~ Plane en route to Nanda Parbat ~

Laurel sat down across from Oliver as he was looking over to the side, out the window.

Oliver was quiet for a moment before he spoke.

"I know I haven't told you...well, anything really of the five years I was away," Oliver began and Laurel froze, hardly believing what was happening, "I came back to Starling City once, during my third year."

"What?" Laurel yelled shocked and angry that he had been back and not let anyone know.

"It's complicated," Oliver said with a slight smile at her 'story of my life' look before he got pensive again, "I saw you, I saw Tommy, I saw Thea, but none of you saw me. I saw that Thea had a drug problem so I confronted her dealer at Tommy's party. I snapped his neck."

"That was you?" Laurel said remembering the incident at Tommy's birthday party.

"I did it because I was angry but I also felt like I was protecting her," Oliver said and Laurel reached out and took one of his hands.

"Malcolm warned me about what Ra's might do, but I never thought...I failed Laurel." Oliver told her.

"You did not fail, Malcolm failed as a father. You didn't put her in this situation, he did when he brainwashed her and had her kill my sister."

"Maybe...but if I had been honest with her, then maybe none of this would have happened," Oliver said quietly.

Laurel had no response for that. She just sat there and squeezed his hand, hoping it offered him some comfort.

~ Nanda Parbat ~

Oliver, Laurel, and Malcolm exited the plane while Oliver carried Thea's body. They walked towards The League. Some of The League parted as Ra's Al Ghul with two other assassins approached them.

"Welcome home, Al-Sah-Him." Ra's said.

Oliver walked forward and the assassins kneeled as Ra's got a smug expression on his face and led them back to his palace.

"We must prepare for the ritual," one of the assassins that had flanked Ra's said as he walked forward to take Thea. Oliver hesitated, "I will treat her as though she were my own family." Said the assassin.

Oliver surrendered his sister's body and the assassin walked away with her. None of the trio from Starling let their eyes leave Thea's carrier until he was out of sight. Oliver, Malcolm, and Laurel were shown to their rooms. The Assassin that had taken Thea walked into Laurel's room.

"I hope you find your accommodations comfortable Ms. Lance." He said.

"How do you know who I am?" Laurel demanded.

"Your sister and I arrived there the same year. Forgive me for my rudeness, I am Sarab." He said and Laurel's eyes widened in recognition.

"You're Maseo." Laurel realized and Sarab shook his head.

"In another life. Come, the ritual is about to begin." Sarab said and Laurel followed him.

Sarab led Laurel into a room with a large tub. Half the League seemed to fill the room and Oliver, Malcolm, and about five other assassins were above it. Thea, her body held in the air by rope, was lifted above the tube. Sarab joined the others by the ropes as a woman began chanting in another language. As she chanted, Oliver, Malcolm, Sarab, and the assassins lowered Thea into the water by the ropes.

Laurel, along with the others, waited with bated breath as Thea was completely submerged by the water. They waited and, for a moment, it looked like it didn't work. Then the ropes were pulled into the water and an explosion of water appeared as Thea jumped out of the pit. Thea kicked Oliver to the ground on his back and snarled, acting like an animal. Thea jumped but assassins restrained her before they put something on her neck. Thea instantly stilled as she slumped into unconsciousness, Oliver grabbing her and lowering her to the floor as he checked her over.

"I have fulfilled my end of our arrangement. I suggest you begin to make peace with yours." Ra's said before he walked out of the room.

~ Ra's Palace ~

Thea shot up in bed, breathing heavily.

"Who are you?" Thea said as Oliver tried to comfort her.

"...Thea, it's Ollie," Oliver said gently.

"Ollie's dead," Thea said to everyone's shock before looking over at Laurel, "Laurel? What's going on, where are we?"

"We're somewhere safe Speedy, it's okay," Laurel said as she walked over to Thea's other side and leaned down.

"Where's mom? And Walter?" asked as Laurel, Oliver, and Malcolm exchanged a look.

"They're not here Thea. Why don't you lean back and get some rest, okay." Laurel said.

Thea nodded at her before leaning back and closing her eyes. Laurel walked over to Oliver, the unasked question in her eyes.

"It's a temporary side effect. Ra's told me that the confusion would pass." Oliver explained.

"She thinks your mother is still alive," Laurel said as she looked over Malcolm who sat at the sleeping young woman's side.

"She's alive, she'll be alright," Oliver said.

"Will you?" Laurel asked as she looked over at him.

"I have to be," Oliver said vaguely.

"Ms. Lance," Sarab said as he appeared at the door, "may I speak to you privately?"

Laurel followed Sarab out of the room and took her into another room that was mostly bare as Laurel looked around. After going through somethings, Sarab returned with a picture. As Sarab handed it to her, Laurel realized it was of her and Sara shortly before the Gambit.

"Besides the clothes on her back, this was the only thing your sister had on her when she was found by the League," Sarab explained as Laurel fought back tears.

"T-thank you," Laurel said her voice cracking as she pocketed the photo.

"I held my child in my arms as he died," Sarab said and Laurel looked up at him stunned, "there are so many things I would have liked to say to him but there was not enough time. The reason I am telling you this is because...if there is anything you wish to tell Oliver before you leave, now would be the time."

~ Later ~

Laurel walked into Oliver's room. Oliver sat on a chair, looking pensive. Laurel approached him and he looked up.

"This is a stupid question, but what are you thinking about so hard?" Laurel asked and he let a smile grace his face.

"The first time I never thought I'd see Thea again. It was when that boat went down. The person that I was...the brother that I was...died when that boat went down." Oliver said.

"No, he didn't," Laurel said and he looked up at her, "the night of the Undertaking, you told me that the island stripped away everything that wasn't and brought out the person you always were, the person you were meant to be. You know what? You were right. The island just allowed you to become the person I always knew you could be. You have saved so many people, you have changed lives, and you have become a greater person than I ever thought you could be."

"And if this is where it all leads...I don't know what it was all for." Oliver confessed.

"You're doing what you have to do to protect Thea," Laurel said as she sat down across from him, "Ollie, I wish there was a way we could've saved Thea and not had to lose you in the process but it's just the way it is. And if this is just the way it is...then I have to tell you something. Something I probably should have told you a long time ago."

"What?" Oliver asked concerned.

"I love you," Laurel said as he stared at her stunned, "I have never stopped loving you. Believe me; I have tried to stop. But I can't...and I don't want to stop loving you. No matter what happens...you will always be the love of my life."

"I never stopped loving you either," Oliver told her and Laurel beamed as their lips met.