Storming into the SCPD through the crowds of swarming paparazzi, I found a hotheaded Lance exiting the interrogation room. He looked angry, as if something, or someone, had really ticked him off. And now I was about to make the situation a lot worse.
'What do you think you're doing, arresting Oliver for nothing he's done?' I demanded aggressively, facing Lance. 'I know you've hated the Queens for a long time, but this? You're just being completely petty, Detective. Why didn't you consult me about this before you convicted an innocent man?'
'I knew you wouldn't have agreed with my methods,' Lance said, almost grimacing. 'So I didn't tell you before we went through with it. And you were busy getting arrested yourself.'
'Why's Oliver in custody?' I raised my voice in annoyance. 'He is a good man. He's not some Robin Hood, that's for sure!'
'And how do you know anything about The Hood?' Lance questioned me.
'He saved me, on the night Lawton attacked the auction,' I retold my tale. 'I couldn't stop Lawton; I was too weak because Deadshot got me in the arm. But then The Hood shot Lawton down and he cleaned up my wounds, using stitches and something to extract the poison out of my bloodstream. And you think Oliver Queen is capable of all that?'
'Yes,' Lance nodded. 'And I intend to stop him from doing anything like that ever again.'
Clearly Lance was off his rocker.
'No,' I ordered firmly.
'May I remind you that I'm your senior in this Department?' Lance threatened, nearing more and more towards me. 'Don't let your personal vendettas cost you your job.'
'Like yours aren't?' I huffed rhetorically, causing Lance to turn from me and head off to some place away from me.
Entering the interrogation room, I found Oliver in deep conversation with his mother and Walter Steele.
'I'm sorry, I didn't know you were-' I started to apologise, about to do a three point turn to the door.
'It's alright, Aria,' Moira smiled. 'We were just leaving.'
As the couple finally did leave, I approached Oliver with a frown.
'Why do you look so worried?' Oliver laughed at my expression.
'Lance is trying to persuade everyone in this city that you're some... Monster,' I sighed in upset.
'I wouldn't call The Hood a... Monster,' Oliver raised his eyebrow, as though he was defending vigilante.
Interesting.
'Well, isn't he just some maniac with a bow and arrow?' He tried to backtrack.
I knew Oliver. He wasn't telling me something. Was he actually involved with the vigilante? Who knew which absurd characters he could've met along the way on his journey back to Starling City.
'You talk as if you have something to hide,' I says frankly. 'And that won't help you at all in court.'
'You don't need to worry, Aria,' Oliver smiled. 'I'm going to be fine. I'm innocent.'
'I thought that, a few days ago,' I retold Oliver my tale of being accused as a boyfriend-murderer. 'I could've easily been arrested if the CCPD hadn't found the prints of Marcus' real killer. You need to promise me you'll be... Sensible. Careful. You can't just plead innocent and hope for the best, Ollie.'
That was something I hadn't called Oliver in a long time.
'I'll try my best,' he said seriously.
I just hoped he was telling the truth.
---
The next morning, I arrived at court with the Queens and Tommy, all on edge with anxiety. Filing into the courtroom, I sat next to Tommy and behind Thea, Moira and Walter's row, Oliver's next of kin supporting him as close as they could.
Glancing to my left, I saw that Tommy had an almost pained expression on his face, his hands shaking with nervousness. I smiled at him with reassurance, the next best thing after the decorum of the courtroom being completely silent.
I could barely watch as Oliver traipsed to his seat, cameras flashing around him as he fastened his suit button and proceeded to his chair.
'Docket ending 1941 - People vs Oliver Queen - murder, aggravated assault, assault with intent, menacing and trespassing.' A voice announced through this short journey, everyone else staying deadly silent.
'Where's your attorney, Mr Queen?' The judge asked him, her look of disapproval inadvertently making me feel uncomfortable, let alone Oliver.
'I'm representing myself, Judge,' Oliver announced with a slight nod of his head, causing quite a bit of a stir throughout the Jury.
Was he insane? Tommy and I looked at each other in shock and alarm, facepalming.
'I'm not sure that's the wisest course, Mr Queen,' the Judge raised her eyebrows with even more disapproval than before.
'I think it is,' Oliver argued firmly, splaying his hands on the table in front of him as he rose from his seat. 'I'm innocent.'
'Then we'll consider that your plea,' the Judge nodded in surprise agreement, her voice rising in positivity.
'Thank you,' Oliver said, taking his seat once more.
'Now as to bail-' the Judge continued, but was interrupted by the Plaintiff to the left of Oliver.
'Your Honour, Mr Queen's family own a pair of private jets,' the woman started her argument. 'And while on the subject of their wealth, I would point out that there is virtually no bail amount that could guarantee his presence at trial.'
'So then I guess it's a good thing that the people's case is so circumstantial,' Laurel's voice came from the doors of the room where Oliver has also entered, she making her way down to the front of the room.
So Laurel was going to be Oliver's attorney. This was anything but wise; the two's personal attachment would be a possible hindrance to the case.
'Dinah Laurel Lance, your Honour,' Laurel presented herself to the Judge. 'I'd like to file my appearance on behalf of the defendant.'
She took her seat next to Oliver and placed her briefcase on the table flawlessly.
'Mr Queen's wealth should not deprive him of the right to be released on bail while under the presumption of innocence,' Laurel stated.
'He is a flight risk,' the Plaintiff claimed in an attempt to win the court back over.
'Then minimise the risk,' Laurel suggested plainly. 'The defendant is willing to submit to home confinement and electronic monitoring through the wearing of a UKG-45 administrated ankle device.'
'No he wouldn't,' Oliver suddenly interjected.
I didn't expect him to succumb to such measures. He was Oliver Queen, always up to some secretive thing in the city everyday. He wouldn't want to be monitored, and he most certainly wouldn't want to be confined to his house.
'Sold,' the Judge nodded.
'Your Honour-' the Plaintiff tried to once again argue Laurel's case.
'Bail is set at 15 million dollars,' the Judge carried on with her final decision. '5 million dollars bond. Defendant to see probation for the fitting of a GPS device.'
As Laurel sat down in triumph, I left the courtroom, along with the the rest of the Jury. Why did Laurel agree to be Oliver's attorney? She was still angry at Oliver, no matter what anyone else said. I could see it in her eyes how she still hated the Oliver that had left on the Queen's Gambit, but now she was still trying to figure out the new Oliver. We all were, only I had an advantage; I knew what horrors he had endured on the island.
'You okay?' Tommy asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
'I'm fine,' I nodded. 'I was just wondering why Laurel represented him.'
'That's you and me both,' Tommy said with a slight chuckle. 'But now we all have some thanking to do. Laurel stopped Ollie from getting locked away in Iron Heights.'
'For now,' I pointed out. 'What if Lance finds some other crazy evidence against Oliver? What if he goes to jail for life?'
'He's gonna be okay,' Tommy tired to reassure me, placing his hand on my arm. 'You got through your trial. Now it's Ollie's turn.'
---
'Mom, it's not that bad,' Oliver said as the Parole officer finished fixing the GPS device onto his ankle back at the house.
Oliver seemed so calm and collected, lounging in the living room as we all were standing on pins and needles with worry.
'Okay, this device has a direct line into the precinct,' the officer explained. 'Stay on the property, you're golden. Any questions?'
'Yes,' Oliver answered. 'I'm having a sizeable get-together here tomorrow evening, and there is a better than likely chance that it spills into the outdoor pool.'
Was he actually serious? Oliver had nothing to celebrate about - he was under house arrest. Tommy and I just exchanged concerned glances at each other, not knowing how to react properly.
'Pool deck's fine,' the officer told him. 'Step on the grass, they're sending a SWAT team to forcibly subdue you.'
'Thank you, officer,' Walter finished the little conversation off before it got any more unbearable.
'Of course,' the officer nodded, leaving at once.
'A sizeable get-together?' Moira repeated Oliver's words sarcastically.
'I'm confined to this house for the foreseeable future,' Oliver said with an almost out-of-place grin. 'I might as well make the most of it. And this party is gonna be themed, I'm thinking... Prison... Burning Man meets Shawshank Redemption... the invite says, 'Come before Oliver Queen gets off.'.'
'Only Oliver Queen would throw such an overly ironic party,' I commented with slight disapproval.
But the thing was, this was the old Oliver Queen talking. The Oliver Queen, the new survivor, I had lived with on the island surely would've thought it foolish and frivolous to celebrate with such festivities. But maybe I was wrong about Oliver. Starling City sure had reminded him of his old ways.
'Maybe a party's not in the best of taste,' Tommy said softly, trying to shake his friend out of his crazy ideas. 'You know, considering the circumstances.'
'Tommy, the circumstances are why we're having the party in the first place,' Oliver fought his corner, making Tommy shrug in agreement with Moira and Walter turning away in exasperation. 'I want people to know that I'm not worried about any of this.'
'Well that makes one of us,' Moira fretted, staring her son down.
'You know, you don't have to keep up this charade with me,' I said as the rest of the room left me and Oliver alone together, trying to appeal to the changed Oliver who had saved me from peril on the hell that was the island.
'I don't understand,' Oliver says in a staccato voice unconvincingly.
'Yes, you do,' I corrected him. 'I know you're different to your old self. I saw you help take down the freighter that that evil scientist Ivo captained. And they're your family, not some detective who wants revenge.'
'I've not thrown a party in this house for five years,' Oliver protested playfully. 'Can't I have just one more before I get locked away?'
'You're not going to be 'locked away',' I shook my head. 'You said yourself; you're innocent.'
'Tell that to my guests,' Oliver joked.
'Why do you care so much about these so called friends you're inviting over tomorrow?' I blatantly asked him. 'None of them tried to find you when we were shipwrecked, and they're only interested in you because you're, well, a billionaire.'
'And how different are you to them, Aria?' Oliver asked me.
'Well, I actually care about you,' I started. 'And I know what you went through on that island. I don't think your other friends would believe you if you told them what you went through.'
'I know they're not my real friends,' Oliver admitted. 'But I couldn't have a party with just you, Tommy, my sister and my mother, could I?'
'Fair point,' I laughed. 'Just, be careful, okay? You don't know what kind of friends your friends could've made in the five years you were gone.'
'I will.'