Wanting to escape Oliver's silence, Felicity gathered the remaining members of the teams and brought them up the stairs, into the night club.
The five grabbed a table for four. Parker shoved a stool from another table in between Cisco and Caitlin. They sat in silence, everyone too caught in their own thoughts to acknowledge one another.
Thea Queen approached the table. Her starting smile docked down a few notches when she registered the varying degrees of despair on each face.
"Are you guys okay?" she asked Felicity and Roy.
"Are you the waitress?" Parker cut in. "I need a beer. Please."
Thea nodded. "Uh, yes, what can I get you all?"
The group went around the table, ordering their drinks. Roy briefly thanked Thea for the night off and she nodded, promising to return with their drinks quickly.
"Who was that hottie?" Cisco wondered, his eyes wide with admiration.
"Oliver's sister," Felicity tiredly stated at the same time as Roy said, "My ex-girlfriend."
"So, stay away, is what you're saying," Cisco said.
Thea returned with the drinks. The second Parker had her drink in her hand, she tilted her head back and drowned it.
"Um.." Caitlin mumbled.
"I needed that," Parker defended. "I won't become an alcoholic, don't worry."
"No, Park, " Cisco said. His hand laid on her back, the other gently prying her hands away from her cup.
A faint red tint was stained onto the glass.
Startled, Parker accidentally dropped the glass. It didn't completely break, but a jagged line ran through one side.
She climbed down from the stool and held her hands close to her chest, careful not to touch anything but her own shirt as she fled from the table.
Parker shoved her way through sweaty teenagers and boys looking for.. uh, you know.. She kept her head held high. As soon as she pushed through the door to the bathroom, she let out a sigh of relief.
She poured a handful of soap into her palm. It only took a few seconds before the clear soap had been stained red. She rinsed her hands under the cold water. Her hands were slightly pink, but better than before.
Parker pried the end of her shirt up, turning on her side to fully see the ink soaked into her skin. She may have been totally hammered when she received her tattoo, but she had enough sense to pick a damn good one.
"Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over," she sang quietly. Her fingers ran over the ink, her cold hands sending a chill through her body.
Underneath cursive lettering of the words, don't dream it's over, four symbols were drawn. From left to right, a rewind button, a pause button, play button, and fast forward.
Parker paused her feelings of grief.
She hovered over the rewind button, reviewing what had happened, reminding herself she couldn't have helped anymore besides what she did to stop the bleeding.
Her finger tapped the play button, ridding any 'what if' thoughts.
All she was able to do was wait for news of Lyla's conditions.
"Nice tattoo."
Parker shouted a profanity. Her shirt fell back over her hips in the midst of her flapping her hands around in defense. With her tailbone pressed against the bathroom sink (the farthest she could have gone), she faced the intruder.
"Isaac? What in the hell? Why are you in Starling?"
"Calm down, lady, calm down," Isaac hushed, holding his hands up. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Obviously," Parker snapped. "Wait, why are you in the girls bathroom?"
Her question was answered when a blonde girl sauntered from the stall he exited from, pulling her skirt into place.
Parker's face scrunched up in disgust. Her mouth opened and closed, pondering just what to say. "I don't know. Be safe? Don't do drugs? I don't even know. I'm going to leave."
"Probably a good idea," Isaac nodded.
Flustered by the encounter, Parker shuffled out of the bathroom. Her face obviously conveyed utter confusion, something she hadn't noticed as she met up with the rest of the team.
"Something happen in the bathroom?" Roy asked.
Parker climbed onto the stool, shaking her head slightly. "I'm twenty-four and still a virgin."
Cisco had awkwardly cleared his throat. "Stuff I didn't need to know.."
"I caught this eighteen year old I know getting it on in the bathroom. Terrible. Gross," Parker shuddered, grabbing Cisco's drink and drowning it. "What did I miss?"
"We had been talking about how different our hometowns are," Caitlin said.
"FRS found a match on Harkness," Felicity announced, hopping down from the stool. "I should go tell Oliver."
The remaining four conversed about villains they had fought until Felicity sent Roy a text message, asking him to bring everyone back downstairs.
"Where did Barry and Oliver go?" Roy asked.
"Went after Harkness," Felicity said.
The computer screen was split down the middle. One side showed a map of the city that tracked where Barry and Oliver were, the other was a grid of security cameras.
"Harkness just triggered five bombs throughout the city!" came Barry's voice through the speaker, "We don't know where!"
Cisco and Felicity's heads whipped to one another. They spoke out loud, but only to work with each other.
"Okay, to blanket the entire city, he would have to use.." Felicity started.
"Radio controlled IED's. But if we key in on the detonators frequency.." Cisco continued.
Felicity clapped, then adjusted her hands to her keyboard. "Then, we can pinpoint the location of the bombs."
"I need a location!" Barry paused. "Well, I need five locations!"
"Nearest one is behind a restaurant near Faith and Flower," Cisco said.
Seconds passed while Barry cut through the town to find the streets. "Okay, hey guys, I found it. I'm going to run it out of the city."
"Barry, wait!" Felicity yelled.
"Not really an option."
"We think the bombs might be linked," Cisco said.
"What?"
"Press the emblem on your chest, I installed a camera there last week," Cisco ordered.
He clacked away on the computer. When he moved away from the screen, the team could see a video playing from Barry's perspective. They found a bomb sitting in a garbage can.
Best be glad a raccoon didn't climb in there or something.. Jeez.
"See the secondary trigger? Not just a receiver," Cisco pointed.
"It's a transmitter."
"Barry, if you try to defuse the bomb, the secondary trigger is going to send off a signal and all the bombs are going to explode," Felicity restated.
Parker finally understood the problem. For once, she didn't know how to use Barry's speed. He could never reach the amount of speed needed to zip around and defuse each bomb at the same time-- that was impossible.
She saw Roy glance at his watch. "We're running out of time."
"You have to defuse all the bombs at once," Cisco said. He looked hopefully between all members of the group, hoping one of them had an idea that could be executed within the short amount of time they had left.
"You're thinking of Multiplex, I can't be in five places at once--" Barry stopped. "But I don't have to be.."
Suddenly, Roy wasn't beside Parker anymore. A gush of wind flew past her and Caitlin had disappeared, then Felicity. Cisco grabbed his laptop and clutched it in his arms, being picked up by Barry seconds later.
Parker frowned when another whoosh didn't occur. "Of course I was left alone.." she scoffed.
"No more bombs," Barry defended.
If Caitlin, Felicity, and Parker had been in the same room together, a look would have been exchanged. There was no coincidence about the fact that Parker was left behind.
Parker tuned in the security cameras to the five locations of the bombs to watch. "Cisco, you're in charge, go ahead," she muttered.
"On the count of three, we need to cut the wire at the exact same time."
"Did you hear him?" Parker double-checked. "On three. Not after. Got it?"
A chorus of 'Okay' chimed through her ears. Parker shoved her scarf into her mouth, her eyes nervously scanning the traffic cameras that followed each one of them.
"One.."
Please deactivate.
"Two.."
I can't lose my friends.
Parker closed her eyes.
"Three."
There was no shake, there was no ear-shattering noise in her ear, and once her eyes had opened, all of her friends were still in one piece.
Cisco let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh..Screw you, Captain Boomerang."
>>>>
Excluding Diggle, who was at the hospital with a very alive Lyla, all seven team members gathered at Arrow HQ.
Barry was the last one to come down those steps. Anyone could tell he didn't want to. He painfully walked down those steps to an awaiting Parker, who stood with her hands on her hips and her eyes stuck in angry slits.
Parker honestly hadn't known how to approach the situation. Barry could have chosen anyone to be left behind, it just happened to be her. She decided she would reprimand him for it, considering if it had been done more obviously, it could've revealed their relationship, but that would be the end.
"Gather around, ladies and gentlemen," Parker called.
The team obeyed, making Barry's stomach drop. A team beat up? Probably a great bonding exercise, but incredibly painful for him.
"I was going to scream at you, Barry Allen. Because--"
Barry didn't need a review of what he did wrong. He already knew his mistake. He cut in, his words tumbling out of his mouth. "--because I left you here and if anyone had been paying attention, they could see we had a relationship."
Parker's hands fell from her hips. Her angry expression changed into a neutral one and for a moment, Barry didn't know what was going to happen. He started to take a step back, but she launched herself at him, her good arm wrapped around his neck.
"Good for you! At least you recognized it," Parker said proudly. She broke away from his chest, pressing her side against his stomach. "Group hug, losers! I'm glad you're all alive."
>>>>>
The gift exchange had to be pushed off until Barry and Oliver returned from putting Harkness in jail. After explanation from Felicity and Roy, Team Flash understood that it wasn't a normal jail, or even something like their pipeline. Oliver and co. had an island specialized for the villains they caught.
Caitlin used the time to start examining the arrow used to kill the Canary. She found some information, but she had machines at S.T.A.R. Labs that could get better results, so she held off on any further work on the arrow.
"I'll let you know as soon as I have the results. I'll call this time," Caitlin added.
"No, it's cool." Roy said, smiling at the three of them. "You guys are fun."
"You guys could be a lot funner--"
"--not a word--" Parker mumbled, hiding her words under a fake cough.
"-if you realized you were working under a night club," Cisco finished.
Parker's back had been facing the stairs when two hands were lightly placed on her shoulders. She turned her chin up and found Barry's face grinning back down at her. She let the side of her head fall on his chest.
"Did you guys take care of business?" Parker wondered.
"Yes, Digger Harkness is now cell mates with one Slade Wilson," Oliver said.
Felicity clapped her hands in appreciation.
"We have an underground pipeline, and they have a gorgeous tropical island," Barry said.
"With the landmines," Felicity shuddered. When Team Flash paused at her words, she shrugged it off. "It's a long story."
Barry's hands left Parker's shoulders. He moved around the table she sat on and near the salmon ladder, where a silver mannequin sat in a see-through box similar to Oliver's and Roy's. "What's this?"
"Oliver helped me put it in," Felicity said.
The gears in Barry's head finally clicked. He turned to Felicity and Oliver, his mouth dropped. "This is for me?"
"For the next time you're in town," Oliver corrected.
He moved to stand beside Parker, his arms crossed over his chest. Parker wrapped her arm around Oliver's shoulders, ignoring the uncomfortable look that he sent her.
"There's going to be a next time?" Barry asked.
"I'm still calling the shots," Oliver said.
"We'll talk about that," Barry challenged.
"Yes," Oliver nodded. "And then I'll call the shots."
Cisco clapped his hands. "So, we have a present for you as well, Oliver."
Oliver took the box from Cisco and unwrapped it, a small and surprised, "Whoa," coming from his mouth.
"It's polymer kevlar weave. Twenty five percent lighter, and can carry fifteen percent more gear," Parker said.
"It's subtle," he noted.
"I wanted to replace the hood, but Felicity said it had sentimental value, so," Cisco mentioned.
Oliver and Felicity shared a look filled with gratitude and sheepishness. It could only be classified as adorable. When Oliver started to thank Cisco, Parker made a heart with her hands and proudly showed it to Felicity, using her whole face to wink just one eye.
"You guys headed back?" Roy asked.
Caitlin scratched her head. "It's possible that Dr.Wells didn't sign off on us leaving.."
"Wait, what?!" Parker gasped, just learning about that information. "Oh, my God. He's going to kill us."
"Do you even still take the train?" Roy asked Barry.
"When I want to take a nap," Barry answered.
"Oh, you're taking the train. We're having a group meeting, and you're not permitted to miss it," Parker told him.
"Plus, we need to take a trip to the hospital on the way back to S.T.A.R. Labs," Caitlin added.
"Why?"
Collectively, everyone in the room sent Parker looks that could only be described as annoyed.
"Your shoulder is not okay? I mean, have you noticed that?" Roy tried to explain.
Parker reached her left hand back and gently poked at her right shoulder, immediately hissing. She had gained a bump on her right shoulder since they arrived at Starling.
"Oliver and I have some unfinished business first," Barry said.
Caitlin winced. "You guys aren't going to punch each other, are you?"
Parker and Cisco's eyes widened with anticipation and excitement.
"No!" Cisco protested. "You have to let us come!"
"Too bad," Oliver said.
>>>>>>
The first thing out of Barry's mouth when he reentered at the sunset was, "We're not telling you who won."
A collective groan came from the team. "No!" they protested. Well, Roy, Parker and Cisco did.
Caitlin and Felicity just watched the encounter like two disapproving moms.
Parker wrapped her arms around Barry's waist, her lips in a pout. "Not even for me?"
Oliver shoved his hand through their hug, pushing them away from each other. "No, not even for you."
"So, our train is leaving in fifteen minutes," Caitlin casually chimed.
"What?!" Barry and Parker chorused while Cisco screamed.
"I told you guys an hour ago! You were too busy trying to figure out who was going to win," Caitlin informed.
Parker shoved Barry off of her and they scrambled to grab their bags from the back. Thankfully, they had left their luggage at the Cave, knowing they would be going from the Cave to the train station.
Barry, Cisco and Caitlin were shouting their goodbyes while they raced up the steps. Parker's were by far the loudest.
"I'll text you my goodbyes, everybody. Thank you for having us!" she trotted up the stairs, using her hand to tug on her sling. It broke off of her shoulder and holding in her wince, tossed it to Roy. "Good night, Team Arrow. Parker out!"
And that was how she made her exit.
>>>>>
"You probably should have kept your sling," Barry reprimanded her as she whined under her breath about how much her shoulder hurt.
They had to run into the train station, through security and hop onto the train. Her arm hadn't exactly been still the entire time and from all the movement, it was giving her pain. Still, she continued to defend her actions.
"It was dramatic and the crowd loved it."
Parker dug her phone out and started to text her farewells.
To: Ollie Queenie
You told us that Barry&Parker wouldnt work.
From: Ollie Queenie
Yes I did.
To: Ollie Queenie
Thanks for that but i feel like you should prob work on ur health rather than worry about us..
From: Ollie Queenie
I have a feeling you don't mean physical health.
To: Ollie Queenie
Hell no. When you get too fat for the salmon ladder, Thats when ill nag you about ur physical health. Look, Ollie, we've both got good ones. Let her help you. we all know she wants to.
Parker didn't receive a response from Oliver. She was okay with that, hoping that it was making him think. She shoved her phone into the bottom of her purse and placed it in the middle of Team Flash, where they had placed all their luggage.
"Well, good times everybody. I hope we have all learned a lesson," Parker said.
"We have it so easy back in Central City," Cisco said.
"And I hope we can all be pushed to work a little bit harder, and smarter now," Parker encouraged.
Parker clapped her hands. She sat herself on Barry's lap rather than the train seat. She cuddled her head into the crook of his neck.
Barry wrapped his arms around her, his own head resting against her own. The second Cisco and Caitlin stopped talking to the couple would be the moment they both tried to sleep the rest of the way.
Caitlin was oblivious to their sleepiness. "So, Parker, how did you have that much knowledge about what living this life is like? You don't know any other superheroes right?"
"Not personally," Parker said. "I spent years and years reading comic books. Very insightful. And now, I know what I'm getting you all for Christmas!"
Cisco tried not to sound too excited. "Oh, woo-hoo. Just what I dreamed of.. Right, Caitlin?"
"Right!"
The only difference was that only one of them was actually excited for Parker's present.