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Thea had missed her brother the previous summer, but thought it had been for the best. He had lied too many times, and Malcolm had offered her a chance to become something else. She had taken it. And while trusting Malcolm had been the worst decision of her life, the one thing Thea didn't regret was becoming a stronger person. One who could take care of herself. One who could take care of the city.
Nothing had prepared her for how much she missed her brother now.
It was like a role reversal of the previous summer--only instead of Thea pretending to be out traveling the world but really hunkered down in Corto Maltese with Merlyn, Oliver and Felicity really were out exploring the world. And they were not shy about sharing the pictures with her--something she had been pleasantly surprised by. Her brother, post-island, had been so reserved and closed off, even after he finally clued Thea into the biggest secret in his life. Never in a million years would that brother have sent pictures of the beach and hiking and sightseeing around the US and the world. But that's what was happening. And he looked like a completely different man. Even as a kid, Thea couldn't remember seeing that beaming smile on Oliver's face. Felicity brought a lightness out in him that made her brother shine even brighter. And then came the affectionate pictures. Whether it was a moment captured where Oliver was kissing Felicity's cheek, or they were both beaming into the camera with Oliver's arms wrapped around Felicity, the joy and love and sheer happiness sprang off the screen.
That made it hard to begrudge their time away. And that's what Thea kept telling herself--it was just a really long vacation. Two people could traipse the globe for only so long before they would long to settle down, and then they would come back home. Yeah, Oliver had retired from vigilanting, but soon there would be family dinners and girls' nights getting to know Felicity better (now that they weren't both in mourning), and maybe sibling archery practice days, because there was nothing wrong with Oliver giving her pointers on her natural archery skills.
That's what Thea kept telling herself: Hold on through the summer. Keep yourself busy with the new team. Laurel and Digg (she still had a hard time not calling him Mr. Diggle) were incredibly welcoming to her. While there were moments the older team members acted a little more protective towards her, Thea had more than proved herself and her skills.. Laurel trained harder to perfect her craft, and Digg finally gave in and got a proper identity concealment--solidifying the fact that the three of them were now a real, functioning team.
Then came the phone call that changed it all, causing all of Thea’s hopes to come crashing back into harsh reality.
"Hey, Speedy--are you staying safe?"
"As safe as I can. Where are you calling from today, Ollie? Don't tell me...some exotic beach in the Caribbean, and Felicity has convinced you to get out in the water."
"Actually, that's what I was calling about. We bought a house."
"In the Caribbean? A vacation home? I've seen House Hunters International, Ollie. There are some really nice ones. Is it on the beach? That will be really fun next summer--"
"Speedy...It's in Coast City."
"Like…Coast City, Coast City?"
"Yes. You should see it. It's got this fireplace made from river rock, and there's a loft at the top of the stairs that looks down in the great room. It kind of reminds me of the mansion, you know? Felicity loves all the light flooding in from the windows. The kitchen needs a little updating, but Felicity bought a Keurig and claims that will do. I think she's just trying to distract me from teaching her how to cook. She's a genius, but gets frustrated by burning eggs--Speedy?"
"Yeah, I'm--I'm here. That's great, Ollie. It sounds like you're really happy."
"I am. We are. You'll have to come see it soon. I think you'd really like it."
And just like that, the reality hit Thea. Her brother was never coming back. It was the Queen's Gambit all over again, except this time--this time, he was choosing to stay away. Choosing a life in a different city entirely.
And it hurt like hell.
She threw herself into the team. Into catching the criminals of the city, the ones taking advantage of the death of the Arrow, the ones who thought that meant there was no more justice to be found in the city. She wanted to prove them wrong. She wanted some measure of control in her life again. She needed that control. They were kicking ass and taking names, even if Laurel and Digg still refused to call Thea “Red Arrow.”
They were doing fine without Oliver.
And then suddenly--they weren't.
The Star City Police Department called the group of new criminals “the Ghosts.” It was the perfect name to describe them. They would pop up here and there, without warning, causing havoc and then slipping away. The few times they managed to corner them--the Ghosts didn’t wait to be captured, instead biting down on a cyanide pill and killing themselves, rather than to submit to questioning.
And they were multiplying. For every one they managed to subdue, two or three more would appear. Thea could feel her frustrations mounting, not only from the impossibilities of it all but from everything that was spiraling out of control. Ollie wasn’t here. Her mother was dead. Her father was God knew where in the world, but it couldn’t be anywhere good. And Thea herself--
She finally lost it on a Ghost, taking out her frustrations in a way that felt good, productive, reminding her so much of when her mother had been on trial and Roy had taken Thea aside and encouraged her to hit him. Roy had been right (and that was yet another person in her life she’d lost…)--the hitting helped.
Digg didn’t approve of her sudden appetite for violence, though there was a certain level of respect even as he told her to get her head on straight. Laurel--Laurel simply commented on her form, sharing a piece of advice she’d learned from Ted Grant, and then asked Thea if she was up for a road trip to Coast City.
“The city needs your brother,” Laurel said. After a pause, she added with a pained smile, “Family should be together, when they can.”
Thea refused to admit she needed anyone, but she did miss her brother so badly it hurt. And the problem in the city had gone from bad to worse. Judging from the remote help they’d received from a certain blonde IT genius, Ollie was going to be the hard one to convince, not Felicity. And there was little doubt in Thea’s mind that where Oliver went, Felicity went, and vice versa. The two of them had bought a house together.
A really cute little house, as it turned out. It was in a nondescript neighborhood, with well kept lawns and flowerbeds and neighbors who waved at Thea and Laurel as they drove up. It was a completely different feel from anywhere Thea had ever lived. The Queen mansion had been isolated, set back on its own land outside the city limits with no visible neighbors. Roy’s place had been in a neighborhood where you didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone, Her loft had neighbors, but everyone was so busy with their own lives that Thea couldn’t remember getting more than a nod from anyone else. And Laurel’s place, where Thea had been staying more and more frequently since Oliver and Felicity left town (because staying alone in the loft where she’d nearly been killed had led to too many nightmares), like the loft, had neighbors who were all too busy to really interact on a regular basis.
Thea steeled herself. She knew walking into their house was going to hurt, seeing her brother in his new life, but she couldn’t let Ollie know. Laurel knocked and Thea counted quietly to herself, remembering the breathing techniques Felicity had taught her when they mourned her brother’s “passing.” She got to four before the door flew open and Felicity’s surprised face greeted them.
“Laurel! Thea! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?” She grabbed both of them for a tight hug. Thea could smell her vanilla shampoo--the same one that mysteriously appeared in her shower when Oliver and her shared the loft, the same one that was not allowed to be used. She’d made that mistake once.
“Hey Felicity, is Oliver home? We need to talk to the two of you,” Laurel asked as Felicity was still hugging Thea. Thea could feel Felicity’s body tense.
“Oh no, it’s not Digg, right? Or Lyla? Or Baby Sara?” Thea could see the anxiety in Felicity’s eyes.
“No, everyone is fine. We just need to talk to you two--things in Star City aren’t good.”
Felicity stepped back, welcoming them into the home she shared with Oliver. Thea immediately felt warm, comfortable--a feeling she hadn’t felt since before the Gambit went down.
“Oliver, you have visitors…”
The talk with the two of them went as well as could be expected. Ollie wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of coming back, but he took in the details as Laurel and Thea related them. Felicity didn’t say much as they spoke, but she sat in silent support next to Ollie. Ollie finally sighed at the end of it all and turned to Felicity, seeking her opinion on the whole thing. One look between them expressed more than a ten minute conversation ever could. When Felicity nodded towards Thea and Laurel and said they should already be in the car, Ollie nodded once. He took the tray he'd kept strangely close since he'd walked in.
"I can help clean up --" Felicity offered, but Ollie was already shaking his head.
"Speedy can help me. Why don't you start packing?"
Ollie headed into the kitchen after Felicity's agreement. He didn't wait to see if Thea followed, but kept his attention on the tray. Once Thea had followed him in, Ollie watched the door, tilting his head until he heard Felicity and Laurel heading up the stairs, their voices murmuring lowly.
"Did you make these?" Thea asked, impressed in spite of herself. She swiped her finger at the melting whipped cream. Her finger hit something that did not feel like whipped cream, but more like a hard and cool piece of metal. “Ollie, there’s something--” she started, but she stopped abruptly when she saw what she now held in her hand.
It was a ring. Not just any ring. It was her mother’s engagement ring.
“Thea--” Ollie said in a pleading tone. Thea looked up to see Ollie holding out his hand for the ring, but she shook her head and took a better look at it.
“This is Mom’s ring, isn’t it?” she asked him, her emotions swirling as she realized what Ollie planned to do before Laurel and Thea had shown up. “We interrupted a proposal.”
“Yes,” he admitted freely. He shrugged and leaned back against the counter. “But maybe the timing wasn’t right yet.”
“You’ve been with her five months,” Thea returned. She reached for a paper towel to clean off the whipped cream clinging to the diamond solitaire. “Isn’t this a little fast?”
“I’ve had feelings for her for two years,” Ollie said. He took the ring from Thea, pocketing it carefully. “I may not know a lot of things about my life, but I know she’s it for me.” He sighed and began to dispose of the souffles. “I’m happy, Thea. I’m going to propose to Felicity. Even if it’s not tonight.”
Thea still felt unsure about the whole thing, but she knew one thing--she envied the peace on her brother’s face right now. And if that peace was due to Felicity, if he’d finally figured out what he wanted in his life, then there was only one choice she had. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. “I can help you re-plan your proposal,” she said, her voice muffled a bit by Oliver’s chest. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you, Ollie. Felicity is great.”
She felt her brother relax the longer she hugged him. “Thank you,” he told her. They pulled apart, exchanging smiles for a moment, before Ollie said, “I might take you up on that offer. But please don’t tell Felicity about what I didn’t ask tonight.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Thea said solemnly. She winked in the next moment, making her brother smile. He went to get more of the dinner dishes while she stayed behind in the kitchen.
Her brother was coming home. So was Felicity. For the first time in five months, Thea finally felt like things were going right in her life. Sure, there were the Ghosts and other dangers to face. But those family dinners and girls’ nights and getting to know the woman her brother wanted to marry--those were back on the table.
It wasn’t the ideal situation, but as Thea helped pack up her brother and Felicity, as she helped them close up their house for now, she felt more hope than she had since Ollie said he was leaving Starling City. Whatever was coming, they would face it as a family.
And whatever else might happen, she’d help her brother come up with a kick ass proposal, so she could officially gain a sister.