Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing but what you see here! Takes place around the end of 'The Huntress Returns'.

Things in a word, had been hectic for Laurel, even with Tommy being there for support during the 'breakfast from Hell' that morning since he hadn't left her place following the talk they had hours before. As her dad hadn't taken things too well thanks to her mother trying to convince him that Sara might still be alive. Tommy was even on his side much to the man's slight irritation as he even told Dinah that what she was trying to do could be seen as wrong given the Hell both Lances had been through. Especially after she up and left them. Needless to say, she hadn't been too pleased with that. 'Keep that up and I just might like you, Merlyn.' Muttered Lance to Tommy before he hauled ass.

Matters really didn't help any when Helena showed up in town on the hunt for her father and held Tommy hostage a little while after he, Laurel, and Felicity had shown up in the basement of the Foundry for a chat with him. And if it hadn't of been for Laurel's support, things would have been become quite strained between the two long time best friends. The two made their way into the basement to see how their friend was while the club goers had their fun and came across Oliver bouncing a tennis ball off a wall. "You know, not having a really good look at the place earlier kept me from seeing how sucky your lair is, man." Remarked Tommy thoughtfully.

"Tommy..." Began Laurel warningly.

"What!? I'm just saying."

"Its not a lair. Its a base of operations." Oliver told him shortly while not even bothering to look at his best friend as he focused on the tennis ball.

"A lair is a lair, no matter how you try and say otherwise. Though I think this would be like lair lite considering the movies and such have way looking better ones. Should really do somethin' about that buddy." Replied the dark haired Merlyn Scion with a grin.

Earning himself an annoyed look from the Blonde. "Can I help you, Tommy?"

Laurel, sensing that Ollie might decide to use her boyfriend as a test subject for his annoyance, quickly intervened. "We just came to see how you are, is all. I know it can't be easy that you and McKenna broke up."

Something she totally called! Though she wouldn't have minded a less messier way then her getting shot at with a shotgun that essentially ended her career. Oliver sighed. "No, its not. The fact Helena is still out there also doesn't help." Muttered the archer unhappily.

"Now here's what I don't get, why didn't you fight McKenna harder on not breakin' up? Its not like you can't afford the back and forth." Reasoned Tommy.

Reasoning Laurel nodded at too. Plus, would be a great way to help him be not so focused on the 'Mission'. And maybe, maybe give him something to think about as a reason to possibly stop before he ended up dead. "I could, but… Its for the best as I can't allow my personal feelings to get in the way of the Mission."

A scoff could be heard from Laurel, showing what she clearly thought of that line of thinking. "Wow, way to sound like my dad there, Ollie." Tommy said disappointedly and getting a wince in return from his best friend.

Knowing he had something of a point there but not liking it either way. "Its my fault this happened to her."

"No, its Helena's, and McKenna's somewhat for not waiting for back up. You couldn't have known this would happen when you tried to reach Helena, Ollie. You just couldn't have." Reasoned Laurel.

"Maybe we should get some more lighting in here, might help him be less morose." Suggested Tommy as he looked about the area again while Oliver knew that Laurel had a really good point.

Even if his head and heart were telling him two different things. But anything he would have said was cut short by his best friend's words. "Don't make me kick your ass."

"See! That's what I'm talkin' about! So ill tempered! Now go get your girl!"

Oliver sighed. "Can't, she sent me a few texts telling me I'd better hold to my end of things since Lance told her I'm the Hood an hour ago."

Oh, well, no wonder he was plenty down in the dumps over the whole thing then just where the break up was concerned! "Uhh, don't you mean Green Arrow?" Wondered the Merlyn Scion and gaining a glower for it in return.

"I HATE that name."

"But it fits the whole green thing you got goin' man! Should call the lair 'The Quiver' too since it would fit the whole arrow thing." Laurel snorted in amusement over that one as Ollie continued to glower at Tommy.

Even pointing a finger at him. "That will NEVER happen."

"Okay, what about 'Arrow Cave'?"

"Its a basement, not a cave!"

Tommy looked doubtfully at him for a moment. "Given how the place looks, cave is pretty fitting, man." He retorted and getting a light growl from his best friend.

"All you need is a fire and a club to go with it." Added in Laurel before she could stop herself.

Gaining looks from the two, one amused and the other not so much as Oliver pointed at her. "Not helping!"

She merely smiled at him in return. "Thought I was." Replied the Lawyer, knowing full well she wasn't.

A grumble came from her ex as he shook his head. "Anyways, was McKenna angry with you for being the Green Arrow after my dad told her?" Laurel wondered curiously and smiling again over his grimace and grumbling at the moniker. Though why her dad would do that is beyond her when it wasn't really his secret to tell. Of course, he probably thought he was helping her out in some way for all Laurel knew.

"Surprisingly? No, not really. Why, I have no idea."

"Probably cause she really liked you enough NOT to care." Reasoned Tommy helpfully.

"Maybe." Conceded the archer.

His tone suggesting he really didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Well, instead of staying down here and beating yourself up over something that was out of your control, WE are going to take you out for something to eat." Informed Laurel.

Oliver went to protest at that but the determined look on her face and the arms crossed made him have second thoughts about that as he knew from personal experience that he wouldn't win when she looked that. "And then get you embarrassingly drunk." Added in his best friend with a grin.

"That's probably a bad idea for more reasons then one."

And his words would turn out to be quite true as well, though thankfully not in a painful way. Unless you valued your hearing anyway as Oliver would end up doing drunken Karaoke with a few Johnny Cash songs. Something Tommy recorded every minute of and sent to Thea who enjoyed it a great deal after a little fun had been had with Roy. Even showing her mother who found it to be somewhat amusing and remarking that terrible singing was a trait he and his father shared. And as time went on and various situations like Vertigo returning but thankfully no falling out happening between Oliver and Tommy, Laurel would convince Oliver to train her. Though she would tell him its so that she could be better at self defense, when in reality, she wanted it so that she could possibly be out there helping him and Dig. Something he, Tommy, and her father thankfully bought. Slade's surprise appearance at her place when Mr. Blank arrived to kill young Taylor Moore proved to be somewhat amusing as he and Oliver got into an argument. As Oliver had apparently long believed the other man to be dead following what seemed to be a rather hectic situation the two had faced at one point.

"I didn't think you'd believe me if I just called you, Kid." Tried the man in a defensive manner.

"Uh-huh, there's no way I'd have trouble believing a call from you as I imagine its hard for anyone to sound like you!"

Slade glared at him. "And just what are you tryin' to imply there?"

"Why? Does what I'm implying fit more then you'd like?"

A glower came his way while Laurel, Tommy, and a somewhat terrified Taylor watched on. "BOYS!" Yelled out the Lawyer in annoyance.

Causing the two to look at her. "Huh, she looks a lot prettier in person then that photograph you had of her." Muttered the Australian appreciatively.

Oliver grimaced as his ex stared at the two of them with a not so impressed look on her face. "Could you two PLEASE take your argument elsewhere? As you are SERIOUSLY scaring Taylor here and I for one don't appreciate it."

"Ooh, someone's in trouble." Sing songed Tommy gleefully until he got a glare from her that shut him up.

"Right, let's try and find that hitman." Said Oliver as he walked off towards the broken window.

"I hate that ba-I mean, man. The worst sort of bloke to be in my line of business since he willingly kills kids." Muttered Slade distastefully as he and Oliver left.

With Slade's involvement in the Moore situation, there would be no rift between Oliver and Dig thanks to the one eyed man's going after Rasmus while Oliver helped Dig capture Lawton much to Lyla's extreme annoyance. Even yelling loudly at the two for interfering in an ARGUS operation! But did thank them at the end for helping out despite their nearly killing the Assassin. Slade would stick around for awhile after that, sharing plenty of stories about his time with Oliver on Lian Yu much to the Blonde's dislike as he hadn't wanted anyone to know any of that! Especially the more embarrassing stuff! It'd also be Slade and not Felicity who would get into the casino in order to find out what they could about Walter and later, fly the plane that would get Oliver to Bludhaven to rescue Walter. And despite his feelings for Laurel and her for him, Tommy could clearly see that she and Ollie were gravitating towards one another without them really realizing it. A fact Lance surprisingly enough helped him deal with in true fashion by getting drunk as can be much to her dislike while Oliver, Dig, and Slade were tricking Moira into revealing anything she knew about the Undertaking.

And if it hadn't of been for Slade's insistence on coming along later to confront Malcolm, Oliver would have been captured by the man after being beaten by him. Though it did certainly put him on the run, giving Moira some encouragement to come forward about all she knew to the people of Starling. Enraging Malcolm and horrifying Tommy a great deal. Slade would later take the older man's head when he attempted to attack Moira and Thea, causing some friction between himself and Tommy for a time until he finally was able to accept that it had to be done. And with Lance's involvement in things, both Earthquake devices would be found and dismantled thanks to Felicity guiding them through it. Thus, saving the Glades from a horrible fate. And while some things weren't okay, like Moira facing jail time and Thea being highly unhappy with her over the whole thing. Not to mention learning her brother's secret thanks to Slade having one drink too many much to Oliver's annoyance. Another thing that wasn't particularly okay was Laurel deciding to finally suit up much to her dad's immense dislike.

Even trying to get Oliver to talk her out of it with no luck much to their combined dismay. Her suit consisting of boots, fishnets, a black pair of shorts, a blue top, and a black jacket along with a Blonde wig and a domino mask to hide her identity. And deciding to call herself Black Canary thanks to some inspiration she had where her mom's side of the family was concerned. Said family having a lot to do with an altered and time placed Tina Boland who took on the identity of Dinah Drake to ensure Laurel and Sara would be born. Tommy was torn between supporting and being against it but had largely stayed out of it due to being focused on dealing with his father's company and the fallout of said dad being a maniac bent on killing thousands of people. Though he did at least give his blessing to Oliver and Laurel about being together since he knew they were worried about how he would feel. Knowing this would help put them at ease to finally do something about their feelings for one another. Roy would get the training he wanted from Oliver but with the condition from Thea that he wouldn't be out on the streets with her brother unless there was no choice.

A condition Oliver easily agreed with despite Roy's objections about the whole thing! Sara would eventually show up after the killing got to be too much for her and facing a gauntlet of the toughest of Ra's Al Ghul's men to ensure her freedom from the League so long as she didn't pull any moves like Malcolm had done. A gauntlet she passed without killing any of them as well. Her return would cause some friction between herself and Laurel but thankfully, it would get worked out between the two of them. Well, after a fight or two anyway! Nyssa would also show up from time to time as well to be with Sara when she had the opportunity to do so. And even try and get her to return to the League in a different position but had yet to have much luck in that area. All things considered though, things for the heroes of Starling City were good aside from the occasional threats they had to deal with.

Author's Notes: I probably could have kept this going with chapters that explored all this, but in the end, I felt it was best to go with what I did here and end the story since I hadn't originally planned on this being a multi-chap story. Thanks for the support of this folks, it has been appreciated! R and R!