Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow.
The next time the scene changed, the three of them found themselves on a raft. Thea gulped as she saw Robert leaning against the sleeping form of Oliver. Laurel put a hand on Thea's shoulder, though she to found it difficult to see Robert. They watched, curious, as Robert gently pushed Oliver away before pulling out a gun. They watched, stunned, as Robert aimed the gun at the other man in the boat and fired. This jolted Oliver awake and he scrambled as far away from his father as he could.
"Dad?" Oliver asked stunned, confused, and slightly afraid.
"Survive." Robert told him as he put the gun to his head.
"No!" Oliver cried out as Robert pulled the trigger.
Laurel pulled Thea into her arms as the younger woman sobbed into her shoulder. All the while, tears streamed down Laurel's face. Diggle lowered his head, averting his eyes from the horrific scene. Before anyone could do or say anything, the scene changed.
They were in a shop, the same shop where Oliver had tortured the man. Tatsu sat on the floor, crying as she held a young boy in her arms. The door to the shop opened and Oliver and Maseo walked in, dragging a restrained man dressed in a military uniform.
"There's a cure," Maseo told Tatsu as he knelt down next to her, "He knows how to administer it."
"A little help." The man told Oliver, who reluctantly cut his binds.
"Maseo." Tatsu called and Maseo checked the boy.
"He's not breathing. The cure, he needs it now!" Maseo shouted desperately.
Tatsu began speaking in Chinese as she sobbed. Maseo knelt down closer to his son, pleading for him to wake up. Oliver looked away from the scene, unshed tears in his eyes.
"He was dead the moment he was exposed." the man said, causing everyone at look at him.
"But you said-" Oliver began.
"There is no cure." The man told him.
"Then what the hell is that?!" Oliver demanded.
"Insulin, I'm a diabetic." The man told him.
Enraged, Oliver pulled out a gun but stopped. Three red dots appeared on Oliver's chest and everyone tensed.
"I want to thank you for bringing me here, saved me the trouble of tracking you down." The man smirked as he put a cigar in his mouth.
"Okay, this guy deserved what Ollie did to him." Thea said angrily.
"As much as I agree, it's not our place to condone something like that." Laurel told him.
"I know." Thea sighed.
The scene suddenly changed to Lian Yu again. Oliver was standing in front of a woman none of them recognized.
"Tiana, I'm not gonna kill you." Oliver said before she grabbed him y the shirt.
"Then I will kill you, don't you understand?! Please!" She sobbed, "Before I kill whoever is left on this island, before I become worse that Reiter! Please!"
"Please don't ask me to do this." Oliver pleaded with her.
"If you ever cared for me, then you will do this." She said tearfully.
"Alright." Oliver said softly.
"Don't forget your promise." She told him.
"I won't," Oliver said as he brought her in for a hug, "Tiana, I', sorry."
Oliver then threw her head to the side violently and Tiana went limp. Oliver lowered her to the ground and the three could see the look of pain on his face. Thea had tears rolling down her face and Laurel wasn't much better. Diggle lowered his head and closed his eyes, not knowing who this woman was but knowing Oliver must have cared for her. Thea tried to walk over to her brother but the scene changed again.
It was still on Lian Yu but it was night. Oliver, restrained, was being led by a group of men. Behind him, also restrained, were Sara and an Asian woman around Thea's age, maybe a little older. Sara stopped and turned around, facing the man behind her.
"Anthony, you don't have to do this. You got what you wanted, let them go. If you ever cared about me." Sara pleaded.
"But I do care about you Sara...so I won't be the one who chooses to kill you. But he might." Anthony said.
Oliver and the rest looked up in confusion as Sara and the woman were both forced to kneel.
"What are you talking about?" Oliver asked.
"Time to choose Oliver," Anthony explained as he pulled out a pistol and Oliver to was forced to kneel, "who lives and who dies. Because in thirty seconds, I will shoot them both."
"You don't have to do this!" Oliver shouted at him, "You got what you came for! Take it and go!"
"Ten seconds." Anthony said as he turned the pistol on the Asian woman.
"You freaking psychopath!" Oliver shouted.
"History will make that judgement," Anthony paused, "time's up."
He turned the pistol on Sara and Laurel, despite knowing her sister was alive, gasped in fear. Oliver cried out and jumped in front of Sara, using his body as a human shield.
"I guess you made your choice." Anthony said as he turned the gun on the Asian woman.
"No!" Oliver cried out as Anthony fired.
She went down, blood pouring from her head. Oliver stared at her for a few moments, shock and grief etched on his face. Then a roar of rage shook the area and everyone turned to see Slade barged onto the scene. He easily dispatched the guards with inhuman strength and Anthony ran. Oliver and Sara looked at him in shock as Slade spotted the woman. He walked over to her and knelt down next to her, bringing her into his arms.
"Why?" Slade asked.
"I-" Oliver began.
"Ivo just shot her, he didn't say why." Sara interrupted.
"Whoever did this to her will suffer." Slade vowed as he stood up with her in his arms.
"That son of a bitch," Thea hissed and Laurel and Diggle looked over at her, "this is almost exactly what happened when mom died. Slade tried to make Ollie choose between the two of us. You son of a bitch!"
Forgetting this wasn't the real Slade, Thea tried to rush him but went right through him as the scene changed again.
They were in an unknown room. Oliver, the hood on, had an arrow aimed at Ivo.
"I didn't murder her Oliver." Ivo said.
"You shot her in the head!" Oliver shouted.
"I gave you a choice! You chose Sara! You blame me, that's because you can't face your own guilt. I loaded the bullets, yes I pulled the trigger. But you pointed the gun. And you hold yourself responsible." Ivo said.
"Yes. that doesn't mean I won't kill you." Oliver said lowly.
"The question is, what will he do?" Ivo asked as he looked over Oliver's shoulder.
Everyone turned to see a man in a mask standing there. HE took off to reveal Slade's face.
"This is it," Diggle realized, "this is how it happened."
"Is it true?" Slade demanded.
"Slade-" Oliver began.
"Tell him Oliver," Ivo interrupted, "I was angry, like you are. I wasn't thinking clearly."
"Shut up!" Oliver shouted.
"I acted rashly! I told him to choose between Shado and Sara." Ivo shouted.
"Don't listen to him! He is a monster, he will say anything. You know that he will!" Oliver pleaded.
"Tell him I'm lying Oliver." Ivo taunted.
"Grief, Mirakuru, and a skilled manipulator aren't good on a good day. But with Slade...it was always gonna end like this." Diggle said sadly.
Slade walk forward and grabbed Oliver around the neck, lifting him into the air. Even though they knew this wasn't Oliver, their natural instinct to protect their leader kicked in. As the trio rushed at Slade, the scene changed once more.
There were on a ship, watch rushing through. Slade was on the ground, pinned by a piece of debris. Oliver stood above him, an arrow in one hand, a syringe in the other.
"What are you gonna do kid, stick me with the cure? I'll still do it! I'll keep my promise! I'll take away everyone you love! Sara was only the first! Your sister, Laurel, your mother! Sara was only the first, she was only the-" Slade ranted before Oliver put a stop to it.
Diggle, Laurel, and Thea stared at Slade, the arrow sticking out of his eye. Oliver stood above him, looking down at Slade with a blank look.
"I can't imagine how hard that must have been for him." Laurel said softly.
"Now I get it. This is why he feels like he can't be with someone while he's the Green Arrow. It's because of this." Diggle said softly.
Suddenly, there was an explosion and water rushed in. It was impossible to see before it cleared and the scene had changed again.
So, what do you guys think? Please leave any thoughts or comments in a review, feedback is greatly appreciated.