The Darkness: 3

Part 22

Italics- Lydia's voices/visions

Lydia

"What is the status with Oliver?" Ra's asked. "He's choosing to rot in jail," she said softly. Lydia's eyes rolled to the menacing smirk he had on his face then down to her bloody pillow. Ra's soothing, deep voice was the only thing controlling the voices from overlapping and driving her insane.

"Who killed Taher- Al- Safer?" He asked. "I thought you already knew," she said. "Just to see if this is working," he exhaled. Lydia mumbled a few words, trying not to tell him but she couldn't help but say it. "Thea Merlyn."

Oliver

Oliver was sitting quietly, handcuffed to the bar in the interrogation room. He turned his head when he heard the door open and Lance came in with a smirk on his face.

"I always knew it," he said, "but Martin let me believe otherwise." "I don't know what you're talking about," Oliver told him raising his eyebrows. Lance leaned in, "You knew about Sara's death the entire time. When you came back from the island and now!"

"Where's the evidence?" Oliver asked. "The guy, Ra's Al Ghul, gave me everything," he said, tossing a hard drive on the table. "Just give the rest of the team immunity," Oliver finalized. Lance crossed his arms and said, "You should just accept the offer and embrace that evil side of you."

Oliver didn't say anything as Lance uncuffed him from the bar and tightened his wrists behind his back. "You're going to jail kid," he said firmly into his ear. The entire department stared at him as Lance pushed him out the door and into a transportation van.

He could hear the sirens of all the other police cars as the van started moving and he slid side to side from every turn. Every breath Oliver made, Lance would breathe back heavier, keeping an eye on him.

"Ever since you came back," Lance began, "the city has been worse than we could handle." "That's why I save it every night," Oliver told him. "No! You are the reason why it's like this in the first place!" he shouted tentatively, "You're always trying to be the hero. At the end of the day, you're the villain."

The van swerved into a stop and the two hit their head on the metal panels. "What are you up to now?" Lance asked and Oliver shrugged. The back doors busted open and the vigilante in the green suit lowered his bow. "You have the wrong guy," he said with the voice changer. He took off his hood and Oliver saw Roy standing, "I am the Arrow."

Oliver was released and Lance ended up taking Roy to Iron Heights as he made his way to Palmer Tech since the Verdant was comprised.

"Why the hell is Roy taking credit for my actions?!" He asked the team in his angry voice. "We couldn't just sit around and watch you get arrested!" Felicity exclaimed. "And Roy wanted time because he killed a police officer," Laurel explained.

Oliver exhaled, rolling his eyes and glared at everyone in the team. "You agreed to this?" he asked Diggle. "It was the only way," he nodded. "I just helped," Ray pitched in with a wave and he glanced at him. Oliver turned around and left the building, going to his sister's loft.

When he opened the door, he saw Lance speaking with Thea. "What's going on?" He asked, seeing her tear up. "Roy's dead," she cried out, hugging him. Lance lowered his head, glancing at Oliver before stepping back and leaving.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered. "That's what you said to me yesterday and look at everything that happened," she told him, pulling away and sitting down on the couch. He pursed his lips at her with an exhale before he left her loft.

——————

Oliver went back to Palmer Tech and sat down on a stool, feeling useless. He pulled out his phone and called the same number. "Lydia, I'm worried about you, call me back," he said firmly, hanging up. "Is she okay?" Diggle asked, walking in. "I don't know," he exhaled, "she's always doing something."

His phone began to ring and he picked it up in the hope it was her but he exhaled in slight disappointment. "You should come to Route 801," Felicity spoke. "On my way."

Oliver and Diggle joined Felicity and Ray at Route 801 where a familiar red car was in the distance. "Roy?" Oliver asked confusedly. "It was all my idea," he told him with a hug. He glanced back at his team in appreciation then at Roy, "What about Thea?" "She's going to get a letter of my explanation in a few days," he explained.

Diggle gave him a hug, handing him a new passport and license. "Good luck," he told him. Felicity hugged him with a tear running down her cheek. "Hey, tell Lydia that I'm okay," Roy said. "She probably already knows," Oliver narrowed his eyes. Everyone waved at him as he got into his red car and drove away.

Lydia

"Goodbye Roy," Lydia whispered to herself. The same moment she felt him drive out the city was when death filled the chamber. The door opened and the same soft footsteps entered with a cloth drag following.

"Thea Merlyn..." Lydia trailed off, "is going to die." "Barely breathing," Ra's corrected. She winced as he dabbed cotton on the hole in her head. "They're going to come for the Lazarus Pit," she informed him. "Thank you, child," he stretched out before leaving.

Once the door shut again, Lydia could hear the faint buzzing of the light overhead. The small water droplets trickled in the corner and she closed her eyes, going into a daze.

Lydia's mind projected itself and she could see her limp body strapped to the chair. She turned around and went through the door and began to warily walk down the hallways of Nanda Parbat.

Like her time in Eichen, she was expecting to see Meredith to teach her something new but she was left alone. Lydia made her way to the empty center of the sanctuary, staring at the pit.

"It's cool, isn't it?" a familiar voice spoke. Lydia turned to see the tall, lanky boy in a cardigan, scarf, and jeans. "Hi, Isaac," she greeted with a faint smile. He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall, picking up his leg.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she apologized and he approached her. "It's okay." He stood beside her and watched the pit boil. "How'd you die?" she asked curiously. "Wolfsbane was always gonna get to me," he chuckled.

"How is the pack?" He asked. "Blooming." "But you're here," he said, looking around. "I just left Beacon Hills. Whenever we need each other, we'll show," she told him. Isaac moved forward and sat on the ledge of the pit.

"I don't know what he's doing to you..." he trailed off, "you can't die." "I know," she pursed her lips. He stood up and walked to her and she stared into his light blue eyes that glowed brown before going back to it's original. He began to hum Ring Around the Rose and she smiled from his off-key voice. Isaac began to prance in a circle around her and her expression changed. "What are you doing?" Her voice trembled. "You know what's coming."

Lydia came back to her mind, continuing the humming Isaac was doing. The water dropped three times and she stopped the song. "Something's coming," she whispered, hearing all the voices bounce around, "and we all fall down."