Chapter 32
The People V. Oliver Queen
"You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice."
– Bob Marley
Katie found herself thinking about Moira today, specifically Moira on trial for her involvement in the Undertaking. The chips had been stacked against her, and yet Moira sat through it all with an air of strength and confidence that seemed unshakable.
Now, in front of her mirror, Katie smoothed out the dress she'd chosen for Oliver's first day of trial. She was trying to channel that same resilience. Calm. Collected. Strong. At least on the outside. Sliding a hand over her face, she took a deep breath, grabbed her jacket, purse, and the garment bag with Oliver's suit, and headed for the door.
The minute she did, she came to an abrupt halt to keep from colliding with her unsolicited house guest.
"Richie, I love you, but I swear, I'm going to shoot you," she growled, pushing him aside to brush past him.
"You told me to go home, but let's be honest—you didn't mean it," Richard responded, moving easily to stride along beside her. "Your life's in crisis again, and you need me."
"Right, because you were so helpful the last time," Katie shot back as they walked down the hall. "You're supposed to be at Bruce and Felicity's keeping the kids calm in case reporters decide to camp on our lawn."
"Ari and the devil child can handle it," he said nonchalantly, trailing after her down the stairs. "But someone has to be here for you. And no matter how many threats you throw my way, I'm not leaving."
"Richie, you're testing my patience. Gotham needs you, not me. That's where you should be, dealing with that lunatic Joker.
Katie walked into the kitchen, ready to pour herself a much needed cup of coffee, when the doorbell rang before she could even grab a mug. Groaning, she watched Richard run past her to get it.
"I'm seriously going to hurt you," she grumbled as she shoved him aside to see who it was. "Ethan? What are you doing here?"
Ethan looked from her to Richard. "I had hoped to speak to you, but I didn't know you had company. Shouldn't you be in Gotham, Richard? That city's been on edge for weeks with the Joker still on the loose."
"Why does everybody act as if they need to tell me where I should be and what I should do? I am an adult-
"Barely," Katie and Ethan said in unison, earning a scowl from Richard.
"Whatever," Richard huffed. "What are you doing here, Mills? Harley drop by again? Bet you didn't tell your wife about that."
"I still don't understand why Harley came to you of all people," Katie mused, crossing her arms as she studied Ethan.
"I've told you she's insane. There's no logic to her madness," Ethan replied.
"Or," Richard said with a smirk, "maybe you two had a little something-something back when you were a lowly ARGUS doctor and she was the psycho inmate with hearts in her eyes."
Ethan ignored him, brushing past them both into the house. "Screw you," he muttered before turning to Katie. "I need to talk to you."
"That's what phones are for, Mills," Katie said, grabbing her bag.
"I know, but—" Ethan's phone buzzed, cutting him off. He groaned as he checked the screen, expecting another hospital crisis, but to his surprise, it was Laurel.
"Hey, honey. Is it time?" he asked, his voice tinged with anticipation. He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yes, that will always be my first question, because you're about a hundred months pregnant."
Katie took advantage of the chance to slip out, muttering, "One of you lock up before you leave."
Ethan held up a finger, wordlessly pleading for her to wait as he juggled listening to his wife's grocery list and trying to keep up with Katie's departure.
"Laur, how much popcorn do you need?" he asked, cutting her off mid-request.
Richard laughed, hearing Laurel's exasperated yelling across the line. "Lock up, Doctor Love," he said into the phone as he walked toward his motorcycle.
Katie entered the courthouse through the parking garage so as not to have to press her way through the crowd of reporters on the front steps.
As the elevator doors opened, Katie spotted Jean Loring down the hall, scrolling through her phone. She looked up, gave a small smile, and started walking toward her.
"How are you holding up?" Jean asked.
"About as well as any woman whose husband is on trial and facing a possible life sentence," Katie said wearily, extending the garment bag to Jean. "Here's the suit."
"Great. I'll take it in to him," Jean said, nodding toward the reporters spilling into the hallway. "Why don't you come with me?"
Katie nodded, relieved, and followed Jean through a side door into a less busy part of the courthouse. She stayed close, noticing only court officers and attorneys as they moved. When they stopped at another door, Jean turned to Katie.
"You'll have to wait here while I go in. It won't take long."
Katie nods before turning to see a bench along the wall. She walked over and took a seat as Jean disappeared behind the door. Her eyes glanced over to the guard standing near the door, his eyes on her for a moment before looking away. She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath, attempting to calm nerves she'd managed to keep in check all morning.
A few minutes later, the door opened, and Oliver stepped out with Jean by his side. His eyes met Katie's, and without hesitation, he walked over and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Katie hugged him back, but a part of her was still angry—angry that when she had given him an out, he had chosen the heroic path again, risking everything.
Oliver pulled back just enough to look at her, his expression soft but with concern. He could see the conflict in her eyes, the mix of love and frustration she didn't bother to hide. And while he was glad she was there, he knew she wasn't happy with the choices that had brought them to this moment.
She didn't say anyhing as she dropped her eyes to his suit, and reached forward to smooth out some slight wrinkles.
"You clean up up good, Liver." she said before lifting her eyes back to his and a small smile came to his lips.
"Thanks for bringing it." he replied.
"Meh, you'd look ridiculous if I didn't" she replied, still trying to exude strength. "How are you holding up?"
"Much better now." he replied holding her gaze. He took a step to close the distance. "Twinkie-"
"Don't, we're done beating a dead horse."
"I just—I know this isn't the way you wanted this to go."
"That's an understatement." Katie sighed, she replied placing a hand on his arm. "But it's fine. "This is who you are, Oliver. And I'm not going to stand here and tell you to be someone you're not. You've made your choice, and I..." She hesitated, her voice catching for the briefest moment before she steadied herself. "I'll stand by you. Wherever this goes, I'll be there."
Oliver knew there was more to it than that. He knew that even though she was accepting his decision, that she definitely didn't agree with it. He reached forward to give her hand a squeeze.
"We should talk." Jean said stepping over. They both turned to her. "I've got us a room, but we're going to have to dive back in the media circus. Stay close."
Just as Jean said, the moment they stepped back into the hall, the reporters seemed to surround them yelling questions. Oliver kept a firm grasp on Katie's hand as she leaned her body into his, while trying not too look to frazzled by the chaos. The officer opened the door and they all walked inside.
"Thank you officer, you can wait outside." Jean said.
"I'm right where Mr. Diaz wants me." The officer replied and they all turned to him.
"I need to have a privileged meeting with my client." Jean countered.
"Nothing's stopping you." the officer said, folding his arms in front of him, a sign that he wasn't going anywhere.
Katie took a step forward, but Oliver still holding her hand, pulled her back. She turned looked to him.
"It's fine." He said before turning to Jean and nodding. "It's fine."
Jean let out a sigh as they took a seat. Katie stood, her eyes over on the officer.
"Since you fired district attorney Armand, the D. A.'s office has brought an outside counsel to prosecute." Jean said. "Have you heard of Alexa Van Owen?"
"Should I have heard of her?" Oliver asked.
"She took down Intergang and Bruno Mannheim." Katie suddenly said and both Oliver and Jean turned to her. "She's prosecuted CEOs and serial Killers, and she has CIA-caliber investigators that say they can find anything and everything." she dropped her eyes down to him. "Her conviction rate is 99%." she saw the questioning look in Oliver's eyes. "I made some calls to figure out who was replacing Sam and just went full on stalker on this woman."
"She called me last night, and she offered a plea. Single count of first-degree manslaughter." Jean replied.
"And how much time does she want him to serve?" Katie asked.
"A 15-year minimum sentence." Jean replied and Katie let out deep sigh as she shook her head. Oliver gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"We're not taking any deal." Oliver told Jean who nods.
"Look, Van Owen isn't in Diaz's pocket, but we have every reason to believe that Judge McGarvey is." she said as she looked over to the man. "I mean, this whole system is against you."
"No deal." Oliver said firmly. "Get me an acquittal."
Jean once again nods before standing to her feet, and once again glancing over to the officer. She let out a sigh before turning to Oliver.
"Would you two like a minute before you have to be taken back?"
"Yeah," Oliver replied standing to his feet.
"Alright, I'll be outside." she replied before turning to walking over to the officer. "My client is going to take a few minutes to talk to his wife before being taken back in."
"Fine by me." the officer replied his eyes turning back to Katie and Oliver, a sign that he wasn't going anywhere.
Oliver pulled an arm around Katie and tugged her further back, for at least the illusion of privacy.
"We're going to get through this." he wanted to reassure her, even if he wasn't very certain himself. But he knew his wife.
She would jump into this fight if she feels she needs to.
Katie didn't say anything, her eyes over on the officer standing just across the room staring at them. Oliver followed her gaze and let out a sigh. He absolutely knew she didn't like Diaz's attempts at intimidation.
He leaned into her, "Promise me you will not go after him." he whispered and that pulled Katie's eyes to him. She placed a hand on his cheek.
"You know Liver, I think at the moment, neither of us should start making promises we don't know if we can keep." she leaned forward to press a kiss to his cheek. "You should go."
Oliver didn't want to pull away from her. He didn't want her to try to take on this fight on her own. He also knew that he was asking her to make a lot of compromises lately, and this one he was sure she wasn't going to make.
The officer silently escorted Oliver back to holding until the trial started. Before stepping back through the door, he's handcuffed. He casts one final look to Katie before walking inside.
"Hey," Jean said placing a hand on Katie's shoulder. "The fight's not over."
Katie simply nods before they head back down the hall. After a few steps, Katie stops and turns to Jean.
"Could you give me a minute?" Katie headed back down the hall, and stopped in front of the officer guarding the door. "You're one of Diaz's dirty cops, right?"
"Excuse me?"
"Ricardo Diaz pays you money to do whatever he wants, right?" she asked taking a step forward and holding his gaze. "He probably calls or texts you, what's the number?"
Jean stood at the end of the hall, watching Katie talking with the officer for a few moments before she came walking back down to her.
"Is everything alright?" Jean asked, and Katie turned to her with a slight smile.
"I was just asking him about the conditions in there to make sure Oliver was alright. He assured me, everything is fine."
Katie found herself waiting in the courtroom as it filled with people. She ignored their eyes as she stood near a window, impatiently waiting for this all to get started. She glanced back to see Dinah, Curtis and Rene and she headed over to speak to them.
"Hey, guys, thanks so much for coming." she said with a small smile.
"Well you know they were subpoenaed," Curtis said gesturing to Dinah and Rene. He turned back to Katie. "But we also wanted to show our support."
"Yeah," Dinah said placing a hand on Katie's arm. "We have you back.
"We're here for you, Doc." Rene said.
"Thank you." Katie replied. "Really, it means a lot."
Katie glanced over to see Ari and William and went over to them.
"Hey, I thought we agreed you guys wouldn't be here for this." Katie said placing a hand on Will's shoulder. "Did you guys get caught up by the reporters outside?"
"Unfortunately, but we're cool. I'm used to it, and I kept Wilbur safe." Ari said before turning back to Katie. "We wanted to be here. Felicity's back at home with Robyn, so we were subjected to-"
"Hey, why did you guys leave me?" Richard's voice spoke up from behind them. He looked over to Katie. "How you holding up, Sugar Bear?"
"Do not call me that in public." she said before looking back down to Ari and Will. "C'mon," she brought an arm around them to guide them over to sit.
They all turned when Oliver was escorted into the courtroom. He glanced over to them and gave a nod before turning to the court officer to be uncuffed.
When the trial started, Katie found herself totally removed from the room. Here they were with a corrupt judge and corrupted officers. They were trying to navigate a corrupt system against a DA who didn't hold back any punches.
The People's first witness was John who was noticeably absent.
"A bench warrant will be issued for Mr. Diggle." Judge McGarvey said. "If he's not made to appear within one hour, he'll be held in contempt of this court." He looked over to Van Owen. "Is your next witness ready?"
"Yes, your honor." she replied. "The People call Dr. Ethan Mills."
Oliver glanced back to Katie who just shrugged before they turned to the doors to see a suited Ethan walking into the court room. He turned a look to Katie before heading over to take a seat on the stand.
"Please state your name and occupation for the record." The DA said.
"Dr. Ethan P. Mills. The P stands for Preston, but that has been a carefully kept secret until now." he shook his head. "My mom was a fan of that old tv show Sergeant Preston, which was actually-"
"Dr. Mills," McGarvey interrupted the man's long winded answer. "Would you please answer only the questions being asked."
"Sure thing, your honor." Ethan said before turning back to the DA. "Dr. Ethan Mills. I am the Medical Director of Starling General Hospital."
"Thank you doctor. If I'm not mistaken you are friends with the defendant and his wife and on occasion have treated them both. Is that correct?"
"And how would you define the term friend?" Ethan asked and the DA just shook her head.
"Dr. Mills, you understand, as a witness here under oath, you are required to answer all questions asked to you. Failure to do so could result in your arrest, which I don't think would be a good thing for you. Your wife is pregnant and due any day now, right?"
Ethan's face grew serious at the mention of Laurel so he let out a sigh.
"Yes we are friends. Yes I have treated them both."
"You've treated the defendant for various injuries. Is that correct?"
"I can not answer that question without violating doctor, patient confidentially."
"I understand." Van Owen said before turning and grabbing a file. "Then let me direct your attention, please, to an incident when Oliver was not a patient." she read through the file in front in her hand. "On the night of Octobe 8th 2015, the Green Arrow brought in Laurel Lance. And according to your records, she had multiple injuries."
"Objection." Jean called. "Is there a question in our future?"
"Yes." the DA replied. "That night, you were close enough to the Green Arrow to determine his identity. So my question is, whose face did you see that night?"
"I'm afraid if you're asking me to remember a case from three years ago, you're not going to have much luck. But if there is documentation to support that, then my assumption is that if my now wife was brought into the hospital with injuries, my focus would be on doing my job and saving the patient. My concern would not be the person who brought her in."
"Concern or not, whose face did you see underneath that mask?" the DA questioned further.
"Ms. DA lady, tell me, if you're on the table in front of me, bleeding to death, where would you want my focus to be?"
"Answer the question, doctor." she replied.
"No, I did not see the person under the mask. For all I know it could've been you, or maybe the judge here." Ethan glanced over to the Judge. "He looks like he has a few skeletons in his closet, am I right?"
Judge McGarvey slammed his gavel. "Keep it up Doctor, and you're going to be held in contempt."
"No further questions." Van Owen said.
After a few questions from Jean the judge gestured for Ethan to step from the stand and headed from the courtroom.
"Gah, how is one person cool and a dork at the same time?" Ari whispered and Katie looked over to her with a shake of her head.
In the Mayor's office, Quentin stood watching the trial, the doppelganger Laurel, or Charlie as she was calling herself now standing next to him.
"Well it's not bad." Quentin said. "Oliver may actually pull this one off."
"You want to put money on that." Charlie replied before they turned at a knock at the door. Soon the door was opening and in walked Laurel.
"Sweetheart." Quentin walked over to her, bringing and arm around her and guiding her to a nearby chair. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be on bed rest."
Laurel didn't say anything, as she pulled from her father's grasp to look over to the woman with her face.
"Why are you here?" Laurel asked.
"I'm just here to visit with my dear old uncle Quentin." the woman replied. She let her eyes move over Laurel, always hit with the reality that seeing a version of herself that she would never have.
Laurel just shook her head before turning to her father. "I wasn't aware that you had company. We can talk later." Laurel turned to leave.
"Sweetheart, wait, just-" Quentin moved to stand between the two women. "I want nothing more for you two to just get along."
"Well I'm sorry dad, but hell would have to freeze over before me and this woman will ever get along." she turned to the woman. "Not after everything she's done, the people she's hurt and she just gets away with it. No consequences."
"God you're insufferable." Charlie replied before her phone vibrated. She pulled it from her pocket so see the message from Diaz to meet and she let out a sigh. "I have to go," she moved to leave.
"Diaz yanking your leash?" Quentin asked and the woman turned a glare to him.
"Something like that," she replied.
"You know you don't have to go." he said. "The first step to standing up to him is standing up to him."
"Sounds like the first step to getting myself killed."
"Of course she works for Diaz." Laurel said with a shake of her head.
"It's not like that. She's just in a situation and she can't get out of it." Quentin said and Laurel looked at him before turning to her doppelganger.
"Can't get out of it? Does your sonic scream no longer work?" she asked the woman. "Ricardo Diaz, is a thug whose only edge is that he can make people who are actually bigger and stronger than he is, believe they're weak." she tilted her head as she looked at the woman. "Not sure how he made you believe it. I would never have someone like that tell me what to do, or have me, running scared whenever he beckoned."
"You're naive." Charlie said. "You have never seen the monsters I've seen, and trust me, Diaz is worse."
"Unless Diaz has the ability to withstand 300 decibels, then I think you're the one whose naive." Laurel said before catching a glimpse of the television and seeing a replay of a clip from the trial, that showed Ethan on the stand. She didn't say anything before walking over to the television.
Charlotte, glanced over to the woman and then turned to Quentin, before leaving the office.
Back in court, after Ethan's testimony, the judge gave a bit of time for John to arrive.
"It's been one hour." The Judge announced. "He is hereby in contempt of this court."
Seconds later the doors to the courtroom opened and in walked John.
"I'm sorry I'm late, your honor." John said slightly out of breath as he looked up to the judge. "I had some business to take care of out of town."
And so the trial continued, John taking the stand and then Dinah. Katie once again, felt removed from the room. Not quite listening, focused on what was happening around her. She barely heard either of their testimonies. It was the fact that this was happening. They were here, in a courtroom in a battle between justice and injustice. She knows she's had time to come to terms with this, to accept that this was happening and just move forward, and yet it still hadn't sank in.
Van Owen was living up to her reputation of not holding back any punches. She cuts both John and Dinah down, pushing them into corners with her questions.
John kept cool under the pressure, answering each question carefully.
"If he was running around with a bow and arrow, I would've known it." John said but the attorney didn't look convinced.
"How can that be?" Van Owen asked. "You were head of his security at city hall."
"And my job was to keep him safe." John replied. "And that included not jumping off of rooftops."
"Well, Mr. Diggle, you can't even keep yourself safe." she said. "I mean, in the past 4 years, you've been abducted by Damien Darhk, your own child was also kidnapped. You were hospitalized for nerve damage caused by severe trauma." she paused for a moment. "Mr. Diggle, either you travel in some very dangerous circles, or you have the worst luck ever."
Dinah's line of questioning was no different.
"Who was Sean Sonus?" the DA asked, and Dinah dropped her eyes.
"Objection." Jean interruped. "Relevance."
"Overruled." McGarvey immediately responded.
"Your honor?" she questioned further but the judge wasn't hearing it.
"I said, overruled." he replied with a hint of impatience before turning to Dinah. "Answer the question."
"He was a drug dealer I investigated while undercover in the Central City police department." Dinah responded.
"And he was shot and killed in Hub City last year." the attorney continued.
"Your honor, I renew my objection as to relevance." Jean said standing to her feet, once again attempting to get the judge to stop this line of questioning.
"Well, if Ms. Drake is a murderer, it would certainly undermine her credibility, now, wouldn't it?" Van Owen replied looking over to Jean.
And It surprised no one that the judge once again overruled the objection before telling Jean to sit down.
The DA turned back to Dinah. "So you were not with the Central City police department when Mr. Sonus was killed. Is that correct?"
"That's right." Dinah answers.
"Did you murder him?" Van Owen asked, and Jean once again stood to her feet.
"Your honor!" she jumped to her feet.
"Answer the question." McGarvey said to Dinah.
Dinah glanced from him to the DA and after a moment, finally responded. "I'm exercising my fifth amendment right against self-incrimination."
The courtroom erupted in murmurs before Van Owen announced that she had no other questions. McGarvey ordered a recess. Katie stood as Oliver stood to be taken back into holding. He turned to her, with a silent look and she just gave him a nod and a soft smile before he's cuffed and taken back.
Katie turns to Ari and Will as they stand to walk out of the courtroom. Ari doesn't say anything as she stalks off.
"Ari, wait-" Katie calls after her, but it doesn't stop the girl. She lets out a sigh before turning to Will. "I knew you two shouldn't have come here."
"It's not going good, is it?" Will asked Katie.
"It's going fine." Richard answered instead and they both turned to him. "Trust me, I've been in plenty of court rooms, and even though it looks like we're losing, it's just how it works. They get to ask their questions, and then the defense gets to lay the smack down. Just wait and see my young friend."
"Um, ok." Will said before turning to Katie. "I'm going to go check on Ari."
Katie just nods before watching the boy walk away, before turning to Richard.
"You know, maybe when I'm talking with my children, you keep quiet, ok?" she said.
"I was just trying to help." he shrugged.
"I know Richie, and I appreciate it, and I appreciate you and everything you've done." she placed a hand on his arm. "I'm going to run to the bathroom and then check in with Felicity to see how Robyn's doing. Can you keep an eye on them?"
"Sure thing, sugar bear." he replied and she turned a glare to him. "Sorry, it will not happen again."
Katie shook her head and turned on her heel, walking briskly down the hall before slipping into the women's bathroom. The quiet hum of the fluorescent lights greeted her as she stepped inside. She moved to the sink, gripping its edge as she glanced up at her reflection.
She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, willing herself to keep calm. But the knot of nausea that had been gnawing at her stomach all morning refused to ease. It had been lurking in the background all along, a constant reminder of her growing anxiety since this trial began.
As the minutes ticked by, the queasiness grew impossible to ignore. Her chest tightened, and her breathing quickened. Realizing the inevitable, she popped into the nearest stall just in time.
Katie knelt, balancing herself on the stall's cold walls as she finally let the nausea take its course. Afterwards, sitting back on her heels, Katie let out a shaking breath. Whatever weight had been in her stomach shifted, at least, but the tightness in her chest was still there.
She stood there for a moment, her eyes closed, and found the quiet steadying. Finally, she got up unsteadily and flushed the toilet before going back to the sink. Turning on the tap, she splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth.
She remained still for a while, trying to savor the rare quiet moment. She needed that—time to collect her thoughts and get ready to go back into court. Soon, she would have to put on a mask of strength and confidence, be a woman who didn't feel terror gnawing at her as she thought about possibly seeing her husband sentenced to life.
Katie closed her eyes again, letting her breathing go slow and steady. Inhale, exhale. She concentrated on the rhythm, finding her center in the stillness, her strength in the silence. She was there just a little while longer, allowing herself this one fleeting moment of calm before turning to battle the storm once more.
When the trial began again, Oliver was escorted back into the courtroom. His eyes finding Ari and Will, sitting next to Richard, but he didn't see Katie. He walked over to the defense table, before turning to be uncuffed.
When he sat down, he turned to his kids, and whispered, "Where's Katie?"
"She said she was going to run to the bathroom, then check in with Felicity about Robyn." Richard answered, before glancing back to the doors. "That was a while ago, though." he turned back to Oliver. "I'm going to go check on her."
Oliver just nodded before watching the man silently stand and slip out of the courtroom. He let out a sigh, before turning as the DA called her next witness. Rene Ramirez.
Richard walked down the hall, before spotting the women's bathroom. He walked over, before looking around for a moment. He then pushed open the door, "Sugar Bear, you in there?"
"Go away Richard."
"Are you pooping? Because I poop when I'm nervous too. It's nothing to be ashamed about." he replied. He didn't get a response to that, but after a moment, the door opened and appeared Katie.
"I'm going to shoot you." she simply said.
The man just shook his head. "Can you do it later, they called everyone back and Rene's probably on the stand now."
Katie just nods before they turn and head down the hall. When they step into the courtroom, they glanced over to see Rene on the stand, and his eyes looking forward, with a look of fear. He glances over to Katie, and then forward, and when Katie followed his eyes, that's when Katie saw Ricardo Diaz standing behind Zoe.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Richard whispered to Katie.
"Ricardo Diaz is standing behind Rene's daughter." Katie whispered back and Richard turned to follow her gaze. "I need you to stay with her."
"And what are you going to do?" he asked turning back to her.
"I think I'm going to have a conversation with Ricardo, about my extreme detest of people who put children in the middle of grown up fights."
"He's the Green Arrow." Rene said and their eyes turn to him. He looked out right guilty as he spoke, hating he was once again manipulated again. "Oliver is."
"And you know this because you were a member of his vigilante team, weren't you?" Van Owen asked.
"Yeah." he replied.
"And as a member of that team, did you ever see the defendant kill or maim anyone as the Green Arrow?"
"Yeah." he said again, his eyes still on the man near his daughter.
"How many people did he kill or maim?" Van Owen asked.
"I don't know."
"Ballpark it for me."
"I don't know." he said in frustration watching as Diaz said something to his daughter before walking from the courtroom. "Too many too count."
Rene watched as Richard moved to stand near Zoe, before his eyes looked back over to the door Diaz just walked out of, and he didn't see Katie either.
"The prosecution rests, your honor." Van Owen announced.
After his testimony, they were given another brief recess. Rene rushed out into the hall to find Richard still close to Zoe. He looked at the man with appreciation, before bringing his arms around his daughter.
"Are you ok?" Rene asked before pulling back and getting a look at her. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." Zoe replied. "He picked me up from school. He was with a police officer. They said you were hurt." Rene just pulled her back into a hug, before glancing up to Richard and Curtis.
"He was here, and we just let him walk?" Rene asked
"Oh, he's going to hope he still has the ability to walk." Richard replied.
Ricardo hopped down the steps from the courthouse with one of his guards and just couldn't help but have that smart aleck look all over his face. The over-confidence didn't last, as he was suddenly tackled from out of nowhere by John and Dinah. Diaz had his face pressed up against his car, having been slammed there by John.
"Hey, look at you," Diaz shot back, unfazed. "Maybe you don't care about people finding out the truth about you."
"That's right," John growled through gritted teeth. "I don't care."
"Whatever it takes to stop you," Dinah added sharply.
Diaz chuckled darkly. "How about taking on the entire police force?" He glanced to the side, and moments later, they were surrounded by armed officers, all pointing their weapons at John and Dinah. "How does that sound to you?"
"You want us to light 'em up, boss?" one of the officers asked eagerly.
That depends on them," Diaz said with a tone full of mocking. Then he turned back to John, who glared daggers at him, releasing a satisfied smirk as John let him go. "My man."
"What should we do with them?" the officer asked.
"Nothing," Diaz said, climbing into the passenger seat of his car. "If they had an accident, I'd have to testify, and, well, that'd just be awkward." He leaned out the window, his mocking grin locked on John. "Hey. Smile. It's your lucky day, baby."
With that, Diaz's car peeled away, leaving John and Dinah standing there as the officers slowly dispersed.
Dinah moved to stand beside John. "Richard said Katie went after him. Where is she?"
"I don't know," John muttered, his jaw tight. "But I'm guessing I'm not the one who's going to need luck."
Diaz was chuckling to himself as the car sped away from the courthouse. He glanced into the rear view mirror to see John and Dinah still rooted in place, their frustrated stares burning into his back. As the courthouse receded into the distance, his amusement only grew.
"They'll never learn," he said to his driver. But the man said nothing. Diaz frowned and turned to him, and then the car suddenly surged forward.
"What the hell are you doing?" Diaz shouted as the car took a sharp turn, tires squealing to a sudden halt into a deserted park. The guard, still silent, fell forward against the steering wheel, knocked out cold.
"What the—" Diaz stopped cold, further perplexed as his gaze swirled around in every direction. That's when he spotted her: Katherine Queen, calmly seated on a bench in the park, staring at him squarely.
He narrowed his eyes, his hand instinctively slipping to his waistband and retrieving his gun. With deliberate steps, he exited the car and took strides towards her as his lips curled upwards into a sadistic grin.
"You know, Mrs. Queen, I've heard all about your little magic tricks," he said as he approached. "Our mutual friend, Black Siren, warned me about you. Told me that in my crusade to take down your husband, you were the one I should be worried about."
Katie tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "And yet, here we are. You didn't listen?"
Diaz shrugged with a smirk. "Nah, I just had to get creative." He motioned to the patrol cars shrieking to a stop all over the place. "See, I am an important guy. My car makes an unscheduled stop and my buddies show up."
Katie's gaze flickered to the officers spilling from the vehicles; their guns were focused on her. The tension in the air thick as Diaz leaned in closer.
"And in case you're thinking about any of your bippity boppity boo bullshit, keep in mind—they're all wearing body cams. You pull something here, and this time, you become the star of another viral video."
For a moment, Katie said nothing, her face unreadable. Then, to Diaz's surprise, she started to laugh-a deep, rumbling laugh that caught him off his guard.
"You know," Katie said, rising and closing the distance between them, her voice low and laced with dark amusement. "I'm actually glad it's going down like this. No masks. No costumes. Just bad guy—" she gestured to him, her hand lightly tapping his chest, "—to the person who's going to haunt you for the rest of your life."
Her smirk grew as she took a deliberate step closer. "You're all about intimidation, aren't you? That's your shtick."
Diaz glared at her, his grin faltering slightly.
Katie's voice was low, dangerous, unyielding. "Do you want to know what my shtick is?"
Diaz's smirk returned, this time weaker. "Oh, please, do tell," he mocked, the tone thick with condescension. Yet his eyes betrayed a flicker of unease as Katie took another step closer, into his personal space.
"I'll tell you," Katie said softly, her voice steady, her gaze unwavering. "My thing is making people like you realize that you're not nearly as powerful as you think you are. You see, Diaz, you rely on fear—your army of dirty cops, your threats, your bravado. It's all smoke and mirrors. But me?" She leaned in slightly, her voice a low, deadly whisper. "I don't need any of that."
Diaz snorted, though he sidled back a step. "Big words. But in case you missed it, you're surrounded, Mrs. Queen. Dozens of cops, all armed and ready to put you down if you so much as flinch."
Katie's lips curled up into an unnerving smile. "You're right. I am surrounded." She lifted her hands, in mock surrender, giving the officers a clear view of her calm demeanor. Then she turned back to Diaz, her voice sharp and cutting. "But here's the thing: they're not here to protect you. They're here to clean up your mess when this all blows up in your face. And it will blow up, Diaz. You've made too many enemies, burned too many bridges. Even your army of dirty cops will turn on you when it's convenient for them."
Diaz's confidence faltered for a split second, but he quickly recovered, shaking his head. "You think you're untouchable, don't you? That's the Queen arrogance talking."
The smile fell from Katie's face, leaving her icy calm. "No. I know I'm not untouchable. I know what it's like to lose everything, to have the world crash down around you. But I also know what it's like to claw my way back up. That's the difference between us, Diaz. You think power is about control, but you have no idea what real strength looks like."
Diaz opened his mouth to retort, but Katie held up a hand, silencing him.
"You think this ends with Oliver? That once he's out of the way, you've won? You're wrong. Because even if you somehow take him down, there's still me. And unlike you, I don't rely on goons or weapons to fight my battles. I rely on the fact that I don't quit. Ever."
The soft hum of the distance siren grew louder. In a second, it hit like thunder. Diaz's eyes wandered, passing at every patrol car surrounding them with hints of his nerves showing- it shouldn't be happening, or at least, he did not envision this confrontation.
Katie leaned in one last time, her voice a cold whisper. "So enjoy this moment, Diaz. Bask in your little victory. Because it's not going to last. And when it's all over, when you've lost everything—remember this conversation. Remember that I warned you."
Before Diaz could say anything, the sirens behind him grew louder, and a sleek black SUV turned the corner, pulling in behind the patrol cars. Several agents in tactical gear stepped out of the vehicle. Precise and deliberate movements they didn't glance at either of the officers or Diaz. Their attention was focused on Katie.
"Mrs. Queen," one of them said with a curt nod. "It's time."
Katie didn't move right away. She instead leaned her head towards Diaz, an unyielding chill in her eyes. "I have friends too," she said, an unmistakable edge to her tone. "And let me make one thing crystal clear: if you ever go near Zoe again, or if you drag any other child into this, I won't care that we are out in broad daylight and in a public place. I won't care how many officers you bring or that they're all wearing body cameras. You've made this personal."
She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "This is chess, Mr. Diaz. You're still playing checkers. You'd better catch up."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked toward the waiting agents, her steps steady, her back straight. Diaz stood frozen, his jaw clenched as he watched her climb into the SUV without a backward glance.
As the vehicle pulled away, Diaz's guard groaned, finally stirring in the driver's seat. "You good, boss?" the man asked weakly, rubbing his head.
Diaz didn't answer. His attention remained fixed on the retreating SUV, Katie's words replaying in his head. For the first time, his confidence wavered, a flicker of unease settling in his chest.
John and Dinah were still standing outside of the courthouse when the SUV came to a stop. They both watched as Katie stepped out. She noticed them and walked over.
"How is Zoe?" She asked.
"Fine." Dinah replied. "Where did you go?"
"I think I just threw my hat in the ring." she replied before nudging her head to the courthouse. "We should head back inside."
When Katie walked toward the courtroom, she was surprised to see Felicity standing near the door. The moment the blonde saw her, she rushed over.
"Oh thank, god. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. What are you doing here and where's Robyn?"
"With Richard, who also took Ari and Will back to our house. I heard Diaz was here."
"And you rushed here?"
"Well, no, I'm being called to testify." Felicity replied and Katie looked at her in confusion. "And you're wondering why I didn't say anything, and it's because I didn't want you to try to talk me out of it."
"Felicity, I just—going up on that stand isn't easy. It's stressful, and right now baby Brucity, needs to be in a stress free atmosphere."
"Ok, first Brucity is totally cute, and second, I want to do this. If anything I can say up there can help Oliver out of this, I want to. You guys are my family, and he's in there taking the heat for something we're all are apart of. There's no way I'm going to just sit and do nothing."
"Are you sure?" Katie asked. "I get the feeling Bruce would have something to say."
"He did, but in the end he understood." Felicity slightly shrugged. "The truth is that could be Bruce in there, and I absolutely know you and Oliver would do anything you could step up for him."
"Alright, thank you." Katie said once again pulling the woman into a hug, before they walked back into the courtroom.
Katie walked in just as Oliver was being escorted back to his seat. He met her eyes, and let out a relieved sigh. Katie walked back over to her seat, and he turned to face her from his spot beside Jean.
"What did you do?" he whispered.
Katie let out a nervous chuckle. "I may have done that thing you don't like me doing. You know the whole poking an angry, psychotic bear."
"Twinkie-"
"I know what you're going to say. You can't do things like that Twinkie," she said mimicking his voice. "It's dangerous, and if I'm in here, I can't protect you." she said, her fingers sliding over his. "I do an ok job of protecting myself, and I really have a thing about bullies who are trying to orchestrate the incarceration of my husband."
"Look, John has something planned. You don't have to take chances like that." Oliver's hand slipped around hers. "And yes, I don't like you taking those sort of risks, while I'm in here and you're out there."
"Oliver Queen, you have no idea the risks I will take to keep you with us." she replied with a smile.
"Court is back in session!" The clerk announced.
"Oh, and Felicity's testifying." Katie said quickly and Oliver looked at her with a furrowed brow and she just shrugged before taking a step back to sit down.
Felicity Wayne, sat on the stand with grace and confidence that Katie envied.
"I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with master's degrees in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences." Felicity said. "From 2015-16, I served as the CEO of Palmer Tech, Incorporated."
"Thank you." Jean says standing to her feet with a file. "The defense moves to have Mrs. Wayne accepted as an expert witness."
"I don't see the point of this, Ms. Loring." McGarvey said.
"I want the witness testify as to the validity of this photograph." Jean replied and the Judge sighs.
"Fine, but make it quick."
Jean brings over the file which shows the doctor photo of Oliver.
"Mrs. Wayne, this appears to be a photograph of your friend, Oliver Queen, dressed as the Green Arrow."
"Yes." Felicity answered. "The key words being "appears to be. This photo has been doctored. A pixel level analysis will show almost undetectable light shifts and resolution inconsistencies that would not be present in a natural photo."
"Objection, your honor." Van Owen stood to her feet. "What is the point of showing us an allegedly doctored photograph at all?"
"The better question would be who, and why would they doctor a photo to make Oliver Queen look like the Green Arrow if he were the Green Arrow?" Felicity asked looking over to the woman. "I mean, which he's not. He's my friend. My best friend's husband. It doesn't seem like something they would be able to hide. Especially from me, I'm like at their house all the time. I would definitely know."
"No further questions." Jean said returning to her seat.
Van Owen stood to her feet. "You were present when Mr. Queen was arrested?"
"I was, it was during a food drive. A lot of tact went into that."
"You were there with your husband, Mr. Wayne and his son Damian, correct?" the woman empasized the word his, and Felicity took a breath before responding.
"Yes. Damian is Bruce's biological son, but—"
Van Owen cut in sharply. "So, you are not Damian Wayne's mother?"
Felicity blinked, her brow furrowing slightly. "No, I'm not his biological mother. But as his stepmother, I care for him just as much. If you're trying to insinuate anything, I suggest you be direct about it."
"You mentioned earlier in your testimony that you're good friends with the defendant and his wife."
"That's right."
"And I'm assuming that since your whole family was at the Thanksgiving food drive, you're all a pretty tight knit friends."
"Objection your honor," Jean said. "Relevance."
"I'm getting there." Van Owen said.
"Overruled," McGarvey said and nodded to Van Owen to continue. "Mrs. Wayne, answer the question."
"Ok, yes, we're all friends. Bruce is childhood friends with Katie and we're all really close."
Van Owen tilted her head, her tone growing pointed. "Your husband isn't with you today. In fact, Bruce Wayne has been seen quite often over the past few months back in Gotham, where he's from. Is that correct?"
Felicity remained composed. "Bruce's company is in Gotham, so he travels back and forth between Gotham and Star City. I'm still not sure where this is going."
Van Owen's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Gotham City has its own vigilante, doesn't it?"
"Are you asking me, or is this general trivia?" Felicity shot back, her tone light but careful.
"Batman," Van Owen said, her voice firm.
"What's the question?" Felicity countered, her expression unwavering.
"It just seems a bit coincidental," Van Owen continued, her gaze narrowing.
Felicity tilted her head, her calm demeanor firmly in place. "Coincidental that Gotham City has Batman, or that you're wasting everyone's time with this line of questioning?"
A low murmor spread through the courtroom, until a harsh glance from Judge McGarvey shut off the sound.
"Well, here's the coincidence," Van Owen said, pushing forward. "You were documented in an old case back in Gotham. The Joker crashed a party, grabbed you, and threw you out a window. Batman saved you. Witness statements from that same party indicate that The Green Arrow was present. Interestingly enough, Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne were also in attendance but were noticeably absent when the Joker arrived."
Jean stood up in an instant. "Objection, Your Honor! Ms. Van Owen is attempting to offer statements from a separate case, not related to this one."
Judge McGarvey's face remained stoic. "Overruled."
Van Owen turned to Felicity once again with a determined stare. "Why don't I just cut through the crap and ask it directly? Mrs. Wayne, is your husband, Bruce Wayne, Batman?"
Felicity only stared back at the woman for a few seconds, then started to laugh abruptly.
"Wait… wait," she managed through the laughter, waving a hand as if to steady herself.
"Mrs. Wayne, contain yourself," McGarvey said.
"I'm sorry," Felicity said, finally calming down, though her lips still twitched with amusement. She turned to Van Owen. "Ms. Van Owen, my husband pulls a muscle in his back every morning when he gets out of bed. He eats bran flakes religiously, and he spends his evenings watching Matlock. There is—excuse my language—no way in hell my husband is Batman."
Van Owen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your father is Noah Kuttler, the alleged 'Calculator.'"
"Objection!" Jean interjected, her tone sharp. "Does the DA have any questions relevant to the case against my client?"
"Overruled," McGarvey said once again.
Felicity sighed lightly. "He's reformed."
"But before he was reformed, were you aware that he was a notorious computer hacker and cybercriminal?" Van Owen asked.
"No," Felicity answered plainly. "I had no idea.
The DA took a step closer, her tone dripping with insinuation. "Doesn't say much about your ability to detect criminal behavior in those close to you, does it? And under the heading of 'apples not falling far from trees,' let me ask you this: Have you ever engaged in cybercrime yourself?"
"No, I haven't," Felicity responded immediately, her eyes steady in Van Owen's direction. "Good luck proving otherwise, Ms. Van Owen."
A faint smile tugged at Van Owen's lips as she stepped back toward her table. "No further questions, Your Honor."
With the slightest nod from McGarvey, Felicity stepped down from the stand, calm on the surface, while her mind whirled furiously. She returned to sit beside Katie, who reached over to take her hand.
Felicity felt a vibration from her purse, and she pulled out her cell phone to see a text from Bruce.
"Saw the testimony. You handled it perfectly. Call me later. And for the hundredth time, there's nothing wrong with bran flakes."
Felicity bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She turned to Katie and just shook her head signaling that everything was alright.
Jean's next witness was Oliver himself. Katie sat, her eyes on his and he gave her a reassuring smile as he took the stand.
Katie listened as Oliver testified, but she could not stop looking from the judge to the jury and wondering if any of this could really work. The doubts ate at her, and she couldn't shake the regret over what had happened with Diaz. Maybe she should have ended it right then and there, ended him, with just a few words. She'd pulled back, afraid to overextend her powers, and now, as the day wore on, she could only wish she'd been bold enough to take that risk.
"Roy Harper is not a vigilante," Oliver said matter-of-factly from the stand. "He sacrificed himself to protect the identity of the man the city at the time referred to as the Hood, or the Arrow. I've since come to learn that the Green Arrow is the same person."
"But that's not you," Jean said, steady.
"It's absolutely not me," Oliver replied.
"And do you know who it is?" she pressed.
"Yes, I do," Oliver said. "But I won't disclose the person's name—not even if it means sending me to prison." He glanced over to Katie then an uncertain look crossed his features for the briefest instant.
"Pass the witness," Jean said, returning to her seat.
"Well, how convenient that is," Van Owen joked rising. "You're not the Green Arrow. You know who is the Green Arrow, but you're not saying."
"I keep my promises, Ms. Van Owen," Oliver replied.
"When did you meet this mystery man?" she asked, pacing around the room.
"Shortly after I returned to Star City," Oliver answered. "As you know, I was marooned for five years on an island named Lian Yu."
Van Owen nodded, retrieving a photo from her files and holding it up. "This photograph was taken during that five-year period," she said, watching Oliver's reaction as he looked down at the image. "I'm just curious. Why does Lian Yu look an awful lot like Russia?"
"Objection," Jean interjected immediately.
"Overruled," McGarvey said without hesitation.
Van Owen smirked and turned her attention back to Oliver. "We obtained this photograph from a reporter by the name of Susan Williams."
Oliver glanced at the photo before meeting Katie's eyes briefly, then turned back to the DA.
"I have not been entirely forthcoming about that period of my life," he said evenly. "Parts of it were spent in Hong Kong, and, yes, parts of it were spent in Russia."
"So you lied repeatedly and publicly," Van Owen said, her tone cutting. "You lied about being on Lian Yu, and you lied about five years of your life, which begs the question, Mr. Queen: what else have you lied about?"
Before Oliver could get a word out, the sound of a deafening crash echoed overhead as glass rained down from the courtroom skylight. Gasps rippled through the crowd, their eyes all turning to the middle of the room where, in a crouch, the man dressed as the Green Arrow landed.
He slowly straightened, the hood of his green cloak shading his face, and stared directly at Oliver. The silence was heavy in the room, only the murmur of the stunned audience cutting through it.
Katie's heart raced as she leaned slightly forward in her chair, trying to figure out what was going on.
The Green Arrow stepped forward, his voice steady and firm as he addressed the courtroom. "If anyone here has questions about the Green Arrow's identity, I'm probably the person you should talk to."
It was was a shock to the room, no one quite sure what was happening. Katie's eyes were on the man dressed as the Green Arrow, before turning to Oliver who looked just as surprised. The Judge ordered a brief recess to figure out what was going on, and to have the glass cleaned up.
The masked man stood, unmoving as Jean walked over to speak to him. She must've asked if he'd agree to take the stand, because once the court was back in session, he was sitting at on the stand. When he pulled off his hood to reveal his face, everyone in the courtroom gasped.
It was Tommy. But it couldn't be. Katie dropped her eyes, trying to figure out how this was happening, and then it hit her. She lifted her eyes back to the man, with a face that couldn't be. This was Christopher Chance. This must be the plan Oliver mentioned earlier.
Katie felt a flutter of nauseousness as she looked up to the man speaking. She's suddenly flooded with flashes of memories of the man who was once the bully who haunted her childhood to becoming her friend. Katie turned away, trying to breathe through it, but it wasn't working.
"I have to get out of here." she whispered to Felicity. "Right now." Felicity looked concerned, but nods, before standing to her feet to let the woman pass, before standing to follow behind her.
Out in the hall, Felicity rushed to keep up with her. She saw the moment, Katie burst into the bathroom, and when she followed inside, she instantly heard the sound of her retching. After a few minutes, Katie stepped from the stall, looking pale as she walked over to the sink.
"Are you ok?" Felicity asked.
"No, I'm not." Katie said splashing water of her face. She grabbed some paper towel to dry her face before looking over to Felicity. "It's Tommy." she turned around to face the woman. "On that day where I tried to help as many people as I could, but I couldn't help him."
"Twinkie-"
"I'm not blaming myself for his death. I will wholeheartedly put that on Malcolm." she said closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. "You know he died, but his face just keeps-"she opened her eyes and looked back over to Felicity. "I'm fine, I just—I think I need some air and some water."
After Chris, posing as Tommy, posing as the Green Arrow gave his testimony, there was another recess. Oliver waited in the defense chambers. When he turned around and didn't see Katie he got worried. He paced the small room, wanting so badly to be able to walk out of here to find her.
Soon he wouldn't have to. He stopped pacing when the door opened and there she was, and he once again let out a sigh of relief as she walked over and he moved to meet her.
"What happened? Where did you go?" he asked, bringing his arms around her.
"I just needed a minute. Seeing—seeing Tommy sitting there was kind of—it was a lot." she said noticing the look in his eyes. "That was Chris." Oliver nods. "You didn't know he was going to be Tommy either?" Oliver just shook his head. She dropped her head to his chest, and he tightened his grasp around her.
"We had officer Parks listening to every word that we said, and I I didn't know Chance was gonna use Tommy's face." Oliver replied.
"I mean, I guess they were thinking, "What's more compelling than a testimony from a dead guy," right?" Katie muttered.
There was a knock at the door and they pulled apart, turning as Quentin stepped into the room.
"Excuse me." Quentin said walking over.
"Mr. Mayor." Oliver greeted the man who let out a sigh.
"We've got a problem." Quentin said.
"You know I just thought we avoided a problem because of Christopher Chance." Katie said.
"Charlie told me," Quentin said grimly. "She also told me Diaz is forcing her to testify as a rebuttal witness. He's sending her in there with Chance's entire CIA file. She'll have to expose everything you just pulled—or Diaz will kill her."
Katie closed her eyes, frustration bubbling up. Another victory, stolen away.
"Let me guess," Katie said, opening her eyes. "Diaz knows about Chance because of the bug Cayden James planted in the bunker."
Quentin nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry, Oliver."
"We'll think of something," Oliver replied, his tone resolute.
Quentin nodded and stepped out, leaving Katie and Oliver in silence. Katie moved to the window, staring out as Oliver watched her.
Finally, she turned to him. "We're dialing the number."
"Twinkie—"
"No, Oliver," she interrupted, stepping closer. "We tried it your way. I trusted you when you said you had it under control. But Diaz has been controlling everything from the start. Now we're doing this my way."
"And what's your way?" Oliver asked, his voice tense. "I run? I'm not leaving my family. Or we all run, and I turn you and the kids into fugitives?" He shook his head. "Jean suggested I admit I'm the Green Arrow and hope for jury nullification. But I told her I want a life after being the Green Arrow. More importantly, I can't put a target on you and the kids."
Katie stepped closer, placing her hands on his chest. "Let me worry about the kids. And let me worry about you. That's how we work, Oliver. When I need saving, you're there. When you need saving, I'm here. And right now, I'm going to save you from a life behind bars."
Oliver dropped his forehead to hers. "John and I have been talking, and… if I go to prison—"
"You're not going to prison," Katie said firmly, pulling back.
"Twinkie—"
"Stop," she said sharply, turning to face him again. "I'm prepared to go to war for you, Oliver. I just need to know you're willing to fight too. Tell me you'll do whatever it takes to stay with us."
Oliver closed the distance between them, his hands resting on her waist. "You are my life. You and the kids are everything to me." His voice softened, but Katie saw the hesitation in his eyes. "But I can't drag you all down with me. If I go to prison, I need you and the kids to go into ARGUS protective custody."
Katie scoffed, pulling away. She walked to the door, her head bowed, but paused with her hand on the frame.
"Don't go," Oliver said, his voice cracking.
Katie rested her forehead against the door for a moment before turning back to him. "You're telling me to plan for a life without you. I've tried that before, Oliver, and I couldn't do it. I won't do it. 'Til death do us part."
Oliver crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, and she sank into the embrace.
"I can handle losing my freedom," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her head. "But I can't handle losing you or the kids."
As they returned to the courtroom, and they watched Black Siren, who was settling into her identity as Charlotte Lance taking the oath.
Charlotte caught Katie's eyes and shifted nervously in her seat before turning to Van Owen.
"Ms. Lance, you have been quoted as saying you are old friends of the defendant. You have come forward with physical evidence that proves the identity of the Green Arrow. Is it fair to say you know his true identity?"
"I do." the woman replied. "I know who the Green Arrow is."
"Over the course of this trial, we heard Rene Ramirez testify that Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow, but a man calling himself Tommy Merlyn claims that identity. Ms. Lance, if you would, please, just help me out here. Who's telling the truth?" Van Owen asked looking at the doppelganger. "Ms. Lance Who is the Green Arrow?"
Charlie looked over to Oliver, her eyes then shifting to Katie, and then to Quentin before she finally turned to the DA with an answer.
"Tommy Merlyn." she finally said and the room erupted in murmurs. "Oliver Queen is not the Green Arrow."
"Order!" McGarvey struck his gavel to quiet the room "Testimony being closed, we'll take a short recess and resume for closing arguments."
Oliver looked over to Charlie before looking back to Katie who he could tell couldn't quite believe it as well.
As Charlie left the courtroom, she was surrounded by reporters screaming questions at her.
"Hey! Hey!" Quentin followed behind her. "Give her a break."
When the reporters finally backed off, he took the woman aside.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Until Daiz gets a hold of me, yeah." she sighed.
"I thought you were going to bury Oliver." Quentin replied.
"That was the plan." she said.
"Well what made you change your mind?"
"You did. Well you and your annoying daughter. The first step to standing up to him is to stand up to him." she replied and he smiled.
"You can't stay in town." he replied.
"Don't worry, thanks to that daughter of yours, I know exactly what I have to do."
After closing arguments, Oliver returned to the defense chamber as they awaited the jury's decision. He once again paced the small room before the door opened. He turned and a big smile came to his lips at the sight of his daughter who ran to him.
"Daddy!" she squealed running into his arms. Oliver picked her up and placed a kiss to her cheek.
"Oh sweetie, I missed you so, so much." Oliver said before looking up to see Ari and Will coming inside with Katie. He walked over, and they brought their arms around him. He stood there for a moment, just hugging his kids before pulling back. "I love you. I love each and everyone of you, and I want you to know that no matter what happens, nothing changes that."
"You're talking like you don't expect to win this." Ari said and Oliver turned to him. "Are we at that point?" she turned to Katie. "Because if we are, you need to tell me and I will push the red button." she turned to Oliver. "And by red button, I mean-"
"Ari, I don't want you to get involved."
"I'm already involved. We all are. And if this, let's let justice do it's thing plan isn't working, then maybe—maybe we-"
"No," Oliver said placing a hand on her shoulder. "We do not beat them, by becoming them. And I don't want you to do anything that makes you one of them. You're Firelight. You're hope and you're justice, and I know one day you're going to be a better hero than I ever was." Oliver turned to Will and smiled. "And I know Katie is going to make sure you grow up to be the man I know you can be." he turned to Robyn, and his heart aching at the thought of not seeing her grow up, and not seeing her become the wonderful human being he knows she's going to be. "And you, you my little Queen, it breaks my heart that I might not see what wonderful things I know you're going do." he placed a kiss to her cheek, the emotion thick in his throat as he turned to his children.
"I don't want you to go." Will said and Oliver turned to him, and brought a hand to his shoulder.
"Neither do I. I wish it was up to me, but it isn't." he smiled down to the boy. "But you're strong. Stronger than me." he turned to Ari. "Both of you are. So whatever happens, whereever I am, just remember, I'm always with you." he lifted his eyes to Katie who looked at him for a moment before dropping her head.
They all turned when the door opened again and in walked Jean.
"The jury is back." she announced. "They have a verdict."
Katie thought she might vomit again. The kids had returned to the courtroom with Felicity, but Katie stayed behind in the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her stomach twisted in knots, though it didn't push her into a stall. She figured that meant she should head back into the courtroom.
Still, she hesitated, trying to mentally prepare for every possible outcome. She wasn't sure she could. The thought of hearing the jury announce that Oliver would be taken away forever felt unbearable.
Katie took a deep breath, steeling herself, and finally headed back. She slipped into the courtroom, moving quietly to her seat behind Oliver. He glanced back at her with concern, but she gave him a small shake of her head. Her eyes shifted to Ari, who was holding Will's hand. Katie reached out and placed a comforting hand over theirs.
"Will the defendant please rise?" McGarvey's voice broke the tense silence.
Oliver and Jean rose to their feet.
"Please publish the verdict."
The clerk stood, her voice steady despite the weight of the moment. "In the matter of 'The People v. Oliver Queen,' on all 26 counts of the indictment, we find the defendant guilty."
Katie's stomach dropped. That sickening flutter overwhelmed her, and she instinctively turned away, focusing on the window to steady herself. She barely registered the noise in the room or the weight of what was happening.
She snapped back when she felt the kids squeeze her hand. She sighed, pulling both of them into a protective embrace.
Jean's voice cut through the haze. "The defense moves for judgment notwithstanding the verdict."
McGarvey adjusted his glasses, his tone deliberate. "Ms. Loring, as you know, the standard for granting a JNOV requires a verdict that no reasonable jury could arrive at." He paused. "I find such a circumstance here."
Van Owen scoffed in disbelief. "Your Honor—"
McGarvey didn't let her finish. "The evidence presented was so conflicting that it created reasonable doubt. The defense motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict is granted." He turned to Oliver. "Mr. Queen, see probation. Then you're free to go."
Oliver stood frozen in shock, unable to believe what he'd just heard. He turned toward Katie, who stood and wrapped him in a tight hug.
"What just happened?" she whispered.
"I don't know," Oliver replied, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Later, they received a message from John, asking them to meet at the bunker. That's when they learned the truth: the McGarvey in court during the verdict was actually Christopher Chance. The entire plan to make the switch had been Rene's idea.
Oliver went to thank Rene, while Katie and the kids headed home.
Back at the Queen household, the mood had shifted dramatically. Ari and Will were in the living room, for once agreeing on a movie to watch. Robyn, barely awake, sat nestled between them, while Will and Ari held the puppies.
When Oliver walked through the door, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his kids together.
"You started without me?" he teased, walking over to see the sci-fi film playing on the screen.
"Katie didn't know how long you'd be, so she said to just start," Will replied without looking away from the movie.
"Where's Katie?" Oliver asked, glancing around.
"Getting popcorn," Ari said, shushing him as the stared at the television. "Don't go in there, dummy!"
"I told you she'd be the next one turned into a zombie," Will added.
Oliver chuckled softly and headed to the kitchen. He smelled the popcorn but didn't see Katie. Spotting the bowl and an open bag of popcorn, he glanced out the window and noticed Harry running in the yard.
Stepping outside, he scratched the dog's head. "Where is she, Harry?" he asked.
Harry barked and ran off, leading Oliver to the door of the garage apartment. Oliver followed and climbed the steps. He tried the door, but it was locked.
"Twinkie? You in there?"
There was silence before Katie's voice came through, quiet and hesitant. "Yeah. I just... I needed a minute."
"Can I come in?"
"I'll be down in a minute, Oliver. I just need—I honestly don't know what I need."
Oliver rested his head against the door with a sigh. "I'll wait out here for you. I know today wasn't easy. For any of us. But it worked out. I'm here. I'm home." He pressed a hand against the door. "I'll be here when—"
"No," Katie interrupted. "Just...go watch the movie with the kids."
"Twinkie, I'm not leaving while you're locked in a room," Oliver said firmly. "We can talk. You can tell me what's wrong."
There was a pause, then the door opened. Katie stepped out, brushing past him.
"They're probably wondering where the popcorn is," she muttered.
Oliver frowned, catching up to her and gently grabbing her arm, but she pulled away.
"I don't want to do this. I'm not ready for this moment," she said.
"What moment?"
"The moment I completely fall apart." Her voice twinged with emotion. She gestured to the garage. "You interrupted what would've been that moment. Now I have to find another."
She turned to head back to the house, but Oliver slipped an arm around her, stopping her.
"Just let it go. It worked out, right? You're here."
"I'm confused," Oliver said. "I thought that would be a good thing."
Katie turned away, tears brimming in her eyes. "Talk to me, Twinkie."
"You didn't want to dial the number," she said, turning back to him.
"Twinkie—"
"Wait. Just—you didn't want to dial the number. The one that could've ended all of this sooner. And in my head, I knew you wouldn't." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Because the man I married doesn't run from anything. Even if it means being taken from me and the kids. So that means I have to do what you won't."She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
"I'm going to choose to save you."
Author's notes
OMG, two more chapters!
Review Replies
RoseBud1923: Thank you! Oh, anyone who threatens her family should be really afraid. Ah yeah, the book choice was supposed to be a nod to her dad. She's seen him wearing the hood multiple times, and Robin Hood reminds her of her father. You know what, I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate a flashfoward into the next story. I want to figure it out, because the flash forwards sort of build up the story in season 8.
Adela: Thank you!
I can't believe how close to the end we're getting. It's going to be a rollercoaster. As always, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sneak Peek
"You gonna get that?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow.
Oliver shook his head and sat back down. "You know what? No. One of the perks of being impeached—no interruptions."
"Except it kind of is an interruption," Katie said, nudging her head toward the phone. "Just answer it, Liver."
With an exaggerated sigh, Oliver stood again. "Alright, alright."
As Oliver checked his phone, Katie glanced over at him, but a strange sensation prickled at the back of her neck. Something felt off. Her instincts flared, and two words formed in her mind before tumbling out of her mouth.
"Get down," she whispered, her voice tense.
Ari and Will looked at her, puzzled.
Katie's heart pounded as she turned toward Oliver, who looked from his phone to hers, with a look of seriousness.
"Get down!" she shouted.