"One of life's most painful moments
comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework,
that we are not prepared."

-Merlin Olsen

It was a moment Oliver wasn't sure he would ever find, and in all honesty he wasn't sure he was ready to find, and yet here he was. Sitting on a toilet seat, in one of the many large bathrooms of the Ritz Carlton. After the whole ordeal with Slade, Jeremy, and finding Roy practically dead, Oliver suggested staying at the hotel for a few days as sort of a vacation away from all the craziness. Granted it had been only two days, but Katie and Oliver seemed all too happy to focus on each other and nothing on the outside of the walls around them. Though it was the beginning of day three, where Oliver awakened first to the room illuminated by sunlight, with the woman lying beside him when it happened. He glanced over to her, and that's when it happened. The moment he admitted to himself that this is how he wanted to wake up every morning. He felt that feeling he thinks he's been waiting for and so he climbed out of bed and slipped into the bathroom where he now sat staring at the open ring box he thinks he's finally ready to use.

"Should I be worried about the amount of time you're spending in there!" Katie called and Oliver quickly stood to his feet. He glanced over to the door before looking back to the ring, with a smile coming to his lips before he grabbed the box and slipped it into his pocket. When he finally came out of the bathroom, he found her standing near the window, looking out at the rising sun, wearing nothing but his shirt.

"Don't tell me you have food poisoning, because I lied when I said I didn't eat some of your chicken when you were on the phone." Katie said and Oliver chuckled appearing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She sighed contently as his lips met her shoulder, moving to the crook of her neck. She turned around in his arms, leaning forward to bring her lips to his, and in a swift movement he lifted her up and brought her over to the bed, laying her down. They finally pulled apart when the need for air was too great. "So no food poisoning. "

"No." Oliver replied, his voice husky and filled with so much want. He laid there above her just staring into her eyes.

"What?" she finally asked, and yet Oliver continued to silently stare, which only annoyed her. "Seriously, what?"

"Why were you my friend?" Oliver seamlessly asked randomly,but to him it was a question he was dying to know the answer to. Katie looked at him, trying to determine if he was serious or not and from the look on his face, he was. "I was a jerk, which we've determined already, but you stayed, why?"

"I don't know." Katie replied seeing how important this answered seemed to be from the seriousness on the man's face. "I guess when you care about something, it takes a whole lot to make you walk away and for some reason you being a jackass just never did it." she reached up, placing a hand on the side of his face, a soft smile coming to her lips. "Maybe I had hope that we would end up right here." she let her thumb, fall to his bottom lips. "Why are you so interested in all of this now?"

"I don't know." Oliver replied once again meeting her lips with his. The kiss once again became heated and it seemed it would only lead to one place that neither would stop. Or at least that's what Katie thought until Oliver once again pulled back, leaving her breathless and confused.

"What?" she asked once again. And Oliver stared at her, the glint in her eyes, flush of her cheeks, her parted swollen lips and this was it. He knew without a doubt that this was the moment.

"Will—" suddenly his phone on the nightstand began vibrating and Katie glanced over, but Oliver just looked to her.

"Your phone is ringing." Katie replied turning back to the man.

"I know." he replied before leaning down to kiss her, hoping to distract her enough. He once again pulled back, this time only inches from her face. "Katie, will you—" suddenly Katie's phone began ringing and Oliver let out an annoyed groan as they turned to Katie's phone.

"Now my phone's ringing." Katie sighed before reaching over to grab her phone. She answered the phone before bringing it to her ear, falling back on the bed and looking up to Oliver. "What happened?" Her eyes widened when Felicity spoke. "We're on our way." Katie dropped the phone from her ear. "Roy attacked Felicity and John before running off."

"Of course." Oliver sighed already sitting up from the bed.

Soon they found themselves back in the basement of the club listening to Felicity and John recount the events for them.

"One minute he's comatose, the next, he's flipping over computer equipment." John said with a shake of his head as he remembered earlier events. "He was a lot more out of control than Slade was at your house."

"He looked like Roy, but he wasn't Roy." Felicity said, still clearly shaken. They all turned when they heard footsteps, only to find Sara walking over to them.

"Sorry I'm late." Sara replied glancing around at the other. "So Roy's gone, any idea where he would go?"

"I don't know, but we have to find him." Oliver replied turning and heading straight for the display case. Sara pulled off her jacket about to change as well, and both John and Felicity looked to Katie who still stood looking at the table.

"What are you thinking?" Felicity asked and Katie glanced over to her with a shake of her head.

"Trying to think like a Mirakuru induced Roy." Katie replied glancing back to Oliver and Sara who were now dawned in their gear. "I should come." Oliver glanced over to her. "The last time you even spoke to Roy, he blew up at you. If that memory is still fresh in his head, he could go automatically to attack mode."

"And we don't know if he wouldn't do that to someone he likes as well. I just think—"

"You two should drive around see if you spot him and me and John will check out his apartment, see if he went back there." Katie suggested looking over to John who didn't make any gesture of agreement or disagreement as he looked to Oliver. Katie turned back to him as well, ready to shoot down any excuse he would throw at her for why she shouldn't leave.

"Fine." Oliver said surprisingly as he glanced from Katie to John. "You find him, don't engage, call us." he looked back to Katie with a serious gaze. "Do not engage." Katie simply nodded before watching Oliver and Sara turn and head out the door. Once they were gone, she turned back to John and Felicity.

"At some point I hope I find out why he'd rather go out there with her, rather than me."

"You already know that answer to that question." John replied grabbing his jacket before checking the bullets in his gun.

"Right, he can't focus on being the Arrow when I'm around." Katie muttered with a shake of her head. "At some point he's going to have to get over that." she glanced over to the man before following him out of the lair.

Katie and John combed through Roy's place twice not finding any trace that the man had been there recently. They were walking out as John spoke to Oliver on the phone.

"We don't think he's been here." John spoke and Katie walked out toward the car, her eyes going down both ends of the street in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. "Alright." John ended the call before turning to Katie. "I guess a call came in about some guys getting attacked by some random guy in a red hoodie. Oliver and Sara are going to go check it out."

"He's not going to be there." Katie muttered with a shake of her head once again looking down the street. "Let me guess he wants us to head back to the club and wait for them."

"Katie—"

"It's fine John." Katie replied turning back to the man. "You should head back, I'm going to stop by GMH and see if Ethan has gotten anything from Roy's blood sample. If he's gotten this violent this fast, then maybe there's something different with the dosage Slade gave him, or maybe it's just an initial reaction and maybe it'll wear off soon." John looked unsure and Katie nudged her head toward the car. "You can stand there and over think this or you can drop me off." John sighed before walking around and getting into the car.

When Katie walked through the doors of the hospital, she was instantly struck with a familiar sensation. It was that same feeling she would get when she worked there. She always felt the need to jump in, and start helping and yet right now that wasn't possible because she made a decision.

"This is a surprise." a voice spoke and Katie turned to see a familiar red head.

"Becks." Katie greeted walking over to the woman. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has." Rebecca replied coldy, before glancing down to the chart in her hand. "Why are you here?"

"I was here to see Ethan, is he—"

"Kit Kat!" a voice called from down the hall, making Katie cringe as she turned to see the man walking toward her. "This is actually a unexpected surprise." the man glanced over to Rebecca and his smile dropped slightly. "Look at this, the band's back together again."

"I doubt that seeing as our doctor Robins here is too busy not doing anything with her life to actually be apart of the band." Rebecca replied before stalking off to check on her patient.

"If she only knew, right?" Ethan replied and Katie turned to him.

"Yeah, but she can't. No one can, and if you say something I will murder you." Katie replied poking the man in the chest. "Look did you run that blood work for Roy. He woke up today and now we think he's on a very violent tour around Starling."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Ethan said nudging his head toward the doctor's lounge. Katie followed him inside and watched as he scanned the room to make sure it was empty before pulling his phone from his pocket. "I was going to bring this by today, but since you're here." he handed her the phone, and Katie looked down to see the results.

"Shit." she muttered scrolling through the results.

"Yeah, his serotonin and dopamine are through the roof." Ethan replied moving to stand beside her "And the effects seem to be happening very quickly, working it's way through his system."

"So there's no chance of this stuff working it's way out of his system?" Katie asked glancing over to Ethan.

"Whatever this stuff is, it's strong and seemed to made to last long." Ethan replied with a shake of his head. "If this was intended to turn Roy into some crazed psychopath, then it's going to work and it's not going to stop working for a while, if ever." Katie turned back to the phone. "What are you thinking?"

"I hope we get that cure soon, because if we don't then there is going to have to be a decision made." Katie muttered before handing Ethan back his phone before heading for the door.

"What decision?" Ethan asked and Katie stopped and looking back to him, with somber eyes and that's when he had his answer. "Oh. Wait—" he took a step forward. "You guys would do that?"

"No, it would be considered, but I wouldn't let it happen." Katie replied honestly with a shake of her head. "We just have to hope Felicity's friends can create that cure."

"I was actually going to head out to Star labs to see if I could assists these dorks Felicity drafted." Ethan said and Katie nodded.

"Good, just don't call them dorks when you get there." Katie replied before turning heading down the hall. She always felt oddly at home here, and if she was completely honest she felt things here did make a little more sense. But she had to give it up for their own good.

When Katie stepped through the sliding door, she stopped when she saw who was standing there, seamlessly waiting for her.

"Isn't it kind of dangerous for you to be out here all by yourself?" came the annoying voice of Agent Amanda Waller.

"Funny." Katie said walking over to stand in front of her. "I was just about to ask you the same thing." Katie glanced around, with a shrug. "But then again, I'm sure you never leave your compound without a small army." she turned back to the woman. "Have you found my father?" Amanda turned away, pretending as if she were surveying the area. "Waller—"

"We shouldn't talk here." the woman said before raising a hand and gesturing for her car to come closer. The woman opened the door, and signaled for Katie to get it, but the doctor didn't move.

"If you seriously believe that I am going anywhere with you, then you are totally bat shit crazy." Katie stated with a shake of her head. "Have you found my father?"

"It's more complicated than anticipated, but if you would come with me—"

"When you find a way to uncomplicate it agent Waller, then we will talk, but until then I don't get in cars with psycho bitches, sorry." Katie replied just as the nearing engine of a motorcycle met their ears. Both women turned at the sudden sight of Oliver, who jumped from his bike and walked over to them.

"Agent Waller." Oliver spoke glancing over to the woman. "Why are you here?"

"Leaving apparently." The woman said glancing over to Katie, before stepping into her car and pulling off.

"Are you gonna yell at me?" Katie asked and Oliver glanced over to her.

"No. Let's go." he replied and Katie furrowed her brow, but followed behind him, climbing on the back of his bike, and wrapping her arms around him.

When they arrived back to the mansion, Katie slid from off the bike and Oliver did the same, before heading toward the house.

"What's going on with you?" Katie asked and Oliver stopped and turned to her. "There's something going on, I just don't know what it is."

"Well my friend is out there and he's a danger to himself and everyone he comes in contact with." Oliver said matter of factly. "Look, I'm tired and would love nothing more right now then to shower and go to bed." Katie stared at him for a moment, before nodding and following him inside. She didn't want to pester him, but she just couldn't knock the feeling that there was something more going on. He didn't argue with her about going with John, and he didn't argue about her going off to the hospital alone.

The next morning Oliver Queen was quiet. Katie watched him closely, the way he would silently stare at nothing as they sat in the kitchen.

"So the rally tonight." Katie spoke pulling Oliver's attention to her. "I figure we're going to have to make an appearance."

"Yeah." Oliver replied standing to his feet and walking over to place his mug in the sink.

"Ok, I don't like this." Katie replied standing as well and turning to him. "This person you're playing, who doesn't say what he's thinking, I don't like him."

"Twinkie, it's fine and I don't want to argue about this." Oliver replied, only for Katie to narrow her eyes at him.

"Fine, I won't push this, but I am watching you Liver." Katie replied and Oliver smiled as he walked over to her, bringing his arms around her waist. "You're being weird."

"According to you, I'm always weird." Oliver replied before bringing his lips to hers. "For right now, let's focus on finding Roy before he hurts someone."

Katie chose to go into the back of the club, while Oliver went through the front hoping to see his sister. It was part of his plan, even though she was still angry. He hoped her seeing that he wasn't going anywhere would help them get back to their relationship.

Felicity sat behind her computer, watching the facial recognition run it's course, as Katie paced behind her.

"You know at this point, I think I should tell you that the whole nervous pacing does not help the atmosphere in the room." Felicity said and Katie simply glanced in her direction. "What are you overthinking today?"

"Oliver is being weird." Katie replied and Felicity let out a snort.

"What, the guy who puts on a hood and shoots arrows at people is acting weird, I don't believe it." Felicity replied sarcastically.

"I'm being serious." Katie said dropping in the seat beside Felicity. "Yesterday with me telling him I was going with John, and no argument about how dangerous it will be if Slade showed up. Then there was him picking me up at the hospital and no riot act about venturing off alone."

"Maybe he's getting used to the idea of you being able to take care of yourself." Felicity replied with a shrug. "Maybe he's loosening the reigns a little?" the last part came out as a question, that even Felicity didn't seem to believe. "You're right, he is being weird."

"Right, it's like he's purposefully trying not to fight with me." Katie said once again standing to her feet and pacing again. "Which I know is crazy for me to even be upset about, it's just when we argue I know what he's thinking, but when he's biting his tongue when I know he wants to say something, I don't like that. I don't want him to not talk to me when there is something on his mind."

"Maybe he's starting to grow." Felicity suggested. "Healthy couples don't fight all the time."

"Healthy couples don't fight crime in their spare time." Katie countered to which Felicity nodded in agreement. Katie glanced over to see the map on Felicity's monitor, noting the spots marked on the screen. "Are those all the Roy sightings?"

"Yeah." Felicity replied as Katie moved a little closer to get a look. They heard the footsteps behind them and turned to see Oliver and Sara coming down the stairs.

"When did you get here?" Katie asked looking to Sara.

"Just now, I forgot the rally was today and didn't expect to see all the people here." Sara replied as she and Oliver walked over.

"You figure out where Roy could be?" Oliver asked as he and Sara saw the map as well.

"No, not yet. He seems to be staying in one area." Felicity replied turning back to the computer. "Verdant, 14th and Hobart, and the bar Sin spotted him at. He looks to be moving east."

"What's east?" Sara muttered. Katie glanced at the map, a sudden realization striking her, before looking over to Oliver.

"Queen Mansion." The both say at the same time.

"If he still remembers where Thea lives well, used to live, but Roy doesn't know that " Felicity said turning back to the others. "There might be something in Roy still left in there."

"Or it's just a coincidence that he's moving east." Sara replied, and Katie turned to the woman with a quirk brow at her coldness.

"I know that Sin's involved, but don't let that cloud your judgment." Oliver replied.

"Well, don't let the fact that this used to be Roy cloud yours." Sara countered.

"I'm sorry." Katie replied, seeming confused with this conversation. "You two are talking, but it's hard to follow." she glanced over to Sara who turned away. "Just so I'm clear, we're still in the people saving business, right?"

"Right." Oliver stated sending a dark glare to Sara, before looking back to Katie. "Don't worry, we're going to find Roy and we're going to get him the help he needs." Sara shook her head slightly, seeming to want to say something, but chooses to bite her tongue. Her phone suddenly rings, and she pulls it out to see a familiar number.

"Sin." she answered and the other watched her curiously." Well I thought I told you to go home." she listened some more. "I'm on my way." she ended the called and turned back to Oliver. "Roy's at the clock tower, we need to hurry before we miss him again." Oliver nodded as both he and Sara rushed off to change. Katie stood there for a moment, unsure what to do when Oliver suddenly stopped and