Hey there. I've had this story for a while. Written mostly for myself. I just wanted to make Arrowverse Laurel more like her comic counterpart Dinah. Black Canary is one of my favourite characters, and I actually started watching Arrow to see her in action. What I got was well….

This story features massive flashback like the series. Focusing on Laurel and her growth over the years. Starting just after the boat accident, right up until the end of the first season. 6 years in total.

….WARNING HEAVY AU…..

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything and I don't claim to own it.

Canary Cry. Canary Fly

Starling City

Six Years Ago

"So that's it, you're leavin'?" He managed to make it sound like a demand and a challenge, as well as a question. Soaked through with a touch of disappointment.

Or maybe, Laurel thought looking down at her half packed suitcase, she was just projecting herself onto him. She let her light brown hair fall over her face, almost like shield. Feeling guilty and a bit like a coward, she finally turned to face her father. Quentin Lance stood at the doorway her bedroom, his worn face halfway between angry and heartbroken. She would know, she'd spent the last few weeks in the same state herself.

One month. That's how long it had been since Moira Queen had sat in her living room to tell them that not only had Oliver been lost at sea, but her sister had died out there with him.

That she had lost both of them at once.

Heartbroken for having lost them. Angry at them for cheating on her. Pain at the thought of never seeing them again. It was like a circle in her mind, anger to pain, pain to anger until all she wanted to do was scream.

"Sweetheart…." Quentin's face softened, as he no doubt read her face for what she was feeling. His own voice trembled with grief. "You don't have to do this. Please…."

"I need to get away," Laurel replied finally still refusing to look at him. But unable to deny him an explanation. Her father, her rock. "I need to separate myself from this. I can't stay in this city! Where I'm reminded of Sara and Oliver everywhere I look!"

"I know your hurt," Her father said, taking a step forward to kneel down in front of her as she sat down on her bed. "I know you're in pain. So am I. So is your mother. But running away wouldn't stop that, we're here to help each other. That's what families are for."

"Right families, especially sisters." Laurel muttered instantly feeling horrible at the negative thought directed at Sara. Her little sister, that wasn't even there to defend herself because she was dead. Dying in a shipwreck while sleeping with Laurel's boyfriend Oliver. Tears prickled the back of her eyes, followed by the sudden unexpected need to punch something. That would be the anger again.

Quentin took a sharp breath in through his nose and looked down at their clasped hands. "Okay," he said finally, "If you want to go that's fine. It's up to you. I don't believe running away is the best answer but if you feel you need too…"

He was cut off as Laurel suddenly throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him as hard as she could.

"I'm not going to be gone forever," She whispered finally pulling back, "I'll be back before you know it."

###

Her bag hit the floor with a faint thud, as she crossed the room to her bed for the night. She pulled out her phone, finding a message from her Dad and one from Thea. Her father's was just asking if she was alright, but Thea's was a more pain filled 'Wish you were here'. She felt about an inch tall, as she flopped back onto the bed. Forgetting in the pain of losing both Ollie and her sister, Thea had lost her brother too.

She sent a message back to them, a quick 'I'm fine. Call you later.' To her Dad. And a more promise filled, 'I'll always be there if you need me, call me whenever you need.' To Thea.

She pulled herself to her feet, and opened her bag. Freezing for a moment, before reaching in and pulling out a canary plush toy. One from her childhood. She frowned for a moment as she couldn't even remember packing it, before she realised how it got there.

"Mom," Laurel whispered hugging the fuzzy yellow toy close. Dinah Drake Lance had something about Canaries. Little ornaments had sat around the house, the toy for Laurel and the living pet one for Sara.

She smiled through tears at the thought of her sister, trying to get that little Canary to sing.

Laurel hadn't spoken much to her Mother about leaving, but she had seemed to understand to need on a level Quintin hadn't gotten. But this little toy, was a connection to her and one to Sara.

A connection through Canaries.

###

New York City was not what she had expected. Truthfully she wasn't sure what she had expected, she had just hoped to get out of the City that reminded her so strongly of what she had lost. There were signs of Sara and Oliver all over Starling, literally in case of the Queen tower. But New York was different, she didn't know anyone here. The City felt huge around her, but at the same time she felt so isolated.

In a way it was what she needed. A way to disconnect for a while. Find out where she stood again in this world. To find herself.

Laurel used to have clear image of what she wanted to be, her future had laid out in front of her in a clear path. What she hadn't known was that not all parts of her life agreed with that plan.

What was the about her that had scared Oliver off? Why was the thought of a life with her so bad, he'd cheated on her with her own sister?

Was it her? Or had it been Oliver? Or Sara?

She didn't know the answer to that. She didn't know who she was anymore. Who was she if not an elder sister or Oliver's girlfriend? She'd been in love with Oliver since was she a child. It had become part of who she was.

Who was she now? Without Sara and Oliver?

Who was Dinah Laurel Lance?

She didn't know. But she was going to find out.

###

She knew there were odds that it was going to happen to someone. She just didn't think they would be against her. A robbery in the night, in the deserted streets. She felt like cursing her own stupidity as the thug went for her bag, she body fell into the instinct of the half remembered self-defence training her father had made her take. Blocking the move to throw him off weight, and kicking him in the side of the knee.

He stumbled before grabbing hold of her hair, fisting it at the back of her neck and slamming into a brick wall. Her lip burst and she tasted blood, as the man cursed and spat at her. Bloody lips pulled back in a snarl she twisted to elbow him in the head. He released her stunned, as she turned and punched out with no style or finesse just strength and anger. Her fist connected with his face, and he went down hard as her knuckles exploded in pain.

Clutching her fist in her other hand, she sent one last look at the downed man before fleeing down the street.

When she got back to her run and all but collapsed against the door. She looked over her red knuckles and touched her split lip with a flinch. Before giving a quick laughing huff, and letting her head fall back against the door.

Strangely she felt as if she'd gotten some control of her life back. Somehow.

Later as she was using a face washer to clean the cut on her lip, her phone rang. Blindly reaching for it she answered.

"Hewwo?" She started before pulled the cloth again. "Sorry Hello?"

"Laurel?" The voice on the other end was unmistakable.

"Mom!" Laurel exclaimed before biting back a cry as the bruising on her face pulled.

"Are you alright?" Dinah Drake question, "You sound funny."

"I'm fine," She managed grasping her face in an effect to stop it from moving so much as she spoke. "Fine!"

"Honey…"

"It's nothing." Laurel tried wincing not just in pain.

"Dinah Laurel Lance!" She should have known better; she never had been able to lie to her mother.

"Fine!" She exclaimed, "Someone tried to mug me. I'm OKAY! Just a little battered."

"Where are you?"

"Mom I'm fine," Laurel said quickly hoping to head off mama bear running to the rescue. Or even worse, if her father found out. "I knocked him out."

"You did?" The surprise in her Mother's voice would have been insulting, had it hadn't been warranted.

"Yeah I did," Laurel said looking down at her bruised knuckles. She was quiet for a moment. "Mom…is it wrong of me to have felt good knocking out that mugger?"

"No honey," Dinah said softly, before giving a sigh. "You were protecting yourself. Not surprising that you would feel good about that, given everything that's been outside your control…our control."

Her Mother's voice trailed off for a moment, and Laurel could feel the heaviness in the silence over the phone.

"I just wish I hadn't got beaten up a bit," Laurel said wiry.

"Yeah that would be…wait beaten up?" Dinah said voice darkening.

"I'm fine." Laurel repeated.

"Where are you?" Her Mother asked again.

"…. New York" Laurel sighed, half expecting the be ordered home despite her age.

"Okay good," Dinah replied and Laurel felt her eyebrows jump in surprise. "I have to go. Be careful there okay Laurel. Love you."

"Love you to." She replied hanging up. She stared at her phone for a moment in confusion, before it buzzed with a message.

It was an address for somewhere in Manhattan. Followed by a name and quick set of instructions.

Ted Grant

Tell him Dinah Drake sent you.

Love Mom.

###

The address her mother had given her, led to what looked like an abandoned building. She paused outside the large metal doors, and looked around. The massive windows were blacked out, and the front of the building was covered in graffiti. The voice of caution, that sounded like her father, made her take a step back from the doors.

But, she thought to herself, Mom wouldn't have sent to here for no reason.

Stepping forward, she pushed down on the large hinge door handle and stepped into the dark inside. She was throwing caution to the wind, and damn if it didn't feel good.

The small hallway, led to large room. Dimly lit, and full of equipment. It was a boxing gym, she realised, spotting the roped arena to one side. The punching bags to the other, and over the back weight equipment lined the far wall.

"Can I help you?" A male voice came behind her, and Laurel spun to find who had circled around her to come up behind her. It was a man, in his late forties maybe older. Maybe much older, it was hard to pinpoint. His dark hair was greying at the temples, and his scruffy face was covered in a salt and pepper stubble. But his body was fit, very fit. His very tall body, met with large shoulders and dense muscles.

All in all, he cut a very intimidating image.

"Hi, I'm Dinah Laurel Lance," Laurel said shifting slightly, "My mother sent me. Dinah Drake?"

"Dinah Drake." The man repeated before smiling, "Now there's a name I have heard in a while. I'm Ted Grant. What can I do for you Dinah?"

"It's Laurel." She corrected before looking around the gym, "I'm not sure what you can do for me. My mother just told me to come her."

"Does it have something to do with…" He trailed off pointing to Laurel's face.

She brushed the bruises with her finger tips. "Someone tried to mug me the other day. I stopped them."

"Good for you," Ted stated, sounding strange. Laurel couldn't pinpoint the emotion. It didn't sound like he was praising her though. Plus, she couldn't shake to feeling he was accessing her. "So you want to fight Dinah? You want some training?"

"It's Laurel. And …Well truthfully I didn't know what I was coming here for," Laurel laughed, shaking her head. She turned to look at the arena. "But yeah, I wanna learn how to fight."

"Why?" Ted asked simply, and Laurel blinked back at him.

"Mr. Grant, my sister and boyfriend died over a month ago. I need to get some control over my life again," Laurel explained.

"Alright Dinah," Ted Grant said leading her deeper into the gym. "Let's see what you can do."

New York City

Five and Half Years Ago

Ted had taken her as some kind of apprentice, and for just over half a year had trained her in boxing. He also would not stop calling her Dinah, so Laurel had stopped trying to correct him. It was her name as well.

Her father had been upset when she'd shown no signs of moving back to Starling. She had settled quite well into New York. There were things she missed from home. Her father the most, her mother as well. Thea too, but the young girl had come to stay with Laurel at her place a few times.

Laurel had started working in a little florist on the days she wasn't training.

It was a nice place to work. The flowers were beautiful, and smell had a calming effect. She needed it today. There was something going on with her Dad, he had sounded so strange the last time they'd spoken. The time before that, he'd been drunk.

She signed, and went on place the flowers into the arrangement. He father was a grown man; he could take care of himself. A grown man that had lost his youngest daughter.

Laurel buried her face in her hands.

Walking home that night, in the cold and dark was not something she enjoyed. But at least it cleared her mind.

"No please…." The faintly muffled voice came from a nearby alley, followed by the sound of scattering bottles.

"Please…" The woman's voice sobbed, and Laurel was running before the word even finished.

A young woman was sprawled on the ground against a dumpster, two men stood leering over her. They looked up as Laurel appeared in the alley, leers growing.

"One each," One of the men smirked to the other, and Laurel paused wondering why she had run towards the danger. Rather than call the police.

"Please help," The woman mumbled only half conscious. Blood dripped from her nose, and Laurel resolve hardened.

One day her father had admitted, that when she was a child he'd wanted her to become a police officer just like him. He'd tried his hardest to teach her right from wrong. Justice and protecting people. But when she'd grown up, and shown herself more academic then active. She'd turned her attention to Law school. That way she could still work with her Dad and could see that justice was done.

But now standing over the unconscious woman, and before her would be assaulters.

She realised, that sometimes that kind of justice would have come too late for some.

They lunged her together. She got an arm up to block the first grab, following through with a punch that knocked the man back dazed. The other went for her arm and tried the pull her off her feet. Ted's strength training came in handy then. Laurel was by no means super strong, she was however stronger than she once was. She was able to pull back on him, as she twisted to knee in him the stomach.

The move off balanced her, and he shoved her stumbling. She caught a nearby rolling bottle and as she straightened swung it at his head. The glass didn't break as the bottle connected with a thud, dropping the man to the ground.

Something collided with her, tackling her into the wall, and sending the bottle shattering to the ground. It was the other man, she realised as he pulled back to back hand her across the face. For a moment she saw stars.

Anger raw and fiery lit within her. As she turned back almost growling, and kneed him between the legs. As he doubled cupping himself, she followed through with a knee to the head. Before slumping against the wall, and catching her breath. Uttering only one word.

"Ow."

###

"Again Dinah?" Was Ted's reaction when he saw her bruises the next day. He shook his head in disappointment. "Didn't think I was training someone just so they could go out a pick a fight."

"It wasn't just a fight," Laurel defended. "A woman would have been raped, and maybe killed if I hadn't stopped them."

"Oh?" Ted looked interested, and Laurel got that feeling of assessment again off him. Almost like she as getting an interview. "Why?"

"I couldn't stand by and do nothing when I could have stopped it." Laurel exclaimed, she sighed sadly "You know my Dad's a cop, and I had all these dreams of being a Lawyer. Standing up for the little guy. Getting justice done."

"Sounds like a good dream," Ted replied.

"It was..then. Now I see another side of things." She sighed, gazing dropping to the ground. "Protect people before they get hurt. There enough pain in this world already, without people adding to it. Maybe I should have becomes a cop, like Dad wanted. Sorry I'm rambling."

"No I understand." Ted said with a nod, "Maybe it's time we move on with your training."

"To what?" Laurel looked confused, "I thought you were in a boxing instructor?"

"Oh that's what I love," Ted said with a smirk, "It's not all I know."

And Ted did know more…A lot more.

He taught her Muay Thai, a form of Thai kickboxing. Known as The Science of Eight Limbs because hands, shins, elbows, and knees were all used. Also Capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts, that looked more like a dance then fighting style. It was known for its quick and complex moves. Using mainly power and speed plus leverage for leg sweeps.

Later came Krav Maga, An Israeli military hand-to-hand combat, it assumed no quarter, and emphasizes maximum threat neutralization in a real life settling. It was basically the ends justify the means. And then Hapkido, Korean martial art, that focused on grappling and throws, as well as the use of traditional weapons. Such as staff, knives and swords.

Although Ted Grant's first love was boxing, he knew them all. And he was willing to teach her to see what she could pick up.

Apparently he had approved of something about her.

Starling City

Three and a Half Years Ago

Two years, that how long she'd been training with Ted. She'd been surprised with how much she'd picked up. But he'd told her she'd had a surprising natural affinity for fighting. He had remarked cryptically one day, that maybe it ran in the family.

Unable to work out what he meant by the statement she'd decided not to focus on it. Instead told him that she was going home to see her family.

There was something wrong with her father, and guilt of not realising it was eating her alive.

It was nice to be home, she got to see a few of her old friends. Even though the meetings had been strained, Laurel wasn't the same woman she had been when she left Starling.

And it was sort of weird not answering the Dinah. Not that she would ever tell Ted that.

She found her father in a bar, and watched as he stumbled to his feet to hug her. "Laurel!" He smiled at her, his eyes glazed. And she could smell the alcohol coming off his clothing. "What are you having sweetheart, next rounds on me."

"Dad," She said as gently as she could, "I went by the precinct. The desk sergeant said you were meant to be on duty, but didn't know where you were."

"Oh this is Laurel," Quentin said to the bar tender, "You know the daughter that lived."

"Is there a bar tender in the city that doesn't know that story?" Laurel questioned, her heartbreaking at the sight of her strong father reduced to his.

"Well excuse me for seeking a sympathetic ear." Quentin said as he swayed in his seat. "Some of us need more then…. whatever you've been doing. Running away was it? To get over Sara's death."

"I love you," Laurel said with a sad sigh, "So I going to ignore you said that. I'm sorry that I wasn't here. Please let me drive you home."

"No," Quentin shook his head and lent bar into the bar, "Give me another one."

The bar tender looked between the two of them, put his bottle down and walked away. Laurel then led the drunken laughing Quentin to the door.

###

She ran in Tommy at a party flirting with some woman.

"Still using that line," She laughed.

"Well well well," Tommy laughed, "Laurel Lance, I thought you were off doing somewhere saving the world?"

"Early days yet Tommy," Laurel laughed.

"Look at you," Tommy said giving her a once over, "You look good."

She did. Ted training and the diet he had her on was changing her body shape. Her arms and her 'chicken legs' as Sara once called them, had reshaped into strong muscled ones. Her body had put on a bit of weight to, adding curves to her body that she hadn't thought she'd have.

She shifted slightly scanning the crowd, she had the feeling she was being watched.

That was when Thea Queen arrived.

"I thought I told you this party was twenty-one and over," Tommy said to the young girl.

"It's fine, got it covered," Waving a card. Thea looked smug. "Fake I.D. Laurel how are you."

"Good," Laurel returned, taking in the way Thea stood in front of her. The arrogant tilt of her head. "You should come stay with me in New York again some time. We can go shopping."

"Hmmm maybe."

Tommy left to find his date, and Thea drifted off into the crowd. Laurel stood there looking after Thea, wondering how many lives were ruined by Sara and Oliver's death.

The night went down for there, as a drug dealer was found dead. Having fallen off a balcony, his neck broken.

###

She went back to New York feeling like she'd left a powder keg ready to explode back in Starling. But she'd made a promise to Ted that should train with him until he said she was ready. And she was going to keep her promises. Which was why she was surprised when she worked in Ted's gym to find her Mother standing there talking to Ted.

"Mom?" Laurel exclaimed as she walked in to the gym. The elder Dinah turned to smile at her daughter. "What are you doing here?"

"Catching up with a friend," Dinah replied smiling at Ted. Reminding Laurel that she never really found out how her mother knew Ted.

Laurel hadn't really spoken to her Mother lately; she was always taking off from one corner of the world to the next. Her Mother had also sounded strange last they had spoken. She had been adamant that Sara was still alive, and that she was going to find her.

Ted had just told her, to trust her Mother. Let her do what she needed to do. Either to find Sara, to find the acceptance to move on.

"Let's talk Laurel," Dinah said, giving a nod to Ted. Who returned it and headed off into his gym. "Ted said you'd taken to his training extremely well."

"Yeah well he's good teacher." Laurel shrugged.

"Yeah he is," Dinah smiled, "His had many students each of them expert fighters. More skilled then anyone you'll probably ever meet. He also thinks that it might be time for you to try something different."

"Different?" Laurel asked confused, unsure of what else she needed. She learnt to fight to gain control of her life. And more recently the secret hope that maybe she'd be able to help people with her skills.

"There's another teacher we know about," Dinah explained, "One that we think you would benefit to go and see. It's just he's in Japan."

"Japan?!"

Kyoto Japan

His name was Otomo Sensei.

An ancient looking Chinese man that lived in a little village outside Kyoto Japan.

Laurel soon learned never to judge a book by its cover. This man might have looked frail and old. But he was more than skilled enough to made up for it.

He was O-Sensei. He taught some of the greatest fighters that world had ever seen.

And he had agreed to teach her.

He taught her, in the heat. As the sun blazed over head, sweat dripping from her.

He taught her, in the wind. As dirt and leaves kicked up into her eyes, stealing her sight.

He taught her, in the hail. As bruises appeared across her body, from both the blows and the ice pebbles.

He taught her, in flooding rain. As the ground turned to mud beneath her feet and her hair fall sopping in her eyes.

He taught her, in the snow. As bare fingers, and thin clothing did nothing to protect her from the cold.

He taught her well.

New York City

Two and a Half Years Ago

Ted surprised her, celebrating her return by taking her out for drinks. It was a nice surprise, one that she dressed up for. Any excuse to wear something other than a training Gi. The night turned violent when a back room drug deal turned into a fight, that spilled into the main bar. Ted's unsurprised reaction told her, that maybe he was expecting something like this to happen.

The next second she was in an all-out fight.

Ted and herself outclassing the crowd in skill, but they made up for it in numbers. One move saw a broken bottle slice through her skirt from hip to knee, revealing the creamy muscled thigh beneath. More than one man stopped to look, and laughing Laurel took advantage of the distraction to send them into unconsciousness.

"Good," Ted said later as they walked back to his gym. "You handled yourself well."

"Yeah so did you," Laurel laughed.

"So you can fight Dinah," Ted shrugged smirking, "But can you keep up?"

"What?"

They found themselves on a rooftop. Laurel stood by the edge watching the cars below. "What are we doing up here?"

"You have to catch me." He said before turning and running across the roof. Laurel was chasing him before she even thought about why.

A few misplace steps and stumbles and almost falls. Ted called a stop for the night, only to take her back up to the roof the next and the next and the next.

Soon the daunting ledges and gaps seemed to appear narrower. As niches, pipes and stair wells became her ally in propelling herself across the rooftops.

"Nice Dinah," Ted smiled, "Nice."

###

The was a few days later that Laurel, found Ted sitting in the waiting for her.

"Hey Dinah come sit," He instructed, "You probably realised now I'm not just training you to fight right?"

"Yeah it's kinda obvious." Laurel smirked.

"The freestyle running isn't something I usually add to training," Ted admitted, "But most of the time the people I'm training already now it."

"Who?" Laurel frowned, "What?"

"I don't just train people to fight Dinah," Ted informed, "I train people to help. I know you came to me just looking to learn how to fight. But I saw something in you, we saw something in."

"We," Laurel repeated, before realising. "Mom."

"You could do so much good Dinah," Ted told her, "You have the skills. You just need to make a choice. Oh and this."

He handed her a box, which she opened slowly. Her jaw dropping at the sight.

"Ted!" She exclaimed glaring.

"What I got the idea the other day during the bar fight," He laughed standing "Your choice Dinah."

She looked down into the box. A black leather like body suit, shaped like a bathing suit was on top. The material was strong, reinforced almost. Black gloves with metal guards were next. A black leather jacket came after, metal guards across the shoulders. A pair of three quarter height boots followed, with the same metal guards over the shins. And then she pulled out a pair of black fishnets, sending a glare after Ted's back.

Only they weren't really fishnets. They were black metal mesh melded across a grey base.

They just really looked like fishnets.

She knew the reasoning, Use every weapon in her disposable.

When she got back to her place, another surprise awaited her. Her Mother sat on a chair in her little living room. Smiling up at Laurel as she came in.

"Laurel," She greeted standing to hug her daughter. "Oh I see Ted gave you the suit. Good. 'Though I wanted to hit him when he told me about it."

"Mom," Laurel said slowly, dropping the box on her bed, "What do you and Ted know about…."

"Vigilantes?" Dinah Drake suggested, a smile forming on her face. "Well used to be ones."

Laurel managed to choke on air.

"Whaaa….what?" Laurel managed, "Does Dad know?!"

"No! Of course not," Dinah said shaking her head, "I gave it up after I meet your father. Ted retired a while ago, but he still trains newcomers."

"How," Laurel asked dropping into the seat across from her mother.

"Oh things might have been different back then," Dinah shrugged, "But the basis was the same. We wanted to help people."

"We?"

"There was a group of us," Dinah waved that off, "There still quite a few around now. It's not that uncommon."

"You know truthfully I always hoped one of my daughters would follow me down this path," Dinah said looking said, "It's a dangerous life. But a fulfilling one. For a while I thought that Sara would be the one. She was the wild one, the passionate one. But in a way I always knew it was meant to be you. You cared so much about justice and protecting people. That's why you would have been a great Lawyer."

The two were quiet for a moment before Laurel glanced up at her Mother. "Can I ask you something? What name did you go by?"

"I was…. The Black Canary," Dinah Drake said with a smile, leaning back into her seat.

"Black Canary," Laurel echoed, then laughed, "Explains all the canary stuff around the house."

Dinah shrugged and didn't argue. "I don't know what you will decide," Dinah said after a moment, "I know you have a lot to think about. And I'll be behind you whatever you choose."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. Laurel opening it found a black mask, and a small golden charm shaped like a canary.

"Maybe I could be, the Black Canary too?" Dinah Laurel Lance asked softly, and he mother lent forward to kiss her on the forehead.

Starling City

She'd come home to check on her father, thankful to find he'd given up drinking and was attending AA meetings.

It was that night in her home City, she put on the suit Ted had given her and the mask her Mother had given her. The golden canary charm, hung from a choker around her neck. A long blond wig finished it off. And went out into the Glades.

It was always easy to find trouble in the worst area of Starling City. With gangs everywhere, and the police nowhere to be found. The whole place was thug rule. She'd stopped one would be rapist and his friends. Helped a number people from getting beaten. When a young voice yelling caught her attention.

"Hey you jerk's leave me alone!" Black Canary turned in that direction. She found a young girl surrounded by a group of men. She wore a large leather jacket and ripped jeans. Her black hair cut short and spikey.

"Oh come on," One name mocked, "We just wanna play."

"I'll play with you," Laurel remarked smirking stepping out of the shadows. "But trust me. You won't like the game."

"Oh babe, I think we will."

"First, don't call me babe," Laurel said stepping forward, "And second, don't say I didn't warn you."

As the men lay groaning around her, some unconscious some wishing they were. Black Canary stood in the middle of them, lacing her fingers together to crack her knuckles and her back. "Like I said. I warned you."

"Oh wow," A young female voice piped up, and Laurel turned to see the dark hair girl before standing there gaping at her. "Who are you."

"You can call me Black Canary." Laurel smirked.

"What seriously," The girl asked, before coming forward. "I'm Sin."

New York

Two Years Ago

She'd spent half a year in Starling City, before Ted messaged her that he needed her help with something. So she headed back to New York. Her phone buzzed on the way there.

Hey Dinah, I tried that move you taught me on this really grabby guy the other day. Lol you should have seen him run. Sin.

She smile thinking about the spunky tomboy she'd saved the last times she'd been in Starling. Cindy had been her name, but she would only ever answer to Sin.

She'd caved to Sin's constant asking for a real name, and had given her the first name that came to mind. But in the end, it was actually her name.

She smiled at the message and put her phone away, finally reaching her destination. It was a Brownstone near Battery Park. The door opened for her as she approached, and she stepped through looking around. But spotted no one.

"Dinah?" Ted's voice called deeper into the building. "Come in. I'm back here."

Curiously she made her way into the building. The room Ted was standing in was huge, with a large table in the mid of it. Computer screens ran the length of one wall, and the other showed a collection of photos.

"Hey, you called me?" Laurel asked.

"Yeah I need your help tracking down someone," Ted said, handing over a photo to her.

The woman in it was close to Laurel own age, black hair and blue eyes. She looked up in question to Ted.

"Her name's Zatanna," Ted informed, "I was sharing information with her when I lost contact. It might be nothing, but it's better to be safe than sorry when Zatanna is involved."

"Where was she when you lost contact?" Laurel asked.

"Metropolis." Ted replied. "There's just one thing you should know. What do you know about magic?"

Metropolis

Magic….

Everything Laurel had known about or thought she'd known about the world had changed so much in the last couple of years.

She went to the location in Metropolis Ted had said Zatanna was checking out. An area in China town. The massive curved rooftops, made rooftop running interesting. It wasn't hard to follow her path when she found it, it was however creepy.

Very, very creepy.

The people shuffled around the street as like something out of a zombie movie. She stuck to the rooftops to avoid coming close to them. But the groans coming from the road sent shudders up her spine. The roof access opened easy with a forceful kick and the Black Canary made her way down the fire escape stairs.

She dropped down silently on to the upper balcony of the theatre. Long pale blond strands of her wig flying. She peaked over the edge to see people moan and crawled over the chairs below. The people inside seemed even more effected then those outside. On the stage, a large pillar glowed with purple energy. Seemly to pulse every now and then. A man knelt before it, his hands in air moulding the energy.

Something told her, she didn't want to take him on just yet. Plus, he wasn't her target.

As quickly and quietly as she could, Black Canary made her way through the hallways. A large man, groaned and moaned as he pulled himself on to floor down the hallway. Fingers clawing at the ground in front of him. His skin shrivelling and sinking over his bones. Laurel froze as she came up behind him. Finally, she hit him in the back of the head, and watched as he slumped to the ground.

"I'm never watching a Zombie movie again," She muttered. Straightening and moving further down the hall. When another glow caught her attention. A white dome of light, and in the middle. Wearing black and white suit tailed jacket and fishnet leggings, was the woman she had been looking for.

"Who are you? How did you…." Zatanna asked in shock, "You're not being effected by Faust's soul sucking spell?"

"Soul sucking…." Laurel echoed blankly, awash with disgust and fear at the very idea. "Well that explains it."

"He must have taken enough, and is trying to harness it now. Oh not good." Even as she was shaking her head, a flash of light went off and Zatanna's dome faded. "I had to put that up when he started his spell. If it's ended now, I have both good news and bad news."

"Good news, Faust is going to be weakened. That was some serious magic." Zatanna explained. "Bad news, if we're not quick the souls are lost for good. And Faust uses them to get stronger."

"Faust?"

"The bad guy who's using souls to get stronger." Zatanna replied simply.

"Got that." Black Canary replied blankly. "Ok. So stop him now and quickly, basically."

"Basically," The dark hair woman nodded, and with that both woman where running back through the Theatre.

"Faust!" Zatanna shouted as they arrived on the stage. "Release these innocent souls!"

"No," The man said simply raising to his feet. "They belong to me."

"I'm going to disrupt this," Zatanna informed pointing to the purple ball of energy. "He's going to try and stabilize it. Which is when he'll call his back up. You need to hold them off."

"Back up?!"

"Them!" Zatanna shouted pointing. Laurel turned taking in a gathering zombie, their glazed shinning eyes.

"I hate zombies…."

What happened next was a blur of kicks and punches.

They pressed in on her from all angles, clawing and pulling. She lost her wig somewhere in the tangle of limbs. A blast of magic struck her in behind, and she went flying. Slamming into a pillar and holding her there, pressing her into it. The zombies turned to stumble up on to the stage towards Zatanna as she worked her magic on Faust's pillar.

Others turned towards her, fingers and snarling mouths coming towards her. Grimacing she pulled at what invisible thing it was the held her there, but nothing gave. She looked up just in time to see the faces of the zombies pressing closer. Beyond that Faust was above Zatanna, the young woman locked in her spell could only look up at him with wide eyes.

Black Canary pulled and heaved, and opened her mouth to scream.

And she screamed.

The sound wave of sound was so dense it rippled through the air, sending the unsouled tumbling together away from her. The ground in before her cracked and split open, as the stage shook from the sound waves. Behind it wood beams splinted and then shattered.

"NO!" Faust shouted as he tumbled backward, something flashed and there was a burst of light before the purple energy exploded outward expanding.

Laurel slumped to the ground suddenly.

People lay groaning around her, one or two people started to cry. And Zatanna grabbed hold of her arm.

"Let's get out of here." The magi said pulling Laurel to her feet.

On the roof they watch the people on the street, returning to normal and leaving as quickly as they could.

"Where's Faust?" Laurel asked even as she heaved in air.

"He got away," Zatanna said unhappily, before she smiled. "But everyone got their soul back. So happy ending."

"Right souls back," Black Canary echoed blankly as she looked across at Metropolis.

"What was the sound attack?" Zatanna asked.

"I don't know," Laurel said, a hand rubbing her throat. "I've never done it before. Have you seen anything like it?"

"It's not magic." Zatanna said with a shrug. "Could be one of these gene quirks. Happens to people every now and then."

"Gene quirks?" Laurel asked.

"Yeah you know, normal person one day." Zatanna said with a shrug. "Life and death situation the suddenly... I don't know, they're super strong. I dunno what it's called. It just happens sometimes."

"So, thanks for the assist," Zatanna said offering Laurel her hand. "I'm Zatanna."

"Black Canary," Laurel replied.

"If you every need a hand with something of the magical kind, give me a call." Zatanna said handing Laurel her number,

"There's more magic stuff out there?"

"Oh heaps," Zatanna said with a shrug, "You might run into some more users. Oh and if you ever run into a guy called John Constantine punch him for me."

Kyoto, Japan

One Years Ago

Thrown off by the sudden emergence of her power. Laurel had returned to O-Sensei, finding a need to hone and control the powerful scream. Her mother and Ted had never come across this power, though they weren't too surprised by the idea that powers existed.

She'd been there for a little over a month when she'd heard on the news that Oliver Queen had been found alive, having been living on a deserted island for the last five years.

Laurel was unsure how she felt about it. Even as she locked herself in her room, for a good long cry. The part of her that had been in love with him, was happy that he was still alive. The part the missed her sister, was wondering why it was him and not Sara.

She was switching between the need to track him down, to either punch him or hug him.

Punch him until he wished he was back on that island he'd been on.

Hug him and tell him how much she missed him. And never let him go.

She threw herself back into training. When over the course of a year she heard of the appearance of a hooded vigilante in Starling City. An archer that left a trail of bodies behind him. Bad guys Laurel knew, but still what line was there if the people trying the save the city killed more people than the bad guys? She blackened and blued people and broke a few bones. She had never had and never would kill.

It was later in the year she heard another news report out of Starling. An earthquake in the Glades had killed an unbelievable amount of people.

Maybe it was time for her for her to go home. It seemed Starling City was in need of the Black Canary.

Starling City

Present

It was early morning that Dinah Laurel Lance, bleached sunshine blond hair trailing behind her. Drove it in Starling City on the back of a motorcycle.

########

Fun Facts.

Ted Grant helped train Batman. Plus multiple other fighter in the DC world.

Dinah Laurel Lance, originally wore a blond wig. Before just deciding to dye her hair blond.

Dinah Drake Lance was the first Black Canary in the comics, she introduced her daughter to Ted for training.

Lady Shiva didn't actually train Black Canary. She offered but Dinah turned her down. Not wanted to risk compromising her morals. They do however share a same master, O-Sensei. This created a sort of closeness between the two.

John Constantine trained under Zatanna boyfriend in magic. He taught him everything he knows. Zatanna then left her boyfriend for John, who later did what he does best and broke her heart.

The Chinese Theatre is based partly on a Zatanna/Faust mission in DC online. :D

Question...how do you think what this Laurel would go in a fight against Arrow fighters.

Oliver? Thea? Sara? Nyssa? Merlyn?