Arsenal new beginnings chapter 4: Lian meets her dad for the first time.
"Why did you leave Roy? Doesn't sound like you?" Diggle asked.
Roy grabbed the photo and stared at it and a tear rolled down his eye. He used his left arms and wiped the tear from his face on his sleeve and says "At the time I didn't want to risk their lives or put them at risk with my enemies. But after everything that happen I want to be in my daughter's life."
Diggle listened to what was being said and says "That's great news Roy. Did you both decide a time and place." Roy knew that there was more to Diggle's visit than he was letting and says "She said she'd be in touch. I know your visit is more than a social call Diggle, so would you just get it over with and tell me why you are here. Don't tell me you came all this way just to ask about my family."
"Alright you caught me. The Green Viginate would like to take you under his wing and train you better." Diggle replied in a Low voice.
"Take me under his wing." Roy whispered in a confused tone to Diggle.
"I know this might seem surprising but he saw something in you last night. Plus he'd like you to come with me when you're feeling better to meet him." Diggle in the same low tone replied.
Roy closed the TV and looked back at Diggle. You could see Roy face was deep in thought as muscles of his face moved and says "Does this mean I finally get to meet the man behind the hood?"
"Yes. All I will say is that when you're better in a week I'll take you to him." Diggle made his way to the door and turned the handle looking back at Roy and says "Then once there you can decide what you'd like to do."
He then opened the door more and walked out and headed to his car. Not before closing the door to Roy's room. Meanwhile not far from his room Oliver and Laurel were talking. Oliver looked at Laurel and hugged her and said, "I'm glad you're alright."
"I'm fine Oliver thanks to Roy and thanks for helping him with his operation that saved his life." Laurel replied.
Oliver looked back, giving Laurel and smile and says "He's a good kid and has a great future."
"I'm glad you think so Ollie. The real reason I needed to talk to you wasn't to talk about Roy. It was to talk about some things on my mind. Things that need some answers, closure." Laurel replied.
"What things would you like to know? Oliver asked looking back at Laurel.
Laurel looked at Oliver and grabbed his left hand says "Ollie I know a lot has happened to you since you've returned from the island and I've noticed that you aren't the same person you once were. I'd like to know if you still have feelings for me."
Oliver turned his body away from laurel and wanted to tell her the truth about his feelings and being the Green Vigilante. He turned back to look at her and says "I'm sorry Laurel I don't have any feelings."
A tear rolled down her face as Oliver walked off and headed to the front entrance of the clinic. She watched as he left and thought now wasn't the time to tell him about becoming the Black Canary. Or about him possibly being the Green Vigilinate. She cleaned her face and added some makeup then left the clinic to meet up with her father for lunch.
A week goes by and Roy was feeling a lot better. The doctors told him that he was well enough to be release him from the Clinic. Diggle had decided to go and pick up Roy and being him home. Roy sat in the passenger seat and listened to what the radio had been saying.
Diggle turned the radio off and turned his head, while still keeping an eye on the road and says, "Did you come to a decision on the Green Vigilante's offer?"
"I did Diggle and I also figured out who he is. You can't deny it. It's Oliver Queen." Roy replied looking in the direction of Diggle.
"How were you able to deduce it was him?" Diggle asked.
"It was easy. For one thing your his security and plus after talking to you, I put two and two together." Roy replied with a smiled on his face.
They arrived at his apartment and both walk into the hallway and Roy pulled out his key and noticed that the door was opened. Diggle looked at Roy, and then pulled his .38 out and heads inside first.
Sitting on his couch was Jade and next to her Lian was seating there asleep. Diggle with the gun pointed at them said, "Who are you?"
Roy placed his hand on Diggle's arms and made his arm go down and says "It's alright it's only Jade and my daughter Lian."
Diggle put the gun back into his pocket and Lian woke up and rubbed her eyes then looked at Roy and Diggle and says "Who are they mommy."
She got scared and hugged her mom. Jade looked back at Lian and said, "That's your father and his friend."
"Hello Lian, I'm your dad." Roy replied in a nice soothing voice.
Lian looked at her dad and said, "You're my daddy?"
He nodded to her and she smiled and ran to him. He bent down to her level and hugged her. Tears rolled down Roy's face. He looked back at Jade and whispered "Thank you."
"I didn't do it for you Roy. I did this for our daughter." Jade replied pointed at their daughter from the couch.
She was playing with her dolls on the couch. Diggle knew that Roy needed some alone time and headed to the door. He waved goodbye to everyone then went out the door. Roy turned to Jade and said, "I want you to know your both welcome to stay as long as you need."
Jade stood up and walked towards Roy and grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen. As Roy was pulled into the kitchen he looked at Jade and says "Whoa"
She released his arm and leaned against the counter in the kitchen and looked at Roy. She kept one eye on Lian while they talked.
Jade thought of a way to break the silence and says "I need you to watch Lian for a few days, while I'm working."
"What's the job?" Roy asked with concern in his voice.
"Look Roy I know what you're thinking and at the time, I was doing what was best for Lian. The pay was great what was offered." Jade replied.
Roy looked back at Jade and hopped that the man or woman who hired Jade wasn't the same people, who hired her to kill him.
"How much are they paying you for this job and who gave you this job?" Roy asked.
Jade grabbed a glass from the cupboards and pulled out a glass and walked to the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of orange juice out and pored the juice into the glass and says "Lian come and get some orange juice sweetheart."
Lian from the other room shouts "Coming mom."
She ran into the kitchen and Jade handed the glass of juice and Lian drank the juice then finished her juice then left it on the table. Jade looked at Lian and said, "Would you like anything to eat?"
She looked back and thought for a moment placing her left index finger on her lip and says "I'd like.. Some Pizza for supper mommy."
"Your dad will order your favorite pizza in a minute ok sweetie." Jade replied placing her glass in the sink.
"You never answered my question. Who hired you for a job and who was the target?" Roy asked.
"Malcolm Merlyn hired me to do a job for 2 million dollars. His intendant target is Nightwing." Jade replied.
Roy couldn't believe what he had been hearing. He was almost in shock and says "Nightwing. Malcolm Merlyn wants Nightwing dead why?"
"Why? I do not know. I never asked. But he wanted the job done tonight." Jade replied.
Roy knew that time was running out. He knew that Malcolm was a dangerous man and needed to be stop. He sat on one of his chairs in the kitchen and says "Tonight. You have to turn this job down."
"I don't have a choice, he said if I didn't go through with it, he'd hurt my family." Jade replied with fear in her voice.
He used his hands as he talked to Jade and listened to her answers. He couldn't believe the answer he got back from Jade and says "You know both you and Jade are safe. Plus I'll ask Ollie for help on this one."
"Look Roy I know you care, but I have to take care of this on my own." Jade replied in a stern voice.
"Even if it means putting your life at risk. What about Lian?" Roy asked and had a worried look on his face.
She grabbed his hand and squeezed it and said, "I'm doing this for her and for you. Yes even if it does. I need to see this through. Now drop it and order Lian's all dressed medium pizza."
"Alright I'll drop it." Roy replied heading to the telephone and picked up the receiver.
He dialed the pizza place and says "I'd like a medium all dressed pizza delivered please."
"One all dressed pizza. Did you want anything else to go with your order Roy? The pizza should be ready in 20 minutes Roy and I'll send our delivery guy over with your pizza. That will be $7.50. You can pay the amount when the guy arrives." The pizza guy replied and placed Roy's order. Roy always ordered pizza from Pizza Georges.
Roy listened to the amount and wrote the amount on paper and says "Thanks George."
Roy hung up the telephone and said, "The pizza will be here in 20 minutes."
Lian was the first to hear the news and ran to Jade who was in Roy's room. Jade was sitting at the edge of the bed and saw Lian running into the room and says "Slow down Lian before you get hurt."
"Sorry mommy. Is everything alright?" Lian asked looking at her mom.
She picked her daughter up and hugged her tight and says "Yes my dear everything is fine. I want you to wash your hands, once the pizza arrives ok."
She nodded to her mother then kissed her check and says "I love you mommy."
Lian then left the room and went back into the living room and went to seat on the couch and watch TV. Roy had put a station that had kid's shows that she enjoyed watching while they waited. Roy decided he would seat on the couch, not before leaving the exact amount for the pizza on the dresser that was against the wall. He then walked off and headed for the couch and watches TV with Lian and spends some father-daughter time.
20 minutes go by and there's a knock on the door. George's pizza place was only 3 blocks away. Roy always ordered from George's pizza. Normally he brings home the pizza, but tonight he decided to have it delivered. Jade heard the knock at the door and left the bedroom. She walked directly to the door and opened it. The pizza guy is standing outside the door holding the pizza in his hand and said, "One all dressed pizza. That will be $7.50."
Jade grabbed the money from the dresser and says "Here you go."
She handed the guy the amount for the pizza and he placed the amount for the pizza in his pocket then walked off. Jade then closed the door and turned. She turned towards the kitchen and grabbed some plates and napkins and called out "Pizza's here. Lian, Roy it's time to wash up and get ready for dinner."
Roy looked at Lian and said, "You heard your mother, head to the bathroom and wash your hands."
"Ok daddy" she says as she got off the couch and headed to the bathroom and washed her hands Roy got up and helped Jade set the table with dish wear and glasses.
Lian came out of the bathroom and looked at her parents and says "All clean."
"That's my girl." Jade replied and opened the pizza box then looked at Lian and says "How many pieces would you like sweetie?"
Lian thought for a minute then using her fingers and speaking at the same time said, "I'd like 3 pieces mommy and a glass of juice."
"3 pieces it is sweetie and some more orange juice." Jade placed the three pieces of pizza on her plate then went into the fridge and placed poured the orange juice in her glass then handed it to her. She sat at the table and faced both her parents. Roy grabbed two slices and then Jade grabbed 2 pieces as well. Jade had bought a bottle of wine for them to share. She poured then a glass and left the bottle on the table. It was a bottle of Jacob's creek. Lian yawned as she was eating and rubbed her eyes. Jade noticed that her daughter was getting tired and turned to her and says "Guess it time for bed my dear."
"Aww, but mommy do I have too." Lian asked looking at Jade.
Jade gave her a half smile and said, "There will be plenty of time to spend with your dad tomorrow sweetie."
"You promise mommy." Lian asked.
Roy listened and decided for once to be the dad and looked directly at Lian and said, "I promise sweetheart."
Lian smiled and got up from the chair and walked towards her dad and Roy picked her up and hugged her. She hugged him back, only to fall asleep in his arms. He carried her to his bed room and tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead then closed the bedroom door then headed back into the kitchen to finish his dinner.
He finished his pizza then did the dishes while Jade had gone to sleep in the spare bedroom. Roy then went on the couch and fell asleep there, not before walking to his cupboard and grabbed the spare Blanket. He covered himself with it then fell asleep, after turning the TV off.
Roy looked at the clock on his VCR and it read 11:20pm. Night had fallen and the temperature of the city had dropped 5 degrees. Roy turned to look at Lian who had fallen asleep. He got up from the couch and pulled off the blanket that was on him.
Roy covered Lian with his blanket then went to sit back down, next to her and watched the news. A couple hours later, Roy was out like a light on the couch. He snored very lightly, but he'd never admit he snored.
2am in the morning, Jade walked into the living room where Roy had drifted off on the couch. He laid there in a seated position, when he had fallen asleep. Lian lay there next to her father and was fast asleep. Roy had covered her with his blanket and stayed next to her and watched TV.
She grabbed the other blanket off the chair that was against the wall. Jade opened in and wrapped it around Roy. She kissed his forehead and stood there and whispered "I'm sorry..."
She closed the TV and opened the window and climbed out. She did it quietly not before stopping to look back at Lian and in a low voice says "I love you my darling. I'll fix this so that we can be a family again."
She climbed down the fire escape and disappeared. Roy heard the sounds of the window and woke up and noticed the drapes had been blowing. He rubbed his eyes to wake up and walked to the window and closed the window and says "I could have sworn I closed this window. Hmm. She wouldn't… Could she have?"
Roy ran to his bed room and opened the door and noticed that a suit case was on the bed and thought about what she did to help them survive and remembered she had to kill Nightwing. He closed the bed room door and in his head said, "Dam it... I have to stop her before it's too late."
To be continued...