Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or Batman.

Backup lair

Night

"How on earth is he still alive?" Leslie wondered as she checked over Roy.

"He's okay, right?" Felicity asked as she sat at her computer.

"He's alive but I'm not sure I can say he's okay. Whatever this Slade did to him, it's…simply astounding. In my time in Gotham, I saw cruelty first hand, but this is an entirely new level." Leslie said as she walked over to Felicity.

Felicity looked back over at Roy and gasped. Leslie turned around and saw that Roy was gone. The two women carefully walked forward, looking around for the young man. Felicity turned around and yelped when she saw Roy standing by the computers. Leslie turned around and saw Roy, growing concerned when she saw how the young man was shaking.

"God, you scared me. Roy?" Felicity called his name as she took a step closer to him.

"Ms. Smoak." Leslie called out a warning.

"Forgot my phone." Diggle said as he walked but stopped when he saw what was going on.

Roy, his hands shaking, grabbed the edge of the computer table and flipped it over. Felicity yelped as it went over, the computers screens breaking. Roy stalked towards the stairs, which Diggle in the path of.

"Roy-" Diggle started but Roy simply shoved him aside.

Diggle was thrown to floor as Roy stalked out and up the stair. Diggle shot to his feet and looked over at Felicity and Leslie.

"Are you okay?" He demanded.

At their nods, Diggle turned around and ran out of the lair. Walking upstairs, he ran into the crowd of Starling City but Roy was gone.

Hotel

Later

"So, as fun as the past few days have been…this has to stop." Laurel told Bruce as they laid in bed.

"Really?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"You're going back to Gotham after we deal with Slade and, no offense, I don't feel like doing the whole long distance relationship right now." Laurel told him.

"You could always come with." Bruce pointed out, knowing her answer before she responded.

"My life is here Bruce. My job, my friends, my family…I'm not leaving that behind, especially for someone I just met." Laurel said not unkindly.

Before Bruce could respond, both their phones went off. They looked over at the nightstand where their phones were, dread going through them.

"I know I'm not from here, but Felicity calling both of us is bad, right?" Bruce asked her.

Backup lair

Later

"What happened?" Oliver demanded as he, Sara, Laurel, and Bruce walked in to see Diggle setting up the computer table as the monitors sparked.

"I don't know, one minute he's comatose, the next he's flipping over computer equipment," Diggle told them, "he was a lot more out of control then Slade was at your house."

"He looked like Roy but it…wasn't Roy." Felicity finished.

"Is Leslie okay?" Bruce demanded.

"She's fine, I called her a cab, she's going back to the hotel you booked her." Diggle assured him and Bruce nodded, relieved.

"Where do you think he's going?" Laurel asked.

"I don't know, but we need to find him." Oliver said firmly as he walked back and picked up his bow.

Africa, two and a half years ago

Day

"We're looking for a man," Oliver said as he and Sara walked up to a shaman, "he is said to possess the skills of a thousand men."

At the Shan's direction, they turned and walked towards a man in what looked like a cloak.

"We have come a long way looking for you." Sara said as she and Oliver stopped in front of the man.

"Then you've come to the wrong place. I don't get involved with foreigners." The Shaman dismissed.

"Is that so…Mr. Wayne." Oliver said lowly and the Shaman shot up.

"How do you know that name?!" Bruce snarled as he grabbed Oliver by the shirt.

"Alfred Pennyworth sent us to find you." Oliver said calmly.

"He says it's time for you to come home." Sara finished.

Starling City

Later

"This is ridiculous," The Canary stopped as she and The Arrow pulled to a stop on their motorcycles, "we can't just ride around all night, hoping to lay eyes on him."

"Diggle, Laurel." The Arrow said through the comms.

"His place is clean; I don't think he's been back here." Diggle told him.

"Dispatch just called an ambulance at 14th and Hobart. Four men were just assaulted…by someone wearing a red hoodie." Felicity said.

"Roy." The Arrow said grimly.

Around the same time, Batman pulled up on the street Felicity had mentioned on his motorcycle. He got off and walked onto the scene. Three of the guys were unconscious while the forth was leaning against a pole for support."

"What happened here?" Batman demanded.

"Some guy jumped us…came out of nowhere. He was 'roided out or something." The man said.

Verdant, next day

Afternoon

"Hey, you wanted to see me?" Oliver asked as he walked up to Thea.

"Yeah, why is your bodyguard stalking me?" Thea asked as she gestured with her head towards Diggle.

"Slade Wilson. He's still out there and I'm not leaving you unprotected again." Oliver said firmly.

"That's…fair." Thea admitted.

"Was there anything else or did you just want to scold me?" Oliver asked with a grin.

"Yeah, my friend Sin saw Roy last night. She said he seemed…off. Could you have officer Lance keep an eye out for him?" Thea asked.

"Sure." Oliver promised as he tried to look like this was news to him.

Starling City

Same time

"You seem…different." Leslie noticed as she and Bruce had coffee.

"I do?" Bruce asked nonchalantly.

"Yes. Is there…someone in your life now?" Leslie asked hopefully and he chuckled.

"There was but it's done now." Bruce said and she faltered.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I do wish you would let someone in Bruce." Leslie told him concerned.

"I tried that once, we both know how it turned out." Bruce said grimly.

Africa, two and a half years ago

Night

"Thank you for the tea." Oliver said politely as Bruce sat down three cups of tea in front of them.

"You can tell Alfred to stop wasting his time; I'm never coming back to Gotham." Bruce said firmly.

"He said you'd say that, said you're stubborn. Unfortunately for you, so am I." Oliver told him.

"It's true, never has there a man so stubborn." Sara agreed and Bruce rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing for me in Gotham." Bruce spat.

"There's Alfred, there's your company," Oliver pointed out and Bruce simply glared at him, "look, Alfred told us about the woman you lost. Rachel was it?"

"Rachel Dawes." Bruce said softly.

"Look, I get it. I know what it's like to be faced with such pain that all you want to do is run away, never look back. But you can't Bruce, you have to move on. You don't have to forget Rachel, I doubt you could, but you have to move on with your life." Sara told him.

Backup lair

Night

"The lair, 14th and Hobart, and bar Thea's friend spotted him at," Felicity said as she pulled up a map of Starling City, "he seems to be moving east."

"What's east?" Laurel asked.

"Queen Mansion." Oliver breathed.

"If he remembers where Thea used to live, maybe there's part of Roy still in there." Felicity said hopefully.

"Or he's just moving randomly." Bruce pointed out as Oliver's phone went off.

"Hello?" Oliver answered.

"Roy is at my friend Sin's place." Thea answered.

"Where?" Oliver demanded.

Clock tower

Later

The Arrow, Canary, and Batman moved throughout the room, searching for Roy with little success.

"Roy!" The Arrow called out but no one responded.

"He's not here." The Canary said after a moment of looking.

As if the fates were laughing at her, Roy jumped down from the ceiling. The Canary took out her baton and struck Roy across the face but it did not seem to faze him. She went to swing again but he easily blocked it. He then punched her and sent her flying into the wall. Batman lunged him but Roy whirled around and punched him. Batman went flying and hit the glass window, sending him flying out of the clock tower as the glass shattered.

The Arrow fired at him but Roy easily caught the flying weapon. Desperately, Oliver pulled back his hood and removed his mask.

"It's Oliver…it's me. What you're doing right now, it's because of the Mirakuru. You're a good person Roy; you have a conscious and a soul. I need you to use those and fight this, you can do it!" Oliver pleaded with him.

Roy snarled as he tried to strike Oliver. Oliver blocked it before Roy landed a hit, sending him back into a support beam. Oliver was bounced back and thrown on his knees, which Roy took the opportunity to stomp on Oliver's leg. Oliver cried out in pain as a breaking sound was heard. As Oliver struggled in pain, Roy punched a hole in the floor and jumped into it, disappearing.

Batman, who had landed on a car, looked up as two officers pulled up and aimed at Roy. Batman lifted his head up, horror growing in him as he realized what was about to happen.

"Run!" Batman shouted but it was too late.

One cop tried to cuff Roy but Roy grabbed is hand and twisted it, the officer crying out as his wrist broke. Roy then stabbed the other officer in the chest with the arrow in his hand. Roy let go as the officer fell back, dead. Roy then turned and ran off.

Backup lair

Later

"Some of this damage is chronic," Leslie said as she looked over Oliver's x-rays, "the costs of jumping off rooftops, I imagine."

"I need to get back on my feet." Oliver insisted.

"He's as stubborn as you," Leslie said as she looked over at Bruce, "I can give you a brace but you'll be in a lot of pain."

"I can handle it." Oliver insisted.

Verdant

Later

"Oliver," Moira's campaign manager ran up to him and Diggle as Oliver sat at the bar, "I've been trying to call you."

"I've been busy, what's wrong?" Oliver asked.

"It's your mother." Moira's manager told him.

"She'll be fine." Oliver assured him.

"No, she won't. She's not using this rally to rally the troop, she's using it announce that she's dropping out of the race." Oliver was stunned.

"Oliver what happened?" Moira exclaimed as she whirled around to see Oliver limp in.

"It's nothing. Motorcycle accident, it was stupid." Oliver said as he sat down on the desk.

"That's twice as many accidents in as many weeks." Moira said dryly.

"Mark says you're dropping out of the race." Oliver said bluntly.

"The truth is I should have done this weeks ago, after Thea was abducted. My complete focus should be on repairing my relationship with my children." Moira told him.

"Our issues with you are not because we aren't spending enough time with each other." Oliver said dryly.

"Maybe so but I have to do something." Moira said as she walked over to the blinds.

"Thea hates you right now for the things that you've done, I can't trust you for the same reasons. That won't go away if you drop out. What we need now is to see you do something good. Trust me; I know a little something about… sacrificing those closest to you for the sake of the city." Oliver told her.

"I know." Moira said softly.

"Good." Oliver nodded as he stood up.

"Oliver, I know," Moira called out and Oliver froze as he realized what she was saying, "I know."

Heart racing, Oliver turned back around and stared at his mother in shock.

"I've known since last year I suppose. The night of The Undertaking everything became so clear. It's also the night I pretty much stopped sleeping." Moira admitted.

"Before you say anything else-" Oliver began.

"Let me just say that I could not be more proud." Moira said as she took the stunned Oliver's hands.

Africa, two and a half years ago

Day

"What's that?" Oliver asked as he looked outside Bruce's tent to see two jeeps ride into the village.

"A group of bandit's have been terrorizing this village for weeks." Bruce explained and the tree looked at him startled.

"Why haven't you done anything?! We all know you could." Sara snarled.

"I'm not that person anymore." Bruce turned away from them.

"They'd be so proud of you." Oliver sarcastically.

"Who?" Bruce asked.

"Your parents," Oliver said and Bruce tensed, "I know all the stories about you. Maybe it's better that your parents didn't live to see the kind of man their son has become."

"Okay," the head bandit said as he aimed a rifle at the villagers, "now, you're gonna give me some food or-"

He was coy of when an arrow shot out and hit him right in the chest. As he flew back, Oliver, Sara, and Bruce rushed out, rearing to go.

Verdant

Later

Oliver and Sara watched in the crowd as Moira gave her speech to the crowd and rallied them all. They joined in on the applause. As Moira walked over to greet them, they looked in confusion as Thea took the stage. However, they quickly realized what she was doing as she spoke.

"What is she doing?" Diggle asked.

"She knows this is being televised, she's drawing Roy here." Oliver said in dread before he and Sara walked off.

"How many of those venom arrows do we have?" Oliver asked as he and Sara walked down into the lair.

"About twenty." Sara told him.

"I need all of them." Oliver ordered and she nodded.

Sara pulled out the medicine and filled the syringe before handing it over to Oliver. Oliver then injected himself with it and walked off as they moved towards their uniforms.

The crowd upstairs was startled by the sound of gunshots as Roy rushed in, holding the arm of a security guard into the air into as he fired. Roy threw the guard into the bar and panic spread like wildfire. Laurel got Moira out as Diggle ran up to Thea.

"Thea, we need to go!" Diggle tried to lead her away but Thea stubbornly yanked away from the bodyguard.

"It's Roy, he came here for me!" she shouted stubbornly.

Diggle tried to fire at Roy but Roy tossed another security at him and he hit Diggle full force. Roy picked up a metal pole as Diggle started to sit up before he was hit by Roy.

"Roy!" Thea ran up to Roy who looked at her hard, "Roy, listen to me! Listen to my voice! I don't know what's going on with you, but I have to believe the man I fell in love with is still inside there, somewhere. You have to fight. You're strong. You can fight this. Fight this!"

Roy reached out and grabbed Thea around the neck. He lifted her into the air as she suffocated before something hit him in the back. He looked back to see two metal bats sticking out of his back and Batman stood behind him. Roy dropped Thea and Batman lunged for him. There was a brief struggle before Batman got behind him and put Roy in a neck lock. Despite all his strength, Batman refused to let go.

"Kill me. Kill me, please." Roy managed to break through the Mirakuru for a moment.

"No, don't!" Thea cried out.

"It's not what I do." Batman told Roy.

Roy managed to break free from Batman just as three arrows came out and hit him in the chest. Roy was injected and wobbled before falling back, unconscious.

"No one dies tonight." The Arrow said as he and The Canary walked out.

"The police." Thea said as she stood up.

"Get outside. We'll get him all the help he need, I promise. Go!" The Arrow shouted and for the first time in years, Thea listened to her brother.

The three vigilantes grabbed Roy and took him down stairs. They hooked him up to the IV.

"Constant does of venom can't be good for you." Felicity worried.

"It'll keep him sedated, like it did Slade." Diggle reminded her.

"Until when? We can't exactly but Tibet viper venom at the market." Laurel pointed out.

"We'll help him." Oliver said firmly.

"We're not giving up on him, not yet." Sara said in a matching tone.

"Either way, he killed that officer. If you do save him, he still has to live with that." Bruce said as he turned and walked away.

"Bruce, you okay?" Oliver called out and the other man stopped.

"I got a call before the rally. The Joker broke out of Arkham, I have to go back." Bruce said and they nodded in understanding.

"I'll drive you to the airport." Laurel offered and he nodded in thanks.

"I'm gonna make sure Thea and Mom get home safely." Oliver kissed Sara lightly before walking over to Bruce and holding out a hand, "Bruce, thank you for all your help."

"It was a pleasure Oliver." Bruce said as they shook hands.

Car driving from Verdant

Later

"You knew about Roy." Oliver looked up at Thea.

"What?" Oliver asked.

"You knew what was going on with him." Thea said knowingly.

"I'm just trying to protect you." Oliver told you.

"That's what you keep saying; you think you're protecting me by lying and keeping secrets. But that's what's actually hurting me." Thea told them.

Oliver and Moira exchanged a look them the car stopped, a crash was heard, and it all went blank.

Starling airport

Same time

"You, the offer to come with still stands." Bruce joked and Laurel laughed as they stood in front of his private jet.

"Thanks, but no. It was fun while it lasted though." Laurel said and he nodded.

"That it was. Laurel, your sister may be The Canary, but you are a Siren." Bruce told her before he turned and walked towards the jet.

Starling City

Same time

Oliver woke up and was startled to see his mother and Thea bound before him with Slade standing behind them. The parallel to Shado, Sara, and Ivo was not lost on him.

"I was dead the last time you were offered this choice," Slade said as he walked towards him.

"Oliver, what's happening?" Thea cried.

"I often wonder how you looked…when he pointed the gun at Shado. And took her from me." Slade said as he knelt down in front of Oliver.

"You psychopath. She wasn't yours!" Oliver roared.

"Neither was she yours. Yet you chose your beloved over her and then had the audacity to name your bastard after her!" Slade roared back.

"That is not what happened!" Oliver argued.

"It is what happened!" Slade said as he stood up. "It is! She told me!"

"What do you mean she?" Oliver asked as Slade pointed at nothingness. "There's nobody there!"

"Slade…you were on the island. With Oliver!" Moira realized.

"I thought I had known true despair. Until I had met your son," Slade said as he walked passed them, "I trusted him. To make the right choice."

"Let me make the right choice now. Kill me," Oliver said and Thea and Moira immediately protested, "Choose me. Please!"

"I am killing you Oliver," Slade said as he pulled out a pistol, "only more slowly than you would like."

"No." Oliver begged.

"Choose." Slade said as he moved the pistol to Moira's head.

"Don't." Oliver begged.

"Choose." Slade repeated.

"No." Oliver begged.

"Choose." Slade repeated with more edge.

"I am gonna kill you1" Oliver snarled.

"Chooooose!" Slade roared.

No, no!" Oliver shouted.

Suddenly, Moira got to her feet, drawing everyone's attention.

"Mom? Mom, what are you doing?" Oliver asked worriedly.

"There's only one way this nightmare can end, Moira said before she turned around, "we both know that, don't we, Mr. Wilson?"

"Mom." Thea begged brokenly.

"Both my children will live." Moira continued.

"Mom! What are you doing?! Mom!" Thea begged.

"Thea, I love you," Moira said as Oliver tried desperately to get free of his binds and Slade raised a gun to her head, "close your eyes baby!"

"No!" Oliver shouted as Thea cried.

"You possess true courage," Slade said before pocketing the pistol and turning around, "I am truly sorry…you did not pass that on to your son."

Slade pulled out a sword, whirling around and stabbing Moira in the heart. Oliver fell on his side a, complete defeat and despair washing over him as Thea cried out. Slade removed the sword and Moira fell on her back, her eyes staring without seeing.

"There is still one person…who needs to die," Slade said as he walked over to Thea, sword still drawn as Oliver shook his head in a silent plea, "before this can end."

Slade moved his sword and cut Thea's binds before walking off. Thea crawled over to Moira, crying out for her mother before breaking down.

Africa, two and a half years ago

Night

"So, I can arrange to have you two dropped off at this Lian Yu in a few days," Bruce told Sara and Oliver as they sat while the village threw a banquet in their honor, "you sure you don't want to go somewhere else?"

"Just get there. We have contacts in Russia that can handle the rest. So you're going back." Sara assured him.

"I'll be back in Gotham with in the month." Bruce promised.

"I'm sorry about earlier…with bring up your parents," Oliver apologized and Bruce nodded, "I can't imagine losing my mom."

"Pray you never have to." Bruce told him as he took a sip of tea.

So, what do you think? Please leave any thoughts or comments you may have in a review, feedback is greatly appreciated.