Dyla

Dyla is the het ship between John and Lyla from the Arrow fandom.

Canon
Lyla and Dig were stationed together in Afghanistan and were on a mission together to get civilians to safety in South Kandahar. Diggle was impressed with Lyla as a soldier, especially when she apprehended a hidden enemy in their caravan. They're ambushed and John kills an attacker who turns out to be a boy. Diggle is wrought with guilt and dismisses the commendation he's getting, but Lyla tries to assure him he was protecting himself.

Diggle and Lyla eventually started a relationship and married in Afghanistan while on duty, but got divorced upon returning to the U.S. when readjusting to civilian life. Afterwards, Diggle returned for his 3rd tour in Afghanistan while Lyla came to work for A.R.G.U.S. as an agent.

RECONNECTING

In Spring 2013, after Diggle and Team Arrow have learned Deadshot's real name, Dig decides to relay that information to Lyla at A.R.G.U.S., knowing Deadshot is on their radar and Lyla's impressed as the agency has never been able to get his name. She and John seem to have sporadically kept in touch since their divorce, as John feels he can relay this information and also get intel at times from A.R.G.U.S. as one of his military contacts. They also seem to still care for one another and have an ease in their relationship despite having divorced. Lyla is also flirtatious with Dig when she sees him.

Shortly after, as a curtesy Lyla lets Dig know that they are setting a trap for Deadshot and Diggle decides to take his chance at avenging his brother's murder. Oliver decides to make this his quest as well, but fails to back Diggle up in the moment and Dig ends up face to face with Deadshot when he attacks the agents, Diggle having blown their cover. Lyla is furious with John, asserting that she won't hesitate to have agents keep him from their missions.

In the Autumn, things seemed to have cooled as John meets up with Lyla to get intel on the military weapons circulating in Starling City. As per usual Lyla is flirty and they talk about how Dig's relationship with Carly (whom he doesn't mention) didn't work out. He does mention it's because of Deadshot and Lyla makes a joke about it, in a rough rapport way that is oft associated with people in law enforcement. As John leaves, Lyla makes a point of letting him know that she's not attached either.

REUNION

After some time has passed, John is suddenly abducted by Amanda Waller, in what turns out to be a plea for him to retrieve Lyla, who has gone missing in Russia following a trail on Deadshot. John immediately leaves for Russia, but not before telling Oliver who insists on accompanying him and helping out. Once they arrive, Dig is introduced to Anatoly, whose contacts enable them to get Diggle into the gulag where Lyla's held. Getting himself into a fight in the gulag, in order for Anatoly's inside man to release him John suddenly comes face to face with Deadshot.

In spite of his anger and the opportunity to take him out, John has to bring Lawton along in order to get to Lyla in time — and Deadshot happens to know where she is. They find her and, although she's hazy, she insists they should stay to find Deadshot, showing how much John means to her, beyond her own safety. They leave with Lawton and escape safely together. Once they return home, Diggle tells Lyla that the reasons it didn't work out with Carly don't apply to her, because it's Lyla and they get back together.

Children
Sara Diggle

In Autumn 2014, John and Lyla have a baby girl that they name Sara in honour of Sara Lance after her then recent death. They are incredibly happy, but Diggle also worries a lot about vigilante life and the risks he and Lyla take in their respective fields. After Flashpoint, the timeline changed and she never existed, but due to Crisis she was brought back into the timeline as JJ's sister.

John Diggle Jr.

Following Barry's decision to alter the timeline after his father's death, he returns to the original timeline to find that it, too, has been altered as time has set. This action has many consequences for the people around him on Team Flash and in his family, but also for John and Lyla. When Barry visits Felicity he discovers that his changing the timeline has resulted in Diggle now having a son, instead of a daughter. Sara was later added back into the timeline as JJ's sister.

Fanon
On AO3, Dyla is the most written ship for Lyla and John. It is also the sixth most written ship in the Arrow tag.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * John/Lyla tag on FanFiction.Net
 * John/Lyla tag on FanFiction.Net

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