Chapter 7: Nyssa

John took in Thea's hospital room at a glance. Just like the surgeon had warned, the hissing in and out of a ventilator filled the room with jarring white noise. Thea's mouth was held open by the tube peering out and tamped down with medical tape. IV bags dripped with fluids and the antibiotics to stave away infection from the chest tube draining fluid and gases out of Thea's chest. The bandage, the only thing enclosing Thea's wound off from the air of the room, was visible above the hospital gown Thea wore.

When Thea's surgeon pulled them out of the waiting room and into a small conference room for an update, she had been clear that Thea's care had been far from straightforward. Something was preventing stitches from closing the wound. As if by magic, each stitch placed was absorbed and vanished. Oliver had been questioned as to how a braindead girl who was discharged to her brother's care nine months earlier had come into the hospital tonight with brain activity and a nearly identical wound. Without missing a beat, Oliver calmly stated that nine months ago, he had "pursued alternative medicine."

Oliver rested his arm around Felicity's shoulder as he looked over his sister. His face was crinkled in distress and his eyes never left his sister's face. John felt for him. It was clear that Thea's medical team wasn't feeling hopeful about Thea's outcome. The surgeon had told Oliver with clear intention that if he had any other ideas from "alternative medicine", that now was the time to pursue it.

A figure moving from the side of the room caught John's eye. John watched as Laurel ducked down and placed a gentle kiss on Thea's head. She grasped Thea's hand and shook it softly before giving it a solid squeeze. Laurel turned away quickly, swiping at her eyes. She walked behind where Felicity and Oliver stood, resting her hand on Oliver's arm for a brief moment before she walked towards the door. Felicity called over her shoulder in a voice thick with emotion, "Laurel, you don't need to leave."

"I do." Laurel replied firmly, voice shaky. "Call me if there is any change." John recognized that tone. It was resolve. Laurel was up to something.

John strode over and patted Thea's leg through the blanket tucked around her. He looked into her lax face and whispered, "Hold on, Thea. We're not done with you yet." He turned and followed Laurel out of the room.

Laurel was already part way down the hall. "Laurel," John called. Laurel stopped. She turned around slowly, then walked back to John. She looked at him expecting him to speak. "Not sure where you're going, but it seems like you could use back up."

Laurel looked surprised for a moment, then acknowledged, "If Nyssa isn't going to come to me, I am going to find her." Laurel looked towards Thea's room. "Thea is out of time."

John might have expected as much. "I'm in," John declared with a nod.

Laurel gave John a self-assured look. "I don't need back-up, John. Nyssa knows me and she has never made any move to harm me. I'm sure she'll talk to me."

John raised his brows up and noted, "Nyssa isn't the only person you could run into out there."

Laurel seemed to consider this for a moment. She looked up and said abruptly, "Oliver said that he didn't call you when Thea was stabbed by Ra's." John studied Laurel, trying to figure out where she was going with this. "But you were here. You went to Nando Parbat. You knew about Thea. How?"

John felt confused by the sudden segue and asked sincerely, "Does it matter?"

Laurel met John's gaze. "Thea was dying, and I never got a call. Thea was brought back from the brink of death – or death, I don't know – and he didn't tell me."

John understood all at once. He knew that Laurel still frequently felt like the odd man out on Team Arrow. Her history with Oliver led to misunderstandings between the two and Oliver had never been good at putting his feelings into words. She was feeling hurt that Oliver would have left Laurel out of supporting the Queens on one of their worst nights. With Thea fading from the same wound, it was more prescient to Laurel than it might typically be.

Diggle cleared his throat, uncomfortable thinking back to that night, but willing to do it if it helped his friend. "He didn't call me."

Past (9 months ago)

The day had been impossibly long. John was relieved to see Roy off knowing their ploy had worked: Roy had taken the heat for being the Arrow and they had faked his death so that Roy could live his life as a free man. But in the relief was still pain. Their team was irreparably upended. Roy would spend his life on the run, unable to set down roots while constantly looking over his shoulder. They wouldn't be able to get updates or keep in touch – it would be too dangerous for all of them.

And Roy had given up everything for Oliver. Roy had given up his place in the team and the work that gave him purpose. The only home he had ever known. And Thea.

John was relieved to be able to scoop up his baby girl when he walked in the door and closed his eyes to enjoy the soft squeeze of Lyla hugging him from behind. John quickly pushed down the thought that this kind of future, the one John had surrounded by his wife and daughter, had also been forfeit for Roy when he left.

John gratefully sat down on the couch as Lyla brought him a bowl of chili and smiled as Sarah played with her toys on the floor. He did his best to put away the events of the past 24 hours, but he kept thinking about Roy and his sacrifice. John felt unsettled and so he had grabbed a police scanner and popped an ear bud in one ear to monitor the city.

The steady stream of dispatches and reports soothed John in a strange way. The city was still alive and active, even if to John it felt like his team had suddenly dissolved.

Sarah managed to flip from her tummy to her back and Lyla and John cheered. John was pulled from his focus on Sarah to a report coming over his headphone. "Scene secure at 455 Merced, Unit 10. Can we get the crime scene techs out here?" John sat up straight. "Yes. Any word on the victim? No. Looking at the scene, it doesn't look good. Any suspects identified? We're working on it."

"John?" Lyla asked. "Are you okay?"

John met his wife's gaze. "I don't think so." He leapt up from the couch, setting his bowl next to him. "Lyla, I'm sorry, I've gotta go."

"What did you hear?"

"There's a crime scene at the Queens' apartment."

"Of course, go. Call me when you know something."

John hardly remembered getting into his car, but he did remember calling Felicity. "Felicity – can you try to get hold of Oliver or Thea?"

Present

Laurel couldn't seem to break eye contact with John. Her eyes glittered under the fluorescent hospital lights.

"Laurel," Digg said gently. "You are a part of this team and a part of Thea's life. I know you and Oliver have a lot of history that impacts how Oliver acts with you. But you hold him down – keep him in line when he's about to do something stupid. And if it weren't for the offer of the League to save Thea's life, know that you would have been right beside us in that hospital room."

Laurel swallowed and Digg could see her fighting to keep her tears back. Laurel nodded slowly. "Okay," She darted a look back towards Thea's door, then looked back at John. "We have to get to Nyssa. Are you with me?"

Digg nodded.

Within the hour, Diggle stood, peering into the darkness of an alleyway, Laurel at his side. "You sure your contact is coming?" Digg asked in a low voice. "Maybe she didn't get your message."

"Oh, she got it," Laurel said quietly. Even as she spoke, a dark-clad figure emerged under the streetlights. "Talibah," Laurel said in greeting. "Do you have word from Nyssa?"

The woman's expressionless face studied Laurel. Then she said, "Writh Al Ghul has been imprisoned by Ra's Al Ghul."

Laurel's forehead creased with question, "Wait. Writh Al Ghul, 'Heir to the Demon'. You mean … Nyssa is … imprisoned by Malcolm?"

Talibah nodded. "There are those who are prepared to follow her lead, if she were to escape her shackles."

Laurel asked quickly, "Where is she being held?"

"Nando Parbat," Talibah stated.

Laurel turned to Digg. "I'm not asking you to go, but – Nyssa is my friend, and she might be the only hope we have of saving Thea. I'm going."

Digg gave a small smile that was somewhere in between a grin and a grimace. "Not that I'm looking to take another trip to that hell hole –" He drew in a deep breath. "But let's start a prison break."


"Okay," Felicity said quietly to Oliver, hanging up her cell phone and wheeling her chair over to where Oliver had taken up a post next to Thea's hospital bed. "Digg and Laurel just got aboard the Palmer Tech jet. It should take them about eight hours to get to Nando Parbat."

Oliver took a deep breath and released it. "Should I have gone?" Oliver asked his fiancé, his expression making him look vulnerable and unsure.

Felicity took his hand into hers. "No, Oliver – I think you're right where you need to be." She gave him a small smile.

Oliver's eyes turned sad and he looked back at Thea. "You don't think that Nyssa will have a cure," he interpreted, glancing back at Felicity, "and you think I would miss out on being by Thea's side when she goes."

Felicity closed her eyes, trying to avoid the pained expression on Oliver's face. "I don't know what to think, Oliver. But I do know that you should be here. With Thea. If there is something to be done, trust Laurel and Diggle will do it."

Oliver nodded slowly. He shifted in his seat and asked Felicity, "So you started to say that you saw your dad after your Palmer Tech pitch?"

Felicity grimaced. "Yeah – the guy drops off the map for eighteen years and then just rolls back in." She glanced down at her chair and added, "Pardon the expression."

"What did he have to say?"

Felicity shook her head in bewilderment that the conversation had really happened. "That it was weird seeing me drinking coffee … you know, because the last time he saw me, I was a child. He told me he watched the presentation and that he was proud of me. He said he wanted to get to know me more."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't have to mull it over too long," Felicity said in a low voice. "We were just catching up over coffee when I got Laurel's call. I told Noah there was an emergency and I had to go."

"You didn't have to cut your time short, Felicity. You haven't seen him since you were a kid."

Felicity looked back at Oliver incredulously. "Are you kidding me right now?" Oliver scrunched up his brow, looking at her with sincerity. "Laurel called and Thea, was like, actively dying." Felicity remembered the panic she had felt at the call, the way she couldn't even form intelligible words to tell Noah Kuttler that she had to go – she had stuttered, tipping her coffee mug onto the table, and wheeled away. Frankly, if the situation weren't so dire, it would be funny that her first meeting with her father in eighteen years ended in so much chaos.

Felicity waved her hand at Thea connected to life-supporting machines. "She still is. Noah peaced out of my life and didn't look back, but Thea is … family! She was incredibly supportive of my recovery and she has always been willing to drop everything to be with me." Felicity looked at Thea and said firmly, "Noah doesn't need me – Thea does."

Oliver nodded and said softly, "Who knows how long we'll be here. Maybe you can arrange for him to come here and you two can try for coffee again."

Felicity shook her head emphatically. "No. I am not leaving this room. Either we leave it because Thea's back on her feet and we're taking her home, or …" Even without finishing her thought, Oliver looked hurt. Felicity wrapped both of her arms around Oliver's nearest arm, hugging him close. "I'm not leaving your side for this. Whatever comes next." Oliver looked straight forward and Felicity laid her head against his side.

There was a light tap on the door. It opened revealing Captain Lance carrying a duffel bag. "Um, hey," he said awkwardly. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." Donna Smoak followed in after him, and she ran over to draw her daughter into a hug, followed by Oliver.

"I wish you had called me, you poor things," Donna crooned in sympathy looking over Oliver and Felicity's somber faces. Donna turned around as if seeing Thea for the first time. "Oh, the poor little dear," she said quietly, reverently pushing a lock of Thea's hair back on her forehead. "She's such a sweet little thing. She was so kind when you were hurt." Donna turned back around to her daughter and future son-in-law. She explained, "Quentin got a call from Laurel. She asked if we could pick up some things for you. She thought you might not be going home anytime soon."

Lance walked forward uncertainly, unable to take his eyes off of Thea in the hospital bed. "Geez," he said. "Laurel told me it was bad, but -"

Felicity could feel Oliver's hackles start to rise at the intrusion and the blunt "comfort" her mother and Captain Lance were providing. She jumped in, "What did you bring?" trying to pull the focus off of Thea's condition. Donna reached forward to take the duffel bag from Lance and set it on top of Thea's legs, unzipping it. "Mom!" Felicity admonished, shocked to see her mom using her unconscious friend as a table.

"Oh, god!" Donna said, realizing her faux pas and snatching the bag back. "That was so thoughtless of me. Your poor little sister." Felicity squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment as Donna quickly placed the bag onto Felicity's lap.

With a stressed sigh, Felicity opened it and found changes of clothing for herself and Oliver, along with a pair of pajamas and fuzzy socks. Donna looked embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. I brought you both some clothes, and I grabbed some pajamas for Thea. No one is comfortable in these hospital gowns, I remember that from when you were here, honey." Donna looked back over at Thea. "Maybe she won't know the difference, but … maybe she'd be more comfortable?"

Tears sprang to Felicity's eyes. Just when her mom was about to make Felicity melt into the floor with shame, she pulled something so thoughtful. "Thank you," Felicity said sincerely. "Oliver? Do you want to change out of your suit while Mom and I change Thea?" Oliver nodded and slowly rose from his seat.

Before Donna and Lance left, Felicity watched Lance pull Oliver aside. "Look, your sister – she's tough. Whatever this is that she's got going on. She can beat it. I truly believe that."

Oliver shook Lance's hand and said in a low voice, "She's the toughest."

The next hours brought in a stream of visitors. First, Curtis arrived with a laptop and other tech so Felicity could stay connected with Palmer Tech from her new homebase. Walter's visit brought tears to Felicity's eyes, as he gently held Thea's hand and whispered, "You hang on now, dear one. Your mother is not allowed to have you back just now - Oliver and I are not finished with you yet." Alex came in, eyes large and lost, while Oliver explained that Thea's condition was a result of complications from when she was attacked a year ago. Alex asked if she would be okay and Oliver didn't answer. Alex deftly promised to keep Thea's condition out of the news and that he would draw attention away from Oliver's absence from the campaign trail … until Thea recovered.

Night fell and Felicity had changed into the comfy sweatpants and t-shirt her mom had packed. Oliver lifted Felicity out of her chair and sat her onto the hospital room's pull-out sofa, which Felicity noted Oliver must have already made up with sheets and blankets while she had been changing for bed. Felicity continued to sit, drawing the covers up over her legs.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" Oliver asked softly. "Her status hasn't changed since we came in – you would probably be safe going home to sleep. And there will be nurses coming in all night long."

Felicity met his gaze as steadily as she was able. "I told you – I'm in this with you." She glanced over at Thea. "And there were more than a few nights after I was shot by Darhk's men when I woke up to find Thea sleeping in a chair next to me." Oliver sighed and nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

Oliver bent over and placed a kiss onto the top of Felicity's head. Then he helped her lie down and adjusted the blankets overtop of her.

"Oliver?" Felicity asked as Oliver took her glasses from her hand and laid them on the table next to her. "Should we… call Roy? Let him know?"

Oliver's voice rumbled in the quiet. "Roy and Thea already said goodbye, Felicity. He wouldn't be able to see her anyway. It would only hurt him to know." Felicity nodded, her eyes burning thinking about Roy and Thea. It was a love so tragically doomed it belonged in a gothic novel.

"Goodnight, Felicity," Oliver said, turning off the overhead light, leaving the blinking of Thea's life-support machines to provide the only remaining light.

"Goodnight, Oliver," Felicity said quietly. With a catch in her voice, Felicity added, "Goodnight, Thea."

Felicity was nearly asleep when her ears caught Oliver's voice from beside Thea's bedside. "Thea," he said softly. "Please don't go."


Laurel, garbed in League of Assassin black leathers, carried a bowl of rice with a small green pepper settled on top. She calmed her racing heart as she approached a guard outside of the jail cell door.

"She won't eat it," the guard noted.

"Ra's Al Ghul's orders are to keep his captive healthy," Laurel said, peering through her mask. The guard huffily nodded and unlocked the door.

As the heavy door creaked wide, Laurel caught her first glimpse of Nyssa, kneeling peacefully on the ground before a table which held a bowl still full of rice. Laurel approached and set the bowl she carried before Nyssa.

"Take that away as well," Nyssa said with the sense of lightness and grace that was a part of her bearing. "The food attracts flies and I prefer my solitude." So Nyssa was indeed on a hunger strike in her isolated cell.

Laurel said, "The pepper is fresh from your garden." Laurel pulled down her mask to briefly reveal her face. Nyssa's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "You should try a bite." Laurel stood, tugging the mask back into place and, ensuring each motion was measured, walked out of the cell, anticipating that Nyssa would discover the small knife carefully hidden within the vegetable.

As the guard made to close the door tight behind Laurel, the patter of footsteps sounded and Laurel turned to see Nyssa shove her way through the door and slit the guard's throat in one smooth motion. Nyssa took up the man's sword and turned in time to parry against an attack from a second guard.

Laurel turned and used her canary cry, levelling two more guards and then she turned to trade blows with another approaching her from behind. Laurel turned to find Nyssa dispatching another League member with a quick slice across his chest. Their attackers laid around their feet. Nyssa made eye contact with Laurel and the two turned to jog out of the prison's vestibule.

As they neared the next entryway, Laurel could hear the sounds of swords clanging. As she and Nyssa ran in the room, pairs of men and women clad in the same black League clothing fought with hands and swords. Laurel knew one of these was Digg, but even she couldn't tell who. Laurel and Nyssa jumped into the fray, Laurel landing a high kick in one Leaguer's face, while ducking underneath another's sword.

Once each of their opposing members were felled, those left standing fell to one knee before Nyssa. Laurel could now pick out Digg, as he shifted agitatedly on his feet, clearly not prepared to swear allegiance to Nyssa.

Nyssa said to Laurel. "We must move quickly. When Merlyn discovers I have escaped, he will return." Nyssa looked around and her eyes fell on Talibah. "Has the Lotus been found?"

Talibah nodded. "Yes – in Kyushu."

"Japan?" Diggle asked.

Nyssa turned sharply towards Digg. "It was my understanding that you are attempting to stave off Thea Merlyn's slow death from the effects of the Lazarus Pit."

"Thea Queen," Laurel corrected. "And yes, she needs help - and quickly."

"Then we have little time to lose. You have transportation?"

"We do," Laurel assured.

"Fine. Then let us go," Nyssa stated, and took off towards the door at a quick pace.

"Sure, Nyssa," Digg said under his breath. "Take our plane. No need for a 'thank you' for breaking your ass out of prison." Laurel shot him a look.