Almost - A Flash and Arrow crossover

Chapter 21

Oliver seemed to register the oncoming battalion of scientists and heroes as well.

Outnumbered a little here, aren't I?

Caitlin was the first to break the ice.

"Oliver, I need you to be honest with me." She said calmly, keeping her face neutral. "Did you do that to Barry?"

"No."

Why the hell am I lying?

Caitlin looked mildly taken aback. So did Felicity and Diggle. But Cisco, Joe and Ronnie looked less believing of his lie. Professor Stein wore a blank expression.

"Do you know what happened to Barry?"

"No."

Caitlin sighed. She'd hoped Oliver would have been honest, for his own sake. Fair enough, neither of the heroes where the people she'd come to know, but she couldn't think of a reason Oliver would lie.

"Mr Queen," Ronnie took a menacing step forwards and instinctively, Diggle pushed Oliver the tiniest bit behind him. "I think we'd all appreciate some honestly right now. It's been a long day and we're not in the most ... tolerable of moods."

Caitlin looked at her husband with a mix of confusion and pride. She'd never seen this side of him before.

Oliver swallowed nervously. Guiltily, his gaze swept over the figure, lying on the bed in the far corner. Was this boy always in a bed?

"I-I didn't mean for it to go that far." Oliver's voice was an octave higher than usual, crackly and faint. He met none of their eyes.

Felicity shook her head and a single tear slid down her cheek. Diggle and Martin's expressions remained the same. Caitlin looked away from Oliver and Cisco's face looked like that of a child who had just found their parents putting presents under the Christmas tree instead of Santa Claus.

Oh, but Joe and Ronnie had more of a physical reaction. Barry's foster father matched The Flash's speed once again as he lunged for the ex-millionaire. Ronnie darted forwards, alongside the detective, grabbing Oliver's wrist and pinning it behind his back whilst Joe held him against the wall.

Diggle was about to thrust the two men away from his best friend before Felicity grabbed his sleeve and shook her head. This time, it might be better for Joe and Ronnie to handle it.

"Let him go!" Diggle yelled, but obediently stayed by Felicity's side.

Ronnie and Joe ignored him.

"Tell us everything that happened." Demanded Joe, increasing his hold on the Arrow.

Oliver gritted his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut.

"I will, if you let me breathe!" He mumbled.

Reluctantly, Ronnie and Joe spun him around but still kept his arms pinned to the wall behind.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Barry followed me out of the room, I wasn't exactly in high spirits. I told him to go, he didn't. He annoyed and provoked me, I lost control."

Cisco shook his head. "That's not Barry."

"That's not Oliver either!" Snapped Diggle towards the young scientist.

"And that's not the full story. Is it, Mr Queen?" Muttered Joe.

"That's all I remember -" Oliver began.

Ronnie had had enough. He tightened his grip on the vigilante's arm and leaned so his mouth was centimeters away from his ear.

"Listen here," He whispered. "I can literally set myself on fire, so if you'd like to experience that first hand whilst me still holding your hand then carry on the way you're going, princess. Or, you can tell the truth and we might just let you go."