Hello, everyone! For the second prompt of Lauriver Week, "Telling the Friends/Family", I decided to revisit a story I'd written a while ago called "Linked" – so it's a good idea to check that out first if you haven't read it. A lot of people wanted to see Thea's reaction to Laurel being brought back, and I've always been meaning to get back to that. For the purposes of the week, I kept things mostly fluffy and not really plot-heavy, but it's open-ended enough that I could keep going with how Laurel adjusts to some of the end-of-season-4 developments and so on. For now, I hope you enjoy this little continuation, and thanks for reading!

-RayWritesThings

Together

The city was as quiet as it ever was when they exited out the back of the base to where Oliver had parked his car. It was large and black with a pair of shovels thrown in the trunk still caked in dirt. The dirt over her grave. Laurel shivered.

"Are you still cold?"

"A little."

He fumbled in the back for a few moments before producing a green hoodie, faded and worn. "I think I washed this recently."

Laurel shrugged and snagged it from his hold. "I was in a coffin earlier today. I think I'll manage."

His eyes shut, and she thought he was struggling very hard to control some kind of emotion. Laurel reached out for his hand.

"Sorry."

"No, it's just...hard to believe we actually thought you were gone. That everyone else still thinks that."

Laurel wasn't quite ready to accept the bleak picture he'd painted about how things had been in her absence. But she knew right now he at least needed comfort. She stepped forward and let him wrap his arms around her in his own time, looping her own loosely around his neck. "They won't have to for much longer."

She felt Oliver turn his face into her hair again before he pulled back. "Right. Let's go see Thea."

"How has she been?" She asked on the drive over. He hadn't really gone into specifics on any individual, but if there was anyone Laurel was really worried about, it was her. She'd felt responsible for Thea this past year in a stronger sense than ever before. She'd taken the younger woman into her home, protected her out in the field — all the things she'd never really gotten with Sara.

"She's been...well, I've seen her once or twice in the office. She's not been — she quit the team."

"What?"

He kept his gaze fixed out the windshield. "She needed to take some time for herself. It just wasn't working for her. After the bloodlust and everything... I still don't think she trusts herself."

"But she knows we trust her. Or you trust her, I guess."

He shrugged. "Maybe she'll believe it better from you."

Laurel frowned to herself. It seemed hard to believe that Thea would ever give up being Speedy in the first place. That summer the two of them and John had watched over the city, Thea had confessed to Laurel one late night after she'd moved in that it was one of the few ways she could feel close to her brother anymore while he was away in Ivy Town. And after he'd returned, it had simply become one of the better ways of spending time with him. Now it sounded like Oliver was the one missing that connection.

She knew Oliver and Thea both meant the world to each other, but somewhere along the way they'd both become unable to see it or show it. If there was one thing she had always wanted to set right, it was this.

And now she had the chance. The thought hit her so suddenly. She had been given a second chance at life, a second shot to do the things she'd always meant to, to keep trying.

They parked outside her building and hurried inside since no one was currently out on the street. Oliver's hooded jacket had the added benefit of covering her face, though she wasn't sure if the clash with her dress wouldn't make it all the more obvious that something was going on. They were lucky not to meet anyone on their way up to her floor in the building.

Laurel led the way out of the elevator, but gradually slowed as she came to the realization that she didn't have her key. She was right in front of her own door, and she couldn't get in.

"We'll see if we can wake her." Oliver slipped past her and knocked. "There's always the window if this doesn't work."

"Well, I've never gotten to break into my own apartment before. That should be new."

He grinned back at her as he knocked again, and after a few moments of listening they could hear someone's shuffling footsteps.

The door opened a crack, and a grumbling Thea could be seen in the gap. "Ollie? What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Speedy. I know it's early, but uh, somebody couldn't wait to see you."

Her eyes had drifted past her brother and landed on Laurel, who hesitated just a second before lifting back the hood.

The door swung in the rest of the way as Thea stood there gaping.

Her nerves overtook her for a moment — what if this was all too much? what if, for some reason, Thea wasn't happy to see her? — and her greeting came out much softer than she'd intended.

"Hey, Thea."

A choked sound left Thea, but, before she could even start to worry, the younger woman had flung herself forward. Laurel only just managed to catch her in time.

"Laurel! Is this — am I still dreaming?"

"This is real, Thea. I'm right here." She cradled the back of Thea's head with one hand and rubbed her back with the other, concerned with the way she was shaking in her arms. "It's okay."

Through the material of Oliver's jacket, a dampness was beginning to spread across her shoulder where Thea had pressed her face to. The occasional sob escaped her, which only encouraged Laurel to hold her tighter.

"Okay, let's get this inside before the neighbors complain," Oliver suggested. She felt his hand on the small of her back and could only guess his other one was guiding Thea along as well.

It was slow going; Thea seemed incapable of letting go of her, and Oliver had to stick close to make sure they didn't accidentally trip over themselves on the way into the sitting room.

They settled on her couch, Oliver's leg brushing hers and Laurel keeping one arm around Thea's shoulders to help anchor her as she looked at them both with wide eyes.

The question, when it finally came, was a hoarse, "How?"

Neither of them immediately spoke. They hadn't really discussed how much about the link between their souls to talk about, though it was bound to come up eventually. Right now, though, Thea looked far too distraught to go into that level of detail.

"John came back — Constantine, not Digg. He'd talked to Esrin Fortuna, and they came up with a solution. So he and I brought Laurel back with magic."

"Just like Sara," Laurel added.

"But you don't have the blood lust problem, do you?" Thea immediately asked, sitting up straighter.

"No. Since it didn't involve the Pit, I should be fine."

Thea let out a breath, then used her sleeve to wipe at her eyes. "I can't believe it was that simple."

Laurel glanced back at Oliver. "Well, it wasn't a guarantee," he hedged. "That's why I didn't tell you before."

"I should be so mad at you for that," Thea said to her brother. Then she looked to Laurel again and her face split into a smile. "I'm just so glad you're back."

"I am very glad to be."

Thea hugged her again, and they settled into quiet. Laurel rubbed her back and could feel the younger woman starting to drift off. Not surprising, considering they'd woken her up in the middle of the night. She exchanged a look with Oliver over the top of his sister's head and he nodded.

Together they got her up and into her bedroom. Oliver held Thea in his arms while Laurel folded her covers back, then they placed her on the bed and tucked her in. Laurel couldn't resist tucking some of Thea's hair behind her ear, and Oliver took his own moment to kiss her forehead. Then they left the room, hand in hand.

"We should probably sleep, too. Or you definitely should," she murmured out in the hall.

"I don't think I can, if it means being without you right now," he admitted, then cringed, his eyes closing. "That sounds bad. I just mean that — this doesn't feel real yet, and I know in my dreams I'll just- I'll see—"

She stepped up and placed the tips of her fingers to his lips. "Hey. You don't have to explain yourself. I'm here for you, with you." Laurel inclined her head towards her room. "Come on."

Without words, they both seemed to understand there was nothing sexual about this moment, even as Oliver stripped down to his boxers and Laurel found some loose pajamas to sleep in. As much as they hadn't been able to stop kissing each other earlier, this was far more about soothing the pain of the last month than gaining some physical gratification. And the closeness they shared as they both climbed into the bed was more than enough.

Oliver's arms wound around her waist as if they had never left, and her cheek rested on his chest.

"I love you."

She felt him shift up to an elbow to press his lips to the top of her head. "I love you, too." Laurel smiled into his chest, feeling giddy and content in a way she hadn't for such a long time. It practically felt indecent to be this happy.

Laurel listened as his breathing slowly evened out the way his sister's had before, glad she could bring him this kind of comfort and safety so he could get the rest he badly needed. She couldn't imagine how much he must have been pushing himself before now.

There was so much to do tomorrow. Finding a way to reach her father, contacting the team, figuring out the story they would give the public as to why she wasn't dead. But here in Oliver's embrace, she could leave those worries be for the moment. It was as if this predawn moment was suspended in time, only for them.

She wasn't sure how long she was asleep, only that she was groggy and disoriented when a distant pounding started up. Front door. Laurel groaned into her pillow, which seemed much more solid than usual.

The pounding didn't let up. Probably her dad. Laurel pushed herself out of bed, something heavy falling from around her waist, and stumbled out to the door with her eyes half-closed.

Just as she turned the door handle, a familiar voice that wasn't her father's began, "Thea, we've really got a problem so if I can't reach your AWOL brother, maybe you — Ah!"

Laurel stood, blinking at a visibly frightened Felicity. "Um, hey."

"Laurel?"

She gaped at her like she was seeing a ghost — oh.

Oops.

"I'm not dead," Laurel blurted. God, she needed coffee or something.

"But — what?" Felicity glanced back down the hall and stepped inside. Laurel shut the door. The other woman took hold of her arms, as if testing to see if they were solid. "You're here. You're really here."

"I am, yes."

"I don't understand."

"There was magic involved, so that's pretty reasonable."

Felicity looked up at her. "Magic?"

"What's all the noise?" Asked Thea. She was standing just outside of her room rubbing at her eyes. But she stopped as she caught sight of the both of them. "That wasn't a dream."

"No."

"You're really here."

"Yes," Laurel agreed.

A small, delighted laugh left Thea, and she rushed forward to wrap her in another hug. Laurel held onto her as well, mouthing a "sorry," to Felicity as she'd had to back out of the way.

Felicity still looked about as shocked and confused as she had been when Laurel first answered the door. She was going to have to get used to people staring at her like that.

When Thea let her go, Felicity moved forward in something of a trance to hug her as well. Laurel held her friend, patting the back of her ponytail a couple times as Felicity babbled into her shoulder.

"I just thought that since the Pit — I mean, how'd they even get your body back in, like, working condition? You know what? I don't want to know." Felicity drew back and sniffed once, smiling through teary eyes. "You're alive and that's what matters. Even if I have no idea how we're going to explain your empty grave to the public."

"Huh?"

"Oh, that's why I came over here. I got a news alert that the cemetery reported your grave had been robbed of everything. Including you. I mean, I guess it was less of a robbery and more of a repossession — that was a bad joke."

"Shoot," Thea muttered. "How are we gonna fake you having been alive this whole time? I mean, you're like the most famous dead person in Star City right now."

"Real accomplishment," Laurel said. Figured she'd go down in infamy.

Before she could start to brainstorm some kind of cover story, a door opened down the hall and footsteps padded across the wooden floor.

"Laurel?"

She froze. Oliver. Not that she'd forgotten his presence, exactly, but she hadn't thought about what others might think—

He rounded the corner in his boxers and — mercifully — his undershirt. It still wasn't a great look, especially when he and Felicity both gaped at each other. Thea's mouth had also dropped open before she'd pressed her lips together in what looked to be an attempt to hide a huge grin.

"Um. Good morning," Oliver said.

Laurel resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "It was really late when we came to see Thea, so he stayed over—"

"You're sleeping together," Felicity blurted.

Laurel quickly shook her head. "We didn't."

"No," Oliver quickly agreed. But he drew in a breath and said, "At least, we haven't. I can't lie about this," he said, looking to her for understanding.

Laurel nodded. He was right. It wouldn't be fair. So she also reached out and took his hand to show she was in this with him.

"I did a lot of thinking when we all thought we'd lost Laurel. And it led me to realize the feelings I had for her weren't gone. If anything, they were all I had to hang onto. I can't pass up this chance to finally get things right. I'm sorry if that upsets you, Felicity, and you have every right to be. I know it's soon—"

"No, no, this is great," their friend interrupted.

Oliver's mouth snapped shut, so it was up to Laurel to ask, "It is?"

"Yeah. I'd been wondering, you know, how soon is too soon to sort of get back into dating after all that," Felicity explained. "But here you are, which means I am free to do whatever I please regarding that situation."

"Well, great," Thea remarked. She came forward and hugged Laurel and Oliver each. "I'm so happy this all worked out. And I'm proud of you," she told her brother. "But maybe go put on some pants."

Oliver winced. "Right. I'll do that."

Laurel couldn't help still worrying and she quietly asked once Oliver retreated to her room, "Felicity, are you sure you're okay with this? I don't want you to feel like you need to pretend."

Her friend waved a hand. "Laurel, if you still want him at this point, he is all yours. Believe me."

She shifted from foot to foot, not quite sure how to respond to that statement. Felicity had a right to her feelings regarding Oliver, but a part of Laurel felt she ought to defend him nonetheless. Fortunately, Thea's phone ringing broke up the moment. "Oh, it's your dad, Laurel. Does he know? Should I tell him?"

Laurel's heart did a funny little jump. "Um, see what he needs first."

"Okay. Hello?" Thea listened for a moment. "Yes, I did hear about the robbery. I'm sorry they called you about it, it's kind of a long — I know, I know. You are? Okay. But listen, when you get into the city, come to the apartment first, okay? We can sort this out before we do anything else. Drive safe." Thea hung up and gave her an apologetic look. "I didn't want to tell him while he was driving, you know?"

"No, that's good. Thank you."

"Tell you what. I am going to head out to get something to eat, then I will stop by to see Lyla," Felicity said. "She'll know best how to get in touch with John."

"Why wouldn't he be home with her?"

Thea and Felicity exchanged a look. "A lot's changed. John, um, went back into the service," Thea explained.

"What? But their daughter," Laurel protested. "She's so young."

"It's how he knows how to cope," Felicity said with a shrug. "But who knows? Maybe with you back he'll decide he doesn't need to exile himself to the military. All the more reason for me to get in touch with him via Lyla." Her friend darted forward for another quick hug. "We'll get it all figured out, promise."

Felicity let herself out of the apartment and Laurel looked down. "I still feel really bad she found out like that." It would have happened eventually, of course; Laurel couldn't and wouldn't regret this with Oliver. But she knew what it was like to feel like a jilted lover better than most.

Thea shrugged. "It could've gone better, maybe. But, I for one am thrilled!" She grabbed Laurel's shoulder, giving it a little shake. "How did it happen? Did you, like, talk after they brought you back? How'd they even bring you back? You said magic, but is that like Constantine snaps his fingers and you're fine, or did Ollie help? Was it true love's kiss?"

"Now you're just teasing," Laurel told her. "Um, it was sort of like with Sara. I was in this place that was like home, but different somehow. And everyone…" She shook her head. She didn't want to think about everyone leaving all over again, or the storm clouds and the dark water that had tried to pull her under. "I should shower and get dressed. I don't actually think I've showered in a month, come to think of it."

Thea made a face. "Yeah, definitely get in there. Your dad said he'd make it back in a couple hours. I guess the cemetery called him before the robbery was made public, so he's been on the road since dawn."

"I hope he's not pushing himself." Part of Laurel wanted to call to check on him right now. The other part knew hearing her voice unexpectedly might cause him to crash the car, if being on his phone wasn't already risky enough.

Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn't technically eaten anything in a month, either. She and Thea both grinned.

"You get a shower, and I'll go get some food to bring back. Maybe see how long Ollie's planning on sticking around here," Thea suggested. She grabbed up her purse and leaned in for an impulsive side hug. "I think my face is gonna get stuck like this, I'm just so happy," her friend said with a grin, then left through the front door.

Laurel headed back to her room to grab a change of clothes, seeing Oliver hang up the phone as she pushed open the door. His pants were held loosely in one hand, so he clearly hadn't gotten around to putting them on.

"Hey, who was that?"

"Uh, the office. I was calling in to let them know I'm taking an unexpected personal day."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good precedent to set this early?"

He ducked his head. "Maybe not, but this is kind of unexpected, Laurel. We need the time to figure out what our story is about you. And truthfully, even if that weren't the case, I'm not sure I could focus on anything else today."

She supposed she couldn't fault him for that. "Then I guess it's a good thing Thea's getting food for three." She walked over to her dresser, glad to find none of her clothes had been moved yet. Though she wondered what, if anything, the plan had been regarding that. "I guess you need a shower, too." He must have been digging around in the dirt for the better part of last night, after all. Her own experience with Sara's grave told her it was hard, messy work.

He looked down at his phone, which had just buzzed in his hand. "Apparently you and Thea both think that. She said she's gonna stop by my place to grab me a change of clothes."

"Well, you do have to look your best soon. My dad is going to be here in a couple hours, and we have to tell him about this," she said, walking up to him and gesturing with a finger between them both.

He grimaced. "Well, we're at least on better terms now than the last time. And he's not allowed to own a taser."

"True." She went up on her tiptoes to peck him on the lips. "I'll make my shower quick."

His hands landing on her waist kept her right where she was instead of pulling away like she'd intended. "Or we could double up and both enjoy a nice shower."

"You're a terrible influence." If this were any other relationship, she'd be offended at that kind of daring. But she and Oliver had been all the way so many times and knew each other's bodies, so what was the point of pretending?

And in some ways, knowing she wasn't alive yesterday filled her with a desire to seize today; take every opportunity and allow herself every pleasure she'd held herself back from the last several years of her life. She'd wasted so much time.

Laurel recaptured his lips in an open-mouthed kiss, gratified when he met her tongue with his. His hands inched down from her waist and she took her cue, jumping and letting him grip her to him. Chest to chest, with his hands massaging her thighs and backside, she really did feel alive.

By the time they stumbled out of the shower into the steam filled bathroom, warm and clean despite their best efforts, they had only a few minutes to towel themselves dry before Thea let herself back in the apartment. She knocked on the bathroom door. "Ollie? I'm gonna leave your clothes on Laurel's bed."

"Okay. Thank you."

They heard her footsteps go down the hallway and knock on another door. "Laurel?"

"Um, no one's in there, Speedy," Laurel called out. Then she bit her lip.

There was a pause. "Gotcha," Thea finally said. Laurel made the mistake of meeting Oliver's eyes and had to bend over to stifle her giggles. He grinned wide and wound his arms around her, pulling her back into his chest.

"I'll be in the kitchen with the food," Thea said loudly, making her footfalls heavier than she needed.

"We'll be right out, Speedy," Oliver promised. He kissed her once more, then poked his head out into the hall, giving her a thumbs up that they were clear. Laurel readjusted her towel where it had fallen down her breasts and hurried back to the bedroom. She had to keep her back turned as she changed in order to not give into any additional temptation, reminding herself that they were not alone in the apartment.

Oliver was still buttoning up his shirt when she finished, so she went over and helped him with the last couple, smoothing the fabric down and leaning forward to nuzzle under his chin. "I don't know what's gotten into me, but I can't stop thinking about you."

He held her loosely. "It was the same way for me when I got back from the island. All those times I could have died and never seen you again, never made it right. I'd wasted what we had and all I could think about was making that up to you." He rubbed her back and added, "If I hadn't promised my father to right his wrongs, I don't think anything could have kept me from your side. Even if you'd hated me."

"Well, I can't promise I would have been thrilled at the time. But I would've warmed back up to you eventually." She sighed. "I think the only thing motivating me to leave this room right now is food."

He chuckled. "Me too. But we've kept Thea waiting long enough."

They left for the kitchen hand in hand, only blushing a little at Thea's knowing look. "Guess you worked up an appetite."

"Yup," Oliver admitted shamelessly, reaching into the takeout bag to grab his portion. He passed Laurel hers as well.

"I really am happy for you guys. I mean, before, I figured you were both just content to be living your separate lives and I was just gonna live with that, you know?" She shook her head. "But I shouldn't have doubted. Mom always knew."

Oliver's smile turned soft as he looked down at the table. "She did, yeah."

"So anyway, I'll CC Laurel on the email for places to propose, yeah?"

Laurel snorted. "Let's give people some breathing room first, maybe." Even if she had accepted Oliver and Felicity both moving on from their respective relationships, she didn't want the cloud of public opinion hanging over an engagement period.

Oliver suddenly straightened up. "Someone's coming in."

"Through the door?"

When he stood up and took a kitchen knife with him, she knew that wasn't the case. Laurel and Thea exchanged a look, both rising and following him out into the hallway. They both hung back in silent agreement not to show their whole hand to any intruder.

Oliver stood in the living room, back ramrod straight as Laurel heard the window slide open and shut. Then he dropped the tense posture. "Sara?"

"Oh. Hey, Ollie."

Laurel's hand went over her mouth. Sara was back?

"Didn't realize anyone would be here," her sister said.

"Were you looking for something?"

Laurel could almost imagine the lift of Sara's shoulders. "Not really. Um, Gideon thought she picked up some kind of time anomaly around here and I said I'd check it out. I just thought I'd come by here first, just to, I don't know…"

Oliver glanced their way and met her eyes. Laurel nodded. "Sara, it's actually great you came. There's kind of something we needed to tell you."

"What?"

"Well, my friend John Constantine got back in touch with me. He'd figured out a way to, to—" Oliver stopped and motioned Laurel out into the open. She walked into the living room, hands clasped together as Sara came into view. Her sister's mouth dropped open.

"Hey, Sara."

"Laurel? You're- you're really—?"

Laurel nodded and quickly found her arms full as Sara practically launched herself across the room at her with a shout.

"I guess coming back from the dead runs in the family, too," Laurel joked.

"I knew it could happen. I told Rip, I was gonna get you back. Screw the timeline—"

"Is this the anomaly, then?" Oliver asked.

Sara pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "If it is, it's staying. I can't — I won't let him change it back. He'll have to go through me."

Oliver nodded solemnly, clearly pledging himself to this cause as well. Out of the corner of her eye, Laurel saw Thea standing against the wall giving her own nod as well.

Laurel cupped Sara's cheek. "I'm sure this Rip Hunter can be reasonable. Anyway, I'm not leaving you all again without a fight."

Sara let out a breath that wasn't quite a laugh, smiling again. "I can't believe you're here."

"It hardly feels like I left to me. Even if so much has changed. What about you? How've you been?" Laurel guided her sister over to sit on the couch with her.

Sara shrugged. "Mostly the same. I mean, fighting with Rip about this, obviously. And we lost — well, it's a long story." Sara's head ducked down for a moment, but she looked right back up. "How long have you been back? Who else knows?"

"Not very long. Not even a day yet," Laurel told her. "And it's you three, Constantine and Felicity so far. She's at Lyla's to get in touch with John right now. We still haven't come up with a story for how this happened. We, um—"

She glanced back at Oliver and Thea, and it was the latter who supplied, "These two have been a bit busy to talk about cover stories and the like."

Laurel gave her surrogate sister of sorts a look as Sara blinked and let out a loud laugh. "Really?"

Oliver had the grace to look a little sheepish as he nodded.

"Well, I always said about you two — and hey, that's one way to celebrate coming back from the dead," Sara remarked. "I'm gonna have to take a page from your book the next time."

"There's not gonna be a next time for you," Laurel said, poking her sister's shoulder. "You've done this to me too many times."

"Yeah, going through it the once has been bad enough for me," Sara agreed. Then she wrapped her arms around Laurel and leaned her head against hers. "But it's all better now."

Laurel leaned in close as well. She could admit she was enjoying soaking up all the attention and hugs for once. Her fears and doubts last night when no one else had been there for her resurrection felt like a dim shadow in the light of day.

There was a knock on the door that Thea went to answer. "Captain Lance!"

"Yeah, well, you said to stop by here first. You got any idea what happened in the cemetery?"

"Bit of an idea, yeah," Thea told him. "Ollie has the full story."

She heard him walk further into the space. "I mean, that imposter was one thing, but this—"

Her father had rounded the corner and stopped, stock still as he took in the sight of her and Sara on the couch. Laurel felt her eyes water.

"Hi, daddy."

Laurel's smile slipped a little as she watched him grip the wall for support. But Oliver reached to steady him, and her father seemed to recover from the shock.

"What? How?"

"It's really her, dad," Sara said, squeezing Laurel tighter with the arm that was over her shoulder. "Ollie and Constantine got her back."

Her dad glanced to Oliver, who smiled. Then he came over and placed his hands on either side of her face. Laurel leaned into the touch.

"I'm sorry, dad."

"Oh, honey, you don't ever apologize again. I- I missed you so much." He bent over to hug her tight, and Laurel returned it, her eyes squeezing shut as she felt him shake in her arms.

"I missed you, too."

When he let her go, it was only to turn and firmly shake Oliver's hand. "You killed the bastard that did it, you brought her back to me — I don't know how I'm ever gonna thank you for this.

"Well," Oliver said, glancing at her with just the slightest bit of nerves. "You could try to be happy when I tell you Laurel and I are giving a relationship a try. Again."

Her dad drew back, in surprise from what she could tell. Nonetheless, Laurel got off the couch to come stand with Oliver. He looked at them both for a moment.

"This is really gonna make you happy?" He asked her.

Laurel placed one hand on Oliver's chest as the other circled around his back. "It already does."

He shrugged, his head shaking slightly. "Well, how can I argue with that?"

Laurel beamed, leaning her head on Oliver's shoulder.

"So how are we celebrating?" Sara asked. "Cause I seem to remember people who come back from the dead get a party."

"It's a private party for now. We're going to need to make some arrangements and decide on a cover story so Laurel can officially be declared back," Oliver explained.

"But that can wait a little longer," Laurel added. "Having all of you here is a party to me."

They talked late into the evening, as long as Sara was able to stay before enough repeated calls from her ship had her needing to return. Her dad lingered a little later as well before heading back to his place. By that time, Thea was already yawning deeply and she wasn't the only one. They never did get around to discussing plans.

When she was finally snuggled back under the covers of her bed with Oliver, happy and sated, Laurel could only selfishly wish life could just continue on like this. Time with her family and closest friends, good food and certain pleasures of the flesh were all things she still felt she hadn't quite caught up on from her old life and death. But real life would need to resume very soon, even if it was a new life for her.

She threaded the fingers of one of her hands through Oliver's before closing her eyes. So long as they were facing it together, she couldn't see what was so bad about that.