Chapter 19
Parental Protection
"There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child."
-Henry Ward Beecher
There were rough, calloused fingers wrapped around her throat. Katie was both aware and unaware at the same time. The hand around her throat wasn't squeezing or clenching. It just rested there. Harm wasn't the intent. Soon that hand slid from her throat slowly down her chest, and she heard the distinct sound of a low chuckle.
Katie's eyes snapped open with a gasp. She looked down to the hand securely wrapped around her waist and she let out a heavy sigh as she placed a hand above Oliver's arm. She looked back up to the ceiling of the now sun-filled room. The dream was strange. It wasn't a memory, but it also felt like it was one. She shook her head and tried tugging herself out of Oliver's grasp, only for him to groan and pull her closer to him.
"You're not leaving this bed." Oliver muttered as he laid his head beside her, his eyes still closed.
"There's still gift bags—"
"Twinkie, this party is planned, everything is set and our daughter will love it." he placed a kiss on her head. "Just stay in bed with me, and get some sleep."
"I don't want to sleep." she said rolling over on her side, facing the man, intertwining her leg with his. "Maybe there's something else we can do in bed." Oliver smiled as he opened his eyes like she knew he would. "Aw, look who's awake now," she laughed before trying to tug once again out of his grasp, but he wasn't loosening his grip. She let out an exaggerated sigh before turning back to the man. "You're not letting me out of this bed."
"I have woken up the last three mornings without these eyes," Oliver leaned into the woman. "I am not letting you out of this bed." and when his lips descended upon hers she knew he was going to keep that promise.
When it was time to finally start the day, Oliver found himself showered and dressed, and ready to head off to city hall, and yet he found himself sitting at the kitchen table with a stupid smile on his face as he watches his daughter eating her cereal. He's found himself just staring at her lately the closer it came to her birthday. It was still just unbelievable to him sometimes. Thinking back on the craziness of his life. The twists and turns, islands, and madmen, and here was this little girl that he created with the love of his life. This child that isn't even quite a year old and yet he'd loved her so much. Robyn caught him staring, and stopped eating her breakfast. She stared back at him and he couldn't help but want to know what was going through her head. A toothy grin spread across her face.
"Up dah dah!" she called as she extended her short arms toward him. Without hesitation, Oliver stood to his feet and brought the girl up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her head. He turned at the sound of voices, just as Katie and Ari walked in.
"I just don't see what the issue is." Ari said to Katie who hadn't stopped walking. "Oliver wants us all on top of our game in case we come up against Prometheus and this can help."
"What are we talking about?" Oliver asked and Katie and Ari turned to him.
"Ari doesn't want to train with the rest of the team today." Katie says and Oliver looks over to the teen with a quirked brow. "She would like to continue training with Nyssa."
"And I get you guys have a not so good relationship, but with your memories back you have to see that she isn't the person who did those terrible things." Ari said and Katie shook her head. "She was here and she protected me and Robyn when Darhk was a threat."
"And I appreciate that she did that, I truly do, but the answer is no." Ari shook her head about to stalk away. "And whether you believe it or not, it's not my relationship with Nyssa, not entirely, that I'm saying no."
"Then what it is?"
"Ari, whether you get along with them or not, they're your team."
"It doesn't feel that way. None of them like me, or think I should even be on the team."
Oliver walked over and she shook her head. "And this is not me wanting you to get involved because I don't. I just-" she turned back to Katie. "I don't know how I can prove myself anymore and I just really don't want to." with that the girl turned and headed back upstairs. Katie turned to Oliver who looked over to the stairs.
"She doesn't want you to get involved." Katie says already knowing what the man was thinking. He looked over to her. "She has to figure this out on her own." she glanced over to the clock. "Aren't you supposed to be gone by now?"
Oliver didn't say anything as he placed a kiss on Robyn's head and headed out of the kitchen. Katie quirked a brow before following after him.
"Liver?"
"She won't stop growing." Oliver said stopping in the living room and turning to Katie. "Every day I come home and I look at her and she's just growing when I'm not watching." Katie smiled softly. She knew this was going to happen. The man was starting to freak out about another one of their kids getting older. "So I have a theory, if I stay with her and just watch her, she will stop growing." the sound of his cell phone ringing made him groan, but he didn't make a move to grab it.
"And what do you plan on telling your sister about your new life of trying to do the impossible?"
"Nothing, because we don't talk about important things apparently." he said before turning and walking off. Katie let out a sigh as she continued to follow him.
"How long are you going to be mad at her?"
"I don't know yet." Oliver said as he began climbing the stairs. "My wife had been kidnapped, and no one seemed to think I should know. I'm really not sure that's forgivable."
"You're being dramatic." Katie said and Oliver halted and turned to the woman who stopped. "I'm fine."
"That's not the point. The point is that your life was in danger, and when that happens, I should be the first call. Always."
"Fine, she should've called you. She knows that, but she can't change that now. It happened, and you can either continue being an over-dramatic husband or you can just forgive your sister." Oliver shook his head before turning away and continuing down the hall. "And you call me stubborn!" the man didn't say anything as he walked into the nursery. She let out a light laugh as she walked over to the nursery, stopping at the door to see the man sitting in the rocking chair, holding Robyn in his lap. "Liver, you're the mayor."
"I know that."
"Your job is important."
"Not more important than keeping her a baby which I will figure out how to do." he said and Katie smiled as he lifted Robyn up and placed a kiss on her head once again. Seeing that man with that little girl just stirred those ridiculous butterflies in her stomach. It was the love in his eyes as he looked at that girl. Not a day went by that she didn't think herself lucky to witness it.
"Fine, you can take her to daycare." Katie said and Oliver looked over at her. "Before you go to City Hall." she saw the man visibly deflate at the thought. "I have to get changed. Michael called a meeting at RI."
"Why?"
"No idea, but with all the things he says are going on, I thought I should be there."
"And what if you didn't go?" Oliver asked and Katie looked over to him with a quirked brow. "It's just those pictures stolen from Michael's apartment haven't been released. What if you going to this meeting upsets whoever stole them?"
"I'm not afraid of pictures taken eons ago. If someone wants to release them then let them. I won't be intimidated."
"No one is saying you should be intimidated, it's just unnecessary noise we don't need."
Katie let out a sigh. "You mean unnecessary noise Mayor Queen doesn't need." Oliver shook his head. "You're worried about how this could blowback on you." Oliver didn't say anything because he knew that was partially true, but he was also more afraid of this blowing back on her, and the attention he knows she doesn't want right now.
"Partially, but I more worried about you, about our family, about another wave of reporters camped out on our front lawn." Oliver said placing Robyn in her crib and walking over to Katie. "I just don't want you in the middle of a fight that has nothing to do with you."
"It's my family's company."
"Which they made you leave." Oliver said and Katie turned away. "Twinkie-"
"My name is still on the side of that building. I won't let it sink because of some power dispute." she turned and headed down the hall toward the bedroom. She heard Oliver behind her.
"Except it's not your name anymore." Oliver said and she stopped walking, and it was that moment Oliver knew he said the wrong thing. "I just meant—" she turned to face him. "It doesn't have to be your fight anymore."
"Given who you are, and what you do, it's very hypocritical for those words to come out of your mouth." she said before turning back and heading to the bedroom.
An angry wife was the last thing Oliver wanted just days before their wedding anniversary. Katie didn't say anything else after getting dressed and heading out the door. Oliver stood at the door watching as she drove off before he was bumped by the angry teen who headed for her car.
"Ari-"
"I'm not talking to either of you!" she called as she slipped inside of her car and drove off as well.
Oliver let out a sigh, before heading back into the house to find his daughter who happily bounced up and down in her playpen. "Looks like you're the only one talking to me." he reached down to pick her up, smiling as she rambled something he couldn't quite understand. He furrowed a brow as he watched her. "So, you want to go to daycare?" She turned to him and laughed before bouncing in his arms. He smiled as he watched. "You know I think coming to work with daddy is a better idea too." he placed a kiss on her cheek before heading upstairs.
Katie tried her best to ignore the looks she got as she walked through the doors of RI. She kept her eyes straight ahead as she stepped inside the elevator. Her eyes lifted to the numbers on the elevator and she let out a sigh. She honestly had no idea what she was going to say or do at this meeting. She just hoped it came to her in the moment.
When the doors opened, she'd only taken a step when she looked up and saw Michael talking with Claire. He just so happened to turn at the sound of the elevator, and the moment he saw her, he let out a sigh and headed over.
"I know what you're going to say and-" he grabbed her arm with one hand while reaching around her to catch the elevator from closing with the other. "Mike, just-" he didn't let her finish before he was pulling her into the elevator.
"I told you that I would handle it." Michael said the moment the doors closed.
"And I told you that I could handle it better." Katie replied and the man just shook his head. "Just let me-"
"No!" Michael snapped turning back to the woman. "Look right now, you coming to my defense in any way could hurt everything you put into this company." she shook her head. "I need you to listen to me Sweets, and listen good. I know you're stubborn, and I know you hate being told what to do, but this one time, just stay out of this." he let out a sigh. "If those pictures get out-" he shook his head.
"They're just pictures." Katie huffed. "Why are you letting pictures scare you? Let's just go back up to that meeting and finally do something about this woman."
"Because you, me, and those pictures are a scandal. Right now with what's going on with the company, it can't take a hit like bad publicity, and it definitely can't take its shining star Robins being picked apart in the press." The elevator doors opened and he lifted his eyes. Katie watched as he stood up straighter and so she turned to see what held his attention. It was Annabelle. The woman slightly smiled as she looked between the pair before walking over. Michael and Katie stepped off the elevator meeting the woman.
"Mrs. Queen, Mr. Carroll." she turned to Katie. "I didn't know you would be joining us for this meeting."
"She's not." Michael quickly chimed in and Annabelle turned to him. "she was just stopping by, but she's leaving now."
"That's a pity," Annabelle turned that condescending smirk back to Katie. "It's always a treat when you stop by." Katie quirked a brow at the woman, and Michael had to slightly tug her back, a move that didn't go unnoticed by the woman. "You know I heard a little rumor that you two used to be more than friends." she glanced over to Michael and chuckled. "At first I didn't see it, but you know right now—" she turned back to Katie. "It's just so obvious." she looked over to Michael. "And it explains so much." she chuckled once more before moving around them to the elevator.
"I imagine it's quite the blow to your ego." Katie suddenly said.
"Sweets, don't." Michael muttered as Katie turned to Annabelle who looked over to the woman with a quirked brow.
"Excuse me?"
"I said I imagine it has to be quite the blow to your ego," Katie took a step toward the woman that Michael couldn't stop. "To pull up to the company that you're the CEO of, and to look up and see my name." Katie smiled at that.
"And I imagine, it's an embarrassing feeling to drive past a building with your name on it knowing that you were driven out by a board of directors who knew you couldn't do the job your father just tossed in your lap. You know I didn't know Jacob Robins, but I followed his work, and I have to say he was a brilliant businessman, but making you CEO-" the woman sighed with a shake of her head. "That might have been the first sign of his stroke." Katie's fist clenched at her side, and Michael walked over, once again grabbing her arm and pulling her back. "As I said, it's always a treat to see you Mrs. Queen." with that the woman turned and stepped onto the elevator.
"You need to leave." Micheal said as Katie continued staring at the woman until the elevator doors closed.
"Once upon a time, I would've broken her nose for saying that to me." Katie let out a snort before looking over to Michael. "I think age really is making me soft."
"Or age is giving you the brain cells to realize that punching a CEO in the middle of her company surrounded by witnesses, isn't the best idea." he shook his head and glanced over to the clock. "Look I have to go, but I'll call you and let you know the verdict." he turned back to her. "Whatever happens-"
"Whatever happens, I will fix it." Katie says.
"Well if anything is broken, I think it will be too late to fix." he said with a slight smile. "But I appreciate your willingness to go to bat for me. Something I'm sure doesn't make your husband happy."
"You had my back Mike when I needed you. I will have yours, always." she said letting out a sigh. "Go, fight this battle, and if you lose, I will help you win the next one." he looked at her for a moment with a smile.
"Or, you, me, we sail off into the sunset and never look back." he said and Katie rolled her eyes before turning and walking away from him. "You could at least think about it!" she didn't even dignify it with a response as she headed for the doors.
Deep down, Oliver knew he was being ridiculous. That feeling was suppressed so deep, he didn't even acknowledge its existence as he smiled down to his daughter who sat in her stroller staring up at him. He looked up when the doors open and the smile on his face fell the moment he saw his sister standing there.
Thea gave a confused smile as she looked from the man down to her niece as Oliver stepped off of the elevator.
"Is today bring your child to work day?" Thea joked lightheartedly. Oliver didn't say anything as he continued to his office. "Ollie, I'm not going to apologize anymore." she followed him into his office. "You're angry with me, I get it."
"Except you don't get it, Thea." Oliver stopped and turned to her. "Because if you got it, then you'd understand why I'm upset with you." he shook his head as he turned back to his daughter.
"Then tell me." Thea turned closing the door to the office before turning back to her brother. "Talk to me." Thea stared and Oliver let out a sigh and turned back to her. "I should've called you the moment I realized that Katie was in trouble."
"Why didn't you?" he folded his arms over his chest.
Thea shook her head. "Because I felt responsible. Because she wouldn't have been in Vegas if it wasn't for me and I just thought that if I called you and told you the one thing I promised wouldn't happen, actually happened, that you'd never forgive me." she took a step toward Oliver. "Ollie, I wasn't leaving Las Vegas without her. I just thought I could find her and once you saw that she was fine that you wouldn't be so mad." he gave her a look that she realized her theory was incorrect. "Which I can see didn't work out the way I hoped." Oliver just let out a sigh before turning and unclasping his daughter from her stroller. "But seriously, not that I'm not over the moon excited to see my niece, but what's going on. She's not sick is she?"
"No, she's not sick." Oliver lifted the girl up, placing a kiss on the top of her head as he walked around his desk to sit. "She just came to work with me." Thea watched her brother with a quirked brow and he looked over to her. "What?"
"It's just you have meetings today and I just don't see how that works with a baby." Thea said smiling over to Robyn who tried to crawl on top of the desk." she turned back to her brother. "Ollie-"
"If she can't come to the meetings then I guess there will be no meetings." he said suddenly looking back over to his sister with a nod. "Just cancel the meetings."
Thea looked at her brother for a moment, as his eyes turned back to his daughter. "Ollie, are you ok?"
Oliver frowned looking back up to Thea. "I'm fine. We're fine. I will read over those reports and send you any notes I might have." Thea just gave the man a nod as she looked from him to her niece.
"Ok." she said, the uncertainty clear in her tone, but she relented. She turned, leaving the man with his daughter.
Oliver propped Robyn on his desk in front of him, and she gave him a big smile that he returned. She began babbling something he could barely understand and yet he just smiled wider before placing a kiss on the top of her head.
"How do we get you to stay daddy's little girl forever?" he whispered settling her back in his lap once again.
Katie wasn't sure where she should go when she left RI. She was just going to head home before she spotted it. It was the Church. The familiar church she stumbled into after escaping from ARGUS. It was only out of curiosity that she decided to walk inside. It was strange because she remembers so vividly the moment she walked into this church. She was confused, lost, angry and she had no idea where she was going. She stepped further inside, taking a seat on the pew in the back. The place seemed empty, and so she closed her eyes. She feels like a normal person would probably start praying at this moment. But she gave up that part of herself a long time ago. There were many nights, trapped in a new level of her hell, with ARGUS or with the demon that she would pray to be saved, pray to finally get home, and after years of nothing, she finally gave up that hope.
"Well this is a surprise." a voice spoke and Katie opened her eyes and looked up to see Father Samuel. He walked over, taking a seat in the pew in front of her, turning a smile to her. "It's good to see you again, Mrs. Queen." he chuckled. "Or would you like me to continue calling you Robin?"
Katie laughed. "Actually, Katie is fine, father. You know I meant to come back here, to thank you again."
He shook his head. "No thanks are needed. Plus I think that generous donation you and your family made was thanks enough." Katie gave a nod before she looked back around the church. "You know I expected that with you knowing who are, you wouldn't still have that same lost look in your eyes." Katie turned back to him. "Did you want to talk about it?" He pointed to his collar. "It's like part of the job description."
Katie closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's just strange. I have my memories back, and I just-" she turned back to the man. "Something still feels missing. Like there's this piece of me that isn't there anymore and I try to ignore it and pretend that I'm fine."
"Why?" he asked.
"I don't know. My family has been here, waiting for me and I guess I just wanted to be the person they were waiting for. That person I was, and sometimes it just feels like I'm pretending. Because I don't feel like I'm her anymore."
"And what does that mean?" the priest asked and Katie slid her fingers through her hair.
"It means something broken, I can feel that it's broken, and I actually know why, but knowing all of that doesn't actually help me to fix it." the man didn't say anything and Katie looked over to him. "This is the part where you quote some bible verse, or poem, over even a Van Halen song to help me figure this out."
The priest chuckled with a shake of his head. "Well I could do that, but I learned a while ago that when people come in here and bare their soul they usually turn to me to tell them what they do. I usually do quote a bible verse, or a poem, not Van Halen, but I have quoted Guns n Roses." Katie laughed with a shake of her head. "In the end, I find that letting someone bare their soul is the first step to them solving their own problem." he looked at her for a moment. "But what I will say is, this road you're on right now, there are many who have traveled it. Sometimes we can't fix something that's broken, sometimes we have to step back and see that something beautiful can be created from the broken. Maybe it's time to stop pretending to be someone you were and accept the person you are. That is the person who has gone through everything you've gone through and lived to tell the tale."
Katie turned away from the man, letting his words sink in. Her phone suddenly rang, and she turned back to the Priest. "Sorry, I'll-" she pulled her phone from her purse to see Thea's number. She frowned slightly before bringing the phone to her ear. "Speedy, is everything alright?"
Oliver and Robyn were spinning around in his chair when he heard the knock on his office door. He frowned slightly. He told Madelyn that he didn't want to be disturbed. There was another knock before the door just opened and in walked reporter Susan Williams. Oliver stood to his feet, holding Robyn to his chest.
"Ms. William-" he looked at the woman for a moment, suddenly remembering that he was supposed to be interviewed today. "We had an interview. My assistant was supposed to cancel that. I kind of-" he looked down to his daughter in his arms.
"Found a better offer looks like." Susan said smiling over to the child who was happily chewing on her father's tie.
"Maybe we could reschedule." Oliver suggested and Susan just shook her head.
"Or maybe the people in this city could get a glimpse of Mayor Dad." Susan said and Oliver just looked back at her unsure.
He must've agreed because soon a cameraman was in his office pointing a camera at him while Susan sat across from him. He looked over to see Thea come into his office a look of confusion as she looked from him to the woman across from him.
"Hey, hi, what's happening?" Thea asked walking over and Susan turned to her.
"Oh, the mayor and I had an interview scheduled today to go over his plan for tackling the crime in the city." Susan said.
"Right, I just don't think the mayor should be conducting an interview about crime in this city while holding his daughter."
"I totally agree." Susan said before looking between Oliver and Thea. "We can talk about crime next time, but I think today since we do have little Robyn with us, we can see a side of the Mayor we don't get to see often."
"I think that's kind of the point." Thea replied with a slight smile. She never really like this woman. "This side of the Mayor isn't for the people. This part of his life, as a father who is just with his daughter, is just for him and I think we should keep it that way. You understand, right?" Susan looked at Thea for a moment before giving a nod.
"Of course." Susan turned to Oliver before looking down at Robyn. "If I'm not mistaken, you have a birthday soon. Happy early birthday little miss Queen." Susan turned to Oliver. "I will stop by your assistant to reschedule." Oliver just gave a nod before watching the woman and her cameraman pack up and leave. Once they were gone, Thea walked over and took the seat across from him.
"Thanks for that." Oliver said looking down at his daughter. "I probably should've refused the interview, but-"
"You were on her good side and you didn't want to face the wrath of the woman who could tear you to shreds on television. I get it." Thea smiled down at Robyn. "But this isn't something you have to share with the world. Robyn gets to have you all to herself." Oliver smiled as he lifted the child in the air before placing a kiss on her cheek causing little giggles to escape her. Thea couldn't believe it sometimes. Her brother was a dad. A dad who apparently had separation anxiety when it came to his kids.
"Ollie." Thea said and he heard the tone and knew what she was going to say before the words even came out of her mouth.
"Could you close the door on your way out Thea?" Oliver said standing to his feet with Robyn in his arms as he walked over to the window. "And tell Maddy, we're not to be disturbed."
Thea let out a sigh before standing to her feet and glancing down at her phone. She let out a sigh before looking over to her brother.
"Sure Ollie." she replied before walking out of his office.
Most of the morning, Oliver spent in that office playing with his daughter. His jacket and tie were tossed on his desk as he crawled on the floor of his office, chasing his giggling daughter.
"I got you!" he said as he pulled her into his arms causing her to squeal with laughter. She settled into his arms and let out a yawn. "Nap time?" he muttered turning and digging in her bag and grabbing her bottle. The moment it was in reach, Robyn plucked it from his hands and dropped her head back against his chest. He sat there and just stared down at this little girl that held him in the palm of her tiny hand and she didn't even know it.
The door to his office opened and he didn't even look up. He heard footsteps, and when he looked up he let out a sigh as he saw his wife. Katie took off her jacket and tossed down her purse before walking over to take a seat on the floor in front of Oliver.
"Thea called you didn't she?" Oliver asked.
"She did." Katie said as she smiled at her drowsy daughter. "Told me about you having her cancel all your meetings today." she turned back to the man. "She said that I needed to come here to talk some sense into you." Oliver didn't say anything as he looked back down at his daughter. "Oliver she's only turning one."
"I know that. I just-" he smiled as he looked down at her. "I look at her, and she's small, and she's goofy, and she's just-" Oliver lifted his eyes back to Katie. "She's blissfully unaware of the darkness this world holds and I guess I want her to hold on to that for as long as possible."
"And she will. She has so many more years to be shielded from that darkness, but at some point, she'll have to face it." Oliver looked back down to his daughter in his arms. "And it's our job to prepare her for when it's time to face it." Katie looked over to the girl who now snuggled comfortably in her father's arms as she slept. "And we will." Oliver let out a sigh before looking back over to Katie.
"How did the meeting go?"
Katie shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Michael kicked me out the moment I got there." she shook her head. "Not before I ran into Miss Grey herself."
"I'm almost afraid to ask."
"Nothing happened, despite my undeniable urge to punch her in the nose." Katie let out a sigh before looking back over to Oliver. "I don't know what to do."
"Did you want to be the CEO again?" Oliver asked and Katie looked at him for a moment before shrugging.
"I don't know, but I know I have to do something."
"I mean not necessarily." Oliver said and Katie looked over at him with a furrowed brow. Oliver didn't say anything, but Katie seemed to understand.
"You mean Jacob?" Oliver gave a nod and Katie shook her head. "Well, the world thinks he's dead."
"Jacob has been lying for most of his life, I'm sure he could spin some story the people would love before taking back his seat as the CEO." Oliver said and Katie turned away in thought.
"I'm not sure he'd go for it, but I guess it's a solution to a possible problem." Katie says before standing to her feet. "Now, I should take her so you can get back to work." Oliver let out a sigh before placing a kiss on Robyn's head and letting her slide into Katie's arms. Oliver stood to his feet and followed them over to his desk where he watched Katie as she pulled on Robyn's coat.
"You know, you don't have to leave." he said and Katie looked over to him in amusement. "We could go to lunch. Just the three of us."
"If only you were just a normal guy who was just a husband and father." Katie says as she lays Robyn carefully in her stroller. "The truth-" she turned back to Oliver. "You're the mayor, and I'm sure some of those meetings you were supposed to go to today were kind of important." she walked over to him and he brought his arms around her waist. "And then there's Prometheus who's still at large and yet hasn't made a peep." Oliver looked away. For a while, he'd put Prometheus out of his head, but he knew sooner or later he'd have to focus his attention back on finding the man. "He's planning something. We have to figure out who he is before he can cause any more trouble than he already has." Oliver quirked a brow as he looked down at the woman. "What?"
"We?" he said and Katie chuckled. "Does this mean you're coming back to the team?" Katie met Oliver's eyes.
"He knows too much. The notebook, the names inside." Katie shook her head. "That makes me nervous. So to find and stop him, yes, I will help, beyond that, we will just have to see."
"That sounds reasonable." Oliver said, dropping his lips to hers. The kiss was supposed to be short. Just a peck on the lips goodbye, but the moment his lips touched hers, it becomes so much more and they can't help themselves. Oliver's arms wrapped tighter as he nudged her back against the edge of his desk. In one smooth motion, his hand slid, hooking her leg up and over his hip. The moment was heading somewhere it most definitely could not go. That was a faraway thought in both of their heads that they chose to ignore until they had no other choice but to face it. There was a knock at the door and they pulled back, letting reality rush back into the room. Oliver's eyes looked down to Katie's as they both tried to calm their rapid breaths.
"This is why we should go." Katie says with a small smile as she pulls down her skirt and stands to her feet. She turns grabbing a few sheets of tissue before turning back to Oliver to wipe his stained lips. There was knocking once again.
"One minute!" Oliver called still looking down at his wife. "Where are you two headed right now?"
"We're going to the bunker." Katie says as she wipes the last bit of lipstick from his lips before looking up to meet his eyes. "I haven't actually seen some of Prometheus' handy work, so I thought I would check it out. Plus since the recruits will be there sparring I get to see how good they are." she made to pull away, but Oliver's hands were still firmly wrapped around her waist. "And it has to start with you letting me go." Oliver let out a sigh before placing another kiss on her forehead before relinquishing his grasp.
"Can you just promise me that you will make sure she doesn't get any older?" Oliver asked and Katie chuckles as she looks down at their daughter.
"I promise she will look exactly the same the next time you see her." Katie replies turning back to Oliver with a smile. There was another knock and Oliver let out a huff before stalking over to pull open the door to find his sister standing there with a nervous smile.
"Hi, sorry-" Thea glanced around Oliver to Katie before turning back to her brother. "We have that council meeting today and I wanted to confirm you were still coming."
"I-"
"He is." Katie answered and both Oliver and Thea looked over to her. "We're going to go so Mayor Queen should have no more distractions."
Soon Katie stood in the elevator heading down to the bunker not completely sure what she was actually here to do. Father Samuel's words played in her head. To be who she is now. The woman who lived through a possession, through the terrible things done at her hands. It was that darkness once again. She could feel its imprint on her soul. That stain she can never wipe away.
The doors opened, and Katie pushed Robyn's stroller, her eyes immediately going to the recruits over in the combat area sparing. Curtis was sparring with Evelyn while John and Rene sparred. Katie frowned as she stepped forward looking around the bunker.
"Hey Smoaks," Katie called over to Felicity who sat at the computer. The blonde turned around to smile when she saw Katie with the baby.
"Hey, I didn't know you were coming." Felicity said standing to her feet and walking down the steps toward Katie.
"Yeah, with everything going on with this Prometheus guy, I just feel like I should get the low down." she turned glancing around. "Is Ari not here?"
"Uh, no she texted me earlier. She said she had to stay after school for tutoring and that she wouldn't be able to make it here." Felicity said and Katie shook her head. "I'm taking from that look that you don't believe her."
Katie let out a sigh. "Well, I-" they both stopped when they heard the elevator doors opening behind them. They turned, surprised to see Ari who wasn't alone. Katie pulled the stroller back, placing herself in front of it.
"I know what you're going to say, but-"
"Ari, go." Katie says still looking at the woman standing beside the teen. Ari saw the seriousness in her cousin's eyes and knew she just had to listen. Ari let out a sigh before pulling off her jacket and heading over to the other recruits.
Felicity looked between the two women feeling the growing awkwardness in the air between them.
"So..." Felicity said needing to fill the silence with something. "Nyssa, I didn't realize you were still in the city." the woman didn't say anything as she continued to stare at her cousin. "Um, well we should-"
"I'm going to walk Nyssa out." Katie said suddenly as she moved around the woman to press the button for the elevator that opened instantly. Katie turned around and gestured for Nyssa to step inside. Nyssa stared for a moment before moving around and taking a step on the elevator.
"Uh, I don't think this is a good idea." Felicity stepping forward and catching Katie's arm.
"Maybe, maybe not." Katie said tugging from Felicity's grasp and stepping into the elevator. Felicity stood there unsure what to do as the door slid closed.
Ari watched from across the bunker as Katie and Nyssa disappeared onto the elevator.
"This isn't good." she muttered.
"What isn't good." a voice spoke suddenly from behind her. She jumped and turned to see Rory who stared over at her with a quirked brow.
"Uh, nothing." she said before looking over to Curtis sparring with Evelyn and John with Rene. Rory followed her eyes.
"Uh, I could get changed and we can practice a bit." he said turning back to the girl who shook her head.
"No, it's fine. I'm going to check in with Felicity, see if there are any searches she has going she would want me to check." Ari glanced over to the elevator once more before going over to Felicity.
The elevator was brutally silent. Katie stood with her back on one side while Nyssa stood with her back on the other.
"What are you still doing here Nyssa?" Katie asked folding her arms over her check.
"I told you-"
"I know what you told me. Your family is here, and I get it." Katie shook her head. "But Nyssa, you have to see that this won't be whatever you think it's going to be." Nyssa didn't say anything, because honestly, she didn't know what to say. She knew this was ridiculous. That being in this city hoping to garner some kind of relationship with this woman and her family was a foolish dream and yet she can't bring herself to leave and she had no idea why.
Katie watched the woman, hoping for some sort of response. Some sort of signal that she understood, but Nyssa turned her eyes and Katie had no idea what she was thinking. "Nyssa-"
"You know I thought she was like me." Nyssa said and Katie furrowed a brow in confusion. "Ari, I thought I was drawn to her because she was like me. A bastard of a father, barely-there mother. Wanting to live up to the impossible standards of a father who would never see any of it as enough." Nyssa folded her arms and dropped her back against the wall. "Today I realized I was wrong. When she came to see me today, asking me to train with her, I asked her why she wasn't training with this team she'd become a part of. She told me she didn't want to train with them because she didn't trust them. And she doesn't trust them because she thinks they don't trust her. Don't trust in her place on that team. It was all just-" Nyssa shook her head. "Emotion, and sentiment and-" she chuckled. "I couldn't help but hear his voice as she spoke." she looked over to meet Katie's eyes. "That's when I knew that she and I were nothing alike. I could never imagine having such a conversation. I could never imagine caring about who trusted me, because if they didn't trust me, it didn't matter."
"Trust no one." Katie spoke the familiar phrase that both women had heard often. Nyssa gave a nod.
"She's nothing like me. She cares and the world needs more people who actually care. And if those people on this team Oliver has put together can't see that, can't see who she is, then I'm not sure this team is the best place for her."
"What does that mean exactly?" Katie asked and the doors to the elevator finally opened. Nyssa glanced out into the hall before turning back to Katie.
"I brought her back and told her that she had to prove herself to no one. These people whether they like her or not are still the people who have been given the task of ensuring her survival." Nyssa turned and stepped off the elevator, but stopped and turned back to Katie. "I told her to give them a chance." Katie quirked a brow. "And they get one chance, because if this distrust she senses among them somehow leads to them not ensuring her survival, then there could be some disastrous consequences." With that Nyssa turned and began walking away and Katie walked forward, stopping the elevator as she watched Nyssa continue down the hall before turning out of sight.
Katie let out a heavy sigh as she stepped back into the elevator.
The day seemed to drag in Oliver's opinion. Once Katie had left with Robyn, and he was thrown back into the meetings he just couldn't wait until the day was over. Part of his frustrations was the fact that his mind had once again ventured to Prometheus. Too much time was passing and they were no closer to figuring out who this guy was. That's why when he finally left City Hall he headed straight to the bunker with the intent to dive back into everything they knew about the guy in hopes that he sees something new.
When he stepped off of the elevator into the bunker, Oliver quickly hurried off, pulling off his jacket and setting it on the nearby table along with his tie. He rolled up his sleeves, walking further inside, looking over to see most of the team still sparring. His eyes turned to Ari who sat behind one of the computers. He let out a sigh before walking over to her.
"Hey," he said and she turned to him. "Have you had any practice today?"
"Uh no, Felicity needed help so I'm helping her." Ari replied before turning back to the computer. Oliver didn't believe that Felicity would ask for Ari's help when she knows he wants the team in the best shape in the event they had to face Prometheus. He knew she probably was just looking for an excuse to not train with the rest of the team. He needed to figure out how to fix this, he just didn't know how. Oliver grabbed a chair and rolled it over beside the girl.
"Whatever you're about to say, just don't." Ari sighed refusing to turn to him as she looks at the monitor. "I don't need you to get involved."
"Except it's my responsibility to get involved, Ari." she shook her head and turned to him. "If I feel that there is a disconnect amongst members on this team, then I need to step in and get it fixed."
"Except you can't fix it." Ari said glancing over to the others who all seemed to move in sync. They had a rhythm. Even now as they sparred. They were a team. A team she didn't feel she fit in with. She turned back to Oliver. "You can't-" she turned at the sound of her cell phone ringing. She sighed as she pulled it from her pocket and glanced down to the caller ID. She frowned at the unknown number.
"What?"
"Nothing, just weird number I don't recognize. It's probably like telemarketers or something." she said ending the call and turning back to Oliver. "Look I get you have this obsessive need to fix everything, but this one thing you just can't. I have to figure out my place on this team." the girl turned back to the monitor. "Now go away, you're distracting me." the man let out chuckle before standing to his feet and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"Where's your—" his eyes scanned the bunker until it landed on the usually transparent meeting room that was currently blacked out. "Never mind." Oliver headed over to the room, walking up the short flight of stairs and turning the doorknob only to find that it was locked. "What the hell?" He was about to knock when the door pulled opened and out came Felicity who came to an abrupt stop.
"Oh hey, you're here." she said.
"I am, and confused." Oliver said as he looked inside the room, able to catch a glimpse of his wife. "What's going on?"
"Twinkie is in deep research mode." Felicity said glancing back at the woman. "She has been combing over everything we have on Prometheus for the past couple of hours."
"What's with the locked room you can't see inside?" he asked looking at the glass. "I didn't even know we could do that."
"Well, that I believe. I knew you started tuning me out when I was explaining all the features of this place." Felicity shook her head. "And your wife wanted total privacy. I was just stopping in to make sure she was ok since she hasn't stepped out in hours." Oliver frowned as he looked back into the room. He gave the woman a nod before moving around her, stepping into the room, and closing the door behind him.
Apparently, the glass walls of this room were monitors as well. Another feature he's sure Felicity may have mentioned at some point. He walked over to where Katie sat atop the table that was in the center of the room as the monitors around her showed crime scene photos. He looked over to her, her eyes locked on the screen and he wondered if she even knew he was standing there.
"Twinkie?" he spoke and she seemed to snap out of her thoughts and turned to him.
"Hey-" she glanced back to the door. "When did you get here?" Katie turned back to the man who held a concerned gaze. "Don't give me that look, I'm fine, just-" she shook her head as she turned back to the monitors.
"What?"
She turns back to him. "Oliver he had the pieces of your arrows. Arrows left at crime scenes. Arrows that would've been taken into police evidence." she turned back to the screens. "And somehow pieces of those arrows were used to kill these people." Oliver turned to the monitor as well.
"He's a member of the SCPD." Oliver said and Katie let out a huff as she slides off the table to stand.
"But he also knew about the notebook." Katie said thinking out loud. "A notebook not a lot of people knew about. Or at least I don't think so." she let out a sigh. "Why do I feel like that notebook could be the key and I have no idea how." she looked over to Oliver who was still staring at the pictures and so she walked over to stand in front of him.
"You know some times I think about everything I'm doing here. The good I'm trying to do for this city. And I know I've made mistakes, mistakes I'm trying my hardest to make up for." he shook his head. "And I thought I was-"
"Liver-"
"No, these people are dead because of me." Oliver said and Katie grabbed the remote and flicked the images from the screen.
"Oliver look at me." the man let out a sigh before bringing his eyes to his wife. "Those people are dead because an evil man chose to take their lives. That man wasn't you." she pulled her arms around him and his arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. "We're going to find him and we're going stop him."
"You're being optimistic," Oliver said and the woman chuckled. "Good, because you're better at it than I am." she pulled back to look up to him and he dropped his lips to hers. She dropped her head back on his chest. "Where's Robyn?"
"I put her down for a nap a few minutes ago. Don't worry I'm sure she hasn't changed too much since you last saw her." Katie said when an idea suddenly struck her and she pulled back.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just I was thinking about the list." she said turning to Oliver. "I think we're not seeing something with this list." he continued to stare in confusion. "I think I should go see my father. I mean other than Malcolm, he's the only living person who knows more about that list than any of us. Maybe he can see what we're not seeing." Oliver thought about it and realized it was at least a first step.
"Right, I'll grab my jacket and then we can-" they turned when the door opened, and in walked Felicity.
"Hey," Felicity said as she looked between the pair. "You may want to see this."
"That's never the start of a good conversation." Katie says moving around Oliver. "Is it Prometheus related?"
"I don't think so." she said before nudging her head behind her. Oliver gave a nod before the blonde turned and left.
"Looks like you have a new case." Katie says and Oliver turns to her with a quirked brow. "I guess I'm visiting Jacob solo."
"You could always help with the case and then we both just see Jacob later." Oliver suggested and Katie let out a chuckle as she turned and grabbed her jacket. "You and your dad don't have the best track record when you're left alone for too long. I mean I wouldn't want anyone to get shot." Katie turned to him with a smile. "And that look makes me nervous."
"Go, see what Felicity has and I will talk to Jacob. I'll see what new information he can give me about the list and I'll call you later." she walked over to him, sliding her hands on his chest before lifting her lips to meet his in what was supposed to be a quick kiss. And yet his arms snaked around her. "You have to-" his lips once again descended on hers, eliciting a quiet moan that made him smile.
"Ohmigosh, stop making out and come on already. We're waiting!" came Ari's voice and the couple pulled back breathless.
Katie let out a sigh. "You know I can't wait to whisk you away." she pulled out of his grasp, ignoring the confused look on his face.
"What are you talking about?" he asked as he watched her slide her bag over her shoulder. "Twinkie-" he followed behind her out of the room and stopped at the sight of the team all looking at them.
"Took you long enough." Evelyn said before turning to Katie. "You know I kind of thought the team was trying to build on trust around here. Dark rooms and locked doors aren't really the breeding grounds for trust."
"It probably isn't." Katie replied looking over to the girl. "But for now, no one goes into that room." she looked over to the others with a smile. "I'm going to head out. Good luck with your next adventure." she turned to Oliver who was still giving her a look and she just nodded her head over to the team. "Work. I'll call you later." with that she headed back to get Robyn.
"Are we not talking about this?" Evelyn asked and they all turned to her. Oliver glanced over as well. "Didn't we do this already? You guys keeping secrets and not telling us what's going on. If something is happening, we deserve to know what."
"You're right." Oliver said walking over. "Katie has chosen to help out with trying to find Prometheus. She wanted to go over everything we have on him in that room, and she just wanted a little bit of quiet while she did."
"Did she find out anything?" Evie asked and Oliver shook his head before turning to Felicity.
"What's going on?" he asked.
It no longer surprised Katie that when she pulled up to the security window of ARGUS, and the guard saw her face, she was let right in. She felt it so ironic that these people, this organization she promised herself that if she ever got away from them, that's she'd never go back, yet here she was just strolling through the front door. As she stood in the elevator, she glanced down to her daughter who was now wide awake.
"One day I'm going to tell you such a crazy story, sweetie." Katie said just as the doors opened. She stepped off and headed down the familiar hall. She walked straight to his office, walking right in without knocking, only to come to a stop. She looked around the completely empty room. There wasn't a desk or chairs, just an empty room.
"They were supposed to catch you before you got this far." Katie turned at the voice to see Lyla.
"Where is he?" Katie asked looking around the room once again.
"He's gone." Lyla replied and Katie turned back to the woman. "He said it was over, that there was nothing left for him to do here." Katie continued to stare at the woman before once again looking around the room.
"So he left without telling you where he was going?" Katie asked and Lyla just nodded.
"No one told you?" Katie turned to the woman for a moment before shaking her head and pushing the stroller out the door. "Katie wait, if you need him for something, maybe we can try to contact him." Katie didn't stop walking.
"Don't bother!" Katie called, not even turning as she continued to the elevator.
She wanted nothing more than to just go home and not think about her father and the fact that he really just left without a word. She's not even sure why she was upset. She wanted him out of her life, wanted to never see him again, and yet him just disappearing made her that much angrier. She strapped Robyn into her car seat before closing the door and walking around to step inside only to stop at the sight of the man leaning against her car.
"I told him you would show up, but he didn't believe me."
"I'm not doing this Martin." Katie says walking over to open her door. "He wants to disappear off the face of the planet, then let him. I don't need him."
"Then why are you here?" Martin asked and Katie just shook her head before opening her door. "I get it you're angry with him, you want to hate him, but in the end he's still your father."
"Is he?" Katie asked slamming the door closed and turning to the man. "Because if I remember correctly, somebody put a big question mark over who really was my father and instead of talking to me about it, he chose to lie and keep secrets."
"You know you're upset about secrets while avoiding any conversation with him." Martin said and Katie's eyes widen and he could see the argument before it came out of her mouth and so he rose his hands. "And that is in no way condoning any of it, it's just the truth has to start somewhere. But you have to be willing to actually listen." she turned away from the man unsure if she was even ready for such a moment. "He's ready to have the conversation, when you're ready to listen." Martin turned and Katie looked over to him letting out a sigh.
"Uh, the list." she said suddenly and Martin stopped and turned to her. "I needed to talk to him about the list, and Tempest. I think it may be the key in figuring out who this new player is."
"Prometheus." Martin said and Katie quirked a brow, but the man just held up his hands once again. "We know just as much about him as you do."
"Well is Jacob looking into him?" Katie asked and Martin looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"Ra's al Ghul and Damien Darhk. Those were the monsters he was going to protect you from and it turns out you didn't need much help from him." Martin shrugged. "He's stepping back."
Katie frowned slightly. "Since when?" Martin shrugged again and Katie just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. We'll figure it out without his help." with that Katie turned around, slipping into the driver's side of the car before driving away.
Martin stood there, watching her car as it headed down the path toward the front gate. He pressed the button on the comlink in his ear as he began walking toward his own car.
"She seemed disappointed." Martin spoke.
"No she seemed stubborn." Jacob responded. The man stood on the back patio deck of his cabin outside of Star City. He'd heard the entire exchange between Martin and his daughter. "But I think she may be on to something. Prometheus targeting people whose names are associated with the names in that notebook mean's he knows about it."
"What do you think the connection is?"
"No idea." Jacob replied taking a sip from his glass as he stared out to the lake that was his backyard. "But I think she's right. They will figure it out." the man smiled. "She'll figure it out." he turned around and walked over to sit in the wooden chair in front of his laptop currently showing an article about the declining stock market value of RI. "Right now there are more pressing matters." he scrolled through the article stopping at the picture of the current CEO.
Katie sat at the red light waiting for it to change, when her phone suddenly rang. She quickly pressed the button on the steering wheel to stop the sound from waking up her now sleeping daughter.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me. How did it go?" Oliver spoke.
Katie let out a heavy sigh. "Well it didn't. He wasn't there. Apparently he has left ARGUS."
"Seriously? Where did he go?"
"No idea, but I guess now that the demon and Darhk are off the board, he can now live blissfully happy in a life of undead retirement." Katie shook her head. "It's fine. We will figure it out without his help."
"Twinkie-"
"Hey, I got an email from the venue for Robyn's birthday party. Do you know anything about a pony ride?" she changed the subject wanting to desperately talk about something other than her father.
Oliver let out a heavy sigh. "No, but I think I remember hearing Ari saying something about ponies to Robyn the other day."
"How would she even-" it suddenly click. "She pretended she was me, didn't she?" she heard Oliver chuckle. "You laugh but ponies cost money. They were able to get two for the party, but they need a down payment to have them reserved. I'm now on my way to the bank because I don't have any checks."
"We're not having this conversation again, Twinkie."
"I didn't say anything."
"You have a problem with misplacing things. I'm afraid of what would happen if you lost an entire checkbook."
"I would not lose a checkbook, you're just a control freak and I'm not having this conversation. I'm going to the bank and I'm going to request a checkbook-"
"Twinkie-"
"And I won't lose it and then you will see that I am a capable adult like person." Katie said when the light changed to green. "So what did I miss after I left?"
"Someone strung up two dead criminals outside of SCPD." Oliver sighed. "It doesn't seem like Prometheus' MO, but it could be I guess."
"Do you know anything about the guys he killed?"
"No, there's no link between these guys and his other victims or me." Katie heard the frustration in his voice. "Just more psychos out there killing people."
"Until we stop them." Katie replied.
"There is that "we" again." Oliver said and she could imagine the smile on his face. "You know I never knew one word could be so..."
"What?"
"Sexy." he replied and Katie laughed. "No, I'm serious-" Katie continued to laugh as she turned into the parking lot of the bank. "That brings me to my next question. What did you mean earlier when you said you were-"
"Oliver I just pulled up!" Katie called purposely cutting him off to avoid having to answer the question.
"You know I think adult like person is an accurate description." Oliver said and Katie laughed again. "I love you, Mrs. Queen."
"Love you too." she replied before hanging up the phone. She parked the car before glancing into the backseat at her daughter, whose eyes cracked up the moment the car stopped. "Of course."
Katie had called ahead before arriving so when she walked inside, she wouldn't have to wait long. The banker pulled her into his office as they filled out her request form for her checkbook before he went to make copies. Her checkbook would be mailed to the house, but he was printing her a check so she could take it over to the venue to pay for their surprise ponies.
Robyn was now propped up on Katie's lap, no longer wanting to be strapped into her car seat as they waited for the banker to come back.
"What are we going to do with a one year old." Katie said smiling at the child who just bounced up and down in her lap. Katie pulled the girl to her chest, placing a kiss to her head not expecting the sudden sound of an explosion followed by machine gun fire. She grasped Robyn to her chest before quickly standing to her feet as she listened to screaming. She looked around the room before quickly walking over and locking the door and flicking off the lights.
Robyn became fussy at the sudden darkness. "It's ok." Katie whispered as she hurried over to hide behind the desk. Soon Robyn's whines turned into a loud cry and Katie tried her best to calm the baby. But sitting in the dark, gun fire just outside of the door, and nothing was working. "It's ok, mommy's here."
Katie closed her eyes, as she continued rocking the child in her arms. That door couldn't open. That's what she kept thinking. That door just couldn't open. If that door opened then things would happen. Bad things. Mostly to whoever walked through that door who even posed even the slightest threat to her daughter.
"You're ok." Katie continued to whisper knowing at some point the baby's cries would be heard and that door would open and she'd have to use the knife she had tucked in the side of her boot. Suddenly the gun fire stopped, and so did the screaming. There was a crash and then the sound of glass shattering. Then a few more gun shots before it was once again silent. Katie just sat there with her eyes closed, still rocking her daughter. She wasn't going to move, no matter how much it was killing her not to run out that door to make sure no one was hurt, or to see if someone needed help. Hell it was killing her not to run out the door to try to stop whatever was happening, and yet none of it mattered as she sat holding the only thing she cared about in this moment. She wasn't leaving her daughter and her daughter wasn't leaving her and so she would stay right here in this dark office hiding behind this desk.
After a while, Robyn's cries turned into a whimper. Katie wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, but soon it wouldn't matter. Her cell phone began ringing and she cursed under her breath. Her phone was in her bag on the other side of the room. She needed to grab it before someone heard it. She clutched Robyn to her chest before she lifted herself to her knees and quickly slid around the desk. She was halfway to her bag when she heard the sound of the doorknob being turned. She froze as she lifted her eyes to the door, now clutching her daughter with one arm, while her other hand was reaching for the knife. The moment her hand wrapped around the handle, she quickly stood to her feet, flipping the knife to grasp the blade with her thumb and index finger.
When the door burst open, she didn't hesitate. She threw the knife at whoever was at that door, ignoring all cries of pain as she reached down to grab a second knife.
"Katie, wait!" a voice called and when Katie looked up, she didn't expect to see John in his Spartan gear, standing beside Rene who was currently in his Wild Dog gear, her knife now protruding from his forearm. She brought both arms around Robyn as she looked between the men. "Are you two ok?" she should tell him yes, nod, give some sort of confirmation that they were ok and yet she could still feel it. That familiar twinge under her skin after that door opened when she realized any one who stepped foot near her child would die.
"Hey Doc, you good?" Rene said pulling the knife from his arm and taking a step forward, but she backed away before turning her back to them. "Doc?" John grabbed his shoulder to stop him from getting to close.
"Just give her a minute." John said
Rene turned to the man before glancing back to the woman whose back was still to them as she rocked her daughter in her arms. After a while him and John turned, leaving the woman.
After a few moments, Katie let out a deep breath before finally turning around and picking up her bag. Robyn at this point was completely calm, but quiet, her head just laying on Katie's shoulder. Katie placed a kiss to her head as she finally made her way out the door.
She found the rest of the team, minus Oliver standing around a man covered in blood. Katie's eyes looked down to the man, before placing a hand on top of Robyn's head to keep her from looking in that direction.
"Hey," Katie turned to Ari, who was now Fire Light. "You guys alright?"
"Yeah, we were in the office the whole time." she looked around at the bodies on the ground and she let out a shaky breath. "I had Robyn so I couldn't-" she turned back to Ari and shook her head. "I should've done something to stop this."
"Apparently you didn't have to." Evelyn said and Katie looked over to her. "According to our recently deceased friend, aka one of the bank robbers in this place, a vigilante was here to stop them."
"Vigilante?" Katie said turning to John who gave a nod. They heard the sound of sirens. "You guys have to go."
"You're coming with us." Ari said and Katie turned to her with a shake of her head. "Felicity can wipe the surveillance, make it look like you weren't here."
"But I was here." Katie said looking around the bank, her eyes glancing back to that office. She turned back to Ari. "Go, I'll see you at home." Ari hesitated for a moment, but soon trailed after the others as they began leaving. It was John who still stood there in front of her. "John, we're good." Katie shook her head. "Plus I'm sure I have a worried husband who's driving like a mad man to get here. Tell him I'm fine."
"I already did, but I think he'll only believe it when he sees you." John said and Katie just gave a nod before the man turned and left as well.
When Oliver arrived at the bank, there was already a crowd of reporters outside of a perimeter of police tape. He had returned to City Hall for a meeting, only to get the call from Felicity about the bank robbery at the bank his wife and daughter were. Oliver stepped out of the car, ignoring the reporters who seemed to crowd around their mayor. They were screaming questions at him, and he knew he should answer. He was the mayor and he should say something to give the people in this city the peace of mind that they were safe. Right now he needed to give himself peace of mind. His eyes scanned the sea of reporters and police and EMTs looking for his family. Suddenly his phone beeped and he took it out to see a text from Katie.
"In the car across the street."
He lifted his eyes, spotting the black SUV and pushed his way through the crowd. When he neared the car, he turned to see Hank who hopped out of the drivers seat to pull open the back door. Oliver looked inside to see Katie, Robyn clutched to her chest. He quickly climbed inside, bringing his arms around them. That's when he finally allowed himself to breathe. Hank shut the door behind him before climbing back into the driver's seat and pulling off. Oliver didn't say anything, and neither did Katie as they just sat there in that lingering embrace.
"Sir-"
"Home." Oliver instructed. "Just take us home."
When he finally pulled back, he met Katie's eyes and he could see that she was shaken. He looked down to Robyn seeing the grasp Katie had around her, and he could only imagine what she was feeling right now. He knew she was thinking about how close their daughter was to this dangerous situation. He was thinking about it too.
When they pulled up to the house, Oliver made to step out, but stopped when he didn't sense any movement from Katie. He turned to see the woman, her eyes closed as she rocked Robyn in her arms.
"Hey Twinkie," he spoke softly as he reached over and placed a hand to her cheek. She opened her eyes and turned to him. "We're home." she glanced out the window to see the house and she gave a nod before sliding out of the car behind him. Oliver tucked an arm around her as they walked to the front door. He opened the door before taking a step to the side to let them in first. He walked in after closing the door behind him before turning to find Katie standing there in front of him. "Hey, Twinkie, why don't you let me take her?" he took a step toward her, but she backed away from him, never relinquishing her grasp. She turned and walked into the living room and he followed behind her. "Twinkie-"
"I was going to kill someone." she said suddenly turning back to him. "Like I could feel it with every ounce of my being that I was going to kill anyone that stepped inside of that office and threatened this child. And that feeling—it was so strong, so certain. There were no other options, nothing to think about, that was it. Because nothing can happen to her. Nothing-" she closed her eyes as tears she knew were coming at some point finally dampened her cheeks. Oliver closed the distance, bringing his arms around her, and she turned slightly to drop her head to his chest.
It took some convincing, but Oliver was finally able to pull Robyn from Katie's arms so Robyn could get a bath, and Katie could get a shower and they both could lie down. After her shower, Katie changed into her pjs, and headed toward the nursery, only for the door to open and Oliver to step out to stop her.
"I was just-"
"She's fine, and she's asleep." Oliver said bringing an arm around her and pulling her back to the bedroom. "You should get some sleep too."
"I'm not tired." Katie said as they walked into the room. "What happened?"
"The bank was being robbed. Four man crew lead by an Eric Dunn—our new vigilante stepped in. Three got away, but one of them was killed." Oliver shook his head. "Felicity was able to identify the crew. We think this guy might try to go after them to finish the job."
"So you guys have find Dunn and his crew before the vigilante." Katie said and Oliver nodded.
"Some of the team wasn't sure why we needed to stop this guy. Apparently we're on the same side." he shook his head. "And yet not too long ago they were upset after finding out that as the Hood, I played Judge, Jury and executioner."
Katie placed her hands on Oliver's chest and his arms wrapped around her waist. "The misconception of justice. At one point or another we have this idea of what justice is. But there's a thin line between serving justice, and being a narcissistic murdering psycho with a hero complex."
The couple stands there for a moment in silence, their eyes on each other before Katie lets out a sigh and drops her head to Oliver's chest.
"I was going to kill someone." Katie whispers. She couldn't stop thinking about that fact.
"You're not a monster." Oliver says and Katie just lets out a sigh. "You're a mother who would do anything to protect her daughter." he places a kiss to the top of her head. "You should get some rest."
"You know sometimes Liver I think you live to get me in bed." Katie said and Oliver laughed as he pulled back to look at her.
"Well maybe I do." he replied before quickly scooping her in his arms and the woman couldn't even contain her laughter.
Author's Note:
This is another chapter that ran a bit long so I split it up. Whatcha think?
Review Replies:
Adela: Thank you! I have hope Bruce and katie will figure out how to make amends.
Thanks everyone! As always, I apologize for the delay between updates. I appreciate everyone sticking this out with me!
Sneak peek
They all turned at the sound of footsteps to see Oliver. The man walked over and slowed his steps as he saw the look in their eyes.
"What?" he asked. "What's wrong?"
John took a step forward. "It's Ari. She was the Papp Motel." Oliver looked at his friend in confusion. "she tried talking to the Vigilante again when she heard someone calling for help from inside of the building. Oliver she-"
Oliver didn't listen to another word as he turned prepared to go back to that motel and search every inch of it until he found her.