Laurel ducked, barely making the swinging bow miss her. She felt another presence coming from behind her and reacted by throwing a spinning back kick, catching the assailant rather hard in the stomach. Roy hit the ground with a thump and looked up a Laurel in surprise. She on the other hand was not paying attention as she battled with Thea. It was fairly even until Thea caught Laurel off guard and dropped down, sweeping her off her feet with a kick aimed to her legs. Though she had hit the ground, Laurel did not let that defer her, she immediately twisted her body and attacked one of Thea's legs going for a knee bar. She nearly had the submission locked in but Thea was able to fight out of it. Their trainers, that being Lady Shiva, Malcom, and Oliver watched on, along with Felicity, Diggle, Cain, and Tatsu.

"Laurel has gotten really good", Felicity said impressed.

"Of course she did. I trained her", Shiva remarked cockily. Felicity looked at her weirdly but did not respond. Laurel wasn't kidding when she said Shiva was arrogant. The computer genius turned her attention back to the three way fight going on to see Roy taking Thea on. Thea, whom had her bow in hand swung at him as she did at Laurel a few moments prior, once again missing. They went back and forth for a few moments until Laurel rejoined the fray. Using her right leg to throw kicks at both of them. She was able to hit Thea with a kick but Roy was able to grab her leg and sweep her other one with one of his, making her hit the ground with a thud.

However, he ended up making the mistake of standing in between her legs, placing himself within her open guard. That gave her sweeps and submissions to attack with. She reached down and grabbed for the ankles of his pants leg but only ended up with one due to Roy viciously pulling one leg away. Laurel used this one grip to turn this into a single leg takedown which was successful. Before she could take advantage, Thea took her from behind with a rear necked choke. Thea's bicep cut off the airway of Laurel's throat, cutting off her oxygen supply completely. The choke became tighter but Laurel being the stubborn woman that she was, refused to tap. Digging deep, Laurel reached up and grabbed the hand that was pressing her head down into the bicep choking her. That eased some of the pressure and allowed Laurel to turn into Thea where she threw a knee that landed flush to the body. It knocked the wind out of the younger Queen and sent her to the ground.

Before Laurel could advance on the attack, footsteps cold be hard coming down the steps that led to the secret hideout of the Arrow. Everyone stopped what they were doing, their attention drawn to the intruder. Laurel waited breathlessly for the intruder to be revealed. Her heart was hammering in her chest, the adrenaline from the sparring session now increased tenfold. The prospect of everything being revealed petrified her, they would all most certainly be ruined.

The intruder revealed to be Huntress, Helena Bertinelli. She greeted everyone with a smirk, finding humor in their reactions. "Helena?" Laurel whispered in shock.

Diggle on the other hand became hostile (understandably), "what the hell are you doing here?"

Her smirk grew into a Cheshire like smile, "your buddies at ARGUS worked a little magic to get me out. They said you're having trouble with the League of Assassins, whatever the hell that is",

"They're allowed to do that?" Felicity asked of no one in particular.

Helena gave a nonchalant shrug, "apparently. Otherwise I wouldn't be here", she answered saucily, earning herself a frown from the hacker. "So, what's the problem?"

It took some time but eventually they were able to get Helena up to speed. They explained the overall plan to her, which was that everyone was going to be broken into teams and assigned to a specific city that Ra's was targeting. After much debate, Helena was assigned to Starling City, placing her with Laurel and Shiva. Roy, David Cain, and Diggle were to go to Metropolis; The Flash was to handle Central City; Thea, Oliver, and Malcolm were to go to Gotham.

They opted to take a defensive approach rather than an offensive one (that being go to Nanda Parbat), due to having low numbers in people. Ra's had weapons at the ready that were going to disintegrate the cities, turning them completely into ash. There were these militaristic devices that were to be launched into the air and once they were, a chemical would be released that would disintegrate everything and everyone within the city limits. Alongside with that, there would be foot soldiers on ground who would insure that no one escaped (losing their own lives in the process but they were ready to die for the cause). They would perhaps even slay some people themselves.

Hearing that she was to be teamed up with Laurel, Helena gave the lawyer a sly smile, "does this make us girlfriends?"

Laurel rolled her eyes at the question that was being asked again a year later, "Do you want it to?" she shot back, quirking her head and taking a step closer to Huntress.

Not backing down, Helena's smile widened, "well, look who got themselves a sense of humor",

Shiva then came over, ready to step in between them, sensing the tension, "stop it, Little Bird. You as well, Bertinelli", she ordered. Helena looked at her momentarily from the corner of her eye before looking back at Laurel.

"Is this your mommy?"

"I guess you can say that",

"Stop it", Shiva said stronger this time. With one more, hard stare in Helena's way, Laurel took heed to Shiva's word and backed away, going to sit on the other side of the Foundry away from Helena. Before going in the opposite direction, Helena sent her a wink. Shiva went and sat beside Laurel, "what is the history between you two?"

"She held me hostage once", Laurel answered.

Shiva looked pensive at that, as if contemplating something, "is there going to be any problems between you two?" she asked next.

"Not from me", Laurel said honestly, "I won't cause trouble if she doesn't"

Shiva nodded and hummed in understanding. She then got up and went over to Huntress. She regarded the woman with a serious, almost deadly look. Helena raised an eyebrow in question, "what?"

"There is much at stake and I do not have time to play babysitter between the two of you," she said evenly.

"So are you really going to play mother hen to her? Who are you anyway?"

"I am Lady Shiva and my connection to Little Bird is none of your concern. Just know that if you do not act accordingly and jeopardize this mission in any way, I will see to it that you pay for it dearly",

"Little Bird?" Helena questioned mockingly, "catching nickname", she said, now studying Shiva intently. She took in the aura of Shiva, her stature, and all the little things that revealed a lot of a person. She was able to pick up that Shiva was lethal. "I can play nice but doesn't mean I won't have a little fun with her",

"That fun better not turn into anything hostile",

"Gotcha. I'm not gonna be the cause of Starling being destroyed just because I'm screwing around with Laurel",

"Good,"

Everyone else, including Laurel watched the exchange between them intrigued. They all half expected a fight to break out and Oliver was gearing up to step in between the two women. But everything seemed to be okay when Shiva backed away and went back to Laurel. "There is still one more thing we need to talk about", she told the younger woman. Laurel looked at her questionably. "Your friendship with Nyssa", she said loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"You're friends with her?" Oliver asked with accusation.

"Better than buddying it up with Malcom", Felicity quipped. If Laurel hadn't been so annoyed with the mess that Shiva had caused or with Oliver's tone, she might have smiled. It was rather funny and she did feel better trusting Nyssa than Malcolm any day.

"We are not friends. I was just talking to her today", Laurel explained.

"About what?" Malcolm asked bitingly.

Laurel regarded him with cold eyes and nearly told him it was none of his damn business. But she thought better of it, "Nyssa told me that she knew about her father's plan now and it didn't seem to sit well with her",

"What do you mean she knows about it now?" Oliver asked.

"Weeks ago, I alluded to it towards her and she had no idea what I was talking about but the lackey that was with her did. Then today, she came to me and told me that she now knew about it. It doesn't seem like she likes it but to go against him", Laurel explained.

"You have been fraternizing with her behind our backs?" Malcolm asked with accusation.

Laurel folded her arms and rolled her eyes, "I have not been fraternizing with her. I've talked with her and that's it. And no, I haven't told her anything important about what we're doing",

"She's not going to stand against her father. Once he asks her to fight for him, to fight us, she will. Just as her father, she must be killed", David interjected calmly.

"No", Laurel protested.

"Regardless of the fact that she was screwing Sara she is still the enemy", Malcolm said pointedly.

"You son of a bitch", Laurel spat, taking a step towards him.

"Enough", Oliver barked. He then let out an exasperated sigh before continuing, "Let's not jump the gun here and put a target on her back. Laurel, you go talk to her again. She's more than likely at Sara's old secret hideout in the Glades. Hopefully, you can get her to see reason and to join our side,"

Laurel's face took a bitter look to it, "you want me to use Sara", she said quietly.

Oliver's jaw twitched, "whatever it takes,"

"If she does not see reason, which she won't, I will end her", Shiva spoke up. Laurel felt a concoction of uneasiness, urgency, and fear for Nyssa. She quickly gathered her things and left, eager to get the Heir to see reason.

"Nyssa?" Laurel called out softly, entering the hideout. The assassin stood at a table, sharpening a sword. She placed the weapon on the table and slowly turned to face the lawyer, confusion clouding her features.

"You're quite bold coming here by yourself", she commented.

"It's important", Laurel said, stepping further into the hideout.

"What is it?"

Laurel sighed and braced herself to ask for this huge favor, "I know this is asking for a lot but I need you to stand against your father on this",

Nyssa's brow furrowed and her jaw clenched, "you have some nerve marching in here and asking to betray my own blood", she said coldly.

Laurel swallowed, gathered her courage and continued, "I know this is huge-"

"Huge?" Nyssa cut in, "this is everything, Laurel, everything that I am",

"No, it's not. I saw it in your eyes, Nyssa. I know you don't want all of those people to die",

The struggle over the situation became apparent on Nyssa's face then. She turned her back to Laurel, her shoulders hunched, "I can't", she stressed. "The Heir of the Demon is what I am, all that I am. The will of Ra's Al Ghul is always right",

"I know you don't believe that, I saw the doubt in your eyes. You wouldn't have come to me earlier today if you didn't believe in your heart that this is wrong",

"Sara was my heart", Nyssa murmured, now looking down to the ground.

Laurel weighed her next words in her head, debating with herself whether or not she should say them. Reminding herself what was at stake, she decided to shoot. "What would she want you to do?" she asked softly.

Nyssa whipped around her eyes blazing with anger. Laurel nearly winced at the look in her eyes but she deserved it. Using Sara had been a low blow. "Get out", she growled. Laurel hesitated as she tried to think of the right words to say. "Now!"

Laurel jumped slightly before quickly leaving the hideout. When she was gone, Nyssa sat down, put her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. She heaved a sigh. Her conscience had been eating away at her with this. Her mind shifted to Sara. Nyssa knew that Sara would want her to stand against her father but Sara was gone and the only thing she had in this world was the League and the birthright that came with it. Never had she thought of turning her back on her father. That was until it had been confirmed to her that he planned to kill so many innocent people. Truth be told, the thought of standing against him had been itching away at the back of her mind for weeks now and was stronger by tenfold now.

When laurel came the outside of the hideout, she saw Helena resting casually against a motorcycle. Laurel frowned upon seeing her, "what are you doing here?"

Huntress shrugged, "I just came to see where the proclaimed Heir to the Demon was staying. I figured someone who is practically a princess would have a nice pad",

Laurel smiled impishly, "says a billionaire princess. What are you doing here really?"

"Your mom wanted someone to keep an eye on you. She's not as trusting of this Nyssa as you are", Helena explained.

Laurel frown momentarily in confusion then it hit her that Helena was referring to Lady Shiva. "I wouldn't call her my mom", she said rolling her eyes.

"She watches after you like she's your mom",

"She's my mentor and my trainer and she acts nothing like a mother to me",

Helena looked skeptical at that, "anyway, I think I'm off babysitter duty. You seem to be alright, yes?"

"I'm quite alright," Laurel replied before walking past Helena to get to her car.

"I will let your mommy know", Helena called after her, straddling her bike.

Laurel sat outside the Starling City police station, trying to will herself to get out of the car. She had been assigned the duty of talking to her father and getting him to see reason to get the police force up in arms and prepared to face the League of Assassins. Her stomach churned nervously, her heart hammered in her chest, and quite frankly, she felt like turning the car around and putting as much space as possible between herself and the police station. Unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury or the time to act cowardly. The threat of Ra's was drawing closer by the minute and he could strike any day now. They believed the threat to be so imminent that everyone was to go to their assigned cities tonight.

On top of that, Laurel did feel a knawing need to talk to her father before the big show down occurred. Truth be told, she wasn't so certain that she was going to make it and she just needed to talk to him again. Even if she wasn't going to make it out alive she needed him to know that despite it all, she loved him and needed the reassurance that he didn't hate her. Laurel's eyes flickered to the chip on her key chain. Nearly a year sober.

Looking at her chip gave her a certain boost in confidence and courage, the extra push she needed to get out of the car. Throughout the entire walk to her father's office, she desperately gripped at her chip, as though getting strength from it. When she arrived to her office, she found him sitting at his desk, working on some paperwork. The door was open and she knocked on it quietly, "Dad?" she said softly.

His eyes looked up from his work, confusion first clouding them, then realization, and finally a distant coldness she had come to be familiar with over the past several months, "what do you want?"

His tone was cold enough to make her wince but still she powered through, "the Arrow needs your help soon. There's something big coming and if you- we don't act then the city will be destroyed completely",

Quentin's face formed into a sneer, "is this your way of trying to get me to talk to you?"

Laurel felt a pang of hurt at the insinuation and tried her best to not let it show but she wasn't very successful, "this has nothing to do with me or you. This is about the city and the League of Assassins is preparing to destroy this city and others,"

Quentin rolled his eyes, "Laurel, this is ridiculous", he scoffed.

"Dad, I'm serious. Ra's Al Ghul is going to leave this city in ashes and I'm begging you to put our differences aside and to focus on the big picture here. Continue to hate me all you want but you need to pull your head out of your ass and help save this city", Laurel said strongly. Emotion made her voice waver slightly and she hated herself for it. Having her peace said, Laurel turned to leave him to his thoughts and just prayed that he would listen to reason.

"I don't hate you", he said softly, stopping Laurel in her tracks.

She turned to look at him, her expression a mixture of hope and shock, "what?" she breathed.

Her father shook his head and repeated what he said, "I don't hate you, Laurel. You will always be my baby girl but what you did was unforgivable",

That was fair enough, Laurel thought. "Even so, you need to get your guys ready",

Quentin nodded, "give me a call when whatever this is happens",

"I will, I love you Daddy", Laurel said before heading out. Had she stayed a moment longer, she would have heard her father say he loved her as well. Laurel sighed as she stepped out of the police station. That had gone easier than expected. She felt some of the level of stress that was weighing on her shoulders leave her. It seemed to her that they made a little progress. It wasn't much but at least she now knew that he didn't hate her.

"May I?" Thea questioned, motioning to Tatsu's sword. The archer got a nod in permission. She picked up the sword and slowly began to maneuver with it, careful not to hit anyone or anything. "It has a nice feel to it. Very nice",

"Try not to poke somebody's eye out", Helena said coolly as she came down the steps into the Foundry. Her return took away the feel good mood and created one of uneasiness. They really didn't know what to expect from her, from the things she's done she seemed to be unstable to them. Her cold blue eyes shifted to Shiva who was sitting in the corner meditating, "your girl is fine. She left the place without a scratch". Without opening her eyes, Shiva gave a single nod in answer.

Helena let her eyes roam around the now nearly empty Foundry. Everyone was already off to their designated cities, leaving the Starling team behind to look after the city. Helena found a seat for herself and sat down, all the while trying to ignore the wary eyes on her. After some time though it was getting on her nerves. She met the shifty eyes of Thea and Felicity with a cold gaze, "What?"

They did not answer as they looked away. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them. One that was broken by Helena, "so, who place am I crashing at?"

"My place is full", Felicity answered quickly. Her roommate, Tatsu, gave her a side glance.

Helena smirked at Felicity in response. Her eyes then shifted to Thea. "I'm pretty sure your big brother would throw a tantrum that I do not want to sit through, so you're not an option. How about Laurel?"

Thea, Felicity, and Tatsu all looked to Lady Shiva. She still sat in her position in the corner meditating and did not react to Helena's suggestion. "She's Laurel's roommate", Tatsu spoke up, "you will have to take that up with her",

"The couch is available", Shiva said suddenly. She had been listening in after all.

Helena shrugged casually, "I'm not picky. I just spent the past year sleeping on a metal cot",

"We will just have to see what Laurel thinks about it. It is her home and we will respect that", Shiva replied. She now got up and joined the others in the center of the room. Helena nodded in agreement, she had no qualms in respecting Laurel's property. A while later, everyone dispersed from the Foundry and went their separate ways home.

When Helena and Shiva arrived to Laurel's apartment, they found Laurel sitting in the living room. She had the television on, paperwork on the couch and coffee table. Hearing the door open, she turned with the thought in mind of greeting Shiva but she instead came face to face with both women, Helen with a bag slug over her shoulder. Laurel slowly stood and frowned at the picture.

"I need a place to stay but if you don't want me, I will be out of here in the blink of an eye". Laurel thought it over. She looked to be rather uneasy with it all. "Don't worry, I don't bite", Helena assured. She then smirked mischievously, "unless you want me to",

Laurel rolled her eyes and gathered her papers, placing them neatly on the coffee table. "You'll have to take the couch," she said standing up.

"No problem", Helena replied, dropping her bag on the floor beside the couch. She then laid down on the couch and grabbed for the remote. Laurel went to the kitchen to get herself something to drink and Shiva followed after her.

"How did it go?" she questioned.

Laurel retrieved a glass from the cupboard and the orange juice carton from the fridge, "my dad is a phone call away if we need him", she answered as she poured herself a cup of orange juice.

"And what of Nyssa?"

Laurel froze and stiffened, "she seems to be on board", she said awkwardly.

"Little Bird", Shiva said disappointingly. She did not like being lied to, least of all by student.

Laurel sighed, placed her cup down, and looked at her teacher, "she seems to be on the fence at best,"

"That isn't good enough",

"Shiva, please,' Laurel begged, coming to stand before her, "Just wait and see what happens with Nyssa. I know she's struggling with this and she can make the right decision,"

"She isn't like you. The right decision to her is the League's way, just as your precious justice system is the right way for you",

"What I do at night goes against the justice system. Sometimes, our beliefs change to do what's right and I can see it happening in Nyssa,"

Shiva thought for a moment before relenting, "if she shows even a sign of picking up a weapon against us-"

"You do what you have to",

Shiva gave Laurel a nod before leaving the kitchen. Laurel let out a shaky breath and just prayed that she was right and Nyssa would choose to stand with them.

THe huge showdown is most certainly happening next chapter. Here, we can see a bit of a all female team for, eh? ;) Please leave a review telling me what you think and how can I improve