Starter for everyone
Laurel’s eyes narrowed slightly as she stood there, arms crossed firmly over her chest, the weight of the world or at least this moment resting squarely on her shoulders. She didn’t flinch under the scrutiny of the person who had stumbled upon the aftermath of her actions, nor did she seem the least bit ashamed. She had always been good at holding her ground; after all, she was a lawyer, wasn’t she? And lawyers knew the rules… or at least how to bend them. She exhaled, the faintest smirk flickering across her lips. “What? You think just because I’m supposed to uphold the law, I can’t have a drink?” she asked coolly, her voice tinged with defiance. “Funny how that works, isn’t it? It’s how this whole mess started.” The empty glass in her hand was a silent testament to that truth, but she didn’t seem eager to explain more at least, not yet.She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her chin lifted in challenge as if daring them to ask what she’d done. Or worse—why she’d done it.
Oliver's stance matched Laurel's, arms folded across his chest, his eyes fixed steadily on her, not missing the fact that she didn't flinch under his scrutiny. Of course he had been the one to stumble upon her actions and now he stood there, mirroring her stance, stubbornly refusing to back down as he waited for an explanation that would make sense to him. "I think you know it's more complicated than that Laurel." He spoke the words calmly, "I'm not here to judge you though. So why don't you tell me what happened?" He suggested, wanting her to know he was there to listen, he was there to help if she would let him.
Laurel held his gaze, her expression unflinching, even though she could feel the weight of his eyes trying to chip away at the walls she’d carefully built. She let out a quiet breath, one that carried the frustration and exhaustion she’d been holding in for too long. “You think I wanted to do it this way?” she asked, her voice low but edged with steel. “You think this is how I saw things going when I started down this path?” She shook her head slightly, her arms tightening across her chest.“I did what I had to do, Oliver. It wasn’t clean, and it sure as hell wasn’t easy. But sometimes the right choice doesn’t look like the noble one. Sometimes it’s just the one that keeps people alive.”There was a beat of silence, and then her voice softened, just a little. “You said you’re not here to judge. Fine. Then hear me out. All of it. Not just what you walked in on.” She exhaled slowly, letting her arms drop to her sides, though tension still clung to her shoulders.”It started with a call,” she said quietly, eyes drifting past him like she was seeing it all unfold again. “Someone I used to work with. Someone I trusted. They said people were disappearing—low-profile, no press, no noise. Just… gone. Off the grid. And the cops? They weren’t doing a damn thing.”She looked back at him, jaw tight. “So I followed it. Quietly. Carefully. Until I realized why no one else was touching it.” She took a step forward now, her voice gaining strength, conviction. “Because the people behind it weren’t just criminals—they were untouchable. Politicians. Investors. People with reach. People who could bury entire investigations without lifting a finger.” She saw the flicker in Oliver’s eyes, the way his expression shifted just slightly, like he was starting to put the pieces together.”I couldn’t take it to the DA’s office. I couldn’t take it to the department. Every door I could’ve walked through was already locked. So yeah,” she said, lifting her chin, “I made some calls of my own. Worked outside the lines. Maybe even bent a few. But I stopped them.”Her voice dropped then, quiet but fierce. “You of all people should understand that sometimes the line between right and wrong isn’t as clear as we want it to be. You’ve crossed it more times than I can count—and you did it for the same reason I did.” She looked at him”To protect people.”She met his gaze again, steady and unflinching. “So if you’re here to tell me I went too far, fine. I’ll listen. But don’t stand there and act like you wouldn’t have done the same damn thing.”
[@forgedintoahero ]
He listened as she explained everything to him, about why she had done what she did and she was right. He would have done the same damn thing as she did. His only concern now was that if she didn't manage to get them all, that she could become a target, that they could come after her. "You're right. I would have done the same thing. People like you described are the reason I've continued this mission in the first place. I may have started it to put a stop to all the names on my father's list but I continued it to keep our city, our home safe from the likes of these people. Are you sure they've all been stopped though? That there isn't any of them left? Because if there is even one left they may target you to try to get the case dismissed." He said, hoping she understood his thoughts and where he was coming from. "I wish you would have come to me and asked for my help so we could make absolutely sure that you get them all but I understand why you didn't." He at least was trying to understand anyway even if he didn't like it. It was her safety he was concerned about, especially since he didn't want her father blaming him if something happened to her. Her father already disliked him. He didn't need to give her anymore reasons to hate him.
Laurel gave a small, rueful smile not out of amusement, but because of how well she knew him. How well he knew her.“I knew you’d say that,” she said softly, stepping closer. “That I should’ve come to you. And maybe you’re right. Maybe it would’ve made things easier. Safer.” Her voice caught slightly on the last word, but she didn’t let it show. She pushed forward, steady and certain. “But this wasn’t your mess to clean up. It was mine. And I needed to know I could do it without a mask, without arrows, without backup.”She met his eyes again, fierce and unflinching. “I needed to prove—to myself—that I could stand up to people like that. That I didn’t need anyone saving me.”Then her expression softened, just a bit, the fire in her gaze cooling into something quieter. Something real.“But I’m not stupid, Oliver. I know the job’s not done until all of them are gone. And I know that means I could still be in danger.” She gave a small shrug. “That’s the risk I took when I went after them.”Her gaze dropped for a second, then came back up. “I didn’t ask for your help because I didn’t want you to get pulled into it. You’ve already given so much to this city, sacrificed too much. I didn’t want to be another thing you had to carry.” “I know,” she said quietly, stepping closer to him, her voice losing the edge it had carried earlier. “I know you would’ve helped if I’d asked. You always do.” She looked down for a moment, gathering her thoughts before lifting her gaze to meet his again. “But this wasn’t just another mission, Oliver. This felt personal. Not just because of who they were, but because of how they operated—how many people got hurt while everyone looked the other way. I didn’t want to drag you into that unless I absolutely had to.” A faint smile touched her lips, wry and a little sad. “You already carry enough.” She nodded slowly, her tone turning serious again. “I triple-checked every name, every connection. As far as I can tell, the ring is done. But if there’s even a chance I missed someone…” She looked him straight in the eye. “Then I’ll finish it. We’ll finish it.”She reached out, gently rested her hand on his arm. “You always watched out for me. Even when we weren’t on the same side. That never went unnoticed, Oliver. And I appreciate it. Really.”Then, softer still” And for the record… I never hated you. Not even close.”