The Starling Saviour

Chapter 38

After a few more days of rest, I was able to get out of the house. It was a Monday, my return to work being the first thing I did.

Lance and Hilton asked how I was, but I still hasn't forgiven them after they had arrested Oliver without consulting me first with hardly any evidence. What they had done was wrong and gave both Oliver and his family bad publicity they didn't need. And I wanted no part in Lance and Hilton's team if this was what they did.

Every time the two heard the slightest thing about the Hood, they would do everything in their power to catch him out. They never succeeded though, their arrogance clouding their judgement. I almost felt like I wanted to leave the SCPD, their stupidity getting on my nerves. I understood the vigilante's motives, his cause; a mere few years before the Hood, I was roaming the streets with Ted Grant and my two friends Isaac and Elliot, fighting for justice and solving the city's problems.

What I didn't understand was why Hilton and Lance were so hung up on finding the vigilante. It wasn't like he was an antihero; he was helping the people of the city and his acts of justice benefitted Starling, regardless of whether he was using right or wrong measures to do so. And I wasn't going to let two stubborn police officers bring him down.

But how was I supposed to do that exactly?

---

'Your dad is so focused on finding that vigilante,' I laughed. 'He's always telling us all to 'catch that son of a bitch'.'

I imitated Lance perfectly, making my audience laugh in sync.

'Wow,' Laurel commented almost in a comedic gasp.

'Does he still think I'm 'that vigilante'?' Oliver joined in with a smirk.

'I hope not,' I chuckled. 'But you never know - he really does not like you.'

'Well I for one never thought you were that guy,' Tommy commented, pretending to be sincere. 'You are Oliver Queen, after all.'

'I'll just go and get us some drinks,' I announced, standing from my seat.

Oliver followed me, taking our used glasses into the kitchen.

'Ollie,' I smiled. 'You don't need to help me, I'm fine getting everything on my own.'

'But this is my house,' he pointed out.

'And I also live here,' I told him. 'Still. I probably should get an apartment of my own again.'

'Detective Lance told me that your old apartment's ready for you to move back into,' Oliver remembered timely.

'I'm not sure if I could go back to that place,' I shook my head with a shiver. 'Too much happened there. The breakup. The arrest. Marcus'-'

Seeing that I was becoming distressed, Oliver placed his hand on my arm to steady me, reassuring me with his presence. It was as though I was looking at a completely different person than the rich kid from Starling, my feelings turning on their head.

My pulse accelerated faster my the second, each breath becoming heavier and my cheeks feeling hotter. Oliver was my friend and nothing else, yet it didn't feel like that in that moment. And then I glanced at his shirt pocket.