Multiverse Reborn: Arrow

Chapter 5

"Okay, explanation time." Thea said after she, Oliver and Laurel arrived at Laurel's apartment.

"Get comfortable, this could take awhile." Oliver said and Laurel and Thea both nodded as they took seats in the living room as Oliver looked around the apartment and he could see how different it looked from before. He could see traces of a little kid living here from the pictures that were on the fridge.

"Okay Ollie, we're waiting." Thea said impatiently as they waited for him to begin.

"I'm not sure where to start." Oliver said.

"How about from the beginning. What happened after the Gambit went down. It will be easier for us to understand what you're doing if we know the whole story." Laurel said and Oliver nodded.

"What I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone else. Not even mom." Oliver said, that last part to Thea. They both nodded in agreement.

"When the Gambit went down, I wasn't the only one who made it to a life raft. Dad and his bodyguard Dave Hackett also did." Oliver said.

"But you told mom?" Thea asked.

"I told her that he died on the Gambit because she was better off thinking that then knowing what really happened." Oliver said.

"What did happen then." Laurel asked, wondering what could've happened to make Oliver lie about his father's death.

"We drifted for days, no sign of land or rescue in sight. Eventually, dad realized that there was only enough food and water for one person to survive, barely, he pulled out a gun, shot Hackett, told me to survive and right his wrongs before turning the gun on himself." Oliver said.

"Wait, dad shot himself right in front of you?" Thea asked, horrified that Oliver would have to see that.

"Yeah. And despite everything I have been through, I still have nightmares about it." Oliver said.

"I don't blame you. I can't imagine having to witness that." Laurel said as she rubbed his shoulders.

"What do you think dad meant when he said right his wrongs?" Thea asked.

"I'll get to that later. By the way, don't let me forget that I need to talk to Hackett's son Sam, he deserves to know the truth about what happened to his father." Oliver said.

"You realize that means you'll have to tell the truth about what happened to his father on the stand right?" Laurel asked.

"I know. I wanted to spare mom the pain of knowing how dad died, but I realize that I owe everyone else the truth." Oliver said.

"Okay, now maybe you can tell us the rest of the story." Thea said and Oliver nodded.

"You sure you want to hear it. There are some pretty dark parts, especially towards the end." Oliver said.

"Ollie, if you want us to believe that you can help us, we need to know everything." Laurel said and Oliver nodded, since he knew better than anyone how secrets could destroy a team, but there were some things that needed to be kept secret. Like the fact that he wasn't even from this multiverse.

"Okay then." Oliver said as he began to tell them his tale.

"So wait, you weren't alone on the island?" Laurel asked him.

"No, but I honestly wish I had been. Most of the people I met on the island tried to kill me." Oliver said.

"Wait, did you kill people?" Thea asked.

"Yes and everytime I did, people's lives were saved." Oliver said.

"How can you say that?" Laurel asked.

"Some people deal in extremes and it's naive to think you can deal with them with anything other than extremes. I learned that the hard way. Lost people I cared about because I wasn't willing to do what needed to be done." Oliver said.

"Who'd you lose?" Thea asked before she could stop herself.

"It seems like every year I was away, I found new friends and allies. And I nearly always lost them." Oliver said, thinking of Yao Fei, Shado, Akio and Taiana for starters, since he knew that Sara, Slade, Maseo and tatsu were all alive.

"Who did you lose?" Laurel asked.

"You really think that killing is necessary?" Laurel asked.

"Not always, but sometimes there is no other choice but to kill. I spent five years in a kill or be killed mindset and it's what kept me alive." Oliver said and both women calmed down.

"Sorry Ollie. It's just hard to picture you as a killer." Laurel said.

"I never thought I'd be, but I became what I needed to in order to survive. And I'm going to be what I need to be in order to save this city. No matter the cost." Oliver said.

"You're going on a killing spree?" Laurel asked.

"No, but while I don't want to kill people as a first resort, if left with no other option, I will." Oliver said and Laurel and Thea both nodded.

"You're not going to turn us into killers are you?" Thea asked.

"No, but I will teach you how to fight in a more skiller manner." Oliver said.

"Why don't you finish your story." Laurel said and Oliver nodded as he told them about the Amazo, Hong Kong, Shadowspire and Russia.

"Wow, it actually sounds like you should be getting a medal or something." Laurel said.

"It's all off the books and I'd like to keep it that way. It'll be easier to keep my cover if people don't know what I'm capable of." Oliver said and they nodded.

"Still, Ollie, this is a lot to swallow." Thea said.

"I know. But Thea, I found more than just a message for me from when I was forced to access the QC servers." Oliver said as he pulled out a thumb drive.

"What's this?" Thea asked.

"Dad left you a message to. It's up to you if want to see it, but I think you should. Especially if you want to go down this path." Oliver said as he handed the drive to her.

"I'll think about it." Thea said as she thought about whether or not she wanted to watch this video.

"Let's start talking about our plans for helping the city." Laurel said.

"Maybe that should wait until tomorrow, since I need to get home and I'm sure Tommy will want to get an early start tomorrow." Thea said and Oliver and Laurel nodded as Thea hugged them both.

"I'm so glad you're back Ollie." Thea said as she hugged her brother.

"I'm not going anywhere this time Speedy." Oliver said and Thea smiled as she walked out of the apartment.

"So, we're all alone now." Oliver said as he looked at Laurel, who just smiled as she walked up to him and kissed him a lot more passionately than she had before and things quickly escalated from there.