Athena and the League of Assassins (An Arrow: Season 3 Fanfiction)

Chapter 36: I Wasn't Alone

'You killed my father,' Nyssa said as she bandaged Oliver's hand. 

'I had to,' he replied, looking up at her. 

'I wanted to be the one.' She finished wrapping it and added, 'You're lucky you're still alive. You wouldn't had you not been wearing League armour.' 

'I like to think I had a little something to do with that,' Felicity said, walking up to Oliver. He smiled up at her, then stood and walked to the forefront of our little group, full of old enemies and new allies: Malcolm Merlyn, Felicity, Diggle, Ray, Laurel, Nyssa, myself and now Thea. 

'When I started this,' he said to everyone, 'I wanted to keep you as far away from it as possible, because that has always been my instinct - to go it alone. But the truth is that we won tonight because I wasn't alone. I thought that this crusade would only end with my death. But even if I had died tonight, it would live on, because of you -' and at this he looked at Laurel, 'and you -' and then at Felicity, 'and you -' he said, looking at me, 'oh, and you,' and at this he looked finally at Thea. She smiled bashfully and looked down. 

'It's true,' Laurel said. 'This city isn't lacking in masks.'

'Heroes,' Oliver corrected her. 'Which is why I no longer need to be one.' We all moved into a semi-rigid state at this, and I frowned. 

'What are you saying, Ollie?' I asked. He looked at me, then walked over to Felicity. 

'Ra's took the Arrow identity from me. I couldn't be that person even if I wanted to. And I don't want to be. I told you that...' he said, stopping in front of Felicity, looking into her eyes, 'I couldn't be the Arrow and be with you. I want to be with you. You told me that I have become someone else, and I would like to... discover a little bit more about that person. If you'll come with me.' 

'With you where?' Thea asked. He turned back to the group. 

'Um... someplace far away from here. Even without me, Starling still has heroes to watch over it.' John grabbed his jacket and abruptly left the room. 

'John,' Felicity called out. 

'I'll talk to him,' Oliver said softly to her. 

John Diggle pressed the button on the elevator. 

'John?' Oliver asked. Diggle put on his jacket. 

'I'm happy for you, Oliver,' he said. 'Despite our issues, you deserve to be happy. You and Felicity. And you're right, the city's in good hands.' 

'Including yours.' 

'I'm no superhero.' 

'You're a hero,' Oliver said. 'For three years, you've been a rock. The city's rock, my rock. Even Evelyn's. For three years, you've been the person I can count on. I'm still counting on you.' 

'Oliver, I don't know if I can get past what happened between the two of us.' 

'I'm not asking you to.' 

'I'll think on it.' The two shook hands, then the elevator doors opened, and John stepped in. 

'John,' Oliver said. He cleared his throat. 'If you're going to keep going, you may want to find a way to conceal your identity when you're out there.' 

'I'll think on that too.' He pressed the button to go to the bottom floor. 'You be well, Oliver.' Oliver nodded. 

'You too.' And then the doors slid shut.