Italics are French.
TW: Glad you enjoyed it. Glad to hear it.
Teufelchen: You'll see on Oliver and Bobbi.
MarioCatjr: Yeah, that about sums it up.
Former SHIELD base
Late afternoon
In an isolated corner of the base, Oliver was alone, sitting on some steps. In his hand was the photo of Bobbi he had kept in his wallet. He stared at it for a long moment, a forlorn look on his face when he heard someone approaching. Oliver quickly pocketed the photo as his mother and sister rounded the corner.
"Hey," Oliver said, taking a moment to calm himself.
"Hey," Thea echoed, trying to find something to say as they approached but coming up short.
"I'm sorry about storming off. Confronting Isabel was a lot…heavier than I thought," Oliver said lamely.
"You don't need to explain Oliver," Moira said softly, seeing how affected he was still by Isabel's taunts.
Oliver looked up at them then and saw the way they looking at him. And he understood.
"You know. About Russia. About…" Oliver trailed off, unable to say it.
"We kind of made Natasha and Fury tell us, with some help from Lyla," Thea explained and Oliver merely sighed. "Don't be mad at them, they were just trying to help."
"I'm not mad. If Fury of all people is revealing secrets, he must think you need to know. I just…I don't like talking about it," Oliver said, a haunted look in his eyes. "Every day, I try to forget that it was my fault. Every day I fail."
"Oliver, it was not your fault," Moira quickly assured him and Oliver smiled tightly.
"Yes, it is. I got too close to Kovar, and I trusted the wrong people. Hydra was pulling my strings and I didn't even know," Oliver sighed. "A member of my team was Hydra; he told Kovar where our safe house was. I told Sara on the island that I learned not to trust anyone, but I still trusted him. And it cost me and Bobbi so much."
"You couldn't have known Hydra was in SHIELD, no one did. Ollie…I can't begin to imagine what you've been through. But you can't blame yourself," Thea said and Oliver looked at her with an odd look on his face. "What?"
"You just…you sounded like her for a minute there. Bobbi. It sounded like something she would say," Oliver said softly and a beat passed.
"You cared about her very much, didn't you?" Moira asked, already knowing the answer, seeing the look on his face and remembering what Natasha had said.
"I was in love with her, Mom. And maybe part of me still is," Oliver said with a heavy sigh. "When Bobbi told me she was pregnant…for the first time since I got off the island, I could see a future that didn't involve me putting on the hood. I could finally see a way out of the darkness, a light at the end of the tunnel. And then Hydra took that away from me."
It was silent for a moment before Thea walked over, wrapping her brother in a hug. After a moment, Oliver returned the embrace.
Behind them, Moira watched her children, indecisive. She couldn't help but think of Samantha Clayton and the secret she had kept from Oliver in that moment.
Moira had kept tabs on Samantha since she had moved to Central City, and knew Samantha had given birth to a boy she had named William. She seemed to have built a good life for her son.
Moira wanted to tell Oliver about his son, but bit her tongue. William could not be a solution to Oliver's pain. It was an unfair burden to place on a child. As much as she wanted to help her son, William could only be used to fill a void right now. She would tell Oliver the truth…just not right now.
In another part of the base, Sara was sharpening a knife, deep in thought when she heard someone approach. Sara paused in her task, putting the knife down.
"Did you want something?"
"Just checking on you. Felt like that was pretty intense, hearing about Queen's old flame," Logan noted as he stepped up beside her.
For a moment, it was silent as Sara considered his words. He wasn't wrong, it had been quite intense. Shocking, horrifying, and heartbreaking as well.
When she'd told Oliver about the League and then he'd learned about Nyssa, Sara had thought they had no secrets between them. But that illusion had been shattered.
Sara understood why Oliver had chosen not to tell her about his time in SHIELD. It was the same reason she'd not wanted to tell him about the League, there were things in your past you just didn't talk about. But to know he'd lost something so important...it broke her heart.
"Did you know?" Sara asked softly and Logan didn't need her to clarify.
"No. I met him just before Hydra came out of the shadows. By then, he was pretty closed off; he has a good poker face. He's stopped by my…home a few times since then, usually just to grab a beer, get some advice," Logan said and Sara shot him a look.
"From you?" Logan couldn't help but laugh at Sara's question.
"Hell no. The guy I work for, Oliver'll slip out of Starling City every now and then, head up to New York, ask him about some problem he's having. The guy I work for has a way of looking at things from a very different perspective than the three of us do. Queen appreciates that. So do I," Logan shrugged.
"You talk like you know me," Sara noted and he smirked at her.
"I know the type, I'm the same way. You feel like you're damaged, that you can't ever be more than what the world thinks you are. But there are people out there who will tell you otherwise, that you can be more than just the weapon the world tried to make you into. There's plenty of bad out there, but more than a few good people too. Oliver believes in redemption, and trust me, that's a rare thing. Whatever happened in the past, you can't change. But you can try to move on, be better than what you were."
"You think of that all by yourself?" Sara asked after a moment and Logan chuckled.
"Smartass. Just thinking about what my boss would say. He's the only person in the last 17 years I've met who actually tried to help me. And maybe I'm trying to do the same, help someone who thinks they're beyond help," Logan said and Sara was silent for a moment.
"I see why Oliver called you for help. You give off this 'I'm bad' vibe, but you're a good guy underneath," Sara noted and Logan smirked.
"Don't tell anyone, I have a reputation," Logan joked and the two of them shared a laugh.
Twenty minutes later, exactly an hour after they had interrogated Isabel, Oliver, Moira and Thea walked into the briefing room, where everyone else was waiting. As they all looked up at him, Oliver knew it hadn't just been Moira and Thea. Fury and Natasha had told all of them.
"Oliver-" Felicity started but Oliver held up his hand.
"Felicity, I know you probably want to tell me how sorry you are about what happened to me. But right now, our only focus needs to be on Slade," Oliver said kindly but firmly and, after a moment, Felicity nodded.
"Okay. Well, Wanda was able to find out from Isabel that they're attacking the city tonight," Felicity said as Natasha brought up a holographic map of Starling City's sewer system. "They're using the sewer system."
"He has more men than we thought, all of them injected with Mirakuru," Natasha explained.
"Do we know where Slade's base is?" Oliver asked with a look at Wanda and nodded. "Good."
"What are you planning, Ollie?" Sara asked, seeing the gears in his head turn.
"Do you remember your plan to take out Slade while we were on Lian Yu?" Oliver asked and Sara's eyes widened in realization.
"You wanna blow up Slade's army," she said and Oliver nodded.
"Except we'll be using a lot more explosives. If everything goes well, there'll be nothing left when the smoke clears," Oliver said grimly.
"And if it doesn't go as planned?" Steve asked and Oliver looked at him in the eye.
"Then I have Captain America, the Black Widow and the Wolverine watching my back. Either way, we stop Deathstroke tonight," Oliver said firmly and Logan chuckled.
"Now you're talking my language. What's the plan?" Logan inquired.
"Gather up as much explosives as you can find, we still have some left over from taking out Applied Sciences back at Verdant. Then we head over to take out Slade," Oliver ordered.
"And why does it sound you're not going to Verdant?" Natasha noted and Oliver looked over at her.
"There's one more thing I have to do before we strike," Oliver said simply.
Starling City
That night
At a restaurant, Oliver sat at a table, waiting when a server, a man with grey hair and a bushy mustache, walked up to him.
"You should never dine alone," the server said and Oliver smiled tightly.
"I'm waiting for someone," Oliver said simply and the server walked away before Oliver saw his target walk through the doors. "Sebastian, may I join you for dinner?"
Blood did a double take on seeing Oliver before smiling, sitting down across from him.
"Of course, Oliver. How are your mother and sister doing after what happened?" Blood asked, sounding concerned.
"Shaken up, but fine. Convenient though, isn't it? Just as my mother seems on the verge of becoming mayor, Slade Wilson tries to murder her, which would have granted you the seat in the Mayor's office," Oliver noted, carefully watching Blood for his reaction.
"Trust me, Oliver, I would never want to win that way," Blood assured him and Oliver stared at him blankly for a moment.
"You're a good liar, Sebastian. I'd almost believe you…if I didn't know you were working with Slade and Isabel Rochev," Oliver said bluntly and saw Blood pale, gulping before speaking again.
"How do you know I've been working with them?"
"Because I'm The Arrow," Oliver revealed and Blood stared at him for a moment before laughing.
"Of course. It all makes sense now. It was right in front of me," Blood noted amused before he looked back at Oliver. "You came to my office and you shook my hand. You said that together, we can save this city."
"You think that there will be a city to be saved after you unleash Slade's Mirakuru army?" Oliver asked incredulously.
"They'll only cause enough damage to make the city ready," Blood argued.
"Ready for your leadership?" Oliver asked.
"For my vision of what this city could be. A better city. And after the storm they're about to suffer, the people of Starling will support and follow me to that city," Blood insisted and Oliver scoffed.
"The ends justify the means. Funny, Alexander Pierce, the leader of Hydra, made that exact same argument almost two years ago when he tied to murder thousands of people," Oliver noted.
"I am nothing like Hydra, Oliver," Blood insisted and Oliver scoffed.
"You keep telling yourself that, Sebastian. Whatever Slade promised you, he will not deliver. He wants to hurt me. You are a pawn in a much larger game," Oliver tried to reason with him.
"Slade promised me city hall. And he would have delivered if-"
"If the Avengers hadn't stopped him from murdering my mother?" Oliver asked coldly.
"He makes good on his promises. I understand he made you a promise, too," Blood noted before standing up. "It's a new day in Starling City, Oliver. And there's nothing you can do to stop it."
Oliver silently watched him walk out before standing up himself. It was time.
Former SHIELD base
Later
"You get what you needed from Blood?" Fury asked as Oliver entered the room, dressed in his Arrow suit while the rest of his team geared up.
"I got what I expected. Everyone ready?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah…but I'm not going with you," Sara said and they all looked at her. "I know this is the endgame and everything, but I can't get what you said about Laurel out of my head. If Slade really is going after her-"
"John and Sam could probably use all the help they can get," Oliver interrupted her. "It's okay, Sara. In your position, I'd do the same thing. Hook up with them, and hopefully we'll all meet when this is over."
Sara nodded, kissing Oliver on the cheek before she walked out of the room. Once she was gone, Oliver turned to the others.
"Okay, Steve, Natasha, Logan, Wanda, Felicity, we're heading to Slade's base of operations to plant the bombs and, if we have to, fight our way out. Lyla, Kurt, Fury, I want you to stay here in case something happens and we can't make it back."
"Meaning if you all die, we're the last line of defense and there's still a chance to stop Slade," Fury noted.
"Wasn't going to put it like that, but yeah. Hopefully it won't come to that though," Oliver said.
"It better not. I lost you once, I won't go through that again," Moira told him firmly.
"And you won't. We'll be with him, Ma'am," Steve promised and Moira nodded gratefully.
"Just come back safe," Thea said, walking over and throwing her arms around Oliver.
Oliver's first instinct was to reassure her that he would, but he bit his tongue, remembering where the lies had gotten him. So instead, he returned Thea's embrace.
"Oliver, we need to go," Natasha said gently and Oliver nodded, releasing Thea.
"Stay safe, Speedy," Oliver said, kissing her on the forehead before beginning to walk out.
"Oliver," Moira called out and Oliver paused, turning back to his mother. "I know you have to stop Slade. But just be careful that in trying to stop him, you don't become the monster."
Oliver stared at her blankly for a moment before nodding and walking out the door, Steve, Logan, Natasha, Wanda and Felicity all following after him as the others watched them go, hoping this wouldn't be the last time they ever saw each other.
Unspecified location
Same time
Slade was donning his armor when he turned around, seeing Bobbi looking at him with distain in her eyes.
"I'll be leaving. But don't worry, I'll be back. And I'm leaving some friends with you," Slade said, a sadistic grin crossing his face.
Two men walked in and Bobbi realized with a start they were the same men that had abducted her in the first place.
"Keep watch over her; make sure she doesn't try to escape. But she is not to be harmed unless I give you the order," Slade told them before donning his helmet, fully becoming Deathstroke. "And tell our men to follow the tracer under Rochev's wrist. It'll lead them to the target."
Starling City
Not long after
Oliver and Logan, both in uniform, were walking down a long corridor, searching for anything that might lead them to Slade's army when Logan stopped, sniffing the air before pointing to the left.
"This way."
Oliver followed Logan for a few moments before they heard it. The voice of Brother Blood.
Finding a grate, the pair looked through it, seeing Brother Blood addressing hiss army, all wearing a duplicate of Slade's mask.
"We see them," Logan said gently.
"Got it," Felicity said over the Comms. "I'm forwarding Steve, Natasha and Wanda your ping along with the foundation schematics of the Topside Avenue. Follow the route I laid out on the blueprints. You'll see structural joints in the concrete. Blow them all and Blood gets buried."
"Understood," Steve said as he, Wanda and Natasha set about doing just that.
Starling City Police Department
Same time
Quentin was talking with Kelton when another officer walked in, leading in a suspect in handcuffs.
"Come on pal," the officer said, shoving the suspect forward and Quintin paused, recognizing him.
"Isn't that one of the Iron Heights escapes?"
"Dumbass here tried to rob a convenience store but gave up as soon as I pulled in," the office said happily. "Mind if I just stick him here for a minute?"
"No, go ahead," Quentin muttered, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that came over him as the officer put the prisoner in a chair.
Starling City
Same time
"We got company," Logan told Oliver as they waited.
It took Oliver a moment to hear the footsteps behind them. Almost swearing, he tapped the Comms piece in his suit.
"Felicity, have the others blow the charges the second they're ready," Oliver ordered.
Oliver and Logan whirled around, seeing a Mirakuru soldier stalking towards them. Logan summoned his claws and rushed the soldier with a roar. The soldier attempted to strike Logan but Logan ducked before stabbing him in the chest with his claws. Logan then yanked his claws and the soldier stumbled back before, to Logan's shock, rushing back towards him.
"Shit," Logan muttered before he was struck in the abdomen.
The blow sent Logan flying and Oliver ducked as Logan hit a wall behind him, Logan's back cracking it. As the soldier advanced, Oliver notched an arrow and fired. The arrow exploded and wires wrapped around the soldier's arm, tying him to a wall. The soldier quickly broke free of the wires and rushed Oliver. Oliver ducked, delivering a strike to his abdomen but this had to effect. The soldier grabbed Oliver by his hand, twisting his wrist. Oliver grunted in pain, going down to his knees before there was a slash and the Mirakuru solder's head fell to the floor. The body's grip slackened as it fell to the floor as well. Oliver looked up as Logan retracted his claws.
"You all right?" Logan asked, holding a hand to help him up and Oliver nodded, accepting the hand up.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Oliver grunted and Logan nodded as they began making their way out of the chamber.
"Oliver, do you copy? Queen?" Steve called out, trying to raise Oliver on the Comms.
"We're on our way out. Set off the charges," Oliver ordered.
"You read my mind," Natasha said, arming them.
But, before she could press the detonator, a gunshot rang out and it was knocked out of her hand. The three Avengers whirled around, Steve and Natasha's eyes widening as they saw who it was.
"I have been waiting a very long time for this, Captain," Georges Batroc said with a smirk, aiming a gun at them.
Although shocked, Steve quickly reacted, grabbing his shield and throwing it at Batroc. To their surprise, Batroc didn't even bother to block, reaching out and grabbing it with ease, to their disbelief.
"Mr. Wilson was right. The Mirakuru is quite remarkable," Batroc noted before throwing the shield back at Steve.
Starling City Police Department
Same time
"Hey," the Iron Heights escapee called out, getting Quentin and Kelton's attention. "You got the time?"
"It's uh, 9:00," Kelton said as he checked his watch.
"Thanks," the escapee said.
Then, to the shock of Quentin and Kelton, he easily broke his cuffs and got to his feet. Before they could even react, he grabbed Kelton by his throat and easily snapped his neck. As he dropped Kelton to the floor, Quentin drew his gun but the man quickly knocked it away. Quentin punched the man, but it had no effect. He advanced on Quentin, grabbing him by the throat and pushing him back against the wall. Another cop grabbed him, but an elbow sent him flying, and the man grabbed a mask from under his coat and put it on. He then threw Quentin across the room and advanced on the other cops who were beginning to respond.
Former SHIELD base
Same time
"Hey," Thea said quietly, sitting down next to Roy in the med bay. "I really wish you were awake right now. I…I really need to talk to you."
Roy didn't respond and Thea put a hand to her face, taking a deep breathe, trying to calm herself. Thea didn't see, on the other bed, Isabel's hand clench into a fist.
"Any word from Oliver?" Moira asked in the living area, where she waited with Fury, Kurt and Lyla.
"Nothing yet, Moira," Lyla said apologetically.
"They'll be fine. I trained three of them into some of the best SHIELD agents I had, and Logan and Maximoff are pretty good too," Fury noted and Moira nodded.
"I don't doubt that. I just want this whole nightmare to be over," Moira said with a sigh.
Alarms started blaring and the four of them looked around in alarm.
"What is that?" Kurt asked.
"The proximity alarm," Fury said, walking over and to a nearby computer. "Shit. We need to leave, now."
The other three walked over and saw men wearing a copy of Slade's mask nearing the entrance of the base, one of them forcing a door open with a punch.
In the med-bay, Thea jumped, looking around in bewilderment as she heard the alarms go off. Behind her, awakened by the alarms, Isabel's eyes opened. She turned her head and smiled wickedly as she saw Thea.
Starling City
Same time
"Oliver? Natasha? Anyone?" Felicity tried to raise someone on the Comms but received no response.
As Felicity tried to figure out what to do next, her phone rang. Picking it up, she saw it was Star Labs.
"Cisco, now is not a good time."
Rounding a corner, Oliver and Logan came face to face with at least a dozen Mirakuru soldiers.
"Think we can take 'em?" Logan asked Oliver as they were spotted.
"Not all at once," Oliver said, notching an arrow.
"Probably right. So, what's the plan?" Logan asked.
"Step back a few steps," Oliver ordered.
Logan did so as Oliver raised his bow towards the ceiling. He fired the arrow, which struck true before exploding. This caused a rockslide, a bunch of debris falling down in front of them, separating them from the Mirakuru soldiers.
Above ground, Slade's army marched towards Starling City, ready to wreak havoc.
And so, as the title suggested, the Siege has begun.
Hope the Stan Lee cameo was enjoyed.
And Bartoc is here as well. Not much of a stretch to think he and Slade would run into each other.