The Darkness: 3

Part 3

Italics- Lydia's voices

Oliver

From all of the bad news, there was at least something good. The team had grouped in Lyla's hospital room to see her newborn baby.

"Congratulations John," Oliver broke a smile, hugging him. "What's her name?" Felicity asked. "We're naming her Sarah," Diggle told them. "After my sister," Laurel spoke, "that's nice."

"Can I carry her?" Lydia asked, sitting in the chair next to her bed. Lyla handed her the infant wrapped in blankets to Lydia, and she cradled her. "Hi," she whispered and Oliver smiled to himself. He caught Diggle staring at him and he rolled his eyes. "I need air," Lydia said, giving back the baby.

Oliver followed Lydia down the hallway and called her back. She turned around he saw she was panicking. "What's wrong?" He asked, holding onto her arms. "I-I can't breath," she let out, pressing a hand over her chest. "Seeing Sarah is just... good with all of the darkness around us. But I don't know what's happening." "Lydia breath," he told her, widening his eyes. "I told you I can't." She began to hyperventilate and she ran her hands through her hair. "Help... help," she said breathlessly.

Oliver cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. Her soft pink lips pressed into his and he felt her exhale, before pulling back. "I read somewhere that when someone is having a panic attack, they need to hold their breath. When I kissed you, you held your breath," he explained, looking into her green eyes. He was confused when her eyes started glistening with water, "I know." She stepped close to his face and stared, "Don't ever... ever use my own tactics against me." Oliver stood there and watched as she walked away.

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Lydia

Lydia entered the top floor of Queen Consolidated and was approached by a man in a fresh black suit.

"Dr. Martin," he greeted, "Ray Palmer," he shook her hand. "Why am I here exactly? I don't specialize in this," she said. "Well, I looked at your college resumes and you have the credentials," he explained, "And I need an extra 'board' witness." "This is why I hate being smart," she muttered. "Well intelligence gets you somewhere," he smiled.

Ray led her into Oliver's office and she saw him standing with Felicity. "I don't know if you've met, but this is Oliver Queen," Ray introduced. "We've met," Lydia spoke with a straight face and he smiled.

"We're ready," one of the board members said, opening the door open. "Why are you here?" Felicity asked confusedly and she noticed Oliver was listening. "I have no idea."

Lydia sat at the head of the table, full view of the room, while Oliver sat on her left and Ray, on her right. Oliver cleared his throat, getting up, and buttoning up his suit. He went to the front of the room and started his 'priceless' presentation.

She noticed that Felicity was leaning on the table smiling, making him feel better as she crossed her legs and turned her chair to the left so she could write. She didn't know when he finished, but Felicity was proudly applauding, as the rest of the board just made a short clap.

When Oliver sat back down, he asked, "How'd I do?" "Great," Felicity said and he turned his head to Lydia, waiting for an answer. "You did good," she said, glancing at him.

Ray got up with a hard drive and plugged it into the computer and the projector lit up. "Palmer Technologies," he said, making a whooshing sound while spinning his finger. Lydia let out a small laugh and everyone in the room stared at her. She cleared her throat, shrugging off the embarrassment, and went back to her notes.

She began to draw something on the corner of her paper out of boredom. "How'd I do?" Ray asked, sitting down. "You did good," she said monotonously. She felt his eyes preying on her paper and she stopped drawing.

"The vote will be held anonymously," one of the board members said. Lydia took out another piece of paper and wrote a name on it, before setting it in a basket.

"Alright, the votes are in," the man spoke. He pulled out each paper reading the votes and looked up, "Ray Palmer."

The board was dismissed and everyone went into the office but Lydia stayed back to finish her drawing. "What are you still doing here?" Ray asked, walking in. "I don't know," she said softly, continuing the sketch.

"What are you drawing?" He asked, hovering over her. She stopped and cornered her eyes to see his figure behind her. "I'm drawing a..." she trailed off, actually looking at the paper, "someone falling." "That's deep," he said.

"Lydia," Oliver called out with a pause, "can I speak with her?" Ray nodded, leaving the room with a smile at her. "Look at what I drew," she showed him, not wanting to hear what he had to say. He sat in the chair next to her and leaned in. "It's Sara falling," he figured. "With three arrows in her chest, falling from a roof," she added. "We need to find out who did this," Oliver said. "Especially me," she said softly.

——————

Lydia was pacing herself around the hideout impatiently while Felicity was giving Oliver information through the comms.

"Do you think the guy we're chasing, Lacroix, is the one that killed Sara?" Felicity asked bluntly. Lydia was going to speak when she heard footsteps come in. "Is Oliver still out?" Laurel asked and Felicity nodded. "Hope they catch him," Felicity spoke, watching the city camera.

"He got away," Oliver said, slamming his bow and Roy came in from behind. "He shouldn't have," Laurel said angrily, walking out.

"Uhm... Oliver," Roy started and Oliver faced him, putting his hands on his waist. "I should've given you this a long time ago, but Thea gave me this letter before she left." Oliver took the paper and silently read it. "That's why she hasn't been returning my calls," he muttered, looking closely at the note. Oliver frowned and narrowed his eyes at Roy, "Thea didn't write this." "What do you mean?" Roy asked, taking the paper. "The words are slanting to the right when hers slant to the left," he explained, "and she doesn't right her g's like that."

Lydia's eyes went big and blew air into her mouth, staring at the ground. "Lydia," Oliver said firmly, "did you write this?" "Not my words," she held up her hands. "But you still wrote it," Felicity said. "Faint recollection," she justified. "Where's Thea?" Roy asked and she fell silent. "Where is my sister?" Oliver asked with a stern voice. "Corto Maltese."

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When Oliver kissed her because she was having a panic attack, just like Lydia kissing Stiles

Lydia the whole part: 👁👄👁

And NO, Lydia and Ray Palmer will NOT happen. His talkativeness reminds me of Stiles.