It's been a week since the debut of Flash and Canary, no one knows who we are yet, but there are whispers, and if there's anything I know, whispers turn to screams in a matter of days.

Barry had planned a date for us since he 'messed up' our last one by going into a 9-month coma. "You look beautiful" He smiled, taking my hand. I had dressed in a red dress with black heels, my hair was back, and I wore the necklace Tommy gave me for a grad present.

"You look handsome" I smiled, kissing him. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," he said, "Hold on"

In seconds we were on a rooftop looking over the city, "Woah" I gasped. I looked around and saw the sun setting and the lights on buildings beginning to turn on.

"Like it?" He asks.

"I love it" I smiled. "How?"

"Iris and Caitlin," He said. "Come on"

We sat at a table and Cisco came out with silver platters, dressed in a white button up and black slacks, and his hair was pushed back, I giggled as he set the platters down. "Bon appetit"

"Thanks, Cisco" Barry nodded. We began eating. "So, you have to go to Starling tomorrow?"

"Yea, it's Robert's birthday and Oliver got him a plaque at the cemetery Tommy is at" I said, "He would be 6"

"I'm so sorry," He said.

"Don't be Barr," I said, "I don't even think I could've raised him, he would've suffered"

"Do you want me to come with you? Moral support?" He said.

"You don't have to," I said, taking a sip of my wine, "My sisters will be there, and my parents"

"I want to be there, for you," He said.

"Okay," I said, he took my hand. "Thank you, Barr"

"Anything for my partner-in-crimefighting,"

~

"Avery!" Thea called out as we got out of my car.

"Thea" I smiled, she tackled me in a hug. "How have you been?"

"Good, I spent some time in Corto Maltese, cleared my head," She said, "How have you been?"

"Good, handling everything in Central City," I said, "You remember Barry"

"Hi" Barry smiled, Thea smiled and shook his hand.

"Good to see you awake finally, I should put an arrow in you for putting her through so much," Thea said.

"Thea" I stated.

"I'm kidding, I only put arrows in criminals," She said, "Come on, everyone is waiting"

We made our way to the plot near Tommy, everyone was there. Oliver, Laurel, Sara, Dad, Mom, Felicity, Dig, Roy, and Lyla. "Hey" Laurel and Sara walked up to us.

"Hello" I forced a smile, they hugged me.

"How are you?" Sara asked.

"Breathing... Thankfully" I said, "How are you guys?"

"Surviving... Thankfully" Laurel said, they linked arms with me and led me to the other.

"Hi, little bird," Dad said, kissing my forehead.

"Hi, dad" I smiled.

We gathered around in a semi-circle, me and Oliver right in front of the plaque. It was covered in a sheet and had a single white flower already placed. "Who put that there?" I asked.

"Slade" Oliver whispered. I did a double take on him.

"What?" I asked.

"He told some ARGUS agents he wanted to put a flower and note on it, so they let him," Oliver said. I walked over and picked the note up, tearing it open.

Dear Avery,

I knew you'd read this note the moment Oliver or someone told you it was from me.

I am sorry for your loss, truly. I wish I could've done more to help him after he was born, but deep down we both know he would've suffered in this world even if he did live.

I was blinded by rage when Shado died, hating you for something you had no control over. When you faced me months ago and confessed to wishing that you were the one killed that night, it hit me. You have faced more pain than I have and I don't deserve to have put up a fit like that. You deserve to hate the world, to inflict the pain you've felt on others, but you don't.

I'm not asking for forgiveness, but I am apologizing.

I am sorry you have suffered the heartbreak of losing your first son, I am sorry for you losing that last part of innocence the night they shot Shado, I am sorry for stabbing you only days after you were forced to bury your son, I am sorry you went to hell, I am sorry you feel like you have to carry the world on your shoulder. I am sorry.

I hope you and this guy Oliver spoke about, are able to live a good life with one another, but never forget what I told you that night all those years ago...

Sincerely,

Slade Wilson, your brother in Hell

I looked up and sighed, "Avery?" Laurel asked.

"He tried to save him that night..." I said, "One of his many guilts"

"What?" Roy asked.

"Nothing, let's do this," I said, folding the paper and stuffing it in my pocket. Dad went over and removed the sheet and revealed the plaque.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "My little angel..."

~

After everything was done, Barry and I were making our way back to the car. "How long will you be in town?" Dad asked.

"A few more hours, want to grab dinner with us?" I asked.

"Of course," Thea said.

"What did the note say?" Oliver asked.

"He admitted he felt guilty," I said, "Basically apologizing for not being able to save Robert"

"Honestly, that's weird to hear" Dig said.

"Yea, weird..."

~

After getting dinner with everyone and saying our goodbyes, Barry and I started driving back to Central City. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"A little better, knowing a part of him will be around even after I'm gone," I said, "Thank you for coming with me"

"As I said, it was no problem," He said, "So, Slade Wilson left you a note"

"Yea" I nodded, "He wasn't always hellbent on killing us once upon a time"

"Hard to believe" Barry sighed.

"He was a friend, a brother," I said, "He taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow, how to throw knives. He helped us survive on Lian Yu, he gave up portions of his food when I was pregnant, he even made Robert a little hat"

"Sounds like a guardian," Barry said.

"He was, he watched over us, made sure none of us got hurt," I said. "I wouldn't have survived Lian Yu without him"

"What else did he say in the note?" he asked.

"He told me to remember something he said to me, shortly after Robert died," I said, "Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit. It means From nothing comes nothing. He was essentially saying, if I stand by and mourn too long, I will create more problems for myself"

"Inspirational," He said, "So what are you going to do?"

"Everything, I'm going to do the exact opposite of what I did when my son died," I said, looking over at him. "I'm going to help you free your father, are you in Flash?"

"I sure am, Canary"