Running Home To You (Olivarry)

Chapter Three

Barry looked at the white walls and the white ceilings and the white floor of the mental institution in Star City. After Barry had decided to sling his legs back over the railing the arrow accompanied him here, disappearing in the wind once they reached the entrance.
He was instantly Baker Acted and forced into a room for his own safety, after the usual 72 hours, he voluntarily stayed in the unit to do inpatient.
After all he was suicidal, a risk to himself. Barry sighed as he got up to go to his new therapist, this of course made him uncomfortable. He had been to therapists before, especially after he told the police that there was a ball of lightning that attacked his mother on the night of her murder. They of course never believed him and blamed it on his young mind trying to protect itself from the trauma of witnessing his father killing his mother. But Barry knew differently, he knew that Henry Allen was innocent.
He walked into the office to find a small, weary old man, with kind Forest green eyes and rosy cheeks. He seemed nice and Barry felt oddly secure around him but he also felt like an idiot talking about his problems.
He sat down on the chair across the desk from his new therapist, Mr. Wilkins and wrung his hands nervously.
"So Mr. Allen-"
"Barry."
"Barry, have you thought about what you tried to do the other night?"
"Yeah, yeah of course."
"Tell me about how that feels, to think about the fact that you almost took your life. Do you feel relieved you chose differently?"
"I don't know...I'm still not good, I'm not in the I want to live stage yet, I'm just in the I guess I won't stage. Does that make sense?"
"Yes it does. It's ok to not immediately feel relief. One day you will look back and feel it, one day you will be happy you chose to live."
Barry pursed his lips and spoke quietly.
"I guess."
After about 30 minutes of questions and the bare minimum of responses he was allowed to leave. Barry went into the commons area, where there were games and a TV and couches. Barry grabbed a book and sat down on one of the couches, just as he was about to get comfortable the room began buzzing with excitement. He looked up to see the multi-billionaire, who also happened to be the main sponsor of this institution, Oliver Queen.
The man was in a full black suit, finely pressed and without a hint of dust on it, his shoes so shiny the fluorescent lights bounced off them. He politely introduced himself to everyone, giving a seemingly difficult smile, he seemed to be looking for someone.
Apparently Barry was that someone because the moment their eyes met he made his way over, he gestured to the seat next Barry and asked.
"Mind if I sit?"
"No, go ahead."
Barry quickly moved over so Oliver had room, Oliver positioned his body so he was facing Barry and that's when it hit the younger one. The bluest, ocean eyes he had ever seen. The kind a painting made by the best of the best would have. The same the Green Arrow had. This man, Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow, he had to be. Those eyes were too familiar, too beautiful, they looked at him with the same hope and earnestness.
This didn't really shock Barry that much, in fact he should of figured it it sooner, the Green Arrow has appeared coincidentally the same time that Oliver came back from the island. Also Oliver has never spoke about what happened on the island, it's very likely a great deal happened. Like he was tortured, trained, this would all make sense. That and Oliver has been known to chase down cars like it was nothing, this doesn't come from natural ability.
"I hear you just got admitted last night."
"Yeah, I was umm...I felt like I should try to you know get better."
"That's good, as long as you're alive there's always a chance at getting better."
Barry smiled, he couldn't help it, this just further proved he was the arrow. That same hopeful mentality, even though he was a bit rough about it the vigilante seemed to believe in this ideal wholeheartedly.
"Yeah, a certain vigilante told me the same thing."
"You ran into him?"
Barry coughed to hide a laugh.
"Just as I was about to give up he came, he convinced me to give this shitty life another shot. You know despite what the news and the police say about him, he really is a good guy. He didn't have to stop, he didn't have to talk to me and he did. I'm glad he did."
This time Oliver smiled and it wasn't a forced polite one, it was a soft smile.
"Me too. Well I'm glad you're in here, I hope this program will help you get better."
"Yeah."
Barry said doubtfully, not that he didn't want to get better but his truth would never be believed, his mothers murder, his father being accused. He couldn't be completely forthright about it or he'd probably end up on meds for hallucinations. It'd be the same thing as last time, the ball of light wasn't real.
"Do you not think it will help?"
Oliver pulled him out of his thoughts and Barry shook his head.
"Uhh, I don't know. A lot of stuff has happened with my family and despite my best efforts they just seem to think that my recount of it was all in my imagination."
"What do you remember happened?"
"Well my mother was killed when I was a child, I remember a ball of lightning moving so fast around the room it sent papers, books, objects flying around the room. My mother was stabbed and suddenly I was..."
Barry stopped and turned away, chuckling nervously.
"You probably already believe I'm crazy."
A strong hand went on Barry's knee, the brunette turned his head to see Oliver listening intently. No hint of laughter or disbelief, he was genuinely listening with his mind open.
"Keep going."
"Well suddenly I was four blocks away from my house and by the time I ran back the police were there. My father was charged after the police came in and found him covered in blood and holding my mothers body. But of course he would, my father was a doctor, he was trying to stop the bleeding but...nobody believed me or him. All the therapists I've been to all day the same thing. It's your mind trying to shield the trauma. But I know it's something else, someone else was in my house that night. Someone else killed my mother."
Oliver seemed to be thinking closely, he nodded slowly.
"I'll try to get my friend to look into it, I know it's pretty useless now..."
"Because he's dead now."
"I heard, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how that must feel. Even as someone who lost his father, losing him like this must be heartbreaking."
Barry felt the waterworks again but he held them back, he breathed in and let out a shudder.
"Well I'm sure you have more important things to do then sit here and talk with me. It was nice to meet you Mr. Queen."
"Oliver, and you too Mr. Allen."
"Barry."