Sanctuary Secrets Sacrifice

Welcome Home, Heart, and Heroes

"Running away will never make you free."
-Kenny Loggins

It seemed the moment they crossed the city limits back home, it was as if they could feel it in their bones.

"Star City." Katie spoke when she saw the sign. "Different name, same messed up people." Oliver reached over taking her hand and she looked over to him.

"Don't worry, we won't be here long. We will find these guys, stop whatever they're planning and head back home."

"I'm holding you to that, Liver." Katie replied lying her head back and glancing to the familiar streets. "Now that I'm actually here, I may have to make an appearance at the company. I'm sure Ray will probably have some ridiculously over the top welcome back party." she lifted her head when she could've sworn she saw him again. The demon. She looked over to Oliver who was looking ahead before turning back.

"It's tough not to look out this window with wonder."

"Wonder what?" Katie asked tearing her eyes from the window and turning to Oliver.

"What did we really accomplish?"

When they arrived at the team's new hideout, Oliver took Katie's hand and followed behind Laurel and his sister.

"Why are we at the shipping yard?" Katie whispered over Oliver.

"Because I hate Bruce Wayne." Oliver muttered with a shake of his head. He watched as Laurel appeared out side the shipping container, and a hand scanner appeared. Once the doors opened, Oliver moved pretty quickly, wanting to get this done so they could head back home.

"Katie and I have a lot to catch up on, so maybe take us through all the evidence the team has gathered." Oliver said as they entered the familiar lair.

"That's easy." Thea replied. "Nothing."

"Ok, so maybe we'll go through all the encounters that you've had with the ghosts, everywhere they've hidden, and places you can cross..." they stopped walking when they saw John and Felicity who turned with two very different looks on their faces.

"Oh my gosh!" Felicity squealed before hurrying over to Katie. "Look at you. Those pictures do not do you justice. You're beautiful and glowing." she brought her arms around the woman in a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Smoaks." Katie says hugging the woman as well. Once she pulled away, Katie looked over to John whose glare seemed fixed on Oliver. "Missed you too, Mr. Diggle." John didn't say anything.

"John-" Oliver started but the man wasn't hearing it.

"We should've discussed this."

"Me and Thea did." Laurel replied. "We need him."

"John, I'm not expecting you to welcome me back with open arms." Oliver said, but John still wasn't ready to let the things of the past go. "What I did to you is not easily forgiven. I'm here to help you with your problem, and then I'm gone." Oliver promised.

"Oliver, we don't need your help. And if we did, we'd probably choose someone who didn't kidnap my wife and endanger my child."

"John, no one is here asking you to pretend like it didn't." Katie replied. "I get forgiving is hard. I know that first hand from these past couple of months. The truth is that there are bad people in this city. Bad people you haven't been able to stop. Bad people who are still in this city that houses your wife and daughter. You're angry, then be angry. Doesn't stop the bad guys from being bad guys."

"I get that, I really do, but I can't go into battle with a man I can't trust."

"Understood, but that hack I was working on for Kord Industries finally went through." Felicity said walking over to the computer. "I wanted to see what the Ghosts stole and there. Cluster bombs. Sensor fused and high yield. Any more powerful and they'd have to be nuclear."