Chapter 118: A Whole New World

Upon finally departing from Central City to Starling City, Oliver had elected to splurge again for a private, first-cabin suite on the train. Laurel hadn't fought him on it this time around, because after the constant non-stop work they had been going through since before Zoom's defeat, any comfort that could be found was very much welcome. Especially in private, where they could let loose and finally talk about what had been going on.

"I have half a mind not to go on patrol tonight," Laurel confessed the moment Oliver and her finished sweeping the cabin for bugs and had activated a portable white noise machine so they couldn't be overheard. "I don't even want to think about what's been happening in Starling since we've been gone."

"Which is why Kara will be helping us out with patrol over the next couple of weeks," Oliver pointed out, leaning back into his seat, which was right across from her. "The criminals will all think twice the moment they remember that there are three superheroes that live in Starling City."

"True," Laurel conceded with a sigh, leaning her head against the palm of her hand.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Laurel silently pointed to her throat, wearing a flat expression. "Ah," Oliver noted, wincing.

"I mean, with this, I'm no longer the weak link, even if I can't use it all the time. But…" Laurel grimaced. "I don't want to be like her, Ollie. I really don't."

"Laurel, you won't be," Oliver reassured her. "What your powers or skills are don't determine the kind of person you're going to be. It's what you do with those abilities that decide your character." He reached out and took her other hand, laying his own on top of it. "When you first got that power, you didn't use it to kill people like Black Siren did. You used it to save Hal and mine's lives. That, more than anything else, proves that you're never going to be like her."

Laurel's expression brightened, and she smiled. "Thanks, Ollie."

Oliver nodded, though his expression became a little more thoughtful. "You know, I couldn't help but find it funny when you called yourself the weak link. That's how I always felt back on the island and with the League."

His girlfriend blinked. "Really?" She sounded legitimately shocked. "But Ollie, you're the best warrior on the planet!"

"But I didn't start out that way, remember?" Her boyfriend pointed out. "When we first joined the League, Kara had these amazing abilities that were completely out of this world. And Barry… Barry might have been weaker than me physically, but his sheer brilliance more than made up for it. They both had traits that made them stand out from every other recruit the League has ever had. Compared to them, I was nothing. Just another body to train, another assassin who would go out and die like the rest."

Oliver looked down at the table as the memories washed over him. "I realized that quickly within my first weeks with the League. I realized that if I wanted to stay with them, I had to make myself exceptional in my own way, indispensable like they were. And the only way for me to do that, was to make myself the best of the best. Absolutely loyal to Ra's to a fault, devoted to the arts of combat and assassination — for all intents and purposes, the perfect warrior. Nothing less than that, because I made a promise to protect them, and I had every intention of seeing it through."

"In short," Oliver continued, "I had to be the best, because it was the only way I could stay. But even after becoming the best, I was never quite as important to the League as they were. And truth be told, I was fine with that. I had my own specialties, and they had theirs. I guess what I'm trying to say, Laurel, is that there is really no such thing as a 'weak link'. We all have our own specialties, our own strengths, and with those strengths we cover each other's weaknesses. That's what it means to be a part of a team. So don't worry about whether or not you're pulling your weight on a mission or two. You wouldn't have been added to the roster if we didn't think you could help."

Laurel peered up at him, and slowly nodded. "I see. Thank you, Ollie."

"Any time, Laurel. Any time."

Knock-knock.

Iris blinked as she turned away from the prone and still hospital-bound Eddie to see who it was, and blinked again.

Barry.

Her best friend stepped inside, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She watched as he placed it next to the small pile of gifts that was gradually building up next to Eddie's bedside, and then pulled up a chair next to her to sit in. The moment he did, Iris reached out and laced their hands together.

"I'm surprised," she couldn't help but admit. She didn't have to say why.

Barry couldn't help but blush slightly. "Just because I don't like the guy doesn't mean I wanted him dead, Iris. Or like this," he subtly gestured to Eddie's current state.

Iris quirked her lips up a bit. "True." She leaned her head against his shoulder. They stayed like that for a little bit, just watching Eddie sadly together.

"It must be hard seeing him like this," Barry finally commented. "Seeing someone you love like this… I can't even imagine."

Iris tightened her grip on his hand. "We broke up."

Barry jolted in his seat at that, but not enough to break the interlocking of their hands. "What?" he asked in shock.

"It was right after you were… taken." Even though they were technically in private, Iris was paranoid about being overheard. After everything that had happened with Zoom, she could now fully understand why Barry had adopted this trait with so much enthusiasm over the years. "Part of it was because of the stress of the situation, but honestly, Barry, our relationship had been in a rut for months, and neither of us were willing to acknowledge it. But after that… I couldn't ignore it anymore."

"But you love him," Barry couldn't help but point out.

"I do," Iris agreed, "Some part of me will always love him. But Barry… I can't be with a man that will always hate my best friend."

Barry paused at that. "Oh."

"It's not your fault, Barry," Iris continued, not wanting him to feel guilty. "You're protecting this city. Eddie is the one that wasn't willing to let go of his hatred of you, and I'm the one who couldn't handle that. It is what it is."

Barry swallowed, and didn't reply, his feelings still mixed. In the end, he pushed it all aside. It didn't matter what he felt about it. This was between Eddie and Iris, not him.

"But…" Iris shuddered. "Even if we're over… it hurts s-seeing him like this. I just want him to wake up." Her breath hitched, and she buried her head into her other hand, trying to stave off the tears.

Feeling her distress, Barry unlaced their hands and then gently cupped her face, wiping away two falling tears with his thumbs. "He will, Iris. I promise."

Iris gazed up at him in disbelief. "Barry…"

"He'll wake up, even if I have to wake him up myself," Barry said firmly, brokering no argument.

At that, Iris stilled, and then threw herself into his chest, clutching at his shirt with her hands. "Thank you," she whispered. I love you, she thought.

Barry just held her, let her cry, and she was so grateful, because now she could be alone with her thoughts. I love you. It was almost unreal, yet it came so naturally to her, as if the realization had just been waiting there at the back of her mind all this time. Those words weren't just some one-off declaration, made in the heat of the moment—they were a truth that had been biding its time, something that had been building and building up until she could no longer hold it back.

She was in love with her best friend. She was in love with Barry Allen.

And now, looking back, everything was beginning to fall into place. The sheer heartbreak she felt after his 'death'. The desire to keep close to him, no matter what. Emulating him, building a relationship with his father… the years and years of always mourning him, of never quite moving on.

It was you. It was you all along.

Iris wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him so badly. But… she had just broken up with Eddie. She had just realized she was in love with Barry. And with Eddie in a coma and with Barry and Zoom… it wasn't the right time. They both needed to sort out their feelings. She didn't even know if Barry saw her in that way, anyway. So, she didn't say anything. She just stayed in her best friend's arms, and held him close.

For now, this is enough.

Laurel hummed when she exited the train with Oliver right behind her, rolling their respective luggage behind them. While a lot of the past week had been spent in their superhero costumes, they had ended up buying some extra civilian clothing too for their nights spent at the Hall of Justice. So much so that they had bought new luggage at the station before they left just to hold it all.

The two blinked when they saw that their respective families were there to meet them, and all looking particularly apprehensive. Then Quentin lifted a device that they quickly identified as a Doppelsensor, and both immediately understood why. Laurel silently held her hand and accepted the sensor, activating it. When the light remained blue, everyone let out breaths of relief and the atmosphere became much lighter.

"Sorry, honey," Quentin apologized to his daughter. "We couldn't risk it, even after we were told she was already apprehended and shuttled off to Earth-2."

"It's fine, Daddy," Laurel told him, pulling him and Dinah into a hug. "I know how you feel." After all, that bitch kidnapped me and tried to take over my life.

"The world has changed so much these past few years," Dinah mused worriedly. "Hearing about you having an evil doppelganger from another earth… we almost couldn't believe it. Especially when they told us she worked for Zoom and was a part of the attack on Central City. I'm so glad we never got to meet her."

Both Oliver and Laurel tried not to wince when they heard that statement. After all, Laurel's parents had, in fact, met Black Siren, even if they hadn't known it was her at the time. For those few short hours, they had been at a supervillain's mercy, and none of the people present knew it.

Not for the first time, Laurel felt guilty about keeping this secret from them. She knew they would never approve, that they would be furious to learn she had been risking her life every night as the Black Canary. But… was it truly for the best, not telling them?

It was something she would need to ponder over for quite some time.

"Thank you for helping watch over Kal, Sam," Kara told her best friend gratefully as her little brother collected his luggage outside Sam's home with Ruby's help. "I'm sorry I sprung that on you so suddenly. The trip wasn't supposed to last that long."

"It was no worry, Kara," Sam waved her off. "Kal is a treasure, and it's not like I was the only one watching him. The Queens were too. And besides, you'd do the same thing for Ruby and me, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, Sam. And now I owe you another favor."

"Which you should expect me to fully cash in at the next A-Corps function," Sam responded teasingly.

"As always?" Kara asked back, just as amused.

"As always."

The Kryptonian smiled, and with that final word, hugged her friend goodbye.

And just like that, the world moved on.

Except…

Amanda Waller sighed as the sky faded into pitch black night and the halls of Central City's A.R.G.U.S. base gradually began to hush into silence. The last week had been complete utter hell, and she had no illusions that it wouldn't get any better any time soon. Zoom had opened a can of worms when he exposed the multiverse to the public, and already numerous threats, both domestic and international, were trying to take advantage of it. Either by trying to access the multiverse themselves (and Amanda was glad they had the foresight to close all the breaches except for the one in S.T.A.R. Labs and one they designated as under government control) or by taking advantage of the chaos the entire world had gone into in the wake of Zoom's revelations.

She was glad the bastard was still alive. It meant that he was suffering. For that alone, she hoped he lived to a ripe old age.

Absentmindedly, she bent down to one of the drawers of her desk, taking out a bottle of brandy and a clean glass. Amanda poured herself a well-earned drink, making a silent toast before beginning to sip. Then she nursed it for the next half-hour.

The moment she was done, she spoke. "So? How did they do?"

And from the shadows, a voice spoke. "Well, they're advancing in strength at a decent pace. Hopefully, they'll be prepared for what comes next. Emotionally, I mean."

Amanda snorted, and slammed her glass onto her desk. "You're a bastard, you know that?"

"Oh, I know Amanda." There was a glint of a smile. "But that's why people like us are in charge, right?"

She scoffed, but didn't argue. He had a point, after all.

ARC IV: RESPECT

END

NEXT: ARC V: INEVITABILITY

And with that, Arc IV is finally over.

Man, what a ride that was! After months and months of work, this arc is finally over, and now we're finally at the arc I've been touting for, well, years! Arc V is finally here everyone! Or at least it will be, once I get around to planning it out.

I need to break from this story for the time being, so I'm going to shift focus to the sequel for one day at a time, which will be titled as the superhero game. In the meantime, if you haven't read that story I suggest you do. Or, if you want something more like To Hell and Back, I highly recommend ArlyssTolero's Arrow: Rebirth series on AO3. It starts off small but gradually builds into a grand narrative much like this story, with its own tone and style.

And, if that isn't enough, there's the TV Tropes page! It's in major need in updates, especially the characters page. Go ahead — read it, edit it. It's not going anywhere anytime soon.

Well, ta-ta for now everyone! Hope to see you again soon!

Please comment or review, flames will be ignored, constructive criticism welcome, and don't forget to update the TV Tropes page!