Summary: Welcome to Earth-1359 a place that has much the same history as Earth-1. But with some very key differences with our heroes lives. Timelines are not the same for our heroes. Oliver returns to Starling City after five years lost at sea. A few months later the particle accelerator exploses in Central City. LAURIVER SNOWBARRY
Rating: T
Word Count: 45,166
Status: Complete
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13793441/1/A-Different-Timeline
Chapter 1: Part 1
Oliver Queen walked into the dinning room of his family home. At 22 he was the oldest of the three youngest members of his family. His father Robert Queen had divorced Oliver's mother Moria eight years ago after learning of her ongoing affair with Malcom Merlyn, who was the father of Oliver's best friend Tommy. Robert had DNA test done on both Oliver and his little sister Thea. Robert was happy to learn both were his children. He sued and was granted custody of both. It was two years later that Robert married Dr. Carla Tannhouser who was a widow with a then 10 year old daughter named Caitlin. Carla's husband Thomas Snow, Caitlin's father had died three years earlier in an accident in his lab. Oliver remembered the shy quite Caitlin was when they met. But after their parents married they became more like they had been brother and sister their whole lives. Caitlin was eighteen and a true genius. She was already in her second year of college at Starling University as a premed major. Thea was the youngest at 12 years old.
"Morning everyone." Said Oliver
"Morning Oliver." Said Robert
"Hey Ollie." Said Thea
Oliver wasn't surprised that neither Carla who was engrossed in some report or Caitlin who was studying said anything. He walked over to Caitlin and grabbed a piece of bacon off her plate. He was met with an icy glare. He just smiled at her.
"Oliver how many times have I told you not to steal food off my plate?" asked Caitlin
"I have lost track. But you never do anything about it. Because you love me sis." Said Oliver
"Yeah whatever. I got to go anyway. I have a test in an hour."
Caitlin grabbed her books and headed out to her car to head to campus.
"Oliver do you have any plans for the weekend?" asked Robert
"I thought I would take the yacht out. I thought I would take Laurel and Sara Lance out with me. Maybe invite Tommy too."
"Just be careful son."
"Thea shouldn't you be getting to school yourself?" asked Carla looking up from her report.
"Heading out now. See you all later." Said Thea
Oliver watched his sister leave as he sat down to his breakfast. Two days later Oliver boarded the Queen's Gambit with his good friend Sara Lance. His girlfriend and Sara's sister had declined having to study for a test in one of her law classes coming up. Tommy also declined the invitation when he heard that Caitlin was not coming. Tommy had been trying to get Caitlin to sleep with him since her eighteenth birthday back in February. But Oliver knew that was never going to happen. Caitlin was too focused on her school and she also thought Tommy was an ass and didn't want to be just another notch on his bedpost. So it was just Oliver and Sara that boarded the boat. It would be the last time either would be seen for years by their families. The yacht went down during a storm with both Oliver and Sara washing up on Lian Yu and island in the South China Sea. Both were presumed dead. Caitlin was devastated when she heard that one of her close friends and brother were lost at sea. She withdrew from everyone throwing herself into her studies. She ended up finishing her undergrad a year and half later. Three years after that she graduated medical school. She took a job at STAR Labs and moved to Central City. Thea was not happy that her big sister was leaving her and turned to drugs and alcohol. Both Robert and Carla had throw themselves into their work and didn't notice the downward spiral that Thea was taking. It was now five years after Oliver and Sara were lost at sea. Caitlin was in Jitters getting some coffee on her way to work when her phone rang. She answered when she saw it was her mother.
"Mom, is everything ok? Thea and Robert?" asked Caitlin
"You haven't seen the news have you?" asked Carla
"No. Why?"
"Caitlin, Oliver has been found alive!"
"Ollie is alive? When is he coming home? What about Sara?"
"There has been no sign of Sara. Oliver will be home in a couple days."
"I'm coming back to Starling. I will call Dr. Wells and tell him I have a family emergency."
"What about that boy you have been seeing?"
"I will tell him the same thing. Barry knows I don't like to talk about my family. He has no idea that Ollie is my brother. Or that Robert Queen has named me as one of his heirs."
"Ok honey I will see you when you get here."
"See you then mom."
Caitlin hung up and tossed her phone down on the passenger seat of her car. She was glad that her brother was coming home and she no longer had to carry the secret that he was alive. He had scared the hell out of her two years ago when he pulled her into the dark study room on campus two years ago. He explained that he had been recruited to work for some government agency but couldn't tell her more. But he had to make sure she was safe. He had also told her that someone needed to keep a closer watch on Thea. She returned home that night to find Thea had over dosed. She started CPR while calling 911. Thea survived and Robert placed her in rehab. Thea just reached eighteen months clean. Instead of calling Caitlin drove the two blocks to CCPD to tell Barry that she was leaving town. Once she reached the parking lot of the police station she grabbed her phone and called her boss.
"Hello Dr. Wells? It's Caitlin Snow. I need to take a few days off. I have a family emergency in Starling." Said Caitlin
"I imagine that it is a family emergency when your believed dead brother comes back to life. Go and see your brother." Said Dr. Harrison Wells.
"I never told you I had a brother."
"Dr. Snow, I do a background check on all my employees. I know that Robert Queen is your stepfather so the fact that it all over the news that Oliver Queen has been found alive I expected you to call off."
"Thank you Dr. Wells."
Caitlin hung up shoved her phone into her purse and walked into the police station. She waved at Detectives Joe West and Eddie Thawne. Joe West she knew as her boyfriend Barry Allen's foster father and had dinner at his house with Barry a couple times. While Eddie was dating Joe's daughter and Barry's foster sister Iris. She walked up the stairs to the crime lab where Barry worked. She knocked on the open door to get his attention.
"Cait! This is a surprise. I thought that you had to get to STAR Labs early today." Said Barry coming over and giving her a quick kiss.
"Barry, I need to leave town for a few days. It is a family thing."
"Is everything ok?"
"Um yeah. Actually it is good news. Barry what I am about to tell you, you can tell no one."
"Of course Cait. I will never break your trust like that."
"I mean it. Definitely can't tell Iris or Cisco."
"I promise."
"Ok. Uh um my mom is married to Robert Queen the CEO of Queen Consolidated out of Starling City. He is my stepfather."
"I saw it on the news this morning. Oliver Queen was found alive. That means Oliver is…"
"My brother. Stepbrother officially. But Oliver and I don't consider ourselves as anything but siblings."
"Uh yes you would be the mystery third child that the tabloids know about but know nothing about."
"Yeah. I am not ashamed of my family. I just like to keep that kind of thing to myself."
"It's ok. I understand. I know that you just like your privacy. I am fine with that. You go and welcome your brother back to the land of the living. I will see you when you get back, and when you are ready you can let me meet your family."
"How did I get so lucky to meet a guys like you?"
"I don't think you considered it lucky when we first met. I literally walked into you and spilled your latte all over you."
"But even then I couldn't stay mad at you. I love you Barry."
"I love you Cait."
Barry lean down and kissed Caitlin before she headed home to pack for her long drive to Starling City.