking and no anger or shame, just-

Just them.

As if nothing had even happened.

"It wasn't your fault, ya' know." They weren't even looking at each other, but Oliver didn't need to see him to know there was sincerity in his eyes. "I mean it," He added. "Being mind controlled..." He waved his hand, gesturing towards his head. "Been there, done that. Kinda' sucks," Oliver huffed.

Understatement of the century.

"But, it happens. I may be wrong, but I don't think you held any residual anger towards me after I kicked your ass under Bivolo's influence. Not that I couldn't still do that," He added in after a moment, almost thoughtfully.

Oliver sent a glance his way to see the smirk playing on his lips and it was almost, almost enough to tug at his own lips but then he saw the blood and heard Barry's screams in his mind and-

"Hey, I didn't walk all this way just for you to drag yourself down any further," Barry chided gently.

Oliver couldn't take it anymore.

"How can you say those things?" He asked, abruptly. "How-how can you sit there and talk to me, let alone even be in the same room as me and be so calm?" His voice held a hint of anger and Barry looked just as confused as Oliver felt.

"It wasn't you, Oliver."

"And I suppose those arrows shot themselves?"

"Crystal shot those arrows! Maybe it was your hands but it was her doing." Barry returned, and the anger that had entered their words vanished just as quickly as it came on.

"But I was the reason you got this injured. Maybe Crystal made me do it, but that doesn't change the fact that I still did it-"

"Unwillingly," Barry interrupted.

"-and that's not even the worst part." Oliver hesitated.

Oh, God, how could he tell him this part?

He couldn't, he couldn't tell him how it made him feel, he couldn't-

"Oliver." But Barry was looking at him, wanting answers and it really was the least he could do.

He sighed, wearily.

"I liked it, Barry. I liked it." He looked down, head hung in shame and waited for the anger. For the hatred and the disgust-

"Is that all?" His head jerked up, looking at Barry with wide eyes.

"Is that all? Is that all?" He questioned, voice rising in pitch with exasperation.

"Well, yeah. Oliver, Crystal manipulates emotions. She made you feel that way so she could get what she wanted. That's kind of what mind control is all about; bending the will and emotions of their victims. I mean, look at you now. I don't think you're enjoying any of this."

Oliver continued to gape at him, thoroughly bewildered. "And I mean, Bivolo was the same way. You don't think I didn't get a little bit of enjoyment from pummeling you?" He teased, but there was something heavy lacing his words.

Oliver just looked at him.

"How can you forgive me so easily? After everything I've done-" He didn't deserve to be forgiven, he didn't deserve to be treated so humanely. Not after what he did, not after-

"I forgave you before it was even over."

Oh.

Oh.

Damn you, Barry.

Oliver looked at him, really looked at him and there wasn't a single speck of insincerity in his eyes or on his face and it irked him.

"You are the best man I know. And I hate you for it," Barry laughed, actually laughed, as if it were torn from his throat and he couldn't help himself. And this time, Oliver found that he couldn't resist the tug at his own lips.

"You're not so bad yourself," Barry teased, lightly pushing Oliver's shoulders with a grin. Oliver sobered up after a moment, looking back down at the floor and he heard Barry sigh beside him.

He felt the weight of an arm coming to rest around his shoulder, and saw Barry lean back against the wall with a contented sigh.

As if he wasn't even afraid of Oliver, as if-

No. He wasn't afraid, because this was Barry.

And Barry was the best damn man he knew.

And if he could go on, and if he could be in the same room as Oliver without so much as a single ounce of fear, Oliver could learn to, as well.

"You're not so bad yourself, Ollie." Barry repeated once more, firmly.

And finally, with Barry by his side, content and safe-

Oliver found that he could start believing it, too.

Ahh! It's done! Gosh, I don't know how to feel. But what I can say is that I'm just so thankful for y'all! You guys are truly the best.

Here's hoping the "Great Quarantine of 2020" will bring us even more stories. :P