Chapter 1
AN: I started to plan this story back when Part 3 of Crisis aired, but I wanted to see how it ended before I wrote. I have changed my individual plan since part 5 aired, but there are a lot of elements from my original plan that I will be keeping.
This story, the first couple of chapters especially, can be considered Spoilers for all parts of the Arrowverse Crisis on Infinite Earths.
I really hope you like. Let me know what you think.
I haven't completely decided on couples for this story and so I will add them as they become cannon in this story.
ALSO this is posted into arrow as there are too many catagories to put as a crossover.
After everything he has been through being In Purgatory which looks just like Lian Yu is one of the stranger things Oliver Queen has been through. Before Oliver can have a chance to understand exactly what being the Specter means there is a bright light and Mar Novu appears before him.
"Mar Novu," Oliver greats with a monotone voice.
"Oliver Queen, do you understand?" Mar Novu asks.
"I do," Oliver responds, as he understands everything, understands what has happened, what will happen, and what should have.
"We have mere moments," Mar Novu says as the Anti-Monitor is about to destroy the original multiverse, and so they have one chance to take advantage of a split-second opportunity. "Do you have the courage?" he asks.
"Yes," Oliver says, walking towards The Monitor.
"Focus, you know what you have to do," The Monitor says. "Now!" he exclaims, and the two of them grab hands, and as they do everything is bathed in a red and white light.
When the red and white light falls away Oliver and the Monitor are no longer alone, or where they were, and Oliver feels different. In the clearing of the light Oliver and the Monitor have been joined by Laurel Lance, Rip Hunter, Barry Allen, Iris West-Allen, Kate Kane, Kara Danvers, J'onn J'onzz, Clark Kent, Ray Palmer, Thea Queen, Cisco Ramon and John Diggle.
"Where are we? What's going on?" Barry asks as he looks around, and takes notice of who is with them, as the last thing he remembers is being on the other Waverider as the Antimoniter appeared.
"Laurel?" Thea asks shocked, as Barry hugs Iris, feeling beyond thrilled to see her.
"Hey Speedy," Laurel greats, looking happy. Feeling shocked, but less freaked out than everyone but Rip as due to the fact that the two of them were dead they know what everyone else has been through since their respective deaths.
"Is this real?" Thea asks, her voice, breaking, looking at her brother, as Kara hugs J'oann and then Clark, not wanting to be heartbroken if it is not.
"It is," Oliver confirms, staring at Laurel. "It's our Laurel, Speedy, she's back, she's alive, we all are," Oliver responds, making it clear that it is the 'Earth One' Laurel, as Thea runs to Laurel to hug her.
"Barry…." Iris whispers to her husband as she looks between Oliver and Laurel, realizing something as she does.
"I see it," Barry responds, feeling shocked.
"I've missed you so much," Thea says as she hugs Laurel.
"I'm so proud of you," Laurel responds as she hugs the woman she considers to be her sister tightly.
"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Kate asks. "How is Laurel alive? Where is everyone else? Where's the Anti-Monitor?" Kate asks, clearly getting frustrated, as she can assume what was about to happen and so is very confused about how they got away.
"You know Laurel?" Iris asks curious and confused, looking between Laurel and Kate, feeling confused as Laurel was dead for years when they found out about Kate.
"Kate and I have known each other for a very long time," Laurel explains. "The self-defense lessons Dad made me take when I was growing up were taught by an old friend of Kate's cousin. I spent a lot of time in Gotham with both Kate and her cousin during Law School," Laurel explains, as during that time there were a lot of times where she could not stand to be in Starling. More than once Bruce tried to convince her to move to Gotham, but she always said no as she couldn't leave her father, no matter how tempted she was.
"I'm really glad you're alive, but I still want to know what the hell is going on," Kate says, as she was away training when she learnt of Laurel's death and hated herself for missing the funeral.
"Okay, are we going to just skip over the fact that our Laurel knew Batman?" Barry asks, looking excited.
"We do not have the time to discuss that at the moment, Mr. Allen," The Monitor says.
"In this place, all there is is time," Rip says, speaking for the first time.
"And where exactly are we?" Cisco asks, looking interested.
"The Vanishing Point. This is a place outside of both time and Space," Ray explains, being able to remember it.
"Captain Hunter," Barry says, taking a step towards said Captain. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you," Barry reveals, as he has always felt a bit disappointed about never getting to meet Rip.
"It is my pleasure, Mr. Allen," Rip says, as he returns the handshake.
"Where is everyone else?" Clark asks, fearing for Lois, and his son.
"They're gone," Oliver answers.
"What?" Kara asks, her voice breaking.
"How?" J'onn asks, though he has a suspicion.
"We have to get them back," Barry says, as he takes Iris's hand as she looks like she is about to cry, and looks over to Cisco, who is looking just as heartbroken.
"That is exactly why we are all here," Oliver reveals. "Mar Novu and I were able to use a split-second opening to bring the twelve of you to this place, at the time where the new multiverse was being created," Oliver explains, and everyone who knows him realizes that there is something off about this Oliver.
"What has happened to you?" Diggle asks his best friend.
"At the moment, I am no longer Oliver Queen, I am something else, a ghost, a specter, and I am using all of my power to make things right," Oliver explains, his voice calm, but full of authority.
"What does that mean?" Barry asks, feeling confused.
"Our old Universe was not how things were supposed to be," Oliver explains. "Because of that The Anti Monitor was able to succeed, to destroy the multiverse, and we lost," Oliver explains. "Together the Monitor and I will send us to the corresponding point in the New Universe, on Earth Prime which we will all share, when things went wrong. We will have five years to make things right, to prepare for the Anti-Monitor, to be make the things right, to Dawn the Age of Heroes," Oliver explains.
"Five years? Are you talking about Sara's death?" Rip asks, and both Laurel and Ray notice the emotion in Rip's voice as he says Sara's name.
"No. The Sara Lance of that universe was destined to die and be resurrected as something else so she could become what she could become," The Monitor answers, looking at Rip, knowing that Rip's life wasn't how it was supposed to be.
"Then what went wrong?" Diggle asks, as he tries to think of everything else that happened at that time.
"Me," Oliver answers, and once again everyone looks at him.
"What do you mean?" Thea asks confused.
"I refused to train Laurel," Oliver says, looking at Laurel, and despite his monotone everyone can hear the guilt in his voice.
"What?" Laurel asks, her voice barely above a whisper, feeling shocked for the first time since she appeared in the Vanishing Point.
"Ms. Lance, you were never supposed to die. You were supposed to become one of the greatest heroes of the Age, the Moral Centre and the strength of all the heroes of this age," The Monitor explains.
"When I refused to train you, I did so because I wanted to protect you, but what I did was rob you of your destiny," Oliver explains, as that was his second chance, what he now knows he should have done is offer to train Laurel as soon as Sara left to rejoin the league, which is what the version of him on Earth Prime choose to do. "I was meant to begin to train you, and then others would, you would have quickly developed if I said yes," Oliver reveals, knowing exactly how different things would have been, that because of him Laurel, even though she was trained, didn't get to the level she needed to be in time. "You were destined to receive an ability, which has now been given to you. I am sorry, Laurel, you truly deserved better," Oliver says, as know he has the knowledge of the Specter, he knows that, without a doubt.
Not trusting her words, as she has a lot to digest, Laurel just nods, feeling overwhelmed.
"So, you were a dick and screwed Laurel over, so she died for man pain, and the entire multiverse suffered. So now we have to make it right just the thirteen of us?" Kate asks, and Thea can't help but grin at how Kate described things.
"Oh, I like you," Thea says amused.
"It will not just be the thirteen of us," Oliver reveals. "Each of you will be able to choose a person. That person will be brought from Earth Prime and J'onn will restore their memory of the Old Universe," Oliver explains.
"Can you do that?" Kara asks, looking at J'onn as Clark looks interested.
"I have never tried to restore the memories of that many people, but I can try," J'onn answers, having faith that he will be able to do it because these cosmic beings believe he can.
"You'll do it," Clark says, believing in his friend.
"You said each of us will be able to choose a person, does that mean you won't be able to?" Ray asks, having noticed the specific words.
"What we are going to do will stretch the powers Mar Novu and I possess. I will either be able to keep the knowledge I have gained or choose someone. I choose the knowledge," Oliver explains.
"Can we choose anyone?" Cisco asks, interested, wondering if there are any conditions.
"They must be alive and over the age of eighteen in October 2014, so cannot be from the future," Mar Novu answers.
"2014, I'll still be away at training," Kate realizes, as she tries to think about who she would want.
"No, you will not," Oliver answers.
"What do you mean?" Ray asks curious, as everyone looks interested.
"During the process to create Earth Prime the timelines have changed," Oliver explains. "In the time we will be sent back to is October 1st 2014, but Kate, you are already Batwoman, you have started your business, you know about sister, as does your family," Oliver explains, looking at her before moving his gaze. "Ray, you have taken over Queen Consolidated, and hired Felicity. Barry, you have woken from your coma, and are aware of your abilities. You have stopped Clyde Martin and started to work with Star Labs. Iris, your brother has been apart of your life for a year as he sought you out when he turned eighteen. Kara, you have revealed yourself as Supergirl, and has been operating as her for a month, you have just defeated the person you called Livewire on your earth for the first time. Clark, you have already defeated Lex Luthor. Dig, Lyla will be pregnant. Laurel, Sara is in Starling finding out about Malcom, and there are eight days before when he intends to kill her. Thea, you are still in Corto Maltese and have not been drugged by Malcom. Rip, you have failed to save Maranda and Jonas, I am sorry, and have tried to kill Savage," Oliver explains, sincerity in his voice as he apologizes to Rip. "There will be sixteen months before the Time Masters exist again, as reforming the vanishing point in the new universe will take time, and so you will have time to figure out a plan. I have not asked Felicity out," Oliver explains, and everyone looks like they are digesting everything.
"That's a lot to digest," Cisco comments, being pretty sure that is saying a lot considering everything he has seen and done.
"I know," Oliver confirms. "If the person whose memories you choose to restore had an ability in the old Universe their ability will be restored," Oliver explains, knowing the exception to that would be Lyla, who would only retain her strength and durability, nothing else. "Choose carefully, unless a person is one of the twelve brought to this place, and have their memory restored, they will not be able to be informed the truth. They will not be able to handle it," Oliver explains.
"So, you're saying out of the entire multiverse only twenty-five people will know that the universe has been restarted?" Iris asks curious.
"Yes,"
"We met someone, a Hero, Black Lightning, he was with us on the Waverider, what will happen to him?" Barry asks as he doubts anyone has a close enough connection to him to choose to restore his memory.
"Jefferson, and his daughters, will be heroes on Earth Prime, but they do not need their memories of this universe. It will only cause pain. Black Lightening has his own destiny, one that intersects, but not dependent, on ours," Oliver explains.
"And people from other earths?" Iris asks, thinking of Harry and Jessie.
"Most will be on their own earths, some may be on Earth Prime," Mar Novu explains.
"What if someone we love doesn't get their memories restored? Are we supposed to just lie to them?" John asks curious. "What if it's Felicity?" John asks, purposely invoking Felicity as he hopes it will get through to Oliver.
"It would be cruel to tell someone about the old universe without being able to give their memories, especially to Felicity," Oliver explains.
"Especially for Felicity? What does that mean?" Barry asks curious.
"Once we are out of this place, why couldn't I restore others memories?" J'onn asks, wanting to know why.
"We are interfering with the fabric of reality. The only reason we can do that is because of this place. The Vanishing Point is out of time and acts a protection. When out of this place people's memories will not be able to be restored without causing serious health problems, potentially death or causing a person to become cationic," Oliver explains. "It will completely deplete mine and Mar Novu powers to bring twelve people here, and hold onto the knowledge I have gained, we will not be able to bring more," Oliver explains. "And to answer your question, Barry, I have gained understanding, realization. Felicity and I were not you and Iris. We did not make each other better, we were the worst versions of ourselves when together," Oliver explains.
"Finally!" Thea says, looking relived, while everyone who knew the couple looks surprised. "What? I like Felicity, but you two just didn't work together," Thea comments as John gives her a shocked look.
"You're right," Oliver confirms, looking at his baby sister. "Together Felicity and I brought out our worst traits. She became cold and controlling, I became far from the best version of myself. I often pushed down the good, instead of harnessing it," Oliver explains.
"That's not true Man," Diggle says, looking shocked.
"John, you were there, think about it, without your bias and desire for your friends, you will see the truth," Oliver says, and Diggle starts to consider what Oliver was saying. "Felicity deserves to be in a healthy relationship, one that has genuine respect between the parties, and without her memories of this universe she will be able to be," Oliver reveals, giving everyone a lot to think about, knowing that that a healthy relationship for either of them cannot be with each other.
"When we go to Earth Prime, what version of Oliver will go with us? The regular one, or this one?" Ray asks curious.
"I will once again be the Oliver you know, but I will posses understanding, and knowledge," Oliver explains. "I will not have any special abilities," Oliver reveals.
"Time is not passing in this place, but it is not limitless," Mar Novu says. "You will all have sixty minutes to determine your choice of persons to have their memory restored," Mar Novu explains. "Oliver Queen and I will return then," Mar Novu says before disappearing with Oliver as they both still have work to do.