The Rise of Athena (An Arrow: Season 1 Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Welcome Home Bash

I stood in front of the mirror, trying on the curvy red dress. It went to just below my knees and clung tightly to my slim frame. I brushed my lightly curled hair over my shoulders, marvelling at the beauty of the dress. As I was perusing the dress, I heard a knock on the door.

'Come in.' I turned to see Oliver stepping in. He kept the door slightly ajar. He took one full look at me.

'You look - breathtaking.'

'Well, I don't know about that. You yourself look very handsome yourself, Oliver Jonas Queen.' And he did look handsome indeed. He wore a button-down white shirt with a dark blue jacket and matching dress pants, with dark leather dress shoes. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, then stepped back to slip on my white heels. When I had done so, Oliver looped my arm through his and we went out to the front entrance of the mansion, where our driver, John Diggle, was waiting for us. We slipped into the vehicle.

'Mr and Miss Queen. Put on your seatbelts, please. Wouldn't you to miss your party.' I smiled at him and put on my seatbelt, with Oliver whining that he had to, so I slapped him on the arm and he did so, earning a cheeky smile from Diggle. He'd become more like a friend than a bodyguard these past few days since we started having him around.

                                                                           -Time skip-

We pulled up to the venue that Tommy had booked for the welcome home bash that was to be for Oliver and I. Getting out, we walked up to the bouncer, who stood there with sunglasses on. He took one look and ushered us through the door, with Diggle trailing.

'Right this way, Mr and Miss Queen.' I thanked the bouncer with a simple nod and walked in, still clinging to Oliver's arm. We got into the main part of the venue and Tommy saw us, coming over immediately. The three of us came into a room full of people, alcohol and dancing. He signalled for the music to end. 

'Everybody, hey!' Tommy yelled. 'Man and woman of the hour!' The crowd cheers. 'And ladies, please give this man a proper homecoming!' Music started to play, Queen's 'We Are the Champions' as Oliver and I climbed onto the stage. 

'Thank you very much, everybody!' Oliver cheered as he waved to the crowd. I saw most of the girls squealing and covering their mouths, giggling like schoolgirls in the face of the extremely handsome Oliver Queen. I waved to the crowd as well. Tommy stood near us and he handed the two of us a shot of tequila each. I took it and passed one to Oliver, going along with Tommy's chanting. 

'Ollie. Ollie. Ollie. Ollie.' We both drank it in one hit and high-fived each other. 

'I missed tequila!' Oliver shouted, causing the crowd to cheer. 

                                                                 -Time skip: Oliver's POV-

I walked up with Laurel to the observatory deck, having bumped into her earlier that night. I looked down to see Evelyn with Tommy at the bar. She looked relaxed, more relaxed than I had ever seen her. She'd hadn't been this relaxed since probably - before she was taken. Before Russia. Before Lian Yu. Laurel turned to me and my attention turned to her. 

'I'm sorry about saying that you should have been the one who died. That was wrong.' 

'If I could trade places with her, I would.' Laurel looked thoughtful. Then she spoke. 

'About Sara... there's something I've been afraid to ask, but I need to know.' 

'Okay.'

'When she died... did she suffer?' I thought back to the moment she was swept into the ocean, on the night the Gambit sank.