"Excuse me" a familiar voice caused Laurel to freeze. "Do you know where I can find a lawyer?" Laurel turned and confirmed that her recently "resurrected" ex-boyfriend Oliver Queen was standing behind her with a goofy smile on his face.

Laurel cocked her head to the side and replied with a snark. "I'm sorry, I don't handle paternity suits".

Oliver chuckled. "Okay, do you handle construction permits because I am opening a nightclub and the paperwork is already burying me".

Laurel stared at the accordion folder that Oliver was holding toward her. A nightclub. Because why wouldn't he? "A nightclub" Laurel remarked. "Couldn't think of a more inspiring line of work?"

"Does this mean that you are not going to help me?" Oliver asked. Laurel closed her eyes knowing if she couldn't see him, she wouldn't help him. Why should she? But unfortunately, she could feel his unwavering, pleading eyes upon her.

"Fine," she said, taking the folder from his hands. "After I finish my job of actually helping people". Oliver nodded at her gratefully, but didn't seem like he wanted to move on, or let her move on with her day. "Anything else?" Laurel asked.

"Yes. A lot actually. I had five years to think about what I would say to you if I ever made it back and I wanted to tell you that-"

"Laurel!" A dark-haired man called from kind of far away. Oliver couldn't get a very good look at him.

"I'll look this over, Oliver, but my break at CNRI is only so long," Laurel said and Oliver nodded.

"Thank you' Oliver said quietly and Laurel headed toward the stranger and to Oliver's surprise, she was pulled into a kiss. After they pulled apart, he offered her his arm and they walked away.

Oliver pulled out his phone and sent a text to Tommy, asking if he knew Laurel had a boyfriend.

That evening, Laurel was at her apartment, and she was working on building a case against Martin Somers when there was a knock at her door. Was her dad supposed to come over tonight? Was it Joanna with something she forgot at the firm? Laurel looked through the peephole on her door and found to her annoyance it was Oliver.

She opened the door for him anyway, but her face made sure he knew her true feelings about the gesture. He quickly pulled a pint of rocky road ice cream out of a grocery bag. "Dinah Laurel Lance, god as my witness, I have not had a lick of ice cream since I have returned to Starling City. I refuse to have one if it is not in your company".

Laurel actually smiled, which she had never planned on doing in front of Oliver again. "You remembered my favorite ice cream" she tried to say in monotone.

"What? You thought five years on an island would make me forget your favorite ice cream?"

Laurel rolled her eyes. "It would make me forget yours" she countered.

"So um, I saw that guy that you kissed you when you walked away today. I didn't realize that you were seeing somebody..." Oliver said.

'… I didn't realize that needed your permission. Given that you made your choice when you took Sara on The Gambit" Laurel said and she sat down on the couch with her bowl of ice cream.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said.

"You said that already" Laurel pointed out.

"It will never be enough" Oliver admitted. "Who is the lucky man... if you don't mind?"

"His name is Barry. He moved to Starling City about a year ago" Laurel revealed and Oliver nodded.

"What does he do?" Oliver asked.

"He's a CSI, he transferred from the CCPD. He is very bright" Laurel said.

"Central City? Walter mentioned an-" Oliver began to say.

"Energy Crisis" Laurel interrupted. "At least that's how I understand what happened". Oliver nodded. "So, uh, Ollie, we didn't really get to discuss your reintegration to Starling City. I know that you are trying to open a nightclub, and not that you don't know the field, but have you talked about it with your mom at all?"

"My mother is being supportive for now. She wants me to do whatever I want as long as I stay safe. She even hired a bodyguard who I forced to stay in the lobby" Oliver said.

"While you were gone, your mom was really starting to groom Thea to become CEO, now that your back though, I thought she would focus back on you" Laurel admitted.

"She will" Oliver replied. "But she knows that I have been through- a lot".

"You know,... the offer I made the other night, about talking about it, it stands," Laurel said.

"Thank you, Laurel," Oliver said.

"Why don't you just tell your mother that you aren't interested? You had no problem telling her before..." Laurel's voice trailed off as she Oliver's tense and he stood up. She stood up as well.

"Ollie, are you okay?" Laurel asked only to have Oliver place his hand on her stomach, signaling her to stay behind him. The two of them then heard to gunshots pierce the front door before they heard someone enter Laurel's apartment. Oliver glanced at Laurel's face briefly and he saw that she was afraid but ready to act. He took his hand off her stomach and grabbed her hand as he saw two women enter from the fire escape. He looked at Laurel. "C'mon" he whispered.

Two large Chinese men, a Chinese woman, and another woman who actually looked American had surrounded the apartment. As soon as one of the intruders would catch sight of the pair, they would attack, Oliver body-blocked Laurel, guarding her from every bullet. Oliver's bodyguard, John Diggle snuck up behind one of the men and shot his back before snapping his neck. "This is why you need a bodyguard, Mr. Queen" he shouted. Oliver rushed Laurel towards the kitchen, but they were stopped face to face with the Chinese woman. The other Chinese man lined up a back-of-the-head shot at Laurel but Oliver grabbed a knife out the women's hand, elbowed her in the face, and threw the knife at the man, hitting his right shoulder.

The Chinese women pulled out two long blades and tried to sneak around Oliver, but it didn't work and Oliver uppercut her chin. He had let go of Laurel's hand and he saw out the corner of his eye that the American woman was twisting Laurel's wrist. Oliver performed a roundhouse to that woman's knee. Diggle was going head to head with The Chinese man when police siren was heard getting close to the apartment building.

The Chinese man shoved Diggle out of his way and the two women had already made their way to the fire escape. Once the man had joined them, they disappeared into the night. One last bullet shattered the glass of Laurel's window, but Oliver pushed Laurel to the ground and was on top of her, but only briefly. He helped her up. "Are you okay?" asked Oliver with Laurel's head between his hands.

"Yeah" she breathed. Oliver kissed her forehead and didn't let go of her. He couldn't even if he wanted to.

The police were investigating and Barry was taking photos of the body. "Baby!" Quentin said, hugging Laurel for the fourth time. "Are you sure you're not hurt at all?"

"I'm not. Ollie... Ollie was surprisingly helpful" Laurel said still calming down.

Quentin glanced at Oliver. "Thanks," he said in a low tone and Oliver just replied with a nod and he walked over to Diggle.

"You just Laurel's life," Diggle said. "You'd think he would at least shake your hand".

"It's complicated," Oliver said he walked out of the now doorless apartment and Diggle followed him. Oliver was climbing into the limo that Diggle would be driving him home in when Laurel burst out the doors of the apartment building. "Ollie" she shouted. Oliver walked to meet her in the middle and she threw her arms around him. He hugged her back.

"Shouldn't you be with Barry?" Oliver asked. ]

"The night's not over. Barry is still upstairs, but I- I need to know how you did that- how you acted so quickly and skillfully?" Laurel asked.

"Laurel, I- Oliver began to say.

"Oliver, don't lie to me. I'll know if you are lying to me" Laurel warned.

Oliver didn't say anything for a moment, but then he replied, "Laurel, I spent five years on an island. Put the pieces together" Oliver climbed into the car and left Laurel standing alone as Diggle pulled away. He was silent on his way home. He so badly wanted to tell her the truth, he so badly wanted to tell her everything. He was the hood. He was sorry. He was still madly in love with her.

Laurel was having breakfast with Barry the following morning. Barry couldn't help but notice that his girlfriend was miles away that morning. "So Oliver- Oliver left in a hurry," he said as he swallowed a mouth full of Pancakes.

"Uh-huh" Laurel said.

"Babe, what happened last night? Why was Oliver in your apartment?" Barry asked.

"He is just a friend, Barry" Laurel insisted.

"No, I know. But why? Why is he your friend? I know what he did to you, Laurel? How do you not see that betrayal every time you look at him?" Barry asked.

"I do, Barry. But it's like you and Iris, I've known him all of my life. We've been best friends since we were six years old and... I don't know, what he went through on that island, it was far worse than he deserved" Laurel said, feeling badly about what she said to him on her lunch break the day he came to see her at work.

"You- you are not going to allow him back into your life. Laurel, he is going to hurt you again" Barry urged.

"You just don't know Ollie, not like I do," Laurel said and the look on Barry's face angered her. "You look just like my father did. He got so mad when I chased Oliver outside. He doesn't want me anywhere near Oliver. Barry? Are you listening?" Laurel asked, sensing something else had Barry's attention.

"I'm sorry, I-" Barry said.

"I get it," Laurel said and she pulled out her wallet and slapped down some money on the table. "This should cover tip" Laurel walked away.

Barry looked at his hand under the table. It was vibrating so fast, it could hurt someone. Maybe it was time to call Harrison Wells.