A New Life: Finding Normal (Part 1)

Posted originally as A New Life by CrazyHopelessWriter on the Archive of Our

Original story inspired by Redemption on Earth-38 by Marek Cab Pict on

Originally published by 2018-09-16. Updated: 2018-10-28

A New Life: Finding Normal (Part 1)

Summary

The island had fatalities. Felicity, Thea, John, and Samantha all perished in the explosion on Lian Yu. Star City represented all of Oliver's failures as a hero. Oliver needed to make a new life with his son William. To do that, he had to let go of his old life… his old Earth… to go where no one knew him. To makes sure William was safe. To be the father his son deserved. Oliver moved William and himself to Earth-38. Now if he could just leave trouble behind as easily.

Notes

CrazyHopelessWriter: This is an 'Arrowverse' fan fiction. I'm planning to pair Oliver and Kara but it will be a very slow burn. In the meantime, I might experiment with a few others. This fanfic starts at the end of Arrow Season 5 and Supergirl season 2. This fiction is Alternate Universe – Canon Divergence. Enjoy...!)

RoczaDeb: I asked to adopt this fic because it tickled my muse. CrazyHopelessWriter was kind enough to allow me to play in her sandbox. I went back and re-edited the chapters published by CrazyHopelssWriter. I needed to ensure continuity with my changes. Any plot changes are to ensure compliance with future chapters and for clarification. I have broken this into parts. Part 1 is the mostly finished story by CrazyHopelssWriter. Part 2 will be my own spin in that Universe. Part 1 is pre-ship for SuperArrow. I will probably take the canon route with Alex/Maggie. When will probably be at the start of Part 2.

RoczaDeb: I discovered that A New Life by CrazyHopelessWriter was inspired by Redemption on Earth-38 by Marek Cab Pict on . There are a few similarities in background and setup. But A New Life was a new storyline.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

Chapter 1: A New Earth

EARTH-1, STARLING CITY, MAYOR'S OFFICE: ONE MONTH AFTER EXPLOSION ON LIAN YU

Deputy Mayor Quintin Lance stared at Oliver like he was crazy. Oliver knew it was a huge decision. He made it after giving it a lot of thought. He hadn't told his remaining team yet. The few that survived Lian Yu. But only William and Quentin remained of his original team and his family. Quentin had the only opinion that truly mattered.

Flash was gone. He sacrificed himself to save his city by going into the Speedforce. And Sara… well, the Legends were unreachable. Oliver knew this move was good for both William and himself. They needed to do more than just exist. They needed to live. They couldn't do that here in Star City.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that again? I think I heard it wrong," Quentin asked as he shook his stupor off. Like he couldn't believe what Oliver had just said.

"I know it's a big decision. An unusual decision. But that's what we decided. William and I are leaving tomorrow. You are the only one left. This place reminds me… reminds us… too much of what we have lost… what I failed to save… They all died because of me. On this Earth, I only bring pain, suffering, and death to everyone I get close to. I can't do it anymore. I can't let William suffer and die because of me. I don't want him to grow up an orphan. The direction I'm heading… that's where it leads. My death." Oliver paused collecting his thoughts. "But on another Earth, I can be just Oliver. I can be normal. I want that. William wants that. We need that." Oliver tried to explain.

"Oliver, you know it's not your fault," Quentin started. It tore him apart to see Oliver take the blame for all the pain in their lives. For the whole city… "I never understood why you chose to blame yourself for all the bad stuff that happened to Star. Bad things happen everywhere, to everyone, Oliver. Look at Gotham," he said with a hand wave to the East. "We are not gods, Oliver. We can't stop all the pain and hardship out in the world. I get it. I understand why you want to quit being Green Arrow. I get you wanting to start a new life… but leaving this Earth? Isn't that a little extreme? This is your home, Oliver," he pled with the young man.

"Home?" Oliver asked. His voice was filled with distaste and disbelieve. "Detective, this isn't my home. It hasn't been since Laurel died… This…This is a graveyard. Everyone… EVERYONE died because of me. This place will haunt me for the rest of my life. I can't let William stay in this place. Green Arrow will always have enemies after him, Quentin. Even if I retire. William will never be safe as long as I'm on this Earth." Oliver let his frustration and angst fade. "Quentin, I'm not asking for permission. It's been decided. I just… I just need you to look after everyone since I'm not here. Tell Sara… tell her I'm sorry. I know that you don't want to hear it. But I must do this. I need to do this."

"It's okay. I get it. You have become family to me. It makes me sad to see you like this too. Don't worry, I'll look after the team and Star City. Please… Visit whenever you can. I'll miss you, Oliver." Quentin replied softly with sad, resignation.

Oliver smiled in relief. "I'll miss you too, Quentin. Are you sure you can handle things at the mayor's office?" Oliver asked with worry.

"Yeah. I got this. After all, the Mayor just went through a traumatic experience. I'll make the city understand. I just… you be safe," Quentin replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Thank you, Quentin," Oliver replied. He took one deep breath and a final hard look at the Mayor's office. He hoped it was the last time he would see this place.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-1, CENTRAL CITY, STAR LABS

"William? You ready?" Oliver asked his son. William had just finished receiving hugs from everyone at Star Labs. He hadn't shed any tears, but Oliver knew he was trying to appear strong. William was a sensitive kid. But he had a strong heart. It saddened Oliver to think it took tragedy to bring them together. He swore that he would become the father that William deserved. That he needed.

"Yes dad." William replied with a sad smile.

Oliver looked at the rest of Team Flash. He didn't know what to say. His life was suddenly uncertain again. But in a good way. He didn't even know if he would see them again. Caitlin, Iris, and Cisco has tears in their eyes. Joe remained reserved, even sad.

Oliver reached out with his hand to say goodbye with a shake. But Caitlin ignored his hand and grabbed him into a hug. He tensed, but allowed it… like he had allowed Barry's hugs. This hug proved that there were some people on this Earth that still cared about him. It warmed him to know that he was still cared for on this Earth.

"Caitlin. Stay safe," Oliver said with a gruff tone.

Caitlin nodded and broke away.

Iris swept in to hug him as soon as Caitlin left his arms. He held her tight.

"It'll be alright, Iris," he soothed softly in her ear. He knew how hard this was for her. To say goodbye like this… First Barry and now him. "I'll try to come back and check up on you," he promised. "Okay, Iris?" he waited until he had received a nod from her. "Stay safe, Iris. Barry will be back. He always comes back to you. Don't give up hope."

Iris nodded a second time before they finally broke apart.

Oliver then turn to face the guys. "Wells, Joe, take care," he told them with a polite nod.

"You too, Oliver," Joe replied gently. Then they shook hands.

"Cisco," Oliver said with a slight smile. Cisco had always reminded him of a male Felicity. "Take care of everyone. If you need help, you know where to find me. You are family. Family is important to me." He surveyed the group one last time with a final nod of goodbye. "Cisco, don't forget to pass my message to Kara. I know it's not what she wants to hear… but I need this."

"I'll tell her," Cisco said softly. He was openly crying. "Thanks, man." Then Cisco pulled Oliver into a hug as well. Oliver rolled his eyes internally as he cursed Barry again for his feel-good attitude of his team.

Finally, Oliver pulled out the Extrapolator…. A gift from Cisco… and opened a portal. Cisco wanted him to be able to move freely between Earths… even if Oliver didn't intend to do use it like that. He gave the assembled group one last wave before picking up his travel bag and grabbing William's hand. They stepped through the portal together. It was time to start their new life.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, ALEX'S APPARTMENT

Alex was worried. Her sister was distraught over the loss of Mon-El. Kara was… Kara was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. She had always looked on the bright side of life. Considering everything she had gone through; Alex was amazed at the strength of her sister.

But now Kara was… very un-Kara like. Nothing Alex had tried was working. Nothing was helping Kara deal with this latest emotional trauma. Her sister Kara was struggling. She didn't smile. She wasn't happy. She went from working at CatCo to Supergirl duties with no break. Nothing was helping her.

Since Mon-El had left, Kara was no longer a ray of sunshine. She had become a zombie. She only spoke when needed and even then, she used as few words as possible. She was running herself ragged. It was frustrating as hell. Nothing seemed to help. And Maggie… Maggie was no help at all.

"Alex," Maggie chided her. "You need to give her time. She will heal at her own pace. Be there for her. That is all you can do." Maggie changed into comfortable clothing to relax.

"I've seen her grieve before, Maggie. She has never been like this," Alex replied as her sick worry crowded into her voice. "Nothing that worked in the past is working now. I'm worried sick. I want my sister back." She folded herself in Maggie's arms. She finally let herself cry her anguish for her sister. The tears flooded out in a sob.

"Shh," Maggie said as she gently rocked Alex. "It'll be alright."

Alex continued to cry as she became less sure that Kara would be fine. Nothing would be fine. At least, I have Maggie. Alex shot upright. "Oh shit!" she swore out loud. "I forgot."

"What did you forget, Alex?" Maggie said as she tried to pull Alex back down into her arms.

"Our engagement. I forgot to tell Kara and mom. I… I was so worried. I didn't want to make Kara worse. I told myself it wasn't time yet… I'm a horrible sister," Alex cried in horror.

"Hey... hey… Alex, sweetheart, look at me," Maggie said gently. She waited for Alex to turn to her. "Kara is your sister. She loves you. She wants you to be happy. Hearing this… will make her happy for you. It may even brighten her up. It will be a good distraction for her. Right now, she needs a good distraction. I think that planning this wedding is the distraction she needs." Maggie looked at the table clock and turned back to Alex. "It's not too late now. Pick up your mom. Go to Kara's place. Tell her the news. You'll see."

"You think this will help her?" Alex asked unsure. She was anxious about having left the news so long. But Maggie is right. There was no time like the present.

"Well, there is only one way to find out," Maggie replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Maggie," Alex said right before she kissed her sweetly. She pulled away with a smile on her face. Then she jumped up and changed in a rush. She was suddenly excited for her wedding. Maggie is so good to me. I love her so much.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, KARA'S APPARTMENT

Kara hovered over National City. She was listening for anything to catch her attention. Every crime, no matter how small, deserved her attention. She had to do this. She had to justify her actions. Earth needed her. It needed Supergirl. Not some genocidal Kryptonian or Daxamite.

Kara sighed. No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts always brought her back to that fact. She was a monster. She had tried to wipe the Daxamite race out of existence. Intentionally. Even knowing that Mon-El was not like the rest of the Daxamites. Her boyfriend. What kind of girlfriend tries to kill your whole species?

Lena had tried to tell her. She had known how desperate Kara had become to stop the invasion of the Daxamites. But she had deferred the final decision to Kara. Her science may have enabled genocide, but she refused to commit it. I don't deserve Lena. She is nothing like her family. Lilian and Lex.

Kara refocused on the city once again. Dragging her thoughts away from their destructive path. She needed to keep busy. To keep her mind occupied. It was the only way. She missed Mon-El. She missed her old life. The life she had before she discovered she was a monster. He's safe now. In the future. If she stayed busy enough, she wouldn't think. If she exhausted herself, she wouldn't dream. That was why she stayed out every night until she couldn't keep her eyes open. Because she needed sleep. That was the only way she could get sleep right now.

Her family thought Kara was hurting because of a broken heart. Granted, she didn't clarify the issue with them. It was easier to think that her behavior change was because she had to tell Mon-El goodbye. That she was hurting so much because she lacked experience in relationships.

That was part of it. Her heart did hurt for Mon-El. She did have a broken heart. But… others had gone through this. Barry and Oliver had been through this. They were in good relationships now. Steady ones. Kara knew it was possible. Look at her cousin. Clark and Lois had been going stead for some time.

But that was far from all of it. While she missed Mon-El, she hated herself for her actions. Her decisions against the Daxamites. She couldn't forgive herself for trying to assassinate his mother and father. For trying to wipe out his whole species. Why would Mon-El forgive me, if I can't forgive myself? She wanted to cry. She felt cursed. Rao, what did I do to deserve this cruel fate?

Kara gave up trying to work as Supergirl. Her mind had taken her back to her monster. She couldn't be the savior that her city needed if she was in that mindset. She drifted down to her apartment. Maybe I can sleep now.

Kara zipped into her apartment and froze. Her mother and her sister were sitting in her living room. Crap! Not another intervention. Yes, I liked him. I'll be fine… really. The dedicated attention of her adoptive mother and sister were starting to become irritating. They mean well, but enough is enough.

"Hi, Mom, Alex. What are you doing here? Did we have something scheduled?" Kara asked. She knew that they hadn't scheduled anything. Her eyebrow rose in question.

"Kara, your sister called me. She said she had something to share with us," Eliza said with a warm smile. "We have been waiting. I was getting worried, but your sister said you would be back soon. Is everything alright?" she asked. Eliza showed her worry while discreetly inspecting her face and body for damage from a fight.

"I'm fine, Mom," Kara replied with a sigh of relief. "I was just out patrolling the city." She turned to Alex. "Alex, is everything alright?" She gave her sister a closer inspection. Alex seem nervous. She was fidgeting and acting weird.

"Yeah… It's fine… I mean… Umm... I wanted to tell you guys earlier, but… stuff happened and I didn't get a chance. Now… now I'm a little scared." Alex replied nervously.

"Alex, what is it? Is it bad? We're getting sacred now too." Kara replied with some anxiety. She ran her x-ray vision over her sister to rule out a medical diagnosis.

Alex huffed and gapped for a minute before she slowly took off the glove of her right hand. Her engagement ring twinkled in the light.

Eliza squealed with happiness and jumped to hug her daughter. Tears were streaming down her face. Eliza was happy that her daughter's relationship bad luck was finally over. My daughter is happy. Maggie is a good person. Alex deserves the best. I am so proud of her. Eliza continued to cry happy tears as she hugged her daughter.

Alex stepped out of the hug and turned to Kara. Kara was smiling for her sister's happiness. Crying for the joy and happiness in her sister's future.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked with some anxiety. She was most worried about Kara's reaction.

"I'm ecstatic. You deserve to be happy," Kara told her as she pulled her into another hug.

"Thank you, Kara," Alex replied with relief. "I was worried. You deserve to be happy too, you know," she said into her sister's shoulder.

"You sister is right," Eliza added. "You deserve to be happy too, Kara." Eliza said with a sad smile on her face and a hopeful look in her eyes. "There is someone out there for you. They will understand you like no other. You'll see."

Kara gave her mother a sad smile. Who could understand what it meant to be a monster? She shook the thought away. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. This is your moment. I'm happy just seeing you happy," she told Alex with a bright grin. She didn't feel the grin. But she knew it was expected of her.

Kara really was happy for her sister. Alex had gone through a number of failed relationships. She had experienced hardship and pain to get here. Maggie was worth the struggle. Worth the fight.

Kara's mind wandered again to Mon-El. Without his parents, that could have been us. I'm glad some Daxamites were able to escape the destruction of their planet. They didn't deserve to be wiped out by Krypton. Mon-El didn't deserve to lose his planet and parents like I did. He will find happiness in the future. He doesn't deserve to be tied to a monster.

Finally, Kara can't help but smile. She was genuinely happy and smiling for the first time since the Daxamite invasion. Since Mon-El left.

"I'm happy for you, Alex. Thank you. I needed that bit of hope for the future," Kara replied with a genuine smile.

"Stop it already. You are going to make me cry too. I don't want to cry," Alex replied with tears in her eyes.

Eliza and Kara laughed at Alex's failure to hold her tears back. Kara might have lost her real parents, her home, and her family… but she found another family. A family who truly loved her. She wouldn't trade that for anything.

"Let celebrate. We need pizza. It will just be a sec. Alex wine is in the bottom drawer. My sister is about to get married!" Kara giggled feeling excited for the first time in a long time.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, LEAGUE SAFE HOUSE

Oliver and William stepped out of the breach on an alleyway. Oliver sighed in relief. He had wanted to avoid the DEO on this Earth. Cisco had reassured him that this Extrapolator could have a destination set for Earth-38. For each Earth he dialed in. The destination was set for Earth-1. He would breach into their Breach Room. For a visit, that was where he wanted to go. But for Earth-38, he hadn't found a destination he considered safe yet. He sure didn't want the attention that breaching into the DEO would bring.

His Extrapolator was a new model. An upgraded model. Cisco knew why he was leaving Earth-1. He knew that Green Arrow could be pursued to another Earth. Afterall, he wasn't the only Breacher in the Multiverse. To reassure Oliver, this Extrapolator was special. It allowed breaches to any Earth. The Earth variation had to be set before activated. Just like the destination could be set. This way if Oliver had to flee this Earth, he could find a new home. Find safety for William.

The alley was surrounded by tall buildings. They left the alley for the streets and found a main road. They began to explore their new home.

Oliver and William first collected a map and a newspaper. Oliver felt a little guilty about his use of sleight of hand to steal them. He definitely didn't tell William how he got them. This Earth was different enough from their Earth that their credit cards, cash, electronics wouldn't work here.

But Oliver had a plan. In one of his conversations with Supergirl, Oliver had learned about how her Earth had an organization similar to the League of Assassins. She was telling him about how one of her cousin's friends… another costume… had to deal with them. Kara felt that the League was on its last leg on her Earth. If there was one thing that Oliver knew too well, it was the League of Assassins.

In his training as Warith al Ghul, Oliver had learned more about how the League was organized. How it was able to move freely in the world. How they stockpiled resources and weapons in every city, enabling their Shadow Warriors to move freely without losing their equipment. Oliver had taken many of these practices with him when he returned to Star City as the Green Arrow and as mayor.

That was what he was looking for now. The League of Assassin's depot in this city. Oliver continued to study the map while William read the paper. He finally marked three places on the map. The most likely one, he circled.

Oliver collected William and they set off through the city. It was some walk, but they finally turned down a blind, dead-end alley. Oliver examined the blank wall in front of him for a few minutes before he found the latch and opened the wall.

"Woah," William whispered in awe.

Oliver smiled and ushered William inside. He closed and latched the passage behind him. They snaked down through the tunnels until they came upon another door. This one was unlocked. It opened to a large facility. It was partitioned and had doors leading away. Weak light was streaming through opaque glass near the ceiling.

"What is this place?" William asked in amazement.

"It's… It's a warehouse, of sorts… for the League of Assassins," Oliver replied. He had promised to never to lie to William. To tell him all of the hard truths from his life. But he was still reluctant to expose William to more hard truths. While William knew in general about the League, he didn't know specifics. Not yet anyway.

"The League?" Williams asked with some hesitation. "Why do they need a warehouse? How do you know about it? I thought this was a new Earth."

Oliver turned to William and looked him over carefully. "This is a new start. A new Earth. That's… why we need this place," he told William. "The League of Assassins on our Earth was a global organization. They had places like this in every major city. The agents of the League… the Shadow Warriors… would come here to stock up on weapons, cash, and… to create new identities. This allowed the Shadow Warriors to move from city to city undetected."

"But this isn't our Earth," William pointed out.

"No. It's not," Oliver replied with a smile. "This is Supergirl's Earth. She told me that her Earth had an organization like our League of Assassins. I was hoping they were similar. It looks like they are."

"But how did you know about it?" William asked. "How to find it?"

"Because of my old life," Oliver said with a hint of pain.

"Oh," William said with a hint of curiosity. "Were you a Shadow Warrior too?" he finally asked.

"No," Oliver replied. "About three years ago, the leader of the League of Assassins decided that I would become his successor… his heir. I didn't want to do it…" Oliver gave out a pained sigh. "Eventually, I had to join. That is how I learned about the League and how they organize things. Eventually, I had to kill him to gain my freedom."

"You killed? You're a murderer?" William asked in a quiet voice. His disappointment evident. "I thought… that guy was crazy." He flashed to Adrian Chase threatening him. Telling him about how his father was a murder. The laugh as Adrian killed himself and everyone on the island. He started to tremble with anxiety.

Oliver knelt down and placed his hands on Williams shoulders. "I have killed. I haven't always had a choice, but there are some people that I would gladly kill again. But I never went out with the intent to kill… mostly," Oliver qualified as the image of Damian Darhk flashed through his mind. "Killing is different from murder. Adrian Chase was a murderer. I am a killer. I don't like to kill. I don't want to kill. But I will kill if I need to ensure your safety." Then he paused and gave William as small smile. "But Adrian was crazy too. You got that right."

"Mom said that killing is wrong," William said with a pained memory of his mother.

"She was right," Oliver agreed. "Killing is wrong. But sometimes you are not given a choice. That is where you have to decide if the world is better or safer if you take this life." He paused to allow William to absorb the lesson. "Mostly it is not better. But occasionally, it is."

"How do you know what to choose?" William asked as a plea.

"You don't," Oliver replied. "Adrian only targeted me because I killed his father. His father was a terrorist. But I was angry at what he had done. I killed him. Was the world a better place without him? I don't know. I could have brought him to justice." He hesitated before he continued.

"Adrian wanted revenge because I had killed his father. That's why he targeted you, your mom, your aunt, Felicity, John, Quentin, and the others. I intended to bring Adrian to justice... alive. He was insane. He needed help. He took my choice away. His death led to the death of the others. Adrian knew that. He killed himself to hurt us."

"I think I understand," William replied.

"Good. Come on," Oliver said as he stood up. He led William over to another area with computers. "By the looks of things, this depot has not been in use for years. We should be safe to stay here for now."

"What do you mean for now?" William asked with his anxiety rising in his voice. "What if someone does come?"

Oliver put his arm on his son's shoulder to calm him down. "It's alright. I don't think they will come. Don't worry. We won't be staying here long anyway. This place has everything we need to make new identities. It will provide us with money as well. Once we have IDs, we will buy our own place. Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," William relented. He still looked around the large room warily. But he settled down in the chair next to Oliver.

"Let's go find the beds," Oliver offered. "We can do this…" he waved at the computers, "…tomorrow."

"Alright," William said quietly. Oliver led him over to the various bunk rooms. He decided to sleep in the same room with William. They had not slept apart since Lian Yu. Both of them were plagued with nightmares from the island.

Oliver settled back in the bed with William curled up by his side. Kara had told him that there was no Oliver or Star City on this Earth. Apparently, Barry had initially tried to find him, Laurel, and Sara. He would verify that tomorrow, but it was a relief that he would not need a new name. Even better than no one would recognize him. But that also meant that his name meant nothing here. Even poor, the Queen name had come with some perks. He would have none of that here.

They would need an apartment or home. Which meant I need some kind of credit history. Then a job. Which meant a job history of some kind. What do I want to do? I have more experience since the last time I tried to run a company. But I had never liked business. I despise the politics in city government. I don't want to run a bar. Security? Be Dig? That option has possibilities. School for William and credentials for me. Which means school history for both of us as well.

Oliver fell asleep planning the documents he needed for their new identities. He had hope for the first time since Lian Yu. He slept soundly for the first time in a month.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, DEO

A breach opened in the atrium at the DEO. Every agent went on alert. When a short man with weird eyewear stepped out a moment later, all their weapons were aimed at him. He froze in place and slowly raised his hands. His shock and anxiety were written on his face.

"Uh… Hi. I come in peace" Cisco said in an anxious tone. "Can I talk to Kara? Seriously guys, I just came to talk to Kara. We're friends. This is where she works, right?" Cisco rambled. He stopped himself once he realized he was rambling.

"Who are you?" J'onn J'onzz asked. Cisco took in the massive black guy with a dangerous look.

"Vibe… or Cisco if you prefer. Vibe is my code name…" Cisco said suddenly. Then he continued when the agents continued to stare at him. "I'm a friend of the Flash. Supergirl knows me. She came to our Earth to help us… I just came to talk to Kara about something. I promise."

"Agent Danvers," J'onn J'onzz called. "Call Supergirl," he ordered. "Do you know this man?" he asked her, turning in her direction.

"Making the call now," Alex replied. She had discreetly signaled to Kara. "I have never met the Cisco that Supergirl talked about. But she did mention that name once or twice." Alex only had vague memories of Kara mentioning a Cisco when she visited the other Earth.

"Really? Just ones or twice?" Cisco asked annoyed.

"Supergirl will be here shortly," J'onn told him. "Come with me," he ordered Cisco to follow him. Once they were in a smaller office, J'onn indicated a chair and took a seat behind the desk. "My name is J'onn. I'm the director of DEO. This is one of our installations. I met Barry once. He seemed like a nice young man. How is he?" J'onn asked as small talk while they waited for Supergirl.

"Oh," Cisco replied as he winced at the mention of Barry. "That's one of the reasons I'm here," he said tensely. "I have some news regarding Barry and more. I… I will share as soon as Kara gets here." Cisco replied with an anxious tone.

"Cisco?" Kara asked as she walked towards the open door.

Hearing his name, Cisco turn and find Kara at the door. "Hey, Kara," Cisco greeted her.

"Wow, I was not expecting you. It's good to see you," Kara came in and hugged him.

"It's good to see you too, Kara," Cisco replied through her hug. They let go and sat back down. "I wish I had a better reason to visit though," Cisco respond.

Seeing Cisco's stoic expression, Kara felt her tension rise. "What is it? Does Barry need my help? You don't look very good," Kara said as she appraised him.

Alex came in too at that moment.

Cisco took a moment before speaking. "Um... Things got… harsh on my Earth," Cisco started. His voice grew grim. "Kara, Barry is gone. He sacrificed himself to the Speedforce to save the world. We can't get him back… without destroying our world… so… yeah."

"Oh Rao," Kara said in shock. Confusion and disbelief in her voice. Their Earth was darker than this one, but it wasn't under constant alien threat like ours was. What about Iris? What about Caitlin? Who do they have to hold their Team together?

J'onn and Alex just stayed quiet and listened.

"The Speedforce is what powers all speedsters. That's where Barry got his power. But… apparently it needed something from our planet to stabilize it. It needed a speedster to live in the Speedforce. That speedster stabilizes the imbalance caused by speedsters. The irony is not lost on me. In order to have speedsters, we have to sacrifice a speedster to the Speedforce. Without that balance, the Speedforce would have destroyed the world. I'm still looking for a solution. One that will let us get Barry back," Cisco explained with guilt and helplessness in his voice.

"But he might come back, right?" Kara asked. She needed that little bit of hope. "He's not actually gone, is he? I mean, you'll find a way for him to come back. Please say yes," she begged him.

"I hope so. We are looking for solutions. We haven't found it yet, but we're not going to stop looking," Cisco replied with a sad smile.

"Good," Kara said with the relief in her voice palatable. "Winn can help. Don't worry. With all of us working on it, we'll bring Barry back. I know we will." Kara said with conviction. Barry was her only close friend on Earth-1. He was a shining beacon of hope. She needed him to be alright. If she lost Barry… after losing Mon-El… genocide… No! Mon-El is fine… in the future. Barry is fine… in the Speedforce. He will come home. He has to come home.

"There's more." Cisco said cautiously. He looked even sadder, if that's even possible. "Team Arrow was decimated. Felicity, Diggle, and Thea died in an explosion. Others died too. Some lived though. Quentin, Dinah, Rene, and Curtis…", Cisco paused.

"Oliver?" Kara asked with fear rising in her voice.

"He… he lived, but…" Cisco continued sadly. "He lost everyone except Quentin and his son. He tolerated the new team for Felicity. Without her…"

"Oh Rao," Kara cried for him. She covered her mouth in shock. It took her a moment to breathe. "I didn't know he had a son," Kara finally struggled to say.

"Not many people did," Cisco said sadly. "William lived in Central with his mother… she… she died on the island too." He sighed and then winced. "He resigned as mayor. He decided that he wanted to retire his mantle too. There is no Green Arrow."

"No," Kara whispered quietly behind her hand. Of all the people on Earth-1, Kara KNEW that Oliver was fine. Would be fine. He has to be fine. "Thea was his sister, right?" she asked in fear. She had heard that his sister wasn't a hero. She should be safe. How did she die?

"Yes. Felicity was his fiancé, as well," Cisco said quietly. "And John was his best friend."

Kara just stared at Cisco in shock. She can't even contemplate how much pain he must be in. To cope with those losses. To suddenly become a single parent. Oliver lost everybody he loved. It made her dizzy. Oh Oliver. He was happy and then he lost it all.

Everyone in the room just stood there in silence and shock. Trying to understand the scope of loss they had just heard. Kara didn't know Oliver well. He seemed gruff and angry at everything. Barry tried to tell her that Oliver was that way because of all the hardship and trauma he had survived, endured, and thrived through. His experiences were the reason everyone on that Earth looked up to him. Listened to his advice. He was their inspiration, their leader, and their mentor. Without powers. He was the greatest of them all.

But it was never his choice, was it Barry? Kara asked the spirit of her friend. You told me that he was made that way. He didn't choose it. He had no reason to desire it. But he did it anyway because it was the right thing to do.

Oliver may be the only one who could understand me. I lost a world. My family. My friends. I only have my cousin left. Oliver lost… everything but his son. But Oliver went through all that and didn't become a monster. Maybe he can find a new family here. I found the Danvers. If I can do it… monster that I am… then Oliver can do it.

"How is he?" Alex asked while Kara was still shocked to silence.

Kara knew her sister would be thinking about her too. Her past. About when she had told her story for the first time to Eliza and her sister. Her shock and grief for her whole world.

"Oliver is strong. I don't know how he is now, but he is not the kind to give up. He left our Earth shortly after the funerals. I hope he can get past this," Cisco answered.

"He left your Earth? What do you mean? Where did he go?" Kara asked confused.

"Oliver… he wanted to retire from the life. He owes it to William," Cisco said. "He couldn't do that on our Earth. Someone would always be looking for Green Arrow. Always looking to hurt him through is son."

"How would they know?" Alex asked. "It's not like your identities were fair game to the villains."

"But they were," Cisco replied firmly. "Oliver had to fight five major supervillains in the last five years. Each and every one found out who he was under the mask. They each targeted his family and friends. William… he was kidnapped before. They saved him and returned him to his mother, but this time when they took him… she died."

"Oh no," Kara whispered in sympathy.

"He said that he can't do this to William anymore," Cisco said bluntly. "I get it. Barry went through hell and his family had to become a part of Team Flash so we could react faster." Cisco took a deep breath to calm down. "I'm telling this to you in confidence. They came to Earth-38. But don't look for them. Don't ask me where he is. I don't know. He blames himself. He considers himself a failure on our Earth. Let him heal in peace. That's why he came here. William can be free here. Oliver isn't constantly reminded of all the people he failed here. Just… let them heal," he pled for his friend.

"Why would he think that?" Kara asked suddenly. "He didn't push the button. He didn't force someone else to do it. That's insane." Not like me. I did push the button. My direct actions resulted in genocide.

"I agree," Cisco replied. "But the man terrifies me when he is in a good mood. You saw him in action against the Dominators. Don't try to find him. If you meet him by accident, that's fine. But let him heal."

"I don't think I can leave Oliver alone when he and William are hurting like this," Kara said gently.

"CAN you find him? That's a nice theoretical exercise," Cisco replied sagely. "But SHOULD you find him? That is the real question. I trust him to know what he needs better than me. This isn't the first time he lost his world. But hopefully it will be the last." Cisco shuddered. "Just be glad he isn't taking over the League of Assassins this time. I still get the willies from that one."

"The League of Shadows, you mean," J'onn broke into the conversation.

"No," Cisco said with a tilt to his head. "The League of Shadows was run by the daughter, Talia. The League of Assassins was run by her father, Ra's al Ghul. We were kind of busy that year dealing with Zoom. But I remembered the highlights." Then he turned back to Kara. "Anyway, my advice to you is to let him come to you. Less chance of getting shot with arrows. I am all for not getting shot with arrows. Barry complained constantly when he was shot."

"Cisco, I'm not afraid of arrows. They can't penetrate my skin," Kara replied rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, and Barry can move faster than the speed of sound. Still got shot," Cisco replied. "Think of it this way… He is asking you NICELY to leave him alone. The polite thing to do is to respect his wishes… Anyway, I got to head back. With Barry and Oliver gone, I can't stay away from our Earth long. Apparently, I'm the powerhouse now. How scary is that… See you later, Kara, Alex, J'onn. I hope next time it's under much better circumstances."

"Thanks for telling us, Cisco," Kara said gently before hugging him again.

Cisco stepped out of the hug to open a breach. Then was gone.

Kara swore to herself to find Oliver. She wouldn't approach him. Cisco had made several good points. But nobody should suffer alone after such a tragedy. She should know. Losing an entire world hurt.

How do I find him? Winn. Winn can help me find him. If nothing else, I can look at new students in school. William would need to attend school. Winn can start there.

Decision made; Kara went to talk to Winn.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, QUEEN HOME

Oliver and William spent several days creating and embellishing their new identities. The League resources were a welcome gift in that area. They even had ways to incorporate photos into the face documents for authenticity.

They created the standard government required documents, as well as a history in the government system. Schooling and job history for Oliver. Schooling and social media for William. Housing and credit history for Oliver. They created a ghost record for Samantha. Oliver wanted to let William talk about his mom. This way she existed on this Earth too. Finally, travel records and a death record for Samantha. To explain why they moved to National City.

Finally, Oliver and William drafted their history on this Earth. Central City existed on this Earth. William knew Central City well. Oliver had become familiar with Central because of Barry. Together, they sketched out their lives on this Earth. William helped Oliver fill in the blanks for his history.

Next, they needed housing. After much discussion, Oliver purchased a large, beautiful house in the suburbs. It had a decent plot of land and was in a good neighborhood, not too far from a school. After several days spent furnishing the house and waiting for deliveries, it was done. He could start looking for a job.

The school was pretty decent. Davis Middle School had a good reputation. William actually seemed excited to go to school.

For all that they were both busy during the day, they dreaded the nights. Oliver dealt with nightmares every time he closed his eyes. He had hardly slept since he had returned from Lian Yu… the first time. He had learned long ago how to deal with nightmares and lack of sleep. But for William, this was new to the experience.

William had been plagued with nightmares on a daily basis. He barely slept peacefully. Usually, Oliver would hold him at night to help him sleep. That bit of comfort seemed to help William deal with the nightmares. When William could make it several nights without a nightmare, Oliver would look to getting him to sleep in his own bed. For now, his bedroom was his daytime retreat.

It saddened Oliver to see how paranoid and anxious William had become since Chase had invaded his life. He was gratified that William didn't want to lose him. But he knew that it was not healthy for a boy to cling to his father.

After three weeks, they were finally ready to start living their new life. They had a house. William was enrolled in school. The bank accounts were flush. The utilities were paid. Oliver had even purchased a car, with lots of input from William. The last thing Oliver needed was to get a job. He was leaning towards security. Arrows weren't the only things he could shoot and fighting came easy to him. As long as he was sharp and in shape, it was a good job to have.

Plus, if Cisco needs me, I'll be in shape and can help. He still had deep regrets about his summer off with Felicity. He had slacked off on his training. It had hurt him when he returned to Star. It's in the past. It will be forgotten; his mind echoed the League saying as he put those memories aside.

Tomorrow, William started school. They were having a celebration dinner tonight. A welcome to their new life.

"Dad?" William started. He was looking at his dad pensively.

"Yes, William?" Oliver asked looking at his son.

"Are you be going to be the Green Arrow here?" William asked anxiously.

The entire time they had been establishing themselves on this Earth the topic had not come up. Oliver didn't like to talk about his masked persona. At his son's question, he decided that he needed to tell his son his plans.

"No, William," Oliver started. "Green Arrow is not needed here. National City is Supergirl's city. She doesn't need my help. Besides," he gently chided his son. "I need to figure out how to be a father. I can't do that and be Green Arrow." He gave William a gentle smile.

"Okay." William said in relief. He paused a moment. "I don't blame you for what happened on the island… When I first found out that my dad was Green Arrow. I was so proud and amazed… I didn't tell mom. I didn't want her to worry about me or you… Mom always worried… I wanted to know you, but you never came around anymore… I realized later that it was to keep me safe. I just… I want you to know how proud I am of you. You… you helped so many people. You're a hero."

Oliver listened to his son's confession in shock. He got up and hugged his son. He planted a kiss on his head and whispered, "Thank you. I am so proud of you too. You have been so brave and strong these last months. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Dad," William whispered back into the hug.

Oliver wiped his eyes and settled back into his seat. "First day of school tomorrow. Do you think you are ready for it?" he asked.

"I think so," Williams replied with a slight grin.

"Good. I have something for you," Oliver told him as he took something out of his pocket and hid it from view. "Since we are living in Supergirl's city, I felt that we should represent…" He opened his hand to reveal the Supergirl keychain. It had been a gift from Supergirl to the Green Arrow after they had defeated the Dominators. She had told him it was rare. Right now, it felt like the perfect way to bring a smile to his son's face.

"Wow!" William declared with wide eyes as he took the key chain. "This is so cool. Flash and Green Arrow get only action figures and pictures. Supergirl got the cool stuff." William said grinning.

"Obviously, it is because she is so much cooler than either of them," Oliver replied smiling.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, DEO

At the DEO headquarters, Kara was surprised when Winn called. He had found Oliver. Apparently, Oliver wasn't trying to hide at all on this Earth. However, it was also likely that he expected Kara to respect his wishes and avoid contact.

Oliver and William Queen were using their real names. Considering there was no Oliver Queen or William Queen on this Earth, it didn't cause any of the usual problems with identity theft.

"Wow! He's good," Winn said in amazement. "If you hadn't told me the names to look for, I would have assumed they were real. How did he get all this done so quickly and so perfectly?" Winn asked with lots of admiration.

"I don't know. If I ask someone from Earth-1, they would just say That's Oliver. Like an assumption of greatness or something. Nobody knows how he does anything. He just gets it done." Kara had time to think the last few days. She had rushed ahead without thinking. Cisco was right. I should respect his request. "Thanks for finding him," Kara said with contrition to Winn.

"So, are you going to see him?" Winn asked with excitement at his success.

"I don't think so," Kara replied. She was still conflicted. She knew he was hurting. But he asked nicely. Damn it!

"Kara, he's in National City. You don't have to go to him to see if he is okay. You are close by. If you think he needs to talk or is in a bad place, you can always swoop in. He only requested that you don't seek him out, right?... You aren't violating his request by making sure he's okay… remotely. I'm sure you will run into him anyway. This is not a huge city. You can talk to him then and everybody is happy," Winn reasoned.

Kara mulled that over. She COULD just listen in. Check up on him and such. That is what a friend would do. "Yeah, you're right. I will just watch from a distance. Leave the rest up to chance."

"Good. Now that that's settled, we have a problem at the National City Museum," Winn said with a grin. "We need you."

"Winn! Why didn't you say something sooner?" Kara asked in an irritated voice.

"Um... Because Alex and Maggie were handling it?" Winn asked her. Then he tapped his earbud. "Look they just got overpowered a few seconds ago… I told you as soon as I knew," Winn replied nonchalantly.

Supergirl gave a growl of frustration before flying off at superspeed. Supergirl showed up on Winn's monitor in front of the big ugly alien and started to throw down.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, NATIONAL CITY, DAVIS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Oliver pulled up at the school entrance. Oliver and William exited the car. William stood anxiously next to Oliver and watched the entrance to the school.

"It'll be fine," Oliver reassured his son. He held his son's shoulder to calm. "Remember, you have faced a psychopath… This… School is far, far worse," he teased his son.

"Dad!" William whined in exasperation. "I… It's fine. I'm just… nervous. You know… school jitters," William replied as he anxiously looked at the door to the school once more.

"You'll do fine. You take after your mom and worry too much," Oliver said with a smile.

"You're right. I will be fine. I will," William said solidifying his confidence.

"Go show 'em whose boss," Oliver encouraged. William giggled in response.

"Excuse me," a girl's voice interrupted as she rushed over.

Oliver looked over and noticed a girl about William's age. She had short curly dark hair. The exasperated woman next to her appeared to be her mother. The woman was in her thirties, tall, and the source of the dark hair. The slim woman looked tired and too thin for her frame.

"Hi, I'm Ruby… Do you really have a Supergirl key chain?" Ruby asked in wonder as she eyed the Supergirl key chain on William's bag.

William looked overwhelmed at the girl's approach. "Yeah," he replied softly with his eyes wide. He tossed a glace back at his dad.

"I'm really sorry," Ruby's mother said in apology for her bold daughter. "Ruby is in the habit of interrupting strangers without thinking," she said as she glared at her daughter. Ruby looked suitably chastised. "I'm Samantha or Sam is fine. I'm Ruby's mother," she introduced herself and held out her hand to Oliver.

"Oliver," Oliver replied in greeting and shook her hand. "This is William," he introduced his son.

"Are you new to the school?" she asked. "I haven't seen you before." She flashed smile.

"Yes. We just moved here a few weeks back," Oliver answered openly.

"Yeah, it is a Supergirl keychain. I just got it... My dad knows I like superheroes. Do you like superheroes?" William asked Ruby.

"Do I ever! Superheroes are awesome," Ruby exclaimed with her eyes lighting up. She touched the keychain reverently. She looked at it with awe. "Wow! This is really one of them... I heard that only a 100 of these were made. Your dad is so cool."

"You know, I even had to chance to meet a few superheroes up close," William said grinning.

"No way!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. The pair wandered into the school. "You have got to tell me all about it. Bye mom!" Ruby threw a wave back at her mother as she left.

"Bye, Dad!" William called as well. They turned back to each other and slowly wandered into the school.

Both parents were grinning at their kid's hyper conversation about superheroes.

"We should be glad they remembered us at all," Oliver said with chuckle.

"Considering they both are into superheroes, they'll probably become best friends," Sam replied with a sigh. "Where did you move here from?" she asked turning to Oliver.

"Central City," Oliver replied.

"Really? I used to travel there a lot for work. Dropping off for the wife today?" Sam asked.

"No wife. Just me and William," Oliver replied sadly. "I took William in after his mother passed away. Central was just… too painful for us."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Sam replied contritely. "I'm a single parent too. I work at L-Corp. Between that and taking care of Ruby. I don't have much of a life. Is there a reason you chose National City?" Sam asked.

"Not really," Oliver replied. "I know someone from here. They talked up the place. I'm between jobs right now. I do private security work. I came here looking for a change," Oliver said. It wasn't a total lie. Just that he had never been paid for providing security.

"Good luck. Do you want a recommendation? L-Corp might be looking to hire security," Sam offered.

"I'm less corporate security and more private security… bodyguards and such. But thank you. I'll consider it," Oliver replied honestly.

After exchanging phone numbers and parted ways.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

EARTH-38, UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

Someone knocked on the door. Lillian Luthor looked up. She moved the chair to face the door.

"Enter," Lillian called out.

One of Lillian's agents entered the room. He stood erect in front of Lillian's desk. "Ma'am, our agents are in place. The plan is ready to execute on your command," the agent reported to her.

"Good," Lillian replied. "I don't want any mistakes," Lillian said coldly.

"Understood, Ma'am," the agent responded.

"Begin preparations. Everything must be ready to execute by tomorrow evening," Lillian ordered. "Dismissed."

Lillian was beyond frustrated with the opposition she had come across. She had failed repeatedly. She wouldn't tolerate failure any longer. This time I will succeed. Everything has been planned perfectly. Lillian hadn't cared about the cost in manpower, time, or resources needed for this operation. It will be perfect. No one will expect it. It will be done quickly and silently. Lillian grinned while thinking about her plan. Poor Supergirl.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~