Arrow: Leagues at War

Chapter 40: Artemis

"So Jade is your best friend?" Oliver asks as we walk down the street.

I nod. "We're also related." Oliver looks at me curiously.

"Her mother is my sister." I explain.

"So she's your niece?" Oliver asks.

"And half a year older than me. It's weird and I don't like talking about it, or thinking about it." I say.

We walk in silence for a few minutes, only the sounds of the city to fill the air.

"What are the scars on your back from?" Oliver asks.

I bite my lip and look down at my feet. "I uh, during my intiation, we were attacked, and I got hurt." I say.

"We?"

"Me and Jade. But it's not her fault, I left myself defensless." I say.

"Well those scars aren't patched up very well." Oliver notes.

"Jade was in a rush." I say simply.

"Why didn't someone from the League help?" Oliver asks.

"Because they would've blamed Jade and she wouldn't be here if the League knew." I say.

"And why is that?" Oliver asks.

"Because, to pass the initation you have to be unharmed, and since we were supossed to protect each other, my getting hurt means she failed." I say.

"The League is more complicated then I remember."

"Yeah, well you were only there a month." I remind.

"Speaking of, why did we never run into each other?" Oliver asks.

"I was away on a mission with Jade." I say.

"So you don't know anything that happened while I was there?"

I shake my head. "Ollie, does anyone know else know about me?" I ask.

"If you mean, does Wally know you fake died and are back, no. Barry told him I sent you to a boarding school." Oliver says.

"Do Barry and them know?"

Oliver nods. "They know you were killed, but they don't know you're back. I haven't told them yet, I'm kinda still processing it." He says.

I laugh a little. "It's gonna be really hard telling Barry, he's speech at the funeral was so lovely."

"You were there?" Oliver asks.

I nod, mentally scolding myself.

"How long were you there?"

"The entire time. I left before anyone did." I admit. Oliver nods.

"Oh and those flowers were nice, but um I don't like lilies." I say.

Oliver laughs. "Noted." He says.

Another silence settles over us as we walk, moving further into the heart of the city.

"Ollie, I'm still really sorry." I say suddenly.

Oliver stops walking and looks at me. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay." He says as he gives me a hug.

In the alley by us I hear something move. I twist around, my eyes alert. "Did you hear that?"

Oliver nods. "It sounded like it came from over here." He says as he looks at the nearby alley.

"Hmm a dark, creepy, long empty alley at night. What could possibly go wrong?" I ask sarcastically.

"Stay here." Oliver says.