There's this old saying, "Wisdom is to live in the present, plan for the future and profit from the past." Once again, Katie found herself thinking of those words and she wasn't truly sure why. Not in this moment. Not as she sits on the hard wooden chair, in an old oil processing plant, staring at the eye patched wearing man who just stared at her, with a slight smirk fixed on his face.
"The first time I met your father, I remember walking into his office and overhearing a conversation he was having with you." Slade shook his head at the memory. "He was telling you how much he looked forward to seeing you when you came home after graduation."
"So before you kill me, you're going to talk me to death?" Katie snarked and Slade chuckled.
"Sense of humor." the man said. "Just like him. Some times I just think he liked to hear his own voice. He just talked and talked and-"
"Much like you're doing now." Katie stated with a shake of her head as she turned away from him. It was just the two of them, but she had no doubt, Slade's goons were nearby.
"You know I expected more of a fight from you." Slade said and Katie chuckled. "At least from what Ms. Rochev described, but I wouldn't be able to ask her now."
"Did you love her?" Katie asked and the man turned away. "Is that why I'm here, because I killed her?" he looked to her, seeing the smirk curl at her lips. "I didn't hesitate, you know? There is no hesitation when it comes to your survival."
"You sound like a soldier." the man said sliding closer to her, intrigued that she didn't even attempt to inch away. "But what kind of war has some rich doctor been put in?"
"You and your league of doped up criminals." Katie says, deciding to lean in as well. "Definitely aren't my toughest opponents." she sat back in her seat, and folded her arms over her chest. "What are you waiting for? Are you going to kill me? Are you going to invite Oliver so he can watch? What happens now?" Slade looked at her, and it made her feel uneasy, even though she would never show it.
"All in good time. Right now I just want to talk to you."
"About my father?" she asked and the man sat back in his chair. "The man who gave the order that landed you on that island."
"Jacob took my life." Slade replied with a shake of his head. "And I don't even know why. I wasn't one of his ARGUS agents, he wasn't my commanding officer, and yet he made one call that landed me and Billy in his office, and all these years I still don't know why."
"You can't ask the dead questions, Mr. Wilson. If you could, people would sleep a whole lot better at night. Either let me go, or kill me, because this talking doesn't change anything that has happened." Katie said. "Actually nothing you have done will change anything, you ending up on that island, Shado being killed, no matter how many bodies you pile up, nothing will ever change that." He once again stared at her, studying her and she wasn't sure what he was doing. "What is this? Why do I get the feeling that this isn't you trying to draw Oliver here. Why—
"You talk an awful lot." Slade replied before standing to his feet towering over her. "Just like him. Except back then I was too much of a good soldier to rip his tongue out, but now—" he bent down slightly, their eyes locked, neither flinching in intimidation. "Now—" he simply chuckled before turning and walking off. When he was gone, Katie knew he wasn't really gone, knew she wasn't truly alone. Her hand slid across her pocket, relief only settling inside of her at the feeling that this would soon be over.
Martin Ellis was simply a man who believed in what he did. He would die for the cause set by Jacob, and it would seem he would die anyway. He stood trying not to flinch or shake, or show any signs of fear after revealing to his boss that the protection detail following his daughter had gotten caught up in the war happening in the streets of Starling, and now had no idea where she was. What Martin knew about Jacob Robins was that the man could talk. He always had something to say, usually in great detail about practically everything, and yet in this moment, Jacob Robins was eerily quiet.
"Sir—" Jacob held up a hand for the man to not speak another word and Martin closed his mouth, not even tempted to disobey the order.
"My daughter is in the hands of man who would love nothing more than to hurt me, even if beyond the grave." Jacob spoke, turning and walking over to his desk , dropping his hands on it's surface, before closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. "My only child is being used as tool to satisfy this sick son of bitch's craving for revenge." Jacob turned back to Martin. "And you have no idea where she is. Is that what you're telling me Marty?" To any one else, it was just a carefree nick name, but Martin knew the truth. Jacob only called him Marty, when he was wholeheartedly upset with him, which meant his actions could be unpredictable.
"No sir." Martin replied and Jacob looked to him with a quirked brow. "I'm telling you that a man whose only power lies from a drug that runs through his veins, that can easily be taken away, has captured a woman who has faced the devil himself." Martin took a step forward, only one. "I'm telling you sir that this woman who everyone think needs to be protected is the one Slade will need protection from. You made sure of that sir." Jacob stood silently, before turning away.
"Find my daughter Martin." Jacob simply ordered. Martin nodded before turning and rushing from the office. Once alone, Jacob let out a sigh before slightly lifting his head to the ceiling. "Oh Grace, I hope you're watching over her."
Oliver Queen wasn't one hundred percent sure of any of the decisions he'd been making lately which at this moment, when him and his friends were in the middle of a war just seemed too risky. Sara, and Nyssa had arrived with a couple of Ra's assassins, apparently there to help. Oliver was expectantly suspicious, but knew that he needed all the help that he could get when it came to defeating Slade's men. He took it, with the added insurance that they made no move without his approval. He knew it was a long shot, that this, Ra's people here when he was overwhelmed with Slade, could be a tactic to get to Katie, but he knew without a doubt he wouldn't let that happen.
Katie. He tried with every ounce of himself to not think about her, to not think about what Slade could be possibly doing to her because of this plan he believed could be their answer to finally ending this war. It was a very tough decision to even fathom, and yet something happened. He realized that the woman he so desperately wants to keep safe, who he needs to keep breathing, has absolutely no problem of protecting herself. Maybe there were hundreds of other options, maybe this was a stupid plan, and maybe he had doubt about most of it. What Oliver Queen didn't doubt was her. So he would wait for the call that he had absolutely no doubt was coming. Slade thought he captured the one Oliver loves, but he had no idea that it was he who had been captured.
Oliver stood on top of a cab after a intense battle with Slade's men. It had to be close to the last of them, leaving only Slade.
"We need to talk." Nyssa spoke from below him. He glanced down, before hopping down to her. "Nura—"
"We had a deal, you don't say her name, you don't even think about her." Oliver growled.
"I find it laughable that you think you can prevent what is already destined." the woman said. "But that is not what I'm talking about, your Slade Wilson has Nura and—"
"Do not worry about her." Oliver said before turning to walk away, but Nyssa caught his arm and the man jerked from her grasp.
"You already knew, didn't you?" she asked, but Oliver simply looked out to the area making sure everything was clear. "She's bait."
"No, she's what Slade needs her to be." Oliver said turning back to her. "Do not worry about her, because you will not come anywhere near her." the woman chuckled slightly. "What?"
"Nura does not die tonight. Whatever your plan entails, whatever you expect to happen, I really hope it happens, because she does not die tonight."
"Why, because Ra's wants her for himself?"
"One day you will know how powerful the demon's words are." Nyssa said before turning and stalking away.
"What was that about?" Sara asked walking over to Oliver who turned away. "Ollie—" Sara was interrupted by a call that came through his comlink.
"Go!" Oliver answered. Sara watched him closely, seeing the tension take over his features as he listened to whoever was speaking.
"It's over, Slade! Your army is broken." Oliver snapped.
"And I pity them. But once again, you miss the point. I have the one you love." Slade revealed, and he heard the snarl that escaped Oliver's lips. "You're going to meet me where I say. Otherwise, I'm going to kill her."
"No you do what you have to. I'm done playing your games!" Oliver snapped angrily.
"You're done when I say you're done!" Slade roared. "I was surprised. I thought you had a thing for strong women. And now that I finally have her, I can see there is a very different side to your Twinkie." the man chuckled, tauntingly.
Katie sat in the cold, oil factory her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around herself. She should be focused, one hundred percent, but she knew what this was. It was supposed to be a production, one set for Oliver. The thing was, it was she who would decide everything, because she held the syringe in her pocket, and the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't understand why she was waiting to end this.
Katie's heart was ramming in her chest as the plane landed. She was getting nervous, and hesitant about all of this.
"I can't imagine what must be going through your mind right now." Martin spoke from his spot across from her. Neither had passed any words during the duration of the flight, but Martin seemed to want to change that. "The only thing I can tell you is that, all of this, every last beating, every last punch, kick scratch, in the end it will be worth it." Katie turned an icy glare to the man who had the audacity to say those words to her. "You don't see it now—" the man stopped talking when Katie unfastened her seat belt. "Katherine—"
"Was it worth it for you?" Katie asked. "To turn against my father and hurt his daughter the way you have? You're a piece of shit, and I promise you that when I get home and I get my life back, I will spend a very embarrassing amount of time helping the police find you and find Agent Waller, and Ra's Al Ghul and making sure every last one of you pay for what you've done to me."
"You don't get it do you?" Martin said with a shake of his head. "At this point, I thought you would, but you just don't get it." the man unclasped his seat belt as well. "You were kidnapped by Bosnian extremists and held against your will in order to gain ransom from your father. When they realized that his health would not improve they decided to release you." he leaned in closer. "You didn't see their faces, they never let you see their faces. You remember me though, I came to try to pay them off, but they killed me, right in front of you."
"What—"
"Some story about secret government agencies, and mystical warlords, that's not something a lot of people believe. If you go to the embassy, if you return home unable to just let this go, then you'll never truly get home. We won't let you."
"Is that a threat?" Katie growled.
"No, it's a promise. This was all a test, one you passed and lived to take the lessons with you. And you're going to need those lessons." The man suddenly stood to his feet. "And now we must prepare you for your return." Katie looked at him confused, before turning at the sound of footsteps. She saw a man, dressed in tactical gear. He wasn't one of Waller's, so she assumed he was with Martin.
"And by prepare..." Katie stood to her feet and began backing away from the man.
"You were in a prison, beaten to submission." Martin looked over to the man who clenched his fists as he stretched his neck. "You have to look the part." the woman rose her fists ready to fight back and Martin simply stood there watching the fight begin.
"You were the light of his life." Slade's voice spoke, pulling her from the memory. "It's what he said that first day I met him." Katie opened her eyes to see the man standing behind the chair he'd been sitting in earlier.
"It was Billy." Katie said suddenly and the man looked at her with confusion. If he wanted to play mind games, then she would play them too. "He showed signs of violent, erratic behavior in the field. He became unpredictable, and ASIS needed someone to determine if he had a future with the agency."
"How do you know this?" Slade asked taking the seat in front of him.
"I was given files, about you and your missions and that one mission some guy from a different agency assigned to you." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "My father had a reputation for revealing the things people wanted to hide, to bring out their true selves, and that's why he was hired by your agency. They put Billy in a situation, rescue a chinese ally held captive by terrorists. They wanted to see what course of action he would take in the event that this cut and dry mission wasn't so cut and dry."
"And me, what was my purpose?"
"You and Wintergreen were friends, had been for a long time. ASIS wanted you to save him, to pull him back from the darkness, and you couldn't do that." Katie said leaning back in her chair. "You actually fell into the darkness yourself."
"Because of Queen, and what he did."
"Oliver was placed in a very impossible situation. Ivo had a gun to the heads of two people he cared deeply about, how do you make that choice. Someone was going to die, someone was going to have to die, and Oliver—"
"He decided that my Shado would be the one to die." Slade growled before standing to his feet and kicking the chair, sending it crashing into the wall. "He took the one thing I needed for my heart to beat, and now I am going to take his."
"Let me go!" a voice echoed and Katie looked confused as she tried to find the source. Soon she found it, as Laurel is dragged in by one of Slade's me. The moment she saw Katie, she tried to pull free, the man held onto her firmly. Katie turned her glare to Slade, before standing to her feet.
"Let her go." she growled, and Slade looked at her in a amusement.
"Oh, there she is. There's the spit fire I've been hearing so much about. Now we are going to let my friend Oliver make another choice." Slade said taking a dangerous step closer to the woman, who didn't move an inch. He leaned in closer, looking at her eyes. "You got some big darkness wrapped up in that tiny body of yours, don't you doctor."
"You have no idea." Katie replied, before she grabbed the chair behind her and threw it at the man, only causing him to stumble back. Katie used the momentary distraction to run toward the man holding Laurel, who immediately pushed the woman away, before pulling free the sword he had sheath behind his back. He swung the sword with a powerful force, but Katie dropped slightly to miss the blade, before kicking her foot up, right into his wrist knocking the sword from his hand. "Laurel, run!" both women bolted as quickly as they could away from Slade and his goons. The factory was huge, seamlessly never ending, and it would seem every turn never seemed to be bring them closer to an exit. Katie suddenly stopped, grabbing Laurel's arm and pulling them behind one of a row of pipes. Both women tried to catch their breath, but also tried to listen for anyone who could be close by.
"How do we get out of here?" Laurel whispered and Katie glanced over to her, before looking around for a way out. She spotted a window, further up that could be accessed from a ladder underneath it.
"There." Katie whispered pointing to the ladder. "Take that ladder, and get out of here." she turned back to Laurel. "Get as far away as can and—"
"Wait, you're not coming with me?" Laurel asked and Katie shook her head.
"Slade does not make it to tomorrow." Katie replied. "This all ends tonight. Laurel you have to—"
"I'm not leaving you here." Laurel said quite unexpectantly. Laurel's opinion of Katie had been quite clear for a long time, and for her to show such concern for her wellbeing was still a bit odd.
"Laurel I appreciate you wanting to help, but I can handle this on my own. But I can only do that if I'm not worried about you getting hurt. Your dad needs you, your sister needs you and—"
"Oliver needs you. John and Felicity need you." Laurel interrupted. "So no, I'm not running and leaving you here alone to take on a psychopath by yourself."
"You really are annoying." Katie muttered only for the woman to give a smirk. "Alright, I have to contact Oliver and—"
"Slade already did." Laurel said and Katie turned to her. "Slade told Oliver he had you and that if he wanted to save you then he had to come here alone."
"Of course he did." Katie sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "C'mon we need to find out where this is happening."
"Why?"
"Because we're Oliver's back up." Katie replied before nudging her head for the woman to follow.
Oliver moved quietly into the processing plant, his bow held high and an arrow at the ready. His eyes moved across the steam and pipes around him, searching for Slade.
"I want them found now!" Slade's voice roared, causing Oliver to stop. He turned, following where he'd heard the voice. Soon the man came in his sights, and Slade turned to the arrow pointed at him.
Oliver's eyes glanced around, hoping to see Katie, but she was no where in sight, which only made him even more nervous.
"Where is she?!" the Arrow roared, his finger twitching to release the arrow. He knew he couldn't, not yet, not until he knew she was safe.
"Let me go!" a familiar voice screamed and both men turned to see Katie and Laurel now being dragged toward them by Slade's goons. Oliver locked eyes with Katie who the goon handed over to Slade. Slade pulled a sword from behind him, and pressed it to Katie's neck.
"Are you alright?" Oliver asked looking between Katie and Laurel.
"My first words to you." Slade spoke, never lessening the blade against the woman's neck. "Do you remember? I do. I remember the exact moment. My blade against your neck." he glanced down to Katie who closed her eyes trying to retain her focus. "Just like my blade is against the neck of your beloved. If only I'd killed you then, everything would be different."
"Would it?" it was Katie who spoke opening her eyes. "You know I keep hearing these stories about the island, and all the fucked up shit that happened. You were never going to be happy Slade, you and Shado were never going to ride into the sunset together, because this guy was inside you, the monster you think Oliver created was already inside of you and she would've seen it. "
"Shut up!" Slade growled, the blade pressing just a bit deeper, causing Katie moan in pain.
"Slade, don't!" Oliver pleaded and Slade lifted his eyes back to the man.
"Drop the bow, kid." Slade ordered, and Oliver hesitated for a moment, his eyes still on Katie. "Now!"
"Don't do it Oliver, just end him." Katie said as tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks. "This needs to end, just end it." Oliver swallowed hard, before cautiously lowering the bow to the ground.
"Countless nights, dreaming of taking from you all that you took from me." Slade taunted as he once again glance down to Katie. "It was only fate that the same woman would be the daughter of the man I probably would've murdered if given the chance."
"Jacob's not here!" Oliver snapped. "He's dead, and so is Shado, and killing Katie will not change that."
"This is justice Oliver, it's what I thought you believed in. Why you put on that hood, and shoot arrows at those you deem have failed your city. This is justice."
"By killing the woman I love?" Oliver asks, and Slade nods. "Like you love Shado."
"Yes."
"You see her. Don't you?" Oliver asks, and Slade looks slightly surprised by the statement unsure how Oliver would know something he hasn't told anyone. "Well, what does she look like in your madness, Slade? What does she say to you? I remember her being beautiful. Young. Kind. She would be horrified by what you've done in her name."
"What I have done? What I have done is what you lack the courage to do! To fight for her! So When her body lies at your feet, her blood wet against your skin, then you will know how I feel!"
"I already know how you feel. I know what it's like to hate. To want revenge. And now I know how it feels to see my enemy so distracted, he doesn't see the real danger is right in front of him." So angry, enraged, Slade pulls Katie tighter against him, pushing the blade deeper. "And there is nothing more dangerous than my girl." Slade didn't expect it. He didn't plan for it, so he couldn't even stop it from happening. Katie pulled the syringe from her pocket quickly, jamming it in the man's shoulder. He cried out in pain, releasing her, and she jumped from his grasp into Oliver's awaiting arms. They all turned to Slade, who'd fallen to his knees. He turned to his man that still held Laurel.
"Kill her." he ordered, but before the goon could react, a cure filled dart hit him right in the back. The moment it did, his grip loosened on the woman who pulled from his grasp before turning and punching the man knocking him out. Laurel stood, just as her sister jumped to the floor in front of her.
"Nice right hook."
"Don't forget whose older." Laurel said giving her sister a hug.
"Get her out of here!" Oliver ordered and Sara nodded before taking her sister's arm and leading her out. Oliver looked to Katie, who was still in his arms. "You need to leave." Katie looked at him for a moment before looking over her shoulder to the man already trying to make his way to his feet. "Twinkie—" she turned back to Oliver, before pressing a quick kiss to his lips before pulling out of his arms, and leaving the men to settle something that had been brewing for years.
Katie ran outside, to find Sara waiting on her bike with Laurel behind her.
"You take his bike." Sara urged, revving the engine of her bike.
"I'm not leaving here without him." Katie replied turning back to the plant.
"He's fine. It's a fair fight, one you and I know Oliver will win." Sara replied and Katie turned back to her, with a familiar look of determination. "Look, you know what, fine. We'll meet you at the lair." and with that Sara peeled out of there, leaving Katie standing outside waiting...praying for Oliver's return.
Jacob was pacing. He never paced, it was always something his wife did and it always drove him crazy when she did, but here he was walking back and forth waiting for something, anything about his daughter.
"Sir!" a voice spoke from the speaker on his desk. "We have her in sights. Slade brought her to the oil processing plant, on the industrial sector of Starling."
"Is she safe?"
"Yes sir, the Arrow showed up, along with the Canary, rescuing both Katie and Laurel Lance." Martin spoke. "The Canary has taken her sister from the plant, but Katie has refused to leave."
"Where is Slade now?" Jacob asked.
"We assume he and Oliver are inside." Martin replied.
"So what is my daughter doing waiting outside?"
Katie stood there hating the waiting. She knew Oliver needed to focus, needed to give his all in a fight with the man who has haunted him for so long, but she can't help but feel as if she should be in there. Ever so often, she takes a step and then stops herself.
"You're afraid." a voice spoke, and Katie stood a bit straighter, her fists raising for any fight that may come her way. When she turned, she looked with wide eyes to see none other than Martin Ellis. "You should be in there, it should be you. This is the fight that would prove how ready you truly are."
"Ready for what?" Katie asked and the man shook his head. "Just tell me, what am I supposed to be ready for!" There was a sudden grunt, and Katie turned to see Slade hit the ground. She looked up as Oliver jumped from the roof, and the two continued fighting.
"End this." Martin said from behind her and Katie turned to see him holding out a bow toward her. Katie took the bow from his hand and suddenly memories of her twisted archery lessons with Lian struck her. That's when she felt it. That darkness tingling in her finger tips. That buzzing she could never ignore no matter how much she tried. She glanced over to Oliver and Slade, their fight still going strong. At the moment, there was a shot. Oliver had Slade pinned down, and Katie saw that she had a clear shot to the man's head. "End this now." She glanced over to Martin. It wasn't the first time she'd heard those words after being handed a weapon. And each time she complied out of fear. Right now she wasn't afraid of disobeying an order and so she shoved the bow into Martin's chest.
"No!" She said. "I'm not playing these games anymore. These ridiculous lessons end here. This is Oliver's fight and he needs to see it through to the end. Whatever you think you're preparing me for, whatever fight you think is coming my way, believe I will take care of it on my terms. This is over." Katie turned just as Oliver shot a pair of bolo arrows at Slade, tying him to the cement column behind him. Katie let out a sigh. It was finally over.
"Here." Martin said and Katie turned back to him to see a comlink in his hand. "If I were you I would let our friend Agent Waller know she doesn't have to blow up the city any more."
"How did you—" Katie simply shook her head before taking the com and placing it in her ear. "Amanda! It's done. Slade has been neutralized. Do not send that drone, or God help me, I will—" the transmission ended and Katie sighed turning to find Martin gone. She heard footsteps and turned to see Oliver coming over to her. "I called Waller, hopefully stopping any drones from hitting—" Oliver's lips crashed into Katie's, releasing all of the pent up tension, and fear he held the moment he left her alone in that mansion. When they finally pulled from the kiss, Oliver brought his arms around her in a hug, that Katie couldn't help but return. "You weren't worried about me, were you?"
"You're such a smart ass." Oliver muttered, before pulling back and once again meeting his lips with hers.
The day after a war, everything just seems quieter. The city was damaged, but nothing that couldn't be rebuilt. The last thing any of them wanted to do was go back to the ARGUS facility. But it was Waller who would be accommodating Slade's imprisonment, and she surprisingly accepted Oliver's suggestion for placing the man in a secure prison on Lian Yu.
It only took a couple of days, two actually to prepare for Slade's transport to the island. It was a trip Oliver was insistent on supervising and of course he would not go back to Lian Yu without his team. Katie still found it weird to be on this island, especially when she could practically feel the horrible vibes the place seemed to radiate. At the moment Oliver was down in the prison, probably having his final words with Slade before finally leaving the man and letting him go.
"Anybody else hate this place?" Felicity spoke, and Katie and John chuckled from beside her. "I mean how can a place so beautiful, just hold so much bad juujuu?"
"I have no idea, but I can honestly say that I can't wait to get out of here and back—"
"To your hotel room?" John asked and Katie sent him a glare. "You have to go home at some point."
"I'm not sure." Katie sighed, as Felicity linked her arm with hers, dropping her head to Katie's shoulder. "Yes, Ms. Smoak?"
"Can we talk about it yet?" Felicity asked and Katie rolled her eyes. "Please, I just—"
"Felicity, no. Oliver and I haven't even talked about it yet, so until then, no, there will be no planning of anything." Katie said looking over to the woman who looked slightly disappointed. "I mean maybe it really was a show for Slade."
"He wouldn't do that." Felicity said with a shake of her head. "Not with this—" she lifted Katie's hand that still held a ring, she doesn't even attempt to remove. "This is his mother's ring, not a tool to capture an enemy. "They heard the metal hatch lift, and turned to see Oliver climbing out. "Talk to him." Felicity unlinked her arm, before she and John scurried off toward the plane.
"Good chat?" Katie asked and Oliver walked over, stopping in front of her. "So, I guess it's over. You stop being a little bitch, and you did it." she gave him a playful punch to the shoulder before smiling up to him.
"Well I had help." Oliver says bringing an arm around the woman and pulling her to him. Katie smiled, placing her hands on his chest and Oliver slid a hand up her arm, until it found the hand that held the ring.
"We should probably talk about that, huh?"
"Yeah, but not here." Oliver says glancing around the island, with a shake of his head. "Definitely not here." Katie simply nodded before Oliver took her hand and lead her toward the plane with the others.
They ended up back at their lair, that was still a total wreck. Felicity stood over her computers, trying to analyze the damage to see if anything was salvageable, while the others tried finding anything they may need.
"You know what?" Oliver spoke and they all turned to him. "It has been a very long couple of days, and I say we just take a break. We'll come back to this, but now just go home."
"I think that might be a good idea." John said glancing around the mess.
"I'm not sure how much rest I can get knowing my babies are in pieces." Felicity says still eyeing the computers, as John brought an arm around her shoulder and began pulling her toward the stairs. They all walked up to the empty club, where Oliver and Katie waved goodbye to their friends before turning to each other.
"Hawaii." Katie said suddenly and Oliver looked at her in confusion. "C'mon, after the week we've had, we could use a beautiful beach, and calming waters."
"That does sound enticing." Oliver replied before once again glancing to her hand. "We should talk." Katie simply nodded before walking over to take a seat at the bar and he followed behind her, taking the seat beside her. She watched him closely, how he seemed nervous for some reason. He took a deep breath, about to speak before Katie held up a hand.
"Stop." she said with a shake of her head before looking down to the ring. "You had to make it look real. Authentic, I get it."
"Katie—"
"Oliver, it's fine." she slipped the ring off her finger, hoping the disappointment didn't show on her face as she did. She simply put on a smile before handing it back to him. "It was too soon anyway, right?"
"Twinkie, don't do that." Oliver said and Katie turned away. "Don't pretend that you're alright, when—"
"I don't want to argue with you Oliver." Katie interrupted as she turned back to him. "After everything we've been through, the last thing I want to do is argue about something I have no control over. You asked me to marry you—" she looked down to the ring in her hand. "With your mother's ring, as a ploy to capture Slade. I get it. It worked, so kudos, now please take it back." Oliver dropped his head, and Katie simply placed the ring on the bar in front of him. She watched him, just knowing there was something else, something he wasn't saying. "Oliver, I don't care if now isn't the right time, I don't care if there never is a right time." he looked up meeting her eyes, and she saw something she didn't quite understand. It was guilt and for some reason, she just knew. "Say it."
"Katie—"
"Oliver, don't try to distract me with words to make me feel better, just say what it is you have to say." Katie said, and Oliver shook his head, unable to let the words come out of his mouth, but he knew he had to.
"Starling needs protection. From people like Slade and people like Sebastian, and I—" he cleared his throat, before continuing. "I decided that I would be that person, but something happened. I didn't see the darkness they brought to my city until it was too late, and yeah in the end it didn't matter because we beat them." he shook his head as the words that had been building up inside of him, just came bubbling out. "But look at all the shit that happened that should've been prevented. What happened to Roy, and my mother, I should've prevented those things."
"Then why didn't you, Oliver?" Katie asked, knowing what the logic in his brain was telling him, but she needed him to say it. She needed the words to be spoken. So she decided to say them herself. "It was Twinkie. I was too busy playing the boyfriend role in my life, too busy being happy with the woman that I loved to be the messiah to my city. Is that what you're saying?"
Katie stood to her feet and walked away, placing distance between them.
"You're making a choice." Katie said turning back to Oliver. "That battle between Oliver and the Arrow, you're finally picking a side and it's just not the side I'm on."
"This is bigger than us." Oliver says standing to his feet and walking over to her, but she simply backed away. "I love you, you know—"
"Don't you dare!" Katie snapped when a tear unexpectantly fell from her eye and she turned away, because she didn't want him to see her cry. He did not get to see her cry and especially not over him. "You know what, you're so...predictable, because I knew this moment was coming. I expected it." she turned back to him. "It was getting deep, and then you threw caution to the wind and asked me to marry you and something happened, just like it always does. You got scared, and this time, like every other time, I don't even know of what." she stalked over to stand in front of him. "So you want to end this Oliver, then fine, but you remember this was it. The last chance you were ever gonna get." she shook her head before turning to leave, and he tried to catch her arm, tried to stop her so he could explain, so she could understand and not walk away hating him.
"Twinkie—"
"I'm not your Twinkie anymore!" she called, her words like a knife through the heart as she walked out the door, leaving the man alone.
Katie was barely conscious, barely able to form words when she was suddenly pushed out of the van, hitting the hard cement. Soon there were people standing above her, military she gathered from their uniforms, all with guns pointed down to her.
"My name is Doctor Katherine Robins, I am an American and I need my country's help."
She blacked out after that moment, and didn't wake up until she felt cold steel against her chest. She grabbed the hand of the perpetrator about to attack, when she was suddenly held down by strong arms.
"Doctor Robins!" Katie's eyes opened, and she looked up to blue eyes she'd never seen before. "It's alright. You're safe."
"Who are you?" Katie asked looking over the dark haired man.
"My name is Special Agent Benjamin Lockwood. I'm with the CIA, the embassy called us when you arrived outside the gates." the man said. "Do you remember what happened to you?"
Katie remembered every last detail of the last two years of her life down to the day, and yet Martin's words came back to her, telling her that the truth wouldn't get her home.
"No." Katie replied with a shake of her head. "I don't remember anything." The man simply nodded before glancing over his shoulder. He looked back to Katie before taking the seat beside her bed.
"Well, we'll give it a few days. I'm sure your time has been very traumatic. You'll remember something."
"It seems like you're hoping I remember something specific." Katie said studying the man who shook his head. "Look I just want to go home and forget about all of this."
"Don't worry you will, after you're fully debriefed."
"Debriefed?"
"Doctor, the extremist groups in this country all have motive, they do everything and anything to get something in return. Your captors gave no demands in all the years you were taken, and then out of the blue you were just returned alive."
"Some would call that lucky."
"Others would call it suspicious, and until we figure out what happened to you, why you were taken, then you will be placed in our custody."
"For how long?"
"How ever long it takes doctor."
"Hey." a voice says, snapping Katie from her thoughts. She turns from looking out the window to Felicity who moves to see what she was staring at. It was the Realtor, hammering the for sale sign in the lawn in front of the house. "You sure you want to go through with this?" Katie turned back her once beautifully furnished house, now everything either moved out or packed in boxes. "I know what happened with you and Oliver—"
"Felicity, don't. You agreed that I would be the one to bring up the topic if I ever wanted to talk, and I'm not ready." she walked off, toward the stairs where Roy was walking down with a box.
"You sure you want to just toss all this stuff in storage?" the man asked and Katie nodded. "Well do you mind if I raid the boxes?"
"Go nuts." Katie laughed before climbing the stairs. She walked down the hall, passing one of the spare bedrooms, where John and Lyla were currently arguing about whether they really needed another lamp. Katie stepped into the room that she'd been putting off packing up, but knew at some point it would have to get done. She opened the door to her parent's room, and took a deep breath before walking inside. She stood there for a few moments, unsure where she should start.
"I would start in the closet. " a voice said from behind her and Katie sighed before turning to see Bruce standing at the door. "The good stuff is always in the closets."
"I told you not to come here." Katie said crossing her arms over her chest. "Felicity's here and—"
"I know, we exchanged greetings. I think we're moving past the "I hate you Bruce" part of our break up and now we're moving toward friends."
"You're delusional." Katie replied with a shake of her head before looking around the room.
"John told me you still don't have a place lined up." Bruce said and Katie looked over to him. "This is the part where I'm supposed to say that there's always room on my plane back to Gotham, but I'm not."
"Really?" Katie asked genuinely surprised. "What is it that you say now?"
"Do what you want Robins." Bruce said walking over to her. "For the longest time, people have been telling you what to do, telling you who you are or who you're supposed to be, but in the end it doesn't matter what I think, or what Oliver does. In the end, it's your choice." Katie looked at the man with a smile before giving him a nod. "So what do you want to do?"
"Now?" Katie asked and the man gave a nod. "Well now I think I do want to start with the closet." she grabbed the box from the bed and walked over and opened the door to the walk in closet that was still filled with her father's clothes and shoes. She inhaled, still able to smell that familiar smell that attached itself to her father.
"You want some help?" Bruce asked and Katie looked over to him and just shook her head.
"No, I think this is a solo mission." she replied and Bruce simply nodded. "If you're not too busy, me and my worker bees could use food, and since you're loaded—"
"Using me for my money, Robins?" the man tsked with a shake of his head. "I expect more from you."
"No you don't Wayne." she said turning back to the closet.
"You're right, I expect the exact amount of pain in the ass from you, that you truly are." Bruce replied and Katie simply swat his arm before he finally left. Katie stood there a moment longer before finally going inside to pack up all remnants of her father.
Oliver sat on the steps of Verdant that lead to the second floor office. He'd been sitting there for the better part of the day, unsure of what he should be doing. The lair was being rebuilt, and upgraded according to Felicity, so for the time being he would have to wait. The thing about waiting was that it gave too much idle time, and Oliver only spent that idle time thinking of one moment. The moment he thinks he may have made the worst decision of his life. His eyes looked down to the silver engagement ring in his hand, the diamond shimmering in the light. This was it. The key to the future he's always wanted with one woman. And he threw it away. He tilted the ring a bit, his eyes catching sight of something he hadn't noticed before. There was an inscription along the band. " Long, Live, Love." He read, the words tugging at him. He closed his eyes unable to do this. He needed to fix this.
Oliver lifted his head at the sound of the club doors opening and instantly scowled at the person who walked inside.
"Why are you here Bruce?" Oliver asked standing to his feet and walking down the stairs. "Shouldn't you be on a plane back to Gotham."
"Don't worry, Oliver I will be gone soon enough." Bruce replied glancing around the empty club before turning back to the man. "I'm on a food run. I guess moving makes people hungry." Oliver dropped his head, remembering the day John had told him of Katie selling her parent's house.
"She tell you where she's going?" Oliver asks, lifting his head back to the man.
"Would you care if she did?" Bruce asked, and Oliver growled before taking a step toward him, fully intending to just beat his face in. Bruce backed away, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I seriously have absolutely no room to judge you." the men simply stood there looking at each other.
"Why am I having doubts?" Oliver asked looking to the man who seemed all too content with his decisions with ending things with Felicity. "Why do I want to run to her every damn day and beg her to forgive me?" Oliver shook his head at the thoughts.
"Why haven't you?" Bruce asked and Oliver looked back to him. "It's because they're better off, because we can't give them everything inside of us, because everything inside of us doesn't even belong to us." Bruce turned away, finding the words that always got him through tough days. "They don't get it." he looked back to Oliver. "They don't understand what it takes to put on that mask and be the one person who can stop the bad things the way that only we can." Bruce shook his head. "The stories have it all messed up. The hero doesn't get the girl at the end. He can't because to be a hero, you also have to have a little darkness inside of you. And that can't get to her, that can't—" Bruce cleared his throat, trying to push down the thoughts that drove him insane if he let himself think on them for too long. "It was the right thing to do Oliver, trust me. Look that's not why I'm here."
"Are you here to tell me how Katie got off that plane, when you were supposed to take her to Gotham?" Oliver asked and Bruce let out a deep sigh.
"Actually I am." Bruce said with a shake of his head. "Only because I have no idea what Robins is in the middle of and it scares the hell out of me." Oliver saw the seriousness in them man's eyes and took a step forward.
"Tell me." Oliver demanded.
"Jacob Robins is alive and well, Oliver." Bruce said and Oliver stared in shock unsure how to respond to the statement. "And I think he has more plans in store for his daughter."
Lois Lane, star reporter, and so on and so forth, at this very moment was sure she was the biggest idiot in the world. It was just a cryptic email from someone she assumed was her anonymous source, and yet here she was, sitting on a park bench, in the middle of Centennial Park, sitting on a park bench awaiting the face the face she'd been waiting for. Sure Perry told her to drop this story, and forget about Starling, and sure Clark tried tossing other story ideas at her to try to distract her, but she couldn't. It was the General inside of her, telling her to not give up on something she knows is important and so she wouldn't.
"I'm glad you came Ms. Lane." A voice spoke from behind her. She was about to turn, but was stopped. "I think it's best if we took this slow."
"Ok, how about why you want to meet me here." Lois said before a folder was dropped on the bench beside her. She quickly grabbed it and opened it, the first page putting her in a state of shock. "Sebastian Blood—"
"Was working with Slade Wilson and the cause of the mayhem on the streets of Starling." said the man behind her. "Yes." Lois flipped through the pages of detail adoptions reports, cell phone records, and bank statements. "You are going to do an expose on the former mayor of Starling, and somewhere in there you're going to mention the Queen and the Robins families."
"Why?" Lois asked. "What is their families' connection to what happened to Starling?"
"That's the question that is going to get your boss to send you back Ms. Lane." the man replied.
"You want me to go back to Starling." the woman stated with a shake of her head. "Why? I didn't get any answer about anything. Just puzzle pieces that never fit together."
"It's because you thought you knew what the picture was going to be, and when nothing fit you kept grasping at those same wrong pieces."
"Then what are the right pieces?"
"Jacob Robins." the man replied. "You were so focused on his daughter, and her connection to his disappearance that you couldn't even fathom the idea that she had nothing to do with it. You were looking in the wrong place Ms. Lane."
"Then tell me where to start, what rock should I be turning over."
"You know for a world famous reporter, you sure don't know how to do your job." the man said. "Before you can get to point B Ms. Lane, first you have to—"
"Learn as much about Point A as possible." Lois finished before shaking her head. "Jacob. I need to dig deeper into him." Ideas started forming in the woman's head, when she finally turned to find no one there.
Jacob Robins stood staring at the large satellite video feed of people moving things from his house. He couldn't even say how much it hurt to see his daughter leaving the home he'd tried so hard to build for her.
"It was inevitable Jacob." came a voice from behind him, but he didn't turn, he didn't have to.
"Clark I'm not really in the mood for your judgmental, boy scout of America bullshit." Jacob said.
"What you did, to her—"
"For her!" Jacob snapped turning to the man. "I keep hearing what I did to her, but it was not done to her, it was for her, because if it wasn't my daughter would not be alive today. She wouldn't be the strong woman she is today, so please stop speaking of her as if she is a victim."
"If she's not a victim, then what is she, huh?" Clark asks moving to stand beside the man, and look up to the screen. "What is this?"
"This...this is her finally coming into her own. Finally becoming her own person. She's growing and becoming stronger and independent." Jacob said with a nod. "She's gonna need it all for what's coming."
"You can prevent it all from even touching her." Clark spoke and Jacob turned a glare to him.
"How dare you even claim such a thing? If I could stop what is coming, don't you think I would?" Jacob shook his head, turning back to the screen where he saw his daughter standing, looking out the window. "The fight that's coming is hers, all I have ever done is try to prepare her for it."
"So is she ready?" Clark asked and Jacob stared at the face of his daughter as he thought on the question he asked himself all the time.
"Not yet. Not now. Too much has happened and she's too distracted by emotions, but she's going to get it back." Jacob said with a nod.
"And Oliver?"
Jacob scoffs at the man's name. "Oliver is an idiot."
"And yet—"
"I know, she's going to need him if she ever plans on winning this battle. And he's going to need her if he ever plans on stop being such a retributive jackass and finally be happy." Jacob sighs as he looks to the house he'd built for his family, now being packed away in boxes. "They're going to have to find their way back to each other if they even attempt to beat the demon. He won't be holding any punches, and he's going to use every last one of their weaknesses against them."
Ra's Al Ghul was waiting. He wasn't an impatient man...if man is what you would like to think of him, but that isn't what was in question right now. At the moment, the demon head of some of the most deadliest assassins was just waiting. He stood at his favorite cliff, and looked out to the beautiful waters, when his daughter walked over.
"I assume your trip to Starling was fruitful?" he asked, not tearing his eyes from the waters.
"Yes father." Nyssa said, moving to stand beside him. "Nura was uncharacteristically tame for this fight. I think her return to Starling is making her weak." The statement just seemed to make the demon head chuckle. "What?"
"Jealousy is not a favorable look on you daughter. " the demon says glancing over to his daughter. "Nura has always been exceptional, what you mistook for weakness, is nothing more than fear."
"What is she afraid of?"
"What she's always been afraid of." Ra's replied turning back to the waters. "That darkness inside of her that will never go away." Footsteps neared, and Nyssa was the only one to turn around to the man who joined them. "Which is where Sarab comes in."
"My liege?" Sarab asked in confusion.
"Sarab, you have held many names before taking on your true name." Ra's spoke turning to the man. "One of those names is needed now. I need you to bring me Nura." Sarab simply nodded before turning and walking away.
"Father, how can he bring her back?"
"Because he is one of the demons she carries with her. We know him as Sarab." Ra's says with a slight smirk turning back to the beautiful water. "She knows him as Lian Yu."
For a few moments, Katie simply just looked over the closet, letting her fingers move across her father's suits. Her eyes then lifted to see a box, labeled "Grace". With curiosity, Katie reached up and grabbed the box, before sitting down on the floor and opening it. She smiled at the old pictures of her father and mother, along with little keepsakes. Katie's eyes soon found a few journals. She picked up one and paged through it. One page stopped her, it's words etching themselves into her brain as she read them.
"I dreamed of him again and just like the others, I woke up wishing that it was only a dream, but it never is. My dreams will always be reminders of the horrible things of my past. The horrible things forced upon me because of who my family is. It will always be the curse that haunts me for being born with the last name Al Gul."
Katie dropped the journal in shock, trying her hardest to make sense of words that couldn't be any clearer.
THE END