New Earth: Arrow

Chapter 42

Laurel was surprised when she woke up that night to find that she was alone in bed, since she'd finally caved and agreed to move into the mansion with Oliver.

After slipping her robe on over her nightgown, she went downstairs to find him sitting in the living room.

"You okay?" Laurel asked.

"Yeah sorry if I woke you." Oliver said.

"Hey, it's fine. But I have to admit, back in the old days, waking up alone in bed after falling asleep next to you would be a turn off and a red flag." Laurel said and Oliver chuckled.

"You know you're probably the only girl I didn't do that to before Lian Yu." Oliver said.

"I'm flattered. But anyways, what's got you up? It's not Slade, since he's on our side now, still trying to wrap my head around that idea, so what is it?" Laurel asked.

"While I was fighting Slade earlier, something happened to me. My powers, I could tell they were weakened, like I'd used too much of them already, but suddenly, I felt like they not only got a recharge, but they were supercharged. I haven't felt this kind of energy since." Oliver said.

"Since you were dead Mr. Queen?" Mar Novu said as he appeared.

"Why am I not surprised to see you." Oliver said as Laurel quickly checked her robe to make sure nothing was showing.

"I sensed when your powers reached their full potential and I came to help explain the reason for it." Novu said.

"And that reason would be?" Oliver asked.

"The reason your powers were limited before was because you yourself were limited." Novu said.

"Meaning what exactly?" Oliver asked.

"It appears that the only reason you did not have access to the full force of your spectre powers is because you were not the Spectre. At least not mentally. But while you were fighting Slade Wilson." Novu said.

"That was the first time since the Vanishing Point that I accepted that I was the spectre. I told myself that I wasn't the same person I was the last time Slade and I had fought, I was more than just the Green Arrow. I was the spectre. And I guess now I still am." Oliver said and Novu nodded.

"So, Oliver now has access to the full powers of the Spectre? I thought he had to be dead in order to wield that kind of power?" Laurel asked.

"And normally yes, but Oliver was already dead. The powers of the spectre remained within him." Novu said.

"I thought you said that a living human body can only handle a limited amount of the spectre's energy." Oliver said.

"Which is why I'm here." Novu said as he tapped Oliver's forehead.

"What did you just do to me?" Oliver asked as he felt the energy in him die down.

"I blocked off your powers, since while you could safely manage the limited amount of power you had accessed too, your body cannot handle maintaining the power of the spectre, since doing so is the only way to ensure that you will survive the final battle." Novu said.

"What do you mean?" Laurel asked as she gripped Oliver's hand tightly.

"The reason Oliver died after he released the spectre energy is because that energy is what was keeping him alive. Had I not blocked it off Oliver, your body would've become dependent on spectre energy to survive." Novu said.

"So does that mean that I'm cut off from my powers?" Oliver asked.

"For now. In times of extreme distress, you will be able to access the limited portions you had access to before, but when the crisis comes, I will remove the block, since that way, you will still have access to the full power of the spectre, but you will not be dependent on it to survive." Novu explained and Oliver nodded, since that did make sense.

"Well, thank you, I guess." Oliver said as Novu vanished.

"Well, how do you feel knowing that you can't use your spectre powers whenever you want anymore?" Laurel asked her boyfriend.

"Honestly, kind of relieved. All I really used that juice for was restoring people's memories. I don't need it to be a hero. It's better to save it all for the big throwdown." Oliver said and Laurel nodded.

"I know that you don't need those powers to be a hero." Laurel said and Oliver smiled.

"C'mon, let's get back to bed, big day tomorrow." Oliver said.

"Yeah, your mom's release. I like how she didn't even need a trial this time around." Laurel said.

"This time she backed out before anyone got hurt and made a deal with feds like we hoped she would, since in exchange for a lighter sentence, she told them everything she knew about Malcolm's criminal enterprise, minus Tommy of course. So she got a year in iron heights, and then probation, which for her, includes wearing an ankle bracelet at all times so that the feds can keep tabs on her, but at least it's not house arrest." Oliver said and Laurel nodded in agreement.

"Though I have to admit, things worked a bit too well for her. Though it might have something to do with the fact that J'onn and Alex were most likely involved in the deal making." Laurel said.

"Probably. And once she's out, I'm going to start making some changes." Oliver said.

"Like what?" Laurel asked.

"I'm going to step down as the CEO of Queen Consolidated and place Emiko in charge, since she'd be much better at it and she actually wanted to run the company. After that, I'm going to start making plans to run for mayor, since the city is going to need leadership now more than ever." Oliver said.

"On that we agree. And from what Thea told me, you were pretty good at being mayor. Better than you were at being a CEO. The only reason you got impeached is because you were set up by Diaz." Laurel said and Oliver nodded his agreement as they headed back up to bed.