#as Rory dies and she lives for him through dying by the angels hand and getting sent back to him

[i-looove-dillydallying]

11th doctor era spoiler alert!!!

I think an interesting part of Amy and Rory’s dynamic is that she consistently chooses to die for him whereas he chooses to live for her

[singledarkshade]

Another New Life

The TARDIS brings an old friend back onboard to the Doctor's surprise especially as he believes the former companion to be long dead

Author's Note - This was my first foray into Doctor Who.

Part One

The TARDIS landed back home within his office at the University and the Doctor leaned against the console.

“So?” he asked.

Bill shrugged, “It was...nice?”

“Nice?” he asked confused, “Is that all you can come up with?”

She shrugged again, “What else do you want?”

Letting out a long sigh the Doctor pushed himself off the console, “Think about it and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Is Bill leaving?” Nardole asked, wandering out from the back of the TARDIS with a few large books.

The Doctor rolled his eyes while Bill opened the door stopping when the TARDIS made a loud clanging noise.

“What was that?” Bill asked worriedly stepping slightly back inside.

The Doctor frowned, “Not sure,” he murmured spinning when the door slammed and the TARDIS suddenly went into flight mode.

“What are you doing?” Nardole demanded of the Doctor, the same time the Doctor yelled it at the TARDIS.

“Doctor?” Bill called.

“Just hold on,” the Time Lord called to her as the room shook throwing them from side to side.

Finally they slammed to a halt and the Doctor started hitting switches as Bill and Nardole scrambled to his side.

“Where are we?” they asked in unison.

The Doctor grimaced turning the screen to them. Bill gasped as she saw soldiers attacking one man who appeared to be defending people scrambling into a small ship using a sword of all things. Before they could do anything the TARDIS started moving again.

They watched as the man began to appear just inside the doors, sword in his hand blood covering him. The moment he became solid the man took a small step back before he spun to look up at the console.

The Doctor stared pushing Nardole slightly out of the way gasping, “Rory?”

Bill watched the man the Doctor had named as Rory take in the room before he looked up at the trio standing at the console once more. His sword came up defensively.

“Rory,” the Doctor said holding his hands up walking towards the new arrival, “You’re safe. You’re in the TARDIS.”

“I know where I am,” Rory snarled, “What I want to know is where the Doctor is.”

Bill glanced at Nardole who winced as the Doctor stopped for a moment. He carefully began to take a few more steps towards Rory who brought his sword up again.

“I am the Doctor,” the Doctor stated softly continuing his journey.

Rory frowned at him.

“You know about regeneration,” the Doctor reminded the other man, “You know I can change my appearance.”

Rory pointed the sword at one of the Doctor’s heart, “Doesn’t mean you are who you say you are.”

Using two fingers the Doctor gently pushed the sword to one side and stepped closer, “I am the Doctor, Rory. I promise.”

“Prove it.”

Bill heard the plea in those two words, the desperate need for it to be the truth.

The Doctor took one more step forward and smiled, “Fish fingers and custard.”

Relief covered Rory’s face at the bizarre phrase, the sword clattered to the ground and he closed the gap hugging the Doctor who, to Bill’s amazement, hugged him back.

“Nardole,” the Doctor called suddenly when the other man became a dead weight against him.

The bald-headed assistant quickly ran down to help and between them they lay the now unconscious man on the floor. Bill reached them just as they were resting Rory down and saw he was young, probably not much older than she was. She jumped when the engines started again and stared in astonishment when the unconscious man disappeared.

“What happened?” Bill demanded.

The Doctor sighed, “Medical bay,” before he started off through the corridors.

“There’s a medical bay?”

  The Doctor wondered what had happened to his friend as he hurried through the corridors to the Medical Bay. He missed Rory, the compassionate nurse who had reluctantly come onboard with the woman he loved. Rory, who had become a Roman Centurion after being erased from time and remembered two thousand years which haunted him in a way Amy couldn’t understand.

He wondered when in Rory’s timeline this occurred because the last time he’d seen the other man was just before the Angel threw him back in time. Rory had never mentioned running into one of his future incarnations but the Doctor also knew that the other man could keep a secret if required.

Reaching the Medical Bay he found that the TARDIS had placed Rory on the main bed, the sword sitting on the bench across the room. The Doctor looked down on the patient and checked the scan for any injuries, only half-surprised to find barely a scratch.

“Is he alright?” Bill’s voice came from behind him.

The Doctor turned, “Just exhausted.”

Nardole appeared with a damp cloth to clean Rory but the moment he touched Rory’s face the younger man grabbed Nardole, a dagger appearing from nowhere pressed against Nardole’s throat.

“Sir,” the cry came as Bill called out.

“Rory,” the Doctor moved to him quickly, “It’s okay. You’re safe. The TARDIS brought you to the med bay. Look around.”

Slowly Rory focussed on the room around him and he drew the weapon back from Nardole’s throat.

“Doctor?” Rory asked passing the dagger to the Time Lord.

“It’s okay, Rory. Do you think you can stay upright to have a shower?” the Doctor asked as the door to the right opened to a shower room.

Rory tilted his head defiantly, “I’m not letting anyone else wash me.”

Offering his hand the Doctor helped the other man stand before Rory pulled away and headed to the other room himself.

“Rory,” the Doctor called after him, “Nardole will be here if you need any help.”

  The water cascaded down on Rory at the perfect temperature the way it always was making him smile.

The TARDIS had always looked after him.

He’d known from the start that the vessel they travelled in had a personality but after meeting the TARDIS in person he became much more conscientious in the way he treated her. Making sure he tidied up after himself, he would on occasion talk to her and in return she always looked after him.

Grabbing the bottle of shower gel he started to wash the blood away, the blood of the soldiers he had fought to save innocents because no one else would. After five minutes he was clean and after twenty-five more he felt it.

Switching the water off Rory wrapped the large towel around his body drying quickly before pulling on the clothes that were sitting waiting for him. They were his clothes, ones that had been left in the TARDIS when he was thrown back in time.

Rory stood and stared at himself in the mirror wondering where the boy from Leadworth had gone, that innocent kid who just wanted to help people and love the girl with red hair.

He rested his hand on the wall and felt the gentle thrum go through it, “Thank you. I missed you too.”

Opening the door Rory found the bald-headed man, Nardole, standing waiting for him.

“The Doctor asks that you join him in his office once you’re ready,” he said.

Rory frowned slightly, “He has an office in the TARDIS now?”

“Not exactly.”

Confused Rory followed the strange man out of the medical bay, reluctantly leaving his sword, and out of the TARDIS into an office where the new version of the Doctor sat waiting for him.

                          *********************************************

  The Doctor assured Bill that it would be fine, she could leave and he would see her tomorrow. His newest companion hesitated but in the end agreed to leave although she did mutter something about keeping the knives hidden on her way out the door.

After another ten minutes the doors to the TARDIS opened and Nardole led Rory out. The Doctor couldn’t help the smile that touched his face seeing Rory before him looking the way he always remembered him. Comfortable denims with a checked shirt, although it did look a little big for him right now, this was Rory once more.

“Nardole, can you get us some tea,” the Doctor said as he motioned the seat across from him to the new arrival.

Nardole nodded and disappeared.

Rory sat down and leaned back studying him for several minutes before saying, “At least you don’t look twelve anymore.”

The Doctor chuckled, “It’s good to see you, Rory.”

“And you’re Scottish,” Rory added, “Interesting. So how long has it been since we travelled together?”

“I think you better answer that one first,” the Doctor noted.

Rory let out a harsh laugh before answering, “The Angels in New York. Amy and I jumped off a building to kill me so I couldn’t be taken but it got me anyway.”

The Doctor stared at him confusion covering his face.

“Amy arrived in the past not long afterwards and we lived a good life together,” Rory continued, “We adopted a son who married a nice woman and we had grandchildren. One night we went to bed, Amy didn’t wake up and then I was sure I had died.”

“Rory,” the Doctor started when the other man trailed off.

“I woke up, in a coffin, the same age I was the first time I met you. I went travelling for a few years. One day while avoiding UNIT I got sucked through a wormhole and ended up where you found me,” Rory finished.

The Doctor stared at him astonished but Nardole choose that moment to arrive with the tea for them. Dismissing Nardole the Doctor quickly poured two cups, automatically fixing Rory’s tea the way he liked it making the other man smile that the Doctor remembered.

  Rory hugged the hot mug to himself watching this new version of his friend watch him over his mug. As he drank Rory began to feel the same comfort he would around the Doctor and found himself asking.

“What am I this time, Doctor?”

“Rory...”

“The last time I was a Nestene Duplicate,” he continued, “I seem to keep dying but not dying and I don’t understand.”

“I wish I had some answers for you,” the Doctor replied softly.

Rory pushed his hand through his hair, “How about telling me how you found me because I don’t expect that you came looking for me. I wouldn’t make that mistake twice.”

“The TARDIS brought us to you,” the Doctor told him, “She protected you bringing you inside.”

Rory smiled slightly.

“She has always liked you,” the Doctor chuckled softly.

Rory gave a slight nervous shrug, “That’s good to know,” he bounced off his chair and moved to the window, “So where and when are we?”

“Bristol University, 2017,” the Doctor told him, “But it has been much longer for me since I last saw you and Amy.”

Rory’s head dropped slightly, exhaustion filling him.

“Why don’t you go get some sleep,” the Doctor suggested, “We can talk more in the morning.”

Rory ran his hand through his hair not sure how to voice his fears.

“The TARDIS will keep you safe,” the Doctor read him, “And I promise we won’t move from that spot.”

Rory smiled in relief, “Thank you, Doctor.”

  The Doctor watched Rory as he headed back into the TARDIS, standing he rested his hand on the box.

“Take care of him,” he said smiling as the TARDIS gently hummed in response.

“Sir?”

Turning he found Nardole standing there, “Yes.”

“Is he staying?”

“Rory will be here as long as he wants,” the Doctor replied, “He is a friend and the TARDIS itself went to rescue him. He is also the father of River Song, so yes he is staying but...”

“Sir?” the question came as the Doctor trailed off for a moment.

The Doctor grimaced, “I want you to go over all the medical data the TARDIS has on Rory. I want to be able to find out what happened to him.”

Nardole nodded and disappeared again leaving the Doctor sitting at his desk staring at the picture sitting there.

“I’ll look after him, River,” he whispered, “I promise.”

                          *********************************************

  To his surprise Rory slept deeply from the moment his head hit the pillow in the room the TARDIS guided him to. Thankfully it wasn’t the same one he had shared with Amy.

When he woke the next morning he lay staring at the ceiling wondering what he would do now. Reaching out he placed his hand on the wall, feeling the comforting thrum once more.

“Why did you come and save me?” he whispered to the room, “Why didn’t you come before?”

As he expected there was no answer.

Pulling himself out of bed he had a quick shower and dressed in the clothes he found in the wardrobe, more of his own, before he headed to find the kitchen. Opening the door he found the strange bald man cooking breakfast.

“Hi,” Rory said softly when the man turned to him, “Nardole, right?”

Nardole nodded.

Rory winced at the silent reply, he took another few steps inside, “I’m sorry about...the...em...the knife to the throat yesterday.”

“It’s fine,” Nardole told him, “Do you want something to eat?”

“Please,” Rory smiled slightly.

Taking a seat Rory ate everything put in front of him, amazed how hungry he was.

“The Doctor asked to see you once you’re ready,” Nardole told him.

Rory nodded, “Sure.”

  “Is it safe?”

The Doctor looked up to find Bill standing in the doorway, “Come in, Bill.”

His student walked in and took her usual seat picking up the pen sitting there she idly tapped it off her hand.

“So,” Bill said, “Is everything...okay?”

The Doctor chuckled softly, “Yes, everything is fine.”

“And the guy with the sword?”

“Rory is getting some rest,” the Doctor told her.

Bill leaned back in her seat and frowned, “So, who is he exactly?”

“Rory travelled with me for a while,” the Doctor told her.

“Did he come after you with the sword often?” Bill asked receiving a frown.

“Rory Williams is one of the gentlest people you will ever meet,” he told her, “The sword is unusual but on occasion he has to pick it up to protect people.”

The Doctor stood and started to pace.

“Is he safe then?” Bill asked.

A disapproving frown covered the Doctor’s face but before he could say anything the door to the TARDIS opened and Rory appeared.

“Sorry,” he said nervously, “Am I interrupting something?”

  Rory gripped the door of the TARDIS as he looked out into the small office where the Doctor stood with the young woman he recognised from the day before sitting at the desk.

“How do you feel?” the Doctor asked drawing him out of the TARDIS.

Rory nodded softly, “Better.”

The Doctor rested his hand on his arm, “Good. I’d like you to meet Bill. I’m tutoring her.”

“In what?” Rory couldn’t stop himself asking.

Bill chuckled, “It depends what day it is.”

Rory smiled offering his hand to her, “I know the feeling. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Bill replied shaking his hand although he could see she was a little nervous about it.

He grimaced realising this was another apology he needed to give, “Sorry if I scared you yesterday. I honestly don’t run around with a sword very often.”

“But this was a special occasion?” Bill smiled slightly making him relax a little more.

“It only seems to happen around the Doctor,” Rory smiled back flashing his friend an amused look.

“And on that note,” the Doctor frowned at him, but Rory could see it was just for show, “We have class. Let’s go, Bill.”

Bill bounced to her feet before turning back, “Do you want to come?” she asked, “Never know what topic he’s going to land on.”

Rory shook his head, “Another time. I have some things to do.”

“I’ll catch up, Bill,” the Doctor told her waiting for the young woman to leave before turning to Rory once more, “The TARDIS stored it in its usual place. Get Nardole to give you a key to the office if you feel like going wandering.”

With a nod he disappeared leaving Rory alone once more.

Heading back into the TARDIS Rory found the room his sword was kept by the TARDIS, it was still covered in blood and he could see nicks in the steel from the other weapons it had clashed with. Taking a seat he began to clean the weapon before sharpening it until it was ready for use. Finally finished he placed it back in the case the TARDIS had created for it and put the equipment away once more.

He was safe in the TARDIS with the Doctor and didn’t need it attached to him at all times anymore.

He just wondered why she’d saved him and what he would do now.

Part Two

[eternlmisery]

Dinah- The Canary rises again 3/3 (Come back to me series)

Read chapter also on ao3 | Read “The Canary rises again” on ao3 | Read the “Come back to me” series on ao3

“Oliver?” Sara questioned as she looked around the room that she was in- if that was even a room to begin with. It was a closed space but once you looked a little bit more carefully you began to realize that it was a pretty strange room. The floor was like you were walking on clouds and purple leaves were falling down the nonexistent ceiling and settling on the clouds. A big window was on the right wall, which was also covered with leaves and through the see-through curtains Sara could make out the same puffy pale purple-colored clouds and sky. On the middle of the room was a white steel king sized bed that looked like it was straight from a fairytale. Sara took a step closer to the mysterious bed and gasped as she saw Laurel lying on the white silk covers on the same dress she was buried in. Her eyes were closed and she looked just like she did back in S.T.AR Labs.

“Laurel, Laurel wake up.” She said and shook her sister, who remained unconscious. “Please Laurel wake up I’m here.”

“Where are we?” Questioned Oliver and suddenly he was right there. He saw Laurel and quickly rushed next to Sara.

“She isn’t waking up.” Sara stated as she stood up and wiped her eyes.

“Sara, look.” Oliver pointed at a white door across the window. “I suggest we get going because we have no idea if we’re on a clock. Too bad my phone can’t come with us.”

She opened the door, revealing… the garden of the Queen Mansion. It was a sunny morning and they could both hear voices on the distance. Oliver furrowed his eyebrows at his former home. It looked the same but somehow it was different than how he last remembered it.  

Sara let Oliver walk in there first, following him before giving her sister another glance. He started walking towards the balcony door that leaded on one of the living rooms, when two children ran out of the house.

“Oh my God.” Sara exclaimed as her eyes were glued to the 10 year old Oliver and Laurel. Oliver was chasing Laurel who was skipping, not really wanting to escape Oliver as it seemed. She still had her brown hair which was long and bouncing on her ponytail. Oliver still had the exact same blue eyes and was just a bit taller than her.

“I caught you, Dinah!” He yelled as he literally tackled Laurel to the ground and she let out a squeal.

“I told you not to call me that, Ollie!” She whined and stood up from the grass, wiping the dirt off of her pink tights. “It reminds me of mommy and I’m not her!”  Oliver laughed at the memories. He faintly remembered that day, but mostly the part when he broke a vase and blamed it on Laurel. He really was a little brat.

“What are we supposed to do here?” Sara questioned, looking at little Laurel and little Oliver who were arguing about something. Before Oliver could answer his younger self started running back inside, with Laurel running after him that time. The other two began following them when the sound of something breaking was heard. Unsurprisingly enough, Oliver stood over a broken vase and looking at Laurel, panicked.

“Now my mom is going to come and being a terrible brat, I’m gonna blame Laurel and she is going to take the fall for it.” Sara chuckled.

“Of course she did, she had a crush on you. Mom and Dad didn’t give her allowance for two weeks.”  

“Oliver, Laurel, what did you do?” Moira demanded as she rushed into the room and looked at the broken vase and two children above it. “Did you break something again, Oliver?”

“I’m sorry, mom. It was my fault.” He told her and pouted.

“Not pinning it on Laurel? Taking responsibility for your actions is showing that you’re growing up, Oliver.” Moira said and ruffled her son’s hair.  Oliver looked at Sara and furrowed his eyebrows.

“This isn’t what happened.” He stated as little Oliver smiled at Laurel and she smiled back. “This is different. I… I liked Laurel here. I remember not liking her. I knew that she did but… this isn’t her real memories.”

 “How much longer?” Leonard demanded as he paced back and forth next to Sara’s unconscious body.

“Again, as you asked 5 minutes ago and 10 minutes ago, I have no idea.” Constantine answered Leonard as he drank from a flask.

“How can you not know what they are doing? They could be dying.” Leonard muttered and sat on a chair.

“Mate, rituals like that can be different for people. They are in Laurel’s mind and heart and they have to find her soul. Something is holding her soul back and that thing makes her not move on. I have only seen this once before, mate and we thought the woman who had it was going to die but she survived so just have faith in your wife.” He said and he half smiled.

“I sense a story, Brit.” Leonard drawled and Constantine sighed.

“My friend Zed, she died. She had visions and my evil guardian angel killed her. Long story short I kept seeing her ghost and realized that something was wrong. She was trapped in between. She was killed by a being that possessed magic, even though he slit her throat. I couldn’t be the one to go in and save her, so I don’t know more. But the thing is that she is alive. And so is Chas as you saw even though he has…” He looked at his hand where he had something written with a pen. “27 more times to die.” Leonard just looked at him, confused.

“I’ve seen some pretty weird things so I’m not gonna ask you anything else about that. But I’m glad your friend is okay now. I just hope same thing happens to Sara.” He looked at his wife, smiling.

“She died and then got resurrected and now she is married and has two kids. This is a piece of cake for her. Your girl has a lot of strength, mate. And I’m not talking only about her muscles.”  

“I know.” He stated and sighed, the only thing on his mind being Sara waking up. “Wanna see baby pictures of my kids?”

 The space around them began to change and suddenly Sara and Oliver were in a very familiar place, Oliver’s bedroom. Laurel was on the bed, studying an SAT prep book, as Oliver walked inside with a pizza and a wine bottle in hand. The young woman turned and smiled at him.

“My hero.” She said and put the book on the bed; walking towards his desk and searching for the bottle opener. “Where the hell is the bottle opener?”

“Bottom drawer.” Answered Oliver and Laurel found what she was looking for, handing Oliver the bottle opener.

“That’s when Laurel asked me to move in together.” Oliver realized and Sara sighed, remembering that this is what started everything. Oliver’s nervousness to move in with Laurel leaded to Samantha Clayton, which leaded to William and then… it leaded to Sara and the Gambit.

“Did you talk to Jean today?”

Laurel furrowed her brows. “About the ski trip?”

“No. Ray asked him to move in with her last night.” He told her and poured wine on her glass.

“That’s great news, they’ve been together forever.” Laurel told him and Sara and Oliver were looking at another different memory again.

“I’ve been together longer.” Laurel smiled.

“What are you saying, Ollie?” She asked him with a smile still on her face.

“You must be tired of my mom busting you and I know I’m tired of fearing that your dad will actually tase me if I ever close your bedroom door again.” Oliver was staring at disbelief as the dream version of him did something he would have never done in that age. And that was what made his life what it was, for better or for worse. “So wouldn't it be nice to have a little place of our own? Not necessarily a little place but you get what I mean.”

The biggest smile broke on Laurel’s face as she pulled Oliver in for a kiss.

“So is this a yes?” He teased with a smile of his own.

“Of course!”

Oliver looked at Sara and just lifted his shoulders, not knowing what was going on either. The scene around them changed again and they were back on the Queen Mansion, especially the fully decorated main room, where they usually held the galas. The whole room was decorated in balloons, garlands and a giant “Happy Birthday Robbie” letter banner was placed on the wall above a giant table where a small boy stood on a chair.

“Happy birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Robert, Happy Birthday to you.” Everyone sang and the little boy blew his ‘5’ candle out. Sara felt her eyes water as an older Laurel stood next to the boy and pulled him in to kiss his forehead. Oliver stood on the other side of Robbie, holding a younger girl with dirty blonde hair and eyes that looked way too much like Oliver’s. She was clapping and smiling down at the 5 year old and Oliver was smiling at Laurel.

“Let’s continue having fun until the cake is all cut and ready.” Laurel said and the people started spreading across the room. Just by looking around, Sara and Oliver spotted a few familiar faces including Samantha Clayton, Tommy and a kid who looked very much like him.

They approached Laurel and Oliver, observing them with their children. They swapped, Laurel holding their daughter up and Oliver helping Robert down the chair and to the floor.

“We missed the cake didn’t we?” Said a really familiar voice and Sara herself walking inside, holding Rory’s hand. Leonard was by her side, with baby Hunter in his arms sleeping despite all of the noise.  “Hunter got hungry and we had to stop.”

“It’s okay, I’m glad you’re here now.” Laurel answered her sister and pulled her in for a tight hug, making the little girl hug her aunt too. “Hey, Rory!” The little blonde nodded and waved at her aunt.

“How big are you getting, Em?” Sara asked her with a big smile. The toddler, Emily looked at her fingertips and then furrowed her eyebrows and looked at her mother.

“Two, baby.” Laurel said to her daughter.

“Two!” She exclaimed with a giggle.

“Two!” Yelled Rory too and the two girls giggled together.

Laurel let Emily down who immediately hugged with Rory, making the two women smile.

“Queen.” Leonard said to Oliver, rocking his son back and forth.

“Snart.” He stated with a nod. “Congratulations on the little one, again.”

“And Happy Birthday to Robbie.” The boy lifted his head immediately, hearing his name.

“Thank you Uncle Len.” He answered and Leonard handed him a large box wrapped in birthday paper.

“Oliver.” Sara told him and shook him by his forearm. “I think this is where we’re supposed to be. We have to find a way to talk to Laurel.”

Oliver shook his head, snapping back to reality. Well, sort of reality.

“If Laurel could talk to us in our Earth I think we can here.”

Both of them started calling Laurel’s name, to no avail.

“Laurel, Laurel, Canary!” Screamed Sara and suddenly Laurel’s head turned to where Sara and Leonard were standing.

“Laurel?” Said the other Sara and Laurel blinked once before looking back at her sister.

“I just thought someone called for me, sorry.”

Sara let out a groan. That wasn’t going to work. But what else could they do? They were stuck. Watching their selves live different lives as they were stuck on a limbo… Just like Laurel. But Laurel’s soul was trapped. And theirs weren’t. Which meant they could go in their bodies.

“We could try to possess ourselves.” She blurted out and Oliver almost laughed. “I’m serious. Oliver, I have two children waiting for me at home and husband and my dad. And you have your sister. Staying trapped here forever isn’t an option for either of us. Get to possessing, Casper.”

“I haven’t done this before. How am I supposed to do this?” Oliver asked her; looking at the other version of him who was feeding his daughter cake. Sara took a deep breath before standing in front of her doppelganger and then literally walking inside of her body. She let out a gasp as she looked at her hands and realized that she was now fully there.  “Okay that was easier than I thought.” He followed Sara’s example and then suddenly little Emily was sitting in his lap and he was wearing a suit and a wedding band on his right hand.

“Daddy more pease!” She whined and sounded way too much like Thea. Looked like her aunt was teaching her a few of her old tricks.

“Want to go play with your cousin and then I’ll give you a half piece okay?” He offered and she looked at him for a moment before nodding and speeding off to go to Rory and the other kids. Sara looked at him and moved away from the group she was chatting with, making him follow her on the garden outside. “What are we going to do now?”

“I didn’t think that we would get this far so I don’t really know.” Sara said and shrugged. Oliver groaned.

“Maybe we need to make her remember. Somewhere in there is the part of Laurel that came and called for our help. We just have to trigger that part and we should be able to come back home once her soul is free to come back to her body.”

“Or float away and we’ll all die.” Oliver glared at her before walking back inside and towards Laurel who chatting with his mother about something. For a moment he stared at the woman he thought he would never see again; the woman who there was a grandmother and had actually known her grandchildren.

“Laurel, can I talk to you?” He told her and she smiled at Moira, telling her she’ll be back shortly. Sara followed the two after giving Leonard a smile, knowing that she would see him again back home… at least she hoped she would. They were all on what looked like Laurel and Oliver’s bedroom, a beautifully decorated master bedroom that overlooked the hillside and the gardens of the house on the back.

“Is everything okay?” Laurel asked with furrowed eyebrows, reaching for Oliver’s hand. He got glimpse of the massive Radiant-shaped diamond that was her engagement ring and was surrounded by small diamonds and her wedding band underneath it, matching the one he wore in his.

“Not really.” Oliver told her and her face began to grow worried. “Laurel, did I ever go on a ship named the Gambit?”

“No. Ollie what are you talking about?” She questioned and looked at Sara. “Sara, what’s happening?”

“Laurel, Oliver went on the Gambit and he invited me there. The Gambit sunk and he ended up on Lian Yu and I was… rescued… by a man named Ivo. And a lot of things happened afterwards, all of them bad but Oliver came back. Laurel try to remember this.”

“Is this a prank?” She asked, her voice trembling. Oliver moved forward, putting his hands on the sides of her head.

“Laurel, listen to me. I need you to remember. It hurts but that’s your life. Remember when we were little and you had a crush on me, when we started dating… when I cheated on you? Laurel you life isn’t only happy moments. It’s pain but you have to remembered that in order to come back.”

“What? Come back where? What are you saying?” She cried and wiped her eyes furiously. “Ollie I don’t remember these. Sara…”

“Laurel, you are my big sister who has forgiven me for doing terrible things and you have literally brought me back to life. If it wasn’t for you I would have never had my family today and my family isn’t complete without you. Laurel you have a chance to come back. Please, remember who you are. Dinah Laurel Lance you are my sister, you are the Black Canary and you are my hero always.” Sara told her sister and pulled her in for a hug as Laurel started breathing heavily.

“Oh my god. Canary. You… Arrow… It’s…” Laurel broke down, falling on her knees on the Persian carpet. “It’s not real… It’s all fake… I have no one… I’m alone… I’m so alone… It’s so dark here. Please, Sara… Ollie… Help me, I want to leave… I want to go home.”

Sara and Oliver looked at each other. Well, that was… interesting. Laurel did have her memories back but nothing happened.

“Your soul is held back, Laurel. We’re here to bring you back.” Oliver tried to explain to her. Laurel immediately looked at the two rings on her ring finger.  She rushed to the balcony window and after opening it, she slipped both rings out of her hand and out of the window.

“I want to leave!” She screamed and suddenly she was waking up; jolting awake on a foreign environment and she was really hoping that she wasn’t on another dream world. Her eyes adjusted on the light and suddenly above her stood Cisco Ramon with the happiest smile she had ever seen. “…Cisco?”

“You’re back. Alive.” He said and pulled her in for an air-depriving hug which she returned.

“I am… I am.” Laurel stated, reaching to touch her stomach, remembering the wound that killed her. Next to her Oliver and Sara were waking up and the first thing they did was look at the woman. Sara practically threw her off balance, hugging her and crying on her shoulder. “You got my message. I knew you would.”

“Good job, everyone. Glad to see that everyone is alive and well.” John Constantine said as he stood up from the bed they set up for him when they weren’t waking up. “You had to come back at 8 o’ clock in the bloody morning?”

“Now as for your payment…” Leonard began saying but Constantine cut him off.

“Nothing. Consider this a gift from me to you.” He looked at Leonard and smirked. “This one here reminded me of something tonight and I guess I’m feeling like doing some charity work. But next time, I’m getting paid. Adios.”

Everyone looked at Leonard for a moment, who just waved at Constantine as he disappeared on the hallway.

“You’ve gotten more beautiful.” Laurel told her sister with a smile.

“And you haven’t aged since 2016.” She reminded Laurel and laughed through her tears. The sisters stood up and began thanking everyone for being such a great help to them and not giving up on Laurel.

Sara walked over to Leonard and fell on his arms, holding onto him for dear life.

“I told you I would come back to you.” Sara said and pulled him in for a kiss, making this even weirder for Laurel. “And I always make good on my promises.”

Laurel was talking with Oliver who was still not able to fully process that the actual Laurel was alive and well in front of him even though he helped save her.

“Want to get breakfast in our place?” Offered Leonard and everyone began talking excitedly.

“I’ll text Barry and Iris!” Said Cisco and took out his phone.

“Oh, I have to call H.R and Julian and tell them to join us. You don’t mind, right?” Leonard and Sara shared a look and smiled.

“The more, the merrier. We have a lot of catching up to do.” Said Sara and Laurel smiled at her. “And Rory is super excited to meet Aunt Laurel.”

“Hello, Leonard Snart, we haven’t officially met but…”

“In my dream prison world you were married to Sara too so if you’re half of the good guy our Leonard is… I think I’ll like you.”

“I just wanted to say that your niece dressed up as you in Halloween. And she’ll be freaking out when she sees you.”

“I can’t wait.” She answered and took a deep breath, ready to make the most out of the new chance to live that she was given.

That morning, an resurrected ex-assassin, an ex-crook, a speedster, a journalist, an ex-Killer Frost, a metahuman engineer, a novel writer, a forensic scientist, a vigilante mayor, a timeship captain, an ex-member of the JSA, a detective and two very confused children heard and told the newly resurrected assistant district attorney what happened while she was gone.

And she just sat back, looking at her sister who last left on timeship, cooing her son as she told her husband to give their daughter more chocolate milk. Oliver was looking at her and she sensed he had some stories to tell too, but they would have to wait until after she explained to her niece that the fact that she came back from the sky didn’t mean that they could get her goldfish, George, back too.