'How is that... Good?' I cried out, completely taken aback this time. 'Isaac died so I could live? That's basically... Murder!'
'Aria, you told me you could handle the truth!' Rip exclaimed in his defence. 'You wanted to know!'
'I think you should've had better judgement than that, Captain,' I narrowed my eyes at him in anger. 'You don't just go round telling people they should be dead!'
'I'm a time traveller, not a humanitarian!' He exclaimed again, growing annoyed himself. 'I only risked coming here, away from my mission, to help you. Now I wish Sara hadn't been so persuasive.'
'So it was Sara who had this idea?' I interrogated him. 'You didn't care about me at all, did you? I'm just an-an aberration in the timeline you had to deal with?'
'Aria, calm down,' Rose said as she restrained me from attacking Rip. 'You can't change the past now.'
'But I bet Rip can,' I narrowed my eyes at him. 'Thanks for nothing but pain and misery!'
I stormed off the ship, anger completely taking control over me now. I was angry at Rip, angry at myself, and angry that time itself had created this awful decision of either Isaac or I having to die. If only the time travellers had left me alone, I would still he over Isaac's death, but now I knew a bigger truth, I was disgusted at myself for simply existing.
'You don't have to leave them like this,' Rose shouted behind me as she followed me out of the ship. 'They want to help us, all of us.'
'I don't need their help,' I retaliated. 'I think they've done enough.'
'Stop being so immature, Aria,' Rose shouted, before realising what she had said. 'Sorry, I-'
'Immature?' I repeated my sister's words spitefully. 'I just found out that the universe wanted me dead! And because I stopped that from happening, Isaac died in my place. I have every right to be upset, or 'immature' as you said.'
'You need to let them talk to you, please,' Rose appealed to me, looking upset at me blocking the time travellers. 'They can explain-'
'No, they can't,' I uttered quietly. 'Go home, Rose. Stop searching for answers. You don't know what you're getting into.'
'Aria-'
'Goodbye, Rose.'
As soon as she left into the Waverider for what I assumed was a lift home, I set off to Leyla's hideout, like I had been before Rip Hunter had torn my life apart. My emotions were all over the place, my mind not knowing what to think. I was truly boggled and I felt as if I was going nowhere, stuck in a dark void of confusion.
'You're later than I expected,' Leyla commented when I joined her. 'Was the police department busy?'
'No,' I barely said, not being able to process anything she was saying due to the surge in my many emotions finally reaching their peak. 'I... I have had the weirdest evening.'
'Whatever happened?' Leyla's interest was heightened. 'Was it Merlyn?'
'No, not... Exactly,' I shook my head quickly, shaking all my thoughts from my mind. 'But I was visited by time travellers.'
'This isn't the best time to be joking around, Aria,' Leyla raised her eyebrows. 'It sounds like something serious happened to you!'
Leyla looked at me intensely, quickly realising I was telling the truth.
'So you really were... Visited by time-travellers?'
'Yes, unfortunately,' I agreed. 'I sound crazy, I know, but apparently the stuff of legends is actually true.'
'What on earth did you do?' Leyla wondered with intrigue. 'I'm not too sure what I would have done in a situation like that.'
'Well, I was pretty calm to say that a time-ship just appeared in front of me,' I remembered, managing a small smile. 'Now, I think I've seen it all.'
'What did they talk to you about?' Leyla carried on with her questions, one which I didn't want to tell her the truth to.
'I'm... Not quite sure,' I shook my head in fake disbelief. 'It all just sounded like gibberish to me. They told me not to...'
'Not to what?' Leyla hung onto my every word.
I had to tell her. I couldn't keep such a momentous event from my sister.
'They told me that I had changed the timeline,' I explained slowly. 'And that we needed to preserve it and stop any more changes, or aberrations as they called them, from happening.'
'What were the changes?'
'I was... Supposed to take Isaac's place, in the original timeline,' I told my sister nervously.
'But, Isaac is... Dead,' Leyla said aloud, slowly but surely becoming aware of what I meant. 'Surely this is a better timeline, then? I couldn't bear for you to-to die!'
'Well apparently I should be long gone,' I muttered cynically.
'Why would they tell you this?' Leyla suddenly asked me angrily, joining me with the same emotions as I had running through my brain. 'It only would make you upset!'
'They told me so we wouldn't kill Malcolm Merlyn,' I told her, but my sister was having none of it.
'They don't get to decide who lives or dies!' She further exclaimed irritably, nearly shouting.
'They said it would change the timeline if we did, but it seems I already have,' I huffed, still upset.
'We're not backing down now,' Leyla argued passionately. 'The only things that Merlyn's survival can bring are suffering and corruption. I can sense you still want to end him, despite what these time travellers have told you, and I too am with you on this one, Aria.'
'I don't care about what they told me,' I claimed, stony-faced. 'And you're right, Leyla. You're the only rational one in this whole situation.'
'If these time travellers are targeting you at the moment, we better get a move on with defeating Mr Merlyn,' Leyla concluded at once. 'I'm certain you'll be ready to fight him with a day or so of more training, while I plan our attack. I have every faith in you, my sister.'
If these rumoured Time Masters were to catch me for my crimes in dabbling in things I had no knowledge of, I couldn't care less. Maybe I needed to be put to justice; after all, I was the reason Isaac was dead. I wasn't fazed by what any of the time travellers had said, not even Sara. As long as I fulfilled my mission, I would be happy.
---
'You look... Rough,' Oliver entered the lab at the SCPD in the later part of the morning. 'Long night?'
'You don't know half of it,' I rolled my eyes, causing Oliver to laugh slightly.
Oliver was one of the reasons I wanted to defeat Merlyn; my friend could've easily died at the hands of the Dark Archer. Merlyn didn't know The Hood's identity, and his ego seemed to have made him jealous of Oliver's abilities. If he knew of his ownership of The List, Oliver was sure to be doomed.
But that was if I didn't stop Merlyn first, and permanently.
'I came by to let you know about the opening of the club,' Oliver announced with a grin. 'It's gonna be soon, and since you're now living with your sister, I thought it was best to tell you in person. Tommy's wanting to make it into fundraiser for the fire department, because of everything that's been happening recently.'
'That's nice of him,' I smiled gratefully at Tommy's proposal. 'And, thanks for telling me, but you could've just sent me an invite. Is there something I can help you with?'
'No, actually,' Oliver continued grinning, probably at me thinking he was still the same self-centred and over-privileged user he was before the island. 'I just wanted to see how you were. I feel like I've not had a chance to talk to you, properly, this last month or so since I've been with my family and you with yours.'
'It's because you have a knack for choosing the worst times to talk to me,' I pointed out to him. 'I'm working, Ollie, and usually I have a lot of stuff to do. But since The Hood was spotted at a fire the other night, crime has subsequently dipped. So I guess I have a few minutes to spare.'
'How are you holding up?' Oliver asked me as we went to a more secluded, quiet part of the lab.
'I'm okay,' I tried to make it sound that I hadn't seen the extraordinary.
Although I really wanted to tell him all about the new information I had acquired about the timeline and how I had messed it all up, I knew I simply couldn't. I couldn't taint Oliver's world with my troubles, for he had his own tribulations to deal with. I longed to reach out to him about how I was feeling, to cry with him and express my anger in front of him, but I already had Leyla and I wanted to shield Oliver from all my heartache. I was determined for no one else to get involved or damaged by my existence.
'What about your sister?' Oliver carried on with caring intentions. 'Is she still shaken up from what the archer did?'
'She's fine now,' I carried on smiling, although really I wanted to break down and cry. 'Don't worry about any of us. We're doing just fine.'
Oliver placed his palm on my back, his warmth heating my cold body.
'I'm glad,' he grinned.
'How's your mum doing?' I inquired as soon as he withdrew. 'I know she's going through a lot.'
'She's still in a... Low state at the moment,' Oliver filled me in sadly, his ocean-blue eyes looking deeper and wider with his upset. 'Walter's disappearance really got to her. But Thea told me she is going to try to get her out of bed. And if Thea can't, then I will try too.'
'If you need help, I'm always here, Ollie,' I offered my charity. 'I know what Moira is like, and although I'm obviously not as close to her as you or Thea, I might be able to think of something.'
Oliver took me in for another hug, his thankfulness being translated through this gesture. It was as though he knew I was riddled with pain, but was clueless as to why.
'I've got work to do,' Oliver remembered after we parted. 'I might have a lead on the SCFD case. I just had a chat with a fire chief; he was from that Firefly group, the ones with the tattoos, and he told me about the Nodell Tower Fire.'
'That rings a bell...' I recognised the name, but I wasn't sure how. 'I probably heard about it here, at the SCPD. The police force do get involved in select fire cases, so it must've been a major fire if I remember it.'
'If you need me, I'll be at the... Arrowcave,' Oliver used mine and Diggle's nickname for the lair with a laugh at the term.
'See you soon,' I laughed back as he left.
Oliver seemed to be acting more and more mature, the island really changing him. I guessed I hadn't realised how different he was to his former Starling City self when we were on the island together; back then, we all had to concentrate on surviving, each day filled with co-existing with one another instead of living our lives to their full potential. But more people were recognising this in Oliver, and I was growing to like - and even respect - him more each time we spoke.
---
Leyla was right when she had claimed we were nearly ready to fight Merlyn, because she had already planned everything we needed to, and I had mastered the League's fighting style down to a tee.
'If it weren't for your blue suit, you could be part of the League of Assassins,' Leyla claimed as she beamed proudly at my progress. 'We're ready.'
'You're also capable of hand-to-hand combat, Leyla,' I complimented my sister, trying to raise her confidence.
'Maybe longer distance would be safer for me,' Leyla suggested as she looked through Isaac's drive once again. 'You need another pair of eyes if you're facing Merlyn, and I happen to have a supply of wireless earpieces we can use to communicate while not arousing Mr Merlyn's suspicion.'
'I guess you have a good point,' I agreed with my sister. 'I just thought you wanted to be more... Involved.'
'I can tell this is much more important to you than I, Aria,' Leyla picked up my thoughts wisely. 'You have been wronged so many times by this man; it only seems fit for you to be the one to end him.'
I wasn't sure what to think about Leyla's opinion. She was right, but I felt like she was backing out of our crusade even more since our last discussion.
'I've been tracking Mr Merlyn's movements, and he is in the perfect position for us to attack within the hour,' Leyla suddenly announced as she carried on scrolled through her laptop.
'Within the hour?' I repeated in shock. 'Leyla, I'm not prepared for this! I'm not ready. Not yet.'
'I thought you wanted to get this done as soon as possible?' Leyla questioned me rationally. 'This is a great chance we have here.'
'I said I'd be at the Arrowcave,' I remembered, using my vague answer I had given Oliver as an excuse. 'If I don't go, it could cause more suspicion about us.'
'Fair enough,' Leyla nodded in compliance. 'Everyday, he goes to this same spot, on the roof of his Merlyn Global Group building, at 20:30 without fail, and this is the most vulnerable spot he puts himself in. Whenever we desire, we can strike.'
After my brief meeting with my sister, I returned to the Arrowcave to find Oliver and Diggle deep in conversation. Waiting, hidden behind a corner, I unintentionally eavesdropped on what they were saying.
'Oliver, I'm sorry I came at you so hard, but, I've been there,' Diggle was saying, grabbing a chair and sitting down next to his partner. 'I know what it's like to stare death in the face and... Be the one who blinks.'
'That's not it,' Oliver protested. 'I've... I've been close to death on the island more times than I can remember, and I never feared it, because I had nothing to lose. But when that archer almost killed me, when I stared death in the face then, I thought about all the people that I've let into my life since I've been back. My family. Laurel. Aria. Tommy. And that made me afraid. Afraid of what would happen to those people if they lost me, again. And for the first time in so long, I had something to lose.'
'Maybe you've got it backwards, Oliver,' Diggle suggested seriously. 'You think the people you let in have taken your edge. I think it gives you one; maybe a stronger one even. You can stare down death with something to live for or not. Something to live for is better.'
'Hi... Guys,' I quickly but awkwardly entered before they could realise I was listening in. 'Have you found anything out about the case?'
'All the men in the unit had an alibi for Danny's murder,' Oliver started at once. 'The guy that I fought had a firefly tattoo and his arm was severely burned.'
'Like all the firefighters from the Firefly group,' I added as a reminder.
'Okay, let me see where you're going with this,' Diggle requested, Oliver turning the running computer screen.
'The Nodell Tower fire, some of the bodies were so badly burned that couldn't even be ID'd off dental records. What if Garfield Linz didn't die, but was just... Presumed dead.'
'Wait, who's this 'Garfield Linz'?' I inquired, clearly the only one in the dark.
'I told Dig just before you came in,' Oliver explained. 'He was one of the Fireflies, and the SCFD thought he died in the fire.'
'That makes sense,' I nodded in agreement with Oliver's theory. 'A firefighter seeking revenge because his team left him there to burn.'
'That's why he's doing it,' Diggle suddenly joined two and two together. 'That's why he's been killing those men, Oliver. Revenge.'
'Aria, you are a genius,' Oliver beamed at me with admiration.
'You two both better get ready for the club's opening night,' Diggle took a look at his watch.
'It's already tonight?' I inquired. 'I knew it looked ready upstairs, but I didn't know you were that ready.'
'Tommy's been hard at work,' Oliver said, slightly laughing at my obliviousness. 'I told you it was soon.'
'You didn't specify very well,' I raised a brow, before joining Oliver up the stairs.
'Hey,' Tommy's voice came from the middle of the room, banners being hung around the new nightclub, the theme being in aid of the SCFD's charity.
Partly why I hadn't realised the club was ready was because I always used the back doors of the building to get into the Arrowcave, mostly so I didn't have to enter any awkward conversations with Tommy.
'It looks great,' I complimented Tommy's work politely. 'You managed to turn this place around in a matter of days.'
'It was nothing,' Tommy smirked comedically, before returning to a confused state. 'Why are you guys... Here? You're not a...?'
'No, Tommy,' Oliver stopped him from making a fool out of himself. 'Aria, as my friend, wanted to look at the club before tonight.'
'Oh... Okay,' Tommy just nodded , but he sounded very doubtful.
We continued up another flight of stairs to what looked like an office room, somewhere Tommy and Oliver could sort out finances and figures. Opening a large cupboard in the corner of the room, there was a teal cocktail dress hung just above a pair of black heeled shoes, the garments looking both stunning and expensive.
'Ollie,' I gasped, not knowing what to say. 'You didn't have to do this.'
'It wasn't just my idea,' he told me with that same smile he seemed to be wearing recently. 'Thea helped me pick them out for you, since I have no idea about women's fashion.'
'But, they look so expensive!' I exclaimed. 'It must've cost you a fortune.'
'I'm the son of a billionaire, remember?' Oliver remarked. 'And this is also a thank you for joining the team, and being there for me when I needed you. Plus, you had no idea that we were opening tonight.'
'You have very valid points,' I now was beaming. 'Thank you so much Ollie. I'm honoured to be in your team, and that you want me around.'
'Why wouldn't I want you around?' Oliver pulled a faux-shocked look, before retiring to his happy self. 'You're one of my best friends, Aria, and I wouldn't trade that for the world.'
'Why are you being cheesy all of a sudden?' I cocked my head, trying to figure him out and why he was so happy all the damn time. 'I thought you were supposed to be the tough guy, the vigilante all of the city's afraid of.'
'Can The Hood not be cheesy sometimes?' Oliver protested sarcastically, both of us much closer than when we had entered the room.
I felt strange, as if I was turning all gooey, my legs feeling like jelly. I kept staring into Oliver's eyes, their colour calming me from all my worries and tribulations I had going on in my life. Was I falling for the one and only Oliver Queen, a rich playboy who could never settle down with one girl? But Tommy was like that too, and I had had a relationship with him before the island.
Maybe I had a type.
Oliver's face was in close proximity of mine, his blonde hairs catching the dim light above us so they shone like gold. I so desperately wanted to confess to myself my feelings for him, but I couldn't imagine what Tommy would do if he knew; after all, we still loved each other. But Tommy was with Laurel now, and he couldn't have feelings for both of Laurel and I. I just didn't know what to do; I was overcome with affection.
'I... Better try on this dress,' I quickly snapped myself out of my fantasy world and focused on what was real, my mind telling me that I was being just a stupid, needy girl who needed to grow up.
And yet, Oliver looked my way with a sad smile.