Disclaimer: WB/DC own these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a while. I own the original ideas found in this.

AN: Thanks for returning! Sorry about the delay, again. Sigh. That silly Muse, she just flits there, and here and everywhere. Kind of like Felicity would do if drunk, I'd like to think. Ha. Thanks for such a great reaction to the last chapter. I appreciate all the kudos, reviews and remarks! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you haven't been letting me know what you think or like about this story, I hope you will. Always appreciated!

And, thank you for all the condolences. I appreciate them as well.

Here's the new chapter:

Previously:

With encouragement from Dig, Roy asked Thea to go on a walk outside, to provide the rest of the team space for a private talk. Roy could easily be updated later. Thea readily agreed to the walk, having missed her boyfriend during the time she was gone. The two young people left the room hand in hand, Thea excitedly telling Roy about her breakfast.

Roy's head felt like he had crashed a party, something he hadn't done in months. He couldn't remember what would've made him go to a party, since he's usually too busy working Arrow stuff to be interested in such activities any more. He tried to bring his hand up to his aching head, but something stopped him. A voice, seemingly familiar and too loud for his ears, said, "Hey, about time you woke up, Junior. I was wondering if I gave you too much pit viper venom."

He suddenly remembered whose voice that was, and his eyes shot open. Indeed, standing in front of him, was the man he had met at the Queen mansion almost a month ago. Slade Wilson, the only man Roy knew to put such fear into his mentor, the always stoic Oliver Queen himself. Wilson smiled at him with such a loathsome smile it actually caused Roy to squirm in his seat. Which brought to his awareness the fact his arms were bound behind his back, with what felt like chains. Chains! As he struggled against them, Wilson laughed.

"Don't even bother, Junior. I took advantage of your unconsciousness to administer the antidote to the mirakuru. My colleagues were able to figure out how to produce it from the sample the Kid so generously provided my allies upon rescuing me."

The man was correct. For the first time in months, Roy felt…different. He felt, well, normal. No more anger flashing through his entire body at unpredictable times, needing an outlet. Despite the situation, he felt strangely…calm. As opposed to the continuous nervous energy which had been going through his body nonstop ever since he'd been injected with the Mirakuru.

A moan interrupted his thoughts. He quickly remembered where he'd been. He had been walking outside the Manor with Thea…Thea, who now was also tied to a chair beside him. Apparently unconscious as well, until now.

"Thea! Are you all right?" Roy glared at Slade, who was waiting for the young man's reaction with a small smile on his face. "If you've hurt her…."

"Don't worry, Junior, I haven't." Slade walked several steps across from Roy. "At least, not yet."

Roy watched as Thea struggled against her bonds as she became aware of her surroundings. Her eyes shot open, and finding what she wanted with Roy beside her, asked, "What's going on, Roy?" She turned her head, and jumped slightly as she recognized Slade. "Mr. Wilson? What…why do you have us tied up like this?"

Slade's laughter filled the room, as he raised his head and gave a hearty laugh. He cocked an eyebrow at Roy and asked, "So, Junior, what should I tell her?"

"Roy? Why would he ask you that kind of question?" his intelligent love asked. He watched as, he was sure, a thousand questions flitted across her mind but she wisely didn't ask them.

Even without the mirakuru still raging inside him, Roy felt as though his blood was beginning to boil. Knowing what Slade had done with the Lances, Roy had no doubt Slade couldn't wait to tell Thea Oliver's secret. And his as well. He wasn't looking forward to the argument which would follow once they were home safe. If they got home safe.

"Yes…Roy…should you tell her the truth about her brother, or should I?"

"Why not let both of us go, so I can take my girlfriend somewhere fun to forget all about you?"

Slade slapped him so hard across his face, Roy ended up on the floor, his chair knocked over with the force of Slade's slap. Suddenly Roy felt the chair brought back up, and set down hard enough to jar his body, aggravating the pain in Roy's head.

"Junior, Junior. You should know that is not how this game is going to be played." Walking towards Thea slowly, a smile slowly crossing Slade's face, he said, "Ms. Queen, you may think you know your brother and boyfriend well. However, like so many in your acquaintance, they have been keeping secrets from you."

"What secrets? And is that why you have us here tied up? I thought you were helping my mother with her campaign. What does this have anything to do with us?"

"So many questions, Ms. Queen." Looking at Roy, Slade asked, "Again, Junior, what shall it be?"

"You're actually going to give me a choice?" Roy sat back in a chair, dreading another slap. Or worse. However, Slade simply laughed. "Don't worry, kid, I wouldn't hit you. For that." After a moment, he said, "Yes, why don't you tell her why you've been working with the Arrow all these months."

"I've known that, Mr. Wilson. And I'm proud of him for helping the Arrow." Thea decided to not hide her pride in her boyfriend from this…man who for some reason was trying to terrorize her.

"But I bet you didn't know your own brother was the Arrow, did you?" Slade asked with a smug grin on his face.

Roy watched as color left her face, and she turned to him. "Is that true, Roy? How could you keep that from me?"

"I…I didn't want to, but your brother…."

"Your brother, Ms. Queen, is a good-for-nothing, lying cheat, who doesn't care who he hurts."

Thea struggled against her bonds. "How dare you say that? Why would you? If this is true, if he truly is the Arrow, he has been saving the city all these months. How dare you insult him."

A look of anger flashed on Slade's face. He took several steps towards Thea, prompting her to cowl in her chair away from him and for Roy to yell out, "You leave her alone. Do not touch her, you SOB!"

Slade stopped, pulled himself to his full height, and studied Thea. The anger disappeared from his face. "You do resemble your mother a lot, Ms. Queen. Very interesting indeed. And so very loyal to the miserable thing that is your brother." Slade shook his head. "I wonder if you'd still feel that way knowing all he did while he was gone. The people he murdered, the crimes he committed."

"I trust my brother. I'm sure he only did what he had to do to survive. But…what kind of crimes could he commit on a deserted island?"

Slade's laughter bounced off the walls of the large room they were in. He was about to answer when a phone began to ring. Slade walked over to a table, where Thea noticed her purse and Roy's coat had been placed. Slade opened her purse and pulled out her phone. "Excuse me, Ms. Queen, I will answer your phone since you are…tied up, shall we say." Looking at the caller, Slade again smiled a very satisfied smile. "Speak of the devil. Just as I thought."

~~FS~~OQ~~FS~~

Oliver returned to the Manor from the Lair that afternoon, feeling energized and spent at the same time. Exercising did manage to get out his agitation, but his talk with Laurel had indeed been difficult. Necessary, but difficult. In some ways, it only brought back some of the stress he had tried so hard to burn off. However, he felt he had one less thing to worry about. At least for now. Once Slade had been dealt with, he'd work on fixing his friendship with Laurel. Because, no matter what happens with Felicity, he still needed to maintain his friendship with Laurel. If Laurel would allow it, that is.

Oliver entered the manor and followed the voices he heard, entering the small salon. He was met with most of his team. Quickly looking around, he didn't spot Thea and Roy. He was happy to see Felicity relaxed and sitting on the couch talking with Sara and Diggle.

"There you are. I was just about to leave to see if you were all right," Diggle said.

Looking at the others, Oliver decided to be straightforward with them. "I didn't mean to be gone so long. Laurel surprised me at the lair. We had a talk." As the silence meeting his remarks continued he added, "I told her we weren't getting back together."

Diggle nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was wondering if that was what she was thinking about the other night in the lair."

Oliver's eyes met Felicity's with such a look it took her breath away. Pretending to be interested in the view outside the window, Felicity rose and looked out. For once, activity kept her filter working and she didn't speak what was on her mind. Even though she tried to deny it, she felt Oliver's eyes continuing to be on her.

Shaking his head, as if he had been in a trance, Oliver brought his attention back to his unaddressed concern from before. "Where are Thea and Roy?"

Dig stated, "Well, I suggested he take Thea for a walk on the grounds. I thought there should be nothing wrong since the security system is on, and that way the rest of us to talk freely about Arrow business, but…."

Oliver didn't like the sensation of coldness suddenly moving down his back like a glacier. Something felt wrong. "But what, Dig?"

"I'm sorry, Oliver. I didn't realize the time. They should have returned by now. We were having such a good discussion about what to do about Slade, I didn't realize…."

Oliver ran out of the room, and out of the door past his mother, who was walking down the stairs at that moment. Sara and Diggle quickly followed him, ignoring Moira's questions. Moira stood there, with confusion clearly on her face, as she watched the group rush by her.

Once outside, Oliver scanned the large backyard, taking in the large area quickly while calling out his sister's name. His teammates caught up to him as he stopped his pacing, his hands on his hips, looking into the distance.

"Oliver, why don't we just call them?" Diggle asked.

As Oliver took out his phone, Sara was already dialing Roy's number. She told the two men, "It went directly to voice mail."

Oliver held up his index finger as Thea's phone was answered. "Thea, where are you? I…I need to talk to you about something."

A baritone laugh was the answer he received. Oliver closed his eyes tightly as he recognized the laugh, the glacier which had run down his back landing in his stomach.

"Tsk, tsk, Oliver. What can be so important to disturb your sister's alone time with her boyfriend?"

Trying not to crush the phone with his right hand, Oliver made a tight fist with his left. "If you've hurt them…." His team gathered around him as he put the call on speaker.

"Like I told Junior a few moments ago, I haven't hurt your precious Thea. Yet."

"You better not, Slade, or I will…."

"You will what, Oliver? You couldn't beat me on Lian Yu, you wouldn't be able to beat me now."

"Give me the opportunity and I will show you how wrong you are, Slade. All you do is talk. Let's end this and let's end this soon."

"You don't know what you are proposing, Kid. I had planned to end you yesterday, but your blonde spoiled it."

"Yes, I have intelligent people around me. That is why we'll win this, Slade."

A rough laugh was meant to taunt Oliver, but he swallowed his retort and waited for Slade's reply. "Meet me at the old Wilderness facility out on Bakersville Road. Alone. Tomorrow morning at 9am."

"For what?"

"In exchange for these two young lovers." Slade decided to add, "Remember, Oliver, alone. If I see anyone else…."

"Why not now, Slade? What are you going to do?"

"You'll find out. Tomorrow." A dial tone met Oliver's ears.

AN: Oh no, not another cliffie! What is Oliver and Team Arrow going to do? Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and return when I post the next one to see what happens next. I appreciate all reviews and comments, and I am happy you all have been reading this story. See you next time!