CW's Justice League

Arrow: Hero's Memorial (Part 1)

Okay, so I only do this because I love the song and it seems so fitting for the mood. Just so you know. By the way, you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it.

The Emerald Archer was gone. Barry still couldn't believe it. He doesn't remember much of what happened immediately following Oliver's death. He just remembered kneeling over his best friend's body after the explosive energy wave subsided. Barry knelt over his rapidly cooling body. Sara was kneeling beside him crying into his arms. "Oliver?" he said, barely audible. He knew that Oliver wasn't going to answer but he felt that it could hurt to try. He felt tears roll down his cheeks as he lifted Oliver's head into his hands. "Oliver? Come on, Ollie, don't go," Barry pleaded but he knew it was useless.

Oliver Queen was dead.

The speedster heard footsteps approaching and he looked to see Kara, J'onn, and Kate running over to them. Barry gently placed Oliver's head back down and collapsed and sat down next to his friend's body. Kara hovered over Oliver and gently caressed his face. She buried her face in Oliver's chest and Kate wrapped her arms around the Kryptonian, holding back the wave of anguish and sorrow that she felt threatening to wash over her.

J'onn, who was sitting right next to Kara, lowered his head in grief. "You were the best of us, Oliver Queen," he sighed shakily. Sara continued sobbing her heart out, while Barry embraced her numbly, still in shock that his mentor and Ally and brother was truly gone.

Kara leaned her head on Kate's shoulder to cry. Eventually, the other Paragons walked towards the small group and lowered their heads in grief, even Lex Luthor took a moment of silence to honor the fallen hero. There was nothing but a silence that rippled throughout all of them. Nobody said a thing.

And then Sara broke that silence, "Are you, are you coming to the tree, where they strung up a man they say who murdered three? Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree." That song was something that her friend had taught her the true meaning of, and not just some song out of the Hunger Games. Oliver taught her the history of it and the background and even what the song meant to him. It gave her a new-found appreciation for her friend and that song. She didn't expect anyone to start singing with her.

Slowly, Kara raised her head and said, "Are you, are you coming to the tree, where the dead man called for his love to flee? Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree." Then J'onn, "Are you, are you coming to the tree, where I told you to run so we'd both be free?"

Kate, "Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree." Barry, "Are you, are you coming to the tree, wear a necklace of hope side-by-side with me?" Ryan, "Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

Most surprising of all, Lex, "Are you, are you coming to the tree, where I told you to run so we'd both be free?" Barry and Kara, "Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be." Sara, "If we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

Pretty soon, each surviving hero, alien, meta-human, and villain were singing this song to pay tribute to their leader. "Are you, are you coming to the tree, where they strung up a man they say who murdered three? Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree," they sang in unison. "Are you, are you coming to the tree," said Barry as he held Sara in his arms.

* * * * *

The next time they all saw each other, it was on a new world where everyone was united. They finally defeated the Anti-Monitor, but Oliver was still lost to them. Since Barry knew that he was in town visiting his grandparents in Central City, he decided to go personally hand deliver the news.

Hesitantly, he stood in front of the Claytons' door and rung the door bell. Shifting awkwardly as he waited, the speedster's mind raced (no pun intended) with thoughts of what he would say to the young teen. It was after all his fault that this happened. If he hadn't convinced Ollie not to kill Deagan or insisted that he and Kara needed to run around the world, William's father would still be alive. "Hello?" A youthful voice broke Barry out of his thoughts.

Barry looked down at the teenager and almost doubled back in disbelief. "Oliver?" Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, but he decided against having a breakdown in front of the kid. "No, my father is..." William faltered, "was Oliver Queen." Barry's heart deflated. This kid already lost one parent only to lose another within the span of 3 years. "Right, uh, yeah. That's why I'm here. I'm Barry Allen, I was one of your dad's friends and co-workers, I guess."

Before Barry could continue, William cut him off, "Listen. You're like the fiftieth person to come by offering condolences. I appreciate it, but it ain't gonna do much good." He was about to close the door, when something Barry said stopped him. "What did you say?" The teen quaked. "I knew your dad was the Green Arrow before he revealed himself to the public," Barry repeated. "How?" William asked dubiously. Then his gaze flitted over the ring on his right hand. A red and gold band with the Flash symbol engraved on it.

Looking back at the man in front of him, he hurriedly opened up the door and ushered the Flash inside.

They sat down on the couch and Barry explained everything to William.

That was the last time-he decided-that William would ever let himself or anyone else get hurt ever again. He would stand up for what was right and what he believed in. Despite knowing that his father never wanted a life of heroism for him, William would continue on in his father's footsteps and protect the city that he dedicated eight years of his life towards saving.

However, to do this he must become someone else. He must become something else. His name is no longer William Clayton. His name is William Queen and he is the son of the Green Arrow.

(Felicity:) "Previously on Arrow..."

"John, this ring chose you for a reason," Felicity stated. "Well, it chose wrong!" John argued.

"I must say, I'm not loving the new outfits, Athena," Nyssa mused sarcastically. "They found a map to three additional Lazarus pits," Nyssa informed.

"You know, I used to be terrified that if you went out as the Green Arrow, you wouldn't come back," William sighed. "And now?" his father asked. "I'm still worried, but I believe that you're going to come back," William answered back.

"Hi, I'm William," he greeted. "Bonnie King," the girl replied as they shook hands.

"I started this alone and had every intention of keeping it that way. I had a plan. Life had a different one," Oliver said.

To Be Continued...