Part 13

Competition


Ever since the Undertaking and the fact that Arrow and Karma had been seen together on TV, working to help save people, the two Vigilantes had been the main subject in the gossip news. Everybody loved to talk about them, who they had stopped of course but also if they were really together. some even speculated about who their next stop would be. They had given the police department a phone they could use to reach them in case they needed help and Detective Lance had been chosen to be their liaison.

"Hey, Oliver, Veronica, look. They're having this week's People debate show is about Arrow and Karma." Thea told them during breakfast, calling them to watch TV.

"What is there to debate about?" Veronica asked as they followed Thea.

"Are they still trying to decide if they're friends of the city or enemies?" Oliver asked her.

Moira wasn't home that morning, she was meeting with Walter to try and patch things up, so it was just the three of them and John Diggle.

"I think everyone agree that they are not only friendly but also assets to the city. They started out with the question 'Are they really dating?' and are about to move on to 'Who is better?'." Thea replied.

"Who is better? Well sounds interesting to me." Veronica smiled.

"Seriously? Can't they have debates about more serious matters like the upcoming mayoral elections, pollution or the environment?" Oliver rolled his eyes.

"You're just afraid of losing to her." Thea teased her brother.

"Or he knows he can't win against a cute blond." John added, making Thea chuckle while Oliver ignored them and listened to the TV.

"You can't possibly ask us to decide who is the hottest or the sexiest! One is a man, a very sexy man that makes me reconsider being straight, and the other one is a sexy as hell woman. They're not the same gender, we can't debate on their hotness." One of the people on TV exclaimed.

"Of course we can, their gender is pointless." Another one replied.

"You only say that because you're bisexual." The first person replied with an amused smirk.

"Well, I for one think that Karma is by far the hottest one, because she's a woman and fighting against male criminals without backing out, ever." A third person declared.

"I disagree, who she fights against has nothing to do with this. It's not an argument you can use. Arrow is by far the sexiest, he has more muscles and it is known that muscles make a person sexy." The first person shook his head.

"But Karma shows a great cleavage, and that makes a woman sexy as hell, especially when you have her legs." A fourth person argued.

"That's ridiculous." Veronica shook her head while the debate went on on TV.

"Well, you do have great legs." Thea commented while Oliver nodded his agreement.

The debate went on for a few more minutes before they decided that it was a tie and before they moved on.

"So, really, on to the main question of this debate now. Who do we think is the best Vigilante between them? Also, who would win if they decided to fight?" One of them asked.

"Oh come on, really!" Veronica rolled her eyes before she moved closer to Oliver and entered his arms.

"Well, you'd win Honey, because I'd let you win." Oliver whispered in Veronica's ear.

"We all agree that they make an exceptional team and that Karma's presence has improved the Arrow. I think that makes her the best out of the two of them." Another person declared on TV.

"They should ask the one who has to work with them every night." Thea said before they all turned to Diggle who raised his hands up and replied with a smile:

"I plead the fifth, I don't want to be shot with an arrow or tasered if I answer this."

They watched the debate until it was over, declaring that once again, there was no winner.

"I don't know why they call it a debate since they never make a decision, they just talk. I don't know how you can watch it every week Thea." Oliver declared, standing up to head to his office with Veronica who agreed to attend a few meetings for him while he met with the head of a department to talk about a potential new project.

"Well, Roy hates this show as well but he's probably watching it anyway, just because it's about his favorite Vigilante. He's obsessed with the Arrow now." Thea replied.

"It'll pass. Every boy needs a hero once in a while." Veronica reassured Thea before she followed Oliver out of the door and to the car while the Tv announced that the following week's debate would be about Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen, making Thea smile.

.

From the shadows that the night provided, Sarah Lance, as the Black Canary, watched over her sister who was bent over a computer next to a blond she had seen with Oliver earlier.

Veronica Mars.

She knew that she shouldn't have come, she should have gone back to the League as soon as she saw that they were all fine but she couldn't. She felt the need to stay longer, to find out more about her sister's life. She also wanted to know more about her father. Why was he going to so many AA meetings? Did he have a problem? She needed answers and she knew that the best way to get them would be to show herself to Oliver, the Arrow.

How would he take her being here, alive?

She straightened when Veronica stood and left Laurel's place. Sara watched as Veronica left the building and was surprised to see her climb behind the Arrow on a black and green motorcycle. Running and jumping from one building to the other, Sara saw them stop, Veronica went into Verdant through the back door and came back out a few minutes later, dressed as Karma. This explained a lot and made Sara smile. Oliver wasn't alone and she was glad.

Following from a distance, she saw the two of them arrive in the middle of what looked like a fight between them and the Chinese triad, over a FEMA truck. Cyn had told her about medicine missing from the hospital because the deliveries never made it there. She couldn't help but agree that Arrow and Karma definitely made a good team but Sara could see that they were outnumbered. Especially now that a big black man with metal claws on his hands joined the Triad.

"Typical." She rolled her eyes before jumping in, deciding that now was the right time to let Oliver know that she was back in town.

Using every skill she had learned with the League, Sara jumped by Karma and Arrow's side and started backing them up while their black friend drove the truck away, probably where it was supposed to go.

"Thanks for the assist. Who are you?" Karma asked her as she kept on fighting, using her whip with ease and turning Sara on a bit.

"A ghost from the past. You can call me Black Canary." Sara replied.

"A ghost from whose past?" Arrow asked her while he managed to tie up the blond leader of the chinese triad.

"Yours." Black Canary replied before they were separated by the fight.

Sara couldn't help but notice that no matter who they fought and where they were, Oliver and Veronica always seemed to know where the other was and if he, or she, needed help. They were a true partnership and she could guess that they were more than just friends. They were in love, true love, the kind of love everyone dreamed of their entire lives.

Soon enough, the fight was over and everyone was tied up, waiting for the cops to arrive and bring them in. The man with the metal claws looked especially angry to have been caught.

"Lance is just around the corner with his team, we need to go." Karma announced and, with a gesture, invited Black Canary to follow them.

Deciding that now was too late to back up, Sara followed them until they were safely away. They stopped when they were on top of a building.

"Thanks for the help, I don't think we would have been able to stop them all tonight without your help." Karma told Black Canary.

"You're welcome. I was looking for someone to hit anyway." She smiled.

"Who are you?" Arrow asked her and Sara noticed that he stepped closer to Karma, ready to defend her if necessary.

"Don't you recognize me Ollie?" Sara asked him, taking off her wig and mask.

"Sara? How are you still alive?" He asked, taking a step back.

"Laurel's sister? The Sara you took with you on the Gambit? I thought she died on the island." Veronica told Oliver, taking her mask off with he let his hood down.

"I survived." Sara replied.

"Maybe we should take this someplace else, more private." Veronica suggested nervously and they all agreed.

Oliver told Sara to find them at Verdant, which, of course, she had located since she came back in town. He wasn't willing to let her in his new base yet so he'd show her the old ones, which was still operational and still had all the necessary equipment. On the ride there, he could feel that Veronica wasn't her normal self. She was nervous, maybe even scared of losing him to Sara or jealous of their past relationship. He'd have to make sure she knew that she had nothing to fear. he loved her, Sara was part of his messed up past, nothing more. She had said earlier that she was a ghost from his past and she was right. She was just a ghost.

"She's pretty." Veronica commented once they got off the bike and waited for Sara to arrive, knowing that Oliver was about to bring the subject.

"You have nothing to worry about my Love, I love you and nothing is going to change that. Sara is just part of my past, she's an old friend, nothing more. You have nothing to fear. She said earlier that she was a ghost from my past and she's right. That's all she is, a friendly ghost. Even if we let her in our lives, she'll never be more than a friend because I love you and have no room in my heart to love anyone else, it'll all yours." He told her, taking her face between his hands and kissing her softly.

"I needed that." Veronica smiled once he was done kissing her.

"I know." He smiled back at her.

"Don't you worry your pretty little blond head Karma, Ollie's actually not my type anymore. If I was to sleep with someone in this alley, it'd be you." Sara declared with a flirtatious smirk, announcing that she had heard everything.

"You're..." Veronica started to say but stopped, looking for the best way to formulate it.

"Gay? Yes. And I'm kind of taken, she's the jealous type." Sara replied, happy with the surprised expression she had placed on Oliver's face.

"Who else knows that you're in town?" Oliver asked Sara once they were settled inside.

"A young friend I've been watching over. I don't want my father or Laurel to know yet. I'm not ready to face them or anyone else who knew me." Sara replied gravely.

"We understand." Veronica nodded.

After that, Sara told them how she became the Black Canary, how she had been saved by Nyssa Al Ghul and everything she had learned. The League had given her a new life, a new will to live and a new mission. She also told them how she had rushed back to Starling City after hearing of the Earthquake to check on her father and sister.

"I was able to come because I am also here to see if anyone would pose a resistance to our disposing of Malcolm Merlyn." Sara finished.

"What do you mean by disposing?" Oliver asked her.

"Malcolm was a member of the League, he was Raz Al Ghul's right hand before the demon allowed him to leave to go back home to his son. They called him the Magician. They allowed him to leave the League but he still needs to follow our rules and what he did with the Undertaking, it broke the rules and went against all of the League's principles. Raz wants him dead and soon he'll send his people here to do it. They'll kill anyone who poses a resistance." Sara explained.

"I doubts many people will stop them where Malcolm is kept. Most of the people that interact with him live in the Glades or lost something or someone because of him. They keep him in an extra secured cell though, designed especially for him. League members should have no trouble making their way there, they won't have to kill the guards, I'm sure bribe would be enough. I doubt anyone would risk their lives to save his after everything he's done." Veronica reassured Sara.

"What about his son, what about Tommy?" Sara asked.

"He's just as angry as everyone else. He's cut all ties to Malcolm." Veronica replied.

"How long are you staying in town?" Oliver asked.

"I should have been back over a week ago. Nyssa will probably come and get me soon, afraid that I decided to desert the League." Sara replied with a smile.

"Shouldn't you go and meet her then?" Veronica asked her.

"No, let her come. I feel my presence is needed here. I don't know why but I know it is. I'll stay here until she comes. She'll understand." Sara shook her head.

"Do you need a place to stay?" Oliver asked her.

"No, I have everything I need." She shook her head.

Thinking that she liked having another girl around, Veronica went to get one of their disposable cellphones and gave it to Sara.

"Here, we'll call you on it next time we go out, in case you want to join. Our numbers are pre-programmed in it as well, if you want to call us."

"Thanks, I think I'd like that." Sara said before she went to hug Veronica and whispered in her ear:

"If you're ever tired of men, call me." After whispering these words in Veronica's ear, Sara squeezed her ass and left, laughing while Veronica rolled her eyes and Oliver frowned, jealousy taking him over.

"Did she just flirt with you?" Oliver asked Veronica.

"Don't worry, you're the only one that I want." She smiled at him before kissing him to show him exactly how much she loved him.

One thing leading to another, they ended up having sex right there, under Verdant, before they dressed back in normal clothes and joined Thea and Roy upstairs where they were surprised to find Tommy and Laurel as well.

Later, while Veronica laughed over a joke Tommy had made, Thea asked Oliver aside and, once they were away from everyone she told him:

"I think you need to know... Roy... Ever since you helped him save that bus full of people, he's obsessed with you. I mean, with Arrow. He wants to find you, to help you somehow. He already got arrested twice because he was at the wrong place, at the wrong time, trying to find you. I figured maybe if you went to talk to him as the Arrow, you could get him to back off, or give him something safe to do to help you or something..."

"I had no idea Thea... I'll go and talk to him tomorrow, I promise."

"Thanks brother. Now let's go back to your lovely girlfriend who I hope will officially be my sister some day soon." Thea replied with a meaningful smile while Oliver smiled back at her, not letting anything show.

.

Moira had figured out a while back that her son was the Arrow and that Veronica was Karma. Of course she was proud of them, though a bit worried every night. She had a hard time falling asleep before they came back and worried they'd get hurt.

"Where's Thea?" Oliver asked when Veronica and he came down for breakfast that morning.

"She spent the night at a friend's house. I want to use this opportunity to speak with the two of you." Moira announced.

"What's going on?" Veronica asked her with concern.

"Don't worry Veronica, it's nothing bad, at least I don't think it is. It's about something I know and I believe that you two deserve to know that I know." Moira started to say, looking for the best way to formulate things.

"Now I'm worried. What do you know mom?" Oliver asked her while placing his arm around Veronica's waist.

"I know that you're the Arrow, Oliver. And I know that you, Veronica, are Karma. I'm guessing that the third nameless hooded man that sometimes go with you is John Diggle." Moira declared.

"How?" Oliver asked, too shocked to even try to deny it.

"Putting two and two together as time passed. Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"How long have you known?" Veronica asked her.

"Ever since the night of the undertaking, the way you questioned me before leaving the house... I just knew, it's like everything was put into light. I... I just wanted to say that I'm very proud of you. Both of you. Worried of course, I don't think I've had a full night of sleep since I figured it out but I'm extremely proud of you." Moira assured them.

"Well, looks like everyone knows now." Oliver sighted.

"Except for Laurel." Veronica pointed out.

"Thea knows?" Moira asked.

"Yes, she figured out that I was Karma and we decided to tell her everything." Veronica replied.

"Mom, you know that you're going to have to keep the secret though, right?" Oliver told his mother.

"Of course, don't worry about that but I do wonder... Would you ever tell me what really happened on that island to change you that much?"

"I think I can, but not this morning. It's a very long story and Veronica and I have a meeting at Queen Consolidated to attend in an hour" Oliver replied, knowing that his mother needed to know at least some of what happened on the island.

"Thank you. On to another subject, I want your opinion on something." She told the two of them.

"Ours or Karma and Arrow's?" Veronica asked her back with a smile.

"Both." Moira smiled kindly before she added:

"Elections are coming up and everyone knows that Sebastian Blood is going to be running. Walter told me that some people would like me to run. I'm considering it but would like for this to be a decision for this entire family." Moira announced, clearly including Veronica in her family, which warmed the blond's heart.

"I think that it's a good idea. It will help you make up for the past mistakes and you'll be able to help save this city. I think that you have a good chance and if you do decide to run, I'll help you anyway I can." Veronica replied.

"So will I. I think it's a great idea, mom." Oliver nodded.

"Thank you, both of you. I'll announce it to Thea later today and why don't we all meet for lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure, we'd love to." Oliver replied with a smile.

"Now you should leave if you don't want to be late for your meeting." Moira smiled before hugging them both goodbye.

.

The next day, Veronica and Oliver met Moira and Thea at Big belly burger for a fun family lunch. It was something they had never done yet they all loved it. Some people were surprised to see the Queen family there but they had the decency to ignore them or at least not to stare openly. Walter was supposed to join them but he had had a last minute meeting and couldn't make it.

"Before we leave, Veronica, there's something I want to say. I realize that I've never really thanked you for everything you've done for my family. No, don't cut me off now. I'm not done. You saved Thea's life, became a big sister to her, a friend to me and, later, you made us all happy by becoming Oliver's girlfriend. I want you to know that you are a member of this family, I consider you a daughter and I couldn't be any happier that you're here with us. You're a member of our family and nothing could make me any happier." Moira declared.

"You're just trying to make me blush." Veronica replied, her voice thick with emotions while Oliver held her hand tightly and Thea smiled brightly.

"I know that your mother disappointed you, she wasn't there for you like she should have been and she forced you to grow a backbone. I saw you slowly drop this barrier you have around yourself to let my family and I in. You gave me great advice and I want you to know that if there ever comes a time where you need a mother, I'm here." Moira finished.

"I... Thanks you. For what it's worth Moira, I'm very happy to be here with you, considered a member of your family." Veronica blushed, trying to hide the tears she had in her eyes.

"Now you're making her cry." Thea pointed out.

"I'm just very touched, that's all." Veronica smiled.

As they kept on talking, none of them noticed the woman who was sitting behind them, with a hat on her head. Leanne had followed them and listened to their entire conversation. Of course she was jealous, Moira Queen had taken in her daughter's life the place that was supposed to be hers and she couldn't help but be angry, even though she had never really wanted that place in her life. Furious, she left the fast food and went to the first liquor store she could find. She needed a drink to forget, or maybe to find the courage to confront her daughter, or to put Moira Queen back in her place. All she knew was that once more, she was going to find comfort in alcohol.


What did you guys think of this one? What will Leanne end up doing?

Next chapter is Paternity 2, then Competition 2.

Review, please.

Lorelei Candice Black