Chapter Three:
Authors Note: Sara is not dead. Nyssa used the Lazarus Pit on her in secret. But still in the principle of things, the League wanted someone to pay for the crime of killing one of their own. Sara didn't want Thea to die so she shut up when Oliver took the blame for her death. Nyssa suspects it wasn't Oliver but doesn't have any proof. Laurel knows about Oliver, but she is focusing on her career mostly.
Oliver finished his recount and noticed Slade with shock. The man was crying. He never cried, not even when Shado died. He thought back to the island, now the memories he had tried to bury had become fresh in his head. All the times he had broke down and Slade had been the one to comfort him. He stood without really even thinking about and walked over so he stood in front of Slade. He placed a hand on Slade's shoulder; trying to mirror the comfort it had given him when Slade had done it.
Slade looked up, his eyes swimming with unshed tears.
"Brothers?" Oliver asked, hoping that his Slade was back, that his brother had returned to him.
Slade stood and hugged Oliver. Oliver was completely shocked. He could count on one hand the amount of times they had hugged, and he found he missed it. He had been so uptight since Ivo had killed Shado. Even since he had returned home, all the hugs he had gotten from Thea, his Mum, Laurel, Sara, Felicity, none of them he had allowed himself to relax and enjoy. But as Slade kept hold of him, he found himself relaxing for the first time in years.
They stayed the rest of the night, to recoup and the next morning they headed to the Foundry to meet up with the others. Oliver had sent texts to everyone last night confirming he was safe and making sure they were too.
Slade and Oliver were meet with silence as they descended the stairs. Oliver looked at Felicity and Sara, both, who were standing together, arms crossed and with their best angry faces on.
"He's back," Oliver told them. Sara knew most of it, and he had told Felicity how much Slade had meant to him on the island, how they were brothers before the Mirakiru had changed everything. Then Felicity decided to shock everyone by going up to Slade and hugging him. She whispered in his ear, "He doesn't talk about anything to do with those 5 years away, the only thing he has ever told me was you were his brother, and you and Shado were his family. So please don't let this be a game, I don't think he could handle you leaving again."
Slade slowly released her, and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm not going anywhere," he said.