The Emerald

Chapter 20 - Injury

As Roy, Oliver, Sara, and Diggle descended the stairs to the lair once again Roy could feel the aches in every part of his body. It hadn't been all that long ago that he had had his ass handed to him by his Dad and then tonight the graze from the bullet just brought the aches and pains back to the forefront of his mind. He took stock of everything that hurt and then determined to shove all the pain back into a box and lock it away. The Team had work to do and he didn't have time to be distracted.

"Felicity, we need to find out what those guys were trying to steal from the warehouse." Oliver told his fiancé as he walked over and put his bow back in his case.

"I'm already on it." Felicity said with a smile directed towards Oliver. "I've already talked to Detective Lance and he's going to give us the information just as soon as they have it."

"Good." Oliver said with a smile as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "What do we have on the thieves?"

Felicity went into a description of the two teens who had just recently gotten out of Juvie for breaking and entering, and assault charges. They weren't any real threat as long as they weren't allowed back on the street where they could get into trouble again. They would probably be spending several months back in the system to keep them out of trouble.

As Oliver and Felicity were talking, Diggle went to grab a few medical supplies, knowing that they would need to at least clean the bullet graze on Roy's arm. They all paid close attention to the information that Felicity was passing along as they waited for the phone call from Lance, but Diggle knew that he could perform his medic duties at the same time.

"Roy." Diggle called to the younger teammate. When the younger man met his eyes he motioned to the medical table. "Let me see that graze."

Roy lifted himself onto the table and started to carefully peel his leather jacket off so that Diggle could see the graze in his arm.

"Roy, that is not a graze." Diggle said to the younger man as the wound on Roy's arm became visible. A graze would have only required cleaning and maybe a bandage. No, this was a deep flesh wound.

"What's wrong John?" Sara asked as she turned to see what was going on with the guys.

Diggle's tone of voice also drew the attention of Oliver and Felicity as well as they both turned to the men and Oliver walked to the medical table.

"Roy?" Oliver asked questioningly. "Why did you tell us it was just a graze? That is a deep flesh wound and will need stitches."

"It's not that bad guys." Roy argued, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

"Half an inch to the left and I'd be digging a bullet out of your arm." Diggle commented as he set to work cleaning the wound.

"I honestly didn't think it was that bad." Roy said sincerely. It wasn't that he was trying to keep things from the Team. He had truly not realized how bad it was until he got his jacket off.

"It's okay Roy." Oliver said calmly as he placed a hand gently on Roy's right shoulder. "I know it can be challenging to know just how bad a wound is until you get to really looking at it, especially with adrenaline blocking the pain. Just make sure, whenever you do know it's worse, that you actually tell us okay."

"Yeah." Roy said quietly. He understood what Oliver was saying and, as much as he didn't want to worry the Team, he realized how important honesty was when dealing with injuries.

Thankfully, before the Team could discuss the issue much further Felicity's computers beeped and Oliver, Felicity, and Sara all gathered around the computers to see what had been found.

"You know that no one's mad at you right?" Diggle asked as he started put the stitches in. "We're just looking out for you."

"Yeah, I know." Roy answered. "I hate that I'm worrying you guys."

"You're not worrying us by telling us how bad you're hurt." Diggle told him. "You're being honest with your Teammates and letting them know if, and how, your injuries will affect your ability to keep going. If you had a bullet in your arm Oliver wouldn't expect you to rappel your way down a building. Just like if he had a bullet in his arm he would compensate and change his plan accordingly as well. We all have to know how best to keep going as a Team and we can only do that if we know what each person is capable of in a given situation."

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Diggle and Roy were silent as Diggle finished putting in the stitches and Roy heaved a sigh of relief when it was done. Just as Roy was pulling his jacket back on Oliver's phone rang.

"Detective." Oliver answered, ready for an update from the SCPD. Felicity put his phone on speaker so the whole Team could hear the discussion.

"I have some information for you." Lance told the Arrow. This was the first chance he really had to use his position as liaison and he was excited to be openly talking to Team Arrow in front of his superiors.

"What do you have Detective." Oliver asked, aware that Lance was calling form the Precinct as he could hear the other officers talking in the background.

"First thing, and most important is that David Wilson escaped from the squad car on the way to the Precinct. We have officers looking for him, but I figured your Team could work your magic as well and try and help us find him." Lance started by explaining.

Felicity immediately started pulling up traffic camera feeds from the time the Team left the warehouse and started looking for where David Wilson could have gone.

"What else?" Oliver asked as he watched Felicity work.

"We figured out what he was after." Lance continued to explain. He had not been at all surprised at what they had been stealing, considering the man that they had arrested.

"What is it Detective?" Oliver asked, getting slightly frustrated at how hesitant Lance was to divulge the information.

"Enough C4 to blow up the Starling City Theater, and there's a concert being held there tonight."