#lauriverweek2020

[raywritesthings]

Once Upon a Star (City)

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Laurel Lance, Oliver Queen, Sara Lance, Nyssa al Ghul, Damien Darhk, Ted Grant, Quentin Lance, Malcolm Merlyn, Dinah Lance, Robert Queen, Raisa, Tommy Merlyn, Thea Queen, John Diggle, Dr. Fate, Zatara, Zatanna Zatara, John Constantine, Olivia Queen, Willima Clayton Pairings: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen, Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance Summary: King Robert and Lord Lance enter their eldest children into a betrothal arrangement, only for the celebration to be interrupted by Damien Darhk. Will Lady Laurel fall victim the curse upon her, or will true love prevail? *Can be read on AO3 or FFN, links in my bio*

Long ago, the kingdom of Star had a very special year. Queen Moira was expecting a child, an heir to the throne. With this event quickly approaching, King Robert had his mind on the future. When it came time to meeting with the various nobles who had pledged fealty to the kingdom, this mindset went with him, including in his talks with Lord Quentin Lance.

Lord Lance was a prickly sort whose loyalty and sense of right could not be bought with money or simple gifts. He commanded a measure of respect among the common folk who tended his land and who he protected in times of strife. Good relations with the nobleman meant peace within his kingdom, and Robert thought he saw the way.

“Lord Quentin, I wish you well and congratulate you and your wife on the birth of your daughter.”

“Thank you, your Grace,” Lord Quentin answered with a short bow of his head. “We’ve named her for her mother. And it’s my hope she’ll grow into a true lady of the kingdom.”

“I am certain of that. It’s why I am prepared to make you a conditional offer.”

Lord Quentin frowned. “Conditional how?”

“On the birth of the new heir to my throne,” King Robert told him. “Should the infant be a boy, as I’m hoping he will be, I wish to propose a betrothal between your daughter and my son.” He could see the shock on the nobleman’s face.

“You’re serious?”

“I am interested in focusing on my people, Lord Quentin, not on the lands of others. The future Queen should be one of our own, and I can think of few families finer. But we shall wait for the birth before making any final arrangements.”

Prince Oliver arrived to much merriment, and the two families planned a grand feast to celebrate the births and the future union of their houses into one. All the kingdom was invited, save one.

The day of the celebration, three of the kingdom’s most respected and sought-after Sidhe were in attendance to bless the future union and the infants individually. First were the gifts bestowed upon the Prince, starting with the one called Fate.

He rose half a foot in the air with both arms held out as he spoke. “To the young Prince, I give him strength of body and strength of heart, to endure the hardships of the crown. Where others falter, he will lead.” Thus spoken, he lowered back to the stone floor of the great hall.

“Show off.” Constantine was the second of these Sidhe to step forward, striking a match against the baby’s crib. “I give the Prince what some may call the gift of diplomacy. With his wit and his humor he will charm those who seek war and and soothe those with rancor against the crown. And with this gift, he will woo the fair lady to which he’ll find himself wed.” That said, he stepped back and lit a smoke.

Last if the three was Zatara, who held a hand over the crib as he said his own piece. “To the future king I give a warrior and a hunter’s skill. No weapon wielded by his hand shall be bested, and thus restraint shall be the true measure of his ability.”

With these gifts given to the Prince, the Sidhe turned their attentions to the Princess-to-be. Again, Fate took his turn first.

“To the child, I give the gift of beauty, within and without. Her face shall inspire the poets and her kindness shall inspire the people.”

Constantine breathed out a trail of smoke before speaking. “I give the little lady the gift of a strong voice. Raised in anger or song, all will hear her and all will listen, or quickly learn their lesson,” he added with a smirk.

Zatara stepped forth, but before he could speak a tremendous wind threw the doors open and blew out every torch in the hall. The King, Queen and Lady Lance all drew back in horror.

Damien Darhk, most feared of the Unseelie, stepped through the open doors to several gasps. “Your Majesties, Lords and Ladies. Forgive my tardiness. I only just learned of this happy celebration today.” He walked up the aisle of people that parted at his approach until he had nearly reached the dais upon which the two ceremonial cribs sat. “I’m sure the messenger with my invitation has a good explanation for it.”

Lord Lance stepped forward, a frown on his face. He had never appreciated Darhk’s encroachments upon the kingdom nor his veiled threats. “There wasn’t one sent.”

The Unseelie drew back, face transformed into a mockery of shock. “Not sent? But that means… you didn’t want my presence at your celebration. Such a shame. After all, I only wished to give the dear little girl a gift of my own.”

“You did?” Lady Lance asked hesitantly.

“Why yes. Do listen.” He raised a hand. “The future Highness will indeed be beautiful and kind, loved by her Prince and all that feel her kindness. But—” And here his voice turned from pleasant to cold and hard. “Before the Earth completes its turn past her thirtieth year, she will fall to an arrow, and die.”

“No!” Quentin lunged, but was held back by his terrified wife.

“Seize him, before he harms the Prince as well!” King Robert declared. His guards charged, but the laughing Darhk merely disappeared in a flash of light and smoke. When it cleared, all were left in confusion and dismay. A celebration that had quickly turned to a time of mourning.

“Do not despair just yet,” Fate told the families. “For Zatara has yet to give the final gift.”

“You mean, you can reverse what that monster’s done to her?” Quentin didn’t dare to hope as he looked upon the Sidhe.

Zatara bowed his head for a moment. “Not reverse entirely, but lessen. With my daughter’s help, our magic can divert the course of Darhk’s prophecy to some degree.” He beckoned a small dark-haired girl to stand with him, and the father took the lead. “Dear child, though others wish you harm, I give you this final protection. Should the arrow pierce your flesh, death it will not bring, but sleep.”

“Peaceful sleep eternal,” the young Zatanna repeated. At her father’s urging, she continued with a brighter gleam in her eyes, “Though many may try to wake you, only one way will they find: the kiss of true love, a power stronger than all the darkness of this world, will end the evil curse upon you and bring the happiness once promised to us all.”

A faint glow seemed to emanate around the Sidhe and the cribs, sealing the magic before dimming once more.

“Thank you, Zatara,” King Robert said. “But there is nothing else that can undo this wicked trick?”

“None, save hiding the child away, which is what I would do if Darhk set his eyes upon me,” Constantine remarked. Then he turned and walked away. The other Sidhe soon followed.

The Lances were both crestfallen at this announcement; they could not simply abandon their station to seek a hideaway nor could they expect to keep their daughter safe from the threat of arrows within the kingdom. Lord Lance, however, was loathe to trust the power of something so intangible as true love’s kiss, and so he resolved to have his daughter hidden away from everyone, even himself.

The task was entrusted to a retired knight who held the highest honors: Sir Ted the Wildcat. His wilder nature, already tempered with age, would soften even further in the presence of the sweet child he would raise as if his own. He even gave her a new name to better hide her from Darhk’s spies: Laurel. In the dark of night, he slipped away with the baby deep into the woods in a tiny cabin, as removed from the pomp and circumstance she might have been raised in as one could get.

Lord and Lady Lance produced a second daughter they named Sara. The nobles and the royals decided the betrothal agreement between their families would go on, this time without a special celebration to commemorate it. And though they raised the young prince and the young lady with this idea in mind, their children proved far more inclined to pursue their own fates…

---

Fourteen years later, Prince Oliver of Star rode through the woods. “Ollie, come on! Stay on the path.”

He looked back at Tommy, his closest friend from childhood, and laughed. “You stay on it if you want.” He urged his horse on and soon found himself hopelessly lost, which was probably what Tommy had been trying to warn him about. Oh well. He enjoyed being out in the woods where he wasn’t the King’s son, heir to the throne and all that. He could waste a day away out here if he wanted.

Not far away in a tiny wooden cabin, Laurel was preparing for a day out with a book to read and a basket for collecting berries, herbs and anything else that caught her fancy. “I’ll be back to make dinner, Ted.”

“Don’t go too far,” he cautioned her, as he always did.

Laurel smiled and shook her head. He was such a worrier. She stepped outside and shut the door behind her, humming under her breath. As she went further out, confident in her complete isolation from even Ted, her humming turned to song. First under her breath, then louder as her confidence grew. She liked her voice, but she’d grown shy of sharing it when she hardly had an audience.

Yet that was about to change.

Oliver looked up, pulling the reins to slow his horse to a trot, then a walk. Had he heard something?

Then it came again, off through the trees. The most beautiful voice he’d ever heard. Like a siren’s call, perhaps, it beckoned him. And so he went, riding quickly and jumping over brambles and fallen logs in his path.

He slowed once again to listen, then swung off his horse and walked the rest of the way through the trees that separated him from the owner of such a voice. When he at last lifted a branch aside to see into a small clearing, he was momentarily stunned. “Lord…”

A maiden with long, blonde hair and sparkling green eyes swayed her way this way and that. Her clothes were plain and she’d forgone stockings and even shoes for the moment as she seemed content to feel the grass beneath her feet as she moved to the music of her own making.

Heedless to any observer, Laurel continued her approximation of a dance, the little she had gleaned from her books of how one was meant to dance. If only she had a real partner instead of her daydreams to help show her how it was meant to be.

And then, quite suddenly, she did.

Oliver had tied the reins of his horse to the branch, stepping forward just as her back had turned to catch her hands and guide her in a spin. The surprise on her face mirrored what he felt at his own daring; he hadn’t been able to resist.

“Oh!”

Instantly, he released her and stepped back hands raised. “I’m sorry. You looked a little lonely there.”

Laurel backed up into a tree, eyes wide as she took the young man in who was standing before her. She’d never met a man in the woods before; she was usually so much more careful.

“I wasn’t lonely. In fact, I’m meant to be alone,” she argued. “Or at least, not with some stranger.” There was no need to make him think she was all by herself, after all, even if she feared she was very much out of Ted’s earshot.

Oliver shook his head. “We can’t really be strangers.” He didn’t want this encounter to end so soon.

Laurel stepped away from the tree she’d half-hidden behind, intrigued despite herself. “Can’t we?”

He thought quickly, then asked, “Haven’t you ever dreamed of meeting some handsome fellow?”

Laurel ducked her head and blushed. “Yes.”

Oliver spread his arms. “Well then, here I am.”

“You’re very confident about that,” Laurel teased. “I didn’t even say if he was blond.”

For a moment, he seemed stumped. But Oliver quickly rallied. “Some have described my hair as a very light brown. I’m adaptable.”

“Are you,” she replied, grinning so widely she thought her cheeks might hurt. She wasn’t meant to find strangers so charming, but there was just something about him, as if they really had met in some dream of another life. “Who are you, really?”

He grinned. No one ever asked him that question. He found he liked it. “You can call me Ollie.”

She thought he might be a hunter of some sort. She’d heard them pass by her home a number of times but never seen one so close. And his clothes were of a much finer weave than any she might have expected a common hunter to wear. But whether he was or wasn’t, she didn’t find herself terribly worried. So she curtsied and said, “Well, Ollie, I’m Laurel.”

He bowed in turn. “Laurel. A beautiful name to accompany such natural beauty as I’ve found here.” He was happy to see her pretty blush again. “Shall we continue our dance?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t learned the rest.”

“Then I’ll lead. Trust me, I know them all.” They’d been drilled into his head by tutors, and though he’d been irritated at the time, he appreciated the excuse now to be nearer to her. Laurel allowed him to take one of her hands again as he guided her other hand to his shoulder before placing his own at her waist. He nodded to her once and they were off, dancing around the clearing.

Laurel could hardly believe this was happening. She’d rarely met anyone in her life besides Ted, and now she was dancing in someone’s arms. Ollie guided her less sure movements and never complained or asked why she didn’t know them. He was a perfect gentleman.

Although as they slowed in the middle of the clearing and his arm slipped around her waist instead of resting at the side, she remembered herself. “Wait!”

Oliver, who had just been about to give into the temptation of kissing the beautiful maid, stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure I should — it’s just that, before they died, my caretaker promised them I would wait for my true love to have my first kiss.” She had no way of knowing, of course, that the story was partly a lie; the Lord and Lady Lance still lived.

Oliver, for his part, was saddened to know her life had been marred by such a tragedy so young. He stepped back to allow some space between them again. “I see. But, if you don’t let anyone kiss you, how are you meant to find your true love?”

She shook her head, smiling. “I’d yet to find anyone until today, so I’ll have to let you know some other time.” She scooped up her basket. “I’m behind on my errands. I should say goodbye.”

“And wander through the woods with no escort?” He offered his arm. “Please, allow me.”

With only a moment’s hesitation, she took it, walking along towards the berry bushes she knew would yield the best results for Ted’s cooking; she could not seem to produce food of any quality on her own, but she knew what went into it.

“What is your book?” He asked, nodding to her basket.

“Today, it’s a collection of decrees by the King. Not many apply all the way out here, but I find them fascinating. Like a glimpse of the world beyond these woods.”

“How did you and your caretaker come to dwell out here?” He couldn’t help thinking that Laurel belonged in the palace with all the amenities and comforts such a life provided.

She shrugged. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I think it was a woodcutter’s cottage before it became our home.”

“Laurel?” A voice called, one familiar to her but not Oliver.

“Oh, Ted,” she whispered. She pulled her arm away from Oliver and smoothed her dress. “You have to go. He can’t see you.”

“Alright. But when can I see you?”

“Sometime,” she promised distractedly. Ted had called for her again. “I’m always out here for this or that thing. Just come find me — coming, Ted!” She stopped and turned back to Oliver, grasping his hand with both of hers. “Goodbye. And thank you for showing me the dance.”

“It was my pleasure. I’ll come find you again, Laurel.” He held onto her hands as long as he was able before they slipped from his grasp and she was hurrying away through the trees. Such a strange but captivating young maiden. He longed to be with her again already.

Oliver went back to his horse and rode for home. He evaded all questions of where he had been and what he had been up to, excusing himself to see his betrothed. Though, truthfully, he considered her far more a friend.

Oliver and Sara had courted for a time, and indeed still did to keep up appearances. But Sara had confessed she didn’t wish to settle down and be Queen with all the expectations that came with it, and Oliver, young and uninterested in commitment himself, had agreed to the ruse with little hesitation. So she was the only person he felt he could safely tell his secret to. He told her everything from the voice he had heard to the lovely maiden and the dance and conversations they had shared. “I never knew meeting someone, even for a moment, could change so much. But I think I’m in love.”

“After only one meeting?”

“I’m going to see her again. And I’ll keep seeing her the whole rest of our lives if she wants. I can’t explain it, Sara,” he told her. “I just know this is right.”

“It sounds wonderful, Oliver, it does. But you know your parents will never let you marry a common girl even if they let you out of marrying me.”

The reality of his position caught up to him once more, and his shoulders slumped. Laurel was everything he might have longed for in his love, and he was sure the whole kingdom would find her a most beautiful, intelligent and kind Lady. Even a Queen, someday. But it would never be.

“Then I simply won’t marry,” he declared. There would be two lives for him. One, Prince Oliver, heir to the throne of Starling; the other, Ollie, Laurel’s sweetheart and companion. It was the only way.

---

For years, their clandestine meetings continued. Whenever the Prince could catch a few moments of privacy, whenever the Lady could escape her minder for an hour or so in the summer sun. Winters were long and lonely as they had no place to see each other that protected them from the elements. Campaigns with the knights to protect their borders occupied nearly five years of his time as well, though the fighting kept him from having to answer his parents’ increasing demands to settle down.

And Laurel was growing impatient as well. “Haven’t we waited long enough, Ollie?”

“I thought you were worried about leaving Ted?” Her caretaker had grown quite old in the intervening years, after all.

“We wouldn’t have to abandon him. But I want to make a life with you. A home, a family. We’re already thirty. How much longer should we wait?”

He sighed. It was wrong of him to keep delaying and never explaining why, he knew that. But he was convinced that he had lied for so long about his title of Prince that she might reject him if he told the truth now.

The other complicating factor was that he wasn’t sure he even wanted to be Prince any longer. Oliver cared about his people, but he felt lost trying to fill his father’s shoes. And knowing he would only be allowed to rule without the woman he loved at his side left him defeated and uninspired.

Perhaps he wasn’t meant to be a great King like his forefathers. Thea was of age and a bright young girl at that. She could provide the kingdom with guidance, couldn’t she?

“I’ve loved you for nearly half of my life, Laurel. Is this absolutely what you have your heart set on?”

“It is.”

Oliver nodded. It was time to choose, and he already knew his choice. “Let me return home and make arrangements, gather provisions. We’ll leave tomorrow on your birthday and make our own way in the world.”

Laurel beamed, throwing her arms around him in a hug that he returned, nearly lifting her off her feet. “Thank you, Ollie. I’ll wait for you at the cottage. We can tell Ted and get his blessing.” She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek — the closest intimacy they’d yet to share — and then they parted to enact their plan.

Once home, Oliver gathered his most trusted friends. This included Sara, Princess Thea, Tommy and Sir John, his most loyal knight and de facto advisor.

“Some of you know parts of this already, but I’ve finally made up my mind. I’m going to abdicate the throne.”

“What?” Tommy cried.

“Is it for your lady?” Thea guessed with a knowing smirk.

“Definitely gotta be the lady,” Sara agreed.

“Your Highness,” Sir John began with a frown. He had figured out some years ago that Oliver had been purposefully slipping his guard to go somewhere, but had never quite glean the location of the tiny cottage. A fact Oliver was grateful for, as it would have rather spoiled the whole thing. “What about the kingdom?”

“The kingdom is still in my father’s capable hands. And I’m sure Thea will make a better heir to the throne than me.”

“Whoa, who said I wanted to?” His sister asked.

“Ollie, just think for a minute. You’re going to leave your friends and family completely behind just for a woman you’ve met up with every so often?”

“And who you’ve been lying to,” Sir John pointed out.

“It’s not lying if I’ll no longer be the Prince,” Oliver argued, even as guilt twisted his insides. Maybe he would tell Laurel once they had gotten safely away, but he knew doing so right now would only complicate things, so what was the point? “I’ve made up my mind on this. Laurel is more important to me than anyone, so if I can’t have the life I want with her here, I’ll make one for us elsewhere. I just didn’t want you all to worry about me.”

“I say you should follow your heart,” Sara recommended.

“Yeah, but… we’ll miss you,” Thea added. He stepped forward and gathered her in a hug for a moment.

When he offered his hand to Tommy his friend reluctantly shook it before taking his leave. Sir John did not even offer his own hand.

“I suppose you’ll need to be making preparations, Oliver.”

Oliver sighed. He knew the knight thought he should be doing more for the kingdom, but he had served it for his whole life. Did he not deserve some of his own happiness?

Tommy returned to the wing of the castle set aside for him and his father, the advisor to King Robert — and Queen Moira’s lover, though only a very few within the castle knew that. Though he loathed his father, Tommy knew that leaving his authority meant losing his status in the castle, and he was prepared to admit he could not survive as a commoner. Though Oliver’s impending absence from the castle made it a far less appealing alternative.

“What has you in a sulk today, Tommy?” His father asked, sounding faintly amused at his expense.

Well, he had news that would likely knock the wind out of his father’s sails. “Ollie,” Tommy answered him. “He’s leaving his crown to spend his days with a girl he’s been seeing. I’m sure she’s beautiful and a terrific singer and everything else he’s said, I just—”

“She’s a singer?”

“Yes,” Tommy repeated slowly. “Not professionally, she doesn’t travel with the minstrels or anything. Just lives out in the woods with some cranky old guy named Ted.”

“I see,” said Malcolm, the wheels turning in his mind. 

What Tommy did not realize was that his father was not content with simply being the King’s advisor; he was hungry for ever more power, and if his suspicions were correct about the identity of this maiden, he believed he had a way to get it.

“I shall have to think on what this means for the kingdom,” he said out loud, excusing himself from the room. He stopped by the royal armory to retrieve a particular item, then descended deep into the dungeons until he entered a secret room which contained only a stone idol. Malcolm knelt before it and waited.

After a moment, a blinding flash of light emitted from the idol, then standing in the room was the Unseelie himself: Damien Darhk.

“You call upon me, Lord Merlyn?”

“Yes. I believe I have information on the Lady you have long sought. And I know how it can help us both achieve our own ends.”

---

In the old woodcutter’s cottage, Laurel had just finished packing her things when a knock sounded at her door. Drawing in a breath, she called out, “It’s open, Ted.”

Her old caregiver entered the room, raising his eyebrows as he noticed the state of her things. “You’re ready?”

Laurel blinked. “Well, yes.” How did he know? Was he just guessing, or had she been too obvious in her attempts to sneak away to see Ollie? “I’ve been meaning to tell you. I just hadn’t figured out how.”

Now Ted was the one confused. “Tell me what?”

“About my leaving to start a new life. I’ve met someone, Ted. Someone wonderful. And he thinks the same of me. He’s been a man of distinct honor,” she stated, as she could see his face already start to fall. “I kept my promise to you about waiting. But I — I really do think he might be the love of my life.”

To her disappointment, he only shook his head. “I should have kept a better eye on you. I didn’t want to restrict you to the house, that just didn’t seem healthy.”

Laurel frowned. “Ted—”

“It’s not your fault. You don’t understand. But Laurel, you can’t be with him.”

She felt the color rise in her cheeks as she marched forward a step. “And why not?”

“Because your marriage has already been arranged!” He exclaimed.

Laurel’s mouth dropped open, and Ted sighed.

“You are the Lady Dinah Lance, named for your mother who still lives. Her and your father, a prominent Lord of the kingdom of Star.”

“My parents? They’re still — but why—”

“At a ceremony commemorating your birth, an Unseelie cursed you over a petty disagreement with your father. The curse was said to take effect by your 31st birthday, but Lord Lance entrusted you to my care, to keep you safe and away from the evil seeking to find you.”

Laurel couldn’t even think of what to say. She’d been cursed? What even was it a curse of? Was it in effect now?

Ted continued. “At that same celebration, the kingdom was also celebrating the birth of the new Prince. It was decided by your parents that he was to be your betrothed.”

“I’m promised to the Prince?” Laurel managed to shake her stupor enough to ask. She didn’t even know who the Prince was! King Robert’s son, she supposed, but the books they had in the cottage were old and made no mention of him. What was he like? Surely nothing like her Ollie.

“When is your young fellow coming here?”

“Tomorrow. For my birthday,” Laurel answered numbly.

“Then we’ll leave immediately to reach the castle by sunset.” He raised a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “It is better to not involve him. For your own protection.”

She didn’t know what to feel. Her parents were alive? She had a family who had sent her away, but were waiting for her. She was a lady — but betrothed to another man!

It was this that finally caused her to sink onto her bed, her head resting in her hands.

“This isn’t fair,” she cried, her shoulders shaking.

“Life often isn’t,” Ted said simply, though she knew he meant it as a comfort. “And your life has been harder than most.” She heard his footsteps shuffle to the door and back again. “I purchased this from a traveling caravan. It might not be the standards of the court, but I thought it might better suit a lady of your standing than what I’ve been able to give you all these years.”

Laurel raised her head to see the blue gown he held out to her. It was the nicest thing she’d ever had to wear, and all she could think was that she wanted it out of her sight.

“For your birthday, huh?”

Laurel stood slowly, ignoring the dress in favor of hugging her caretaker. “Thank you, Ted. I just wish… but wishing won’t do any of us good.”

Ted nodded and left her room to allow her to change, taking her packing with him to prepare for their journey.

She would have to return tonight to see her parents; they had sacrificed so much to ensure her safety, she felt an obligation to at least assuage the worries they had to have held all these years. Once done, she could explain her situation and how she simply could not go through with the marriage they had arranged for her. Even if it was to the Prince? Surely they would understand.

If they did, would she be able to find Ollie again? How long would he wait at their cottage until he had decided she had left him? She couldn’t see any easy way out of this.

With defeat in her heart, she put on the gown and descended the steps. She felt strange, almost out of her own body in the formal dress. Ted took her hand and led her out to a horse he must have arranged for. He helped her onto it while she figured out how to ride side-saddle, and then he took the reins to lead the animal in a slow walk. To her, it felt like a funeral procession; the end of her old life and dreams.

They continued through most of the night. Sir Ted was wary of stopping for too long on the open road. But eventually, their horse needed to stop for water, so he helped Laurel off while he brought the animal to a small stream.

Laurel stared out at the trees while she waited, wishing for all the world that something might forestall this unexpected change to her life.

Then something did. A green glow off in the distance that was at once captivating and entrancing. It called to her, nearly sounding like the voice of her dear love. Laurel walked toward it, unable to help herself.

Sir Ted turned the horse back around for the path, but stopped as he discovered his charge missing from where he had left her. “Laurel?” Off through the trees, he just caught sight of her back and the green glow drawing her like a moth to flame. “Laurel!”

Laurel was heedless to his shout, hypnotized as she was by magic — for it was Darhk’s magic guiding her steps, closer and closer. She believed herself to be reaching her beloved Ollie, and therefore raised not even a hand to defend herself when the Unseelie stuck her side with an arrow from the Prince’s own quiver.

Sir Ted crashed through the undergrowth just in time to watch his dear charge collapse into the deep slumber the Sidhe had predicted. “No!”

Damien Darhk laughed to see his revenge at last carried out. He dodged the knight’s enraged strike with ease before throwing him against a tree. “You mortals thought you could outwit me, did you? Let this be a message to you all. Of course, I haven’t finished my fun. There’s a Prince I need to see to next.” With that, he disappeared in a flash of blinding light.

Sir Ted crawled towards the fallen maiden, despair filling him at the sight of her still form. “I failed you. Lord forgive me…” His arm outstretched towards hers, he fell insensate for a time.

Sir Ted roused at the sound of hooves against the dirt path. “Prince Oliver!” A voice shouted. “Prince Oliver!”

“Help,” Sir Ted mumbled weakly, before rallying his full voice. “Help, please!”

A number of guards led by Lord Merlyn himself found them. “What has happened here?” The nobleman asked, directing his guards to help both the older knight and the young lady off the earthen floor. “Speak quickly.”

“I am Sir Ted, the knight Lord Lance sent with his daughter years ago to protect her from Damien Darhk. But this night, I have failed my sworn task. Darhk appeared to her and lured her into a trap where she met with the arrow that he foretold.”

“The Prince’s arrow,” Lord Merlyn said, picking the offending weapon up from the ground. “And the same night that he has fled the castle. There has been some treachery at work tonight.”

“It was Darhk, I tell you,” Sir Ted tried to explain.

“Lord Lance must be informed, and the kingdom prepared,” Merlyn said, ignoring the retired knight. He snapped at a pair of guards. “Bring the young Lady Lance. She should be allowed to rest with her family at last.”

They carried her away before Sir Ted could voice another protest. He hurried to his horse, determined to follow the group. Even if he had failed to stop the dark prophecy from unfolding, he refused to abandon his duty to Laurel.

And he sensed a kind of treachery indeed.

---

Within the court at Star, the Lord and Lady Lance were preparing a massive feast, for it was finally the day their daughter would return. Only the older servants truly knew this, though; Quentin and Dinah had long forbidden any mentions of their lost baby, for fear it would incur the interest of the Unseelie who lurked their lands.

Yet in the midst of their preparations, a servant showed in a most auspicious guest along with two of his guard.

“Lord Malcolm,” said Lady Dinah, curtsying low. “We are honored by your presence tonight.”

“I wish I could say the honor was mine, Lady Dinah. But I fear I bring you both news of a tortuous sort. My men encountered Sir Ted the Wildcat in the woods on his way here with a young lady. The one you have been waiting for, I believe.”

Lord and Lady Lance both held their breath. Unknown to them all, Lady Sara had stopped just outside the room, curious and straining to listen in on this conversation.

“She was struck down by an arrow just as you have feared these thirty years,” Lord Merlyn told them at last.

“No!” Lady Dinah’s legs could not support her, and she fell back into a chair.

“What’s more, it was done by the Prince’s hand.”

“What?”

Lord Lance’s exclamation covered his daughter’s own gasp. Oliver had killed some young woman? He would never! And anyway, he was on his way to the woodcutter’s cottage to run off with his lady friend.

“I have begun a search for the Prince. We have no idea what he plans to do next, but it is clear the royal family has turned on us if they have seen fit to rob you of your daughter on the eve of your reunion.”

Daughter? Sara mouthed the word to herself. What did that mean? She was right here.

“I cannot believe this,” Lord Quentin said. “After everything King Robert promised. That his son would — it’s unthinkable!”

“He’s gone mad.” Lady Dinah turned to her husband. “Quentin, if he struck down our eldest, what of Sara?”

“Lord Malcolm wishes to offer protection for her,” a guard stated.

“Thank you,” Lord Quentin said. “I would ask that you protect her and my wife. Lord Malcolm, I wish to join you in your search for the Prince so that my firstborn will be avenged.”

“Wait.” Sara came out into the open at last, startling the group. “What is going on? You’re all talking like I have a sister.”

“There isn’t time, dear,” her mother said. “Go with Lord Malcolm’s guards and I’ll join you once I’ve seen to the servants.

“Come, Lady Sara,” a guard said, taking her by the arm and having to drag her out of the home where they were joined by even more guards.

“What happened to her? Why did you lie to me?” Her whole life, she’d never thought she was anything other than an only child. Why would her parents have sent one of their own away, and why would Oliver ever do something so cruel as to harm her before Sara even got to meet her? This didn’t make any sense!

“Let me go!” Sara struggled to free herself from their hold, but they outnumbered her greatly and had weapons besides. So it was to her surprise that her captors suddenly stopped.

“Move off the path!” One of them ordered.

“I will not,” said a woman’s voice, powerful and vaguely foreign-sounding. When Sara peeked over one of the guard’s shoulders, she caught a glimpse of the stranger; cloaked and with a scarf over her nose and mouth, what struck Sara first was her dark and piercing eyes. Then the sword at her side.

“You will release the maiden and tell me where I may find Lord Merlyn.”

“We’ll do no such thing. Seize her!”

What happened next, Sara could hardly believe. The woman ducked and weaved through the guards, cutting them down with practiced ease until none remained standing. Then she was suddenly standing right in front of her, but Sara found she was the one breathless.

“Come with me if you wish to be safe from those men.”

Sara took the woman’s hand without question, being pulled along away from her family’s castle, through the village, and into the surrounding trees.

“Who are you?”

Her rescuer looked back at her. “I am Nyssa, Heir to Nanda Parbat. I have been sent to settle a quarrel my father has with your kingdom’s advisor.”

“So why save me?”

“Because you required it. Is it not common for those on a quest to rescue beautiful ladies in your land? I had read as such.”

“Um, yeah, it’s common,” Sara replied, feeling her face heat up. She thought she could see the outline of a smirk beneath the scarf still adorning her rescuer’s face. “I’m Lady Sara,” she said, rallying herself. She wasn’t usually so shy, but then, she’d never been saved by a gorgeous lady before!

“Lady Sara,” said Nyssa al Ghul, bowing low over Sara’s hand and pulling her scarf down at last in order to kiss it. Sara has been right; she was gorgeous. “Do you know where I may find Lord Merlyn?”

“All I know is he’s leading my father and a bunch of men to try and capture my friend, the Prince of Star. He’s claiming Oliver hurt my sister or something — he’s claiming I have a sister in the first place, which is already news to me.”

“The fabled Lady, cursed by Darhk, perhaps?” When Sara stared at her blankly, Nyssa elaborated. “My father’s sources told him of a Lady in the court of Star cursed upon birth to fall into eternal slumber after her thirtieth year. She was secreted away from your kingdom to protect her from the Unseelie they call Damien Darhk — but it seems to me this plot is one of Lord Merlyn’s design.”

“Eternal slumber? 

Sara wished she could have a minute to just process all of this, but her eye had caught upon an older-looking knight riding in on a horse with some sort of jungle cat embroidered upon his tunic. She pulled Nyssa along toward him.

“Sir Ted?”

“I am, yes. Forgive me, but I must find Lord Lance. I have news for him.”

“He knows about his daughter already,” Sara told him. “And I’m her sister.”

The knight’s face fell, and he dismounted. “I am sorry I could not protect her. But there has been a grave error made. The Prince was not her attacker. I must tell the court the truth, and then return to the cottage to see if I may find Laurel’s love waiting for her there. He may be her only hope.”

“Then it is true love’s kiss which breaks the curse?” Nyssa asked.

“My sister’s name is Laurel?”

Sir Ted looked down. “I called her such for thirty years to better hide her, yes. Her true name is Lady Dinah, the betrothed of Prince Oliver and therefore the future Queen of our kingdom. But if the man she met on her own is her true love, then nothing can stand in the way of bringing him here.”

“No, but my friend, Oliver, he’s the Prince. And he met a girl out in the woods years ago. He’s planning to meet her at her cottage and run away, and her name is Laurel.” Sara gasped. “Ollie’s Laurel. He’s walking into a trap!”

“Then we will attempt to intercede,” declared Nyssa. “I must borrow your horse, Sir. Come, Lady Sara.” Nyssa helped her step into the stirrups, then mounted the horse behind Sara, bracketing her with her arms as she reached for the reins to spur the horse into a gallop. 

“Find Laurel!” Sara called back to the knight. “We’ll bring Ollie to her!”

She could only hope they reached Oliver before her father and Lord Merlyn did.

---

As Oliver approached the woodcutter’s cottage for the first time, he observed his surroundings and slowed. The air was still, the trees quiet. Not a single creature making noise, and no candles were lit inside despite it being just after daybreak. Something was amiss.

The door swung open, and a man with nearly white-blond hair stepped out. “Oh fine, don’t fall for it. I can improvise.”

Oliver reached for an arrow in his quiver. “Who are you, and what have you done with Laurel?” He could tell by the man’s voice that this certainly wasn’t her caretaker Ted.

“I am Damien Darhk, the infamous Unseelie. And what I’ve done to your beloved is what I promised to do thirty years ago as thanks for the slight her father Lord Lance dealt me.”

Oliver froze. Lord Lance was Laurel’s father? But she’d told him she was an orphan, and Sara had never made mention of an older sister.

“I can see the wheels struggling to turn,” Darhk remarked with amusement. “Allow me to explain. When you were a baby, your parents entered you into a betrothal arrangement with Lord and Lady Lance’s daughter. Their eldest daughter. The whole kingdom was invited except me. Kind of a harsh way to find out you’re so disliked, right? So I cursed her to die before her thirty-first birthday.”

Oliver had been taught about the Sidhe and Unseelie by his various tutors, but this seemed unconscionable. “You cursed an infant for something she had no control over?”

“Yes. I am evil, that is the idea,” Darhk replied. Just as Oliver nocked his arrow on the bow, the Unseelie raised his hand and he felt himself frozen in place. “I wasn’t done talking,” Darhk said, his voice turning cold for an instant.

Try as he might, Oliver couldn’t seem to break the spell over him.

“Now, the dear girl’s parents hoped to keep her safe by hiding her out in the woods, and it might have worked. Except you told your good friend Tommy all about your sweet maiden with the beautiful hair and stunning voice, and he complained all about how you were leaving him behind to his father, Lord Merlyn. Who works for me.”

Anger, white hot, burned in his gut. His father’s best friend had betrayed them all?

“And see, this has all worked out even better than I could have planned. Your love now sleeps forever unless she can be awakened by true love’s kiss, which is you. But right now, Lords Merlyn and Lance are on their way here with a small army because I may have borrowed an arrow from your armory to do the job. Whoops!”

If he had his voice, Oliver would have uttered a thousand curses and oaths at the Unseelie by now.

“So, you get to battle your way through your own kingdom’s people on your way to the kingdom for your true love, who you may awaken with a kiss assuming you don’t die or have to kill her father or something else horrible,” Darhk said. Then his grin turned sharp. “Or I could just end it all right now and ensure the lovely lady never wakes up.”

He closed his hand into a fist, and Oliver suddenly found his breath stopped. He was choking on nothing.

An arrow shot past him and very nearly embedded itself into Darhk’s eyeball had he not grabbed it at the last second, breaking whatever hold he had on Oliver. “Hm, craftsmanship suggests Nanda Parbat…”

Oliver did not hear anymore. He went crashing through the trees, knowing he needed to put as much distance between himself and the Unseelie as possible if he was to ever reach Laurel.

To his right cane a shout. “There he is!”

Guards normally under the command of his father descended down a slope with swords drawn. He struggled to outrun them and knew they would soon be upon him—

“Ollie!”

Sara’s voice had him looking round. She was holding the reins of a horse while an unknown woman holding a bow swung off the back.

“How did you—”

“Come on!”

“Rescue your love,” Sara’s new friend ordered him. “And leave Merlyn to me.” She stride past him to face the oncoming guards.

Sara reached out a hand to help pull him up. “How did you figure all this out?” He asked her.

“I’m kind of learning as I go. Now you have to go wake up my sister so I can finally have one. I can’t believe you never brought me to meet her.”

“I didn’t know!”

“Sara, what are you doing?” Lord Quentin yelled upon seeing his other daughter preparing to take off with the man he believed to have harmed his eldest.

“You’ll understand later, I promise!” She snapped the reins, and the horse took off.

Lord Merlyn sent some of his mounted guards after them, led by Lord Quentin. Then he approached his adversary on foot. “Nyssa. I suppose I should have expected this.”

“And yet you made no preparations. How thoughtless of you.” She exchanged her bow for her sword, watching as he did the same.

“You think by beating me you will finally win your father’s elusive approval?”

“It matters not. You have conspired against a dear lady and her family.” She readied her stance. “For that alone, I will be glad to rid the earth of you.”

At once, the two charged, meeting in the middle with a clang of swords. Though Merlyn possessed great height and strength, Nyssa was his equal if not better in skill. She had prepared her whole life for the warrior’s path, and her fury at what had been done to hurt Lady Sara and her sister propelled her to new heights. They exchanged blow after blow, circling the small clearing again and again, until at last, Nyssa’s sword caught Merlyn’s and flung it out of his reach.

He held up both hands. “Nyssa, wait. I’m a father, the only family my son has left in this world.”

“Yet you ally yourself with those who would steal children from their parents.” Unwilling to hear his pathetic pleas any further, she cut him down.

Meanwhile, Sara and Oliver’s progress through the woods was greatly impeded by a forest of thorns spontaneously growing in their path every which way Sara turned the horse. “It’s Darhk,” Oliver realized. “I’ll have to go on foot. Hold off your father. Try to explain.”

“Alright, but hurry, Ollie.”

The Prince plunged into the brambles, hacking at them with his sword over and over, slowly but steadily cutting his path. They tore at his clothes and his skin but he battled through the pain, knowing that at the end of all this was something he wanted more than life itself.

He fought off beasts, transformed and monstrous with Darhk’s magic, and forded streams that had turned into raging rapids threatening to flood the land. When at last he spied the gates of the kingdom, he was forced to dodge a volley of arrows from the guards at the ramparts. Oliver used a back way he and Tommy had discovered as children to sneak over the castle walls and into the place he’d called home.

The castle itself was quiet and still. The sudden upset of the coup seemed to have all on edge. Nevertheless, he snuck his way to the kitchen where he hoped to find aid.

“Raisa?”

Sure enough, their old cook still busied herself by the fireplace, though she jumped in alarm at his voice. “Prince Oliver!”

He shushed her, and she glanced around before engulfing him in a hug.

“I’m so relieved you’ve made it home alive. But if you’re seen—”

“Some allies of mine are dealing with Lord Merlyn and the guards. What’s become of my family?”

“The Queen and the Princess have been confined to their rooms. No one is to go in or out, save select servants. I am one.”

“And my father?” He asked, dreading the answer.

Her crestfallen face told him the truth before her words. “Slain by Lord Merlyn. The servants all know it was him.” She wrapped him in a second hug, this time one of comfort which he gladly accepted. “I fear for your life as long as you remain here.”

“I have to put an end to this, Raisa. I have to break the curse, so that peace can be restored and the truth known. Tell me, do you know where they are keeping Lord and Lady Lance’s daughter? I don’t mean Sara.”

“So it is the lost Lady,” Raisa breathed. “I brought water and bread to a knight long retired from his duties. He has hidden himself in the highest room of the tallest tower, where he guards the young lady you speak of.”

“Thank you, Raisa.” He left the kitchens and made his way to the tower. Oliver took the stairs at a run, knowing he was trapping himself the higher he climbed. If he was discovered before reaching the highest room, it might all be over.

At last, he cleared the final stair to find a locked door. He knocked, calling out, “Sir Ted?”

For his part, Sir Ted has done as Lady Sara requested and found her sister. The guards had placed her sleeping form on a cart while they discussed their orders to shoot the Prince on sight, only leaving one guard to watch Laurel. Ted has chosen not to engage the younger man in formal combat and instead punched him out before securing his charge and hiding them within the unused room in the tower. He had hoped to spy the return of Lady Sara, Nyssa and Prince Oliver, but the forest of thorns had obscured his sight. Now, he rose and answered the door.

“My Prince,” he said, bowing his head slightly. Then, with a wary look down the stairs beyond, he opened the door another few inches to allow Oliver inside, taking his place on the stairs to watch for any guards and to grant the couple a moment’s privacy.

Laurel rested on the room’s only bed, her hair like spun gold fanning out over the pillows. Her chest rose and fell slowly, the one indication that she was not totally lost to this world.

Oliver walked forward, kneeling at her bedside and taking one of her hands. “Lady of the court or not, betrothed or not, you will always be the love of my life. I still need you, Laurel.” With this declaration, he softly kissed her lips with his own, pulling back to look at her with his breath held.

Her eyelids fluttered. That was the first sign. Then the color returned to her cheeks. Her fingers curled around his, and her green eyes blinked open.

“What? Where am I… Ollie!”

His eyes felt strangely wet for the wideness of his smile. “Prince Oliver of Star, actually.”

Laurel’s eyes widened. “You- you knew this whole time?”

“Not about this!” He hurriedly clarified. “I didn’t know you were really my betrothed who was cursed by an Unseelie or that I needed to break the curse by kissing you — but I’m glad at least about the last part.”

Laurel touched a hand to her lips. “You kissed me?”

He nodded. “Sorry. I would’ve waited for you to be awake, but that was kind of the problem.”

Laurel shook her head. “I cannot believe we were really supposed to be together this whole time.”

“I can.”

She smiled at him, shaking her head a little as she brought both arms around his shoulders to draw him closer.

But a flash of light startled them both and announced the arrival of Darhk himself. Angered by Malcolm’s and his own failures to impede the young lovers, he sought to take revenge for himself — until Lady Laurel released a scream from her mouth that threw him from the window of the tallest tower and to the ground below. He remained there, unmoving.

Laurel placed a hand over her mouth as Oliver checked this, and both turned upon Sir Ted rushing back into the room. “Laurel!”

“I’m fine, Ted. We both are. I just…”

“The Sidhe’s gifts,” Sir Ted concluded. “They are known to work in mysterious ways.”

Down below came a series of shouts. Loudest among them, the voice of Lord Lance. “Lay down your weapons! We’ve been tricked, all of us, by Lord Merlyn! The Prince is not our enemy!”

“I must tell your father the curse has been lifted,” Sir Ted explained, leaving through the door once again.

“My father,” Laurel echoed, standing to watch the people rushing about down below.

“That’s him there,” Oliver pointed out for her. “The young lady beside him is Sara, my friend. And your younger sister.”

Laurel gasped. “I have a sister?” A tentative smile rose on her lips. “And who’s her lady friend?”

Oliver watched the woman with dark hair who had taken on Merlyn as she followed Sara’s every step like a keenly devoted shadow. “I… don’t actually know yet. But they seem pretty close.”

“You’re the Prince. I’m betrothed to the Prince, which means… I’m going to be a Princess.”

“Not exactly.” When she looked at him, Oliver explained. “Merlyn killed my father, which means I have to succeed him on the throne.”

Laurel stared at him. “I’m going to be a Queen?”

“If you would. I was prepared to run away just to have a life with you, Laurel. I could never imagine doing this without you by my side.”

Laurel’s heart felt warm and nearly overflowing, to the point where all she could do was nod.

“We’ll worry about the details after you’ve had a chance to meet your family,” he promised her.

“And after you’ve had a chance to mourn yours,” she added, taking his hands. He was glad for that measure of comfort and support, and gladder still when she guided his hands to rest on her waist.

“For now, I for one believe I am still owed a kiss.”

“A kiss?” Nevertheless, he obliged.

Though the kingdom was in some disarray from the sudden upheaval wrought by Darhk and his conspirators, the emergence of the young royals would help to soothe the pain of King Robert’s loss for all. King Oliver, helped by his friends and advisors, would work to improve the lives of all the peoples of his kingdom. The most salient advice he found nearly always came from his Queen, whose own experiences growing up outside the courtly life often proved invaluable. 

Her sister, Lady Sara, would go on to be the kingdom’s emissary to the land of Nanda Parbat, which made both Sara and Nyssa very happy. The Ladies Lance would also quickly grow close and exchange letters and visits often. And even when Sara was away, Laurel found she had her father, Oliver’s mother and sister, Sir Ted and always Oliver himself to provide the companionship and belonging she had often craved in her youth.

And they all lived happily ever after.

---

“More, more, more!” Chanted four year-old Olivia Queen, still as wide awake where she bounced on her bed as when he’d brought her up here for her story.

“More?” Oliver let his mouth fall open in a gape. “But that’s it! That’s all that happened.”

“Nooo!” Olivia cried, the word drawn out. “They gotta bring peace to the kingdom and get married and go on dates with Lady Sara and her girlfriend and find a nice house for Sir Ted—”

“For the record,” said William, standing in the doorway, “it doesn’t make any sense for Sir Ted to have taken Laurel to the highest room in the tallest tower. How was he going to escape if he needed to?”

“Well,” Oliver said, floundering for a moment. “He didn’t need to.”

“An’ it’s special,” Olivia told her half-brother. Oliver gave her an approving nod.

“You mean it’s Disney?”

“Hey, we don’t support the monopolization of the entertainment industry in this house,” Oliver reminded, pointing a finger at his eldest. “But fair use is fair use, so—”

“I am not hearing snoring children,” Laurel’s voice came in partial sing-song from down the hall before she stopped behind William. “You nitpicking your dad’s storytelling abilities again?”

William shrugged. “A bit.” He wasn’t quite out of the teenage years, clearly.

“Mommy, you were a Princess!”

“I was? Well, that’s news to me.” She stepped around William and walked to the bed, guiding their daughter to finally lie down under the covers instead of hopping around on top of them.

“Uh-huh. And you were asleep an’ dad kissed you.” Olivia giggled, clearly thinking the idea very silly.

“Well, now it’s your turn to get some rest, Sleeping Beauty,” Laurel told her. “I can’t promise you a true love, but I can promise your dad’s pancakes in the morning before we take William to the train station.”

“Does Will have to go?” Olivia whined.

“Yes. We can’t hog him from his mom all the time.”

“Okay,” Olivia agreed, subdued.

“We’ll see him in two weeks,” Oliver promised, meeting William’s eyes and getting a nod from him. Then he stood and joined Laurel to finish tucking their daughter in. “And we’ll do a new story, then.”

Olivia smiled up at him before yawning wide. “I love you, daddy.”

And damn, that really always did something to him. Oliver blinked back the stinging at the corners of his eyes and bent down to kiss her forehead. “Love you too, beautiful baby.”

Laurel and William each exchanged similar good nights with Olivia before they shut all but her Flash-symbol nightlight off and left her room.

Laurel loosely draped an arm around William’s shoulders as they all moved down the hall. “You all packed?”

“Pretty much. Just, you know, toiletries and stuff.”

“Okay, good. Go get some rest, honey.”

“Goodnight, Laurel. Night, dad.”

“Goodnight.” Oliver watched his son head into his own room for the night, breathing in once and letting it out again with a distinct air of contentment.

“Sleeping Beauty? Really?”

He looked down at Laurel. “Why not? You’re beautiful, even when you sleep.”

Laurel swatted at his arm. “Why pick the story where I have to be asleep though?”

He shrugged. “You were only asleep for a little bit. And it kind of, I don’t know, mirrored our lives. The, the life support,” he muttered quietly, still finding it hard to talk about that horrible time she’d been hovering between life and death at the hospital.

It had forced him to grapple with his feelings for her and the conviction he needed to finally do right by her, but he would gladly pay any price never to have to live through something like that again.

Laurel seemed to sense his spiraling mood, for she stepped in close and wrapped her arms around him, fitting herself against him in that perfect way they had. “Hey, I’m fine. We both are.”

He held back a smirk hearing her unknowingly echo some of the lines he’d given her in the story. They really did know each other too well sometimes.

“We have a beautiful family, a city that’s on the mend even if it still needs some help here and there. And we have each other.” She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “That’s my idea of a fairytale.”

“And here I thought you’d groan if I used a ‘happily ever after’ pickup line.”

Laurel’s forehead dropped against his chest. “I am groaning. That’s so bad.”

He grinned unabashedly. “So bad it’s good?”

“...if I say yes, does that get you into the bedroom?”

“It’s a safe bet.” He allowed Laurel to start pulling them along without an answer.

Fatherhood had certainly given him the opportunity to polish his storytelling skills, but it had also taught him not to let a quiet moment go to waste. And if that was one of the biggest challenges to his day, he had to agree with Laurel that they really were living their once upon a dream.

[lauriverweek]

Lauriver Week 2020!

As we’re seven days away from Lauriver week, we organizers have decided to create this blog to collect everyone’s tumblr submissions in one place. We’re also looking into making collections on both AO3 and FFN for people who post exclusively to those platforms, so stay tuned.

For anyone who might not be aware, here is the week broken down by the prompts previously voted on and selected:

Day 1 (Monday, Jan 27th): Getting Together Day 2 (Tuesday, Jan 28th): Telling the Family/Friends Day 3 (Wednesday, Jan 29th): Canary Cry (anything relating to the Cry, i.e. Laurel getting it, how she and Oliver handle it, etc.) Day 4: (Thursday, Jan 30th): Soulmate AU Day 5: (Friday, Jan 31st): Breakup Day 6: (Saturday, Feb 1st): Friends With Benefits Day 7: (Sunday, Feb 2nd): Free Day (anything goes as long as it’s Lauriver!)

This blog is accepting all kinds of fanwork, whether that’s fic, art, graphics, gifsets, music videos or anything else you might think of. People can participate on any or all of the days. This blog is also open to submissions that include E2 Laurel (or pretty much any Earth’s versions/combo of Lauriver).

Please be sure to make lauriverweek2020 one of your first five tags when you post so that we can track it and reblog your prompt fill. We want to be sure to see and promote everyone’s work. Guidelines for how to make your work seen on AO3 or FFN will be coming shortly.

Enjoy the week!

-Admin Ray

[laurelismyblackcanary]

My work for the Lauriver week

[raywritesthings]

People Change

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Laurel Lance, Oliver Queen, Sara Lance, Nyssa al Ghul, John Diggle Pairings: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen, Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance Summary: Sometimes, people grow into the marks their soulmates have been given to find them. *Can be read on my AO3 or FFN, links are in bio*

Some called them birthmarks and nothing more. Others thought their significance stretched far beyond that. Religions and romantics alike drew upon these symbols for many different meanings; a higher calling, a message or even a sign of the one thing or person who might complete you.

With the rise of love stories popularized in ever more widely circulated media, a name emerged for these blemishes almost every person in the world was born with on the inside of their wrists: soulmate marks.

Some laughed them off. Others adhered strictly to them, trying to divine their true meaning and what that said about the person they were meant to seek out.

In the 80s, a popular trend became giving children wristbands that covered the mark, keeping it special and secret to all but a trusted few. One such set of parents to go along with the trend were Quentin and Dinah Lance; the former liked the idea of protecting his daughters while the latter enjoyed the mystery and romance of it all. Laurel and Sara were each told only to reveal their marks to a trusted few.

Of course, the sisters reacted in equal and opposite ways.

Laurel dutifully wore the wristband and told no one of her mark. The truth was, she didn’t know what to make of the shape on her wrist. What did an arrowhead have to do with anyone in this day and age, apart from perhaps someone on the archery team at school? Laurel didn’t really hang around with anyone on their school team; she liked her friends and, later, her boyfriend. Laurel kept her mark to herself even from him and didn’t ask for his own. She didn’t want to make it sound like she was interested in someone else, convinced as she was that she and Oliver had a future together.

Sara took her wristband off often to admire the pretty band that swirled around her wrist. As she grew older, she imagined it to be a silken tie, the kind her sister’s boyfriend might one day wear once he took over his parents’ company. She needled at him to show her his mark at a party one night when they were both drunk, and delighted in seeing the dark imprint of a bird mid-flight . Sara was surer than ever of what it had to mean, and so she agreed without hesitation when Oliver invited her aboard his father’s boat behind her sister’s back.

“Laurel’s gonna kill me,” she remarked in the cabin one night. “But we’re soulmates, so what can she do?”

Oliver froze, lifting himself off of her. “What do you mean?”

“Our marks are for each other, Ollie. I had that bird as a kid and you—”

“That’s not — I didn’t ask you to hookup because of some soulmate thing. I just—”

There was a tremendous crash and boom from the storm outside, and the yacht was torn apart.

Two years later, Sara found herself with a new name, The Canary. Her rescuer was a woman with the faint outline of a bird with talons outstretched. Nyssa wove silken scarves with delicate and powerful precision, swirling around Sara and drawing her in.

“My father does not believe in such things,” Nyssa told her one night as they lay curled around each other in her bed. “But the moment I saw you, it was as if I had discovered something missing in myself.” Nyssa was always saying overwhelming stuff like that. Sara just kissed her; she didn’t know how else to express the gratitude she felt towards this woman, the one spot of good left in her screwed up life.

She’d been wrong, and yet, it had led her right in the end. She just wished it hadn’t come with all the pain and regret. Would Laurel ever forgive her? Had she found some inner peace with a soulmate of her own?

---

Laurel numbed herself to everything for five years. The last thing on her mind was soulmates, and she kept the wristband more out of habit than anything else. She slept with Tommy because it was the safe option; he’d never expect anything more than some sex, so who cared?

After five years of feeling at her absolute lowest, two things happened that upended her life once again. The first was Oliver’s return, bringing with it all the messy feelings she had tried to repress for half a decade.

The second was the emergence of a man who suddenly brought an unprecedented amount of relevance to the symbol on her wrist.

They called him the Hood. In the space of two weeks, he attacked two of the billionaires she had been attempting to prosecute in court. She told herself it was a coincidence. They were high-profile cases. They didn’t have to do with her precisely.

Then he showed up in her apartment, and it seemed it maybe did have to do with her after all.

In the dark, she seemed to sense more than see his presence in the room. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled when he spoke behind her, and her nerves tingled and came alive when he placed his hand over hers to lower the gun she had taken out of her desk.

Did he know somehow? Was this why he was coming to her out of all the lawyers in this city? She’d always been so careful to not show anyone. Who could he even be and why had he shown up now?

But he made no mention of marks. Instead he just appealed to the common desire they had of helping the people in this city. Laurel forced her questions aside and got to work.

Her second visit to Peter Declan in Iron Heights turned into a disaster when a riot started, and only the Hood’s arrival saved them. She was forced to pull him away from beating a man to death, meeting blue eyes for a single instant that seemed clouded over in fear and rage. Yet they still struck her as familiar somehow. Was she supposed to feel this way?

Outside, her father was there, and she threw herself into his arms. “Are you alright? How’d you get out of there?”

“It was the Hood. He- He would’ve killed that man for me. But he stopped for me, too…” She didn’t know what to feel about what the Hood had almost done. He’d been wild and almost unreachable, but the man he would have killed had held her down and nearly choked the life from her.

Her father’s brow creased. “Laurel, tell me you’re not thinking—”

He knew her mark, of course, had seen it in the hospital when she’d been born and probably half a dozen times after that besides. She couldn’t exactly hide that from him.

“I’m not thinking anything. It’s never mattered to me.” At least not before a literal guardian angel personifying her very mark showed up. It was just confusing. Especially when she still didn’t know how to feel about Oliver.

And that made everything weirder when her dad arrested Oliver for being the Hood. And then Oliver asked for her to represent him.

She nearly didn’t go. This all had to be some joke he was playing on her because he knew — maybe he’d peeked one of the nights they’d curled up asleep in bed together. But if he did know, and it was him…

So she went and eyed him all through the hearing and the polygraph test. Her suspicions of him increased but her lingering resentment fell away after hearing just a brief summary of the events he endured. He’d been tortured. For how long? And how had he survived it?

Laurel went to the Queen Manor that very night, hoping to speak to him, to express the new understanding she thought she held. And maybe, just maybe, to ask if he really did know. But then she got distracted by his scars and his story, finding herself in his arms and kissing him like she used to, like a part of her still longed for.

Laurel pulled away and ran the minute her brain caught up with her. What had she been thinking? Whether she had feelings or not, whether her mark was pointing straight at him or not, whether that meant soulmates or not — she couldn’t just do that. Right?

Not without some serious ground rules. Laurel puzzled over the results of Oliver’s polygraph most of the night. He’d been at home when the Hood had appeared to stop the arms deal, but that waver on the question about Iron Heights that didn’t quite count as a lie but indicated some kind of hidden truth… she wasn’t ready to give up the idea that he and the Hood really were the same person. And if they were, then something in the universe apparently thought she needed to be a part of that.

She thought again of the man he’d nearly killed, how he had only stopped when she’d pulled his arm back. If the Hood really was going to save this city, she wanted to help him. She wanted to reach him. But she could only really do that if she knew who he was.

So she returned to Oliver’s home the very next day, armed with a polygraph year and her wristband. She tried asking him first, seeing if he might open up on his own. Quite the opposite happened.

“If others knew — if you knew — You'd see me differently. And not as some... Vigilante guy. As damaged.”

She shook her head, her eyes feeling heavy with tears she was forcing herself to hold back. He was pushing her away. Should she really go through with this if he didn’t want her help?

Then again, it might just be that he didn’t think he should have her help. She didn’t want to be left wondering which it was. So she took a breath and readied herself for a metaphorical plunge.

“After last night, it’s clear we’re still attracted to one another.” She waited for his nod. “Oliver, nothing can ever happen between us… because I’ve found my soulmate.”

By the widening of his eyes, she could tell this was both a shock and of more than just a casual interest to him. Okay. She’d thrown down the gauntlet. Time to see if he’d pick it up.

---

Oliver wasn’t sure what he’d expected Laurel to do or say when he denied her assertion that he could still somehow be the Hood, but this wasn’t it.

Soulmates. He’d thought Laurel didn’t put too much stock in those stories, that she covered the mark on her wrist just to avoid people prying. Oliver had always been fine with that before the island, because somebody declaring herself to be his soulmate would have been the deepest kind of commitment he could have imagined.

He’d obeyed his parents’ instructions to keep his own mark covered as an extra form of insurance. Many people would like to be able to pass themselves off as the soulmate to the heir of a vast fortune, after all. Best not to hand the information to them.

Had he wondered about his mark? Of course, but in an idle way. Even on the island, it had felt small and insignificant next to the worries he’d had about Laurel, his family and his friends. Some of the people he’d met there had seen it once his old wristband had grown too tattered and torn to be of much use. Slade, before he had become an enemy, had once asked him about his ‘birdie’, as the ASIS man had put it. Oliver had answered truthfully that he hadn’t a clue. The bird on his wrist was perhaps always meant to be flying away from him, just like Laurel was just about to walk right out of his life to her own happily ever after.

Oliver realized Laurel was still waiting on some kind of response to her statement. He licked his lips and asked, “You- you did?”

“Yeah.” She gave a shrug, like it was just a casual fact.

Oliver grit his teeth. He knew asking would make him sound interested, if not outright jealous. But she had to know he still cared for her. She wanted him to ask. “Do I know him?”

“You might. That’s kind of the thing,” she hedged, her weight shifting slightly as she fingered the strap of her bag. “I’ve only found him a couple of times. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him about it, and I don’t know that I will.”

Oliver blinked. “Well, why not just go see him?”

“Oh, I tried.” Something about her tone raised the hairs on his neck. She was angling at something. He just wasn’t sure what. “But he’s kind of more the type that finds you, I guess.”

If anything, that caused him more concern. Clearly this wasn’t about what had happened between her and Tommy. So then who was acting this way towards her? “Laurel, if you need some kind of help to, to find him or make some kind of decision…”

“That’s kind of you to offer, but I don’t think you can help, Ollie.” Laurel turned and headed towards the door, looking back over her shoulder with her hand on the doorknob. “After all, you’re not the Hood.”

“What?” He’d been under the assumption these two conversations were unrelated, and Laurel’s reminder of his lie threw him.

“You heard me. But maybe this will clear things up.” Laurel turned fully back around towards him, working the wristband she’d always worn off her left wrist and letting it fall to the floor. Oliver swallowed and came forward, staring at the exposed skin and the mark he’d never seen before.

But it was a symbol he was acutely familiar with.

“I guess that’s why I needed to ask you. Just to put it all behind me for good,” Laurel was saying. He tore his eyes from the little arrowhead and found her still staring at it, not looking up at him.

“So that you can be with him,” he summarized, feeling a dull pounding start up in his temple. He’d thought to hurt her briefly with the lie in the short term in order to keep her safe, but Laurel was all but admitting she planned to pursue his alter ego for the rest of her life, which meant he would have to keep hurting her by pushing her away. And he thought she knew it, too, or at the very least was banking on it.

“Laurel, look at me.” When she did, he was proven right by the exaggerated innocence in her eyes. “You would become an accomplice to the Hood’s crimes.”

“I became an accomplice the minute I agreed to help with the Peter Declan case instead of phoning the police. The people he interrogated, the men he hurt in Iron Heights, I could have helped stop all that from happening,” she pointed out. Then she took a step forward. “But I also would have condemned an innocent man to death. Maybe it’s extreme, but the lengths the Hood goes to in order to bring justice back into this city, it’s something I believe in. Damaged or not, I believe in you, Ollie.”

He looked away. He couldn’t believe how earnestly willing Laurel was to give him another chance. “If we’re — I hurt my soulmate in the worst way possible. That’s what that symbol means.” His own symbol was something he still didn’t understand, but he couldn’t be her soulmate without her being his. He didn’t want to live in a world where that was somehow a possibility.

“Or it means we weren’t ready yet. We weren’t the people we were supposed to be. Maybe we are now.” She took his hands, and he couldn’t bring himself to pull away no matter how much he thought it would be for her own good. “I’m not saying we rush into something. But I know where I need to be, and that’s helping the city by your side. Okay?”

He couldn’t speak, so he nodded. A wave of relief seemed to crash over him in that instant; he didn’t have to lie to her anymore. Oliver squeezed her hands and brought them up to his lips, trying to impress upon her everything he was feeling but couldn’t say.

When they met with Diggle at the base, Laurel made it quite clear just how literal she’d meant by his side. “Where did you get this made?” She asked, fingering the sleeve of his suit. He was thankful she hadn’t grabbed for the hood, whether that was intentional on her part or not.

“Why? You shopping around?” Digg asked with amusement.

“Something like that. Though I wouldn’t go green… maybe black or gray, some kind of mix—”

Oliver stepped in right away. “Laurel, you can’t go out there and fight. It’s too dangerous.”

She frowned at him. “How else am I supposed to help, then? I know I’m not up to par or anything, but I’ve got two experienced teachers here,” she said, nodding to each of them. “And I’ll look around for other lessons on my own time if I have to.”

He shook his head. “If I lose you out there—”

“—is a very real possibility for me when it comes to you. You can’t expect me to sit at home while you’re out there risking your life, Oliver. That’s not the kind of girl I am.”

“It’d be a good idea to start her on training regardless, Oliver,” Diggle agreed, much to his annoyance. “She’s been attacked more than once since this whole thing started.”

“Alright,” he gave in, watching the two of them share a smug smirk. “But this is not going to be easy. If I’m preparing you, I’m preparing you for the worst, because that’s what’s out there.” He couldn’t afford to hold back, even with her.

Laurel, for her part, took to the training far more enthusiastically than he had on the island. She was always ready to jump back up from the mats when she got knocked down, always bringing her fists or a stick back up. He hadn’t seen her so energized and simply living since he’d gotten on that stupid yacht. 

“They’ll say things about you,” he cautioned her one night over a reheated meal home cooked by Raisa. Oliver was glad for the training in part simply because it meant he made sure Laurel had something other than takeout and coffee in her system. It occurred to him that maybe their relationship wasn’t beneficial in only one direction. “The media, your father.”

“I’m sure whatever he comes up with won’t be worse than anything he’s already said,” she replied matter-of-factly. “Sticks and stones.”

“I’m sorry he treated you that way.”

She waved her fork as if to brush the subject aside. “The one thing I want to be sure of is to get ahead of them before they start just calling me ‘the Woman’ because they will absolutely do that if left to their own devices. And I don’t want to just be defined by that.”

He supposed that was fair. “Alright, then what do you want to be called?”

She sat up, pushing her travel bowl aside. “Well, I’ve been thinking about Sara, and how I, I want to do something besides feeling this anger and sadness in me. I have to accept that she’s gone and that — for everything that happened — she was my sister. I want to honor her, like you do with Shado and her father.”

He’d started telling her small things about the island. Mostly the better things; he wasn’t ready to get into the truly awful. Shado and Yao Fei teaching him archery, and his hood having originally belonged to them, was one of those memories he’d shared.

He waited for Laurel to speak again, knowing she needed the room to talk this out. “And I thought about it and thought about it, and I think I know something that would do that without making it totally obvious to my father or someone else. You remember when we were kids, and my dad got Sara that canary as a pet?”

Oliver froze. “Yeah?”

“Well, it’s been years and I doubt he really thinks about it anymore — I have the only picture of it. But it makes me think of her, so… what do you think?” Laurel’s tentative smile faded as the moment stretched on. “Ollie?”

He blinked, finding his eyes to be wetter than usual. “Um, yeah. It’s fine. I just…” He looked down at his covered wrist. Laurel still hadn’t asked to see it. But he took the wristband off now and flipped his arm over to show her.

Her eyes went wide. “But—”

“I never really knew what to make of it,” he told her. “And with you giving me this chance, I was ready to say it didn’t matter. But I guess you were right about us having to become the people we are now. It was always you.”

Laurel released a breath, a smile spreading over her face, and Oliver found himself kissing her before he could stop himself. But Laurel’s hands held his face and her lips moved against his, so it seemed they’d both agreed to move things a little faster than they’d originally intended.

They broke apart, both smiling now, and Laurel whispered in the space between them, “My Arrow.” There was something about that, her giving him her own name, that felt far warmer and special than anything else.

“My Pretty Bird,” he answered back. Then their lips met once again.

No matter how twisted a path it had taken to get here, he and Laurel had found each other again. If that wasn’t what soulmates were, he wasn’t sure he’d ever understand the concept. But he was happy enough with his life as it was.

[raywritesthings]

You’re the Hero, Laurel

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Laurel Lance, Oliver Queen, Thea Queen, Roy Harper, John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, Quentin Lance Pairings: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen, Thea Queen/Roy Harper Summary: Part of Oliver's letter to Laurel after the Undertaking makes everything much clearer to her, and she takes a far more literal interpretation of his words than he perhaps intended. *Can be read on my AO3 and FFN, links are in bio*

As she read the letter over, Laurel felt the walls holding up her life, her emotions, her very being tremble and start to cave in, just like the walls of CNRI only a couple short weeks ago had. And no one was coming to save her this time. Tommy was dead, and Oliver was gone.

She didn’t understand. Did he not want to be with her? After what happened with Tommy, maybe he shouldn’t. Maybe it was wrong, even if Tommy had left her weeks before. And yet Oliver was still professing his love in these paragraphs. Claiming he had to go so that she could save the city on her own. Didn’t he understand she wanted to do it with him? Just thinking of the struggles that awaited her alone now was enough to make her want to curl right back up in bed with some tissues and some kind of comfort food. Or wine. She deserved an early five o’clock for this, didn’t she?

And yet, there was one line in the letter giving her pause: You’re the hero, Laurel. There was an implied not me on the end of that sentence, and that was the thing she couldn’t quite figure out.

She had never called Oliver a hero. She loved him, faults and all, but she’d never been one to go overboard with the praise. She thought he’d had the potential to be something more if he just believed in himself, of course, but she hadn’t used the word hero.

She had called the Hood as much.

And suddenly, Laurel’s tears stopped. She couldn’t really be thinking again that he was — but really, what else made sense? The blame he seemed to carry for Tommy’s death, their sudden estrangement; Tommy must have learned the truth at some point. That was why his jealousy had suddenly boiled over, because Laurel had had a connection with the Hood that had seemed so familiar in a way she’d never been able to articulate.

Oliver surviving the attack at Queen Manor by that hitman after Taylor; his disappearance in the Verdant at the firefighter benefit, only for the Hood to show up; the way he’d acted in her apartment when the Triad attacked; that something he’d said that kept pulling him away. It was his double life, which he’d apparently decided to give up in the wake of the Undertaking.

The Hood hadn’t been seen since the quake, and she knew he’d made it out of CNRI alive. If he continued to fail to appear, that would only make sense if Oliver had gone and left the country.

The enormity of this realization had her rushing out of the door with her keys and racing to the airport in the vain hope that he might just still be waiting to board. She had to call Thea once it became clear she wasn’t going to get a look at the flight schedules for private planes. They told Thea that her brother had left just after dawn, which Thea related to her.

Laurel sank into a chair in the waiting area, head in her hands. What did she do now? Where was he going? He said he needed to do this alone, and part of her wanted to scream because didn’t he realize she needed him right now?

Laurel read over his letter again and again. He might come back someday. Was that someday dependent on the city being better? She’d have no way of enacting that kind of widespread change for years, which was how long it would take her to make it up the ranks of the DA’s office. Assuming she even landed that interview. The law just moved too slowly in their city.

But if she was the hero… 

Laurel looked up. Could she really? The Hood had had to save her so many times. But Ollie was saying he thought she could be better than even him. Okay. Then that was what she’d do. If Oliver didn’t want her holding back, then she wasn’t about to disappoint.

---

Months later, Oliver reluctantly returned to Starling City at the insistence of his former teammates. His mother’s trial was coming up, and countless employees at Queen Consolidated were facing unemployment if Stellmoor International was successful in their acquisition. These were things he was willing to intercede on, if only because they required Oliver Queen and not the Hood.

When he insisted that he would not be returning to a vigilante lifestyle, Diggle and Felicity exchanged a look. “Well, you might not have to.”

He blinked. “Why not?”

“There’s someone new in town, Oliver. A woman,” Digg told him. “She showed up a couple months ago.”

“What do you mean ‘showed up’?”

“That’s when the police started noticing her, anyway,” Felicity took over. “She might have been active before, but their presence in the Glades is severely limited since the Undertaking, and that’s mostly where she’s been active. She’s a vigilante,” she added on.

“Has anyone been killed?” If this was another situation like the Savior, then it was his fault. He had brought this into his city.

But Digg shook his head. “Hospitalized, but no kill count. They’re likening her to a guy that was active in the Glades a decade or so ago. Uses her fists, mostly. It’s why she’s so low on the cops’ priority list.”

“Yeah, so you can sit on the bench for as long as you like,” Felicity remarked. Oliver frowned. “Unless, you know, you want to figure out who she is.”

They were both clearly confident this would sway him. Well, he had work to do as Oliver Queen before even thinking about looking into this woman.

First on the list was visiting Thea, who surprisingly had taken to running the Verdant in his absence. He couldn’t exactly judge her decision not to continue her education, and he was glad she was making something of herself in the way that she wanted. Less pleasing was her resolve not to visit their mother in prison, but Thea was refusing to budge.

They were interrupted by the arrival of her boyfriend, Roy Harper. “Oh, you’re back.”

“And you’re still here,” Oliver replied.

“And late,” Thea added. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry, boss,” Roy said with far too much cheek for Oliver’s liking. “Lost track of the time.”

His sister sighed. “Well, you’ve stopped getting into fights, so I can’t complain.” The couple shared a kiss, which Oliver decidedly looked away from. “Oh, don’t pretend to be grossed out.”

“I’m just giving you some privacy,” he insisted.

“Yeah? Why don’t you go see Laurel? She’s the one that told me you’d left in the first place.”

He looked down, guilt churning in his stomach both at his lack of goodbye to his sister and for his cowardice when it had come to leaving Laurel. He wanted to see her badly, but he had no idea how she might feel about it at this point. How could he explain that he hadn’t been able to stand facing her when knowing he was the reason their city was in ruins and their oldest friend was dead?

“Not sure where I’d find her.” He’d seen enough of the Glades on the drive here to know that CNRI still had to be rubble.

“There’s some fancy shindig the mayor’s holding tonight. She might be at that since she’s in the DA’s office,” Thea remarked.

“He’s not gonna get an invite in time. It’s starting in half an hour,” Roy spoke up. When Oliver and Thea both looked at him, he shrugged. “I watch the news.”

“I’ll see if I can find her there,” Oliver said. “You’d be surprised the kind of doors the Queen name opens.”

Diggle turned the radio up as they were heading back downtown. “Chaos as the mayor’s benefit has just been attacked by armed men calling themselves the Hoods.”

“What?” Oliver sat forward, his head poking into the front seat.

“They’ve been robbing banks, not sure what caused them to escalate.” Diggle glances back at him. “But they cover their faces and wear hoods in your honor.”

Oliver’s hands curled into fists around the leather seats.

“Minor injuries have been reported, with one of the perpetrators being captured after a run-in with the unknown female vigilante, who made a surprise appearance at the event as well.”

“Digg, step on it.” If Laurel was at that event with all of these varied dangerous elements in attendance, he needed to make certain she was alright.

But it turned out Laurel hadn’t been one of the guests, he learned when he arrived to find Detective — or Officer — Lance arguing with Lieutenant Pike while ADA Donner seemed to be trying to mediate.

“She’d been under the weather at work, so I suggested she take the night off. I’m glad it kept her out of all this, certainly.”

“Me too, since as your daughter is not present you have no reason to be at this scene, Officer Lance,” Pike stated with a glare. “Now get back to your beat.”

“Alright, I’m going!” Lance declared, marching in Oliver’s direction. He stopped when he caught sight of him and heaved a sigh as he shook his head. “Guess you’re here for the same reason I was.”

There was no point denying it. “Laurel’s safe?”

“Yeah. Suppose she would’ve been anyway, thanks to that woman. But, uh, you didn’t hear that from me.” Lance walked back out to his car and soon left.

Oliver lingered outside the building, pondering tonight’s events. The woman Digg and Felicity had said operated out of the Glades had come to stop the Hoods. Based on the one man they’d caught tonight, it seemed the Hoods might be from the Glades themselves, which perhaps explained her interest. It also meant she needed to have a pretty good source of information about what was happening in the Glades.

He walked around the side of the building, trying to determine which way she might have entered or made her escape. But as he walked further down the alley, he realized he was being watched. Oliver straightened up and looked around.

“Who’s there?”

A noise above had him squinting up into a fire escape. A figure in dark clothing hurried down the steps, jumping the last distance rather than using the ladder. She wore her hair long and blonde, almost platinum, and a nightstick hung from a belt at her side. Before Oliver could decide how to react, she rushed him.

“Hey!” He threw both hands up, figuring that was as believable a reaction for a billionaire, but all it seemingly did was leave him open for her hug. “Um.”

“I knew you’d come back.”

He knew that voice. And that smile, when she pulled back to give it to him. And that kiss… 

Oliver pushed back on her shoulders, staring at her incredulously. “Laurel?”

“Not so loud,” she cautioned him. “Oh.” Laurel took off a black leather glove, licked at her thumb and leaned in to rub it over his mouth. “Didn’t know that brand smudged that bad. Could just be the color.”

“You- I— what is going on?”

“Exactly what you wanted. Come on, we can talk back at my place.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him along, and he was powerless to argue.

Mostly because he was trying to figure out just how this could in any way be what he’d wanted.

---

Laurel couldn’t believe he was back. She’d seen the car approach as she’d stayed hidden, listening to the police chatter and waiting for the right moment to slip away. Then Mr. Diggle has exited the limo and there he’d been.

Part of her was dying to ask where he’d gone all this time, what he’d done, if he’d worked through whatever he needed to and was here to stay for good. But she held all her questions as they snuck back to her downtown apartment and up the fire escape. Laurel went in through the window and waited for him to enter as well with ease before shutting and locking it again.

Laurel watched him look around at the mountain of blankets on her living room couch and several wadded up tissues on the coffee table.

“Neat, right? In case dad comes to check on my alibi with no warning,” she explained. “Speaking of, let me change.” She turned and went back to her bedroom, leaving the door open as she removed her wig and mask.

“Laurel, you- you’re a vigilante.”

“Yep.” She took out a makeup wipe and applied it liberally to her face. She really was going to have to ditch the black lipstick, even if it did better separate her from her usual colors of choice.

“And you’re okay with me knowing that because…?”

“Because you��re the Hood. Or were the Hood. You don’t have to lie again, I figured it out,” she said, taking off her undershirt and kicking off her boots. She pulled a rolling suitcase out from under the bed and started stuffing everything inside.

“How?”

She hadn’t anticipated him being so at a loss for words. Though when Laurel glanced back, she noticed Oliver’s eyes on her leather-clad backside and chalked some of it up to distraction. Smirking, she pulled her pants down as well.

“Your letter, where you confessed you didn’t think you were a hero.” Laurel covered the distance between them and raised her hand to his cheek. “Which you’re wrong about, but I understood you needing some time after everything that happened in the Glades. So I’ve been doing my best to fill in. Now that you’re back, maybe we can really make a difference instead of just keeping the city afloat.” She reached past him for her bathrobe hanging on the hook attached to her door, but he caught her arm.

“Laurel, when I wrote that, I wasn’t asking you to become a vigilante.”

“Then I’m not sure how you expected me to ‘be the best of you’. I don’t exactly have my own multibillion dollar company to run.” He still wasn’t smiling. Laurel sighed. “Ollie, what the Hood did last year for this city was more than anyone’s tried to do for a long time. You’re the reason anyone in the Glades even survived Merlyn’s attack. I know you feel like you failed, but you didn’t. Not anymore than the rest of this city failed its people.”

“I failed if it means I left you to pick up the pieces.” He shook his head. “You could be hurt or killed out there. If that had happened while I was gone—”

Laurel pulled out of his hold, folding her robe under one arm and walking back over to her bed. “What else was I supposed to do, Oliver? I wanted to do this with you, but I wasn’t going to stop and wait for you to come back. I’m not shutting myself off every time you decide to go anymore. This is my city, too.” She unclipped her bra and shrugged out of it, hearing him walk up behind her.

“What if I help you do this a different way? With the company, with the law.”

“The law’s not going to stop the rest of those Hoods. They’ll be desperate now that their one buddy’s been caught and could flip on them. I really don’t know what they’ll try next, but when I heard the mayor was their next target—”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I’ve got informants. None of them know who I really am.” If Roy Harper, for instance, realized the woman he was passing information to was his girlfriend’s straight-laced mentor, well, he’d probably think he was crazy.

“Give me their names. I can talk to them, handle it—”

She yanked her night shirt over her head and whirled to face him. “That’s not why I did this. I’m not a placeholder for you, Oliver. I’m in this with you, completely. Always have been, always will be.”

His expression turned pained. “And if you die? Laurel, what about Tommy?”

She closed her eyes. “I regret what happened to Tommy every day. But I can’t change the fact he went into that building any more than you could. And I can’t change that, even if he loved me, he was right. We weren’t going to last.” She looked him square in the eye. “Either I could have tried to respect what he did for me by living my life as carefully and quietly as I could while I slowly died inside, or I could honor what he did for me by paying it forward. I’m able to be out there helping people because of what he sacrificed for me. And the more people I save, the more that sacrifice means something. Isn’t that why you do what you do?”

He stared at her, long and hard, without a word. Whatever battle he was waging to find the words, he eventually lost, because instead he grabbed her face and smashed their lips together.

It was a hungry kiss. They were both a little angry, a little desperate, a little bit needing the relief of each other’s company. Her hands roamed up and down his back trying to anchor him, hold him down. His raked through her hair and ran up under her shirt, feeling her abs. Laurel gasped into his mouth when his hands roamed higher, and he stopped. They rested in place, foreheads bent together.

“Are we…?” Oliver looked so uncertain as he gazed into her eyes. Afraid and confused and so, so lost.

Come home, Laurel thought wildly. I left the light on for you. Instead, she snuck her own hands under her clothes and laid them over his. Holding him to her however long he’d let her. “Yes. Always.”

“And forever,” he agreed, covering her lips with his own once more. Laurel reached for his shoulders and jumped, not even needing the slightest boost from him to get her legs around his waist this time. It was a far shorter walk to the bed, too.

Tomorrow, they could navigate how this whole thing worked. In their public lives, in their nighttime personas. Tonight was just for them.

[raywritesthings]

It’s a Meta!

My Writing Fandom: Arrow, The Flash Characters: Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, Barry Allen, Iris West, Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow Pairings: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen, Barry Allen/Iris West Summary: Oliver and Laurel seek advice from their friends at STAR Labs while preparing for the birth of their first child. Notes: Metahuman Laurel Lance *Can be read on my AO3 or FFN, links are in bio*

Oliver shut off the kettle and poured the hot water into a mug, the tea bag floating to the top as it steeped. “I’m bringing this out now, but just give it a few minutes to cool,” he called out to the sitting room.

“I remember how hot beverages work, Ollie. Haven’t completely lost my mind yet,” Laurel called back. He just caught the end of her rolling her eyes as he walked out with her tea and his coffee. But her smile was still fond.

“Sorry. I worry.” He leaned in to peck her on the lips.

Laurel watched him set both mugs on the coffee table before taking the spot at the end of the couch by her feet. “You always have. Believe me, I knew it was going to go into hyper-drive the minute I said the words ‘I’m pregnant’.” She swung her legs off the couch to lean towards him, slightly hampered by her rounded belly. “And as many times as it frustrates me, I do love that about you.”

“I know.”

“Okay, remember that the next time I yell at you for being a mother hen.”

He scoffed. “I’m not a hen. I’m just… a father.” Every time he got to say those words, he felt a swell of happiness he didn’t know if he could contain.

Oliver reached out, caressing the rounded curve of her stomach that spoke of the life they had created together. Laurel had only just started to really show in the last couple of weeks, and he couldn’t get enough of looking at and feeling their little miracle.

“They should be here soon,” she reminded him.

“Barry’s always late.”

Shrugging, Laurel obliged him by turning around to lean her back against his front as he rested his hands over her stomach. She picked up the mug and blew on the surface, taking a sip. “Ouch.”

“I warned you.”

The little of Laurel’s face he could make out was pouting. He chuckled.

“You gonna kiss it to make it better or what?”

He’d just moved to do so when a breach opened up on the other side of the living room. Through it walked Cisco Ramon.

“Whoops, wasn’t trying to interrupt something.”

“That’s okay, Cisco, we were just waiting for you.” Laurel stood with a little of Oliver’s help. “Where are the others?”

“At the labs. I came ahead because we figured out a way to tweak an ultrasound machine. It should answer your question for sure.”

Oliver raised both eyebrows. “So we’ll know if they have the metagene before they’re even born?”

Cisco nodded. “That’s the idea. Hopefully. I mean, we need you to test it out for sure,” he added to Laurel.

“Okay.” She looked back at him, clearly checking how he felt. As much as he didn’t love the idea of Laurel being a guinea pig for whatever scientific development Team Flash had cooked up this time, it would help them figure out what they needed to prepare, or if they even needed to be preparing at all. So he nodded.

“Great. You can come back through with me.”

They did so, leaving their tea and coffee behind and entering STAR Labs to find Caitlin, Barry and Iris all waiting. Iris walked forward with a big smile.

“Oh, look at you! How’s it been going so far?”

“Well, I can still see my toes most days, so we’ve got a ways to go,” Laurel answered as she returned Iris’ hug. “I don’t know how you managed it with twins.”

“Don’t remind me.”

Oliver accepted his own hug from Barry. “You didn’t both have to come out for this.”

“It’s no problem. Grandpa Joe wanted to babysit anyway,” Barry told him with a grin.

“This, um, machine. It’s safe?” Oliver asked in an undertone.

“Absolutely. Just a normal ultrasound with an added function.”

“Laurel, if you want to get on this table, we can get started,” Caitlin requested.

Soon enough, Caitlin was running the scan while Oliver sat at Laurel’s side, holding her hand and watching the screen and the tiny form slowly growing and gaining shape within the safety of Laurel’s womb.

“Everything seems to be normal. You both didn’t want to know the gender?”

Oliver shook his head while Laurel answered, “Nope. We wanted a nice surprise for a change.”

Caitlin nodded and shut off the machine. “Well, I can confirm the existence of an active metagene.”

Laurel blew out a breath and Oliver squeezed her hand a little tighter. He didn’t know what he’d been hoping for, honestly. Laurel’s Cry had saved her and others from danger many times, so their baby having that kind of protection eased some of his fear. But it would be another difficulty to add to the already challenging job of parenting they were both truly living through for the first time.

“Guess you guys can have a meta reveal party?” Cisco remarked from the other end of the room.

Oliver rolled his eyes. After Caitlin helped Laurel clean the gel off her stomach, the group reconvened around a table in the cortex.

“So, they’re going to be like me? My ability, I mean,” Laurel clarified.

Iris nodded. “Judging by the twins, it’s genetic, yeah. So you two are gonna have no trouble hearing a crying baby.”

Oliver grimaced. “Guess we should take the baby monitor off the registry.” He smirked when Laurel nudged his shoulder with her own. “So what are our options?”

“Well, there’s inhibitors,” Caitlin said. “When the baby is young, that might be the best option.”

Laurel nodded, but he could tell by her troubled frown that she had a concern. He placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it lightly, waiting for her to find the words she wanted. “What if we want them to still be able to use their powers? Just to explore them, learn about them. I totally get why that’s risky with the twins,” she added with a hand extended towards the West-Allens. “I guess I just worry about making it like this forbidden thing they’re scared of or that they try to get around the restrictions to use on their own.”

“Ooh like a teenage rebellion thing, yeah,” Cisco agreed. “Well, the inhibitor is something we can make removable. It’s not supposed to be permanent.”

“There is still some danger with the Cry, of course,” Caitlin cautioned. “If handled wrong, the baby or child could seriously hurt someone by accident.”

“You’d want to designate a space for sure,” said Barry. He snapped his fingers. “Maybe something made out of the pipeline materials to keep the Cry contained?”

“I’m not locking my kid up in the pipeline, Barry,” Oliver stated flatly.

“Oh. Yeah, no. But maybe we could make something a little smaller for you guys to have in your house? You know, like a little space for them to just let it out. Like when you give a kid a pillow to hit if they’re angry or upset or just need to vent some energy.”

He looked to Laurel, each of them trying to decide how they felt about that idea. It was true that they generally liked the windows and other glassware in their home.

“We’ll think about it,” Oliver answered for them eventually.

“If we did go that route, I’d want it to be big enough to fit me, too,” Laurel added. “We should teach them how to use it by example.”

Oliver nodded. He couldn’t help thinking, not for the first time, that she was going to make a wonderful mother. Of course, seeing how effectively she had taken Thea under her wing at times, that should have already been clear to him.

Cisco had started taking notes down on a pad of paper and nodded along with the suggestion, scratching something out and writing anew. “We’ve still got time, but I’ll want to start looking at the dimensions and everything soon.”

“Should it go in the house?” Caitlin wondered aloud. “I mean, it might be a bit hard to explain if you have guests over who aren’t aware of, you know.” She made a vague motion like pulling an arrow back on a string.

“The base might be better,” Barry said. Though he tilted his head as Oliver frowned. “Why not?”

“I’m not exactly comfortable bringing a child down there.” They still weren’t child-proofed, after all.

“And we haven’t really decided what’s happening with all that,” Laurel continued. Her own hands rested on her stomach. “I mean, I’m benched at least until this one’s here and I’ve gotten back in shape. And it’s just…”

“We don’t have the kind of insurance you do, Barry,” Oliver explained to their friends’ shocked faces. “Getting out quickly, speed-healing. Going out there is a risk every time. I just don’t know if we can take that risk when there’s someone counting on us at home. Even if the city is counting on us, too.”

It was a decision weighing heavily on them as their due date approached. For now, he was continuing to suit up in order to better transition their team in the event he did end up retiring along with Laurel, who still came to the base to run the comms. Both of them leaving the field at the same time would’ve been too sudden of a shift and left a power vacuum besides. But would their leaving for good do so anyway?

“We want our baby to grow up in a better home than was left to us,” Laurel said. “But we also want them to grow up with us there for them. It’s hard to know how best to balance that.”

Caitlin and Iris both nodded in sympathy while Barry looked to be contemplating those two wants himself.

“You guys will figure it out,” said Cisco, and for once the optimism wasn’t something that bothered him. Maybe because he wanted to hear it. “And we’ll all help, you know.”

“This isn’t goodbye,” Oliver assured them. “We’ll still be in the loop, still be there if the situation calls for it.”

Barry seemed the most relieved to hear that. “Yeah, great. Hey, you never know. Baby Canary might want to be like Mom and Dad someday.”

God, he hoped the world still didn’t need heroes like this by the time their child was an adult. But that was probably a vain hope. He felt Laurel lean her head on his shoulder as a comfort, probably knowing just what he was thinking.

“We’ll see.”

“Thank you guys for helping us figure out what we’re doing here,” Laurel told them. “It’s hard to know what we’d do otherwise. What other families might be struggling with.”

“That is a thought. Heroes in our circle can’t be the only metahumans reproducing at this point,” Caitlin remarked, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment. “Maybe that’s something to think about, because it could unintentionally cause a lot of chaos.”

“You wanna run a metahuman daycare, Caitlin?” Cisco teased. She shook her head at him. “We can workshop it some other time. You guys ready to head back?”

“I think so.”

Hugs were exchanged, and soon they were walking back through one of Cisco’s breaches to their own place. It was honestly kind of insane, the abilities the people in his life all had. But he wouldn’t trade his life now for the normalcy he’d had before.

“Do you think the baby will, I don’t know, feel forced to do the kind of work we do? Because of this?” Laurel asked, one hand touching her throat.

“I think we’ll tell them they have the choice to be whatever they want to be, whether that involves their powers or not,” Oliver assured her. She nodded, seeming to feel better. At least until she walked over to their coffee table and picked up her abandoned mug.

“My tea’s cold.” She looked back at him with big eyes.

Oliver heaved a put-upon sigh as he walked over. “I’ll make you another one.”

“Thank you.” Laurel set the mug back down and turned around to face him, slinging her arms loosely around his shoulders. “It’s kind of the least you can do. I am carrying your baby.”

“Yes, you are.” He dipped his head down for a kiss, one that turned a little longer as he slowly swayed them over towards the couch. Laurel carefully lowered herself back down, and he followed, lying with his head resting in her lap and his hand rubbing one of her knees. With his ear pressed to her belly, he tried to listen for any kind of movement, but the baby seemed to be resting for the moment. That was okay, too.

“You’re going to fall asleep,” she told him.

“Maybe.”

“I’m not getting my tea, am I?”

“You will, you will. Just… five more minutes.”

Laurel scratched her nails lightly through his hair, and he hummed contentedly. Whatever decisions they had to make down the road, it would be worth it so long as they could find little moments like this for their family.

[raywritesthings]

Together (Sequel to “Linked”)

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Laurel Lance, Oliver Queen, Thea Queen, Felicity Smoak, Sara Lance, Quentin Lance Pairing: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen Summary: After her resurrection, Laurel and Oliver find the time to catch up some of their friends and family on not just her living status, but their relationship status as well. Notes: As stated above, this is a sequel to my previous story Linked. Reading the former is not 100% necessary, but will help. *Can be read on my AO3 or FFN, links are in bio*

The city was as quiet as it ever was when they exited out the back of the base to where Oliver had parked his car. It was large and black with a pair of shovels thrown in the trunk still caked in dirt. The dirt over her grave. Laurel shivered.

“Are you still cold?”

“A little.”

He fumbled in the back for a few moments before producing a green hoodie, faded and worn. “I think I washed this recently.”

Laurel shrugged and snagged it from his hold. “I was in a coffin earlier today. I think I’ll manage.”

His eyes shut, and she thought he was struggling very hard to control some kind of emotion. Laurel reached out for his hand.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s just...hard to believe we actually thought you were gone. That everyone else still thinks that.”

Laurel wasn’t quite ready to accept the bleak picture he’d painted about how things had been in her absence. But she knew right now he at least needed comfort. She stepped forward and let him wrap his arms around her in his own time, looping her own loosely around his neck. “They won’t have to for much longer.”

She felt Oliver turn his face into her hair again before he pulled back. “Right. Let’s go see Thea.”

“How has she been?” She asked on the drive over. He hadn’t really gone into specifics on any individual, but if there was anyone Laurel was really worried about, it was her. She’d felt responsible for Thea this past year in a stronger sense than ever before. She’d taken the younger woman into her home, protected her out in the field — all the things she’d never really gotten with Sara.

“She’s been...well, I’ve seen her once or twice in the office. She’s not been — she quit the team.”

“What?”

He kept his gaze fixed out the windshield. “She needed to take some time for herself. It just wasn’t working for her. After the bloodlust and everything... I still don’t think she trusts herself.”

“But she knows we trust her. Or you trust her, I guess.”

He shrugged. “Maybe she’ll believe it better from you.”

Laurel frowned to herself. It seemed hard to believe that Thea would ever give up being Speedy in the first place. That summer the two of them and John had watched over the city, Thea had confessed to Laurel one late night after she’d moved in that it was one of the few ways she could feel close to her brother anymore while he was away in Ivy Town. And after he’d returned, it had simply become one of the better ways of spending time with him. Now it sounded like Oliver was the one missing that connection.

She knew Oliver and Thea both meant the world to each other, but somewhere along the way they’d both become unable to see it or show it. If there was one thing she had always wanted to set right, it was this.

And now she had the chance. The thought hit her so suddenly. She had been given a second chance at life, a second shot to do the things she’d always meant to, to keep trying.

They parked outside her building and hurried inside since no one was currently out on the street. Oliver’s hooded jacket had the added benefit of covering her face, though she wasn’t sure if the clash with her dress wouldn’t make it all the more obvious that something was going on. They were lucky not to meet anyone on their way up to her floor in the building.

Laurel led the way out of the elevator, but gradually slowed as she came to the realization that she didn’t have her key. She was right in front of her own door, and she couldn’t get in.

“We’ll see if we can wake her.” Oliver slipped past her and knocked. “There’s always the window if this doesn’t work.”

“Well, I’ve never gotten to break into my own apartment before. That should be new.”

He grinned back at her as he knocked again, and after a few moments of listening they could hear someone’s shuffling footsteps.

The door opened a crack, and a grumbling Thea could be seen in the gap. “Ollie? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Speedy. I know it’s early, but uh, somebody couldn’t wait to see you.”

Her eyes had drifted past her brother and landed on Laurel, who hesitated just a second before lifting back the hood.

The door swung in the rest of the way as Thea stood there gaping.

Her nerves overtook her for a moment — what if this was all too much? what if, for some reason, Thea wasn’t happy to see her? — and her greeting came out much softer than she’d intended. 

“Hey, Thea.”

A choked sound left Thea, but, before she could even start to worry, the younger woman had flung herself forward. Laurel only just managed to catch her in time.

“Laurel! Is this — am I still dreaming?”

“This is real, Thea. I’m right here.” She cradled the back of Thea’s head with one hand and rubbed her back with the other, concerned with the way she was shaking in her arms. “It’s okay.”

Through the material of Oliver’s jacket, a dampness was beginning to spread across her shoulder where Thea had pressed her face to. The occasional sob escaped her, which only encouraged Laurel to hold her tighter.

“Okay, let’s get this inside before the neighbors complain,” Oliver suggested. She felt his hand on the small of her back and could only guess his other one was guiding Thea along as well.

It was slow going; Thea seemed incapable of letting go of her, and Oliver had to stick close to make sure they didn’t accidentally trip over themselves on the way into the sitting room.

They settled on her couch, Oliver’s leg brushing hers and Laurel keeping one arm around Thea’s shoulders to help anchor her as she looked at them both with wide eyes.

The question, when it finally came, was a hoarse, “How?”

Neither of them immediately spoke. They hadn’t really discussed how much about the link between their souls to talk about, though it was bound to come up eventually. Right now, though, Thea looked far too distraught to go into that level of detail.

“John came back — Constantine, not Digg. He’d talked to Esrin Fortuna, and they came up with a solution. So he and I brought Laurel back with magic.”

“Just like Sara,” Laurel added.

“But you don’t have the blood lust problem, do you?” Thea immediately asked, sitting up straighter.

“No. Since it didn’t involve the Pit, I should be fine.”

Thea let out a breath, then used her sleeve to wipe at her eyes. “I can’t believe it was that simple.”

Laurel glanced back at Oliver. “Well, it wasn’t a guarantee,” he hedged. “That’s why I didn’t tell you before.”

“I should be so mad at you for that,” Thea said to her brother. Then she looked to Laurel again and her face split into a smile. “I’m just so glad you’re back.”

“I am very glad to be.�� 

Thea hugged her again, and they settled into quiet. Laurel rubbed her back and could feel the younger woman starting to drift off. Not surprising, considering they’d woken her up in the middle of the night. She exchanged a look with Oliver over the top of his sister’s head and he nodded.

Together they got her up and into her bedroom. Oliver held Thea in his arms while Laurel folded her covers back, then they placed her on the bed and tucked her in. Laurel couldn’t resist tucking some of Thea’s hair behind her ear, and Oliver took his own moment to kiss her forehead. Then they left the room, hand in hand.

“We should probably sleep, too. Or you definitely should,” she murmured out in the hall.

“I don’t think I can, if it means being without you right now,” he admitted, then cringed, his eyes closing. “That sounds bad. I just mean that — this doesn’t feel real yet, and I know in my dreams I’ll just- I’ll see—”

She stepped up and placed the tips of her fingers to his lips. “Hey. You don’t have to explain yourself. I’m here for you, with you.” Laurel inclined her head towards her room. “Come on.”

Without words, they both seemed to understand there was nothing sexual about this moment, even as Oliver stripped down to his boxers and Laurel found some loose pajamas to sleep in. As much as they hadn’t been able to stop kissing each other earlier, this was far more about soothing the pain of the last month than gaining some physical gratification. And the closeness they shared as they both climbed into the bed was more than enough.

Oliver’s arms wound around her waist as if they had never left, and her cheek rested on his chest. 

“I love you.”

She felt him shift up to an elbow to press his lips to the top of her head. “I love you, too.” Laurel smiled into his chest, feeling giddy and content in a way she hadn’t for such a long time. It practically felt indecent to be this happy.

Laurel listened as his breathing slowly evened out the way his sister’s had before, glad she could bring him this kind of comfort and safety so he could get the rest he badly needed. She couldn’t imagine how much he must have been pushing himself before now.

There was so much to do tomorrow. Finding a way to reach her father, contacting the team, figuring out the story they would give the public as to why she wasn’t dead. But here in Oliver’s embrace, she could leave those worries be for the moment. It was as if this predawn moment was suspended in time, only for them.

She wasn’t sure how long she was asleep, only that she was groggy and disoriented when a distant pounding started up. Front door. Laurel groaned into her pillow, which seemed much more solid than usual.

The pounding didn’t let up. Probably her dad. Laurel pushed herself out of bed, something heavy falling from around her waist, and stumbled out to the door with her eyes half-closed.

Just as she turned the door handle, a familiar voice that wasn’t her father’s began, “Thea, we’ve really got a problem so if I can’t reach your AWOL brother, maybe you — Ah!”

Laurel stood, blinking at a visibly frightened Felicity. “Um, hey.”

“Laurel?”

She gaped at her like she was seeing a ghost — oh.

Oops.

“I’m not dead,” Laurel blurted. God, she needed coffee or something.

“But — what?” Felicity glanced back down the hall and stepped inside. Laurel shut the door. The other woman took hold of her arms, as if testing to see if they were solid. “You’re here. You’re really here.”

“I am, yes.”

“I don’t understand.”

“There was magic involved, so that’s pretty reasonable.”

Felicity looked up at her. “Magic?”

“What’s all the noise?” Asked Thea. She was standing just outside of her room rubbing at her eyes. But she stopped as she caught sight of the both of them. “That wasn’t a dream.”

“No.”

“You’re really here.”

“Yes,” Laurel agreed.

A small, delighted laugh left Thea, and she rushed forward to wrap her in another hug. Laurel held onto her as well, mouthing a “sorry,” to Felicity as she’d had to back out of the way.

Felicity still looked about as shocked and confused as she had been when Laurel first answered the door. She was going to have to get used to people staring at her like that.

When Thea let her go, Felicity moved forward in something of a trance to hug her as well. Laurel held her friend, patting the back of her ponytail a couple times as Felicity babbled into her shoulder.

“I just thought that since the Pit — I mean, how’d they even get your body back in, like, working condition? You know what? I don’t want to know.” Felicity drew back and sniffed once, smiling through teary eyes. “You’re alive and that’s what matters. Even if I have no idea how we’re going to explain your empty grave to the public.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, that’s why I came over here. I got a news alert that the cemetery reported your grave had been robbed of everything. Including you. I mean, I guess it was less of a robbery and more of a repossession — that was a bad joke.”

“Shoot,” Thea muttered. “How are we gonna fake you having been alive this whole time? I mean, you’re like the most famous dead person in Star City right now.”

“Real accomplishment,” Laurel said. Figured she’d go down in infamy.

Before she could start to brainstorm some kind of cover story, a door opened down the hall and footsteps padded across the wooden floor.

“Laurel?”

She froze. Oliver. Not that she’d forgotten his presence, exactly, but she hadn’t thought about what others might think—

He rounded the corner in his boxers and — mercifully — his undershirt. It still wasn’t a great look, especially when he and Felicity both gaped at each other. Thea’s mouth had also dropped open before she’d pressed her lips together in what looked to be an attempt to hide a huge grin.

“Um. Good morning,” Oliver said.

Laurel resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. “It was really late when we came to see Thea, so he stayed over—”

“You’re sleeping together,” Felicity blurted.

Laurel quickly shook her head. “We didn’t.”

“No,” Oliver quickly agreed. But he drew in a breath and said, “At least, we haven’t. I can’t lie about this,” he said, looking to her for understanding.

Laurel nodded. He was right. It wouldn’t be fair. So she also reached out and took his hand to show she was in this with him.

“I did a lot of thinking when we all thought we’d lost Laurel. And it led me to realize the feelings I had for her weren’t gone. If anything, they were all I had to hang onto. I can’t pass up this chance to finally get things right. I’m sorry if that upsets you, Felicity, and you have every right to be. I know it’s soon—”

“No, no, this is great,” their friend interrupted.

Oliver’s mouth snapped shut, so it was up to Laurel to ask, “It is?”

“Yeah. I’d been wondering, you know, how soon is too soon to sort of get back into dating after all that,” Felicity explained. “But here you are, which means I am free to do whatever I please regarding that situation.”

“Well, great,” Thea remarked. She came forward and hugged Laurel and Oliver each. “I’m so happy this all worked out. And I’m proud of you,” she told her brother. “But maybe go put on some pants.”

Oliver winced. “Right. I’ll do that.”

Laurel couldn’t help still worrying and she quietly asked once Oliver retreated to her room, “Felicity, are you sure you’re okay with this? I don’t want you to feel like you need to pretend.”

Her friend waved a hand. “Laurel, if you still want him at this point, he is all yours. Believe me.”

She shifted from foot to foot, not quite sure how to respond to that statement. Felicity had a right to her feelings regarding Oliver, but a part of Laurel felt she ought to defend him nonetheless. Fortunately, Thea’s phone ringing broke up the moment. “Oh, it’s your dad, Laurel. Does he know? Should I tell him?”

Laurel’s heart did a funny little jump. “Um, see what he needs first.”

“Okay. Hello?” Thea listened for a moment. “Yes, I did hear about the robbery. I’m sorry they called you about it, it’s kind of a long — I know, I know. You are? Okay. But listen, when you get into the city, come to the apartment first, okay? We can sort this out before we do anything else. Drive safe.” Thea hung up and gave her an apologetic look. “I didn’t want to tell him while he was driving, you know?”

“No, that’s good. Thank you.”

“Tell you what. I am going to head out to get something to eat, then I will stop by to see Lyla,” Felicity said. “She’ll know best how to get in touch with John.”

“Why wouldn’t he be home with her?”

Thea and Felicity exchanged a look. “A lot’s changed. John, um, went back into the service,” Thea explained.

“What? But their daughter,” Laurel protested. “She’s so young.”

“It’s how he knows how to cope,” Felicity said with a shrug. “But who knows? Maybe with you back he’ll decide he doesn’t need to exile himself to the military. All the more reason for me to get in touch with him via Lyla.” Her friend darted forward for another quick hug. “We’ll get it all figured out, promise.”

Felicity let herself out of the apartment and Laurel looked down. “I still feel really bad she found out like that.” It would have happened eventually, of course; Laurel couldn’t and wouldn’t regret this with Oliver. But she knew what it was like to feel like a jilted lover better than most.

Thea shrugged. “It could’ve gone better, maybe. But, I for one am thrilled!” She grabbed Laurel’s shoulder, giving it a little shake. “How did it happen? Did you, like, talk after they brought you back? How’d they even bring you back? You said magic, but is that like Constantine snaps his fingers and you’re fine, or did Ollie help? Was it true love’s kiss?”

“Now you’re just teasing,” Laurel told her. “Um, it was sort of like with Sara. I was in this place that was like home, but different somehow. And everyone…” She shook her head. She didn’t want to think about everyone leaving all over again, or the storm clouds and the dark water that had tried to pull her under. “I should shower and get dressed. I don’t actually think I’ve showered in a month, come to think of it.”

Thea made a face. “Yeah, definitely get in there. Your dad said he’d make it back in a couple hours. I guess the cemetery called him before the robbery was made public, so he’s been on the road since dawn.”

“I hope he’s not pushing himself.” Part of Laurel wanted to call to check on him right now. The other part knew hearing her voice unexpectedly might cause him to crash the car, if being on his phone wasn’t already risky enough.

Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t technically eaten anything in a month, either. She and Thea both grinned.

“You get a shower, and I’ll go get some food to bring back. Maybe see how long Ollie’s planning on sticking around here,” Thea suggested. She grabbed up her purse and leaned in for an impulsive side hug. “I think my face is gonna get stuck like this, I’m just so happy,” her friend said with a grin, then left through the front door.

Laurel headed back to her room to grab a change of clothes, seeing Oliver hang up the phone as she pushed open the door. His pants were held loosely in one hand, so he clearly hadn’t gotten around to putting them on.

“Hey, who was that?”

“Uh, the office. I was calling in to let them know I’m taking an unexpected personal day.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that a good precedent to set this early?”

He ducked his head. “Maybe not, but this is kind of unexpected, Laurel. We need the time to figure out what our story is about you. And truthfully, even if that weren’t the case, I’m not sure I could focus on anything else today.”

She supposed she couldn’t fault him for that. “Then I guess it’s a good thing Thea’s getting food for three.” She walked over to her dresser, glad to find none of her clothes had been moved yet. Though she wondered what, if anything, the plan had been regarding that. “I guess you need a shower, too.” He must have been digging around in the dirt for the better part of last night, after all. Her own experience with Sara’s grave told her it was hard, messy work.

He looked down at his phone, which had just buzzed in his hand. “Apparently you and Thea both think that. She said she’s gonna stop by my place to grab me a change of clothes.”

“Well, you do have to look your best soon. My dad is going to be here in a couple hours, and we have to tell him about this,” she said, walking up to him and gesturing with a finger between them both.

He grimaced. “Well, we’re at least on better terms now than the last time. And he’s not allowed to own a taser.”

“True.” She went up on her tiptoes to peck him on the lips. “I’ll make my shower quick.”

His hands landing on her waist kept her right where she was instead of pulling away like she’d intended. “Or we could double up and both enjoy a nice shower.”

“You’re a terrible influence.” If this were any other relationship, she’d be offended at that kind of daring. But she and Oliver had been all the way so many times and knew each other’s bodies, so what was the point of pretending?

And in some ways, knowing she wasn’t alive yesterday filled her with a desire to seize today; take every opportunity and allow herself every pleasure she’d held herself back from the last several years of her life. She’d wasted so much time.

Laurel recaptured his lips in an open-mouthed kiss, gratified when he met her tongue with his. His hands inched down from her waist and she took her cue, jumping and letting him grip her to him. Chest to chest, with his hands massaging her thighs and backside, she really did feel alive.

By the time they stumbled out of the shower into the steam filled bathroom, warm and clean despite their best efforts, they had only a few minutes to towel themselves dry before Thea let herself back in the apartment. She knocked on the bathroom door. “Ollie? I’m gonna leave your clothes on Laurel’s bed.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

They heard her footsteps go down the hallway and knock on another door. “Laurel?”

“Um, no one’s in there, Speedy,” Laurel called out. Then she bit her lip.

There was a pause. “Gotcha,” Thea finally said. Laurel made the mistake of meeting Oliver’s eyes and had to bend over to stifle her giggles. He grinned wide and wound his arms around her, pulling her back into his chest.

“I’ll be in the kitchen with the food,” Thea said loudly, making her footfalls heavier than she needed.

“We’ll be right out, Speedy,” Oliver promised. He kissed her once more, then poked his head out into the hall, giving her a thumbs up that they were clear. Laurel readjusted her towel where it had fallen down her breasts and hurried back to the bedroom. She had to keep her back turned as she changed in order to not give into any additional temptation, reminding herself that they were not alone in the apartment.

Oliver was still buttoning up his shirt when she finished, so she went over and helped him with the last couple, smoothing the fabric down and leaning forward to nuzzle under his chin. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I can’t stop thinking about you.”

He held her loosely. “It was the same way for me when I got back from the island. All those times I could have died and never seen you again, never made it right. I’d wasted what we had and all I could think about was making that up to you.” He rubbed her back and added, “If I hadn’t promised my father to right his wrongs, I don’t think anything could have kept me from your side. Even if you’d hated me.”

“Well, I can’t promise I would have been thrilled at the time. But I would’ve warmed back up to you eventually.” She sighed. “I think the only thing motivating me to leave this room right now is food.”

He chuckled. “Me too. But we’ve kept Thea waiting long enough.”

They left for the kitchen hand in hand, only blushing a little at Thea’s knowing look. “Guess you worked up an appetite.”

“Yup,” Oliver admitted shamelessly, reaching into the takeout bag to grab his portion. He passed Laurel hers as well.

“I really am happy for you guys. I mean, before, I figured you were both just content to be living your separate lives and I was just gonna live with that, you know?” She shook her head. “But I shouldn’t have doubted. Mom always knew.”

Oliver’s smile turned soft as he looked down at the table. “She did, yeah.”

“So anyway, I’ll CC Laurel on the email for places to propose, yeah?”

Laurel snorted. “Let’s give people some breathing room first, maybe.” Even if she had accepted Oliver and Felicity both moving on from their respective relationships, she didn’t want the cloud of public opinion hanging over an engagement period.

Oliver suddenly straightened up. “Someone’s coming in.”

“Through the door?”

When he stood up and took a kitchen knife with him, she knew that wasn’t the case. Laurel and Thea exchanged a look, both rising and following him out into the hallway. They both hung back in silent agreement not to show their whole hand to any intruder.

Oliver stood in the living room, back ramrod straight as Laurel heard the window slide open and shut. Then he dropped the tense posture. “Sara?”

“Oh. Hey, Ollie.”

Laurel’s hand went over her mouth. Sara was back?

“Didn’t realize anyone would be here,” her sister said.

“Were you looking for something?”

Laurel could almost imagine the lift of Sara’s shoulders. “Not really. Um, Gideon thought she picked up some kind of time anomaly around here and I said I’d check it out. I just thought I’d come by here first, just to, I don’t know…”

Oliver glanced their way and met her eyes. Laurel nodded. “Sara, it’s actually great you came. There’s kind of something we needed to tell you.”

“What?”

“Well, my friend John Constantine got back in touch with me. He’d figured out a way to, to—” Oliver stopped and motioned Laurel out into the open. She walked into the living room, hands clasped together as Sara came into view. Her sister’s mouth dropped open.

“Hey, Sara.”

“Laurel? You’re- you’re really—?”

Laurel nodded and quickly found her arms full as Sara practically launched herself across the room at her with a shout.

“I guess coming back from the dead runs in the family, too,” Laurel joked.

“I knew it could happen. I told Rip, I was gonna get you back. Screw the timeline—”

“Is this the anomaly, then?” Oliver asked.

Sara pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “If it is, it’s staying. I can’t — I won’t let him change it back. He’ll have to go through me.”

Oliver nodded solemnly, clearly pledging himself to this cause as well. Out of the corner of her eye, Laurel saw Thea standing against the wall giving her own nod as well.

Laurel cupped Sara’s cheek. “I’m sure this Rip Hunter can be reasonable. Anyway, I’m not leaving you all again without a fight.”

Sara let out a breath that wasn’t quite a laugh, smiling again. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“It hardly feels like I left to me. Even if so much has changed. What about you? How’ve you been?” Laurel guided her sister over to sit on the couch with her.

Sara shrugged. “Mostly the same. I mean, fighting with Rip about this, obviously. And we lost — well, it’s a long story.” Sara’s head ducked down for a moment, but she looked right back up. “How long have you been back? Who else knows?”

“Not very long. Not even a day yet,” Laurel told her. “And it’s you three, Constantine and Felicity so far. She’s at Lyla’s to get in touch with John right now. We still haven’t come up with a story for how this happened. We, um—”

She glanced back at Oliver and Thea, and it was the latter who supplied, “These two have been a bit busy to talk about cover stories and the like.”

Laurel gave her surrogate sister of sorts a look as Sara blinked and let out a loud laugh. “Really?”

Oliver had the grace to look a little sheepish as he nodded.

“Well, I always said about you two — and hey, that’s one way to celebrate coming back from the dead,” Sara remarked. “I’m gonna have to take a page from your book the next time.”

“There’s not gonna be a next time for you,” Laurel said, poking her sister’s shoulder. “You’ve done this to me too many times.”

“Yeah, going through it the once has been bad enough for me,” Sara agreed. Then she wrapped her arms around Laurel and leaned her head against hers. “But it’s all better now.”

Laurel leaned in close as well. She could admit she was enjoying soaking up all the attention and hugs for once. Her fears and doubts last night when no one else had been there for her resurrection felt like a dim shadow in the light of day.

There was a knock on the door that Thea went to answer. “Captain Lance!”

“Yeah, well, you said to stop by here first. You got any idea what happened in the cemetery?”

“Bit of an idea, yeah,” Thea told him. “Ollie has the full story.”

She heard him walk further into the space. “I mean, that imposter was one thing, but this—”

Her father had rounded the corner and stopped, stock still as he took in the sight of her and Sara on the couch. Laurel felt her eyes water.

“Hi, daddy.”

Laurel’s smile slipped a little as she watched him grip the wall for support. But Oliver reached to steady him, and her father seemed to recover from the shock.

“What? How?”

“It’s really her, dad,” Sara said, squeezing Laurel tighter with the arm that was over her shoulder. “Ollie and Constantine got her back.”

Her dad glanced to Oliver, who smiled. Then he came over and placed his hands on either side of her face. Laurel leaned into the touch.

“I’m sorry, dad.”

“Oh, honey, you don’t ever apologize again. I- I missed you so much.” He bent over to hug her tight, and Laurel returned it, her eyes squeezing shut as she felt him shake in her arms.

“I missed you, too.”

When he let her go, it was only to turn and firmly shake Oliver’s hand. “You killed the bastard that did it, you brought her back to me — I don’t know how I’m ever gonna thank you for this.

“Well,” Oliver said, glancing at her with just the slightest bit of nerves. “You could try to be happy when I tell you Laurel and I are giving a relationship a try. Again.”

Her dad drew back, in surprise from what she could tell. Nonetheless, Laurel got off the couch to come stand with Oliver. He looked at them both for a moment.

“This is really gonna make you happy?” He asked her.

Laurel placed one hand on Oliver’s chest as the other circled around his back. “It already does.”

He shrugged, his head shaking slightly. “Well, how can I argue with that?”

Laurel beamed, leaning her head on Oliver’s shoulder.

“So how are we celebrating?” Sara asked. “Cause I seem to remember people who come back from the dead get a party.”

“It’s a private party for now. We’re going to need to make some arrangements and decide on a cover story so Laurel can officially be declared back,” Oliver explained.

“But that can wait a little longer,” Laurel added. “Having all of you here is a party to me.”

They talked late into the evening, as long as Sara was able to stay before enough repeated calls from her ship had her needing to return. Her dad lingered a little later as well before heading back to his place. By that time, Thea was already yawning deeply and she wasn’t the only one. They never did get around to discussing plans.

When she was finally snuggled back under the covers of her bed with Oliver, happy and sated, Laurel could only selfishly wish life could just continue on like this. Time with her family and closest friends, good food and certain pleasures of the flesh were all things she still felt she hadn’t quite caught up on from her old life and death. But real life would need to resume very soon, even if it was a new life for her.

She threaded the fingers of one of her hands through Oliver’s before closing her eyes. So long as they were facing it together, she couldn’t see what was so bad about that.

[lauriverweek]

We mods here would like to thank everyone who participated (and enjoyed) Lauriver Week 2020! It was a lot of fun to put something on for the fandom.

A post with a masterlist to all the fics across AO3 and FFN will be compiled here very shortly. If you have late submissions, please feel free to send them our way and they will also be added to the masterlist.

We would also like to ask if anyone would be interested in us using this blog to coordinate a Lauriver Valentines Weekend for this month? No specific prompts, just collecting any and all works about the couple. Let us know!

Thanks once again, and I hope you all enjoyed the week as much as I did!

-Admin Ray

[lauriverweek]

For AO3 and FFN Posters

As promised, here are the guidelines for those of you cross-posting, or posting exclusively, to AO3 or FFN.

My lovely co-admin has created an AO3 collection here. When you upload your work to AO3, please submit it to the collection and we will approve it. We’re going to leave submissions open for anyone who might be a little behind schedule and for any future events we might run.

As for FFN, I have created a Community here. When you upload your work to FFN, PM me here with the link. I will then add it to the Community. This archive will also be used in the future for any following Lauriver events.

The goal is to make sure we have archived everyone’s submissions regardless of what platform they use and to give Lauriver fans localized places to enjoy works about the pairing. If you have any questions about the different processes, send us an ask.

Thanks,

-Admin Ray

[unusual-raccoon]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22529851

[lauriverweek]

Happy Lauriver Week!

The admins will be tracking the tag for submissions starting today! Please feel free to post in your own time zones and make sure to use lauriverweek2020 as one of your first five tags if posting to tumblr. Check out our post about AO3 and FFN submissions if those apply to you as well.

Fics of all ratings will be accepted, just make sure to provide appropriate tags/content warnings (i.e. smut, violence, etc.) with them. Late submissions will also be accepted, so don’t feel that you can’t post your work if you miss the day. This week is meant to be fun and stress-free for all Lauriver fans. The AO3 and FFN collections will remain open, and I will still be tracking the tag after the week is over.

Enjoy the week, and I for one can’t wait to see what everyone’s come up with!

-Admin Ray

[raywritesthings]

Can anyone participate in Lauriver week? !

Yes, of course! It’s open to anyone who wishes to contribute to the week.

[unusual-raccoon]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22529851

Posted this earlier, the link was weird, same fic just wanted to post it again

[lauriverweek]

Quick message for the Ao3 posters. I’m the one who keeps track o f the works on the Ao3 collection, I just want to warn you that tomorrow I have a test at university so it’s likely that new works tomorrow will be approved in the late evening. Which means around 8:00 or most likely 9:00 pm, Italian time.

That said have fun this week.

-adminXenia