Arrow and Shadow

The Return

Running. That's all we'd seemed to be doing for the last five years is running. But this time we were running to safety instead of running from danger. I followed the man who hadn't left my side in all that time up a cliff to see a fishermen's boat not far from shore. We jumped over more rocks and ran over more ground to a small site we'd made camp at not long ago. I jammed a knife into a space between two rocks as he prepared his bow and arrow. He grabbed an arrow and used the knife to lite the tip on fire before setting the weapon. He fired and hit the burn pile we'd built, creating an explosion so the fishermen would find us. We waited until the fishermen arrived on the rocky shore before stepping out so they could find us. Once they got us onto their ship they offered us both water before continuing to China. The name of the island they found us on is Lian Yu. It's mandarin for "purgatory". We've dreamt of our rescue every cold black night since then. For 5 years, we have had only one thought, one goal... survive. Survive and one day return home. The island held many dangers. To live, we had to make ourselves more than what we were, to forge ourselves into a weapon. We are returning not the children who were shipwrecked but the man and woman who will bring justice to those who have poisoned our city. My name is Ashlee Merlyn and my constant and only companion for the past five years is Oliver Queen.

They ran all sorts of test in China before sending us back home to Sterling City where they did the same test for the same results. The only difference between home and China was the pampering that was sent to my room before my father arrived. A hairstylist shampoo and conditioned my hair to death before cutting it to where the tips would fall to the top of my waist. My hair wouldn't be straightened for a while though since I wouldn't touch a straightener unless needed for our plans. A manicurist fixed my nails and painted them my former color of choice, red, as well as my toes. It was like a spa day at the hospital for a while before someone came in with a dress that would have been very much my style five years ago, until they saw the scars on my legs that showed from the bottom of the short dress and where my cleavage showed. Finally, we decided on a red skirt that was solid until it hit mid-thigh then went sheer slightly lower. I wore a white tank with a red off the shoulder top and white heels. I wore white pearl earrings, red bracelet, and two rings on my fingers; one white and one red. On the hospital bed was a red coach purse with a gold chain so I could carry it on my shoulder. It took me a while to remember how to walk in heels after so long, but it was like riding a bike. The outfit showed my toned arms and legs that had been left un-scared. They had put red lipstick on me, red eye shadow, black eyeliner in cat eye style and mascara framed my clear blue eyes, and rouge on my cheeks. I felt strange, being in my old clothes, my old life didn't seem to fit my new body. I stood staring out the window aware of my father and doctor outside my door talking. I wondered what Oliver was doing right now as I stared out into the city.

"Over 15% of her body is covered in scar tissue. Second-degree burns scars on her back, front and arms. X-rays show many fractures that never properly healed. There's possibly physiological damage as well as a bond between both her and Oliver Queen. She and Oliver were almost inseparable when they came in from China." The Doctor told Malcom Merlyn as they both watched the young woman put her hand on the glass in front of her. Malcom looked at the pictures they took of his daughter's injuries.

"Have either of them said anything about what happened to them?" Malcom asked his daughter's doctor.

"No. The only words out of their mouths were when they were screaming at us when we separated them. As you can see they've calmed considerably." the doctor told him. "Malcom, I have to warn you. The daughter you lost might not be who they found on that island." Malcom just looked back at the doctor before walking into the room and to his daughter before either of them spoke.

"Ashlee." I turned from the view of the city to my father.

"Dad." I said with a small smile. He pulled me to him and hugged me tightly, as though he was refusing to ever let me go again.