I am so so very sorry it has taken me forever to update this fic, look at it as a belated Christmas present :)

I really hope you all had a Merry Christmas or whichever other December holiday you celebrate and like the chapter.

I hope you always know you can call your sister if you ever need her or just miss her

Laurel

She was still wrapping her head around what had just happened, not just what Oliver had said, but also the fact that Sara had been right. That whoever had tipped her off with Oliver's location had been right. It was also still strange to think that her sister had connections within the city that were more capable than they were and that they had no clue who those connections were. Did Oliver know about them? She wasn't sure if it really mattered. They'd found and helped return Oliver in the end that was all that mattered. But still, it was something to think about later on. Maybe they shouldn't have dismissed Sara as easily as they had. She hadn't expected her sister to still have connections in Star City, not after not having been here for years, and given the rather short time she'd been here before. The thought that Sara had connections in their home that may differ from Oliver's was strange and not something that had ever crossed her mind before. It probably should have but it hadn't not with everything that had happened right after she'd put two and two together and realized Sara was the Canary and then with her leaving shortly after, then her dying and leaving just weeks after getting her soul back… the way her sister had operated as a vigilante and how she hadn't been a part of Oliver's team from the moment she'd showed up hadn't really been something she'd thought about until recently and it was still a fact she was only now realizing the significance and meaning of. There seemed to have been so much more to the Canary than she had originally thought. And the more time she spent on trying to learn more about the vigilante whose mantle she took over, the more she realized how little she'd known before, how she hadn't understood what the Canary had been all about, she'd just assumed Sara was following Oliver's mission. But that only appeared to have been partially true.

Laurel shook her head to clear it. This was something to mull over later, just like Oliver's declaration of shutting everything down. She wasn't sure yet how serious he was about it. She guessed only time would tell, but until then, they would probably keep doing what they'd been doing, just without him, because he seriously needed to take time to heal.

She watched with concern as Sara slowly and carefully helped Oliver walk to the back of the Bunker where the showers were. Oliver was limping, understandable given the obvious wound in his thigh, and the rest of his movements looked stiff, almost as if he tried to not move his torso at all. It made her wonder what it meant. Thea looked distraught and so did Roy when they returned from getting changed themselves. She hadn't even realized that they'd moved to the back while they'd interacted with Oliver; it was only now that they returned in their civilian clothes that she noticed their previous absence in the room.

Laurel wanted to ask them what had happened, who had helped them, how Oliver was, physically, because it was obvious he wasn't doing too good mentally, but her mind was still spinning. The interaction between her sister and her friend just kept on replaying in her mind, most of all the lost way Ollie had looked and sounded when he'd asked Sara if they could just go home. It brought forth a long-lost memory of a ten-year-old Ollie who'd been standing in their living room looking lost and crying while trying to tell them that his aunt Rebecca, his best friend Tommy's mom, had been murdered. It had broken her heart then and she and Sara had rushed to him and hugged him tight, to try and comfort him. He'd wrapped an arm around each of them, holding on to them just as tightly, burying his head in Sara's neck.

Just like he had done now.

She'd lingered with Felicity and Dig after Thea and Roy had taken Sara and Oliver home. They'd talked a little about how they were going to proceed, given Oliver's words. But since there hadn't really been anything they could do and no chance for them to get more information with the other four gone, they'd decided to head home as well, something none of them had done since Oliver had been taken. They all needed a break and some sleep. She looked forward to taking a long, hot shower and get some sleep. Maybe she'd text Sara before heading to bed to let her know that she'd be there if she or Ollie needed anything. But she was certain Thea was going to stay with them and Roy might as well and if there was one thing, she'd learned during the months Oliver and Sara had been back, it was that they hated to be crowded, especially when not feeling well.

But also, that they'd ask for help, if they needed any. That realization had been rather surprising but reassuring and helped her not crowd them in situations like this one. To trust that they'd let her know if they needed anything. Even if it was just to get them some groceries or whatever. She wouldn't mind. It might actually help her feel less useless.

She called her dad on the way home, letting him know that they'd found Oliver and the little he'd shared. He'd sounded relieved but worried about Ollie, just like they all were. God, she still couldn't believe it was over, that Ollie was home. He'd looked horrible, but he was home, he was safe. That was what mattered most right now. They'd figure the rest out later. Once he was feeling better.

Laurel had been surprised about the text message she had received from her sister, shortly after she'd gotten home, she'd only seen it after she'd taken a shower and put on something more comfortable. She sat down on her couch and read the rather long message from Sara, which was atypical for her, she usually kept her texts short and to the point, just like Oliver. She'd first let her know that Thea would be crashing at their place, that she was very worried about Ollie and didn't want to leave him alone, and she understood that, had expected it even. She knew how much Thea loved Ollie and how worried she could get for him. Sara had then gone on and shared with her that Ollie was pretty seriously wounded and that he would need some time to heal both physically and mentally. She also let her know that he hadn't shared anything concerning his capture yet, and that he was currently asleep. She would keep her posted and would appreciate it if she and the team would give Ollie some time to heal and get accustomed to being home again before coming by for a visit. Sara also promised her she'd let her know as soon as Ollie felt up to having visitors.

It was very clear to see in the message that Sara had put a lot of thought and care into it, and she appreciated her sister's open and honest communication. Would she like to go by and check how Oliver was doing in person? Of course, he was her friend, and she deeply cared about him, but she also understood needing time to heal. And she knew Oliver. He'd prefer to do it in private. Just like she knew just how difficult a patient he was, and always had been, it had only gotten worse with time, so she really didn't envy her sister for having to deal with him like that. But she also knew if there was one person who'd be up to the task, it would be Sara. Her sister, for some reason always knew how to handle him, no matter the mood or situation he was in. Sara almost had a magic touch where Oliver was concerned.

She texted her back, thanking her for the information, assuring her that she'd make sure the team would leave them alone for now and to not worry about it and focus on Oliver and his recovery and to let her know if she needed anything. No matter what and that she loved her.

Oliver

It had been while lying outside, enjoying the sun and watching the city, he remembered his wife's shopping trip and that he still hadn't seen what she had bought for Mila.

"Sar?" He felt a stab in his heart at the thought and turned his head towards her. Sara had joined him on the balcony, enjoying the weather as well, she was sitting cross-legged on one of the bistro chairs, enjoying some Christmas cookies she'd baked with Sin, Thea and Roy while he'd been looking for Talia.

"Hm?" she looked at him in question, chewing the piece of cookie she'd just taken a bite off. He grinned at the picture she presented, all bundled up, her hair a big mess, and a joyful look on her face at the taste of the sweet she was savoring.

"I love you." It wasn't what he'd meant to say, but the words spilled from his mouth as the thought pushed to the forefront of his mind at just how adorable she looked.

The look she threw him was slightly confused, but that didn't stop her from returning the sentiment once she'd swallowed the cookie.

"Would you mind… I just remembered; we've never gotten around to going through the items you bought on your shopping trip with Dinah. I'd love to rectify that." He felt like a heel. It had been so important to her, it had been such a milestone and it had fallen to the wayside, because he had let it.

"Stop, I told you it was fine, and I meant it. There were more important things to focus on. But no, I don't mind, I'll get them once we're back inside. And stop blaming yourself for this. It's just stuff Ollie, honestly, it doesn't matter that it took us a couple of weeks to go through it." She smiled at him softly, a look he tried to return. She just knew him too damn well. He knew she was right, that she meant every word she said but still, he felt bad. Guilty. He should've taken the time before leaving to meet Talia. Sara was more important.

It was after Roy and Sara had helped him back onto their bed from the balcony, that Oliver watched his wife closely, the way her eyes sparkled while showing him the items she had bought for their daughter weeks ago, it helped take his mind off of the pain still coursing through most of his body. Most of all his leg. Sara had done a phenomenal job removing the arrow and stitching him up, but it still hurt like hell and would take a while to properly heal.

This gave his troubled mind a much needed reprise. It felt good seeing her like this and reminded him of the girl she used to be, all smiles and excitement, it was like a balm to his wounded soul. He tried to take everything in, memorize this moment forever. The smile on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, the way the sun shone onto her giving her hair a golden glow, illuminating her and highlighting the freckles on her face.

He suddenly wondered if Mila was going to inherit Sara's freckles and hoped she would. He loved that distinctive feature of Sara's, the way they painted her body and made her even more unique, and he'd love to have a mini-Sara.

Sara put the last of the items away before walking towards him and crawling onto the bed until she was right in front of him, leaning into him, his arms automatically wrapped around her, pulling her close, breathing her in. God, he loved her so much. He had no idea how he got so lucky, but he was grateful and never wanted to miss it.

They'd shifted a little to settle down and get more comfortable, or as comfortable as he currently could get, still holding Sara close. He felt exhausted again and his eyes fluttered and he knew he was fighting a losing battle and might as well just give up. But he wasn't quite ready yet, his eyes strayed to Sara, lying in his arms, given the even sound of her breathing close to falling asleep herself. Good. She needed her sleep just as he did, and he worried about her not getting as much rest as she should because she was taking care of him as well. It was once he was sure she was fast asleep that he finally allowed himself to succumb to the darkness as well.

Laurel

She'd been texting with Thea pretty frequently, following Sara's initial text, and her roommate had given her some small updates on Ollie's condition, but she didn't seem to know much herself. Which wasn't that surprising, Oliver still always tried to protect his little sister. It was only once Dig called her and let her know what Ollie had learned during his capture that she truly learned the extend of Oliver's injuries, no, not the extent, just how serious some were. Plus Sara's emotional state. And she'd had to sit down and stayed there for a long time, even long after Dig had hung up.

Ollie had almost died.

That thought was stuck in her mind. She couldn't get it out of it. She hadn't… Sara had told Dig that Ollie had almost bled out on their bed. At first, the words had made no sense, and she had trouble wrapping her mind around it. And then, once they did, and she realized… doctors were prohibited from operating on their loved ones. Her sister was the one who'd done the surgery on Oliver. Her pregnant sister had been forced to perform life-threatening surgery on her unborn child's father. The thought made her feel sick. This shouldn't have happened. Sara shouldn't have been forced to perform surgery on Ollie. It was something that stuck with her and she spend a lot of time thinking about. She also wondered for a moment why she hadn't taken him to the hospital if it was this severe, but after a quick internet search she was pretty certain she knew the answer. And that just intensified her feelings. God, poor Sara. Dealing with the pressure of knowing that you were most likely the only person who could take care of the wound within a reasonable timeframe must have been crushing. It meant that she really didn't have much of a choice. And that made it even worse.

After that first initial text from her sister it had mostly been Thea that had kept her updated on Oliver's condition, even after she came back home, which in and of itself was already a sign that Oliver seemed to be doing better, sort of. Given the circumstances. And she wasn't holding that against Sara at all, hadn't before she'd had that piece of information but even less now. She'd known that Sara would put her entire focus on taking care of Oliver. It was just who she was.

It wasn't until a day before Christmas that her sister contacted her again, as she was getting ready to leave to pick up their mom from the airport, given with everything going on with Ollie, she'd decided she'd have her mom solely stay with her, unless she heard otherwise from Sara, who was now letting her know that Ollie and she had talked and that it would be alright for her and their parents to stop by, for coffee for an hour or so Christmas day. But that Ollie still tired easily and therefore staying too long would be too much for him.

It wasn't what they had planned, well their plans hadn't been set in stone yet, because Sara had refused to agree or disagree outwardly with any of the plans, she'd been a bit evasive, which had irritated the entire family. This would be the first Christmas, the first time they'd get to spend Sara's birthday as a family again in over a decade and having the youngest member of their family refuse to commit to any of their suggestions on how to spend it had been frustrating and a bit confusing. Sara had also ignored the questions on how she'd like to spend it or what she'd like to do on her birthday and had mostly pretended to not be aware of their attempts to organize something as a family. They'd got some replies to some of the ideas they'd put in the family chat both her and Thea's family shared, but those replies were usually from Ollie, and not Sara. Which made them all assume Sara was aware of their discussions and talked about them with Ollie, but still refused to let them in on her thoughts and feelings about the matter. All of that had sort of left them in limbo concerning Christmas plans and after Oliver got kidnapped, it hadn't been anything any of them even thought about, even now, with Ollie's injuries none of them had even thought about bringing Christmas and celebrating it as a family up. So, Sara's sudden text addressing the occasion and agreeing to spend it with them had come as a complete surprise, because if Sara hadn't brought it up, she would've gotten out of spending it with them. It didn't come close to any of their ideas, but she guessed it was better than nothing. And at least this way they were sort of spending Christmas and Sara's birthday as a family for the first time in like ten years or so, even if only briefly. It was more than they'd had for a very long time and more than she'd expected to get this year.

She wondered if they'd invited Thea as well. Her roommate had been spending the last two days back home and from what Thea had told her Roy had left as well, needing to head back to the Legends, and Sin was in and out anyway. So, it seemed like Sara had been alone with Oliver for the past few days. Taking care of him all by herself. She knew it was probably what both preferred but still, she was worried, mostly about her sister and potentially taking on too much and not taking as much care of herself as she should, something that she'd neglected during the time Ollie'd been missing as well. So, she was glad that a short visit would also give them the chance to see how Sara was doing and whether she needed anything.

The one-hour time limit Sara had set in the text was very understandable he had only been back for a little over a week. Not nearly enough time to really heal given the severity of some of his wounds. She'd been shocked when Thea had told her exactly how badly her older brother was hurt. Which was why she was a little worried now, knowing that Sara was alone with him, and the only person around to help him move about.

Her sister was heavily pregnant and shouldn't overextend herself either, but she also knew that Sara wouldn't accept help if she didn't feel like she needed it, or felt like Ollie would be uncomfortable with it, or thought that she might inconvenience anyone.

It was something she understood and could relate to but at the same time...

"Everything okay?" She looked up from her phone and saw Speedy inside their living room, she hadn't heard her enter.

"Yeah, I've just been thinking. Sara texted." She began and explained.

"Is everything okay?" The concern in Thea's voice was easy to detect.

"I think so. She just let me know it would be okay for us to head over for a quick visit on Christmas." She was quick to reassure the younger woman. Not wanting to worry her even more than she knew she was. It made her wonder what had led to her returning back home full time two days ago.

"Ah, yeah, they'd been debating about it for a while. I think it's really important to Ollie that all of us spend some time together. Even if just briefly." Thea's words gave her pause. They'd been debating and Ollie really wanting them to spend time together meant Sara wasn't feeling the same way. It wasn't her choice but Ollie's. Was that out of worry for him, or was it something else? She had been avoiding anything concerning Christmas, while Ollie had sort of tried to organize something, sort of, but not really, which wasn't like him, unless he was trying to convince Sara as well. If her sister had been the one reluctant or even flat out refusing, she might have not let them know, but that didn't mean she wouldn't have come straight out to Oliver and told him no, Ollie would've tried to play referee and find a compromise, especially if he thought it was something that was important. Both of their actions made so much more sense now.

"So, Sara agreed because Oliver wants all of us to spend time together and is badly enough hurt that Sara won't refuse him anything?" She knew how it sounded, but she neither had the time to sugar-coat it, nor did she feel like it. She was mostly mad at herself for not realizing sooner what both Sara and Oliver's behaviors where her sister's birthday was concerned had meant. It was so obvious right now.

"I guess…" Thea looked a bit guilty, as if she hadn't meant to let her know who'd had which position in the debate. Not that it was hard to figure out, Christmas had always been important to Ollie. She remembered the first year he'd been back and just how much time and energy he'd spent into bringing Christmas back to the Queen household. It had always been his favorite holiday.

"It's fine. Honestly, I'm not really surprised. Well, I'm surprised Sara invited us over. I'll check with her what time we should come over. She'll know best when Ollie'll be up for it.. But I gotta run now and pick up mom, unless you want to come and keep this conversation going." And she really wasn't. Maybe a little bummed, but again, it wasn't like it was an immense shock given her sister's behavior over the last few years. And it was fine. It wasn't, but it was. It was mostly confusing. So much had changed. Mostly Sara. And it was okay, understandable even, she just still had to get used to this new version of her little sister. This, the good four months she'd been home now, was the longest period she'd been home at once in a good ten years. All the times combined barely added up to twelve full months. It wasn't enough time yet for her to not still at times expect reactions the sister she'd lost in the North China Sea would've had and not the ones this new version of her did. But Laurel was certain she would, eventually. It just took time. Time they finally seemed to get to get to know each other again. The new adult versions of them.

"Sure, why not? I've got no plans." She hadn't expected Thea to join her, but then again, Speedy didn't like to be alone right now, and sticking together might not be a bad idea, given what Dig had told them. She hadn't been back to work yet and had avoided Adrian so far. She wasn't sure what she was going to do once she needed to head back to work. She couldn't avoid him forever. Or at all, if she headed into work. But that was something to think about after Christmas. Right now, spending time with her family took precedence.

She put on her jacket and grabbed her keys, waiting for Thea to put her shoes and jacket on as well, before they headed out to pick her mom up at the airport.

Oliver

The days since coming home had been a blur, even though he'd spent most of them in bed, resting. He'd only left their bedroom and bed on a handful of occasions; to get some fresh air on their balcony, and lately to go to the bathroom, and yesterday to exchange their bed for their couch, that had been a pleasant change of scenery. He was feeling better, and healing nicely, according to both Sara and Caitlin, who'd come to check up on him regularly the last week or so since he'd been back. He wasn't entirely sure how it worked, but Cisco and her had come up with x-ray glasses or something. According to Caitlin, they'd had the idea because of Kara's x-ray vision, which she'd used to check him for internal damage and the healing progress he was making. He still needed Sara's help to get from one room to another, but he was able to walk short distances, which was progress. But he had also taken Sara's words to heart and was making sure not to overextend himself, not wanting to cause himself some serious, permanent damage.

Roy had had to leave a couple of days ago, and Speedy had decided to head home as well. She did drop in once a day, though. Sin was back to her usual behavior. She'd always been a bit like a cat, which helped return some much-needed normalcy. While he was grateful to the three friends and their help, he couldn't say he was mad to have the apartment back and it was once more only Sara and him staying here. He'd missed the quiet comfort that came with it.

"I texted Laurel, letting her know they'd be welcome for a cup of coffee tomorrow. But also, that it would be a brief affair." He looked up from the financial report he'd been going over, surprised at her words. She'd vehemently been against this suggestion every time he'd brought it up, so he was unsure what had changed her mind.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at her in question. Not wanting to risk saying something that might change her mind or lead to another argument about the issue.

"Well, you made it very clear how important it is to you, and so did my family over the last month or so. I still don't think it's a good idea and I'll have no qualms about kicking them out if I feel it's too much for you. But I won't keep you from having the closest thing to the Christmas you want, I think feasible." He was touched by the gesture and the compromise she'd just agreed to. And if he weren't one hundred percent sure, it was what a part of her wanted as well, he wouldn't have pushed the issue, but he knew she'd missed having family events or even just… it was her birthday. She'd always loved spending part of it with their families. And he knew the reasons for her reluctance to commit to any of the plans they'd tried to make were a lot more complex than they'd seemed at first glance. This was something she'd wished for, dreamed about for nearly a decade. A dream that so far never had come true, and he understood she was scared to hope that this time it just might.

And yes, there was also the reason that both of them thought it would be nice to just spend it together and not make a fuss about it or get sucked into the holiday stress, but they could still do that while spending a limited amount of time with their families.

He stretched his arm out to her and laced their fingers together once she took hold of his hand.

"Thank you." There really wasn't anything else to say. He went back to his investment report and Sara back to the Mandala that she'd been coloring. She'd been trying different tactics to deal with her emotions ever since Mila was seriously restricting her and doing anything too physical, or running away wasn't really an option right now. This was one that seemed to be helping her a lot. And he loved the colorful results her handling her anxiety led to.

Notes:

Again, I'm so sorry it's been forever since the last update. I would really love to hear your thoughts about this chapter.

I hope I got Laurel right, and everyone's actions make sense. And hey, I almost managed to have Christmas at Christmas, almost, I tried okay... this is the best I could do ;)

Chapter title is from the song: "Call Your Sister" by Taylor Edwards.

Any feedback would be appreciated, it's the only thing that lets me know whether or not anyone is still reading this story, if people like or don't like a chapter and it would just be really nice to know how many people are actually still invested in this story...