I had been avoiding Joe and Wells all day, sitting with Caitlin and Felicity, listening on them talking. "Avery" Joe walked in. I ignored him, flipping another page in my magazine. "Partner"

I looked up, eyebrows raised. "Pardon?" I asked, closing my magazine, Felicity and Caitlin looked at me.

"We need to talk," He said, heading into the hallway. I huffed, following him out. 

"What is it?" I asked, crossing my arms as he turned to me.

"I don't trust the arrow because, to me, he's a man without a face," He said, pointing back with his thumb, "He isn't human to me, you're human to me, I saw you cry at Barry's side, I saw you injured and human-like, I've never seen him like that"

"Because we went hell, he took the full force of hell for me," I said, starting to pull my phone out, "He'll be angry at me for this, but if you want to see who that man is, then so be it"

I showed him the photo of Oliver holding baby Sara. "Is that..."

"Yea, the billionaire playboy walked out of hell ready to serve some justice" I chuckled, putting my phone away. "The same playboy who held my hand as I gave birth to my son, who helped bury my son, the same man who mourns my son to this day, the man who held me as I died"

"Avery"

"He is more human than any human, because while his life in luxury, he is determined to die for justice," I said, "You want to call him a murderer? Okay. But as I recall, you fired that shot into Clyde Mardon"

I walked off, heading back into Caitlin's office. "Hey, are you okay?" Felicity asked.

"Peachy" I smiled.

~

I had to come into work to back up Eddie on the task force again, mostly since I was from Starling. "That psycho attacked a witness last night" Eddie exclaimed. "If the Flash and Canary teamed up with him, imagine what can happen"

"If I recall the Black Canary was also there" Singh sighed.

"The Black Canary is a novice," I said.

"The Black Canary has been around since the Canary" Eddie said, looking back at me before looking at Singh again.

"No, those were just The Canaries, the Black Canary is taller and operates without the other Canaries, until last night," I said, "My father has kept a detailed description of them all"

"What about the other ones the so-called Arrow works with?" Singh asked, sitting down.

"Arsenal, Red Arrow, and Spartan," I said, "Arsenal isn't a killer, a tough right hook, but hasn't killed anyone. Red Arrow is the only female Archer, she hasn't killed anyone either, but she has knocked a tooth or two out. Spartan has been around since the beginning, only one kill and that was to save my father from Count Vertigo"

"What about the Canary? Our Canary?" Singh asked.

"18 kills," I said, "Deadly with a simple bo staff, but her kills range in the... sexism acts..."

"They're all psychos," Eddie said.

"The Arrow must be in town for something. If he strikes again, we'll go after him" Singh sighed.

"That's the same mentality they have in Starling," Eddie said.

"You insulting my father, Thawne?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Better yet, you insulting me?"

"Now, now," Singh said, "I think you should leave now, both of you. Lance, this is your day off, so home. Thawne, get back to work"

I sighed, walking out. Joe and Barry were talking to one another. "I should get back to work," Joe said, walking off.

"Hey, Barr," I said. 

"Hi," He said, kissing my cheek. "What did you say to Joe? He seems more accepting of Oliver" 

"I showed him more of a human side of him," I said, "Probably well get an arrow in the leg or something for it, but it's helping me"

"I don't think Oliver will put arrows in both of us on the same day," He said, rubbing his back a little.

"Wait, he actually shot you?" I whispered, pulling him into the elevator.

"You knew?" He asked.

"I thought he didn't mean it," I said, "He told me he would when I told him about your rendezvous with Iris"

"A warning would've been nice" He sighed, "It still hurts"

"Sorry, babe" I chuckled, kissing him. "Let's head to Star Labs

"Yea, really can't look at Oliver again... goddam it hurts"

~

Barry ran us to Star Labs, putting me down in the hallway and taking my hand. "Hey!" Felicity ran over. "How'd it go with Oliver?"

"To be honest, exactly how I thought a partnership with my girlfriend's ex would go" Barry nodded.

"He actually put arrows in him," I said.

"What? He actually did?" Felicity asked.

"You knew too?" Barry asked. Felicity held her hands up in defence.

"Hey, it's practically impossible to tell when Oliver is lying, the only people that can do it is Avery, Thea, and-" Felicity was cut off.

"Me," Laurel said, crossing her arms. "Hey"

"Laur," I said, "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd drop by, ask if you wanted to spar? We haven't in a while" She smiled. Cisco was staring at her in awe. "By the way, I thought you told them I was the Black Canary"

"I only told them about me," I said. Waving my hand in front of Cisco, he stood unphased by my presence.

"Oops?" Laurel shrugged, "So, train with me?"

"I'm down" I smiled, "I'll be back in a bit babe"

I kissed Barry, leading Laurel down the hall to my training room. "That man is smitten with you" Laurel chuckled, "Are you sure you aren't a siren?"

"Shh, don't reveal my secrets" I laughed, handing her a spare detached bo staff, I grabbed the other and we took a stance.

"How has... work been?" She asked, avoiding one of my swings.

"Tiring, justice day and night, plus at home," I said, blocking her swing.

"He's moved in with you?" She asked, grunting as I hit her leg.

"No, but he stays over a lot," I said, maneuvering myself under her leg as she attempting to kick me, "He had to move back in with Joe after... the coma"

I did a tumble as she tried to kick me again, crouching and swinging my leg around, knocking her on her ass. "Fuck" She cursed, flopping back onto the mat. "Why doesn't he just move in with you?"

"We're still working through this whole awkward phase," I said, helping her up. "He doesn't exactly know how to cope with being a vigilante's boyfriend, a vigilante who is still the right-hand woman of her ex who also fathered her son"

"He's going to have to get over it soon, cause I don't see a future where Oliver stops calling you his right-hand woman," She said, we began sparring again. "Plus- You were the Archer's Canary long before the Blurs"

~

Apparently, Barry ran head first into danger with Bivolo. "Barry!" I exclaimed, running into the medbay. 

"I'm fine" Barry sighed, "Not a scratch"

"That doesn't mean it wasn't stupid," I said, crossing my arms.

"It was a flash of red, and the next thing you know, Bivolo was gone," Barry said, standing up. We followed him into the cortex.

"Why didn't you get me or the Arrow?" I asked.

"I don't need help, Avery," He said, whipping around, making me step back a little. "I'm fine"

"Fine," I said, "Than I guess you can take my round this week and I can work double at the precinct, and you can go back to sleeping at Joe's"

"Avery," Barry said, trying to take my hand. "I didn't mean it like that"

"I'm not help Barry, I'm your partner," I said, "And partners work together"

"I know, I'm sorry," he said.

"Come on Laurel, let's go spar some more" I took her arm and we head back to the training room.

"You good, sis?" She asks.

"Working towards it"