Content: Oliver calls Nyssa while Laurel is in surgery.

It was 11:28 when Nyssa got the call from Oliver that Laurel had been hurt. At the time, she'd been just outside of Star City, planning to stay in an old League hideout overnight and surprise Laurel in the morning. From there, would have taken any normal person at least twenty minutes to get to Starling General, but it took Nyssa less than fifteen.

By 11:40, she was rushing through the busy hallways, searching frantically for Laurel's room. She didn't even need to look at the room number to know when she'd found it; Laurel's team hanging around outside a door at the end of the hall was telling enough. Nyssa hardly spared them a glance as she barged past them, earning a surprised shout from either Thea or Felicity (she didn't particularly care to figure out which), and practically threw herself into the room.

It was empty save for Oliver, looking more disheveled than Nyssa had ever seen him, and Laurel, pale enough to rival the sheets she lay beneath. Fresh out of surgery, it seemed.

"How is she?" Nyssa managed to sound a lot more composed than she actually was.

"The doctors said she going to be fine." Oliver's voice was soft, almost in a defeated sort of way. Nyssa would have taken a moment to pity him had she not been preoccupied with making sure her girlfriend was going to survive.

She hurried to Laurel's bedside and gently laid a hand on top of hers. It was cold, enough so that Nyssa couldn't help but wonder if Laurel hadn't stopped breathing. Despite the heart monitor telling her that Laurel was indeed alive, she took her hand back and held it above Laurel's nose, relieved to feel warm breath on her skin.

"Who did this to her?" Nyssa asked once she was satisfied. Oliver had been irritatingly vague on the phone, and she suspected it was because he was worried she'd go after Laurel's assailant alone. He was correct in thinking that she'd want to, but she wouldn't. Not tonight, at least. Her place right now was here, by Laurel's side.

Oliver didn't answer right away, and Nyssa made eye contact with him, willing him to give her the bastard's identity so she could begin plotting their demise.

"It was Damien Darhk." Oliver told her at last.

She knew the name well, both from her father and from Laurel's updates on what was happening in Star City in Nyssa's absence. More than once, Nyssa had offered to return and assist in defeating Hive, but Laurel had assured her that, now that Oliver was back, they had everything under control. Oh, how she wished she hadn't listened.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been silent, but apparently, it was long enough for Oliver to assume she was making murder plans. A fair assumption, really.

"Nyssa," He began lowly. "You cannot go after him."

"I can and I will." Nyssa snapped. She didn't care what Oliver said; Darhk would pay for attempting to take her beloved from her. "Just not yet." She softened, returning her to attention to Laurel. "I wasn't there when she needed me. The least I can do is stay with her now."

"This isn't your fault."

"I know that." Nyssa sighed. "But perhaps, if I'd been there, I could have done something." Just for something to do with her hands, she began gently smoothing out the wrinkles in Laurel's sheet.

"There was nothing anyone could have done." Oliver attempted to assure her. "Darhk uses magic. There was no way anyone could have stopped him."

True as his words may be, Nyssa couldn't help but tell herself that, even if everyone had been rendered completely useless, she would have done something. She would have fought through whatever magic Darhk tried to use. She would have saved Laurel.

It was a lie and she knew it, but she couldn't bear to think that she wouldn't have made a difference. That she would have been forced to watch helplessly as an attempt was made on her beloved's life.

"Could I... have a moment alone with her?" Nyssa asked quietly.

"Yeah." Oliver gave her a nod and headed to the door. After one last glance at Laurel, he rejoined his team in the hallway.

Once he was gone, Nyssa leaned down to press a kiss to Laurel's forehead, firmly grasping her icy hand.

"I'm so sorry, my love." She whispered, rubbing at the back of Laurel's hand as if she could bring the warmth back to it. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there. Next time, I promise I'll be there."

She was fairly certain that Laurel couldn't hear her, but talking still provided a small bit of comfort. She meant every word of it, too. She was going to be there for Laurel from now on, no matter what. There would be no more long journeys away from her beloved.

"I love you." She whispered, bringing Laurel's hand up to her lips so she could kiss it.

At that moment, the door flew open behind her, and she dropped Laurel's hand and whipped around. Upon seeing that it was Quentin Lance who had nearly broken the door down, Nyssa relaxed slightly.

He seemed surprised to see her, but nothing was said of it. After all, there were far more pressing matters.

Quentin hurried to the side of the bed that was not currently occupied by Nyssa, gazing upon his daughter with a pain in his eyes that Nyssa knew quite well.

"Did they..." He began awkwardly, glancing up at Nyssa. "Did they say when she'd wake up?"

"Not that I've heard." Nyssa replied. "But she will be alright."

Quentin nodded, breathing deeply. He brought his hand over his head, as if trying to run it through hair that was no longer there. Neither of them seemed to know what to say to one another, so Nyssa let her attention drift to the clock. 11:52.

"You got here quick." Quentin remarked, breaking the silence between them. "Last I heard, you left the city."

"I was on my way back." Nyssa replied, her eyes on Laurel rather than Quentin. "She'd been saying she wanted me to visit, so I was going to surprise her. When Oliver called me, I came as quickly as I could."

"Y'know, I'm glad she has you." Quentin nodded in approval. "Despite everything, you're a good friend."

"A friend?" Nyssa asked before she could stop herself. "Laurel hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

Nyssa paused for a moment. Laurel might kill her for telling Quentin about their relationship, but there was no graceful way to get out the conversation at this point.

"She and I have been romantically involved for some time now. She said she was going to tell you."

"The hell is it with you and dating my daughters?" Admittedly, that was not the response Nyssa had been expecting, but definitely not the worst thing Quentin could have said. He didn't even seem that upset, just mildly exasperated. "Alright, listen, I don't want you to think I've forgotten what you did when we first met, but I know you mean a lot to Laurel. As long as you make her happy, I've got no reason to be upset. Just understand that if you ever even think about hurting my baby girl, there's gonna be hell to pay."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Nyssa found it vaguely amusing that he thought he could threaten her, but she'd play nice for Laurel's sake.

It seemed that Quentin was about to continue, but before he could get a word out, a small noise caught their attention. It took Nyssa a moment to realize that the sound had come from the bed between them. From Laurel.

"Laurel?" Quentin put a hand on Laurel's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Laurel, sweetheart, can you hear me?"

Laurel being to stir lightly, her eyelids fluttering. As Quentin continued to rouse his daughter, Nyssa shot another glance at the clock. The moment it turned to 11:59, Laurel opened her eyes and slowly gazed about the room.

"Daddy?" She asked softly as she spotted her father. A small smile slowly spread across her face. "Hi."

"Hey, baby." Quentin whispered back, tears building up in his eyes. "How do you feel?"

"'M tired." Laurel murmured sleepily.

"Yeah, I bet." Quentin gave her a small grin, relief clear on his face.

Nyssa waited patiently beside Laurel, allowing the two of them to have their moment. When Laurel's gaze drifted to her, Nyssa decided that it was well worth.

"Nyssa?" Laurel asked uncertainly. She reached out to touch Nyssa, as if to make sure she was real.

"I'm here, darling." Nyssa took her hand and held it tightly.

At the word 'darling', Laurel's eyes widened and she glanced at her father.

"He knows, my love."

"You do?" Laurel asked incredulously, and Nyssa suddenly got the feeling that she was in trouble. Understandable, considering she'd outed them both without permission.

"Yeah, I do." Quinten said awkwardly. "Looks like you two might need a minute, so I'm gonna go find a doctor to check you over, okay?"

He pressed a quick kiss to Laurel's forehead before shuffling out of the room, leaving the two women alone.

"I'm sorry." Nyssa said the moment he was gone. "I shouldn't have told him without your permission."

"No, no, it's fine." Laurel sighed. "I have no idea when I was planning on doing it. How'd he react?"

"Like a father." Nyssa replied. "He has no issue."

"That's good, at least." Laurel remarked, her eyes drifting shut for a moment. Nyssa squeezed her hand in an effort to keep her awake.

"Are you in any pain?" She asked.

"Not really," Laurel shook her head. "It's kind of numb right now."

Nyssa nodded, satisfied. For about a minute or so, the two of them just existed together in silence, Nyssa stroking the back of Laurel's hand with her thumb.

"So," Laurel began suddenly. "Do you have superspeed now or was I just asleep for a really long time?"

"Neither." Nyssa smiled softly. "I was on my way back to see you. I thought it had been too long, and I was right. I should have come back much sooner. That way, I would have been there."

"Hey," Laurel said seriously. "Don't start saying this is your fault. We've got enough self-blame with just Oliver."

"I know it isn't my fault, but I still wish that I'd been there." Nyssa replied. "And from now on, I will be."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm staying in Star City."

"I thought you said you didn't want to be tied down."

"Things have changed since then."

"Nyssa, no." Nyssa had no idea why Laurel seemed not to want her to stay. She'd been so disappointed when, all those months ago, Nyssa had said she'd be leaving. "Please don't let me be the thing that ties you down."

"Laurel, I don't want you to think I'm staying here out of obligation to protect you. I'm staying because this has made me realize that anything can happen. Yes, I want to be there to keep you safe, but I also just want to spend time with you. If you had died, and the majority of our relationship had been spent away from one another, I would have never forgiven myself for wasting all the time we could have spent together. I want to be with you, fully, in person. I don't want to waste any more time."

"Wow," Laurel chuckled after a long pause. "Did you script that?"

Nyssa rolled her eyes as Laurel tried to stifle her laughter so as not to pull her stitches.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with a dramatic speech like that." Laurel decided. "Remember that offer to stay at my place? It still stands."

"Then I graciously accept."

"Awesome. I'll help you move in." Laurel replied, glancing down at the spot where she'd been wounded. "When I'm not in the hospital, that is."

"I look forward to it." Nyssa said, pressing a kiss to Laurel's hand. "But for now, just rest."