Chapter 14
"It's perfect," Laurel says, a smile on her face, as she looks between her kids. "You came up with it, didn't you?" Laurel asks Thea, as that seems like the most likely explanation.
"Yeah, I did," Thea confirms. "I remembered the story, I thought it was fitting," Thea admits, feeling glad that Laurel is so happy about her suggestion.
"It is, it's perfect," Laurel says, before hugging Thea. "Thank you," Laurel whispers as she places a kiss on Thea's cheek.
"What are Roy and I missing?" Sin asks curious, once Laurel and Thea break apart, as there seems to be some connection to the name Canary that she and Roy don't know, and she cannot help but be incredibly curious about what that connection is. .
"When my sister and I were children Dad brought her a canary," Laurel reveals, and both Roy and Sin know that Laurel doesn't talk to her sister too often, mostly because she has a lot of conflicting feelings considering everything. "Sara loved it," Laurel says, and all three of the teenagers can hear the pain in her voice as she speaks of Sara. "And before long it was practically both of ours," Laurel admits. "I started training to deal with everything I have been feeling since Sara went on the Gambit with Oliver," Laurel admits. "So, going by the name the Black Canary would be pretty fitting," Laurel admits. "It would be like I was carrying a piece of Sara with me," Laurel says, fighting her reaction as she explains as she doesn't want to become overwhelmed.
As they know her so well Thea, Roy, and Sin can all hear the pain that Laurel is desperately trying to hide and so they all stand up, and walk over to her, hugging her once they are close enough.
"I love you guys," Laurel tells the three people who have become so important to her in some ways, people who are in some ways like her children, and in others like her siblings, either way they matter a hell of a lot to her.
"We love you too," Thea says, speaking for all of them, and for a few moments the four of them hug before finally break apart.
"We'll we start to spread the name in the Glades," Roy reveals. "I give it a week before everyone's calling you The Black Canary," Roy reveals, knowing that it is the exactly kind of thing that is likely to spread around quickly.
"Thank you," Laurel says sincerely. "I'm gonna have to pull an all-nighter to get everything I need to do for Declan as well as all my other work," Laurel reveals. "But you three have school and work, you should head home," Laurel says, as she looks between the trio.
"Are you sure?" Sin asks. "We can help,"
"I know you can," Laurel assures her. "And I am beyond grateful for that, but you need to sleep," Laurel says, as she looks between the teens.
"How about we stay for another hour, then go home," Thea suggests.
"Forty-five minutes," Laurel counters.
"Agreed," Laurel responds, and for the next forty-five minutes the foursome work together before Thea, Roy, and Sin leave, leaving Laurel to work the rest of the night alone.
A couple of hours have passed since Thea, Roy, and Sin have left her and ever since Laurel, who made sure they got back to the apartment okay, has been working on all her legal work, trying to get everything done.
As Laurel works all the lights and power suddenly go out and the second they do Laurel knows exactly who would have done that and because of that she isn't at all surprised when a file suddenly drops on her desk.
"Compliments of Matt Istook," Oliver reveals as the file drops on Laurel's desk.
"What's in here?" Laurel asks, as she picks up the file and starts to flick through it.
"Leverage on Jason Brodeur, enough to save Peter Declain's life," Oliver explains.
"As an Attorney I never would have gotten a file like this," Laurel realises, not sure whether she would have even gotten the file as The…. Black Canary. "There was a time where I though the law was sacred that it fixed everything," Laurel reveals.
"And now, Laurel? What do you think?" Oliver asks curious, though he is interested by her very specific words as it seems like Laurel was losing faith in the law before he came along.
"I think there's way too many people in this city who only care about themselves, people who are selfish," Laurel reveals, as she has seen that herself through both her work at CNRI and as the Black Canary. "I think they need people who care about other people, people like you, and the Women in Black," Laurel reveals, using the name Oliver would know, and honestly Oliver feels amazed hearing those words.
After about a minute of them spending time in silence Oliver disappears and leaves Laurel, who has some more work to do before she can even consider going home, to get back to work.
After going back to his lair to get changed Oliver realises that he doesn't really want to get home so instead he heads to Laurel's apartment, as the person he wants to see most is his little sister, he just hopes she is still awake. Getting to Laurel and Thea's apartment Oliver knocks on the door but when it opens it's not Thea who opens it, but rather Sin.
"Hey Sin, is Thea here?" Oliver asks assuming she would be, if Sin is, but he is also pretty sure that Sin and Roy spend a lot of time at the apartment so they could be there without anyone else.
"Of course," Sin answers. "Thea! Your brother's here!" Sin yells, and a few moments later Thea walks into view.
"Roy's trying to handle the Hot Chocolate, can you make sure he's not burning it?" Thea asks Sin, as she knows that is a strong possibility, which is why she was watching him.
"Sure," Sin confirms. "We really don't want a repeat of last winter," Sin says before heading to the kitchen.
"It's late, Ollie," Thea notes. "What are you doing here?" Thea asks curious.
"I want to spend more time with you," Oliver admits. "I've missed you Speedy," Oliver tells her.
"I've missed you too," Thea assures him, knowing that is an understatement. "You look happier than you've been lately," Thea nods, being pretty sure she knows the reason why that is.
"That's because I am," Oliver admits.
"Good, I'm happy for you," Thea admits. "You want to come in? Roy, Sin and I are making hot chocolate and watching old TV," Thea reveals, as that's their plan to help them wind down before heading to bed.
Hearing his sisters request Oliver almost says no immediately as what he wants is to just spend time with his sister alone, but then he notices the look on his sisters face, and realises just how much she wants him to join them.
"Sure, I think I'd like that," Oliver admits.
"I know I would," Thea says, grinning as she feels thrilled, opening the door more to let Oliver into the apartment. "Come on, we're in the kitchen," Thea says, and as Oliver already knows the way he easily follows her into the kitchen.
"Look who I convinced to join us," Thea says as she and Oliver walk into the kitchen.
"Great, you can help me win an argument," Sin says, sounding glad.
"What argument is that?" Oliver asks curious.
"Whether marshmallows are a necessity when it comes to Hot Cholate or not," Sin says. "I think that when made with Milk and Real chocolate they are not needed, Roy thinks no matter what they always are," Sin explains. "What do you think?" Sin asks curious.
"I think no matter what Marshmallows are always needed," Oliver answers.
"Told ya!" Roy says, with an amused look on his face, causing Thea to laugh. "Do we have any cookies left?" Roy asks curious, and Oliver takes note of Roy being so comfortable that he says 'ours' and not 'yours'.
"I think so," Thea says, walking over to the cupboard, and have a look. "Yep, got it!" Thea confirms.
"That's a lot of boxes of cake mix," Oliver notes, when he sees what else is in the cupboard.
"Laurel eats it raw when she is stressed and working a lot," Roy reveals.
"She always did that when she was in school," Oliver says, a found look being perfectly clear on his face which causes Sin, Roy, and Thea to exchange amused looks. "Um, is there anything I can do?" Oliver asks, having noticed the looks.
"Grab the cups behind you?" Thea requests, smirking, as she can't help but be amused at how obvious her brother is being.
"Sure," Oliver says, before collecting four cup and bringing them over to where Sin is. "I can go without if there is not enough," Oliver tells Sin, not wanting to risk one of the others not having enough because of him.
"You won't have to, we always make extra when we make hot chocolate," Sin tells Oliver.
"And you're saving us from having another argument about who gets the left over," Thea reveals, and over the next couple of minutes Sin pours the hot chocolate, all four of them collect their mugs, as well as snacks, before heading out into to the living area where Thea, Sin and Roy sit on the couch and Oliver sits on the armchair.
"What are we watching?" Oliver asks curious.
"MASH," Roy says, before pressing play, and even though he originally felt a little bit of disappointment that he wouldn't get to spend time with his sister alone Oliver finds himself very much enjoying his time with Roy and Sin, and he likes to see how much his sister obviously cares about them, and how much they obviously care about her; which is what he always wanted for his sister.
After spending ours working, Laurel, deciding it she should head home while she can still drive, finally heads home, unknown to her it's only been a few hours since Oliver, with a promise to Thea that they would have dinner just the two of them at some point, left. Once she finally gets home, the drive having taken longer as Laurel needed to be more careful, Laurel checks on Roy, Thea, and Sin before having a shower and basically collapsing onto her bed.
After what only feels like seconds to her Laurel finds herself being shaken awake. Reluctantly opening her eyes slightly Laurel sees a very familiar figure standing over her.
"Thea? What's wrong?" Laurel asks concerned, assuming something bad is going on.
"Your alarm has been going off for like ten minutes," Thea informs Laurel. "And even though you definitely need more sleep I know you'd never forgive yourself for sleeping in today," Thea explains, feeling guilty about waking Laurel considering how exhausted she knows Laurel is, but also knowing that it is what Laurel would like her to do.
"You're right, I wouldn't," Laurel admits. "Thanks Speedy," Laurel says, forcing herself to sit up.
"I have coffee," Roy says, walking into the room without knocking, having made the coffee to be exactly how Laurel likes it.
"Bless you," Laurel says, taking the coffee from Roy, who looks amused, once he is close enough.
"Sin's working on breakfast," Thea reveals. "Should be ready soon," Thea explains.
"You three are amazing, have I told you that?" Laurel asks.
"Yeah, but not nearly enough," Thea jokes with a smirk, as Laurel takes another drink of the coffee before standing up, proceeding to get ready while she continues to drink her coffee.
A little over an hour after she was woken up by Thea Laurel is at CNRI working when she notices her father walking towards her, considering everything that has been going on Laurel is pretty sure she knows exactly what her father wants to talk to her about, and she is already exhausted.
"Hey, you look busy," Quentin says to his daughter.
"Oh, I am," Laurel confirms, honestly wanting to avoid this conversation as lying to her dad about how she spends her nights is the hardest part of what she does, but she knows that telling him the truth isn't an option so it makes everything that is going on that much more complicated.
"Is that the Declan case?" Quentin asks, noticing what Laurel is doing. "You know, it was a funny development on Matt Istook," Quentin says, and Laurel fights not to react to that as to not give away anything. "He filed a police report," Quentin reveals. "He said the hood harassed him last night, and that's funny because I gave my daughter Istook's name," Quentin says, and because of how well she knows her father she knows that he is pissed.
"Dad…" Laurel starts to say.
"He's a vigilante!" Lance exclaims. "He's a damn criminal, and you're working with him, that makes you an accessory," Lance says angrily, and Laurel knows that she is so much more than an accessory but also knows that it is far from the best time to mention that.
"I am trying to save an innocent man's life," Laurel argues, trying to get her father to understand what she is doing, even though she doesn't have a whole lot of hope.
"No! you're breaking the law!" Lance argues, looking frustrated with his daughter, as he cannot believe what she is doing.
"Which I wouldn't have to do if the police would just do their jobs right," Laurel argues, more anger in her voice than one would expect as that is one of the reasons why she became the Black Canary.
"I asked how you got this case, you liked strange to my face," Quentin says, clearly hurt by that. "I thought you and I didn't' do that," Lance says, and Laurel knows that it is the lies that he is most hurt by. "Guess I was wrong," Lance says before walking away.
"You have no idea," Laurel mutters to herself as she watches her father go. If Laurel knew for sure that her father wouldn't arrest her, or do worse, for being the Black Canary then she would tell him who she is, but as she cannot say for sure how he'd react she knows that it is better for her, at least for the moment, to not say anything to her father.
For the rest of the day Laurel works on Declan case, and even works with the Hood to have a difficult conversation, as she isn't sure what more she can do, but to her surprise he told her not to give up. Hearing that Laurel felt confused as other than putting on her own mask once more she has no idea what to do.
As she isn't sure what else to do, other than putting on her mask, Laurel has headed back to Iron Heights to meet with Declan and update him so that he is aware of everything that has happened, as she cannot imagine how he must be feeling considering the circumstances.
"We still have a shot," Laurel tells Declan, not wanting him to completely lose hope. "Do you remember that friend that I mentioned, the one who believed in you?" Laurel asks, and Declan nods. "He is working on something," Laurel explains.
"I told you, Jason Brodeur is powerful," Declan says. "I've been here before," Delcan admits. "These lawyers holding out these nuggets of hope," He says, and as he does the power goes out and alarms start blaring.
"Not good," Laurel mutters, looking around, knowing that a prison during a riot isn't a safe place for her as she has put a lot of people in prison, as both Laurel Lance CNRI lawyer, and The Black Canary, which means there are a lot of people within the wall who would like to make her suffer.
"The Warden's setting up a secure perimeter in C Block," The Guard in the room says. "Stay here, Ms Lance," The guard says to laurel before running away, leaving Laurel and Declan in the room.
From the second the guard leaves Laurel goes into heighten awareness mode, the same way she is when she is the Black Canary, and because of that she notices that prisoners are starting to break through, even though they are still a little away from them.
"We've got to move, now," Laurel tells Declan, and the two of them start to run, Laurel leading the way.
"Am I imagining it, or do you not seem freaked by all this?" Declan asks, feeling surprised by how Laurel is reacting.
"Panic doesn't help," Laurel reveals, and the two of them run through the prison. As they run they get to a centre area surrounded by cells which prisoners are starting to break out of. Preparing to fight them, knowing she has no choice about even if it gives away her dual identity, a prisoner that is advancing on her is hit with an arrow before she can do anything. Turning to see where the arrow came from Laurel sees the Hood in a prison guard uniform and a balaclava.
"Let's go," The Hood, who's voice is still modified, and as neither of them have to be told twice both Laurel and Declan run, the Hood trailing behind them.
For about a minute Laurel, The Hood, and Declan run through the prison until eventually the Hood leads them to a side room while guards start to make their way through the corridors.
The moment they enter the side room The Hood is knocked to the ground and Laurel is almost thrown to the fence, but due to her experience over the last few months Laurel is able to get her baring's and is able to start fighting back relatively quickly.
After dodging an attack from the prisoner Laurel is able to throw a punch so strong causing him to stumble backwards but he quickly recovers and starts to fight back. While He is able to hit Laurel in the face with his first punch Laurel is able to block his next two attacks before he uses the superior forces he has due to being bigger to push her to the ground, and the moment she is on the ground he starts to strangle her.
While it is the exact kind of attack Laurel would usually be able to block she doesn't as she isn't fighting at her full skill, even if it goes against every single one of her instincts, as she does doesn't want the Hood to realise she is the Women In Black.
Before she can figure out a 'different' way to defend herself against the attack the prisoner who is attacking her is tacked by the Hood who starts to beat the prisoner.
As she isn't as phased by the attack as one would usually be Laurel is able to get to her feet moments after the Hood pulled the prisoner off her which allows her to exactly what he is doing. Running over to The Hood, and the prisoner, Laurel is able to pull The Hood off the man and as she does Laurel looks at the Hood straight in the eyes. Looking into the eyes of the Hood Laurel sees something that chills her, she realises that he has no remorse, that he isn't at all phased by what he is doing, but before she can react to what she has realised the Guards Hurry into the room and as she knows prison protocol Laurel moves so that she is back against a wall.
A little while after guards burst into the room she was in Laurel, still tyring to comprehend what she saw in the Hoods eyes, is sitting on a car waiting when she sees her Dad, Thea, Sin, and Roy running towards her, all looking panicking.
"Dad, Thea, Sin, Roy," Laurel says, glad to see them and the four of them take their turns to hug her.
"Laurel, sweetie, are you…?" Laurel starts to ask as Laurel hugs 'her' kids.
"I'm all aright," Laurel assures her father, as Thea hugs her for a second time.
"You sure?" Thea and Sin ask while Laurel is pretty sure that Roy is looking to see if she is hurt.
"I'm sure," Laurel assures the people who love her. "I'm sorry about our fight earlier, Dad," Laurel say to him, actually meaning that as the necessity of lying to him about who she is the part of her job she hates most.
"Well you were right about something," Lance reveals. "Ankov just confessed to Camille Declan's murder, we got the wrong guy," Quentin explains. "Now, listen to me, Laurel, I'm right to, about him, and the Women in Black. They're dangerous, they're outside the law," Lance explains, and Laurel, Thea, Sin, and Roy all have to fight not to show what they think about that particular comment.
"You're not right about the Women in Black," Laurel tells her father.
"You know I heard at School today that people are starting to call The Black Canary," Thea says, before she can stop herself.
"I heard that at work too," Roy adds, realising what Thea is doing.
"Interesting name," Sin comments.
"It is, fitting because she is trying to help," Laurel says, stressing the 'she is'. "But I think you're right about him," Laurel admits, and Thea is incredibly curious what she means by that. "He would have killed that man," Laurel reveals, and despite her best efforts Thea can't hold in a shiver at that. "I looked into his eyes, it's like he had no remorse," Laurel admits, and in response Quentin just hugs his daughter.
"You're cold," Lance realises.
"Yeah, a little," Laurel admits and before her father can do anything Roy has already taken off his leather jacket and is handing it to Laurel. "I'm not…" Laurel starts to object.
"Yes, you are, I'm fine," Roy assures her, and as she realises that this is something he needs to do, that it is his way of showing that he cares Laurel puts Roy's jacket on.
"How about I get you all home so that you'll all be walm," Quentin suggests.
"I think that's a really good idea Quentin," Sin says and she, Laurel, Thea, and Roy start to follow Quentin to his car, as they go Thea puts her arm around Laurel's shoulder, wanting to be close to her.
"How'd he get into the prison, anyway? A grown man in an outfit and a hood, that kind of stands out a little, doesn't he?" Lance asks, and the others know he has a point.
"He actually wasn't wearing the outfit this time," Laurel reveals. "He was in a prison guard uniform and a sky mask," Laurel reveals, and as she does Quentin stops walking. "What?" Laurel asks her father, confused by his reaction.
"Nothing, I just had an idea," Lance admits. "Let's get out of here," Lance says, and once he does the others get in the car, Laurel sitting in the front with her father while Thea, Roy, and Sin sit in the back of the car.
A little while after they left the prison Laurel, Thea, Sin, and Roy arrive back at the apartment, and as soon as they walk through the door Laurel finds herself being hugged by both Sin and Thea, and from the look on Roy's face it is clear he would very much like to hug her too.
"It's okay," Laurel says to Roy, and after a moment of hesitation he joins in on the group hug. "I'm okay you three, I promise," Laurel assures the trio as she hugs them, and after a few moments the three of them break apart.
"I've gotten used to the danger your in as the Black Canary, I can handle that, but when Quentin told me that you were at the prison where there was a riot, I was terrified," Thea admits.
"Me too," Sin confirms.
"Same," Roy admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "You've put so many people away as both Laurel and the Black Canary, there are so many people who would hurt you in so many ways if they got the chance... I was scared for you," Roy admits, and Laurel knows it is a big deal for him to admit that.
"I was scared for me too," Laurel admits, feeling that it is important for her to be honest about this. "But I'm okay, I promise you all, I'm okay, we're okay," Laurel says as she looks between the trio. "So, how does a night of Pizza, ice cream, and movies sound?" Laurel asks, as she looks between them.
"That sounds really good," Thea admits. "I'll order, you pick Netflix, Sin gets drinks and Roy gets ice cream," Thea suggests.
"Sounds good to me," Laurel responds. "But I'm going to get changed first," Laurel admits, knowing she also wants to call Bruce as she is sure he has heard about what happened.
"No problem," Thea responds, and the four of them all go in different directions.
After leaving the others Laurel goes straight to her room, where she sits on the open windowsill, and pulls her phone, making a call.
"Dinah? Are you okay?" Bruce's voice asks, answering after a single ring.
"Physically I'm okay," Laurel answers.
"But you're not okay" Bruce realises.
"I'm not really sure," Laurel admits. "I was attacked, and I was so focused on not revealing my identity that I didn't fight in the way I can… it felt so wrong," Laurel admits. "Like it was against everything I am," Laurel admits.
"I've been there," Bruce admits, and Laurel isn't surprised by that. "It's not easy to go against who you are," Bruce admits. "So many parts of what we must do aren't easy," Bruce admits.
"You're telling me, I had to lie to Dad, again," Laurel admits, pain in her voice.
"Dinah, to do what we do, to be what we need to be to save people we need to make sacrifices, and sometimes those sacrifices are hard, sometimes they hurt, but they are necessary to protect the people who matter most to us, to make it possible to do what we need to do," Bruce tells Laurel, not surprised that she is struggling as he struggled in the beginning.
"I know," Laurel admits, glancing out of the window. "Bruce, tonight the Hood saved me, and I saw something in his eyes," Laurel admits.
"What did you see?" Bruce asks, feeling very interested about that.
"No remorse," Laurel answers. "He would have killed the person who tried to strangle me and felt nothing, no regret, no remorse," Laurel admits, and considering his suspicion about who the Hood is Bruce isn't overly surprised by that, but what he is surprised about is that Laurel hasn't put that connection together. "I don't know how I meant to feel about that," Laurel admits.
"You're not meant to feel anything," Bruce says, stressing 'meant'. "But what you should do is take the time to figure it out," Bruce says. "Dinah only you know how what you saw made you feel, only you know how you're going to handle it, but I am here if you need to talk about it more," Bruce admits.
"Thanks Bruce," Laurel responds. "I should go, Thea, Roy, and Sin are waiting," Laurel admits.
"Yeah, I've got people waiting too," Bruce responds, and Laurel knows exactly who that would be. "I'm glad you're okay, Dinah," Bruce admits, as even though he knows how well she can protect herself he was worried about her.
"Thanks Bruce," Laurel responds. "Say hello to everyone for me," Laurel requests, as she knows who would be waiting for Bruce and they are people who matter to her.
"Only if you do the same," Bruce responds. "Goodnight Dinah,"
"Goodnight Bruce," Laure responds, before hanging up.
After Laurel hangs up with Bruce she gets changed into more comfortable clothes and finds that Roy, Sin, and Thea have done the same.
"Bruce said hi," Laurel says as she hands Roy back his jacket.
"Good to know," Thea responds, not overly surprised that Laurel would have called him. "Food's on it's way," Thea explains.
"Great," Laurel responds, as she, Thea, Roy, and Sin take their traditional seats.
Unknown to Laurel, Thea, Roy, and Sin across the road on a rooftop Oliver, as the Hood, has just arrived and is sitting on the rooftop watching the people who matter to him. For at least an hour Oliver, who wants to make sure Laurel and Thea are okay, watches them before finally moving on.