The Starling Saviour

Chapter 27

'Hi, Aria,' Tommy introduced himself through the phone.

'Tommy?' I asked confusedly, recognising his voice immediately. 'You're... Ringing me?'

As the years had gone by, Merlyn had become less and less involved with my life, and when I stopped being a vigilante, he had stopped bothering me completely. It was out of the ordinary; Merlyn never let anybody change his views on anything, and Tommy was still the immature rich kid I couldn't change for the better. But Tommy wasn't in danger anymore. He could look after himself, and Merlyn recognised that. Saying this, I knew this wasn't the only reason. Merlyn was up to something with his 'bigger plans' and what not, but I was too disinterested to care.

'I know it's been a while,' he owned up sheepishly. 'But something has come up.'

'Oliver?' I asked rhetorically. 'I know.'

'He wants to see you,' Tommy insisted. 'Why did you shut the door in my face when I came round earlier?'

'I... Can't see him,' I said at once. 'I can't face him being back in my life.'

'It's not like he was your boyfriend or anything,' Tommy huffed in a fed up tone. 'Just, if you change your mind, we're having a welcome home party Friday night. For Ollie.'

'Bye, Tommy,' I ended the call quickly.

'Is he going to stop nagging now?' Marcus asked as he sat next to me on the sofa.

'I hope so,' I nodded slightly. 'I think he got the message.'

'Good,' Marcus smiled, hugging me. 'You've come so far in the last year. You can't let them ruin your life anymore. I won't let that happen.'

I just gulped, slightly intimidated by Marcus. But he was only doing this for the best, wasn't he?

'I know,' I just muttered.

'I love you, Aria,' he said with a smile, pressing his forehead against mine. 'And I want you to be happy.'

---

The day of the party came quickly, the week flying by as I heard and read too many news reports about Oliver's return to count.

'Are you going to the party tonight?' Janette, the SCPD receptionist, asked me as I passed her desk.

'I... Can't,' I shook my head immediately.

'What do you mean?' Janette asked in intrigue. 'You used to be friends with Oliver Queen!'

'It's... Complicated,' I said, rather cliché.

'It's Tommy Merlyn, isn't it,' Janette realised. 'Just don't let one person get in the way of your happiness.'

'Thanks, Janette,' I smiled, before making my way to the lab.

However, I was confronted with an old friend before I got chance to enter the lab. And that person was Oliver.

'Oh no,' I muttered under my breath, trying to turn away and pretend I never saw him.

But I was unsuccessful.

'Aria?' Oliver said clearly, as though he was seeing something he couldn't believe. 'You're... Alive?'

'As alive as you are, yes,' I said impertinently. 'What brings you here? I thought you hated this place.'

'Tommy told me you were here, in Starling City,' Oliver confessed. 'But I never believed him.'

'Well, you can believe him now,' I said, trying to end the conversation quickly.