A Chinese fishing boat was out on its daily route, sailing past what they thought was an uninhabited island in the North China Sea, but this time, they saw something out of the ordinary. Smoke coming form the island and they decided to investigate and it was a good thing they did, since it was because they did that a man could finally go home.
When they arrived, they found a man with incredibly long hair, an unkempt beard, tattered clothes and a haunted look in his eyes. The man looked like hell. Almost literally.
"Nǐ shì shuí. (Who are you?)" one of the fishermen asked as they quickly moved to grab a blanket for the man, who looked like he was about to drop.
"My name is Oliver Queen." Oliver said, relieved that he'd finally be going home after the hell he'd been living for the past five years.
After they got Oliver on board the boat, one of the fishermen handed him a satellite phone so he could call home, though he wasn't sure who to call first. There were two different people coming to the front of his mind, both of whom would be thrilled to find out he was alive, but then as he thought about the one person who'd kept him going all this time, the choice became obvious as he prayed that he remembered the number as he dialed it.
He felt his breath hitch when he heard her answer.
"Hello, who is this?" Laurel Lance asked, wondering why she'd answered this unknown call, having no idea how happy she'd be when she did.
"Laurel, it's me. It's Oliver. I'm alive." Oliver said and back in Star City, Laurel froze.
"Oliver Queen died five years ago. I don't know who you are, but you better hope that I never find you, since I'm a member of the DA's office and I will lock you up for this." Laurel said and while Oliver couldn't blame her for her skepticism, that didn't change the fact that it hurt to hear her say that.
"No Laurel, it's really me. It's Ollie. I still have the photo you gave me the day I left on the Gambit. I swear, staring at it is the only thing that's kept me going this whole time." Oliver said and now Laurel was starting to let herself believe it.
"Tell me something only my Ollie would know." Laurel said, needing it confirmed.
"You know it's me, my pretty bird." Oliver said, using his old nickname for her. A nickname that neither of them had ever told anyone.
"Ollie, it's really you." Laurel said, tears coming to her eyes as she had to grab something to brace herself as the idea that the love of her life was still alive.
"I'm coming home, Laurel. I'm coming home." Oliver said.
"Your dad?" Laurel asked.
"He didn't make it. And I haven't called my mom yet, I wanted to call you first." Oliver said and Laurel smiled.
"I appreciate that. I can't wait to see you." Laurel said.
"I guess that means you haven't moved on?" Oliver asked, honestly relieved.
"It just didn't feel right, like there was this feeling in my gut telling me not to give up on you yet. But where are you now?" Laurel asked.
"I'm on the fishing boat that found me, heading into shore." Oliver said.
"Okay uh, make sure you tell your mom to call me so I can make arrangements to come with her to see you." Laurel said.
"I will. I've missed you so much while I was away." Oliver said.
"I missed you too. I guess something good came out of you spending time in the military, since it gave you some experience in staying alive in conditions like that." Laurel said, since after they'd graduated from high school, instead of going off to college to prepare to take over the family business like his parents had wanted, Oliver had instead chosen to enlist in the military, in an attempt to help him prove to Laurel's father that he was worthy of going out with Laurel, despite Laurel telling him it wasn't necessary.
Or at least, that's what it had started out as. But as it turned out, joining the army had helped Oliver find a sense of purpose he'd never felt before. Like he was finally doing what he was meant to be doing. Though that didn't mean he liked being away from the woman he loved for so long. Which was why he'd only served one tour before coming home, but it had served the purpose it was meant to. Which reminded him of something he needed to ask her.
"Do you still have it?" Oliver asked and Laurel smiled, knowing what he was talking about.
"I could never bring myself to take it off. I guess deep down, I always knew you were still alive." Laurel said and Oliver smiled.
"Good. Because when I get home, what do you say we finally try to go through with it?" Oliver asked.
"I think we should take it a little more slowly, since we're both different people now, but eventually yes, we will go through with it. Especially since there are some other things we need to talk about. Things that we should discuss in person." Laurel said.
"I look forward to it." Oliver said.
"I'll see you soon Ollie." Laurel said.
"Can't wait pretty bird." Oliver said as he finally hung up and smiled, since despite what he knew he'd be doing once he got home, he couldn't help but feel like at least some things were looking up.
YOU ARE READING
Lauriver Chronicles
FanfictionAfter 5 years in hell, Oliver Queen is finally returning home to his family, his friends, and the woman he loves, but he's no longer the man he used to be. Now that he's home, he has one mission, to save his city. As he learns to navigate his new do...
