Arrowheart

Chapter Nineteen

After about two weeks of recovery, I finally convinced Ollie and Tommy to let me leave the apartment. They've both been hovering over me and helping with Hannah, but never simultaneously, which I thought was weird. My dad and I paused our training to allow us to heal properly, but that will start again tomorrow. I know I still have a long way to go before I can truly protect anyone.

Ollie just picked me up and brought me to his club, finally.

Elizabeth: "Oh my god, this looks amazing. I can't believe you finally finished it."

Oliver: "Well, yeah."

We walk down the steps together.

Oliver: "Steve Aoki's gonna DJ right there."

He points to the stage.

Elizabeth: "Really? How did you get Steve Aoki? Or do I even want to know that answer?"

Oliver: "I dated his sister a lifetime ago."

Elizabeth: "Right, I forgot about that."

He holds my arm as he leans into me.

Oliver: "It was like a million years ago."

He kisses me, and I can't help but melt into it, kissing him back.

Elizabeth: "I can accept that."

Oliver: "So, will you be my date tomorrow night?"

Elizabeth: "Hm... Club opening date take two. I'll have to think about it."

He gives me his puppy eyes, making me giggle.

Oliver: "Please, Liz."

I kiss his lips.

Elizabeth: "Of course, I'll be your date."

He smiles, taking my hand and showing me more of the club before I have to leave to meet up with Stephanie for a girls' day with Mary and Peyton. We decided to have a spa day.

The girls decided to go to the club opening, too, and I was thinking about canceling with Oliver for Hannah's sake. I hear knocking at my front door and open it to find Oliver looking as handsome as ever on the other side.

Elizabeth: "Ollie, you're early."

Oliver: "Yeah, sorry, I just couldn't wait to see you."

I let him in, and he kisses me before entering.

Elizabeth: "So, Ollie, I kind of have a little problem."

He looks at me, his face full of worry.

Oliver: "What is it? Did something happen?"

Elizabeth: "Not really, it's just I don't have anyone to watch Hannah tonight."

He smiles as he takes my hand in his.

Oliver: "I think I might have someone to do that."

Elizabeth: "Really? You know someone who might be able to watch a 4-year-old girl at the last minute?"

Oliver: "I have two possibilities. How about you go get ready, and I will give them a call."

He kisses me, trying to reassure me.

Elizabeth: "Alright, but I want to meet them at least."

Oliver: "Of course."

Elizabeth: "I guess it's a really good thing you're almost an hour early."

I kiss him before going to my room and getting ready. I even put concealer over my scar.

When I leave my room, I find Oliver with Hannah and a woman with a little boy I do not recognize.

Elizabeth: "Oliver, who is this?"

He gestures to the woman and 8-year-old boy.

Oliver: "This is Carly, Mr. Diggle's sister-in-law and her son, AJ. She agreed to watch Hannah for us."

I shake her hand as I introduce myself.

Elizabeth: "Hi Carly, I'm Liz. Thank you so much for coming here at the last minute."

Carly: "It's not a problem. I know how hard it can be to find time for a life."

We laugh together before Oliver and I have to leave. When we arrive at the club, I can tell Tommy is avoiding us for some reason, but I don't have time to think about that when Moira and Thea pull us away to the top floor after we get some champagne and Thea gets a martini.

Moira: "To Verdant. [We clink our glasses together] I know I haven't always been supportive of this venture, but I have to admit this nightclub is quite an accomplishment. I'm proud of you. Your father would be too."

Oliver: "Thank you."

Thea: "Yeah, congratulations, Ollie. Your club doesn't totally suck."

We take a sip of our drinks.

Oliver: "Thanks, Speedy. Thank you very much, all of you, for coming."

Elizabeth: "You and Tommy did an amazing job with this club. Congratulations, Ollie."

He smiles and kisses my lips before I leave to find my brother and congratulate him on the nightclub as well. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, a brunette girl walks up to me.

?: "Hey, Liz. Remember me?"

Elizabeth: "I'm sorry, who-"

Helena: "Helena, Helena Bertinelli. The girl you saw at Table Salt with Oliver."

I take a deep breath at that memory.

Elizabeth: "Right, how did that business go?"

Helena: "Not the way I wanted."

Elizabeth: "Yeah, I bet."

I inwardly smile at the thought that she more than likely was trying to get under my skin and is failing.

Helena: "Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something private. Do you have a moment?"

Elizabeth: "Now isn't really a good-"

She grabs my arm, twisting it behind my back.

Helena: "You don't really have a choice."

She guides me toward the back, where she punches in a code to a door I've never seen before. Once we get down the stairs, it looks like the setup of a secret lair. I take a breath before knocking her back. I deflect her first attack but fail to block a kick to my right leg. I groan as I back up and try to knock her off balance. She manages to dodge it, and as I throw a punch, she catches my wrist, twisting my arm behind my back and pinning my face against the table.

Just as my face hits the table, I hear someone coming down the stairs and look up as I hear Oliver's voice.

Oliver: "Dig? [He freezes when he reaches the bottom of the steps and sees me and Helena] Let her go. She has nothing to do with this."

I struggle not to show fear, but when I make eye contact with Oliver, I can tell he is as scared as I am.

Helena: "I told you. Oliver, I warned you."

Oliver: "Helena, this isn't you."

Helena: "My father is a mobster and a murderer. It is not like you haven't killed men like that before!"

My eyes widen at her words. What is she talking about? Is Oliver killing people? There's just no way.

Oliver: "And I tried to teach you to obtain your objective without killing!"

But he does not deny it. Has he really killed people? I look up at him and can tell he is trying to control himself. I know he was on that island alone for five years, and that's something he doesn't want to discuss. Could that island really have changed him that much?

Helena: "By applying leverage. By exploiting someone's weakness."

She moves my arm into a painful position, making me scream out. Oliver looks murderous right now as my tear-filled eyes meet his when she loosens it a bit.

Helena: "There is a whole club full of leverage above our heads right now. Please. Oliver, don't make me do something that both of us will regret."

Oliver: "Okay! Okay. I...you win. I'll help you. Let her go. Let her go!"

After a moment of intense staring between them, she finally lets go of my arm, and I scream as I pull it to my chest. I feel a hand on my back and flinch till I hear Oliver's voice.

Oliver: "It's okay, Liz. I've got you."

He pulls me into his chest, and for a moment, I cry into him with his arms wrapped around me.

Oliver: "She's gone. It's over."

He tries to soothe me, and when I feel his lips on my head, I pull back, looking at him.

Elizabeth: "Oliver, you can't help her. You don't have to do whatever she wants you to do."

Oliver: "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to let her kill anyone. I have to be there to stop her from doing so."

Elizabeth: "How are you going to stop her, Oliver? She could kill you."

I can see the sadness in his eyes as he puts a hand on my shoulder to reassure me.

Oliver: "Elizabeth, I have to tell you something. You need to know now. I am the vigilante."

I give him a look that he knows means 'no shit.'

Elizabeth: "You know, Oliver, I figured that out when I saw this room, and the two of you were talking the way you were. It's not something I want to believe, but it's the only logical conclusion."

He sighs before handing me his suit jacket, which I put on as I wipe my tears away and sit in a chair before him.

Oliver: "You probably have a lot of questions for me."

Elizabeth: "Yeah, but for now, just one will do. Why didn't you tell me?"

Oliver: "I thought you and Hannah would be safer if you didn't know."

Elizabeth: "Did you ever consider the possibility that I might need to know to keep Hannah from harm?"

Oliver doesn't even respond. He just gives me a guilty look.

Oliver: "I'm sorry, Liz. I thought I was protecting you both."

Elizabeth: "I'm gonna need some time to process this."

He nods and is about to walk away till I grab his arm, making him look back at me.

Elizabeth: "Ollie, this does not make me hate you, but we need to discuss this later."

Oliver: "Of course."

He looks hopeful as I look guiltily at him.

Elizabeth: "You're not the only one hiding something, Ollie."

He looks confused as I take off my necklace and place it in his hand.

Elizabeth: "Five years ago, I didn't just have Hannah."

He looks at the locket and opens it to see a picture of Hannah and Liam with me in the hospital bed.

Oliver: "What are you saying?"

Elizabeth: "We had twins. That's our son, Liam. He died the next day.[I wipe away a stray tear.] He couldn't keep the nutrients in his body, and the doctors couldn't save him."

He pulls me into a tight hug, putting a hand on my back and one on my head. I know he's trying not to cry too.

Oliver: "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, Elizabeth. I can't believe you had to go through that alone."