The Next Generation |Arrow AU| - undergoing serious reconstruction

Chapter 1: Hell and Back

"I went to hell and back just to be where I am today." ~ Hell and Back by Tonight Alive

Walking into a police station after being missing for five years is kind of nerve-racking. Knowing that they're going to bombard me with questions, people that keep making sure I'm okay, and poking and prodding me to see if I'm injured. They'll probably try to get me to talk about where I was and what happened, but I can't tell them. They can't know what I've been through.

"Ms. Law, are you sure you're okay?" Captain Lance asked setting a styrofoam cup with water in it on the table in between us. I nod waiting for my mother to come take me away from the relentless nagging from the Captain, but two hours passed and she never came. The police arranged for a cop to take me home on his way out of the station. The ride home was awkward and made me wish I would've insisted on walking home, but I made the decision to cooperate.

When we arrived it was a short good-bye to the officer before trudging up six flights of stairs. You'd think that in the five years I was gone the property owners would've fixed the elevator, but I guess that isn't a priority. By the time I made it to the old wooden door I was ready to see my family. Even if they never came to pick me up from the station. My family consisted of my mother and my best friend, Tate. My father was murdered a week before I disappeared and we had taken Robert in a few years before when his parents died in a car crash.

I knocked on the door causing me to become nervous. I haven't seen these people in five years; who's to say they even recognize me? Or if I'll recognize them? My thoughts were cut short by the door opening to reveal a tall, blond boy. "Can I help you?"

Those four words confirmed my initial question, no he doesn't recognize me. "I don't think you recognize me, Tate. My name is Emily, Emily Law." I told him; letting who I am sink in I took a small step back feeling like I was invading his personal bubble. He quickly pulled me into a hug soon after and it took all I had not to go into self-defense mode.

We walked in and talked about how I got back home. That's when I found out that since my dad died and I disappeared my mother had been absorbed into her scientific work. She barely came home anymore, and when she did she locked herself up in her room with more work. The fact that my mother is no longer social because of what happened to me was painful.

We stayed up and talked about everything that had happened while I was gone. Tate fell in love with Naomi; but of course she doesn't know, Sara and Jason started dating, and Cole started pushing people away as well.

Everything felt wrong knowing I had missed all of that. I couldn't be there to fangirl with Sara when she started dating Jason, I couldn't help Tate get the girl (even though I can now), and most importantly I couldn't be there to keep Cole from pushing people away. All of the big things in their lives so far and I couldn't be there for them. It made me so mad, and you bet I ranted about it to Tate too. But the slightly older boy forced me to go to bed after one a.m. saying he needed his 'beauty sleep'.

I went to bed with only one thought, tomorrow I will fix things and celebrate at the same time.

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️So, please tell me what you think! The picture is Emily