Chapter 13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.
AN1: Here is the final chapter. I hope that you have enjoyed this story. I enjoyed writing it so I really hope that you have enjoyed reading it.
"It's not your fault." Barry tells his friend, who is looking like she hates herself as Catlin feels that she did this to Laurel.
"He's right, it's not." Oliver says walking over to Laurel, "How long?" he asks Caitlin.
"Days." Caitlin answers, "I'm sorry, Oliver. I'm so sorry." She says, hating that because of her Laurel lost the little time she had left.
"So am I." Oliver says and he walks over and takes Laurel's hand, a broken look on his face.
"No, no." Thea says horrified as she rushes over and throws herself over Laurel, "No, you can't die. You can't." she crying and clutching Laurel for dear life, it being clear that she doesn't want to lose her.
"I should go get Lance." Felicity says, tears rolling down her face as her heart breaks, not just because she is losing her friend, but because of how much it is clearly hurting Oliver.
"I'll call Sara. Maybe she can get back here in time." Diggle comments, hoping that she can and planning on doing everything in his power to help her do that as she should get to say goodbye to her sister before it is too late.
"What can I do?" Barry asks, needing to do something.
"Laurel's Mom's in Central City. She knows about Laurel being the Black Canary. Can you get her?"
"Of course." Barry says before running out.
"I'll do everything I can to keep her stable, until I can't." Caitlin promises.
"Thank you." Felicity says before she leaves, knowing that she is going to break Lance's heart by telling him what she has to tell him and she hates that.
Only minutes after he left Star City Barry arrives in Central City. When he gets there Barry has to quickly look up the address for Laurel's mother before he went to find her. Once he finds Dinah's apartment Barry knocks and waits, hating that he is the one who has to tell Dinah this.
"Yes?" Dinah asks when she answers the door and looks Barry up and down in suspicion.
"Hi, I don't know if you remember me but my names Barry Allen. I'm friends with your daughters." Barry says to Dinah
"Yes, of course I remember. What can I do for you?" Dinah ask.
"I have something I need to tell you, about Laurel." Barry says and the second he does a look of horror appears on Dinah's face, a look which makes it all too clear that she has realised exactly wat he is going to say.
Hours later Oliver, Thea, Diggle, Felicity, Barry, Caitlin, Lance and Dinah are in the Arrow Cave, and everyone except for Oliver is asleep. Thea is asleep in Laurel's bed as she refused to move while the others are sleep in the chairs that are surrounding Laurel's bed.
"Ollie." A voice says, a voice that for a second Oliver thought he imagined as Caitlin told them that there was a chance that Laurel wouldn't wake up before she died.
"Hey, how you feeling?" Oliver asks curious as he moves closer to Laurel.
"Like I'm dying. I am, aren't I?" Laurel asks, "Everything's gotten worse, hasn't it?"
"Yeah." Oliver answers, "Caitlin says you've got days. I'm sorry, Laurel. I'm so sorry." Oliver says a tear coming to his eye.
"Hey, it's okay, we both knew this was coming." Laurel says, squeezing his hand, something which she found slightly difficult to do.
"Not this soon. You were supposed to have more time." Oliver says sadly.
"I was, but it's okay. I'm glad that I gave it a chance." Laurel tells Oliver, "Barry has something for you. It's something that might help." Laurel says, needing him to know that.
"Okay." Oliver responds, sounding confused.
"Be happy, Ollie. Let yourself be loved." Laurel tells him and as soon as she starts to speak Oliver realises that Laurel Is saying goodbye.
"Hey. No. We're not there yet." Oliver tells Laurel, not wanting to hear that.
"You've said it yourself, I've got days." Laurel reminds Oliver.
"Which is still time. Diggle called Sara she might have found something." Oliver says.
"Since, when are you an optimist?" Laurel asks as she has to gasp for breath.
"Since I'm not ready to lose you. I can't, so I have to believe that we'll find a way to save you." Oliver says, telling the complete truth.
"Maybe." Laurel says and she and Oliver drift into silence, Oliver giving Laurel's hand one more squeeze.
A few hours later everyone is awake and Thea is still sitting in Laurel's bed trying not to think about the fact that within a few days she is going to lose someone so important to her.
"Laurel, your oxygen saturations levels are getting low. You need to put this on." Caitlin says handing Laurel a nasal cannula.
"Okay." Laurel says accepting the cannula and putting it on, winching in pain as she does.
"Maybe you should rethink taking the pain medication." Caitlin suggests as she sets the oxygen levels, "Your pain is only going to get worse."
"No." Laurel says, it being more than clear that talking is becoming more difficult for her, just like breathing, "I'm dying I can't change that, but what I can choose is how I die; and I'm going to do that clean and sober." Laurel tells everyone, "I don't care about how much pain I'm in." Laurel says.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing that you're not going to die." A voice says and everyone turns to see Sara walking in with Constantine and Malcolm.
"Sara." Dinah says, running forward and hugging her daughter.
"Sara, what's going on?" Oliver asks as he stands up.
"Heard you needed a help." Constantine explains.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Lance asks as he pulls his gun on Malcolm.
"Dad." Laurel gasps, trying to sit up but she falls back onto the bed.
"Why doesn't everyone calm down." Barry suggests as Thea gets up, knowing that she has a chance of stopping Malcolm if things get out of control.
"Barry's right. Sara. Why don't you explain what is going on?" Diggle suggests.
"In my travels I found a Sharman who gave me an ancient ritual that when translated is called The Hearing of a Hero." Sara explains, "The ritual is capable of hearing a person with a pure heart and soul of anything, but to do the spell certain types of people are needed. First is someone with experience with magic to perform the ritual." Sara explains.
"That would be me." Constantine says.
"A dark soul with a hint of light buried deep." Sara says, "Which is why we need Malcolm." She explains, knowing that the hint of light buried deep inside of Malcolm is his love for Thea.
"And that's why I am willing to help." Malcolm says and Sara quickly continues to speak before anyone can say anything.
"Two heroes with pure hearts and souls, meaning people who haven't been in the pit…." Sara explains but before she can explain more Oliver cuts her of.
"We've only got one. We've only got Barry." Oliver says worried.
"Wow, Mate. Do you really believe that?" Constantine says shocked.
"What do you mean?" Oliver asks confused.
"You're the other person who can fill that role." Sara explains, "Constantine figured it out." She reveals.
"What else does the ritual need?" Barry asks, as Oliver stands in shock.
"Two friends with innocence's, but who have suffered lost, and light within. A warrior. Laurel's parents. A hero who fights internal darkness and a family member of Laurel's that has light and darkness within fighting for victory." Sara explains, "In other words, Felicity and Caitlin, Diggle, Mom and Dad, Thea and Me." Sara explains, "To save Laurel we're all going to have to be a part of this ritual." She explains.
"What aren't you saying?" Laurel asks, her sister, being able to tell that there is something more going on.
"The ritual is to Heal a Hero. It is extremely painful and if the ritual is performed on someone who isn't a hero, someone who doesn't have a pure heart and soul then that person will be killed." Constantine explains.
"Well that won't happen this time. Laurel's a hero." Oliver tells everyone and even though she finds it extremely difficult Laurel manages to smile at that as she has been waiting a long time to hear that from Oliver.
"I agree, that's why I'm here." Constantine tells everyone as even though he only spent a bit of time with Laurel last time he saw that she was a hero that she has a pure heart and soul which is why he agreed to come when Sara showed up at his door, "But the question is are you ready to give this chance?" he ask Laurel curious.
"Yeah, I am." Laurel answers.
"Then let's get this show on the road." Constantine tells everyone and he and Sara begin to explain everything that has to happen.
SIX MONTHS LATER
"Why exactly are we doing this?" Barry asks, not being able to believe that he agreed to his.
"Because Oliver asked." A voice responds and Laurel Lance steps into the room wearing her Black Canary outfit minus the mask which she is holding, "And we're not doing this for him. We're doing this for William. All he wanted for his birthday is to meet his heroes, us." Laurel says, feeling touched as in recent months she has learnt that William considers The Black Canary almost as big of a hero as The Flash.
"I know." Barry says, walking over to Laurel, "We haven't really had much time to talk. How you feeling?" he asks.
"Great, really great." Laurel tells him, "I had an appointment yesterday, I'm completely cancer free, not that my doctor understands why."
"That's great, Laurel. Really." Barry tells his friend.
"Yeah. I guess the pain of the ritual was worth it." Laurel comments.
"Let's just agree not do that ritual again. I don't think I could handle hearing the screams again." Barry comments, shivering as he never heard anything like the screams Laurel gave when she was being healed and he never wants to hear it again.
"Let's hope we don't have to." Laurel responds with a smile.
"And the side effect?" Barry asks curious. Ever since the ritual Laurel has been able to produce a scream similar to the ones that the ritual caused at will, but thankfully the scream that Laurel can now produce doesn't sound as heart breaking as the one that happened during the ritual, but is just as effective as her Canary Cry choker.
"Still there. Constantine said it's permanent." Laurel explains.
"Are you okay with that?" Barry asks curious as it must be rather hard for her to get used to.
"Yeah, it's coming in handy." Laurel admits as she puts her mask on, "We should go. We've got a little boy to wish happy birthday to."
"That we do." Barry confirms as he puts his mask on and together he and Laurel leave the room that they are in and as they leave Laurel realises that even as painful as the to Heal a hero ritual was she will always be thankful as it gave her a second chance, it's given her a chance to truly earn that title.
The End.