Chapter 30

Sanctuary, Secrets, Sacrifice

"Let us sacrifice our today

so that our children can have a better tomorrow."

-A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

They were walking aimlessly. Katie looked up ahead to her mother whose eyes seemed to be looking for something as they walked.

"There's nothing here!" Katie called to Grace who glanced over to her daughter. "I've searched this city, and there's nothing here."

"What were you looking for?" Grace asked as she continued walking and Katie shook her head. "Did you look for Oliver? Did you hope you'd turn a corner and he'd be there?" Katie stopped walking, and Grace stopped and looked back to her. "Do you have any idea where you are right now?"

"Some place between heaven and hell I figure." Katie muttered and Grace stalked over to her. Katie took a slight step back seeing the dark look in her mother's eyes. It was a look she hadn't seen in ages and yet a look she'd never forget.

"You're not dead. You're very much alive, but you've been buried. You've been suppressed. The reason you haven't found anything is because everything you've searched for isn't here. You've been looking for the light. Oliver, your friends, your daughter. None of them are here because none of them can save you." Katie turned away from the woman. "Look at me when I'm talking to you young lady." the tone in her mother's voice snapped Katie's eyes back to hers. "The other thing that's here is the darkness, and it's swallowing everything it comes in contact with. That's what you need to look for."

"Why?"

"Because the only way you get out of here is if you finally face the darkness head on." Grace turned her eyes once again scanning the area. "No one can save you from this baby. This is your fight." Grace suddenly had a realization and she turned back to her daughter. "This is your fight. Your darkness. Only you know where it is." Katie looked at the woman in confusion. "Look I know going to that place is the last thing you want to do, but remember what I told you. Some roads have to be traveled to get to the destination we want. If you want to get to your husband, your kids, you have to go through the fire and the flood." Grace placed a hand to Katie's cheek. "You have to seek out the darkness if you want to beat it." Katie dropped her head.

"What if I lose?" she asked before lifting her eyes back to her mother. "I've lost countless times against this thing. It's stronger, it's smarter it's-"

"There's nothing more stronger and smarter than a mother going after her kids. That's who you're fighting for. Robyn, Arianna-" Grace smiled. "Oliver. They are the light that darkness can never take. The light that's so ingrained in you that you could take on an entire army." Grace looked up to her daughter who once again dropped her head. "When do we lose?" Katie lifted her eyes not expecting the demon's question to come from her mother. "When do we give up?" Grace reached down and took her daughter's hands. "They were never his words, they were mine. He twisted them, used them for his own volition, but their purpose still remained." Katie looked into her mother's eyes, and the questions played over and over in her head. "When do we lose, baby?"

"When we stop fighting." Katie replied. Her gaze lifted, and her eyes went wide. Grace turned and she too looked surprise to see the street of Star City turn into the familiar path that leads up to the demon's fortress in Nanda Parbat.

"It's here?" Grace asked, turning back to her daughter.

"This is where it started." Katie says her eyes looking on to the lantern trail that lead to the fortress. "This is where that darkness was formed."

The city was going to hell. The looting, fighting and craziness wasn't ceasing. None of them knew of Damien's demise, none of them knew that the threat of a nuclear weapon wasn't a threat anymore. Honestly, something worse could be coming if their plan didn't work. Oliver couldn't drive through the street and so he stepped out of his car and just watched as the city, and it's people crumble.

"Because this thing beating in your chest-" she slid a hand to hover above his heart. "This city could use it."

Katie's words floated into his head once again. It was the little voice in his head that told him what he needed to do, and so Oliver pushed through the crowd, and climbed on top of a car that was stopped in the middle of the street.

"Hey, stop!" he called, but they continued. "Stop! Please." their eyes suddenly turned to him and Oliver took a deep breath. "I know what you're feeling right now. I'm feeling it too, the sense of- of helplessness, of hopelessness." the words were completely true in this moment. Not only for this city, but for himself, and what was happening with Katie. "I don't know how we even begin to process what might happen to us right now, but there are a few things that I do know. I know that this city has been through tough times before, and we have pulled through. We survived the Undertaking. We survived the Siege. We survived the Outbreak, and somehow, someway, we will survive this."

The darkness inhabiting a doctor sat in the ravaged Queen mansion, her eyes on the screen of her laptop as she listens to Oliver's speech. "We live here, because this is our home. This is our home! It is our friend, our family, our lives, and we will not- we will not throw those precious gifts away by descending into chaos. We will look to each other for hope. We will cling to each other for strength, and if we do that, no matter what happens, then we can all stand here united." she rolled her eyes before closing the screen.

"Oh Liver, there isn't enough hope in the world to prepare you for what's coming." Katie glanced back to the unconscious form of Thea who was lying on the couch. Her eyes looked back to the clock behind her and she smiled. "We should be getting ready.

Eventually, Felicity did step outside trying to breathe and rid herself or nervousness and doubt, but it was pointless. She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"I called Curtis." Felicity said when Bruce appeared beside her. "He can assist with the search, and anything else you may need him for." Bruce didn't say anything, and so Felicity turned to him. " I will head up to Coast City with the kids. Bruce, I can't-"

"Hey," Bruce brought his arm around the woman, and held her tight, and she tucked herself into the embrace. "I know, it's ok."

"It's not ok. None of this is ok." Felicity said, her face buried in his chest.

Oliver was glad that there was a bit of peace after his speech, but he's sure it won't last. Especially if Katie really does go through with this plan to open their world to another universe. Oliver needed a couple of moments of quiet. He needed to think, really think about everything. He ended up back at the bunker, his eyes staring up to the suit of his Guardian.

"No." Katie said suddenly, and she didn't miss the confusion that washed over Oliver's face. "You were right before. About what you said about Nura. She's the creation of the demon...his monster and it's time I finally end her."

"So who would be watching my back?" Oliver asked and Katie turned away in thought for a few moments, before turning to him with wide eyes and finally grabbing his hand.

"Your Guardian." Katie said with a smile, that Oliver could only return.

Oliver closed his eyes and sighed. Too much time was passing, and with that time came doubts about this decision. What if she really was still in there? There'd been countless times where her plans were put aside as she focused on the safety or Ari and Robyn and yet she never got near them.

"Twinkie wouldn't let you near them." Oliver muttered to himself. The sound of the elevator snapped Oliver from his thought and he turned at the sight of the man he texted to meet him here.

"Mate," Constantine walked over. "Everything alright?" Oliver looked at the man for a moment before turning back to the suit. Constantine followed his eyes, and he suddenly realized what was happening. "Hey, if you don't think you can-"

"What if she's not gone?" Oliver asked turning back to the man. "What if she's in there? Just not able to pull herself free?" Constantine looked at the man for a moment.

"Before, you said you had no doubt that your wife was gone. Has that changed?" Oliver once again turned away. Had it changed. There was a sudden doubt Oliver didn't expect. He'd felt it in the moment he saw her kill Darhk. That wasn't his wife, he felt her gone. She was dead in that moment, and yet right now Oliver felt something else. There was a flicker of hope. Hope he didn't think was possible. "Oliver, I need you to tell me what you're feeling right now." Oliver turned back to the man. "Forget about the plan, right now I only care about what you feel, because you and your wife's connection is what makes the two of you special. When you said you had no doubt that your wife was gone, when you said you felt it in your bones, then and only then did I believe it was true. But Oliver if you feel that she's still there, if that thing that connects the two of you is still there, I need you to tell me."

"And what would it change?" Oliver asked with a shake of his head. "My words won't mean nothing to the others. Nothing I say will stop them, and I'm not even sure they should be stopped."

"Yes you do, mate. Your wife, the love of your life, do you still feel her?" Constantine asked. "It doesn't matter what they think, because if you tell me she's still there, I will help you get her back." Oliver looked back to the Guardian's suit for a moment and the feeling was undeniable. Oliver turned back to Constantine, and told the only thing he could.

The sound of thunder cracked above her head, but Katie didn't look up. Her eyes looked to the words of the grimoire in her hand. When her eyes looked up to the full moon, she smiled. She could feel the moon's energy and power.

"It's time." Katie said before turning and walking over to where Thea lied, still unconscious in the center of the circle of candles. With a wave of her hand, the woman's eyes snapped open.

"Katie, where-" Thea's eyes looked around, tugging her limbs that weren't moving. She looked up to the sky, realizing they were outside. She glanced around. She was lying on concrete, a roof of a building. "Where are we?"

"The tallest building in Star City." Katie said dropping to her knees beside Thea. "Robins Incorporated." she chuckled. "Kind of poetic don't you think?"

"Katie, listen to me. Whatever you doing, you don't have to do this. We can get you help, we can find a way to save you." Thea pleaded and Katie placed a hand on the woman's cheek. "We won't give up on you." her eyes went wide when Katie pulled out a dagger. "Katie, please, don't-" there was no hesitation when Katie jammed the blade right into Thea's heart. The life left the woman instantly. Blood slowly seeped from the wound and Katie pulled out the blade and cupped her hand near the wound to collect as much of the blood she could before pouring it into a a bowl. Katie smiled down to Thea before reaching up and closing her eye lids.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain Thea." Katie said before placing a kiss to Thea's head. Katie closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were dark, coal black. She dipped her hand in the bowl of blood, and smeared it across her face before picking up the book. She'd only opened her mouth before a suddenly gust of wind blew out the candles. When she lifted her eyes, she was graced with the sight of none other than Superman.

"Katherine, so I hear you've been busy?" Superman said as he began stepping toward the woman.

"Well you shouldn't believe everything you hear." Katie says standing to her feet. "So I get a Superman, huh?" she smiled feeling a bit proud that the team of idiots were pulling out the big guns to stop her. There was another gust of wind behind her, and she turned to see Supergirl. "And A Supergirl!" she laughed as she looked between the two Kryptonians. "Is that it?" she began looking around when suddenly a familiar cracking in the air happened upon her ears and when she turned, she saw the Flash. "Oh, Barry's here!" there was a shuttering and Katie lifted her eyes to see a helicopter now hovering above her. "And ARGUS brought some guns. That's cool I guess."

"Katie, " The Flash said taking a step toward her. "We're here to help you." she looked over to him and shook her head.

"Do you remember when you told me to learn how to control my abilities?" she asked and they watched as her hands began illuminating a blinding bright white light. "Well I took your advice"

"Katie, don't-" Katie took a step toward him.

"Jump off the roof." she uttered, and Barry couldn't explain what was happening, but the moment the words came out of her mouth, he turned and began walking toward the edge of the roof.

"Flash!" Supergirl sped over in front of him. "Stop!"

"I can't!" Barry said as his feet continued to move. He was screaming in his head to stop, but it was as if he no longer had control of his movements. "I can't stop!" Supergirl stepped forward and tried pushing him back but he wasn't stopping.

"Stop this!" Superman said rushing over to Katie and forcefully holding her shoulders.

"How about I don't and say I did." she said with a smile before turning just as Barry took the last step off the edge of the building, Supergirl flying after him. "And there he goes." she laughed turning back to Superman who glared down to her. "Now if you don't mind, I was sort of in the middle of something." Superman watched as the bright light began emitting from her hands again , and from the light an explosion threw him backwards. "Ok, whose next?" she spun around only to be suddenly wrapped in something. Her eyes glanced down to see the glowing rope now tightly pulling her and the bat ties now around her ankles. Katie looked up here eyes looking from the Batman to Wonder Woman.

"Katherine!" Katie looked up at the voice and her eyes widened a bit. Something was happening. "You don't want to do this. Remember who you are!" Katie's eyes snapped closed when a sudden chill crept up her spine.

They were close. Grace took another step, but stopped when she noticed her daughter wasn't walking behind her. She turned to Katie whose eyes were tightened closed.

"Sweetie, are you ok?" Grace took a step and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Sweetie, are you-" Katie's eyes snapped open and Grace took a step back at the sight of the dark eyes that stared back to her. "You-" Katie glanced around, before her eyes looked upon the fortress and she turned her glare back to Grace.

Katie wasn't sure what was happening, but she felt something cutting off the circulation in her arms and legs. Her eyes snapped open and she was surprised to see the olive skinned woman dressed in odd clothing, a glowing rope in her hands. Katie followed the rope, not realizing that's what's tied around her.

"Katherine, you have to remember who-"

"This won't work!" Katie says, her eyes looking over to the woman. "It's too strong, and it will come back." Wonder Woman stared back in confusion before turning to Batman whose expression mirrored her own. Katie glanced around, noticing that they were outside and on a roof. There was a strike of lightening and she lifted her eyes to the sky just as a drop of rain hit her head.

"Robins?"

"Katherine-"

"I think it's too late." she brought her eyes back to woman. "I can feel it coming back. You have to stop it, you have to-" The darkness underneath her skin was reigniting and she could feel it coming back. "The blade-" she turned back to the woman. "You have to-" Katie's eyes snapped closed. The darkness was clawing its way back. "You have to get the blade."

"Katherine, just fight it. You are stronger!" Wonder Woman said, and Katie shook her head. "I've seen you before, on television, in magazines, I've heard stories about you from your friends. You are stronger than this." Wonder Woman saw tears form in the woman's eyes.

"No I'm not, I'm—" Katie dropped her head. "I'm-"

"Hey Robins! Stay with me!"

"Katherine?" when Katie lifted her eyes, Wonder Woman frowned at the cold back eyes staring back at her. "This is impossible, you're not-"

"Oh, Amazon, your ropes are cool. I was actually present when they were created." Katie said, and Wonder Woman watched as the woman in front of her began pulling her arms, and somehow loosening the rope. Wonder Woman's eyes widen.

When Katie opened her eyes, she found herself back in the dark dilapidated remnants of her home. She spun around looking for Grace who didn't seem to be anywhere in sight.

"Mom?"

"Look up Liver, it's happening!" Katie turned her eyes, and there on the screen was Oliver. He was on that roof, staring back her. Katie walked over and dropped to the floor in front of the television. He was wearing his Green Arrow suit, but there was no mask so she could see his face, and his eyes. Her heart sank in her chest because the look in his eyes as he looked at her. He wasn't here to save her.

The door burst opened, but Katie didn't turn from the television.

"Honey, we have to move!" Grace said breathlessly.

"It's too late," Katie says, her eyes never leaving her husband. "He's here to end it." Grace walked over, and looked to the television, her eyes looking from Oliver to the blade he clenched in his hand and she gasped.

"No, this isn't-" Grace shook her head before dropping down beside her daughter. "Look at me." Katie refused to turn away from her husband. Graced grabbed her daughter's shoulder and forced her to turn. "It's not too late. There's still too much for you to fight for. Don't make the mistake I made baby. Your family needs you." Katie closed her eyes and dropped her head. "You have to feel it."

"Feel what?" Katie asked opening her eyes and looking back to her mother who just smiled as she placed her hands on the sides of Katie's face.

"How truly strong you are." Grace said. "Now tell me sweet heart, when do you lose?" Katie looked at her mother for a moment before turning back to the screen.

"When I stop fighting." she says softly before turning back to Grace. "Ok."

"Ok!" Grace says jumping back to her feet and pulling her daughter up as well. "We have to move!"

Oliver stared over to Katie, still gripping the blade in his hand. Everyone was gone. Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Barry, were just gone. The ARGUS team that was supposed to be another line of defense was no where insight as well, except for a few men unconscious about the roof. He hoped they'd get through to her before he arrive, but when he arrived he realized the couldn't. His eyes glanced over to Thea and he grit his teeth at the sight of the blood pooling around her.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry about that." Katie says and Oliver turned back to her. "But her blood was needed-" her eyes lifted to sky and her smile widened. The crack was widening, and she could practically feel her family returning. "They're coming back." she dropped her eyes back to Oliver.

"Twinkie, can you hear me?" Oliver asked, and Katie turned to him with a quirked brow. His voice was too calm, too soothing, which it definitely should not be at the moment.

"Oliver, I killed your sister, and brought about the possible end to human civilization. If you haven't realized by now that your wife is dead, I just don't know what else to do." she began walking over to him with a shake of her head. "I think you know that. That's why you brought the moon blade. Why your plan b is to shove it into my heart, but it won't end what's happening. At this point nothing can stop the return of the magi." she lifted her eyes to the sky and chuckled with a shake of her head. When she looked back to Oliver something struck her. "Why aren't you being your usual annoying self, trying to save the world and all that?" she glanced around to see that besides Thea, she and Oliver and a few unconscious men were the only ones on the roof. "And where are your super powered friends. Shouldn't they be attempting to stop me, or the second coming." she turned back to Oliver and to the expression on his face that didn't even look worried. Something was wrong. She could now feel that something was wrong. She glanced over to Thea, and that's when she saw the woman lying on the ground flicker, before disappearing all together.

A few hours earlier...

Thea's eyes snapped open suddenly, and she sat up quickly. She was still inside the mansion. She glanced around the room, but she didn't see Katie anywhere. The woman stood to her feet and cautiously walked out of the living room to the hall. Her eyes turned to the opened door that lead outside, and she frowned. She glanced around, figuring that this was some kind of trick, or game. She began walking toward the door, hesitating for a moment before finally stepping out. The moment her feet stepped outside, and nothing happened, Thea took a deep breath and began running.

She needed to find Oliver. Thea ran down the middle of the street, a bit surprised no one was actually outside. She didn't focus too much on the thought. When she finally reached Oliver and Katie's house, she ran for the door. It was locked and so she knocked and rang the door bell.

"Hello!" Thea yelled before running around to the back door. She peeked inside the window, but she didn't see anything. "Where's the spare, where-" she spun around before spotting the weird garden gnome. She lifted it, relieved to find the key. Once inside, Thea ran in search of Oliver, or anyone, but the house was empty. Thea stopped inside of the nursery, and took a moment to breathe, and think. "Where are you Ollie?" and that's when it hit her. If Katie was planning something bad, the team would be preparing to stop her. "The bunker!" Thea turned and rushed back down the stairs. She snagged the the keys to Katie's car from the bowl near the front door before hurrying out.

Thea didn't expect what she witnessed on the drive as she got closer to downtown. People were running around, fighting, screaming, stealing. She shook her head and continued until she finally reached the office. Thea ran inside, heading straight for the elevators. Once she stepped inside, she closed her eyes and nervously fidgeted as she waited for the doors to open. Once they opened, she hurried off, relieved the first person she saw was her brother.

"Ollie!" Thea said, and Oliver turned to her, and so did Constantine who was standing in front of him. Both men turned in surprise at the woman they thought they needed to save.

"Thea!" Oliver rushed over this sister, engulfing her into a hug. "Are you ok?" he pulled back, looking up to the scars on her forehead. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine." Thea said, letting out another deep breath. "I'm really fine."

"How are you here right now?" Constantine asked walking over to them. "We were made to believe that thing needed you, needed your blood for opening her bridge." Thea looked over to him before turning to her brother.

"So did I. She said she was going to kill me. I remember trying to run away, and then I blanked. When I woke up, I was in the mansion alone, and the door was opened. When I ran out nothing happened, and so I kept running." Oliver looked at his sister in confusion before turning to Constantine whose expression mirrored his own.

"What does this mean?" Oliver asked and Constantine shook his head.

"She let me go." Thea said and they turned back to her. "It's the only thing that makes sense. When we were in that house, there was no way for us to escape, even when she was gone. We were trapped. Today, the door was wide open, it had to be her." Thea saw the look on her brother's face as he turned back to Constantine. "Ollie? What's-" she looked over to Constantine. "What's going on?"

Back to the present...

"Wait-" Katie said before turning back to Oliver. "How?" Katie lifted her eyes to the sky, rain hitting her face, but that's not what she noticed. It was the crack that was there just a moment ago was just gone. Because it was never there to begin with. "No!" she dropped her eyes back to Oliver.

"Twinkie?" Oliver said again, his voice still trying to remain soothing, and now she realized why. "Can you hear me?"

Katie and Grace ran as fast as they could, finding that dirt path quicker than before. Neither stopped until they burst through the doors of the fortress.

"Ok," Katie said out of breath. "Now what?" she turned to her mother who looked around the room before her eyes stopped on something behind Katie. Katie turned following her eyes, and that's when she saw it. It was the darkness, still wearing her body.

"You just couldn't die, could you?" it said with a shake of her head. "I had a plan. We were going to revitalize the world, but you couldn't let me have it."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Katie shook her head. "Actually, no, I'm not sorry. You stole my life, my family, and now I'm here to take it back."

"And you will lose." that monster said with a smile.

"That may be true, but I also might win." Katie said with a nod.

"Well then, let's get this over with." and with a snap of her finger, the room is suddenly illuminated with a flickering lights of candles. Katie's eyes looked around the room, and it was uncanny. She remembered this room. This is where the demon would make her fight. This was also the room she took her first life, and she suddenly realized why this was happening here.

"This is where you were created." Katie says turning back to her evil doppelganger.

"No, this is where you were created. The real you. The one you try so desperately to hide." the darkness chuckled. "You can't hide in here. I see you, and you look just like me." Both women walked over, stepping inside the fight circle, their eyes never tearing away from the other.

Oliver stood in confusion as he stared at the woman who closed her eyes, and was now not moving. Heavy steps moved behind him, but Oliver didn't turn away from the woman.

"What's happening?" came the graveled voice of the Batman. Just moments earlier, he and Diana were forced to save the helicopter filled with ARGUS agents that Katie had attempted to send crashing into the crowd below. He came to stand beside Oliver, his eyes looking to the woman as well. "Did you stab her?"

"No, I didn't touch her." Oliver replied. There was a gust of wind, but neither man looked up at the foot steps that followed.

"What's going on?" Superman asked as he walked over.

"I thought you were on your way to the moon?" Batman asked, not turning away from the woman. He didn't see the glare Superman sent him. Moments earlier, the woman standing in front of him ordered him to fly to the moon, and without even second guessing the request, Superman shot up into the sky.

"Yeah, well the urge to sit on the moon went away suddenly." the man said as he too looked to the woman warily in front of him. "Did you stab her with the blade?" Oliver would've glared at the man, but he didn't want to turn away from the woman.

"No, we were talking and then she just...stopped." Oliver replied.

"Hey!" The Flash, and Supergirl appeared on the roof. "I no longer want to jump off roofs. "

"And I no longer have to catch him. Is it over?" Supergirl asked following everyone's eyes to the woman. "Is she-"

"We're not sure." Batman says noticing the slightly twitch of the woman's hand and they all took a step back. There was another thump, but no one turned away at the footsteps that neared.

"What's going on?" Wonder Woman asked noticing everyone staring at Katie who wasn't moving.

"I don't know." Oliver replies. "Someone needs to find Constantine or Zatanna, and get them here now."

"I'll go." Flash said before speeding away.

"What did she say?" Batman asked.

"She didn't know about Thea. There was an illusion, it was Thea lying there dead. She thought she killed Thea, and that her plan to bring the original Homo magi was still in tact. It's like someone tricked her."

It was strange how every lesson from the demon, every kick and punch she'd learned came surging back the moment she entered the fortress and into this room. She threw another kick that sent her evil doppelgänger flying, but it didn't stop. Nothing stopped. It was as if all the punches and kicks weren't hurting either of them, because they just got back up. The doppelganger jumped to her feet, and bolted toward Katie tackling her to the floor.

"You haven't realized it yet!" the monster said straddling Katie's waist before throwing a punch to the woman's face. "This fight you were so desperately trying to find, will never end. You can't kill me!" another punch, and it was as if Katie could taste the own zing of her blood in her mouth. Soon hands wrapped around her throat, and tightened. "And I can't kill you, but I can make it hurt." Katie stared up to the woman, suddenly realizing her words. They couldn't kill each other, so fighting was pretty much pointless. That's when it hit her. "The only way out of here is for you to finally give up. Just give-" Katie lifted her hands, placing them on the sides of the face that mirrored her own staring back at her with dark eyes. "What are you-" the hands around her throat release. "How are you doing this?"

"You're right." Katie rasped. "I can't kill you, and you can't kill me. We are the same. Those pedals just made you something a bit worse. Something I accept now." Katie took a deep breath. "And now I know what to do."

Katie gasped, her eyes opening and a smile came to her face at the sight of Oliver who took a step back.

"Hi," she said and Oliver looked at her for a moment trying to determine who was talking to him right now. She turned, looking between the eyes around her, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she turned back to Oliver and sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"Twinkie?" Oliver took a step toward her, but the woman backed away.

"It's still in here. Still a part of me, and it's not going to give up. It's kind of relentless." Katie said before looking up to the sky, and letting the rain hit her face.

"Twinkie, it's alright now, you're back you're-" Katie brought her eyes back to the man. "You didn't stop fighting, and you came back to us."

"Actually I did stop fighting. Fighting my darkness was pointless. It's a part of me now, and it's not going to go away." she turned and looked over to Bruce dawned in his Batman suit. This was it. Final words time. "Hey Wayne, you keep my friend happy, or I swear I'm gonna haunt your ass." she looked over to Superman and then Supergirl, before her eyes ended on Wonder Woman. "I know this wasn't a fight you all signed up for, but I thank you for helping him."She looked to the glowing rope strapped to the woman's hip before meeting the woman's eyes. Katie gave the woman a nod before turning back to Oliver.

"Twinkie, let's just go home." Oliver took another step and Katie once again backed away, " Please, let's just-" Suddenly Oliver felt the blade slip from his fingers and when he looked up he saw it now in Katie's hand. "Twinkie, no, just-" she looked up to him and smiled.

"Hey Liver, I want you to know that none of this is your fault. You didn't-" she shook her head. "You didn't fail at this." she dropped her eyes to the blade and gripped the handle. She looked up meeting Oliver's eyes. "Tell them I love them, and that this moment wasn't me giving up. Tell them that this moment was me fighting back." she gave the man a nod before holding out the blade. Oliver took a step to stop her when suddenly Wonder Woman's rope is wrapped around him. He glared over to her.

"I'm sorry Oliver, but she's right. If this thing isn't going away, it will never stop trying to tear our world a part." Wonder Woman said as Oliver strained to pull himself free.

"Twinkie, don't do this. We will figure out a way to-"

"I'm glad you're the last thing I'll see." Katie says holding Oliver's gaze for a few moments longer. "I love you, Liver." and with those final words Katie shoved the blade into her gut. She stumbled back a bit because the moment the blade pierced her skin, she could feel it happening. The darkness inside of her was angry.

"What?" they turned at the voice of Constantine who ran over. "No, no-" he watched the myriad of emotions play on Katie's face as her eyes turned to him, and he saw how they flickered from normal, to the coal dark black. She dropped to her knees, the pain beginning to intensify, but she didn't scream out. She turned back to Oliver who continued trying to pull free, trying to get to her. Her entire body began shaking before she finally succumbed to the pain, falling on her back. She snapped her eyes shut, and clench her teeth praying for the pain to end, but it only seemed to be getting worse.

"Let me go!" Oliver ordered angrily. He looked over to Wonder Woman who looked from Katie to Oliver. "Please, let me get to my wife." Diana heard the plea, before turning back to Katie realizing there was nothing he could do to stop this, and so with a tug, the rope unwrapped and Oliver hurried to Katie's side, taking her hand. "Hey, Twinkie, just hold on, just-" Katie's mouth opened, letting out an ear piercing scream, and a black smog that shot up to the sky. Constantine ran over sliding to the other side of the woman, dropping his ear to her chest before looking up to Oliver. "What?"

"She's still breathing." Constantine said before grabbing the blade.

"Constantine!" the man looked up to see Zatanna and Evangeline rushing onto the roof. "Don't, you have to let it finish!" Zatanna saw the look in his eyes and when he shook his head, she knew he wasn't going to listen. She watched as he pulled the blade from the woman, before placing his hands above the wound. Constantine turned to Oliver and gave the man a nod.

"There's still time, but we have to move!" Oliver wasn't sure what the man was talking about, but if there was hope, he wouldn't let it pass by. Oliver gave a nod, before slipping his hands underneath his wife and hiking her into his arms. They were about to run when Superman stepped in front of him. "Please, just—" Superman simply held out his arms.

"Allow me, I'm a bit quicker." he said and Oliver looked unsure for a moment, before looking down to his wife.

"Ok." Oliver said before sliding the woman into the awaiting arms hoping they weren't too late.

Oliver's eyes actually ached from being open so long. He shook his head and stood to his feet, his eyes looking to the window that filtered in the sunlight. He walked over, glancing out, and seeing nothing but trees. There was a knock and he turned to see Jacob who had yet another vase of flowers.

"More flowers?" Oliver asked and Jacob chuckled as he sat the vase on the shelf with the man others.

"Doesn't seem right to walk in here empty handed." Jacob replied turning. His eyes went to the pale form laying in the bed in front of him and so he walked over, and took her hand. "Hey there sunshine," he gave her hand a squeeze before looking back over to Oliver. "You should get home." Oliver let out a sigh before walking over and taking the seat beside her bed. "Oliver-"

"There's brain activity, her vitals are fine, she's breathing on her own." Oliver recounted the information from the doctor.

"But she's not waking up." Jacob replied looking over to the man. "There's nothing you can-" Oliver's phone rang, and the man pulled it from his pocket slightly frowning at the unfamiliar number. "I wanted to give you a heads up." Oliver looked over to Jacob who nudged his head. "Answer it." Oliver turned, bringing the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Queen, this is Thomas Kemp. I chair the city council." Oliver glanced over to Jacob with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, of course, councilman. What can I help you with?"

"That impromptu speech you gave during the city's latest crisis got a lot of people's attention, and there's something I'd like to talk to you about." Oliver glanced over to Jacob before looking down to his wife. "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, I will see you then."

When Oliver lowered the phone from his ear he turned to Jacob who simply shrugged.

"Do you know what that is about?" Oliver asked, and Jacob looked down to his daughter before placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"At the moment this city has no mayor," Jacob looked back over to Oliver who eyes widened when he realized what this meeting could be about.

"They're going to-"

"It will be a temporary position until they can have an official election." Jacob said, and Oliver looked over to the man in confusion.

"How do you know all of this?"

"Well ARGUS has ears everywhere, Oliver." Oliver looked over to the man before dropping his eyes back to his wife and just shook his head.

"I can't-" he looked back to Jacob. "I can't leave her, not now, she-" he looked back to Katie taking her hand in his. "I can't go out there and be the mayor of this city when my heart is here."

"Oliver you ran for mayor of this city for a reason. You believed this city needed someone who could stand in front and fight for them in the light. My daughter believed in you, she believed you could do this job. She wouldn't want you to pass it up." Oliver looked down to Katie and placed a kiss to her hand. He wanted her to open her eyes so badly. After everything that's happened, he just needed her to open her eyes and let him know that everything was ok. "Oliver-" Oliver lifted his eyes. "Your wife isn't dead. She fought her way back, and she's still fighting. Give her a place worth fighting for." Oliver brought his eyes back to Katie, placing another kiss to her hand. There was that little voice in his head, that one that sounded an awful lot like the woman lying in front of him, and so he made the decision.

Arianna Locke was annoyed as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. She glanced down to Robyn who sat playing with her blocks on the floor in an equally uncomfortable dress before Oliver walked back into the room.

"Is it time yet, because this dress is kind of scratchy." Ari said standing to her feet and walking over to Oliver. Oliver looked down to the teen and sighed. "I can't believe they're letting you be mayor. You can't even properly tie your tie." Ari walked over and grabbed Oliver's tie, straightening it a bit. He couldn't help but think of Twinkie in this moment. Maybe it was some sort of sign that this is something she would want for him."There, now you have the illusion that you can run a city." she looked back up to the man who smiling down to her. "What?"

"You know we're going to be alright, right?" Oliver asked her, and Ari looked to him for a moment before dropping her eyes. "We really are going to be alright. You, me and Robyn-"

"Until Katie wakes up." Ari said lifting her eyes back to Oliver. "She's going to wake up, I just know she is. She kind of did the impossible."

"Yeah, she did." Oliver said looking down to his daughter and picking her up into his arms. He turned back to Ari and gave a nod. There was a knock at the door, and they turned to see Mr. Kemp.

"It's time." the man said and Oliver gave a smile before turning back to Ari who gave a smile.

"I guess this is it bullet magnet." Ari grabbing the baby. "Let's go make you a mayor."

Ari stood off to the side watching as Oliver placed his hand on the bible. She turned away from the camera flashes, as she held Robyn firmly against her chest. She couldn't believe the dork had actually made it here. She was actually pretty proud of him.

"I, Oliver Queen, do solemnly swear to support the charter and laws of Star City and to faithfully and impartially perform and discharge the duties of the office of mayor according to the law and to the very best of my ability." with those words, everyone applauded. Oliver turned to the crowd with a smile before turning to Arianna and Robyn. When he turned back to the crowd, Oliver realized there was something else he needed to do today. He held up a hand to calm the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you!" Oliver said. "I am honored and humbled to take on the position of Mayor for Star City. I look forward to working with this city, and showing the world the light this city holds." more applause followed and Oliver gave a nod before looking over to Ari and Robyn. "I would like to give a special thank you to my family, and friends and the people of this city, who've supported me and helped me get to this point." He turned back to the flashing cameras. "And I would like to take this moment to name one person specifically. My wife, Katherine Queen-" this would be the first time Oliver publicly spoke of Katie since the funeral, but there was just something he needed to do. "I wouldn't be standing here in front of you if it wasn't for her." Oliver dropped his eyes for a moment, before looking back up to the eyes on him. "The capture of Damien Darhk was very intricate, and there was a lot that went into getting him off the streets. Me, and my family were targeted by that man, and that night when he stabbed my wife, we were presented with a choice." Oliver paused for a moment before continuing. "In an effort to capture Damien Darhk, my wife faked her death." gasps and murmurs filled the room, and Oliver looked back to Ari whose eyes were wide. She didn't know he was going to do this now. Oliver turned back to the crowd. "Katie worked closely with law enforcement, and was able to assist in his capture." Oliver dropped his eyes and sighed. "During the riots, she was in a car accident and she was injured. Right now my wife is in a coma, but doctors have given me assurance that she will wake up." the murmurs continued, and Oliver knew there would be questions. "But I think right now it is important for everyone in this city to know that my wife is alive. Katherine Queen is alive." the words brought relief to Oliver, and he hoped it brought hope to this city as well.

Felicity stood staring blankly at the television in her living room, still stuck in the initial shock of Oliver's words. There were footsteps coming down the stairs, but she didn't turn.

"Ms. Smoak?" Bruce said walking over to her. When she didn't respond or turn away from the television, he followed her eyes, and when he read the banner across the screen with Oliver's face above it, he realized what shocked the woman into silence. "I can't believe he did it?"

"I can." Felicity replied still reading the television, a smile suddenly coming to her face. "I think he has wanted to scream those words from roof tops for a while now." Bruce reached down, grabbing the remote and flicking off the television, and Felicity finally turned to him.

"We should talk." Bruce said and Felicity looked at him for a moment before turning away. She expected this conversation since everything finally settled down. "I'm sorry." she turned back to him with a furrowed brow. "Keeping the fact that Darhk was Katie's father from you was-"

"I actually get it." Felicity interrupted. "I mean who knows the world of trouble that could've happened if Katie knew who Damien was." Felicity shook her head. "If you told me, I would've told her." she turned back to Bruce. " I know that for certain, and maybe it would've helped, maybe it would have been a catastrophic fuck up. We will never know. Right now we can't change what happened."

"You're right, we can't, but I can make you a promise." Bruce said reaching forward and taking the woman's hand. "I can promise that I-" there was a sudden knock at the door, and both turned. Bruce sighed, pulling back and walking over to the door. The moment he pulled it opened, he definitely didn't expect who was standing there.

"Hi Bruce."

"Diana, what-" Bruce glanced back to Felicity who stared in confusion as well. He cleared his throat and turned back to the woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to head home, and I thought we should talk." she replied with a smile before peeking inside and spotting Felicity. "Hello Ms. Smoak."

"Um, hi Ms. Prince." Felicity said turning to Bruce who she noticed looked slightly nervous. Her eyes turned back to Diana, and she suddenly realized what was happening. "Wait, were you two-"

"No!" Bruce said suddenly turning back to Felicity with a shake of his head. "I just need five minutes." Bruce said turning back to Diana, grabbing her arm and pulling her out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

"Bruce, what are you-" Bruce pulled her by the arm toward the elevator, where she finally pulled out of his grasp. "So I take it that you want me to leave."

"What were you thinking coming here?" Bruce asked looking to the woman. "How did you even know I was here?"

"Well you're predictable." Diana said before glancing back to the door. "So that's her?" she turned back to Bruce and he noticed the slight edge to the woman's voice.

"Is that why you're here?" Bruce asked. Diana just shook her head.

"No, it's about Katherine." she replied. "What happened that night was-" Diana turned her head because she couldn't get the events out of her head. "It was impossible." she turned back to Bruce. "What she could do... the power she possessed was far greater than anyone I've ever come across."

"Yeah, well now it's gone and she's alive and everything is right with the world." Bruce replied, but he noticed how unsure of those words she seemed. "Everything is right with the world isn't it?" the woman didn't respond right away. "Diana?"

"She broke through the lasso of truth." Diana replied looking to Bruce. "Those ropes were forged from the bodice of Aphrodite. She made it powerful and indestructible." Bruce wasn't sure what to say to that. He never could wrap his head around anything when she mentioned the things he thought was myth. "And I watched as Katherine pulled herself out of it's grasp." Diana turned away once again with a shake of her head. "That thing inside of her said she was present when the ropes were forged." she turned back to Bruce. "I think I know where the source of Katherine's powers stem from."

"Why does that worry me?" Bruce asked and Diana sighed. "What is it?"

"Well I've only heard stories, if I'm right, the only homo magi present during the forging of the Lasso was called Hecate. I think—" Suddenly the door opened, and they both turned to Felicity.

"Uh, just wanted to make sure everything was alright." Felicity said as she looked between Bruce and Diana.

"Everything is fine." Bruce said turning to Diana. "What are the chances of what happened that night happening again?"

"Well given she hasn't awakened up yet, I don't know, but I thought you should know." Diana said before glancing over to Felicity with a smile. "It was nice seeing you again Ms. Smoak." with that the woman turned, pressing the button for the elevator and once it opened she turned to Bruce one final time. "It was nice to see you again Bruce."

"You too Diana." he replied as he watched her step onto the elevator. She gave him a final wave before the doors slid closed. Bruce turned back to Felicity who still stood at the door, and he could tell she was waiting for answers. "Right," Bruce walked over to Felicity. "What did you want to know first?" Felicity looked at him for a moment.

"Did you and Wonder Wonder use to date?" she asked and Bruce chuckled. "That's so not an answer."

"Well it was a complicated relationship that didn't really have a title." Bruce said looking down to the woman. "I didn't really do those kind of titles back then, but now-"

"Now..." Bruce reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box, and Felicity's eyes widened the moment she saw it. She turned back to his eyes, and saw him take a deep breath.

"I want you to know that I trust you completely. That I will share with you all the secrets of the universe if that's what you want to know."

"Well you don't know all the secrets to-" she noticed the smile on his face and she just shook her head. "Bruce, we've done this numerous times, and it always ends the same. We can't just-" she dropped her face to her palms before looking back up to the man. "What makes this different?"

"Nothing." Bruce said taking the woman's hand, and sliding the ring on her finger. "And everything." he looked up meeting her eyes. "I love you and I will do anything to prove to you that I am here to be the man you need me to be." Felicity kept his gaze before looking to the ring on her finger. "Hell I'll move to Star City if you want." she looked up before taking a step forward and placing her hands on his chest. He smiled as he brought his hands around her waist. "Is this a yes?" her hands slid up to cup the sides of his face.

"If you lie to me again, I will destroy you." she said with a sweet smile and Bruce laughed before leaning into capture her lips.

"Never." he muttered against her lips. The kiss took on a life of it's own, both realizing how long since they've been this close, since they've kissed and it seemed they were trying to catch up on lost time. When they finally pulled apart, they kept their eyes on each other as they tried to catch their breaths.

"You know after all of this, I think I could use a vacation." Felicity replied with a smile. "How is Gotham this time of year?" the smile of Bruce's face only widened.

Doctor Ethan Mills had only taken a bite of his sandwich before his eyes looked up to the television in the resident's lounge. They were replaying Oliver's introduction as the Mayor of the city, and also his speech afterward revealing that Katie was alive. The door behind him opened, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the television.

"Ethan?" a voice spoke, and Ethan turned to see Laurel. He pointed to the television and when she followed his eyes she sighed. "I was hoping to catch you before you watched that."

"So it's true? She's-" Ethan turned back to the television. He couldn't wrap his head around it at all. He was there, he replayed every step of treatment when she was brought in until the moment he realized that there was nothing more he could do for her. "This can't-" he turned back to Laurel. "She was dead. There was zero brain activity, she wasn't responsive to any treatment. She was gone. She was-"

"Ethan, it's alright, it's-" Laurel walked over to him, placing her hands on his chest hoping to calm him down.

"It's not alright. I haven't slept since that day I walked in and told my friend's husband that she was gone and that pulling the plug was the most humane thing to do. She was gone." he couldn't stop saying it because it was the words he told himself that day she was brought in and he realized there was nothing he could do.

"Ethan, it was a trick. That monster that was in her body faked everything. Apparently it was one of it's powers. Illusion. It could make us see what it wanted us to see." Ethan looked down to the woman in confusion. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true." Ethan slid his hands across his face with a shake of his head.

"He said she's in a coma, where-" he turned back to Laurel. "Where is she? Who's treating her?"

"She's being treated at an ARGUS medical facility where Jacob has the best doctors looking in on her." Laurel replied and Ethan let out a heavy sigh. "But she's alive, that's the good thing."

"Why fake her death?" Ethan asked and Laurel deflated a bit.

"It's a really long story that I will tell you about later, but I haven't seen you in a while, and I finally worked up the courage to finally come here and do this-" she pulled her lips to his gently, but soon it turned heated. Ethan pushed Laurel's back against the lockers as he deepened the kiss, swallowing the moan that escaped her throat.

"Doctor -oh!" Ethan and Laurel pulled apart quickly suddenly remembering that they were in a public area. "Um, sorry, but I paged you, but you didn't answer and-"

"What is it Spencer?!" Ethan called back.

"Mrs. Langston is awake, and you said to notify when that happens. I'm just going to-" the young man rushed out of the lounge quickly.

"Interns have such bad timing." Ethan said turning back to Laurel who looked completely breathtaking in his moment as she panted, her lips a bit swollen from the kiss. "I have to go." the woman just silently nodded, but noticed how the man didn't actually move away. He stood there for a moment before smiling as if remembering something. "Back at the airfield, you said yes."

"I did." she replied with a smile. "You haven't asked anything, but-" his lips slammed into hers once again, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. When he pulled back, he looked down to the woman.

"Will you-" she smiled at the man. "Be my girlfriend again?" the woman laughed before bringing her lips back to his.

"Not the question I expected, but the answer's still the same." she muttered against his lips.

That evening Oliver stood at the end of Katie's bed staring down to the woman. He let out a deep sigh. "I know you're still in there Twinkie." Oliver whispered walking over and taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her. "You're my Guardian. You fought to come back, now I need you to keep fighting to stay with us. I thought I it was me who had to save you. I forgot my Guardian isn't a damsel." Oliver leaned over and brought his lips to hers. He pulled back, hovering above her lips for a moment. "Come back to me, Twinkie." There was a knock at the door, and Oliver looked up to see Thea who walked inside. "Thea, hey."

"Hi," Thea said walking over, her eyes going to Katie first. She doesn't think she will ever get used to the sight of seeing the woman like this. "Any change?"

"No." Oliver replied with a shake of his head before turning back to his sister, and he noticed something was off. "Speedy?" Thea looked over to her brother. "What's up?"

"I jumped straight out of the Lazarus Pit right into this, into-to Speedy, but, um, I've just been wondering if this is even who I really am." Thea said with a shake of her head. "And then I realized my blood could be used to tear open worlds, that darkness that's still inside of me and I-I realized I'm my father's daughter, so I-I thought about Twinkie and-and what she'd say to me if she were here. I think she'd tell me to get out... Before I lost too much of myself." Oliver stood to his feet and walked over to his sister. "I'm sorry, Ollie." Oliver brought his arms around his sister in a hug.

"Oh Speedy, you never have to apologize to me. Ever." Oliver said placing a kiss to the top of her head.

That evening, Oliver stepped off of the elevator that lead to the bunker, and walked inside where he found Felicity and John standing there waiting for him. Felicity walked over first, bring her arms around him in a hug that he returned. " And then there were three. The original gangstas." Oliver laughed. "I can't believe you're the mayor." Felicity said and Oliver shook his head as he pulled back to look at the woman. "Like I know that was the original plan before Damien Darhk appeared and screwed everything up, but it's actually happened."

"It's temporary." Oliver said looking over to John who walked over to pull the man into a hug as well. "Two hugs, why does that worry me?" when he pulled back, he looked between his friends and saw the nervousness. Felicity and John turned to each other as if trying to decide who should speak first. "Hey, John, you ok?" John turned back to his friend. Felicity gave John a pat to his shoulder before walking away to give the guys a moment.

"Not really." he replied. "I told Lyla the truth about Andy."

"What'd she say?"

"She's a soldier. She understood." John replied. He shook his head because the more he thought about it, the more he let himself think over that moment he took his brother's life, he just couldn't understand it. "But I don't, and I don't think I ever will." Oliver wasn't sure he was going to like the answer to his next question, but he had to ask.

"What are you going to do?"

"Take some time away from this team, away from the city... To figure out where I went off track and how to get back on." John replied and Oliver dropped his head because those words were what he feared.

"John-" Oliver looked back over to the man. "I have never done this without you. You're the one whose been keeping me in line." John just shook his head before walking over to Oliver.

"Oliver, I don't know if you've been watching lately, but it's been the other way around, man." Oliver dropped his head, but gave a nod before looking over to John who held out his hand.

Oliver took a moment before finally reaching out and shaking his friend's hand. When John had left, Oliver looked over to where Felicity, her eyes looking up to the suits and Oliver was almost afraid to walk over, because at this point he's already recognizing the trend. She felt his eyes and turned to him.

"What?" she asked and Oliver dropped his head and Felicity walked over. "Hey, what's-"

"You're leaving too." Oliver finally said before looking up to meet the woman's eyes. Felicity didn't say anything at first which was all the confirmation he needed.

"It's not forever. Actually right now it's only temporary." Felicity replied with a shrug. "I'm going to Gotham with Bruce." Oliver looked at the woman and smiled.

"So you and Bruce are..."

"Me and Bruce aren't completely fixed. We have some stuff to work through, but I-" she held up her hand to show him the engagement right. " I couldn't see my life without him and I promised him a while back that I would give the whole Gotham thing a try." Oliver didn't say anything, and Felicity suddenly felt guilty. "Oliver, if you tell me that you need me to stick around to help with this, or to help with the kids, I will." Oliver looked over to the woman and shook his head. He knew she'd do just that if he asked.

"I don't think Bruce would let that happen." Oliver walked over and brought the woman into another hug. " I completely understand, and I'm happy for you Felicity. I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me and my family, and no one deserves this as much as you."

"Thank you Oliver." Felicity said pulling from the hug with a smile.

"And just so you know, I expect every moment of Robyn's life to be documented, because I don't want to miss any of it. Send me pictures and videos, I want it all." Oliver laughed, but gave a nod. Felicity reached out and took Oliver's hand. "And when Twinkie wakes up-" Oliver dropped his head. "And she will wake up-" Oliver looked back to her. "I expect a call immediately, and I will be back here in a flash."

That night when Oliver drove for hours until he pulled in front of the house he imagined he'd call his home. Oliver stepped out of the car and looked up to the beautiful white house, and he smiled at the faint memory of he and Twinkie in Coast City. When he showed her this house, and told her that this was their home he saw that light in her eyes, the happiness she was filled with. This was their fantasy. Fantasy is defined as "the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable." A lot of people fall victim to fantasy, confusing it with reality which can sometimes be easy to do. Fantasy was the illusion they slipped into without hesitation, and if given the chance would do it all over again. Oliver let out a sigh, before walking over to the house. He expected at this time of evening for the house to be quiet, but when he walked inside, Oliver was struck with the sound of laughter. Oliver smiled before walking in search of the sound. It's when he found Ari and Nyssa in the kitchen sitting at the table, playing card between them did he realize what the laughter was about.

"You're hopeless!" Ari said laughing. "Scary ninja lady can't play poker. I so should've suggested we play for money." Nyssa glared over to the girl before staring down to the cards in her hand with a pensive look before setting the cards down, and suddenly Ari stopped laughing.

"Royal flush." Nyssa said with a smile on her face as she looked up to Ari. "Maybe we should've played for money." Nyssa laughed, as Ari looked down to the cards.

"Ari, it's late, and we're heading home early tomorrow so head up to bed." Oliver said walking into the kitchen and making his presence known.

"But she-" Ari looked up to Nyssa. "You said you didn't know how to play, you we're pretending? Why?"

"Sometimes to see an opponent's true strength, you have to make them believe you are weak." Nyssa replied and Ari looked back to her in confusion.

"Is that from a fortune cookie, or something?"

"Bed Ari, now!" Oliver said and the teen groaned before standing to her feet and heading upstairs. "Don't quote your father to her. She doesn't need to know his lessons." Nyssa turned to Oliver with a quirked brow.

"Maybe she does." Nyssa said standing to her feet. "With your life Oliver, she will only be pulled into more danger. She will need to know how to defend herself."

"And you'd like to teach her?" Oliver asked and Nyssa nodded. Oliver looked to the woman for a moment, and he couldn't help but think about explaining this to Twinkie one day. Oliver shook his head. "No thank you Nyssa. I think right now things just need to settle down. Tomorrow we're going to go home and hopefully get back to some kind of normalcy."

"Suit yourself." Nyssa replied before stalking out of the kitchen.

Oliver shook his head before walking over to the stairs and climbing up. Oliver headed down the hall, stopping at Ari's door where he looked in to see the girl packing.

"You were supposed to already be finished packing." Oliver said and Ari looked over to him and shrugged.

"Thea was here. She told me she was ditching the hero gig." Ari said and Oliver sighed.

"Yeah, her, John and Felicity are taking a step back from the team." Oliver replied and Ari stopped packing and turned to him. "I will figure this out."

"But you're going to be all alone. How do you do this without any help?"

"I will figure it out." Oliver said again with a nod. "It's late, finish packing up and get to bed, ok?" Ari just nodded before watching the man leave, closing her door behind him. Ari stood there for a moment, thinking about Oliver's words and she shook her head.

"He can't do this alone." she turned and headed over to her laptop, flipping it open. She began typing away. She needed to learn as much about the hero business, and fast, and she couldn't think of a better place to start than the bunker's central mainframe. She hit a road block, and knew it was probably Felicity trying to keep her out. Suddenly Ari's cell phone rang, and when she looked over to the screen, she saw Felicity's name. Ari took a deep breath before answering the call and bringing it to her ear. "He's going to need help." the line was silent for a moment before Felicity finally spoke.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Felicity asked.

Ari turned, glancing over to the picture on her wall of her, Katie, Oliver and Robyn, and she silently nodded.

"Right now I'm all he has." Ari replied. "I'm sure."

When Oliver pushed open the door to Robyn's nursery, he definitely didn't expect to find Constantine standing above her crib. The man turned to Oliver with a smile.

"Oh, hey mate." Constantine turned back to look down to the sleeping child.

"Constantine, what are you doing in my daughter's room while she's sleeping?" Oliver asked glancing back now wondering something else. "Why hasn't Nyssa killed you?"

"She doesn't know I'm here." Constantine replied as Oliver walked over, and looked down to the sleeping girl as well. "Just had to make one final stop before moving on." Oliver looked over to the man with a frown.

"You're leaving?" Oliver asked and Constantine looked over to him. "I assumed you'd stay until Katie woke up to make sure...make sure it's gone."

"Hey, like I've told you before, I'm not sensing any darkness from her at all. I truly believe that the blade did what it was supposed to do."

"Which is what exactly?" Oliver asked. "I thought it was supposed to kill her."

"No, that blade is made with an ancient steel, meant to draw out dark energy using the power of the moon." the man replied. "She only would've died depending on how deep that darkness had gotten, and in that moment our girl pulled through." he looked over to Oliver. "She separated herself from the darkness."

"So why isn't she waking up? Something happened to her, something that's causing her not to wake up right now. I thought you were going to fix it.

"There's nothing to fix, mate. Your wife is fine."

"No, my wife is in a coma and isn't waking up. Oliver replied looking over to the man. "She is not fine."

"Trust me Oliver, Katie will wake up when she scrounges up the courage to open her eyes and face what's happened." Oliver looked over to the man in confusion before Constantine looked back down to the little girl. "I was just a bit curious. Wanted to see if the little sprog here picked up any of those cool tricks like her mum." Oliver eyes widened slightly. He didn't know Constantine could even determine that.

"So?" Oliver asked and Constantine looked up with a shake of his head. "How is that possible? I thought it was passed down."

"I'm starting to believe that the power is only passed down after death. After Grace's death, the magic was shifted to her daughter."

"But Grace died when Katie was fifteen, and she showed no signs of mystical abilities." Oliver replied.

"Well not that you know of. Hell she probably wasn't completely aware." Constantine said with a shrug before looking down to his watch. "Look I have to head out." he looked back over to the man. "We all have our missions, and I think it's time I got back to mine." Constantine walked around to Oliver, and held out a hand, to which Oliver shook. "It's been fun."

"It's been anything but." Oliver replied. "But thank you. For-" Oliver shook his head because in thinking of everything Constantine has done for him, he doesn't even think he could name it all. "Thank you for everything."

"I really had no choice in the matter." Constantine chuckled as he glanced over to see the spirit of Grace Robins smiling down to her sleeping grandchild, He turned back to Oliver and gave the man a nod. "Hey, give me a ring when she wakes up, and I'll swing back around just to make sure, alright?"

"Alright." Oliver said before watching the man turn and leave. Once alone, Oliver walked back over to look down to Robyn who hadn't stirred and he smiled. He just stood there, and watched her sleep contently. "We got her back, sweetie." he placed a hand on her belly gently. "One day we're going to have so many stories to tell you." Oliver sighed as he pulled back his hand when she stirred. "We're going to tell you how you and Ari and our entire family were our sanctuary. How we discovered dark secrets that threatened to tear us apart, and almost did." he smiled before turning and walking over to the window. "One day we're going to tell you how your mommy was willing to sacrifice her life so you and the world would be safe." he dropped his head against the cool glass of the window and sighed. All of his friends were leaving, and he would have to figure out a way to keep up both the fight of the Arrow, and the fight of the Mayor all on his own. And on top of that, he had to be a father, and make sure Robyn and Ari were safe and happy, and got a chance at real lives. He just held out hope that one day Twinkie would be back. She had to. He doesn't think he could survive losing her again. Oliver turned and looked back over to the crib. "A story of sanctuary, secrets and sacrifice." he walked back over to look down to the little girl. "I doubt you'll believe half of it. "

Constantine strolled down the dark street, smiling as he spots the yellow taxi up ahead. He sure had a story to tell Chas. He took another step before stopping.

"Shouldn't you be cooing over your granddaughter?" Constantine said, turning to see Grace. "You know I meant to tell you that you did a great job back there. You did what me and Zee couldn't. You got her to fight."

"No, I got her to realize what she was fighting for." Grace replied with a smile. "And now I believe your debt has been paid."

"Seriously?" he asked. "I just assumed you'd haunt my ass for the rest of my life."

"No, I just needed her to get through this, and she did." Grace let out a sighed before looking up to the sky.

"Wait a minute. Are you-" she looked back to the man and that's when he saw the light suddenly appear over her head. "You're finally going to get some peace yourself. You know I hear it's not all gum drops and daisies up there."

"Me too, but it's time. I have to believe my family will be ok."

"If you're leaving, that means you think there's no chance of this happening again?" Constantine asked. "It's gone." Grace looked at the man for a moment.

"Those pedals only magnetized a darkness that was already there. The blade removed most of it, but it didn't completely removed the darkness that life created inside of her. My daughter will continue to struggle with keeping her darkness in check, but I know she can." Grace began backing away. "She will be tested, she still has enemies. Enemies that are closer than any of them know."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you may see me again if what's heading her way is too much for her?" Grace gave the man a wave. "Stay out of trouble Mr. Constantine."

"Always." the man replied with a wave, and in an instant the woman was swallowed by a bright white light that was gone in a blink of an eye. The man let out a sigh, before turning and continuing to the taxi. He glanced inside to see Chas who looked back to him before wordlessly pointing a thumb to the backseat. Constantine quirked a brow before walking back and opening the door to the backseat where he found Zatanna sitting. "You still mad at me, luv?" she turned a glare to him as he slid into the backseat. "I wasn't going to let her die."

"I hope this turns out the way you want it to John." Zatanna said. "I really do, but if there's still an ounce of that darkness in her, if it has that drive and that persistence it had before, it will try to return again."

"And she will beat again." Constaine replies closing his eyes and letting his head fall back to the seat.

"I hope you're right."

"I'm always-"

"She's gone." Chas said and Constantine didn't even open his eyes.

"Oh, I know." the man replied. "Let's get out of here Chas. We have work to do."

Four months later...

The curtains were drawn as the rain rapt against the window echoing through the room. Jacob Robins sat beside his daughter's bed, holding her hand. He'd taken up the seat once Oliver left that morning. He knew Oliver would be back soon though, and so he decided to soak up as much time as he could.

"You know I remember that damn goldfish." Jacob said, and he couldn't help but laugh. "You wanted to take it everywhere with you. It was the cutest thing." Jacob looked to his daughter and sighed. She'd been in this bed for months and no sign of change. "What's going on in that head of yours, sunshine?" he placed a kiss to her hand before dropping his head. He let the sounds of the rain, and the machines fill the room. Suddenly a new sound entered the room and Jacob lifted his head. There was a sharp intake of breath that didn't come from Jacob. He looked down to his daughter, and he felt her fingers move. "Sunshine?" her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice, and she turned to him and the smile on his face grew so wide. "Oh, sweetheart, you're-" Jacob felt tears because a part of him wasn't sure this moment would ever happen. That he would look at his daughter and her eyes would look back to him.

"Daddy?" Katie rasped, her throat dry. Jacob turned, grabbing the pitcher of water and pouring her a cup before holding it over to her, but she pushed it away. "How-" she looked around the hospital room in confusion before turning back to his father.

"Sunshine, I know you have a lot of questions, and I-"

"I do." she said sitting up in the bed with a groan at the aches and tension as she moved. She turned back to her father. "I'm wondering one thing right now though." she looked down to his hand that still held hers before she once again met his eyes. "Why aren't you in a coma?" Jacob looked at the woman in confusion. "I was told you were in a coma, that you weren't going to wake up, and now you're -" Jacob furrowed his brow. "You awake."

"Sweetheart, what's the last thing you remember?" Jacob asked, and Katie turned away, for some reason she couldn't answer the question right away. Everything thing just seemed a bit fuzzy.

"Um, I was at Starling airport." she turned back to her father. "They lost my suitcase." she shook her head. "I just stepped into a cab and was on my way to the Rehab center to visit you. I wanted to talk to Dr. Trent to see if there was really no hope." Jacob simply stared at his daughter, unsure what to even say. "Dad, what-" she looked down to her hand that he was holding, and pulled it back when she noticed something. She looked down to her hand, her eyes fixed on the ring that was on a very important finger. When she looked up to her father, he looked nervous.

Author's note:

And that's the end people! We're leaving off with Katie awake, but with no memory of the last three and a half years. That's right, we're going to see Home, Heart, Hero Katie, the one twisted in pain, and distrust, now plopped into a life she won't believe. Pair that with new enemies, and unexpected journeys, and an invasion, a Flashpoint change, and so much more. I hope to see you all for my next story, Discovery, Devotion, Destiny.

Thank you.