Oliver and I were training in the hideout, with the metal half-staffs again. Oliver was shirtless. I was in workout clothes. Oliver swung one toward me. I used one to block the move. Oliver swung the other toward me. I used the other to block the move.

"Nice," Oliver told me. "Picking up the pace."

I spun to kick him. 

Oliver ducked, standing, trying to hit me with both of his in a blur of motion.

I used both of mine to  block the moves just as fast. "I could say the same thing about you. You crossed three names off your father's list this week alone, solo."

I used both of mine to catch one of his.

Oliver swung the other at both of mine to make me let go of his other. "Yeah, well, some of these guys are just giving it up now." I swung one of mine down low toward him. Oliver swung down low to block the move. "All I gotta do is pay them a visit."

"It seems the guy in the hood's reputation is beginning to precede him," I told him.

Oliver swung both of his up over our heads, trying to come down on me. I raised both of mine in an X shape to block both of his. We looked at each other, breathing heavily, smirking.

"Next time, we try with knives," I told him.

"Oh, where you're an expert and are better than me?" Oliver asked sarcastically. "How stupid could I be?"

"Not being stupid if you're doing it to try to be better," I told him. "You know, you can't always have your bow."

"I'll only learn swordsmanship if you learn how to shoot a bow and arrow," Oliver told me.

"Game on," I told him.

John walked closer. "You two are making me exhausted." We looked at him. "I'm gonna take my nephew over to the mall so he can let Santa know what he wants for Christmas."

Oliver sighed. "Oh. Christmas. I didn't even realize."

I shook my head. "Me, neither."

"That was because you've been logging in so many vigilante hours ever since that thing with Helena," John told us.

"There were no holidays on the island," I told him. "Every day was... 'How do I stay alive?' To do that, you had to forget things, like Christmas."

Oliver sighed. "My dad threw a party every year, and he would put a Christmas tree in every room. The whole mansion smelled like... it smelled like Christmas."

"Maybe you can give it a rest and just enjoy the holidays with the family," John told us. "Besides, I hear St. Nick has a list of his own. I wager you're both in the 'nice' column. Go home, guys."

John walked away, leaving.

⚔   

Flashback - 5 Years Ago

Jill was sleeping on a rock after having being taken care of by Oliver when she had had so many wounds.

Oliver was sitting nearby, leaning against a rock, looking at her, about to fall asleep.

The rocks covering the entrance started to fall, waking them and making them look toward the entrance.

Yao walked in. He looked at Jill. "You, uh, hurt?"

"Where the hell you been?" Oliver asked. Yao put down a jug of water. "We ran out of food and water days ago." Yao walked out of the cave. "Hey, hey, where you going?"

Jill picked up the jug of water, opening it.

Yao walked back in with Edward Fyers, pushing him to the floor.

Jill looked at Edward in shocked anger. "You."

Oliver punched Edward in the face, making him fall, trying to go after him.

Yao pulled Oliver away. "Stop. Stop."

"He's the one who tied me up and had me tortured," Jill told him. "All 'cause he was looking for you. He would've killed me if you didn't show up."

Yao held a knife toward Jill. "Then you kill him. Or he can take you both home."

"What?" Oliver asked.

Yao knelt next to Edward, pointing at him with the knife. "He has a plane." He looked at Jill and Oliver. "A way for you off this island."

⚔   

Now

Later that night, John, Oliver and I were in the hideout, talking about the fact that there was a copycat of 'The Hood' that had killed Adam Hunt with a black arrow.

"Who would kill Adam Hunt with an arrow?" John asked. "I mean, other than Oliver?"

"A setup, maybe," I answered. 

"You mean someone looking to cover up killing Hunt by making it look like the word of the hood?" John asked.

Oliver nodded. "Whoever he was, he's good. The grouping on Hunt's chest was tight. It's a compound bow, most likely. The guy is a... the guy's a legitimate archer."

"So someone who would be particular about his choice of arrows," John told us. 

"We get an arrow, we get a bead on where he purchased them," I told them. 

"So what are you gonna do?" John asked.

Oliver sighed. "What anyone does when they need help. Call a cop."

⚔   

The next day, I had sent a burner phone to Lance at the station, calling him with an altered voice. "The hood didn't kill Adam Hunt."

"You--"

"You call me the girl in blue. You call my friend the guy in the hood. They're not great nicknames. You told commissioner Nudocerdo that you might be dealing with a copycat, another archer, which makes us your best bet to take him down. But we need your help. I need one of the arrows from his murder."

"We're pretty good at pulling leads off evidence, thanks."

"Not like we are. We can do things the police can't, go places they won't."

"Like I said. I don't even know--"

"If this archer doesn't stop with Adam Hunt, we both have a problem. Think about it. Then call me. Number's programmed in."

I hung up.

⚔   

Oliver had called me to meet him and the family at the mansion in the living room.

Moira, Theo and Walter were sitting on the couch.

I was standing behind them.

Oliver was standing in front of them. "We're celebrating Christmas. I went five years without it, Jill went six years without it, and then Thea tells me that you guys didn't have it either, and I'm the reason. So maybe now I can be the reason we have Christmas again. I thought I would throw the Queen Christmas party."

Thea chuckled. "You?"

"I know that I haven't been the friend, or the son, or the stepson, or the brother that all of you deserve," Oliver told us. "Especially lately. But this feels like the right moment to start making up for lost time. What do you say?"

"I say yes," Moira answered.

Oliver smiled. "Yes! Okay. I will take care of everything. You don't have to do anything. Just show up, look fantastic, and bring some Christmas cheer, okay?"

Thea nodded. "Okay?"

Oliver pointed at me.

"Why are you looking at me?" I asked. Oliver tilted his head. I sighed. "Fine."

"You're a good man, Oliver," Walter told him.

I looked down thoughtfully.

⚔   

Five Years Ago

Yao was leading Oliver, Jill and Edward through the woods.

Edward was tied up. "You're a good man, Oliver. For coming to Jill's rescue when you didn't know her. For when my friend tortured you and you wouldn't give up your friend. Not even a friend, really. Someone you just met."

"Shut up," Oliver told him.

"What do you know about him?" Edward asked. "Nothing, I suspect. Do you even know what this island really is? It's a prison. I mean this literally. Until eight years ago, the Chinese military operated this island as a penitentiary for criminals deemed so dangerous, they couldn't be safely incarcerated on the mainland. When the military shut the program down, my unit came in and disposed of all the inmates. With the exception of two. Your friend was one of them."

Jill grabbed him, making him stop. "Who was the other?"

"You met him," Edward told her. "He presided over your interrogation."

"He tortured me," Jill told him. "He--"

Jill didn't finish, looking away.

"What would you do in my position?" Edward asked. "What would you do to capture the man who slaughtered dozens of people?"

"I didn't know anything," Jill told him.

"I couldn't be sure of that, now could I?" Edward asked.

Oliver glared at him, pushing him along.

⚔   

Now

It was after dark.

I was in my guest bedroom at the mansion.

The burner phone rang.

I answered it, knowing my voice would be disguised. "Don't bother trying to trace this back to me. You'll never make it through the encryption."

"There's a heating vent on the corner of O'Neil and Adams. You'll find what you're after there."

"It'd be a mistake to set a trap for me, Detective."

"I'm trading away just about everything I believe in here 'cause it's the only way I've got to get this bastard. You got till Christmas. And then, copycat or not, I'm coming after your friend in the hood. And then I'm coming after you."

I hung up.

⚔   

The next day, after having gotten the arrow from where Lance had told me, I was in the hideout, examining the arrow from underneath the magnifying glass. 

John walked closer. "So your friend Lance gave you a Christmas present after all."

I nodded. "Mm-hmm. Teflon-coated titanium blade serrated to split the bone. Shaft is some type of specialized Polymer, which is stronger than a typical carbon fiber. This... this is a custom job."

"So Lance gave in after the other archer dropped another body," John told me.

I nodded. "Nelson Ravich."

"Which is another name you and Oliver crossed off his father's list," John told me. "So, is this guy trying to frame Oliver or to call both of you out?"

I shrugged. "Either way, we need to find him."

⚔   

At Queen Consolidated, I walked into Felicity's office.

Felicity was engrossed in something on her tablet.

I tilted my head, knowing that she wasn't going to notice me until I got her attention. "Hey."

Felicity jumped, looking at me. "Don't you knock?"

"Felicity, this is the IT Department," I told her. "It's not the ladies room."

Felicity sighed, turning off her iPad. "Right. What can I do for you?"

"My buddy Steve is really into archery," I told her. "Apparently, it's all the rage now."

Felicity put down her tablet. "I don't know why. It looks utterly ridiculous to me."

I nodded. "Mm-hmm. Anyway, it's Steve's birthday next weekend, and I wanted to buy him some arrows." I took out the arrow. "The thing is, he gets these special custom-made arrows, and I have no idea where he gets them. I was hoping you could find out where this came from." Felicity reached for the arrow. "Careful."

Felicity nodded. "Yeah." She took the arrow. I sat across from her. Felicity examined the arrow. "The shaft's composite is patented." She typed away at her computer. "And that patent is registered to a company called Sagittarius. That's Latin for the archer."

I took the arrow back. "Really?" I put the arrow away. "Could you find out where and when this was purchased?"

Felicity typed away. "According to Sagittarius company records, that particular arrow was part of a bundle shipment. 200 units." She wrote down an address. "Sent to this address."

I took the paper. "Felicity... thank you." I stood. "And Merry Christmas."

I turned to leave.

"I'm Jewish," Felicity told me.

I turned back. "Happy Hanukkah."

I walked out, leaving.

⚔   

I was suited up, walking down the street toward the address that Felicity had given me. 

10245 Wharf 

I walked inside the seemingly empty warehouse, seeing an arrow in a table. I heard the door slam behind me, turning around, ready to draw a sword from the sheath on my back, only to see that no one was behind me. I heard zapping somewhere in the room, lowering my arm, turning to see a device on the nearby table. 

It was in the process of being filled with green and purple liquid, with fire zapping and sparking in the wires.

It was a bomb, and it would go off after the liquid reached the zapping, sparking flames.

I ran toward the door, cutting a hole into the door with my swords.

The bomb exploded toward me, throwing me through the air, making me land some distance away.

I turned back to the flames.

⚔   

The Christmas party was going on at the mansion.

I walked in, dressed up, taking off my black trench coat. I walked toward Oliver. "I see the halls are deck. Good job."

"You look great," Oliver told me. I managed a small smile. "You okay?"

"I'll manage," I told him. "Is everyone having a good time?"

"Yeah," Oliver answered. "My family needs this party, Jill. Which means that I need it."

I nodded understandingly.

Oliver looked past me.

I turned to see a teenage boy walking in.

The boy was holding a bouquet of roses. "Hey, dude. Thea invited me. I hope that's cool. These are for your mom."

I looked at Oliver.

Oliver was not pleased in the least.

I whispered to him sarcastically. "Smooth." Oliver shook his head, not knowing what to say, walking out of the room. I looked at the boy. "Good luck, kid. You're gonna need it."

I walked into the other room where Walter, Moira, Thea, Oliver and other people were.

"Jillian, there you are," Moira told me.

"Hi," I told them. "Merry Christmas."

They nodded. "Merry Christmas."

"Let's get a holiday photo," Oliver told us, looking at a photographer.

"I already sent out our Christmas cards, Oliver," Moira told him.

"Mom, let's get a picture just for us," Oliver told her. 

Moira nodded. "Of course."

Walter, Moira, Thea and Oliver got their picture taken.

The boy walked closer. "Excuse me. Mrs. Queen? These are for you."

Moira took the flowers. "Well, thank you. I'll--I'll go put this in water."

Moira handed the flowers off to a waiter to have him put them in water.

The boy and Thea walked off, leaving.

Oliver saw Laurel and Tommy walk in together, walking toward them. 

Walter looked at Moira. "Is everything all right?"

"You and I should talk alone," Moira told him, walking away.

I looked at Walter. "Everything okay between the two of you?"

Walter nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure it'll work itself out."

⚔     

I found Oliver arguing with Thea in her room. "Oliver." 

Oliver turned to me. 

I gestured for him to follow me. 

We walked into another room where John was waiting for us. 

"The other archer's moved to the next level," John told us. "He's taken hostages. This just hit the news." 

John turned on the TV.

A woman appeared on the screen, on the news, terrified. "Happy holidays, Starling City. For the past three months, this city has been laid siege by two vigilantes. But the police have been unable to bring them to justice because they lack the will to do what justice demands." She read from a paper, crying. "I will kill one hostage every hour in the name of these vigilantes until they surrender themselves to my authority."

John turned off the TV. "Police are on the scene. I think you should let them handle this."

I shook my head. "Those people are there because of us. We have to end this."

"This guy, he's very dangerous," John told us.

"Diggle, there wasn't anything on the island that wasn't twice as dangerous as this pretender, and I survived there for five years," Oliver told him. "Jill survived for six."

⚔     

Five Years Ago

Yao led Oliver, Jill and Edward through the woods, holding a radio toward Edward. "Call your people. Tell them to bring the plane."

"There's no need, Yao Fei," Edward told him. "My people will be here shortly. Do you not think it convenient you captured me so easily?"

The man in black, in the black and orange mask, stepped out from behind a tree.

Jill instinctively took a step back.

Yao looked at Jill and Oliver. "Go!"

"What?" Oliver asked.

"Run!" Yao told them, pulling up his hood, running toward the man in the mask, trying to kick him.

The man in the mask ducked, trying to backhand punch him. Yao ducked.

Jill and Oliver started to run. 

Men in black tried to follow, stopping to try to shoot at them.

Yao used his bow to hit the man in the mask. The man in the mask slashed a sword toward him. Yao ducked, elbowing him in the stomach. The man in the mask punched him in the face, making him fall. Yao leg swept his legs out from underneath him, standing, using his bow to hit him in the face, wrapping his legs around his neck, flipping them to the ground. 

Oliver and Jill were still running.

Yao and the man in the mask both stood. Yao tried to shoot him with an arrow. The man in the mask used his sword to deflect the arrow, spinning around, trying to slash into him. Yao raised the bow above his head to block the blow. The man kicked him in the stomach, making him fall. 

Oliver and Jill were still running.

Jill was still a little weak from her injuries, nearly falling. 

Oliver caught her, having to lean themselves against a nearby tree, looking back toward the others.

The man in the mask and the men in the black took Yao away.

⚔     

Cops surrounded the warehouse where the hostages and the other archer was. 

Oliver and I were on the building next over, a higher building, suited up.

Oliver shot an arrow with a wire into the ceiling of the building, using his bow to slide down the wire toward the other side.

I used a sword to slide down the wire toward the other side.

We saw skylight.

Oliver jumped through the window, shattering it, landing in the floor inside.

I jumped down in the floor inside, walking toward the hostages, using the sword and a knife to cut two free from where they were tied up.

The archer in black walked closer.

A woman screamed.

"It's going to be okay," I told them. 

"Thank you for coming," the archer told us. He looked at me. "After the warehouse, I knew I'd have to do something dramatic to get your attention."

Oliver looked at me in confusion. "The warehouse?"

I didn't answer, looking at the archer. "What do you want with us?"

"To see who's better," the archer answered, going to draw an arrow from his quiver.

Oliver was faster, drawing his quiver, shooting the archer in the arm.  

I cut another hostage free.

The archer tried to shoot Oliver. Oliver ducked, making the arrow shatter the glass window behind him, trying to shoot him. The archer ducked behind the wall before he could be hit.

Oliver looked at me. "Get them out of here!"

I finished cutting the last two hostages. "Follow me." They stood. I led them through the hallway to the roof access. "Get up to the roof."

⚔     

I got back to the main room with the archer and Oliver.

Oliver was on the floor with two arrows in his back.

The archer was kicking him repeatedly. "They call you the hood. Let's see what you look like without it."

The archer tried to take his hood off.

I stabbed him in the shoulder with the sword, taking it out, letting him fall to the floor on his knees, spinning to kick him in the head, making him fall unconscious. I ran to Oliver's side, pulling the arrows out of his back quickly, making him scream, helping him up.

Oliver looked at the archer. "What about him?"

"I'm gonna make sure you don't bleed to death, and then we can come after this guy later," I told him.

Oliver nodded weakly. "Okay."

I pulled him out of the warehouse, down the alley in the back.

Oliver fell unconscious, falling to the ground, nearly pulling me with him.

I caught myself against the ground, kneeling next to him worriedly. "Oliver? Ollie. Oliver!"

⚔     

Oliver was lying in a hospital bed. He woke up, gasping in pain.

I walked toward him. "Hey, relax. You're safe. You're in the hospital."

Oliver sighed. "What happened?"

"I got you out of there," I answered. "You've got a pneumothorax, three broken ribs, and a concussion, but the doctor said you're going to be fine.  Some people are here to see you."

"What?" Oliver asked.

I stepped aside.

Walter, Thea and Moira walked closer.

Moira sighed. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, God, you look terrible," Thea told him.

"Well, thank God you were wearing your helmets," Walter told us.

"I told them how we were on my bike, and a semi pulled right in front of us," I told him. "How you were driving and took the hit instead of me."

"What were you even doing out?" Moira asked.

"You bailed on the party," Thea told us.

"It seemed like the right move," Oliver told her. "I mean, Jill was down because it brought back memories about her family, and like you said, Thea, it... wasn't the best timing."

Thea sighed. "Okay, but when I was saying that, that was me being a bitch."

"Oh, the truth is, I don't think any of us were at our best," Moira told us.

Walter looked at Oliver. "The real truth is, you wanted to have a party to bring us closer together. Well... here we are."

Oliver chuckled, groaning in pain.

"We're going to let you get some rest," Moira told him, kissing Oliver on the forehead.

Moira and Walter walked out, leaving.

Thea looked at Oliver. "So... we never got to the exchanging presents part."

Oliver chuckled. "I don't think I deserve a present."

"Look, I know that I've been hard on you, about different from the way you were," Thea told him. "But the truth is, Ollie, I'm not the same person I was five years ago, either."

"So maybe we can just accept each other," Oliver told her. "Not for who we were, but for the--for the people we are now."

Thea nodded, smiling a small smile. "Yeah."

Thea took out two candy canes.

Oliver smiled. "No cheating."

"You're on," Thea told him.

"Come here," Oliver told her.

They hugged.

I smiled a small smile.

⚔     

Oliver and I were still in his hospital room.

I was sitting in a chair.

Oliver used a cane to walk toward the windows. "You know, Jill, when I confront somebody on the list, I tell them that they failed the city. But tonight, it was me who failed."

"Oliver, five hostages are home tonight with their families enjoying the holidays," I told him. 

"Because of you," Oliver told me.

I stood, walking closer. "Because of us. Because we cared enough to go and save them. Not just me. You, Oliver. This guy, the other archer, he'll get his. And we'll give it to him."

"We might have a bigger problem," Oliver told me. "The other archer told me that somebody compiled the list. I always assumed it was my father. But what if it wasn't?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"I think there's someone else out there," Oliver told me. "Someone who's more of a danger than the archer. And we have to take him down."

I nodded. "And we will. No matter how long it takes."

Oliver and I looked out of the windows as it began to snow outside.