The police flooded Laurel's apartment without giving anyone inside time to clean up. As detectives, forensic scientists, and a handful of other personnel swept through the space, Sandra took a seat on the arm of the couch, out of the way. Her forehead bled at a languid pace, and she had a towel pressed against it - for show, more than anything else.
Laurel sat next to her, fingers pressed to her mouth as she tried to wade through the shock - but she sprang up when Detective Lance shoved his way through the crowded apartment.
"Daddy!"
"Oh, thank God," Lance sighed, pulling his daughter into a tight hug. "Than God." He pulled away, evaluating her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Laurel assured, and the words - breathless and shocked as they were - seemed to be becoming more and more genuine. She would be okay.
"Hey," said a voice to Sandra's right.
She turned towards Oliver. With Laurel in her father's arms, he had come to check on her, now.
"How are you?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
"Pissed," was Sandra's short reply. She didn't want to say anything about what he was really asking.
"Really?" Just as she expected, Oliver gestured to the cut on her head, hidden by the towel. "And what about that?"
He knows, whispered a voice in her head, He knows and he'll take it away from you, but she shook it away. The Rèn lì was a means to an end. He, of all people, should understand. The cut was completely painless, and it bled at a rate far slower than human for a wound that deep. Chien could have made her bleed out. The Rèn lì save her.
"Pissed, and not tolerating your judgement," she said, avoiding his stare.
Oliver's frustration was apparent to her, but they both knew he couldn't say anything more about it - not with so many cops pooling around them.
"Mr. Diggle," Lance said, turning towards the bodyguard. "Thank you. Feel free to run as many red lights in the city as you want."
"I was just doing my job, sir," Diggle said. He glanced to Sandra. "Besides, I had help."
Lance straightened, pointing at her with a frown. "From her?"
Diggle nodded.
"Yeah, what is she doing here again?"
Sandra wiped away the last of the blood on her head, and crossed her arms. "Just looking out for my friend, Detective Lance."
"What, him?" Lance said, looking at Oliver. He scoffed, marching towards him. "Some friend you are. It seems like whenever your'e with one of my daughters, people die."
Oliver's expression betrayed nothing. He wasn't in a position to argue.
"You stay away from Laurel," Lance said, bristling with anger, "or I swear, the next time you disappear, it'll be permanent."
"Dad!" Laurel exclaimed.
"No, Laurel-"
"It's okay," Oliver said, face remaining entirely neutral. "I understand."
YOU ARE READING
Shiva (Arrow - Oliver Queen)
Fanfiction"You don't have to be here." "Yes, I do. Because your fights are my fights." ~~~~~ Sandra Wu-San has been through hell and back. She learned how to survive through blood and ruthlessness. Through it all, Sandra had one person that she was abl...
