Chapter Text
2004 October 21st
I had reached the docks in perfect timing the Queen's Gambit was still there I ran down the path reaching my uncle and cousin, I pause puffing "Uncle Robert?! Can I catch a ride with you please?" I asked Oliver had moved inside having missed my entrance to the jetty platform. Uncle Robert frowned at me undecided "Come on Uncle Rob! I promise to be on my best behaviour, you won't even know I'm on board! and this way I'll get to spend time with you before I leave" I pleaded with my uncle giving him my biggest puppy eyes holding his hands he sighed breaking "Okay! Okay, you can come, have you got your suitcase?" I nodded pointing to the two Samsonite suitcases I had packed with a large assortment of things shoved inside "I'm leaving you guys in the port while I make my way up to a retreat high in the mountains for healing, dad found it and has a man who will be waiting for me. To get better" I defend my heavy travelling from the pointed eyebrow handing him the permission slip and papers from dad to be travelling alone over borders, he read it and nodded jerking his head to the boat making the decision. "Go and grab a room songbird. I hope this place helps you, your dad was saying you were having a rough time" He dismissed me with a kiss on my forehead, rolling the cases behind me I approached the gateway nervously figuring out how to maneuver my way on board walking around I put my smaller bag on the lifeboat secured tightly under ropes.
I push my sleeves up and brush my hair out of my face. Putting my suitcase away I check my room for any sort of irregularities a habit dad had gotten me into, canvassing my area and making sure it was safe. For some reason, Tommy never had these lessons only me probably because of what happened years ago. I sighed sitting on the bed flopping back tiredly this was going to be a nice break from him, a knock on the frame had me sitting up when I spy my blonde best friend "OLS!" I raced to him impacting into his chest he huffed hugging me back with the same kind of vigour "Hey Little Songbird, you miss me?" I leant back with a grin taking in the height difference as we hadn't seen each other in two years, not including the two Christmas parties that he spent occupied elsewhere, with other people. "You bet Ols, How were your last years at school?" I asked pulling him into my room so we could sit and talk and we did so for what was probably hours just talking about everything that happened.
His epic breakup with the captain of the cheer team, winning gold in his track events, the amazing parties they threw, all of the trouble they (He and my brother) had dragged Laurel into. I told him about the boyfriend I had who cheated on me with two other girls who were pretty much dead ringers for me and was just using me to be popular, the girls who were abusing me and the torment they put me through and then the retreat I was going to was actually to help deal with mental illnesses the look on his face promised retribution on them as he wrapped me up in a warm protective hug. He was so accepting of everything I nearly cried, He held me tight as we just talked playing 20 questions to make sure we still knew each other after the long separation. Phones were all well and good but nothing beat having my best friend beside me curled against him.
It was about 6 pm when the captain knocked on the door I stood and opened it "Yes sir?" I asked respectfully the man had greyish-silver hair dark brown eyes with liver spots around the corners he was taller than Oliver with a firm posture "Will you be helping yourself to food when your hungry miss?" I flinched at the thought of food "No thank you sir I bought my own non-perishable food, if you don't mind me borrowing the kitchen, I'll make sure to clean up after myself" the man gave me a warm smile and nodded "Very well, See you tomorrow then Miss Merlyn, Oh just as a notice Mr Queen senior had a last-minute emergency that needed his attention he's not on the ship" I blinked but gave an easy shrug not caring too much about the news the men in my family were always too busy for me this isn't exactly a new thing "Uncle Rob is a busy man I'll be fine I can look after myself" I offered the older man a placating smile he tottered down the hall and I spy Oliver laying on the bed wanting to snuggle up to him but didn't want to be a burden.
I bite my lip feeling self-conscious looking at him before caught my gaze he patted the bed "Come on little bird I know you want to" I curled up with him, the warmth comforting and secure making me feel a lot better than I ever had before "Hey we will take this one step at a time, I'm going to be with you each step of the way." I snuggled into his chest smelling the deodorant and cologne he uses along with washing powder Raisa uses on his clothes. To me, Ol's always smelt like home, not Tommy with the cigarette and booze smell with a gross overpowering body spray, not dad with the scent of pressed suits, paper and hair gel but Oliver, strong, kind, caring, loving Oliver who saved me from drowning in the pool at 5, who taught me how to swim the following summer, how to ride a bike that same summer. The same Oliver who spent ages calming me down from my night terrors no matter how many times I had woken him up in a row after mom died. I fell into the space between being asleep and being awake when he slipped out of the bed I settle back into the space between drifting off into a heavy sleep in the warmth of the space.
Two days into our trip nearly 3/4 of the way we had to slow down the pace of travel a lot due to an epic squall that was going down there were two strikes of lighting with a third that hit the boat as a way tumbled us over I crammed as much stuff as I could into my larger case that was already filled with items that I had never unpacked as I ran to reach the lifeboat Oliver is there. It was a blind panic nearly everything being a blur apart from the freezing cold water from both the rain and the sea. I collapse against Oliver as our boat hit the water surface shivering from the freezing cold black water. We watched the boat go down already a far distance from it with no one in the surrounding waters as we yelled and called to try to find any other survivors. A cold feeling of dread pooled in my stomach like the time that Tommy forced me to go into a haunted house "It's just us now Ollie" I tell him he wrapped around me tightly just as he had when I ran out of the same haunted house in tears. "I'll look after you" the older blonde promised I clung tightly to him. thankfully we had my two suitcases and Olivers duffle bag that would help with our survival should we make it out of the ocean alive.
The boat hit shore jolting me awake I blinked tiredly feeling emotional and wrung out, I see Oliver still sleeping in turmoil. I didn’t want to wake him so I leant forward and started going through my cases seeing what we could use what we couldn’t. I had some of Oliver’s oversize jumpers as well as a few pairs of his jeans, several pairs of my jeans, sports bras, tops, an abundance of warm sleepwear, two blankets, a few bottles of water, two bottles of vodka, my hairbrush, my bathroom supplies including a bottle of strong painkillers, Shampoo and conditioner, body wash, a couple of razors, a tube of toothpaste and two toothbrushes. It was a decent collection and I thank my stars that I had this mostly packed with essentials when the boat went down. I took the gun from the weird box that was in the life raft and check it over and looked for more bullets finding them in the box of items that had a first aid kit, flares, as well as a basic survival kit that had all been tucked into the side of the life raft.
The first thing I did was grab the plastic sheet and spread it over the structure creating shelter from the sun for the two of us. Thankfully the tarp was a dull grey-green in colour it would also blend in well with the forest line. Stripping down I got changed into comfortable easy to move in black Jean Leggings with hiking boots a sports bra, a long-sleeved grey sports shirt and wrapped blankets around both of us I curl up and bite back a sob. This was terrifying and I didn't know if I was ever going to get home. Oliver bolted upright looking at me and wrapped his arms around me "Your alive, Your alive, I'm here we're together" I shuddered biting back my sob that was getting a lump in my throat and clung to him "We will make it through this I promise" Oliver vowed I inhale his scent holding on to him "I know," I tell him easily Handing him the gun "You know how to use one of these?" He nodded taking it "Yeah, I do" he pressed a kiss into my forehead “I love you” I hugged him "Love you too Ollie"
We moved the shelter further up the shore hiding it with foliage working on making a fire and keeping it alive I explored the shoreline to find a cave when I find the perfect spot, I mark it making my way back to the spot “Ollie, I found the perfect spot to keep out of the rain and wind Let’s move the stuff there.” He nodded we lifted the raft and we moved together. We sat down after about two hours struggling up the shoreline and I sorted the supplies and made sure that we were concealed properly from others. "We need to start thinking about surviving, you and I need to make it through this that means being able to find fresh water, food. keeping out of the sun and trying to find a way off this island" I listed grabbing my book. He nodded in agreement, I made a list of everything we had and what we could use.
We took our time slowly reaching places we could forage for food using what limited knowledge I had combined with Olivers, there were a lot of ginseng and seaweed soups. I forced myself to eat as much as I could without being sick. "I love you Songbird but we need to figure out what else is edible ginseng isn't good if you have too much," Oliver told me softly after two weeks of following a strict routine, we have slowly become used to the climate and area. We went out the next day when Oliver disappeared a man shot him I bit back a scream and ran for my life getting lost in my fear panicking when I see a man. He turned and grabbed me I screamed panicking, something hit me and my vision went blank.
I woke up in a chair the man who knocked me out dragged me to a large open tent I'm forced into a different chair I blinked rubbing my temples tiredly. "Ah your awake, one of the guards said he found you wandering confused and panicked" I nodded in agreement fidgeting "There was a wolf, I was looking for new foraging grounds when it nearly attacked me I ran and got lost. I'm sorry about screaming I was scared" I tell the man easily biting my lips "I'm quite curious how you found us. The Mandarin people call this place Lian Yu" The man stated "Purgatory," I translated the mandarin confused I held up my hand out of habit "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to disturb your people what has any of this got to me? I've been washed up here for weeks after my uncles' boat capsized, I’ve mostly been in the caves living off what fruits and roots I could find" I tell him apologetically not hiding the trembling in my body. The man chuckled "Not only is she pretty, but she also speaks mandarin" I blushed looking down wrapping my arms around my stomach shyly "I'm not really sir" The man's hand tucked under my chin forcing it up with a gentle force making me look at him "Oh sweetie, you are very pretty, Those girls were probably just jealous, what's your name?" The man ordered rather than asked I bit m lip forcing back tears "Katherine, My name is Katherine Silvia sir" He chuckled pulling out a bottle of water "Call me Edward please darling would you like some water?" I swallowed but gave a hesitant nod "Yes please, Thank you si... Edward" I corrected myself taking the offered bottle, he chuckled as I struggled to get it open “I promise I haven’t poisoned it” I paused looking at him startled “Is that a usual concern?” I asked feeling slightly terrified putting it down. He chuckled amused opening it for me “No it’s not, how old are you, sweetie?” He asked curiously I took a small sip followed by another “I’m 16 si... Edward” I fixed he chuckled putting down a photo. "Who is he?" I asked curiously tilting my head in curiosity. "Do you know who he is?" I shook my head "I wouldn't have asked if I did now would I si... Edward" I countered looking at it. "Well, that won't do at all. I have to make sure you know not to lie to me my sweetheart" He countered lifting my chin up.
A second man walked in wearing a mask half black half red they tied me up and I figured fighting would not only be futile but make my life so much more painful than the original plan they had. The sword entered my side slowly and steadily, holding as still as I could I clenched my teeth with a whimpering groan making sure that I didn't move and make it more painful in doing so. I close my eyes and sniffle in pain sobbing silently trying to keep my body as still as I could. "Do you know who this man is?" I shook my head my eyes wide blown and fearful "Oh what a pity to damage such a beautiful girl any more than you already have poor thing. Let's try a different approach" he put me down and shoved me into a chair, tilting it back I nearly screamed. A towel is forced over my face as he pours cold water over it. I try gaps as the air is knocked out of my lungs from the shock and it's impossible to suck air in from the soaked material, it was also very hard to scream felt like forever but also it but was over quickly "Tell me who he is!" I was trying not to sob my body was shaking violently "I don't know I swear, I don't" a hand wrapped around my throat I gasped and flailed about panicking at the lack of oxygen "Hmm what do you think Fryers?" The sadistic torturer asked I whinge in the back of my throat in pain "She honestly doesn't know or she's a pathological liar, my money is on the former. You can keep her for a toy if you want after Wintergreen, she’ll be of no use to me after I have her, so fix her up and take her to my tent" the man wearing the mask picked me up with ease the wound stretching painfully as he did so I whimpered his arm tightened around me digging the hard coarse fabric into the cut. I hissed but mostly clenched my teeth, as he got some sadistic pleasure from my screams. He shoved me on the bed and climbed on top of me, my tearing my shirt open gluing my wound shut with superglue as he pinched it together and gripped the bed and refused to scream "Don't want to get blood all over everything baby girl" he explained to my surprised face "Not your baby girl" I hissed at him he just laughed at me flipping me over with an impressive amount of strength that has me terrified and petrified in place when more glue is applied to the other side. There is a gel added when I feel a needle enter the wound. I buried my face in my arm I didn't want to see it I could already feel that tugging and pulling of the needle and threat “He’ll have to be careful when he has you, too rough and your stitches will open” I ignored him feeling so violated and scared.
Dragging me by the hair after waiting twenty minutes for the glue to dry, Wintergreen had groped and molested me, he slammed me onto a different bed. I was chained to the bed ad trying to get out of the chains when Edward walked in, “Now I promise to be gentle with you as I assume it’s your first time” I nodded hesitantly at him I felt sick and terrified. He unchained me "There we go easy does it, sweetie"
There was a lot of blood in the aftermath, Edward had taken to cleaning me up gently looking after me "It's over now sweetie, I'm thinking I'm going to keep you" I decide if he's going to use and violate me I may as well take advantage of it. "Will you keep me with you all the time? you won't let Wintergreen have me? I'll be yours?" I asked putting an innocent childish voice on he chuckled kissing me "Of course sweetie, and when my mission is done here, you'll come home with me my pet." I nodded making my eyes big with desire "May I have some water love?" I asked very demurely biting my lip. Edward smiled pulling out a bottle of water and uncapped it for me. "Here Sweetie, rest up I'll be back soon" He chained me back up and I swore internally that made things difficult. I took small steady sips washing his taste out of my mouth. There wasn't much to do apart from thinking about everything I could do to escape how to manipulate the rapist who took my first from me. I decided to get as much rest as I needed to make this possible I'd need all my strength.
I was laying on the bed having thrown up everything he fed me "Ah I see those girls really did a number on your self-esteem. you are beautiful" He assured me I just threw up more violently. He makes a clicking noise with his tongue and just rubbed my back "You are so pretty, Sweetie." I turn to him projecting insecure and vulnerable "Do you really think I'm pretty? He used to say I was beautiful by then found two girls who were prettier than me deciding that I wasn't pretty, that I wasn't enough" I whimpered getting pulled sharply against his body being held tight as he rocked me "He was a foolish young boy, don't worry I'll keep you safe my sweet"
It was a repeating cycle for a week before he stopped chaining me up and handed me a crop top and cargo pants with a new pair of socks kissing my forehead before leaving for the main office. I got changed and gathered everything he wouldn't miss putting them in the backpack, I waited until day 13 before I made my escape as Wintergreen had dragged me out to the woods for his own fun. He pinned me against a tree and I went for it I grabbed his knife and stabbed it into his side twisting and pulling it free kneeing him in the balls. I ran back to camp sobbing hysterically running to Edward flinging myself into his arms telling him about how wintergreen tried to rape me despite me telling him I was Edwards only. The man brought it, hook line and sinker. he sent me to the tent and went after his mercenary and I grabbed the supplies and fled from the camp running through the section of where the minefields lay. I had stopped every now and then to breathe and make sure my newly torn open stitches hadn't had blood fall everywhere.
I made it all the way to a plane wreckage after three days of running and relaxed against the metal structure. When I'm grabbed, a hand covered my mouth to stop me from screaming, I slammed my feet down onto his biting his hand hard enough for him to let me go. I pulled out a knife turning "Who are you and what the fuck do you want?!" I demand hissing like a feral cat. "Slade Wilson, how did you find me?" I let an aggravated scream slip through my lips "I mean to find anyone, not you, not Edward and not that dick head of a mask-wearing torturer" I snapped. when I saw Oliver I slumped with relief, Oliver looked between us and ran over "Slade this is Songbird, the girl I was telling you about" He added the man nodded "Apologies Sheila, can't be too careful on this island." I just hugged Oliver close to me on the verge of tears "Never leave me, please" I begged he nodded just holding me tight in his arms. "We should go get the supplies from the raft." I nodded "Let's go together" I ordered he nodded.
The trip despite both of our fears was quick and easy we left all the non-essentials there and thankfully the camouflage meant that it was untouched we covered it all back and took a shortcut through the caving system. We got back and I set down the stuff getting changed after wiping myself down with a vodka-soaked rag. "Nasty cut you go there Sweetheart" Wilson sneered at me looking at the messed up raw jagged wound that you can tell was glued together after the stitches had come undone almost two weeks old but still it had reopened. I snorted bitterly as I'm patching it up with a slow and steady hand adding stitches to it again the alcohol having helped stem any infection the might have occurred from reopening "I have your molesting partner and his rapist boss to thank for that Wilson" My hand stilled as I sneered at him venomously he faltered slightly looking at me up and down with newfound respect "You're a very strong young woman" I let my lips twitch sardonically continuing my stitching together "Show me how to gut the bastards?" he nodded with a smile "Sure sweetie" it sounded much more polite and fatherly than the sarcastic name a few moments ago. but I flinched anyway "Anything but that please, he would call me that" I explain "Sorry sheila, I'll stick to that one for now." Oliver walked over "I'm going to kill him" he snapped I snarled "He is mine to kill, do not get in my way Ollie" Oliver nodded kissing my temple. "Sorry Songbird" They started training me in earnest as we spared the older man would be relentless and it was almost like having a crass warm tall fatherly built version of Malcolm Merlyn with me. Oliver would train with Yao Fei's bow whilst we did so learning to block blows and using it to knock people out. I wanted to prove myself as one of the guys as a survivor, I refused to be a weak link to these men. I refused to be a weak victim.
I panted getting up "Again" I ordered "No you need to rest or you'll damage your muscles Shelia" Slade disagreed, I sighed but conceded to the older man's point. we sat around the fire I smiled sadly at it "I haven't sung in ages now, it feels so strange to have not sung when I was training to do it professionally" I admit.
The boys headed in two different directions leaving me with the job of putting down the guards when I saw one of my prize targets. I took my chance and went for him I jumped and slashed across his throat before he could blink I followed it with a slash against his stomach nice and deep. I beat the crap out of him as he was dying on the ground until I felt a bit better. I huffed out an annoyed puff of air looking at the body below me collecting his extra guns, knives, ammo and lastly his Katakana, the same Katana that went through me. I kicked at the fresh corpse making his stomach and intestines fall out more blood pouring out from his slit throat "I thought I'd feel better after that fuck it." I muttered to myself as I slipped in and out of the woods, I find it rather easy to kill, making a game of it as I dart about stabbing them in the neck with precision. Maybe I was damaged but right now being damaged means I get to survive, I get to live rather than die, I wasn't responsible for these men they made their choice. I didn't even realise how many lives I had taken until the entire search party were just corpses.
Finding Oliver led me to the camp where fyers kept me, I'm mostly covered in blood and have a large overflowing bag of weapons katana in hand "How many did you get?" He asked curiously not a hit of condemnation or disgust just plain curiosity "Lost count after 20ish. How did you fair?" I asked in return taking the gloves off "Found a woman she's Yao Fei's daughter" I blinked my mind already collecting plans on how to deal with it “Where is the old man? Not often I get tortured for someone I’ve never actually met before” I stated jokingly feeling just a bit bitter Oliver just winced “Not sure he vanished,” He stated huffing “Fucker!” I swore angrily “Hey let’s regroup we can deal with it as we go" He replied. I saw Fyers in the distance and ignored Oliver I went to him "Edward" I called he turned around and I shot him in the head-turning away as his body fell with a thud. "We can go now," I tell Oliver moving to his side he made sure we were touching but avoided the hand that was holding the Katana.
Getting back to the new base camp by the plane, I see Slade already there getting the fire going an Asian woman was with him she looked to be in pretty good shape for someone who was held captive by the same fuckers as me and no I didn't feel bitter about that not at all. I made my way over feeling sluggish and slow everything crashing down on me. "I'm going to go wash this off me, I'll be back soon" I murmured to Oliver he nodded giving me one last hug "I know today was hard, your so brave and strong. I really wish I could have protected you from this" I chuckled hugging me briefly "If you had your way I'd be wrapped up in cotton wool on a pedestal never allowed out into the world" I countered smiling sadly "I love you Ollie but living like that would most likely drive me nuts" I admit tiredly bumping my hip against his. Choosing a new set of clothes and the body wash from my case I made my way down the stream and put the new clothes down on a dry rock. I walked to the deeper part of the spring ignoring how freezing the water is and dove underneath it my body protesting but I forced it to comply washing the blood off turning the water a brownish-red colour. I sat down on the edge scrubbing at my skin with the wash feeling much better. I bit back a sob my body trembling as I remember killing him, I didn't feel anything at the time I just was numb, completely and utterly numb. I got up and dried myself off getting dressed in the new clothes I had brought down.
I reached camp and the sun had started setting I put the bloodied clothes in the washing bag when the Asian woman walked over "I'm Shado how old are you?" she paused for my name looking me up and down "Katherine and I'm 16, my family call me Songbird" I countered giving her my hand to shake she took it with a gentle smile and I feel weirdly protective of the older woman. I didn't want anything to happen to her we walked on she led me to a cave together in silence. Reaching the entrance Oliver is standing there with Slade, they walked towards us "I see you found her alive, Oliver was right not to doubt you Shelia" I snorted "I may be young but I've had training for survival situations, thank you, paranoid asshole father. even if they were more about how to ensure my survival in ways I didn't want to" Oliver snorted "Yeah Mr Merlyn is a bit of a dick," I sighed shrugging "Can't be helped we were all a bit messed up when Mama died, but Malcolm falling off the face of the earth was a fucked up move" I admit "Your dad up and left you maybe for your protection" I snorted sharing a look with Oliver he was as amused by the notion as I was. "Yeah no, He's not that noble he probably couldn't stand looking at me I'm a dead ringer for my mama" I explained Oliver rubbed my back soothingly.
"What happened to her?" Slade asked curiously I winced touching the aged bullet wounds curling up Oliver moved me to sit in his lap holding me tightly supportively "Shot in an alley I was with her I was shot three times person was a shit shot, she was hit vitally I only got skimmed hit my arm, and two places on my side" I countered snorting looking at the gun in my hand "You're 16 you said?" Shado asked softly I nodded "16, the first time I had sex was a rapist who I killed, Edward Fryers the dick he gave me to his second in command as a present fucking rapist, been shot three times, Anorexic, Bulimic with what I did eat, I'm doing great, Awesome track record" I cheered falsely craving the bottles of vodka I had brought with the two older people just stared at me in shock but there was no disgust or pity “Fucking hell sweetie, no wonder your eating like a bird” I sighed feeling emotional wrung out “Do you guys mind taking the first shift? I’m tired” I tell them Shadō nodded kissing my temple “sleep darling we’ll keep watching” I curled up in my spot on the raft which had been put here and there. Oliver came over kneeling my by side kissing my temple "Sleep Songbird tomorrow will be better" He promised I nodded curling up he draped a blanket over me kissing my temple, I was so exhausted sleep claimed me easily.
1985 February 21st
Thomas "Tommy" Ethan Merlyn
1985 May 16th
Oliver "Ollie" Jonas Queen
1985 November 15th
Laurel Lance
1987 December 25th
Sara Lance
1988 June 9th
Katherine "Songbird" Rose Merlyn
1995 January 21st
Thea "Speedy" Queen