Chapter 18
The Weight of a Leader
"How do you measure the life of one person against the greater good? Can it ever be the right thing to sacrifice an innocent person? And how do you know what the greater good really is?"
― Amy Engel,
Katie was inconsolable. No one was quite sure what to do, or how to help her and so they ended up at Glade's Memorial Hospital where Ethan swooped in to save the day. The moment they arrived, he rushed her to one of the exam rooms, while the others waited.
"Did she say anything?" Oliver asked and Felicity shook her head.
"She said she was having a panic attack and that she didn't know what to do." Felicity replied still shaking from incident. "She looked scared. I've never seen her look scared like that."
"I'm sure she's fine." John said bringing an arm around Felicity as he glanced up to Oliver whose eyes looked down the hall where Ethan disappeared with Katie.
"I should be with her." Oliver said looking back to his friends.
"Oliver, Ethan said to just wait, we should just wait." Roy replied from his spot where he nervously sat. " I should call Thea." the man jumped to his feet before heading out the door.
"Roy's right, we just have to let Ethan do his thing." replied John and Oliver just shook his head.
Lucidity seemed to return to Katie almost suddenly. One moment she felt as if she were drowning, and then the next she's fine. Ethan sat in front of her, talking as she stares at the wall behind him.
"Kit-" he says again, and she finally turns to him and he lets out a sigh. "You back with me." she gives a silent nod and he grabs her wrist to check her heart rate. "Do you remember what happened?"
"I was at the foundry with Oliver, we were fine, and then I went outside and-" Katie isn't sure how to explain the mental explosion that happened when she went outside. It seemed everything hit her all at once, so suddenly, so fiercely and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Hey, look at me." Ethan said and Katie turned back to him, and he could see the fear and confusion in her eyes. "Alright-" he glanced over to the nurse checking one of the of the monitors."Jackie, could you give us a moment alone?" the nurse gave a nod before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone Ethan turned back to Katie. "This is about your dad?" she stared at him for a moment before turning away. "Roy told me, and I have to say that I'm sorry Kit, I can't even imagine what's going on in your head right now."
"Well get in line." Katie replied turning back to the man, before dropping back on the bed and closing her eyes. "I don't have time to break right now. There is too much happening and I can't fall apart in the middle of it."
"You know I'm thinking this panic attack is your body telling you that you don't have a choice in the matter." Ethan said and Katie turned back to him. "You can either deal with this, let it out voluntarily or it's gonna come out on it's own. I know there is a shit load of crap happening because of this Raspy Ghoul-"
"Ra's Al Ghul-"
"I don't care what his name is. He's a really bad guy, and I know how important it is to beat him, but it is also important to take care of yourself. To focus on your self. Sometimes we have to fall apart before we can put ourselves back together." Katie stared at him for a moment with a quirked brow. "I swear this job is making me zen, I just pull sage advice from my ass."
"But you're still Ethan." Katie replied with a shake of her head before lying back on the bed.
"They're all outside." Ethan said, but Katie didn't look over to him. "But I think you need a little bit more time." Katie turned and just gave a nod. "No problem, Kit." Ethan placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Let me know if you need anything, alright?" Katie gave another nod before the man turned and left the room.
When she was finally alone, Katie drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around tight as she stared across the room to the pale blue wall. And in mere seconds she felt tears slide down her cheeks. She didn't want to fall apart, or let her walls come down, but in this moment for some reason being strong just wasn't working. And so she just hoped Ethan's sage advice would work. She would fall apart and hope she could put herself back together.
When Ethan came back out to the waiting room, he was immediately bombarded as he expected. Oliver was front and center.
"I want to see her." the man demanded, and Ethan just shook his head.
"That's not happening." Ethan replied calmly, and he could see Oliver's eyes darken.
"And why the hell not?!"
"Do you know what a panic attack is Oliver?" Ethan asked and Oliver scoffed because he wasn't interested in talking. "It's the body's reaction to the build up of stress, and trapped emotions, and when all of that builds up, the body reacts. She couldn't breathe, and her vision was blurry, she became disoriented."
"What does that have to do with me not being able to see her now?"
"She returned to the hell that she escaped from, before coming back and finding out that her father isn't really dead and that he's been faking it, and roped all of her friends in to the lie." Felicity spoke and Oliver looked over to her. "We're used to her being able to take the punches and getting right up and dusting herself off. But this, this was big, and her not dealing with it, isn't an option anymore."
"I completely understand that." Oliver says turning his glare back to Ethan. "I understand all of it, what I don't understand is why you're standing here telling that I can't be with her to help her through this."
"Because right now she wants to be alone." Ethan replied simply. "So yell, threaten me, but you're staying out here until she's ready to see you." he glanced over to see nurses rushing down the other side of the hall. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hospital to run." and with that the man went running off.
"I thought she was fine. She seemed-" Oliver closed his eyes and sighed. He really thought about the past couple of days, and finding Katie with Jacob tied up in her apartment. He should've known right then and there, that she was taking this hard, but she didn't show it. She was always good at hiding what she was feeling, how she was handling things and Oliver hated that even though she saw all of him, she still hid herself from him. "She needed more time. I should've made her talk to me-"
"This isn't your fault Oliver." John said. "Everyone here knows that Katie isn't the type of person to get too deep with her feelings, especially the ones she thinks are a weakness. That comes from years of being trapped in the league. She has to find a way out of her hole, and we have to be on the other side waiting for her when she does."
"Yeah, and I would very much not like to do that in the waiting room." Oliver grumbled before his phone rang. He slipped it from his pocket, glancing down to see a familiar number before answering. "Laurel hey, now's not-"
"Oliver we need to talk, are you at the foundry?"
"No, I'm at the hospital, Katie had a panic attack and-"
"Is she alright?"
"She's fine physically, but she's in a hospital and-"
"This won't take long, I'll just meet you at the hospital. We really need to talk." and with that the woman hung up.
Oliver let out an annoyed groan before turning back to his friends who stared with obvious confusion.
"Is everything alright?" Felicity asked.
"I don't even know anymore." Oliver replied looking down to his phone before once again glancing down the hall.
Katie looked down to the twinkling diamond ring in the man's hand before looking back up to Richard , who suddenly grabbed her hand and jerked the ring on her finger.
"What the hell?" Katie said looking down to the ring. "I can't pretend to be your wife. I'm ninety nine percent sure I'm going to shoot you when this is all over."
"Please, you're living every girl's dream right now." Dick replied looking down to his phone, and groaning. "I'm just going to turn this off." he looked back over to Katie. "Alright, we're married, totally in love. I do all the talking, and you just smile and be pretty."
"You're an idiot and you're going to either get me killed or thrown into a very dark prison." Katie muttered with a shake of her head.
"Well look at it this way." Dick said with a big smile. "At least we'll be together, sugar bear. Now c'mon, my buddy should be getting in soon." They stepped out of the car, and Katie followed close to the man she hoped knew what he was doing. He glanced over to her and sighed. "Don't look so nervous, you're going to get us caught."
"Well I'm sorry I'm not a master in espionage." Katie muttered over to the man. "This is stupid, I just want to get home, and I doubt some pilot is going to be able to help me do that."
"You don't know Hal." Dick replied before they stopped and looked up to the incoming jet that was preparing to land. "I think that's him. C'mon dear." the man went rushing off, but Katie hesitated. She hated not having control of her life, and she just prayed that she really was getting closer to home.
Katie was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the door to her room, unexpectedly opening. She whipped around to see Thea, closing the door, and leaning back against it as she breathed heavily.
"Thea, what are you doing here?" Katie asked sitting up from the bed. "And why are you out of breath?"
"I ran to your room before Ethan could try to stop me." Thea said walking over and taking a seat on the edge of Katie's bed. "Roy called, told me what happened. Are you alright?" Katie just nodded with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I'm fine Thea. Really, I just had a...moment."
"What kind of moment?"
"You know how you say things are fine, that you're not sad, or you're not really upset, and you say it so much that you start believing it?" Katie asked turning away from the woman. "I don't know why it happened, but I started to think about everything, every last detail to the moment my eyes were on my dead father, and in that moment I couldn't lie to myself anymore." she looked back to Thea. "So yes, right now I'm fine, I'm functioning, I'm able to pull myself up by my bootstraps and keep going like a good soldier."
"But you're not a soldier." Thea said and Katie shook her head as a tear slipped from her eyes. "You're human and you're allowed have human feeling and if you want to yell or cry then you can stop and just do it. Scoot over." Katie lightly chuckled before sliding over so Thea could slide beside her in the bed and bring her arms around her in a hug. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Sometimes you can lean on people too."
"That's good to know." Katie replied dropping her head to Thea's shoulder.
Oliver paced back and forth through the front lot of GMH, glancing down to his watch. He heard footsteps, and looked up to see Laurel finally.
"Laurel, what's going on?"
"I can't remember Sara's smile."Laurel said, and Oliver was truly confused, but he let her continue. "It's weird, isn't it? I mean, I know Sara used to smile and-and laugh, but when I close my eyes and I try and picture it, all I see is the way that I found her."She shook her head with a shaky breath. "You know, sometimes, the only thing that keeps me going is the thought of one day finding her killer."
"We will." Oliver said so confidently, and Laurel just grit her teeth.
"How do you do that?" Laurel asked and Oliver's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Do what?"
"Lie right to my face. Thea told me, Oliver. She told me everything."Laurel said, and Oliver dropped his head and let out a sigh before looking back up to the woman. "How could you keep this from me?"
"After what you wanted to do to Lacroix and Merlyn? Do you really need to ask me that question?" Oliver asked, hoping she could see his justification.
"I'm not so consumed with vengeance that I blame Thea for Sara's death. I blame Malcolm Merlyn.
" I need him." Oliver replied and Laurel was livid, taking a step forward.
"He murdered my sister!"
"With the League targeting us, he is the only chance I have of saving mine. This is how it has to be."
"It's really amazing... The way Merlyn always finds a way under your protection." Laurel replied with a shake of her head. "The truth Oliver, you don't need him. You want to beat Ra's, well there are other options. Options you're refusing to even consider."
"You mean Katie?" Oliver asked and Laurel gave a slight nod. "That's absolutely not happening. After everything that has happened, I'm not letting Ra's anywhere near her."
"So you're choosing Katie's peace of mind over my sister's vengeance?"
"That's not fair, and you know it!" Oliver countered. "I almost lost her, and I-" he dropped his head once again, trying to find something to convince the woman of his decision. He looked up once again meeting the woman's eyes. "I need to defeat Ra's and Malcolm is my only-"
"That's just it, he's not your only option Oliver!" Laurel snapped. "He's the option you're deciding to go with because you would rather my sister's murderer roam free then let Katie do the one thing we all know she can."
"I'm sorry, Laurel." Oliver says knowing there was no winning with this conversation and so he decides it's time for it to end.
"You know, it's hard to remember a time..." Laurel said bitterly with a shake of her head. "When I was actually in love with you." she couldn't even look at him anymore and so she turned and just walked away.
Oliver let her go because there was absolutely nothing he could say to change her mind, or to see things from his side. With a heavy sigh, Oliver turns and heads back into the hospital. When he walked back to the waiting room, he sees Roy standing peeking down the hall.
"What's going on?" Oliver asks startling the young man.
"Thea showed up after I called and told her what happened to Katie." Roy replied. "When she got here, I told her that Ethan didn't want anyone to see Katie, and I guess she didn't care because ran down the hall and snuck into Katie's room." Oliver glanced down the hall with a shake of his head before stalking down as well. "Oliver, wait-" Oliver wasn't listening. He barged into Katie's room, when he found his sister laying beside Katie and the moment he saw that they both looked like they had been crying, his plan to come here and ream Thea for telling Laurel about Sara suddenly went out the window.
"I-" he started but let out heavy sigh. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just had a moment." Katie said drying her eyes with her palms. "I actually don't really need to stay here, I should let Ethan know I want to go home."
"Are you sure?" Thea asked and Katie gave a nod.
"Yeah, I've worked in this hospital and know the value of a bed in this place. And right now I'm wasting this one." Katie turned standing from the bed before looking over to Oliver who still kept his eyes on her. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I just-" he looked over to his sister. "Had an interesting conversation with Laurel." Thea sighed before turning away. Katie looked between the siblings, before stopping on Thea.
"I feel like I missing something." Katie said turning back to Oliver. "What was so interesting about this conversation?"
"It's not-"
"I told her the truth." Thea said standing to her feet as well. "I told her what Malcolm did to me, what he did to Sara."
"And I told you not to tell anyone!"
"Well I guess I'm just not as good at keeping secrets as you are."
"Thea, I'm not gonna pretend that I understand all the different types of pain that you're in, but the threat, it is very real." Oliver said taking a step toward his sister. "And the only way that we are gonna survive is by acting in unison."
" Are you really quoting Malcolm Merlyn to me right now?"
"Yes. Because he, better than anyone, understands the danger the 3 of us are facing."
"Did you really just say that?" Katie asked and Oliver turned to her now regretting his words. Actually he was regretting this entire conversation, because he definitely didn't want to come here to dump more crap on her.
"I didn't mean-"
"We're not in any danger." Thea said suddenly and both Oliver and Katie turn to her "Not anymore. Not you or me. But Malcolm-he's going to face justice."
"Thea Queen." Katie says taking a step toward the young woman. "What have you done?"
"What I should've done a long time ago." Thea replied and neither Katie nor Oliver understood, but then it hit them.
"Oliver-" Katie said and the man turned to her. "You need to find Laurel now." Oliver nodded before turning about to leave, but stopped and turned back to Katie.
"Are you ok?" he asked once again, and Katie sighed before walking over to him and placing her hands on his chest. She stared into his eyes for just a few moments before finally answering.
"No." she whispered with a shake of her head. "But I don't think there's anything you can do to change that, so please go, find Laurel, make sure she doesn't get herself killed." Oliver placed a hand on Katie's cheek before softly placing a kiss to her lips. A silent promise, before turning and leaving. Once he was gone, Katie turned to Thea who couldn't quite seem to meet Katie's eyes.
"Don't look at me like that, if you were me, you would've done the same thing. Malcolm caused all of this, he's the reason there was a target on our backs and-"
"Thea what do you know about my father?" Katie asked suddenly, and Thea turned to her with a quirked brow. Katie walked over to stand in front of the woman. "What has your brother, or Roy told you about my father, the things he's done?"
"Nothing much. He faked his death for some reason, that's pretty much all I know." Thea said, and Katie simply nodded before turning and closing the door.
"You should sit." Katie said turning back to the woman who stood there for a moment before lowering back to the bed.
Oliver stalked back down to the waiting room, where John, Felicity and Roy hurried over to him.
"We need to find Laurel. I think she's about to do something stupid that could possibly get her killed." Oliver said and everyone just stared with wide eyes. "I'll explain on the way back to the club."
"Wait, we're leaving?" Felicity asked, glancing down the hall, instantly struck with the memory of her friend having a panic attack. "Katie, is she-"
"She's-" Oliver started but stopped because for the life of him finding a justification for leaving right now other then because he had to just wasn't an option. Oliver ran a hand over his face as a very deep sigh escaped his nose. "Right now I have to stop this stupid plan Laurel and my sister cooked up." he turned back to Felicity. "To do that I can't be Oliver Queen right now, I can't-" he dropped his head for a moment before looking back to his friends. "We need to go." without another word he stalked down the hall, his friends right behind him.
Ethan was speaking with a nurse when he just so happened looked up to see the group. He quickly rushed off to meet them before they could leave.
"You're leaving?" Ethan asked stepping in front of Oliver. The others glanced between the two men, before heading out the door sensing that an audience wasn't needed for the conversation.
"Something is happening and we have to leave."
"Something is happening here." Ethan replied and Oliver turned away. "Look I get your, "job" is important, but you have another job, an equally important job to a woman you intend to spend the rest of your life with."
"It's not that simple Ethan." Oliver replied turning back to the doctor. "I wish it was. I wish I could choose where I go, and where I stay, but it doesn't work like that. Not when people's lives are in the balance. Katie understands that, it's why she told me to leave. So I'm going and once everything is taken care of, I will be back." Oliver turned to leave but stopped before turning back to the man. "And being with her isn't a job, it's my life. There is nothing more important then that." with that Oliver, turned and stalked out the door, hoping they found Laurel before it was too late.
A cat had caught Thea's tongue. Figuratively of course, but all the same it was still a first. Katie had just told a story about a man Thea assumed she knew. Jacob Robins was a hero among Starling, whom she always admired when she saw him at functions when she was younger. He was always nice to her, always complimenting her ears which always made her laugh. There was absolutely nothing about the man that screamed senior agent for some shady government agency like A.R.G.U.S. Apparently the truth was Jacob wore a mask that fooledd everyone, including his daughter.
"So Oliver, and my father's boat-" she looked over to Katie who now stood by the window.
"It was a plan." Katie said turning back to Thea. "My father and your dad cooked up this beyond stupid plan to turn me and your brother into-" she shook her head. "I don't even know. It was a stupid plan. One that ended with your brother on that island, your father dead, me being bounced around to crazy person after crazy person." Katie walked over to sit beside Thea. "My father is the cause of it all, and just this morning I had him tied up in my apartment." Thea's eyes widened. "In my head I told myself that I would start with some very light torture, before I put him out of his misery and just ended him before putting him back into that grave." Thea noticed to slight darkness that came to Katie's eyes as she spoke.
"But you didn't."
"No, I didn't." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Your brother showed up like he always does." she chuckled. "He just knows the perfect time to just swoop in and ruin everything."
"Tell me about it." Thea muttered. "So then you understand, why I did what I did."
"I do, I also understand why your brother is going to stop you, just like he stopped me." Katie said. "Remember when you were on the island, with that gun in your hand aimed right at Slade. I told you, you weren't a killer, but Thea handing Malcolm to the league is you pulling the trigger on your father."
"It's not like he doesn't deserve it!" Thea said jumping to her feet angrily. "What he made me do, I could never forgive that, he deserves to pay, he deserves justice-"
"You know I hear people say that word, hell I've said it, but I don't think we really quite understand what justice is. True justice." Katie stood to her feet and walked over to Thea. "Murder isn't justice. It's revenge. It's what we think someone deserves because they hurt us-"
"Don't stand there as if you haven't killed someone."
"I'm not!" Katie snapped angrily as she stalked closer to the woman who only backed away in a sudden fear. "There is so much blood on my hands, so many lives ended because I took them. I didn't hand them over to someone else, I did it. I saw the life flicker from their eyes, I watched that last breath-" Katie shook her head with low whistle. "There is nothing like the sight of someone taking their last breath Thea. It haunts your dreams, and you can feel it under your skin, that death, that darkness that's released, you feed it and it lives inside of you forever." Katie placed a finger on Thea's chest. "You're feeding your darkness Thea, and now your brother is trying to stop it before it takes his sister with it." Thea stood there, her eyes glistening but she refused to cry. She let out deep breath before turning and stalking out of the room.
Katie stood there wondering if she should go after her, but she figures at this point the only person that can stop Thea is Thea. The young woman has always been too stubborn for her own good, but she's always found the right path in the end. Katie walks back over to her bed and takes a seat before burying her face in her palms.
Katie was just so tempted to just run off. She was in Coast City, so close to him, to her father, and this plan to clear her name just seemed pointless. At the moment, they stood waiting as one of the jet's land. Katie slightly pulls her arm, that Dick has tucked under his arm , but he only holds it tighter.
"Hey, chill out. Perception is everything." he mutters over to her and Katie simply rolls her eyes.
"This is stupid, and there is nothing some pilot can do to help me." Katie replies with a shake of her head. Soon the jet is on the ground and they watch as man climbs down from it, and high fives with a couple of passersbys, before stopping at the sight of one Richard Grayson.
"Is that little Richie Gayson?" Hal asked and Dick just laughed.
"It was funny when we were kids, but now, now-"
"Now it's still funny." Hal replied as he walked over, his eyes looking between Dick and Katie before turning back to the man with a quirked brow. "Not that it's not good to see you, but what the hell are you doing here and with-" he looked back over to Katie. "A hooker?" Katie's eyes went wide the moment the words came flying out of his mouth. She didn't even know she'd taken a step until Richard pulled her back. "Hey, I'm sorry. No offense, it's just hard to believe that anyone as pretty as you would be hanging around this guy for free."
"Oh, so calling me a hooker was a compliment?" Katie asks sarcastically and the pilot just nods with a wide smile. Katie shakes her head before turning back to Dick, who gives an apologetic smile before turning back to Hal.
"Look we just need your help, ok." Richard said and Hal seemed a bit hesitant, but he was curious. "Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"
"How did you get onto the base?" Hal asked getting more curious by the minute at his reappearing friend.
"How do you think I got onto the base? I lied my ass off, now are you going hear me out or what?" Richard asked, and Hal looked from Richard to Katie, looking her over for longer than he probably should.
"You're into something deep, aren't you?" Hal asked.
"You can say that, but it's probably not even what you think. I will be happy to explain it to you if you would stop being a little pussy." Hal turned back to the man and just shook his head with a smile.
"And you would know all about that, wouldn't you Mr. Gayson?" Hal asked before nudging his head toward the building across the base. "Follow me. And Richie if you're getting me into something I swear to baby Jesus I will-"
"what, kick my ass? Me and you both know that has, and will never happen Mr. Slappy."
"First of all, I was wasted out of my mind that night, and two I was going to say call Lola. I ran into her and I have her number, and I just get the feeling she'd love bumping into you again."
"Crazy Lola, with the eyes?" Dick asked and Hal just nodded. "You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Katie simply followed behind the two men who suddenly held her life in their hands. She was losing hope with every passing second.
There was a knock at the door, and Katie lifted her eyes to see Ethan who looked very tired.
"Why do I get the feeling that releasing stress is the last thing that's been happening since I left you?" he asked and Katie simply stood to her feet.
"Because this is my life." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "Get the release papers."
"Kit, you're in no shape-"
"That's just it Ethan! I am!" Katie snapped turning back to the man. "I am because I have to be. Fine, today taught me to stop every now and then, but when I'm finished, I have to get back on the metaphorical horse and get back to reality."
"And what's your reality exactly?"
"Right now a man who should probably be dead is about to be taken by the league if Oliver doesn't arrive in time. If he does, Oliver could possibly speed up some league massacre that Ra's probably has planned." Katie walked over and grabbed her jacket. "My reality is I'm apart of a team who wants this city safe, so my dad, and the lies don't mean much to me right now."
"You know I've never witnessed someone just bury their emotions before. It's actually quite sad." Ethan snarked and Katie rolled her eyes.
"Just get the damn release papers!" Katie snapped and the man just shook his head before leaving the room.
Once Katie signed the papers, she was practically running out the door. She only stopped when someone she definitely didn't expect to see stood outside the hospital.
"What are you doing here, Clark?"
"Lois has a source here, she got a call that you were brought in." Clark said with a sigh. "She's inside still asking questions."
"I guess Lois Lane doesn't even sleep, not even this late at night. I'm surprised. The biggest story fell into her lap days ago, and she's here." Katie said before turning to leave, but the man moved to block her.
"There's still no proof-" Clark started but Katie just scoffed. "Katie I'm sorry-"
"I absolutely hate apologies." Katie says turning to the man. "They're pointless because they're more to do with making the person who actually fucked up feel better." she looked into the man's eyes. "You stopped looking. You went back home to Metropolis because you already knew there was nothing for you to find. You knew before everyone that he was alive." she shook her head before turning and stalking away.
"You know what, fine. I knew and I didn't tell you." Clark replied as he moved to catch up to her. "No one told you, do you want to know why?"
"I don't really care."
"You really do because you're human and have feelings." Clark replied rushing in front of her to stop her from walking. "No one told you because we didn't want to hurt you with the truth. I mean how do you tell someone that their father is an asshole."
"And here I was thinking you idolized the man."
"No I respect him, he's done a lot for me and my family, and he's helped me in more ways then I can count, but his choices when it came to this, with you, it was screwed up." Clark replied. "But in his head it's what he had to do to protect you. He didn't want his enemies to use you to get to him, and he didn't want you to be so dependent on him to solve your problems. To him, everything that has happened to you was him letting you find it in yourself to be your own hero."
"Is that what he told you?" Katie asked and Clark gave a nod. "Well if you see him again, let him know that his plan worked, that I will never depend on him for anything." Katie walked around the man, not even glancing back.
"It's not that easy!" Clark called after her, but she didn't stop. "There's still questions that only he can answer, and he'll only answer them to you!" he let out a low groan as the woman only kept walking.
When Katie found herself standing in front of Verdant, she paused. It was a very strange feeling that came over her in this moment. It was the sudden urge to run, as far away as she could. All her troubles started the moment she stopped running and now the temptation to just run away was far too great. A few years ago, it would've been nothing to just turn and high tail it out of Starling, but now...now Katie had a whole lot more weighing her down. In this moment all the weight was very evident from the ring on her finger. She glanced down to her hand, and a soft smile came to her lips. With a deep breath Katie went marching forward into the club.
The moment she stepped inside she just knew something was wrong. The team was all standing around, and their expressions all seemed nervous. Laurel saw her first and seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
"Good you're here, maybe you can talk some sense into him." Laurel spoke, and Katie wasn't even sure what she was talking about.
"What-"
"Hey, Laurel I get you're upset, but how about you back off for two seconds from the woman whose supposed to be in the hospital." Felicity spoke before turning to Katie. "Why aren't you in the hospital?"
"Because I'm not dead or dying." Katie replied before turning back to Laurel. "Who should I be talking sense in to?" she glanced around, now noticing Oliver's absence. "Where's Liver?" she looked back to Laurel. "What happened with Malcolm? Does the league have him?"
"Yeah." John said taking a step forward. "They have him and Oliver thought it was a good idea to take something from them as leverage." Katie looked at him with a quirked brow, a sudden twisting in her gut. Without another word, the woman hurries to the door that leads down to the basement, before rushing down the stairs.
"I said I need the roo-" Oliver stopped the moment he turned and saw Katie standing on the steps, her eyes moving from him to the woman in the cage in front of him. "Katie-" she held up a hand which meant she didn't want him to explain anything right now. Katie continued down the steps, before walking over and standing in front of the cage...prison that currently housed her cousin.
"You don't know what you've done." Katie said turning to Oliver who turns away. "Why is she here?"
"Your beloved seeks the location of our home." Nyssa replied and Katie looked back to her. "I told him, in hopes that he attempts to rescue Al Sa-Her." Katie turns to Oliver who lets out a sigh, and without a word she grabs the front of his hood and practically pulls him out the back exit to the alley.
"Katie, I know what Malcolm has done, but I can't let Thea be the reason he's killed." Oliver started already knowing how this argument was going to go.
"You're not going to Nanda Parbat." Katie stated firmly and Oliver closed the distance between them hoping to explain the reasoning behind his plan.
"Katie I get what that place-"
"You don't understand anything Oliver." Katie replies. "You don't understand what that place is or what it does, and I'm glad that you don't. This-" she pointed toward the club. "Nyssa letting you catch her, so you can think you manipulated her into giving you the location is a crock of shit. This is a trap, one that is supposed to get you there, where I'm sure Ra's has other plans." Oliver shook his head. "You kidnapped Nyssa for Nanda Parbat's location, why, when you know I have it. I could get you there, and yet you chose to bring the demon's daughter back here, and put her in a cage."
"I didn't want to get you involved in this, I didn't-"
"Oliver if you're involved, then I'm involved!" Katie snapped giving the man a shove. "You're not going to Nanda Parbat, I won't let this trap work." she pushed past the man back into lair, where she stalked over to the cage Nyssa still sat, before dropping to sit in front of her. "What is the plan?"
"What plan?"
"Nyssa, you are a trained league assassin, you don't get caught and dragged to basements and put in cages. This is part of a plan, one you and your dad thought was smart and that we wouldn't figure out, but I have, so what is it?"
"Katie-"
"Oliver will you just stop being so blind." Katie said looking up to the man. "Fine, this is Thea's innocence you're trying to protect, I am all for that, but you waltzing into Nanda Parbat and telling Ra's you'll give his daughter back if he gives you Malcolm is a very naive thing to even think is possible." Katie said turning back to Nyssa. "The truth is your father knows exactly where you are, and he'll know the moment if something goes wrong, and he'll probably send a whole army to save you."
"Quite the imagination you have Nura." Nyssa said with a shake of her head before looking over to Oliver. "The truth is Malcolm will be served justice for my Sara and I hope I get to thank your sister for that."
Oliver turned and stalked over to grab his bag, and Katie jumped to her feet.
"You're actually doing this?" Katie asked and Oliver stopped and turned back to her. "And me standing here, telling you that this isn't a good idea, is what, me wasting my breath."
"I'm out of options, because the league has Malcolm, if I want to save Malcolm, I have to go there. That's the only logical plan of action I have right now."
"Then I'm coming with you."
"Absolutely not." Oliver replied without hesitation. "Look I can get in undetected, find Malcolm get him out-"
"Just like that, huh?" Katie said with a shake of her head before letting out sigh. "I am wasting my breath, which I hate doing." she looked back over to the man. "Go Oliver, do save Malcolm with this sure fire plan that won't possibly blow up in your face." and with that the woman turned and headed for the stairs, but stopped. "So you know this moment-" she turned back to face him. "This moment where I tell you something that is right, and yet you don't believe it because you're stubborn."
"Katie-"
"I know Ra's and I know Nyssa, and I know Nanda Parbat better than anyone you've ever met." Katie said with a shake of her head. "This will blow up in your face, if you don't end up dead, then you'll end up a prisoner just like Malcolm."
"I need you to trust me and-"
"Why should I trust you, when you can't extend the courtesy to me, right now Oliver?" Katie asked, suddenly feeling her chest tighten. She turned away, taking a deep breath that seemed labored and Oliver noticed, finally realizing that she isn't in the hospital. He took a step forward and she held up a hand to stop him. "I can't do this."
"Katie, will you just calm down-"
"It's like I'm talking and yet nothing is heard."Katie said with a shake of her head before looking back over to the man. "I love you." and without another word, Katie lifted her hand and pulled the engagement ring from her finger.
"Katie, don't-"
"Go to Nanda Parbat and save Malcolm." Katie said as she placed the ring on a nearby table before looking back up to the man. "Right now that's whats important." Katie turns and jogged up the stairs, and Oliver didn't hesitate to go after her, grabbing the ring on his way up the stairs.
"Katie!" Oliver called after Katie who stormed past the others who only watched in confusion. "Katie, wait! You can't just walk away!" Katie stopped and turned back to the man. "You can't honestly expect me to choose between saving my sister or saving us."
"You know what's funny, is that you think that's what's happening right now." Katie said with a shake of her head. "I'm not making you choose anything Oliver, because I know you've already chosen. This is going to end badly, and I can't just sit back and watch." she turned to leave.
"So you're running?" Oliver asked walking closer to her and she looked over to him as well. Her eyes went to their friends who didn't even pretend not to be listening. "Because we're not doing things your way-"
"Don't you dare-" Katie stopped herself and took another deep breath. "I need some air, I feel like I can't breathe." she turned and stalked out the door. Oliver once again went to follow, but this time was stopped.
"Oliver!"Felicity called stepping forward. "Everyone here knows you two need some time apart right now before-" her eyes glanced down to his hand which held the ring. She shook her head before holding out her hand. "Give me that." Oliver hesitated for a moment. "You want that ring on her finger, then give it to me." Oliver still was unsure, but placed the ring in her hand. "Fill everyone in, and I will go check on Katie."
Felicity turned rushing out the door, a bit nervous when she doesn't see Katie right away. She glances down , spotting Katie walking away from the club.
"Hey!" Felicity calls running as best as she can in her high heels. "You're seriously gonna make me chase you in heels." Katie stopped and turned as the woman finally caught up. "You forgot something back at club." Felicity held up the ring and Katie shook her head about to turn and leave. "Look I don't agree with this plan either, it's stupid and it'll probably fail, but this is a team, we win together and we fail together, and after we fail we usually win."
"For once wouldn't it be awesome to actually see the failure coming and stop before we get there?" Katie asked with a shake of her head. "This is a trap, Ra's isn't letting Oliver walk in there."
"Fine, let's say this is a trap, and Oliver finally realizes it, then what? What happens when Ra's comes looking for his daughter?"
"Ra's isn't looking for Nyssa, because he knows where she is." Katie replied.
"Fine, let's say that's also true. When Oliver doesn't show up then what happens?" Katie thought for a moment before turning away.
"Then Ra's and his army of killers comes to get his daughter."Katie said turning back to the woman. "So with that logic we're damned it we do and we're damned if we don't."
"At least if we do, Oliver can do that thing with his eyes that gets him what he wants."
"I doubt that will work with Ra's." Katie said with a shake of her head. "You know I really did think I escaped everything Ra's Al Ghul, but I will never escape. Something else I should thank my father for." the moment she said it, Katie was suddenly hit with an idea.
"What?"
"My father." Katie says turning to Felicity. "He made a deal with Ra's once, maybe he can do it again."
"Do you think he would?"
"After everything, he better jump at the chance to help me." Katie replies before glancing back over to the club.
"You took your engagement ring off and walked away." Felicity stated, and hearing it out loud seemed to make Katie more aware of the fact. "Do you no longer want to marry him?" Katie looked over to the ring in the woman's hand, and she wasn't proud to say that she'd asked herself that question recently. "Katie, I get all of this, Ra's, your dad-"
"I'm supposed to forgive him right?" Katie asked turning her eyes to the woman. "Forgive you, and John and Roy because you're my family and even though the lies were like a knife through the heart, because you're my family, I'm supposed to forgive you." Katie shook her head and turned her back from the woman. "I thought I could do it, I thought I could just forget the pain and the betrayal I felt, but I can't-"
"Katie-"
"I don't have anyone." Katie said finally turning back to Felicity. "My mom is dead, my father is the bastard who ruined my life, I killed my cousin and his family won't even accept a phone call from me." Katie dropped her head and sighed as she really thought about the truth of her life. "You guys, Oliver, Thea, you're all I have. I can't-"
"What we did was unforgivable." Felicity stated honestly and Katie looked up and met her eyes. "All of us knew how much of what your father has done has hurt you and has continued to hurt you and because we didn't want to hurt you we thought keeping it from you would be the best, but it wasn't." Felicity dried tears from her eyes before taking a few steps toward Katie. "As your family, keeping that from you should never have been an option, but we made a mistake. We thought we knew what was best for you and we were wrong. So no, you don't have forgive us simply because we're your family and you don't want to be alone, because you're the only person I think could truly survive that without a problem."Felicity took a deep breath, before pulling a smile to her face. "But I hope you can forgive us because we love you and we promise that absolutely nothing like this will ever happen again."
"You can really promise that?"
"For everyone, no, but for me, I definitely can." Felicity replied. "You mean a lot to me. Not to sound cliche, but you're like the sister I never knew I wanted." the blonde looked down to the ring. "Oliver is a man who wants to save the world. I know it's impossible, you know it's impossible, but he can't seem to accept that. The thing is that even though he wants to save the world, he'd choose saving you every time. Katie, do you no longer want marry Oliver?" Katie eyed the ring, and the truth was undeniable.
"No, I just sometimes get the feeling that I shouldn't be here, you know. All my problems seemed to get solved because I ran, I got away, and I just feel like that's what I should do now. I mean sometimes I don't know what my place is here and-"
"That's not true, and you know it. You're very much needed here, your opinions are taken into consideration, even to Oliver."
"And yet they change nothing."
"No, they make him a little more aware. And that awareness could possibly save his life." Felicity said with a shrug. Felicity once again held up the ring. "I know it isn't official yet, but this thing is that symbol in your relationship that you stick together no matter what. You can't just run away when things get tough. I think it's somewhere in the vows."
"We haven't taken any vows."
"Not out loud, but I'm sure you've made promises to each other that need to come into play right now." Felicity said, and Katie's eyes went to the ring in the woman's hand. "Running away from your problems is easy, but it's still just running." There was no denying that those words were true. In truth the problems Katie ran from always seemed to catch up to her in the end. It was time she stopped and finally began facing them head on. Katie took the ring from Felicity's hand and slipped it back on to her finger. "Good, now that a wedding is back on, why don't we head back inside find out how this plan is going to work."
"No." Katie said with a shake of her head. "I know how this plan works, but we may need a back up."
"Your father?" Felicity asked and Katie nodded. "Do you even know how to contact him?"
"I have an idea." Katie say backing away. "Just tell Oliver to come see me before he leaves." Felicity nodded before watching the woman head for her car.
Once Felicity walked back into the club, she found only Oliver standing there. He looked over to her, and visibly deflated when he didn't see Katie with her.
"Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
"Bad news." Oliver answered.
"Katie thinks this plan is stupid, so she wants a back up. She's going to find her father in hopes that he can strike up another deal with Ra's."
"That's not going to work." Oliver replied with a shake of his head.
"Well we don't know that. Certainty is the one thing not included in any of these plans."
"Right, well what's the good news?" Oliver asked and Felicity held up her hand.
"She's still wearing the ring." relief instantly washed over the man at the news. "She even said to stop by the apartment before you leave." Oliver gave a nod.
"Thanks Felicity. You don't know how much I appreciate this." Oliver replied. "I'm trying my best to be the guy this city needs, and being the brother Thea needs and being the man Katie wants me to be and it's hard trying to fit into all those molds."
"I think the difference with Katie is that she loves you no matter which hat you're wearing as long as you come back." Felicity replied before walking past the man to join the others down stairs. Oliver stood there for a moment, his eyes on the door, a part of him wanting so badly to still go after her, and he hated that he couldn't.
Katie told herself that she wouldn't come back. She told herself that she wouldn't even drive her car in the direction, but here she was, standing at the gate of a facility that most doesn't even know exists. Her eyes went to the camera she knows is posted on the electric pole nearby and she gives a wave.
"I'm not in the mood for games." she said and just moments later the gate was opening. The A.R.G.U.S facility always made her stomach turn. She hated that a place like this, an organization like this, even existed. There was a guard already waiting at the door when she arrived, a rifle held at his chest as she walked over. "You're the welcoming committee?"
"Agent Waller has requested to know what your business is before entry?" the guard said and Katie laughed, before taking a step toward the door, only for the guard to block her, and push her back. "Ma'am-" without warning, Katie grabbed the rifle and with a jerk of her arm hit the guard in the face with it's butt. His hands slipped slightly, but it was enough to take the gun from his hand, and knock him out with the butt of the gun. Only seconds later, lights were on and shinned directly on her as more guards with guns appeared around her. She tossed the gun on the ground and put her hands behind her head.
"I'm here to see the dead man!"Katie yelled, spinning around to the eyes of the men who had their guns aimed at her. "Tell him his daughter is here."
Katie was soon being ushered inside, hands still on her head as armed guards surrounded her. The elevator was a bit crowded, but she's sure that it was supposed to be that way. The moment the doors opened, Katie was met with the face of one Martin Ellis.
"You know how to make an entrance, I tell you that." the man said before glancing to the guards who didn't move. "I can take it from here." he looked back to Katie, taking a step back as she stepped from the elevator. "You can lower your hands, I doubt anyone will shoot you."
"Where is he?" Katie asked glancing down the halls for her father.
"And by he you mean..." Katie turned to the man with a quirked brow, before taking a step only for him to hold up his hands in surrender. "I'm kidding, geez, lighten up." he nudged his head down the hall. "Follow me."
"Martin tell me to lighten up again, and I'm going to beat you to death with that stupid smile on your face." Katie said before following after the man.
"Well someone's in a mood."
"I guess that's what happens when there's this whole conspiracy happening around me to keep the fact that my father is alive and well a secret from me." Katie replied as she kept her eyes scanning the hall.
"He thought it would be better if you-"
"Thought he was dead, in an effort to get me to depend on myself more. Yeah, Clark told me." Katie replied when they finally stopped outside of a door. "There were other ways to accomplish that, but he chose the shitty way. Is he in there?"
"Yeah." Martin replied and Katie gave a nod, before grabbing the man's shoulder and punching him hard in the stomach causing him to hunch over in pain. "Feel better?" he groans.
"I do." Katie says before pushing the man aside and walking inside the office. She didn't expect the massive office, but at the moment her attention was on the man standing in front of a wall of monitors.
"I just saw on the news that the meeting with Palmer Tech has been rescheduled for next week." Jacob said not looking over to the woman. "I'm glad it's not open to the public this time. I mean I know your heart was in the right place, sunshine, but you left yourself too open." He finally turned to see her still just standing there. "Can I get you something? Are you hungry or thirsty?" Katie stared at him blankly for a few moments before shaking her head.
"I need you and a team of agents to go to Nanda Parbat to save Malcolm Merlyn." Katie said and Jacob looked at her for a moment before bursting out into laughter. "Did I miss the part where I told a joke."
"The whole thing was a joke." Jacob replied. "If that were even possible, don't you think I would've done it for my own daughter. Malcolm made a mess and now he's paying for it."
"So that was a no?" Katie asked and Jacob sighed before standing to his feet and moving around his desk. "Please, just don't. I came here to ask for a favor, I got an answer and now I'm leaving." she turned to leave, but Jacob wasn't going to let her go.
"You shot me." Jacob said and Katie stopped and turned back to her.
"Yeah well you had me kidnapped, beaten, shot at, beaten some more, so I figured a gun shot was just an ounce of the what you deserve." she said once again turning to leave.
"I'm not going to apologize." He stated firmly, and Katie turned to him with wide eyes. "You see apologizing would mean that I regret what I did for you, but I don't. You don't see it, but you have become so much more than I ever thought you could be. You're strong, and you're cunning, you're-" he chuckled. "You're the Guardian. I like that name by the way. And it all happened because I decided that you needed to be kidnapped, and beaten, and shot at and beaten some more. It made you who you are and-"
"And who am I?" Katie asked taking only a slight step toward the man. "Who am I? Do you know, because I don't. I thought I did, I thought I was a doctor whose mission was to save lives."
"And you are a doctor, and you do save lives, but now you're more. Now-"
"Now I have blood on my hands. Now I can kill someone and not even show an ounce of remorse, but die little by little on the inside." she nodded, as she took another step. "I can shoot a man and decide if the shot leaves him alive, or kills him. I can throw a knife and make sure when it's pulled out, you won't even be able to speak anymore."
"That's enough-"
"No, it's not enough!" Katie snapped angrily. "I wasn't enough! You had to make me more, you had to ignite the darkness inside of me. You bastard if I had a gun right now, I would shoot you again."
"Will that make you happy?" Jacob asked before reaching behind him and pulling out the glock he had tucked in his pants and holding it out to her. "Take it. Shoot me. Keep pulling the trigger until you're finally ready to stop sulking in this. When you're ready to stop playing the victim and-" Katie reached for the gun, but Jacob pulled it back. "You were really gonna shoot me?"
"And take pleasure in it." Katie said before once again turning to leave.
"Were you always such a brat?" Jacob asked, and Katie just flicked him off as she stalked out of the office. For the life of him, Jacob couldn't help but smile. "A conversation without bloodshed, I say this is progress."
Katie walked down the hall before stopping. She needed a next move that didn't involve Oliver going to Nanda Parbat. Everything she's ever done has been to prevent that from ever happening and it would seem as if some twisted force was trying to make it happen.
"There is no tactical reason for A.R.G.U.S to get involved with whatever is happening between you and The League of Assassins." the annoying voice of Amanda Waller spoke from behind Katie. The doctor turned around to see the woman standing with her arms over her chest. "Attacking my agents isn't how you get what you want."
"How long did you know he was alive?"
"Does it matter at this point?" Waller countered and Katie couldn't lie and say that it did. "Your father is alive. He faked his death in an effort to throw off his enemies. He didn't tell you, but now you know. You can be angry, and you can scream and yell and throw your little rich girl tantrum or you can grow up and accept the things we can not change." with that Amanda turned and walked down the hall back to her office. Soon guards were at Katie's side. "As always, it's been a pleasure doctor!"
When Katie walked through the door of her loft, she stopped and wasn't sure where to go. She told herself that the saying, that there were no other options was a lie, and yet here she was unable to find them. If Malcolm Merlyn was going to live, then someone was going to have to go there to save him.
"Shit." Katie muttered before stalking off toward her bedroom.
Oliver arrived to Katie's place after getting everything thing they needed. The plan was all set. He and John would go to Nanda Parbat and get Malcolm. While John headed home to explain everything to Lyla, Oliver found himself in the one place he hopes he can leave.
"Twinkie!" Oliver called.
"In the kitchen!" Katie called back and Oliver headed that way. When he walked into the kitchen, Oliver found Katie sitting at the table, a sandwich placed in front of the empty seat he figures was meant for him. He walked over with a quirk brow, his eyes going from the sandwich to the woman sitting on the other side of the table.
"What is this? "
"This is a peanut butter and banana sandwich." Katie replied with a smile. "I figure if you're going off on a suicide mission, then you might as well have a last meal and since this is the only thing I can make without messing up, I thought I would be generous."
"This isn't a suicide mission."Oliver sighed as he took the seat on the other side of the table. "I'm coming back, with Malcolm, and then we're going to plan a wedding."
"And the cow will jump over the moon and all the kings horses and all the kings men won't be able to put humpty dumpty back together again."
"Twinkie-"
"I'm not underestimating your abilities Oliver. I believe in you, and I believe in your determination, but I'm also a realistic human being-"
"And I'm not?"
"No you're an optimistic. You really believe in the whole power of positive thinking." Katie said with a shrug. "It's not a bad thing, but people like you, need people like me."
"People who have panic attacks." Oliver replied, and Katie didn't have an immediate reply. She knew at some point they'd have to talk about this, but she figured they'd focus on more important things like Ra's and Oliver going to pick a fight she's not sure he can win. "Twinkie, what happened today, that was that wall you keep up shattering. That was-"
"That was a shit load of crap falling out of me." Katie interrupted. "That was me thinking about my father being alive after letting me think he was dead, that was me really thinking about the fact that my friends chose to not tell me any of it." a tear fell down Katie's cheek, and Oliver reached out a hand to her, but she pulled back. "Today was me coming to grips with the fact that the man I really would like to spend the rest of my life with kept something as big as my father being alive from me for so long." Oliver opened his mouth to speak, but Katie held up a hand to stop him. He wanted to talk about the panic attack and so she was going to tell him the truth. "Look like I said, who knew first isn't what bothers me, and in the end it's my father who I blame for all of it, but you-" she took a deep breath as she met his eyes. "I love you Oliver with all of my heart, but that trust, that blind trust that I held for no one but you is gone."
"And I've apologized-"
"I know Oliver. I've heard every apology and I see just how much you regret keeping it from me." Katie sighed dropping her head and looking down to the ring on her finger. "If this situation were reversed-" she glanced back to him. "If you were the one in my shoes, you wouldn't forgive me."
"That's not-"
"But it is Oliver." Katie said with complete certainty. Oliver gaze on her was hard, but he had to drop his head because she forced him to think about it. To really think about the possibility of his mother and father being alive, and her not telling him and he has to admit that he would be angry. And he's not sure that he would be able to offer the same forgiveness that he's asking her for. "You're Oliver Queen, and I'm just Katherine Robins-" he met her eyes once again about to stop her. "Any one reading our story Oliver would wonder why time after time I can be lied to, I can be broken, how I can be doubted, and still somehow find it in my heart to forgive you so easily."
"And what would be the answer?" Oliver asked and Katie somehow found a smile in all the emotions raging inside of her at this moment.
"You're a jackass." Katie said, and Oliver sat back in his seat definitely not expecting that. "You're a jerk, and a bit of a misogynist, your expectations of yourself are too high, and-" she turned away trying to think of something else, when she suddenly got it and turned back to the man. "And you snore."
"Ok." Oliver replied still studying the woman. "I hope to God there is a but in there somewhere."
"But, I forgive all of your faults Oliver, I forgive the stupid decisions you make in the name of protecting me because I know all of your fuck ups come from pure place in your heart." she sighed as she dropped her head.
"Katie, if you would just trust me and trust that I know what I'm doing." Oliver said before moving the plate aside. "I can handle Ra's, just like I could've handled him on that mountain if you had only given me the opportunity." Katie lifted her head, and met his eyes. They never really had a discussion about her making that decision on the mountain, and she assumed he understood why she did what she did, but obviously he didn't.
"Wow, ok, I didn't know this was even a conversation that we needed to have." Katie said before standing to her feet, and pulling the table back from Oliver. Oliver watched her closely as she walked over to him. For a second, he thought she was going to hit him, but instead she climb over him to straddle his lap. His hands instinctively grabbed her waist as her hands fell to rest on his chest. "When we were on that mountain, and Ra's was there and Nyssa was there, Lian was there, and I saw you prepared to pick up a sword, which you had no experience in using, ready to risk everything to stop him." Katie placed her hands on the sides of Oliver's face. "I wasn't ready to risk everything that day, especially your life. So maybe you would've beat him, maybe we could've walked off of that mountain victorious, or maybe I could be standing at your grave again." Katie dropped her forehead against his. "I did that once. I stood at a grave that had a headstone with your name on it, and I cried until I had nothing left in me to cry." She once again lift her head, so their eyes were just mere inches apart. "I won't apologize for that." Oliver's hand slid into Katie's hair, pulling her lips to his, in a kiss filled with an electricity that they only could create with each other.
"I love you." he whispered against her lips, never breaking the dance their lips were engaged in. "I promise, I'm coming back."
"I know." Katie whispered against his lips. "Because I'm coming with you." her words seemed to pull Oliver from the moment, and he instantly pulled from her lips.
"Twinkie, no, I'm not letting you-"
"That's just it Oliver, I don't do things because you either let me, or don't let me do them. I make my own decisions, and this is one I'm deciding." Katie replied. "Nanda Parbat is a dangerous place to go in blind. I am going to go with you because I know how to get you in and—"
"You just escaped that place, and now you want to walk back through the front door?" Oliver asked with a shake of his head. "You once told me that place haunts your dreams."
"And it does, it's what most of my nightmares are made of, but it doesn't scare me anymore." Katie replied placing a hand to Oliver's cheek. "Nanda Parbat is my Lian Yu. It no longer has power over me, and so I'm going." and with that Katie climbed from Oliver's lap and stalked out of the kitchen. Oliver jumped to his feet to follow her.
"This isn't happening!" Oliver called after her, but it was as if she wasn't listening. She stalked into her bedroom and grabbed her jacket.
"Weapons are pointless, because we're going in there outnumbered, so if we're getting in, we're not going in there to fight." Katie stated ignoring to look Oliver was giving her. "That's only if things happen the way we want, which I doubt. Ra's wants you there for some reason, maybe he wants me there, I don't know, but hopefully once we find out, he'll let us go. Or maybe this really is a suicide mission." Katie moved around Oliver to leave the room, but the man grabbed her arm before shutting the door, and pushing her back against it, so she could look no where else but to him.
"I'm still in charge, and I say that this is not happening." and the order is very blatant, no misinterpretations even possible.
"Did you really just bring the Arrow into our bedroom?" Katie asked and Oliver kept to seriousness in his eyes unwavering. "Oliver you're in charge when you think rationally, and right now, this decision to keep the only person who is familiar with the dangerous, unknown territory that you're about to embark on is just based on pure emotion. You're in charge when you think like a leader, and even though you're barking orders, and you're doing your serious look, you're still just being Oliver Queen my fiance who would rather go there blind then take me with him. So right now I'm going because you don't see it right now, but I'm an asset." she waited for him to respond to the string of sentences she just pulled out of nowhere hoping they were convincing. "Liver-" her words were stolen by the man's lips once again hungrily capturing hers. This time she could feel everything around them disappearing, and soon Nanda Parbat was a faint idea. Oliver's hands wrapped around her waist and guided her over to the bed, where he laid them down, never stopping his lips. Katie thought she knew what was happening, thought she knew where this moment was leading, but she found out she was wrong when she felt cold steel wrap around her wrist. She jerked back from Oliver's lips, and glanced up to her wrist that was no handcuffed to the bed post.
"So maybe you come with me, and you successfully help us save Malcolm." Oliver said as Katie turned her eyes back to him. "Or maybe seeing you again makes Ra's believe that letting you go was a mistake, and that's not a risk I'm willing to take." he leaned in to kiss her once more, only for her to turn away. He let out sigh, before simply kissing her cheek. Oliver stood to his feet and began walking toward the door.
"Why do you have handcuffs?" Katie asked and Oliver stopped, and she could've sworn she heard him chuckle. "So you're going to just leave me here?"
"I will send someone to get you." Oliver said turning back to her. "By the time they do, we should already be headed home."
"And in the event that you're locked in a cage somewhere, chained to the floor?" Katie asked and Oliver shrugged.
"Then I'll get out of the cage and the chains and come back to you." Oliver replied before turning and leaving the room.
"And cows will jump over the moon, and all the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put humpty dumpty back together again!" she called after him. "I'll see you soon, Liver!" the next sound she heard was the apartment door opening and closing and she let out huffed as she dropped her head back on the bed. She patted down her pockets, but realized she left her phone in the kitchen. "Shit."
Katie wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, trying to figure out how to get herself out of this situation.
Hal Jordan, a pilot for Ferris Air, stood uncharacteristically quiet in the empty cafeteria after hearing the unbelievable tale of a woman captured by the US Embassy in Bosnia, who escaped, and is now being condemned as a danger to the nation. Now his friend thought coming here, and seeking his help was the only way to help the woman.
"I told you this was a stupid idea." Katie muttered over to Richard with a shake of her head. "He's just a pilot, there's no way he can help us."
"Just give him a minute to digest all of this." Dick replied and Katie let out a sigh, turning back to the pilot who still just stood there blankly staring at them. "Look Hal, I know all of this is kind of hard to believe, but-"
"Let me get this straight." Hal said finally speaking. "You-" he pointed to Katie who just looked on in confusion. "Married, him." he looked over to Dick and just shook his head. "I call bullshit."
"After everything I just told you, that's all you have to say?" Dick asked and Hal turned to him with a shrug.
"Well everything else doesn't matter, because well you're insane if you're thinking I can get some broad off the US watch list is a joke, I'm just waiting for the punchline."
"Dude, she's innocent, and you-"
"Dude, I'm a pilot!" Hal snapped. "I fly planes in the air, that totally is the only thing on my resume."
"You also dated the bosses daughter, said boss has connections and-"
"You want me to ask Carl, to what, talk to his government buddies about trying to save a woman who everyone thinks is a terrorist?"
"But she's innocent-"
"It doesn't matter if she's innocent or not Richard. Carl Ferris barely tolerates me as is. He only keeps me around because I'm one of the best, if not the best pilots he has. I can't walk into his office and ask him about this. I'm sorry." with that the man walked around them, leaving them only with his words.
Richard let out a deep sigh, before turning to Katie who stood with a shake of her head.
"Look, don't worry, I can figure this out."
"This thing you're trying to figure out, is my life." Katie said turning back to the man. "My life that I was ripped away from, and all I've ever wanted was to get it back and pretend as if these last three years just didn't happen. I want to go home." she turned and headed for the door as well.
"They're waiting for you in Starling. The moment you step foot in that city, you'll just be ripped away again." Dick said as he followed beside her. "Look all I need is time to convince Hal—"
"Why would Bruce send you here?" Katie asked stopping and turning to the man. "You obviously have no idea what you're doing, so why would he send you." Dick stared at her for a moment before turning away. "What? Wait-" he turned back to her. "He didn't send you?" she began backing away from the man. "But you had his plane and-"
"Bruce doesn't know I'm here, alright." Dick replied. "He got word that you were being held by the embassy, and he was this close to coming to get you himself, but he received this weird blue flower and-" Katie turned away, a darkness coming to her eyes. "He got that look. I don't know what happened, but I know he was pulling his hair out trying to find a way to get to you, and I volunteered, but he refused my offer. Said I couldn't handle whatever this was."
"You should've listened to him." Katie said dryly before turning and stalking off. "You have no idea what I'm in, and you have no idea how far I have to go to get out." Katie said before pushing out the door, only to come to sudden halt.
"What-" Dick said as he came out behind her, his words suddenly lost in his throat at the dozen or so guns aimed at them.
"Was this your plan?!" A voice called and they both searched the crowd for the source, when suddenly none other than Carl Ferris himself pushed to the front. "Some sort of attack on the airfield?"
"Sir, that's not what this was at all." Katie said taking only a slight step forward, but stopping when the guns seem to all move toward her. "Whatever you're reading about me, whatever you're being told, it's all a lie. I was kidnapped and then I was brought to the embassy-"
"Where you refused to give any information about your captors, before running away." Carl replied. "Guilty people run Ms. Robins."
"Scared people run too Mr. Ferris. They run faster actually."she glanced over to the men who never even moved a muscle. "Right now sir, I just want to get home."
"Well if what you say is true then you will have no problem pleading your case." Carl said as a black van pulled up.
"Where the hell are you taking her?" Dick asked as armed men grabbed Katie's arms and began pulling her toward the van.
"She's taking a fun trip to Louisiana." Carl replied turning to the man. "It's where all the bad people go who mess with our nation."
The moment Katie heard the sound of her apartment door opening, she suddenly sat up a bit straighter, her hand slowly sliding underneath her mattress, and grabbing the gun even Oliver doesn't know is tucked away underneath. She heard footsteps moving closer, and so she held up the gun up toward the door, really hating that she was confined to this bed.
The door to her bedroom pushed open, and she raised her gun, only to stop when a familiar face appeared.
"Bruce?" she said and the man turned, his eyes going to the gun then the handcuffs on her wrist.
"You know, I never imagined you and Oliver being into the kinky stuff." Bruce said glancing around the room. "Where is my good friend Oliver?"
"Probably on his way to get himself killed." Katie says placing the gun on the bed. "Get these off of me."
"Actually I think it may be better if we kept them on for a little while longer." Bruce said and Katie looked at him with a quirked brow. "I need a favor."
"And now is the moment you want to ask me?"
"I have rarely asked you for anything, and this one time I just need your help." Bruce said and Katie just shook her head, because here she was handcuffed to a bed and he just wanted something from her.
"Fine, if you will stop talking and get these damn things off, whatever it is, I will do it." Katie said and Bruce smiled wide with a nod.
"You have no idea how much you're helping me." Bruce said before walking over to the door. "She agreed." Katie stared in confusion as she heard more footsteps and soon another familiar face appeared, and her eyes just went wide.
"Bruce-"
"Before you say anything, I just need this favor. He's-" Bruce turned to the man and just didn't have words. "If I don't get him out of Gotham, I'm going to kill him and I figured since you guys liked adding people to your team-" he turned back and shook his head. "I thought I'd bring you another stray." he looked over to Katie who still stared at the man before her hand slowly moved toward the gun on her bed. Bruce noticed and quickly grabbed it before she could. "Trust me, killing him won't solve anything."
"You know I think I'm hurt. I thought you'd be happy to see me." his annoying voice was the same, and made Katie's skin crawl instantly.
"Bruce-"
"He's made a mess in Gotham, and I just need him away so I can clean it up. Plus I think Oliver's the perfect guy to whip those asshole tendencies out of him."
"I wonder where I got them from?"
"Bruce give me my gun." Katie said and the man sighed, as the young man suddenly hopped onto Katie's bed beside her.
"So Sugar Bear, how you been?" Katie looked at him with dark eyes and she grit her teeth.
"Richard!" Bruce warned, but Katie had no patience at all, her dark eyes turning back to Bruce.
"Bruce...gun."
Author's note:Totally love the ending. Richard Grayson is going to be a very important part to this story and not even he is going to be aware of it.
Review Replies:Phoenix-Rising29: First off thanks so much for the review! I really appreciate hearing from you, and I love your thoughts on the story. And to some extent I do agree with you. Katie does find herself forgiving Oliver too easily, but I think with her, Katie usually understands Oliver's motives. Yes, her father and this plan that has shaped her life was big, and Oliver keeping it from her was a very big kick to the gut for her. Plus there's this underlying flaw that Katie has, and it 's that she doesn't want to be alone. It's why she jumped into a relationship with David when she wasn't truly over Oliver, and I think it's why she give Oliver so many chances. But in all stories characters grow and they change and I'm sure one day she won't be able to just forgive Oliver. I believe another one of my reviewers mentioned Oliver's secret child he doesn't know about yet. I get the feeling that is going to be a very complicated thing that isn't going to be solved quickly.
Adela: I'm glad Katie did forgive Oliver as well, even though I think this time it did change her out look on Oliver a bit. This was very big, so I'm sure she probably won't forget the betrayal, but hopefully they can move forward. And I'm glad you brought up the son plot point that we will see hopefully in the next sequel to this story. I haven't completely planned out a next story, but what do know is that conflict will be very tough on Katie and Oliver's relationship. I'm not even sure it'll be something they can survive, but I guess we will find out if I continue with the story.
ImsebastianstanButter: I know, sometimes I'm evil, but you love me because I bring you more chapters. Hope you enjoy!
kuppcake: We actually went deeper into the panic attack in this chapter, but I thought it was important to show that Katie was still human. Even after everything she's gone through, at some point something is going to push her and she's going to get knocked down. But she always gets back up. Oh, and Roy is awesome. I love that scene where he said he'd throw them all under the bus, and I truly believe he would. We haven't had many Roy/Katie scenes, but we will when the man decides to make a big sacrifice.
rockyroyal,dr: I'm glad you pointed out the group therapy session, because I really wanted to show how desperate Katie is to find some sort of solace. This won't be the first session she tries, and in the next one we'll see why she's trying them out. Oh, and Mr. Slim Shady hasn't made his last appearance. He's actually going to end up having a very surprising back story. And I agree, his intentions aren't honorable. John has always been a man of wise words for me. He knows what to say to get people to really think and I'm glad he he actually decided to go to Katie instead of waiting for her to come to them. I also loved the advice to Oliver about marriage which I'm glad Oliver listened too. I felt Katie's reaction to Jacob appearing at her door needed to be drastic. Like something in her head just snapped, which is probably what lead her to another therapy session. So maybe it was overreacting on her part, but I guess if you weren't the one tortured and shot at, then you wouldn't truly understand how overwhelming it is to see the reason behind it all standing right at your door.
Forever Courage: Thank you so much! I'm a bit of a novice in the writing department, so your words really make me really happy. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story do far, and I hope you stick around to the end because it can only go up from here.
Once again sorry for the long wait, but I will never return empty handed. I hope you're enjoying the story, and paying attention to the little details that may seem irrelevant. Trust me they aren't. Everything is playing a part, including the flashbacks. I want to thank everyone who has added this story to your fav/follow alerts and special shout out to those who took the time to review. I loved reading your thoughts, on the story and those thoughts sometimes shape my thought process when I'm writing these chapters, so please keep them coming. 100 reviews is always a personal goal for me to end a story on and I think we can make it. I feel like there are probably eight or nine chapters left of this story, so it's definitely possible. As always I leave you with a sneak peek.
SNEAK PEEK
"I was wondering when you would return." Nyssa spoke as Katie walked over and simply dropped to the floor in front of the cage.
"I am fully prepared to break every bone in your body, and leave you alive enough to feel every bit of it." Katie stated, her gaze fixed on her cousin. "Why did you let yourself be caught?"
"Maybe your beloved is just predictable." Nyssa replied with a light chuckle. "His death has always been tied to that of Malcolm's for taking my Sara."
"Except despite what you believe your father could care less about avenging Sara's death." Katie replied dropping her face to her hands, letting out a sigh. "Malcolm betrayed League law, killing him I understand, but Oliver was always a chess piece to him. Used to get something he wants." she looks back up to Nyssa. "He doesn't want me to come back, because he realizes I'd probably cause more trouble then I'm worth."
"It doesn't matter Nura, because in the end Malcolm will face death, and if there is true justice in the world, so will Oliver." Nyssa replied with a smile. "It's over."
"At some point we have to wonder if enough blood has been spilled." Katie replied before standing to her feet.
"Our hands are too stained with blood to even care." Nyssa replied and Katie just nodded.
"Maybe you're right." Katie replied staring down to the woman. "Just so you know, if your father kills Oliver, you're going back to Nanda Parbat in pieces, and there are absolutely no hidden meanings behind that." with that Katie stalked toward the stairs, and jogged back up to the club.