Arrow to the Heart {2}

Chapter 1

It's been five months since Tommy died, and Lydia's been a mess. Lydia changed her hair because she felt like she needed a change. Laurel tries to get Lydia to move on by being Assistant District Attorney, but Lydia doesn't want to because all she can think about is Tommy. Right after Tommy died, Oliver left, and Lydia understands why he had to leave, but she needs him, so her and Diggle are on a plane going to Lian Yu because that's where his location is. The pilot speaks something in a foreign language and Lydia says, "I think that means we're here." The clouds clear and they see the island and Lydia says, "Lian Yu." Lydia unbuckles her seatbelt and Diggle hands her a parachute and she puts it on, and Diggle looks at Lydia and says, "You ever jump out of a plane?" Lydia opens the door and says, "Yeah." Diggle has his parachute and he and Lydia both jump out of the plane and safely land on the sand. As they both walk through the woods, Diggle stops and holds his fist up and Lydia says, "What is it?" Diggle says, "I thought I heard something." Then Diggle walks forward and so does Lydia until she feels her foot step on something, and she looks down and says, "Dig." Diggle stops and looks down at Lydia and says, "Don't move." Diggle takes out his knife and moves the dirt away and says, "It's a landmine." Lydia's heart starts beating pretty fast and Diggle says, "I'm going to try to disarm it." They hear a familiar voice say, "You can't!" Lydia and Diggle look up to see Oliver up in a tree. Oliver says, "Diggle, back away! Lydia, don't move." Oliver shoots an arrow to a tree, and he flies down while hanging onto a robe and grabs Lydia and they fall to the ground while the landmine explodes. Oliver softly says, "Are you okay?" Lydia nods and softly says, "Yeah." Diggle looks at Oliver and says, "You're a hard man to find." Oliver says, "You shouldn't have come here." Lydia and Diggle follow Oliver to his hideout which is an old plane and Diggle says, "Would have emailed, but this isn't exactly a Wi-Fi hotspot." Lydia looks around and says, '"Is this where you lived when you were here? I mean, the first time you were here." Oliver puts on a t-shirt and says, "For some of it." Lydia softly scoffs and says, "Could you at least pretend you're glad to see us? Dig and I spent weeks tracking you down. We've traveled halfway across the world. You could... at least offer us water. Or... a coconut." Oliver hands Lydia a water bottle and says, "Fresh out of coconuts. I am happy to see you." Lydia softly smiles and Oliver continues to say, "But I know why you're here. I'm not coming back to Starling City. I can't. My mission, my father's list, it was a fool's crusade. And I failed. Malcom Merlyn destroyed the Glades. Tommy died. And The Hood couldn't stop it. So, don't ask me to put it on again. Ever." Diggle says, "This isn't about you being the vigilante. This is about you being Oliver Queen. Your mother's in prison, Oliver. Her trial's coming up. Thea's out on her own. Your family needs you." Lydia says, "So does the family business. All the bad press after the undertaking left Queen Consolidated ripe for a hostile takeover by Stellmoor International. They've gutted every company they've taken over. Once they gobble up Queen Consolidated 30,00 employees are gonna be out of a job. Listen, I get why you had to leave better than anybody else. Tommy's death hurt me too, and I needed you." Oliver looks down and Lydia continues to say, "I've been there. And after what happened, nobody can blame you for leaving. But it's time to come home." Later, they are all back in Starling City and while Diggle's driving, Lydia and Oliver are in the back. Oliver says, "Who's Blood?" Diggle says, "An alderman from the Glades trying to save the city. Fill your shoes." Lydia hands the file to Oliver and says, "Here's everything on Stellmoor International. The vice president of acquisitions is a woman named Isabel Rochev. She looks angry in every photo." Diggle says, "So, where to? Office?" Oliver says, "Home. I want to check in on Thea." Lydia says, "Uh, she's not at your house, Oliver." Oliver says, "Where is she?" Lydia says, "She's at Verdant."