Author's Note: I don't own Arrow or any of its characters. Just getting that out there. Also, I've had a lot of days off school because of weather. So, I can basically write a chapter per day. That being said, I want to maybe start another fic, based kind of around my own version of Arrow. Lemmie know if that's something that you'd be interested in ?. Also, again in this chapter, I mention suicide. I will dig deeper into why it happened, in chapters to come, but again, no graphic or gory scenes. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Chapter 7!
"What?" Oliver gasped, reeling from what he had just heard.
"Wait, Felicity, did you say what I think you just said?" Digg asked, staring at her in horror.
Felicity just stood there, tears pouring out of her eyes.
"John, you know what I said, don't make me do it again," she whimpered.
Oliver didn't know what to think. They had just got Laurel back. Why was it that they always had to lose someone? Couldn't they just be happy?
Quentin had been devastated after Laurels' sudden death; partly because he felt that he was responsible for it, and because he had just lost his eldest daughter.
And, all Oliver wanted for him, was to be able to see his baby girl, alive.
Laurel. Oliver's thoughts jumped straight towards her, and so it seemed, did his gaze.
She's been through hell, he thought. The last thing that she needs right now is her dad's death.
"Guys, Laurel. What will she think? We want to get her back to normal, or at least as normal as possible. I don't see how, without Quentin," Oliver said, even more concerned than he had been before.
Digg, already ahead of the game, said," Hey, remember back when Sara died?" He paused, as all three of them winced, not wanting to think of that painful memory." Well, Laurel held off of telling Quentin because of his heath."
They then looked at each other with a look of realization.
"So," Felicity said," You're asking us to pull a 'Laurel'?"
Digg thought about that for a minute, then said, "Essentially. I mean, after all, Laurel's health is much, much worse than Quentin's' was."
Felicity and John looked over at Oliver, who was staring lovingly at Laurel. Felicity envied that look.
On queue, as if he could sense their stares, Oliver turned around.
He glanced at Digg and Felicity, knowing that they wanted to hear his opinion.
Oliver thought for a moment. He didn't want to lie to Laurel ever again, but he couldn't tell her about Quentin. He now understood exactly how Laurel had felt, back when Sara died. Grieving, but not wanting to cause any pain to the person that she loved. Nevertheless, he would lie, this one last time.
"Well," Oliver started," If it benefits Laurel, then I'm all for it." He said, turning back to stare at her.
"But, we're gonna have to act regular. We can't let her know that anything is wrong." Oliver said, his eyes flitting over to a box that Caitlin had left, that had the sedative antidote.
"Okay, it's settled then," Felicity said, uncertain.
"But what about the funeral? Or the news? He was the police captain; it's going to have coverage. She'll eventually hear about it somewhere," Felicity pointed out, trying to find a loophole that Oliver would agree to.
Oliver thought about that for a minute, then said," We'll just cut her off. No news, no visitors other than close friends and family, and they have to be pre-approved and informed before they come. As for the funeral, she just won't go."
"Wha- "
"It's the best thing for her. She won't be able to handle everything," Oliver said, cutting off Felicity's retort.
Digg and Felicity looked at each other, concern sharing in their gazes but also knowing, because they both knew that Oliver wouldn't budge.
Oliver knew what Felicity and John would be thinking, but he didn't care. He knew Laurel the best out of almost anyone in the world.
Oliver would just do what he thought was best and deal with the repercussions when they came.
"Alright, then," John said.
"I guess we should wake up Laurel, get her ready for tonight," he said.
"Yes, and I'll call Team Flash and tell them, make sure that they don't mention it," Felicity said, as she turned around, wiped the leftover tears from her face and walked back to her desk.
Then, the two remaining friends stood up and parted ways.
John went over to the box that held the sedative antidote and unwrapped one of the larger needles. Laurel would need a bigger dose to counteract all of the sedative that had been put into her system.
He then walked over to Oliver, who was picking up Laurel, and carrying her over to a comfier couch, which she could sit up in.
John handed the needle off to Oliver, who in turn took the cap off and, slowly, injected it into her arm. Feelings were somber as Laurel started to stir.
Laurel felt that familiar sensation of a cold liquid, burning her body, as she was forced awake.
She was healthier and because of this, she remembered the other encounters that she had had, which were almost identical to this one.
Her head hurt a lot less than it usually did, with it being just a regular headache, instead of a pounding jackhammer kind of one.
Then, she opened her eyes almost immediately, blinking away sleep. She knew what, or rather who she normally saw; Team Arrow. Her family.
When her eyes opened, she half expected to be in that rotting cell again but, her family hadn't failed her, she was still safe in the bunker.
Laurel looked around, seeing that she was in a different spot than she had been, nothing to sweat about, it was just something different.
The air smelt fresher, almost as if they had used an air freshener.
Instead of her usual cot, she was sitting up, on a couch. She looked herself over; she was terribly thin, with dozens of scars scattered across her body but healthier nonetheless.
She then turned her head in the teams' direction, or, more importantly, Oliver's.
"Hey, Pretty Bird." Oliver said, staring at her lovingly." How are you feeling?"
Laurel met his gaze, returning the love and said," Better. I still feel like I got hit by a semi, but still better," Laurel joked, surprised at how strong and confident she felt.
Oliver sighed, happy that she was feeling better.
Sure, now she is, he thought. But as soon as she's reminded of her horrors, she'll spiral. The voice of reason spoke inside Oliver's head.
He sure hoped not. They had taken precautions; hid anything that might be a trigger, and they had definitely made sure to hide ALL needles.
Laurel sighed, not knowing what to say. She wanted to be close to Oliver, but he looked hesitant. As if he wanted to come over, but there was something stopping him.
"Laurel, can I come over?" He asked, confusing Laurel.
She was going to ask why he would say such a thing; he knew that he could come over any time he liked.
Then, she remembered. The endless torture. The rescue. Everything.
Oliver looked intently at Laurel, as pain flashed in her gaze.
She remembered, Oliver thought.
Laurel did the best she could to think of other things, happier things, and it was somewhat working.
As her breathing started to speed up, she calmed it down. She stopped her hands from trembling, and only a few tears escaped her eyes.
Oliver was looking at her the entire time, pride expanding in his chest.
She had managed to stop herself from panicking! She really was making progress.
As she calmed herself down, Laurel gazed back at Oliver, and said," Of course, Ollie."
Oliver accepted her invitation, as he waltzed over.
He squatted down, so that he was below her eye level.
Laurel tilted her head downwards, so that their eyes met.
Oliver took great pleasure in doing this, he had been yearning for those green eyes for almost a year. However, when he gazed into the emerald depths, he saw something different. The spark, the playful gleam, it was gone.
Gone, was all signs of adolescence, there was only seriousness. That rock-hard determination that he had seen so long ago, was gone.
His gaze didn't falter though; he already had a certain emotional barrier up.
His hand rose up from the ground and hovered in the air, in front of Laurels'.
Laurel's gaze flitted to his hands for a moment, as a thought went through her head.
Pull away! He'll hurt you, it said. At that, she flinched. She didn't know much for sure anymore, but what she did know, is that Ollie wouldn't hurt her.
So, her gaze rested back on Oliver, as she set her lightly trembling hands, in Oliver's.