Cissie had been quiet. Too quiet. Ollie knew she could be reserved, but this was too much. He knew that she was dying inside and that just killed him. He didn't want her to feel any more pain. If he could, he'd wrap her up in his arms and protect her forever. He knew he couldn't do that, though, and hadn't even been able to when she was still young enough to be innocent—which was pretty young in their business. For heaven's sake, the first time he laid eyes on Cissie she'd been pierced by two of her own arrows and bleeding everywhere! If only he'd been there to keep her out of Bonnie's clutches. Bonnie had robbed Cissie of her childhood as soon as the girl could sit up on her own.

"Cissie... I'm sorry," he blurted.

Cissie gave him a fragile smile. "It's not your fault, Dad. You didn't force Mom to start smoking like a chimney when she was twelve."

"No, I meant..." They stopped under a tree. The moon shone through the leaves, casting a patchy shadow over them. "I meant, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were growing up. Or even through all this. I've been selfish, hiding on the other side of the continent just because I don't get along with Bonnie."

"Dad, it's okay-"

"No, it's not okay. I should have been here with you. You needed someone to be right there beside you in all this."

"Dad, I do have someone."

Her words twisted in Ollie's chest. "Tim."

"Tim," Cissie answered softly.

Ollie sighed. "Look, I know I have no right to get all fatherly and protective over you, but I just... I can't help but feel like he's taking my little girl away."

"You weren't even there when I was a little girl," Cissie giggled.

"Don't remind me," Ollie almost barked.

"Sorry."

There was an awkward silence. In the distance they could hear the cacophony of a frat party, underscoring the crickets chirping around them.

"Why'd you call him first?" Ollie broached the topic.

"I knew he'd be there."

"Ouch."

"I didn't mean it like that, Dad. I just... I love him, Dad. I love him more than anything or anyone in my whole life. He's just so kind and humble and he's freaking brilliant. I mean, I know he could do so much better--"

"Now stop right there," Ollie cut her off. "I don't want to hear you say anything like that ever again. You are amazing, okay? I don't know where you got it from. It certainly wasn't from me and… well… let's not get into Bonnie right now, but my point is, my little girl deserves the best. If anything, this guy doesn't deserve you."

"Just promise me you won't scare him off?" Cissie pleaded.

Oliver Queen, you are such a sucker for a pretty face, Ollie mentally chastised himself. "Anything for you, Sweetheart," he promised his daughter with a hug.

Tim entered the immaculate intensive care unit in the oncology department. Strange how such a pristine environment could reek of decay. When he opened the door to Bonnie's room, he was not prepared. Bonnie had looked bad last time he saw her. That had been three and a half hours ago. She was barely a shadow of the woman she had been, even that short time earlier.

"Tim," Bonnie croaked and patted the bed. Her hands were trembling. She made a face. Tim rushed to her side. "Ice chips," she whispered. He grabbed the cup of ice chips by her bed and held it to her mouth.

"Thank you," Bonnie was sounding more like herself after a few ice chips. "They won't let me have any blasted water, can you believe it?"

"Just a precaution, I'm sure," Tim said to her.

"Yeah, yeah. Sit."

Tim sat in the chair next to Bonnie's bed.

"Well, I'm dying!" Bonnie almost laughed. Tim nodded. "Don't look so serious, Tim. I've known this was coming for awhile. So have the doctors. I asked them not to say anything to Cissie."

"She knows now."

"Yeah, something about a collapsed lung kind of forces the truth out of people."

"Bonnie, you're a shrewd businesswoman, and I'm a businessman. What did you bring me in for?"

Bonnie smiled. "You're smart, Tim. Yes, there is something I want, but first, answer me this. Do you love my daughter?"

"You know I do."

"I suppose so. You go through all the right motions." She stopped for a moment. "I do love my daughter, even though I know most people don't see it. That's why I did what I did. I wanted her to be the best."

"She is the best," Tim reassured her.

"That's not enough. It's not enough, Tim. She was never happy with that, she never wanted it. Tim, you've been able to give her the one thing I never could. You make her happy." Bonnie blinked back tears.

Tim handed her a tissue. "She does love you, Bonnie."

"I know," she sniffled. "I don't deserve it, but I know." Bonnie cleared her throat and quickly regained her composure. "Now listen, I don't know if she's told you about the rest of her family..."

"You mean Ollie?"

"Oh, you know," Bonnie seemed disappointed at not being the one to break the news.

"I do now. He, Roy and Connor paid me a visit this evening."

"Did they use the arrows?"

"Yeah."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Drama queens."

Tim laughed. "They're here now, actually."

"Good. Cissie will need them... Listen, Tim, I've a pretty big favor to ask of you and I don't want a word spoken of it to Cissie."

"That depends entirely on what it is."

"Please, Tim, that's my only condition: Cissie can't know. I want your word."

Tim deliberated. He didn't like keeping secrets from Cissie. It always got him into trouble. Bonnie seemed desperate, though. "Fine. Not a word to Cissie."

"Good. The doctors have already refused to do this. I need your help; I know you can do it without being traced, and I trust you."

Tim was growing uneasy. "What, Bonnie?"

"Tim, I want you to help me end my life."