Chapter 12
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.
AN1: Thanks for everyone who supports this story. So this is a little shorten than normal because I thought it fit better like that.
It has been six weeks since Dinah found out that her daughter is the Black Canary and after staying in Star City for a week Dinah finally went home after her daughter convinced her to.
In the six weeks that have elapsed Caitlin hasn't had much luck with creating her serum and Sara hasn't returned home with something that will help Laurel. For the most part Laurel is doing pretty well, she is definitely experiencing more headaches and nose bleeds, and on the rare occasion shortness of breath. Laurel is also going to her weekly doctor's appointment where, just like everyone knew would happen, she is told that her cancer is growing and spreading.
It is the end of the working day, on a Friday, and Laurel is just finishing up her work when someone she knows, but is very surprised to see, walks into her office.
"Barry, what are you doing here?" Laurel asks, surprised to see him.
"Caitlin has something." Barry informs Laurel.
"Right." Laurel says shocked, not sure what else to say as she never let herself think of the possibility of Caitlin actually finding something, "Just give me a second." Laurel says before she quickly finishes typing what she has to do and saves it, "Caitlin's found something?" Laurel asks, still not being able to believe that as she stands up.
"Yeah." Barry answers, "But she needs you in Central City to test it out." He explains as they walk out of the office.
"Of course." Laurel says, understanding that, "But I need to tell the others first."
"Of course." Barry responds, knowing exactly who Laurel is talking about and the two of them head to the Arrow Cave.
When Barry and Laurel arrive at the Arrow Cave Felicity, Oliver, Thea and Diggle are there already.
"Hey guys." Barry says with a grin as they walk in.
"Barry? What are you doing here?" Oliver asks confused as Felicity runs forward and hugs him.
"Caitlin has something, something that may help Laurel, but Laurel needs to go to Central City so that Caitlin can test it." Barry explains
"Oh my god! That's great." Thea says before hugging Laurel tightly.
"Don't get your hopes up, Speedy. It might not work." Laurel says to Thea in a quiet voice.
"But it could. That's exactly why you should have hope." Thea informs Laurel.
"Yeah, guess so." Laurel responds, not sure believes that.
"How long is Caitlin going to need Laurel in Central City?" Oliver ask curious.
"Not sure, that's Caitlin department." Barry admits.
"How about we all go, just for a little while." Diggle suggests, suspecting that even if Laurel won't admit it that she would be thankful for the company.
"I think that's a great idea." Thea says, agreeing completely.
"It is." Felicity says agreeing.
"You don't have to do that." Laurel says, feeling touched but not wanting everyone to disturb their lives because of her.
"We want to." Oliver says, "We'll see you in Central City soon." He tells Barry.
"Of course." Barry says before running out.
"So we'll pack some stuff and Felicity and I will pick you up in forty minutes." Oliver says, suggesting that long as it will give them enough time to get to their respective homes and pack some stuff.
"Thea could you grab my bag that is already packed?" Laurel asks curious, "I need to go talk to Dad."
"Of course." Thea responds and Laurel leaves the lair.
"We should take our gear. Just in case." Diggle tells Oliver as Laurel leaves.
"Already on it." Oliver responds.
After leaving the Arrow Cave Laurel heads straight to the police station so that she can talk to her father. When she arrives at the station Laurel finds her father in the middle of a conversation with one of his men and so she walks over but doesn't interrupt.
"Hey, Dad. Can we talk?" Laurel asks when her father has finished talking.
"Of course." Lance informs his daughter and he takes her to his office, "Are you okay? Are your symptoms getting worse?" he asks concerned.
"No, my symptoms are fine." Laurel assures her father, "I'm heading to Central City with the others. Our friends at Star labs might have something to help me." Laurel explains.
"Like a cure?" Lance asks, his voice full of hope.
"Maybe, it will be at least a treatment." Laurel explains, honestly it hurts Laurel to hear the hope because she knows how broken her father will be if the treatment doesn't work.
"That's great. I'm coming with you." Lance tells his daughter.
"No, stay here. We don't know anything yet, there is no point you coming if it it's just a disappointment." Laurel tells her father.
"Are you sure?" Lance asks worried.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Laurel says, "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too." Lance responds and the father and daughter embrace.
After a relatively long car drive Oliver, Laurel, Thea, Diggle and Felicity are at STAR labs because she was rather quiet the entire ride everyone has become rather worried about Laurel and because of that as the others head inside the labs Oliver reaches out and takes Laurel's arm, stopping her from following.
"Ollie, what?" Laurel asks her friend once he has stopped her.
"You've been quiet. Are you okay?" Oliver asks concerned.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking." Laurel responds.
"This could work, Laurel. Whatever Caitlin's created it might work, you've got to believe that." Oliver tells her.
"I know. I'm trying." Laurel answers, "I, I just don't want to get my hopes up." Laurel admits.
"I get that." Oliver says, "Let's go see what Caitlin's found." He says in a kind voice and he and Laurel head into the facility.
About a minute later Laurel and Oliver walk into the part of STAR labs where Caitlin, Cisco, Barry, Felicity, Thea and Barry are greeting each other.
"Laurel, I'm so sorry." Cisco says, rushing forward and hugging her.
"Thanks, Cisco." Laurel responds as she awkwardly responds the hug.
"Laurel, how you feeling today?" Caitlin asks curious once Laurel and Cisco break apart.
"Okay, considering." Laurel answers, "So, you've got something?" Laurel asks.
"Yeah, it's a serum, using both conventional science and unconventional substances that have been tailored to you, and it might cure your cancer." Caitlin informs Laurel.
"But?" Laurel asks, being pretty sure that there is a pretty big but.
"But it's unstable and untested." Caitlin informs Laurel, "And with your timeline I don't have time to make it more stable." She reveals, "It would take months, during which the serum couldn't be used."
"What exactly does that mean? What is the worst thing that it could do to Laurel?" Oliver asks, worry in his voice.
"Cause the cancer to rapidly grow." Caitlin answers.
"And the best?" Thea asks as she reaches out and takes Laurel's hand.
"Complete cure." Caitlin answers.
"And what's the chancers of that, really?" Felicity asks curious.
"I can't say for sure, pretty good I think." Caitlin answers, "The serum is the best thing I've been able to come up with, but it's your choice whether or not you use it." Caitlin says and Laurel nods.
Hearing that Laurel just starts to think about Caitlin's words. She doesn't want her cancer to rapidly grown because she knows that it means that she'll have even less time but at the same time it is a possibility of a full cure, which is what she wants most of all.
"I'll take it, the serum." Laurel informs everyone.
"Laurel…..." Oliver starts to say.
"Let's talk in the hallway." Laurel requests as she has a pretty good idea what Oliver is going to say.
"You're really going to do this." Oliver says when he and Laurel are out of the other's hearing range.
"You're the one who made me promise to give treatment a chance, that's what I'm doing." Laurel reminds Oliver, who has to curse himself about the fact that Laurel is using his words against him.
"I wanted you to give something that has a chance of working a chance, this could kill you quicker." Oliver tells Laurel, "You can't do it."
"That's not your choice to make." Laurel reminds Oliver, "It's my life, my decision and I chose to give this a try. We haven't heard from Sara in weeks, and I doubt Malcolm will tell us anything, this could be my only chance." Laurel tells Oliver, it being clear that she is desperate.
"Sara's not going to give up, I'm not going to give up. You have other options Laurel, this could kill you, sooner." Oliver tells Laurel, not wanting her to do this because he's not ready to lose her yet.
"I'm not afraid of death, Ollie. What I am afraid of is not trying everything that has a real chance of working, this has a real chance and I'm not going to pass it up." Laurel explains.
"I'm not going to be able to convince you otherwise, am I?" Oliver asks, realising that.
"No. I want to give this a try." Laurel explains.
"Okay." Oliver says with a sigh and the two of them head back into the lab.
"So, would you like to do the treatment?" Caitlin asks curious as Laurel and Oliver walk in.
"I would." Laurel answers.
"Okay." Caitlin says with a nod, "It's a IV and will take about an hour to administer and then you should stay here for twenty-four hours." She informs Laurel.
"Okay." Laurel says with a nod.
"How long until you'll know whether it worked?" Thea asks curious.
"I'll come down to Star City on Thursday and I should be able to tell then." Caitlin explains, "Do you have any other questions?"
"No." Laurel answers.
"Then come with me." Caitlin says and she heads to the medical area, Laurel and the others following behind.
Ten minutes later Laurel is lying in the bed having the serum administered.
"How does it feel?" Thea asks curious as she sits down next to Laurel on the bed.
"Normal I guess." Laurel says uncertain, "I can feel the serum going in by it doesn't hurt or anything. I can just feel it flowing through me, going everywhere." Laurel explains.
"That's good, I'm glad that it doesn't hurt." Thea tells Laurel.
"Yeah, me too." She responds and Thea puts her head on Laurel's shoulder.
It four days since Laurel had the serum in Central City and three days since Laurel, and the rest of Team Arrow, returned to Star City. Even though it is too soon to tell whether the serum worked Laurel is feeling pretty good and has started to allow herself to hope that it worked.
It is a Tuesday night and Laurel, Oliver, Thea and Diggle are out in the city fighting ghosts. As they are surrounded Laurel, Thea, Oliver and Diggle are in a circle fighting together and as she fights Laurel feels herself getting light headed but she forces herself to keep fighting, though she finds that more and more difficult with every second, especially when her vision starts to blur and she finds it difficult to breath.
"Are you okay?" Oliver asks Laurel concerned as the last ghost is taken down by Thea.
"No." Laurel says, through gasps of breaths, before she collapses.
"NO." Oliver says, hurrying to Laurel's side, "Laurel, can you hear me?" Oliver asks as he checks Laurel, "No, no, no." he says sounding horrified.
"What is it?" Thea asks worried as she hurries to Oliver's side.
"She's barely got a pulse." Oliver explains, "Felicity calls Caitlin, get her to get here now!" Oliver says as he picks up Laurel, it being clear that Oliver is saying to tell Caitlin to get Barry to bring her.
"On it." Felicity says, worry clear in her voice.
About ten minutes later, Oliver still carrying Laurel they arrive back at The Arrow Cave, and just as they arrive Barry runs in carrying Caitlin.
"What happened?" Caitlin asks as she jumps down from Barry's arms as Oliver carries Laurel over to the medical area.
"Laurel collapsed. Her pulse is very week." Oliver explains as he puts Laurel down on the bed.
"Okay. I need a normal saline IV and I need monitoring equipment and I need the portable scanner that we left in Central City." Caitlin says, looking at Barry.
"On it." Barry says before running out of the room. While he does that Caitlin starts to do what she has to stabilise Laurel while the members of Team Arrow stand back and bit and just watch, hoping that Laurel will be okay.
"Laurel's gotten sicker hasn't she? The serum didn't work." Thea says as that's what it seems like to her.
"I don't know for sure, not yet." Caitlin answers as she continues to do her thing.
"I've got it." Barry says, running into the room, holding the portable scanner.
"Good. Thank you." Caitlin says as she takes the scanner from Barry who walks back over and stands with Team Arrow. As soon as she has the scanner Caitlin starts the scan and as soon as she sees what has come up she can't hold in her gasp.
"Caitlin, what is it?" Oliver asks worried.
"The tumours, they've grown. They're huge, and they're everywhere" Caitlin says, looking guilty at Team Arrow, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."