The Glades, Starling City
CNRI
September 7th, 2009
4:32 PM
Artemis had needed a break from the seemingly endless questions that Ms. Lance had been asking since they had gotten started on the arrangements. Despite everything that had happened to her in the last twenty four hours, Artemis's resilience was astounding as she slowly but surely gave Laurel the information she needed to put together a strong defense in their favor. It was clear that she didn't want to talk about Jade, her father, and especially her mother because anytime Laurel tried to probe for those particular details, Artemis would either ignore it or downright avoid it with one of her customary sarcastic comments.
What Oliver, Diggle, and Laurel knew for sure was that Artemis was thirteen years old and had had a birthday on July 10th. She had been raised in Gotham City, more specifically deep in the slums with her father and older sister until she ran away when Artemis was nine. Artemis confirmed what Dr. Lamb had found out during her physical earlier that day that she had been physically and emotionally abused for years, but only Oliver had any real inclination as to how far and for what purpose it had been inflicted upon her to begin with. As hard as it was for her to admit even that much, Artemis did so without a snappy and scathing remark, for which both Ollie and Diggle were quite happy to note.
When it became clear that the young blonde was reaching the end of her limit, despite keeping up appearances to the contrary, Laurel called an end to the day's pseudo-interrogation. Diggle was happy to escort Artemis to the bathroom to give her a moment alone. When they were alone, Laurel finally let her small smile fade away as she breathed deeply several times through her nose and mouth, needing a moment to regain her composure. No matter how many times she took on a case like this, she never found it any easier. "I have enough to put things into motion. If you have time, can you bring her back tomorrow afternoon Oliver?"
"Yes, and thank you Laurel, for doing this." She didn't have to see his face to know that he was being completely honest and sincere with her as she felt his hand on her back. The touch sent tingles down her spine that she remembered all too well from the last time they had been together, but despite the fact she had been trying to figure out her and Tommy's relationship or whatever it was at this point, Laurel didn't pull away as she looked towards her former boyfriend.
"Just promise me one thing Ollie; that you'll be there for Artemis, no matter what happens. If you don't commit yourself a hundred and ten percent to her, you'll end up doing a lot more harm than good." Oliver didn't have to be told that to know that Laurel was dead on as she normally was. She had been through Hell, and ironically enough, Oliver was the perfect man for the very long task of putting her back together given that he had been through a Hell of his own.
"I know I made a lot of mistakes Laurel, with you, with...Sarah. But I promise, I won't give up on Artemis." They were all or nothing types of people. Their emotions controlled them, they didn't control their emotions, but that's what gave him and Laurel the strength they possessed.
Having known Oliver had changed since coming back still didn't prepare the lawyer for what she was seeing from the man. "What happened to you, Oliver?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and she regretted them immediately as Ollie looked at the floor between them. "I'm sorry, I know it's nothing you...I'm sorry." The interrogation by her father had revealed the fact he had been tortured, severely, and she still had a hard time imagining what had been done to him despite having seen the scars all over his body personally.
"It's ok Laurel. I still can't talk about that time, but someday..." It'd have to be enough for now. Diggle and Artemis showed up just in time, in Oliver's opinion, as he turned around and saw the two coming their way. The almost anguished look on his face disappeared as he smiled warmly at the girl he had made it his mission to help. Laurel also put her mixed feelings to the side and brushed a hand over Oliver's shoulder as she went to get herself a late lunch. There was a mountain of paperwork she needed to start on. Anything was better than dwelling on the relationship issues she had on top of the case she had just taken on.
"Ready to go Mr. Queen, Ms. Crock?" Both nodded as they watched Laurel walk deeper into the building before the group of three walked out to the parking lot. "Where to next Oliver?" The rather loud rumble from Artemis's stomach answered that question as far as Ollie was concerned.
"A late lunch sounds good to me Dig. The Big Belly Burger seems like the perfect place. We can say hey to your sister-in-law while we're there." The loaded glare that passed from 'bodyguard' to 'employer' wasn't easy to miss as Artemis stayed silent. His attempt at humor had fell flat on its face and Oliver sighed and rubbed the back of his head as, once again, Diggle took the front seat while he and his new ward took the back. Turning his gaze towards the young blonde, Oliver could tell that the few minutes alone hadn't been nearly enough to relieve the stress lines from her face in the least. "I'm guessing that was a little bit heavier than you were ready for Artemis."
"Gee, I wonder why? I've been kidnapped by you, poisoned by my own dad, and I've gone from zero to sixty several times today by dragging up my past, which was the last thing I wanted to do by the way. So yeah, forgive me if I'm in a damn daze." Artemis snapped out at the billionaire and apparently former playboy beside her that had made it his mission to try and fix her. She sighed and grew silent again as she stared out the window, once again without seeing anything that passed by.
As much as Oliver wanted to comfort her, he knew that it wouldn't work. She had been through too much for simple actions to work in her case. Maybe if her mother was still around it'd be another story.
After driving in complete silence for the next few minutes, Diggle flicked his eyes up to the very mismatched pair in his mirror. His boss had had everything handed to him from day one, didn't want for anything in his old life. Those five years on that island had made him appreciate what he had, and now he did all he could to balance the scales. From what little they knew about Artemis, it had been a kill or be killed life she had until this morning, been a part of, and she had come from virtually nothing. All she had was bad memories, a screwed up family, and who knew what else with a hold on her. "We're here you two. Best diner in the city."
Oliver was glad that the silence had finally come to an end as they pulled into the burger joint's parking lot. "He's more than a little biased, Carly would be pissed if he complained too much." Diggle chuckled despite the fact Oliver was probably right about his brother's former wife.
"Guessing she's the sis-in-law you mentioned? So, is your brother as big a jerk as you?" Artemis answered her own question before the man could so much as glare at her. "Probably not, since someone could tolerate being around him long enough to get married." The silence that followed was tense, far more so than the silence that had fallen in the car just moments earlier.
When it was finally shattered, it was by Diggle himself. "Best not bring that up in front of Carly, or me, again. She's a single mother now. Or do I have to spell it out for you?"
"I got the point." Artemis responded with none of her usual snark on hand. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Carly had lost her better half to some tragedy or another, not with the way Diggle rose to her defense anyway.
Oliver did his best to get the awkward moment behind them as he stuck his grinning face between the two and then started to get out of the car. "So...who's hungry? I'm buying." Neither John or Artemis said another word on that particularly touchy subject as they followed behind Ollie and into the restaurant. It didn't take them long to be found by Carly herself.
"Hey Dig, how you been? You should really call me more often you know." It was hard for Artemis to observe how painfully oblivious Diggle was to the flirty vibe the woman was giving off. So fixated on the two of them, Artemis didn't notice Carly saw her until she was practically introducing herself. "So, who's your new friend Mr. Queen?"
"Artemis Crock. Nice to meet you Carly." Diggle was impressed that their new 'friend' was actually behaving herself for once. That changed the instant she opened her mouth again. "It's not polite to ignore a lady's question Dig, how come you don't call?" Oliver had to hide the smirk that was on his face by turning away and pulling out his phone, which thankfully had vibrated at that moment, indicating someone was trying to reach him.
Diggle tried to put together a response while giving Artemis his best veiled threatening glare that he could pull off. "Sorry Carly, been busy with Mr. Queen and his new charity case here. Personally, I think he's going easy on her. Seems pickpocketing is one of Artemis's favorite hobbies."
Artemis only gave a noncommittal shrug before speaking again. "And who was it that tackled me to the pavement? You're not exactly a lightweight Dig." Just to add insult to injury, she poked at his belly, earning a light hearted laugh from Carly and a scathing glare from Diggle for her trouble.
"Ah...so now you have a man child, as well as an actual child, to worry about. You know Dig, some women find that type of responsibility pretty sexy." Artemis wanted to facepalm when Diggle just kept on staring at the menu in front of him. What is wrong with you?! Would it help if she had come to the table in nothing but her underwear?
"Like you Carly? And I'm shutting my mouth." Oliver stepped in and quickly backed off when Diggle's hand wandered to his holstered weapon on his right thigh. At least one of the men around her wasn't a complete idiot as Artemis scooted over and let the guy sit beside her. "Sorry bout that by the way, my mom decided to call and confirm the rumor that we might have a new house guest tonight. Apparently Dr. Lamb thought it a good idea to give my mother some forewarning."
"Joy. Can't wait to meet her. I'm sure your snooty family will just love having an extra maid." You didn't exactly need a degree in psychology to see the young girl wasn't thrilled by the idea of staying with Oliver's folks. Somedays, Oliver had shared her discomfort the first couple weeks back from the island.
Oliver looked over to the mildly upset girl and nudged her in the arm. "What do you want Artemis?"
"A totally different childhood would be nice." The deadpan response was quick, just like everything else out of the young archer's mouth had been thus far.
Oliver tried not to notice the slight frown on Carly's face as he sighed at the difficult kid next to him. "Let me rephrase that, what would you like to eat?"
"Oh right...um, I'll get the belly buster burger." Artemis said as she put down the menu and leaned back in the seat. Oliver and Diggle quickly ordered two more burgers with fries while the waitress grabbed their menus.
"I'll go put that in for you." Carly paused and stared directly into the younger girl grey eyes. "You really lucked out meeting these two, you know that right?" After making her point, the woman turned and headed towards the order window.
"We'll see." Artemis said just loud enough to be heard by her two tablemates. Sighing heavily as she crossed her arms over her chest and crossed her legs over the knee, she looked for all intents and purposes bored to tears.
Since conversation didn't seem to be on the menu, the three quietly sat and waited for their food. Oliver and John looked over missed messages on their phones while the look of 'boredom' on Artemis's face only increased. "You know you're going to burn a hole in the wall, you keep on staring at it like that right?" Diggle didn't have to look away from his phone to see that Artemis hadn't moved a muscle the whole time since Carly had left.
"Maybe I should try staring at you instead then. You probably wouldn't notice if you caught on fire, considering how lame you are around Carly. She practically threw her bra at you, and you didn't even blink." Oliver nudged Artemis in the side to stop her from saying too much, but she had finished about that time anyway so it wasn't necessary. Oliver understood his friend's reluctance, but he still felt that Carly would be better off with Diggle in her life more than he was already.
"Listen...before you two get started, I know alright? I'm not stupid. It...it just wouldn't feel right." It was a lame excuse, even to his ears, but how did you ask your brother's old girlfriend if she wanted to go out with you? Especially if your brother was gunned down by a mercenary that used curare in his bullets?
"Huh. Let me ask you something Diggy, are you attracted to her? She certainly isn't ugly..." Artemis was almost disappointed at how easy it was to manipulate Diggle. That'd be something her old man and Jade both could and most likely would use against him if given the chance.
Diggle tried to keep his voice down, even though he felt like yelling some sense into his 'friends' at the moment. "That's not the point! She was my brother's-"
He didn't get very far as Oliver put a hand on his chin and thought it over. "Okay, so that's clearly not the problem, and a blind man could see how she feels." Oliver was quick to add in, much to Diggle's growing annoyance and horror.
"Okay. One belly buster, and two regulars. Can I get you anything else Dig, besides some other people to hang around maybe?" Even as she said that, Carly gave Oliver and Artemis a playful wink as Diggle just mumbled something incoherently.
"Thanks Carly." Artemis said as she picked up her giant hamburger that had been put in front of her. "I guess I know why it's called a belly buster. Sheesh. This is huge." Her stomach wasn't about to protest however as she got a good whiff of the burger's intoxicating scent. After one giant bite, the two men saw something they never expected. Artemis actually looked happy, and her honest-to-God smile was just a tad unnerving, with both men seeing it for very the first time.
"Uh oh...what's wrong? Why aren't you frowning? This can't be good Oliver, I mean she can't possibly be smiling after all." Diggle did his best to appear wary, while Oliver just grinned at the girl, a satisfied gleam in his eyes.
After swallowing her first mouthful, Artemis only glared at the two for a moment before she responded. "I never had one before, what do you expect?" Diggle's eyes snapped up when he realized what had just come out of Artemis's mouth. Oliver was just as dumbfounded, to say the least. The young girl's cheeks burned red for only a few seconds before she managed to say something. "Hello? Zero to sixty all day today? This is just another example of just how well I'm gonna fit in with your family."
Oliver and Dig tried not to look at the girl in shock as she continued to wolf down the burger. "Did she just say she never had one of those before, or am I hearing things Oliver?" It was all Diggle could do not to blink stupidly as the realization sunk in that she had told them the truth. Hamburgers were one of the staple foods of the U.S.A., as bad as they were for a person's health in most cases. "You mean a burger at this diner, right?"
"No stupid, I mean I never had a burger, as in ever." There had been plenty of opportunities, but her dad wasn't one for eating out for obvious reasons, and delivery was out of the question.
"Did she really say that she hasn't had a burger before?" Oliver replied in awe, for once, equally stunned since he had had his first burger with his father long before he was stranded on the island. Even that glancing reminder of that time made his smile falter as he focused on the other part of Artemis's statement. "Okay, the first thing you're doing, after you get settled, is take a little introduction to what I call American Cuisine 101."
"He just made that up didn't he?" Artemis asked Diggle who only shrugged. He was used to Oliver pulling stuff like that out of his ass.
"Just preparing you for his mother's attempts to no doubt try and fatten you up. One thing's for sure, you'll never be hungry again." Diggle couldn't tell if Artemis was more comforted or alarmed by that statement from the look in her eyes. Maybe Laurel was right and Oliver had gotten them in over their heads? Whatever the case, they were in for a penny, in for a pound, and there was little chance of him giving up on her anytime soon. Make that ever. Oliver might be a stubborn son of a bitch, but at least he's a loyal one.
Both men didn't say a word a short while later when the kid pocketed what remained of her meal. Neither man could blame her for storing a snack, given where she had come from not so long ago. Oliver especially could understand the habit of hiding food for later. It had kept him alive on more than one occasion. "So what's your family like besides rich and snobby?" Since it seemed she didn't have a choice in the matter, Artemis figured she might as well try to figure out what she was walking into.
"Just don't let Walter or my mom hear you say they're snobby and we'll be alright. They are good people, even despite the fact it might take my mom some time to adjust to the idea of having a potential grand kid running around. Walter is blunt, but sincere in his dealings in and out of the office." Oliver had nothing against Walter despite how he had acted around the man when he had come back, and after adjusting to the idea Walter was there to stay, had even started to like him quite a bit. He was blunt but sincere in everything he said or did.
"Walter? As in Walter Steele, the guy that runs your company? As if I needed yet another reason why I don't belong with you." Oliver was tempted to grab the girl's shirt sleeve, seeing the skittish look on her face, but didn't let himself.
How is she supposed to trust me if I never show her I'm worthy of it? "Hey, don't worry about it. Like I said, they're good people. And just because we have money doesn't mean we're any different than other family Artemis." He realized too late that was the worst way he could have said that.
A loud snort of laughter showed how believable she thought that sounded. "Yeah. Right. Can we just get this over with? The sooner you and your family see that having me around is a bad idea, the better. I still don't know why you're doing this as it is."
"You heard the lady Dig, let's go see how utterly horrible my folks are." Oliver snarked as he left a generous tip for Carly and got up from the table, not watching to see if Artemis was following him. He didn't have to worry as the blonde fell in step behind the 'hero', with Diggle not far behind.
"Least you're honest." Diggle smirked, as he got behind the wheel yet again.
The Queen Mansion
6:21 PM
Artemis quickly gave Ollie her take on the castle-like Queen Mansion. "Wow. I was wrong, you people aren't rich, you're just plain stupid rich." She'd never admit it, ever, but she was about as scared as she had been just the other night. This terror was a different kind perhaps, but being surrounded by strangers all day hadn't helped.
"It might help if you don't call them stupid, just FYI. Only Thea and I are allowed to be that offensive on a daily basis, and I've at least made attempts not to be such a jerk." Artemis had to roll her eyes as Oliver gave her a little bow while opening the front door. "M'lady?"
"Call me that one more time, and I am so stabbing you in your sleep." Artemis grumbled as she pushed past Oliver at the same time.
"Hello Artemis! It's nice to finally meet you." Of all the possible introductions Oliver had been expecting, Thea's excited greeting had been the last thing he would have seen coming as his little sister ran down the stairs. The 'deer in headlights' look that Oliver was so used to seeing on Artemis's face was back in full force. He even winced as Thea gave the new house guest a light hug, that he definitely had not been expecting. Before he could try to get Thea to back off, she did it herself as she blushed crimson at her own excitement and broke off the hug. "Sorry, I know that was probably a bit too much."
"She has been bouncing off the walls since your mother received word of your latest endeavor Oliver." Walter said from the top of the stairs, his face unreadable as he looked down at the small crowd in the main foyer of the house. "Ms. Crock, let me be the second to welcome you to our home."
"Um...hi." By now, Artemis had managed to regain most of her dignity as she took in the man approaching her, as well as her surroundings. "Nice place you got here. And Thea Queen right? It's...nice to meet you too." The fact she had gotten her mouth to work at all was a miracle in and of itself, but Artemis was surprised by her own almost cordial response to those that had all but swooped down on her the moment she walked in.
That surprise turned back to her usual cautious nature as an older woman entered the foyer and gazed at her coldly before looking to Oliver. "I trust you'll be taking this seriously Oliver." Her gaze once again settled on Artemis, and it wasn't exactly pleasant. "Hello Ms. Crock. I hope you enjoy your stay in our home." As uncomfortable as she was with the idea of what her son had gotten them all into, Moira Queen would not be the reason for it falling apart. She had every intention of making sure Oliver understood however that he was on his own on this. "Well Oliver, what are you waiting for? Politely show Ms. Crock to her room would you?"
He knew when to vacate the area as fast as possible, and took the hint for what it was. "Of course. Come on Arty, I'm sure Thea's just dying to show you what she threw together for you, right Speedy?" The glares he received from both his sister and his new charge were of equal embarrassment and annoyance.
"How do you know that? And would you please not call me Speedy?" She knew it was a lost cause, having asked her big annoying brother not to use her old nickname before, but Thea would never flat out refuse him the right either. She was happy just to have him back at all.
"He does it to you too huh? Already got my annoying nickname." The smirk left her face as Artemis found herself looking at her new sneakers. "You didn't have to go to any trouble for me or anything."
Impulsive, reckless Thea Queen was in rare form today. Oliver couldn't honestly remember a time since his return that she had looked so bright and full of life. Hanging out with her 'friends' didn't count since they always wound up bar hopping. Still, it was nice to see his little sister high on life for once, instead of something else. "Too late! Come on, I'll show you around. You coming Ollie?"
"Right behind you, I just hope you went easy on the pink. As in non-existent." Oliver wouldn't really blame Artemis if she tried to climb out a window tonight, thanks to his sister's unique fashion style.
Thea only took a moment to shoot a glare over her shoulder at her brother without ever breaking her stride. "I didn't touch pink, thank you very much. Give me a little credit Ollie, Artemis isn't a child after all." Oliver was shocked at this new kinder, more responsible version of his sister. Huh. So this is how everyone else must feel around me. Creepy.
"Thanks for noticing Thea." Artemis was honestly glad that at least one of the Queens, besides Oliver, was making her feel at home. Walter she wasn't sure about just yet, but he hadn't given her a cold glare like Moira had. The fact she had meant her response to the younger Queen surprised Artemis more than a little.
"Here we are, I hope you like it. Now...I know it's a little small-" Artemis had stopped paying attention to the girl's words the second she had opened the door to 'her room'.
Oliver was even impressed with what his sister had done in such a short time. The guest bedroom had a simple yet elegant feel to it, with the walls colored a few shades darker than sky blue. The queen sized bed was made up with deep purple satin sheets, and a heavy matching comforter. The fact she had her own bathroom wasn't lost on the young archer as she took several tentative steps forward and brushed her fingers over the large dresser that was right next to the giant walk in closet. Both were no doubt empty, but Oliver planned on changing that soon enough.
"I don't know what to say...I really don't, and I always have a snappy comeback ready." Artemis managed a small wry laugh as she tried to brush at her eyes as casually as possible in an effort to hide the grateful tears that threatened to fall.
"Just what happened to you Artemis?" Thea asked before she realized the words were out of her mouth, having not expected such a reaction by giving the thirteen year old girl a place to sleep as far as she was concerned anyway. She didn't understand just how far Artemis had come in the last twenty four hours, that she had come literally from nothing to everything.
"That might have to wait for another time Thea. Let's just give her some time to adjust." Oliver suggested, much to Artemis's relief as he shut the door behind his sister, following her out but not without a warm glance in the blonde's direction. Only when she was sure she was absolutely alone did the 'mask' she had been wearing all day finally slip away and Artemis's defenses crumbled. She barely made it to the bathroom which, by itself was bigger than her old room back in Gotham, and collapsed against the shut door. Curled up with her knees drawn up to her chin, Artemis didn't know how long she stayed like that as she cried her heart out. Relief, terror, gratitude, shame, so many emotions she couldn't even put names on passed through her mind from everything that had happened, and when she was finally able to think straight again, she found that she was honestly glad to be where she was now.
Oliver had pulled her away from the bastard that called himself her father, and while she didn't trust him more or less than anyone else she had met today, she owed him for what she might have from now on if things didn't end up blowing up in her face. It had happened before, so Artemis wasn't holding out any hope just yet as she made it a point to wash her face and erase any evidence she had been crying before looking around for something to tie her hair up. She hadn't been able to get a new hairband in a very long time. Finding a pack of rubber bands that someone had forgotten in the medicine cabinet, Artemis shrugged and did what she did best and improvised.
When she opened the door, Artemis wasn't expecting to see Walter waiting for her, that same inscrutable expression on his face and his hands folded behind his back. "Making sure I didn't sneak out a window?" She mentally cursed her smart comment the second it was out of her mouth. To his credit, Walter didn't react in the slightest and simply stood aside, letting Artemis out of the bathroom and into her new bedroom. "I'm sorry, today's been...a lot to take in." That is the understatement of my whole pathetic life.
"It's quite alright Ms. Crock." He had prepared to give the newcomer to the mansion a rather lengthy speech, but then he had heard her heart wrenching sobs behind the door. Whatever his step son's mistakes in the past, Walter Steele was the type of man that was willing to give someone a chance to prove themselves one way or the other. Whatever misgivings he had held about Artemis had disappeared for the most part when he had overheard her quiet tears. He still felt it appropriate however to give her some friendly advice. "I just wanted to inform you of one thing. If you are planning to take advantage of our hospitality, then this will end badly. But...if you truly want a better life, then you are most welcome here."
Artemis could only nod to the stern older British gentleman in front of her, getting the distinct impression that he'd do exactly as he had implied if she messed with his family. Walter seemed satisfied, for the moment, and let the matter drop as he left without another word. The blonde allowed herself an involuntary shiver once he was out of sight before she followed, wanting a chance to look around the mansion without someone giving her the guided tour, as she was sure someone would have been more than happy to do. She didn't get far though as she saw Oliver standing at the end of the hall, leaning against the railing to the stairs with his arms crossed, unsurprisingly waiting for her. "How'd the talk with Walter go?" With a scoff and a roll of her eyes, Oliver only smiled a little at her reaction. "That good huh?"
"Yeah, that good. Now can we get this tour moving already so you have an excuse to follow me around?"
"What? I need an excuse?" Oliver gave her another sarcastic little bow, motioning with both arms that she should take the lead.
With another scoff, Artemis merely shook her head before doing as he 'asked'. "You are so annoying, you know that right?" Dumb question, of course he knew it. It was little wonder he and Laurel had relationship issues, but after the incident with Diggle and Carly, Artemis managed to hold her tongue in check by some small miracle. It helped that she was still reeling from the literal culture shock she was going through, given the dramatic shift in her life. Even if she didn't believe it would last, it was still a lot to take in.
They didn't get far before someone interrupted their little 'chat'. "What are you waiting for Ollie?! Oh fine, I'll do it myself. Come on Artemis, let me show you around the place." The way Arty's face went from annoyed to mildly nervous never failed to amuse Oliver, as Thea dragged the younger girl by the arm. He just gave her a little wave as her expression screamed, 'Get me away from your crazy sister!'. The expression on Artemis's face rapidly shifted to 'You're so dead when I get away from her!' when it became clear he wasn't going to step in anytime soon.
As much as it amused Oliver to see Thea dragging Artemis away, Oliver made it a point to follow several feet behind them. Unlike everyone else thus far, he trusted her, but he thought it a good idea for her comfort more than anything to stay close at hand, just in case. "Thea...Arty's not some pet you can drag all over the place. You could try asking first. Treat her like, you know, a person?"
Artemis couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as Thea slowed up and blushed a deeper red than the blouse she had on. "Oh...sorry. What would you like to-"
"Just try not to pull my arm out of socket and we can go wherever Thea." It had taken every bit of willpower she had not to put Thea in a headlock until she let go, and the look on Oliver's face confirmed he knew how close she had been to doing just that. Artemis had the feeling that her new 'best friend' had had a similar issue after his five year stint on Lian Yu.
Unaware of how close she had been to being seriously injured, Thea was as cheerful as ever. "Okay! Follow me then, we'll start in the living room."
After nearly an hour, Oliver could easily tell that Artemis was reaching the limits of her patience. Hell, he was getting edgy, and he lived here. It didn't help that there was so many memories in the old hallways and rooms in the mansion, and he wasn't fond of several of them.
"What's that room?" It was the first question that Artemis had been able to ask since the tour had started. It was kind of hard to get a word in edgewise with Thea letting her mouth go a mile a second.
"Hmm? Oh, that's the library. Lots of dusty old books in there and not much else. How about I show you the gaming room next?" When Thea turned around, the young archer was nowhere to be seen. "Artemis?" The library door swinging shut was the only clue Thea had as to where she had gone. "She moves almost as fast as you Ollie. Should I go check on her?"
Images of Arty reaching her fill of his sister on only day one, and finding the nearest escape route, popped into Oliver's mind. "Thanks Speedy, but I got it from here. And Thea? Thanks for trying to make her feel welcome, I think you did a better job of it than I could have." Despite her excitement that she obviously hadn't been ready for, Thea had, most likely, done more good than Oliver could have done for Artemis on his own.
"Really? Maybe I'll tone it down a little bit tomorrow, I think I overdid it. I'll let her take it easy and settle in before I talk with her again." Oliver gave his little sister a quick hug before she turned and walked towards the kitchen, internally sighing with relief that she understood how nervous she'd been making Artemis.
Sitting one of the windowsills, a book already open on her lap, Artemis didn't look up when Oliver quietly slipped into the library, thankfully alone. "Your sister needs to settle down before she ends up on the ground. Do you have any idea how close I was to breaking her arm in several different places? Being dragged around like that brought up one too many 'fond' memories."
"She just got carried away with her excitement. I don't think you need to worry about that happening again." Oliver pulled a chair over to Artemis's spot and sat down, getting comfy for the long haul.
"Good. Even if she is annoying, your sister seems like a nice person. I hate hurting nice people." Oliver had still been able to catch the haunted look in the girl's eyes before she stuffed her face back into 'The Count of Monte Cristo', a copy of the untranslated original French version he took note. "I know several languages before you ask. English obviously, French, and Vietnamese. I also know enough Spanish to get by in most situations."
"Was I that obvious?" The look that Artemis shot him answered that question. "Point taken. Where'd you learn to speak them?" That had obviously been something he shouldn't have asked. He shot out of his chair and caught the book that slipped from Artemis's fingers as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Setting it to the side, he was quick to turn his attention back to the troubled girl in front of him. Ah crap. I really shouldn't have moved that fast around her. Way to go Oliver. He wasn't surprised to see the girl's fist flying at his face. Instinct won out as Ollie turned the attack aside and all but yanked Artemis off of the windowsill, sending her spinning to the floor, or so it would have if she had been anyone else. He got a glimpse of just how skilled she was in a fight when instinct took over for Artemis in turn as she went with the spin, sweeping her right leg out high and wide for his face.
Oliver managed to bend back, just fast enough to avoid having his teeth knocked out of his head. The trapped animal look in Artemis's eyes slowly started to disappear when she realized that he wasn't trying to hurt her. It helped that Oliver started talking in an attempt to calm her down further. "Okay, that was stupid of me. Definitely won't be doing that again around you, I should have known better. Nice form though. Are you done?" Oliver was debating whether letting her kick his teeth in would have been a better or worse than how he felt right now, as she backed away and quickly left the room.
As if his day wasn't complicated enough, his disapproving mother stepped into the library, and the look she gave her son spoke volumes all on its own. "Do I dare ask how you're handling your new charge who very nearly ran me down in the hall just now?"
"She's been through alot mother, thirteen years in her own 'island.' I would ask you to cut her some slack, but I know you better than that. She just needs some time." The comparison was uncanny, given their circumstances and what he knew about her already. The fact that Oliver noted that his mother's eyes showed a hint of surprise gave him more than enough to tell him that she had caught onto the comparison as well, but she still wasn't happy about it.
In all honesty, she had every right to be upset. "You recklessly brought an unstable, abused child into this house with barely any warning whatsoever. What I should do is insist you take her to the proper authorities tomorrow. But, what I'm going to do is give you a chance to help her. False hope is the cruelest thing you can give to anyone, remember that Oliver." Despite the fact he had potentially put them all at risk, Moira Queen was proud of her son for trying to do this, for trying to help someone that was far less fortunate than they had ever been.
"I know I should have talked with you about this first, but she kind of fell into my lap. I saw a chance to do the right thing and I took it." Ironically enough, she had, and Oliver had just told his mother the closest version of the truth since he had been back. "I am sorry for putting you on the spot, but I promised I'd do everything I could to help her, to more than a few people today, and I'm keeping those promises." It wasn't just for their sake, but for his as well. He had broken too many promises in the past, and Oliver planned to keep this one one way or the other.
"The right thing to do is rarely the easy path Oliver, but I hope you can keep your promise." Moira turned to leave her son in peace, but paused as she reached the doors. "Oliver, just because I'm upset with you, that doesn't mean that I'm not proud of you for doing this. Just don't give yourself any false hope either, Artemis may need far more help than we have to offer."
You might be right, but I have to try. Oliver only nodded solemnly, glad that she was at least willing to give him the chance to do this. He waited until his mother had gone before picking up the book he had set aside and had an idea come to mind.
7:55 PM
Artemis rolled over onto her side yet again, unable to get comfortable to save her life. It probably didn't help she was expecting Walter, Thea, Oliver, or even Moira to come into her new room and tell her to get lost. That won't take too long. I'll probably be making my own way in a couple days, a week tops, after these people get tired of playing 'Help the broken little girl.' Guess they got bored with the usual crap the idle rich do and needed something new.
A soft knock on her do-, scratch that, on the door caught Artemis's attention immediately as she made it a point to tuck the kitchen knife she had under her pillow a little further before going to see who was on the other side. "Ms. Crock? May I come in?"
What does he want now? Maybe he didn't think he got the point across the first time... Artemis eyed the door knob, and quickly unlocked it before she could change her mind. On the other side, yet again, was the last thing she thought she'd be seeing today. Walter gave Artemis a slight smirk as he extended a full serving tray towards her. This is...definitely unexpected. It made her blink in surprise, to say the least.
Walter continued on as if he hadn't noticed the dumbfounded look on the young girl's face. "I do believe you missed dinner Ms. Crock. I can't have a guest go hungry, now can I? I wouldn't be, as Thea says, 'a good British bloke' if I did." The attempt at humor surprisingly got a ghost of a smile from the young girl as she accepted the tray.
Artemis put on her best gruff tone of voice as the man placed his hands behind his back. "Mr. Stee-"
"Walter. Hearing Mr. Steele all day does get rather tiring." The smirk on Walter's face grew a little bit, not buying the 'tough girl' act for a moment, and besides, seeing her smile just for a moment had helped his opinion of her improve a little bit.
"Sure...Walter. Goodnight. Thank you for the food." Artemis was starting to wonder just how long they'd be standing there as a pregnant pause filled the air.
Thankfully, Walter broke the awkward silence first. "Goodnight Ms. Crock, and you're more than welcome." Artemis got the impression that he had meant more than his words had implied, just as Walter wondered for a moment if she was thanking him for more than the food. Even if she didn't know it yet herself.
Then the man simply nodded to her and headed towards the stairs. As she set the tray down on a bedside table and quietly shut her door, the young girl felt her stomach growl yet again. That piece of the belly buster she had stored away hadn't held her over for long, so what Walter had brought up was well received. She almost grinned when it turned out the last dish had something less than edible under its lid. A very familiar copy of 'The Count of Monte Cristo' stared back up at her. When she opened it up, Artemis saw a piece of paper fall out of the pages and onto the floor at her feet. Curiosity demanded she read it over, and was once again surprised by what she found.
To our young guest.
I do apologize for the less than veiled threat I gave to you earlier today, but as you have no doubt have guessed, I am willing to protect my family at any cost. To that end Ms. Crock, if my stepson's plan succeeds, and I find myself hoping it does, then that protection will extend to you. Provided you do not do anything to compromise your position here of course.
Signed W.S.
P.S. Given your interest in the original French version of the enclosed gift, bienvenue chez nous.
Besides Oliver, first it had been Thea, and now Walter was treating her like an actual human being. Again she was flooded with emotions she didn't have names for, but unlike last time, Artemis settled on a gentle smile instead of quiet sobs as she ran her hand over the old and well worn tome in front of her. Reaching under her pink shirt, Artemis pulled out a small silver locket out she had kept hidden until now and opened it up, revealing an even smaller picture of her mother, her sister, and herself as a baby before things had gone to Hell. "If only you could see me now mom." She whispered as she ran a fingertip over the edge before closing it and putting it back under her shirt. She had gotten quite well at hiding important items like her locket away, and it was the only thing she would have gone back to Gotham and the old 'family' apartment for if she hadn't had taken it with her instead.
1:27 AM
Thea had done well in choosing a room for Artemis since it was only two doors down from Oliver's own. If not for that, and the fact he had decided that crossing off one more name could wait, he most likely wouldn't have heard the noise coming from the girl's room. It helped he was a really light sleeper, an ingrained habit after five years of wondering who might try to kill him as he did so. Plagued by nightmares of his time on Lian Yu, aptly named for its purgatorial qualities, it was a wonder he got any sleep at all now that he was back in the States.
With that in mind, Oliver knew that waking up Artemis, if she was dealing with some of her own 'demons', would be an exercise in caution. The fact he had almost choked his mother to death his first night back home, and his earlier mistake in the library, were more than enough examples of why he needed to be careful. Quietly opening her door, surprised to find it was unlocked, Oliver wasn't surprised to see that Artemis was tossing and turning in her bed. She was almost screaming in her sleep as she fended off some phantom attacker, and Oliver found his hands were clenched into fists at the mere thought of what she was reliving in some dark recess of her mind.
He managed to push those feelings aside as he stood at a safe distance, knowing not to try and wake her up. After a few minutes though, he decided to carefully ignore his own advice and sat on the side of the bed she was closest to, just to be sure she didn't accidentally hurt herself. The only problem was she seemed to sense his presence and he heard three very distinct words come out of her mouth.
"Ollie help me!" He knew she'd deny it vehemently if he ever brought it up later, and that was assuming she even remembered saying it. That thought was not even present in his mind however as Oliver found himself gently reaching out to her.
"Shhh...it's okay Arty, it's just a dream, you're gonna be-" Oh Hell. Oliver felt like an ass when he realized, too late, yet again, that he had made a mistake when he saw the flash of the knife a second later. He had time to fall backward off the bed, but he still felt the sting of the knife meeting his chest, leaving a shallow cut behind before he was able to hit the floor. That's gonna scar. He shrugged it off, having suffered far worse than what Artemis had inflicted upon him. "Hey Arty...you okay?" I definitely could have put that better, too late now.
The bloody blade slipped from Artemis's shocked fingers and fell to the carpet. "Am I ok?! I just knifed you and you're asking me if I'm alright?!" Oliver only enraged her further when he put a finger to his lips. "I'm patching you up...and then I'm getting the hell away from you before I accidentally kill you next time." Oliver wasn't about to argue with her demand to patch him up, but he did have something to say about her plan afterward as she led him into the bathroom. She was glad she had found a spare first aid kit under the sink when she had been looking for a hairband and found a rubber band instead.
"So do you not know what the 'quiet sign' is or-" As usual, his attempt at lightening the mood fell flat on its face.
"Shut up Ollie." Artemis's eyes widened a second later as she realized what she had actually said, while Oliver did his best to pretend he hadn't been listening. She had an entirely new reason to feel shock when she told him to remove his shirt and she got her first look at the scars all over his body. The sad part was, she recognized how some of the marks had been made. "Sword slashes, gunshot wounds, and an arrow mark on your shoulder?! What the hell happened to you?!" Oliver sighed and hung his head in exasperation, expecting to hear the sound of running feet any minute now. So far though there was nothing, which puzzled the man a little but he was counting his blessings for the moment. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter."
"Artemis..." The girl did her best to ignore him as she worked on the cut, quickly cleaning it before doing an expert job of sewing up the wound. "Artemis look at me." The fact she knew how to do half of what she did was more than a little troubling to Oliver, and the fact she had done it without showing a single sign of looking sick was also more than a little worrisome. "It wasn't your fault, I just got too close to you when I should have known better. Seems like I've been doing that a lot today, sorry."
As hard as it was to look him in the face, even when she wasn't crashing from an adrenaline high, Artemis still managed it despite the fact she was shaking like a leaf. Not all of it was from the crash and burn either, but it didn't help as she tried to glare at him. "Did you not just see me sew you up? The fact I know how to stitch someone back together should tell you how screwed up I am, let alone the fact I had to do it at all. I'm honestly starting to think you meant well, but some things are too broken to ever fix."
"Like the family you thought you could hold together?" Artemis gasped in surprise as Oliver pulled out the locket she thought she had hid well enough before she had gone to bed. "The fact you try to hide this in plain sight says a lot about you Artemis, that you somehow feel responsible for your family failing when it wasn't you that failed them." He had seen the silver chain the moment she had gone in for x-rays earlier that day. The fact he could shoot a man with an arrow at a hundred meters in the dark had made it possible for him to pick up the smallest details about a person.
She snatched the locket out of his hand and glared at him with real anger in her eyes this time. "You have no fucking right...I'm leaving, don't bother trying to stop me." If she thought she was getting away that easily, she was sadly mistaken as Oliver pulled out the cellphone he used as the Hood, and pulled up the only video he had on it. Artemis stopped dead in the doorway as she heard a voice she hadn't thought she would ever hear again.
It was a well known fact that prison security was used to record every visit prisoners had unless it was of a legal nature, and even then the cameras were left on to record video rather than audio. "Honey...I don't quite know how to say this. I don't want you to come back here, it's not safe, and I don't want to have your death on my hands. It'd kill me, to lose the only daughter I have left." As the child in the video began to sob and was escorted out as her mother looked to her one more time with tears streaming down her face. "I'll always love you baby girl, always."
"Turn. It. Off." Oliver knew he was playing with fire, but his point had been two fold. The first, to show that he knew a lot more about her than she realized, and two, to help Artemis get rid of even a small piece of her built up bitterness and anger. Even if those feelings were directed at him, which they most definitely were as she spun on her heel and charged him down. At least, if he hadn't been expecting it, she might have succeeded as he pushed her back out of the bathroom door. As big as the bathroom was, it was cluttered with the usual things you'd expect, but the bedroom was far less so and thus, it gave them room to maneuver without fear of injury. "How could you?!"
"I think you know the answer to that Artemis." Oliver replied as calmly as ever as he kept her at bay. Even full of rage as she was, Artemis's attacks were far from disjointed, but they were halfhearted. He felt like he was sparring with Slade Wilson, except he was the master and she his student rather than the other way around as her blows came at him fast, but there was no power behind them. He could have ended the fight, if he could even call it that, five minutes ago, but she needed to tire herself out, needed to vent her anger and hate. A moving punching bag was as good a target as any he figured.
"I KNEW you'd just end up hurting me! Just like everyone else!" Artemis couldn't bring herself to throw another punch, as Oliver tightly wrapped his arms around her. It was equal parts pinning her arms to her sides and trying to get her to calm down as he held her against his chest.
"That's where you're wrong." Oliver whispered into her ear as Artemis started to openly sob, the shock of injuring him and the adrenaline in her system fading, again, had done nothing good for her already frayed nerves. "I promised you that I'd protect you. I won't stop you from leaving, if that is what you truly want, but I will not hand you back over to the only parent you have left." Translation; he'd Hood up and hunt Sportsmaster down first before letting that bastard have the chance of getting his hands on her again.
"Why...why do you care so damn much? You only just met me...it doesn't add up..." No one was selfless as far as she was concerned. There had always been some kind of angle, something that the other guy wanted in return. It boggled her to no end, the way Oliver had done so much for her and had yet to ask her for anything in return.
"Well, they say if you can't do something smart, do something right. Guess I'm not the smartest guy in the world...just the most stubborn." Slowly relaxing his hold on her, Oliver gently lifted her face up by her chin so their eyes met again. "Do you truly have such a low opinion of me that you think a little mishap is gonna scare me off?"
She gently pulled away, but she didn't look away from Oliver's face either. He took that as a sign the young girl was moving in the right direction if nothing else, even if she was still having trouble processing the incident. "It's not like I busted a vase, or something! Look at your chest! You don't have to worry about feeling guilty, I won't blame you for cutting me loose." Oliver frowned slightly as she finally looked away from him and stared out the window.
Words weren't going to cut it. He could go round and round with Artemis all night and he'd probably wouldn't get anywhere. Then an idea struck him as surely as Yao Fei's arrow had done after he had buried his father. The only problem was the fact that Artemis was still a kid, and despite the fact she had been trained to fight anyway, she should have been allowed a chance to be a normal kid. Even so, it was clear that actions would speak louder than any words. "Okay, I can tell that talking about this isn't going to get us anywhere. So I'll tell you what, if you're willing to come with me to where I'm setting up my new club tomorrow, if you don't decide to sneak out first anyway, then we can see what to do from there."
Artemis couldn't have been more surprised than if she had won the lottery, and in a way she had done that already. "Bullshit. You're screwing with me, right? You want me to...help with your night life. I didn't exactly do that great the first time we met."
"Well it's either that or home schooling. Hmmm, probably both actually." Artemis managed a small laugh at those words, feeling better if not convinced about the future and where she'd fit in the Queen lifestyle.
"When you're done playing kiss and make up, some of us are trying to sleep. And Artemis? Try not to kill him too quickly, that's my job." Oliver wanted to kick himself as he turned to see Thea's grinning face. He'd been so focused on Artemis, he hadn't even noticed her. "And Arty? He might be a big dork at times, but since coming back, he's been a lot better than he once was. And Walter? I think you can stop hiding outside the door so you can pretend you didn't hear anything tomorrow."
Walter showed his first true sign of slight embarrassment since Artemis had seen the man as he popped his head around the corner before walking into the room behind his stepdaughter. "I wouldn't call it hiding exactly, just being cautious given our...more unwanted guests in the past. Are you alright Ms. Crock? It sounded as if you were having quite the bad dream." His only reaction to seeing the bandage on Ollie's chest was a raised eyebrow. "Hello Oliver, came to check on her first I see? Perhaps I should call the Doctor."
"Thanks Walter but no, she has a surprising steady set of hands." Artemis was blushing and wondering if bolting for the door was a better idea after all, but a hand on her shoulder made her relax, if only a little. "It wasn't her fault, but she demanded that I let her deal with my cut. Barely more than a scratch anyway."
Thea was willing to let it slide despite the fact it had been her brother Artemis had almost gutted. Everyone was alright, that was the important part. "At least his pretty face is okay. It's the only thing he has going for him." The playful scowl she got in return was enough to relieve any lingering tension in the air. "Maybe we should keep all pointy objects away from you both when you're sleeping. Just in case." Walter had already collected the knife that had fallen by the bed by the time Thea had finished talking, but he didn't leave just yet.
"You might have a point." A wry grin didn't completely cover up the mildly concerned look in Artemis's eyes.
"Your sense of humor has not improved I see." Walter smirked all the same as he turned his attention to Artemis. "As hard as it might be for you to believe Ms. Crock, you truly are safe here. So please, no more stashing weapons within easy reach." He only got a nod in reply, but it was enough for him as Walter left to take care of the knife, leaving Thea with the two.
"Well...I for one won't be falling asleep anytime soon. Want to grab a hot cup of chocolate?" It was Oliver's turn to raise an eyebrow at that, but he was relieved to see that Artemis seemed up to it as she perked up slightly and followed his sister out before he could say anything.
It wasn't until they were on the stairs that Artemis quietly whispered something to Thea that surprised him. "I'm sorry about...your brother. I didn't do it on purpose."
As light hearted as she had tried to sound earlier, Thea was far from cheerful as her brave face disappeared the moment she was sure Walter wasn't around. "I know. You might find it shocking to hear this, but we're far from perfect. We have our own issues, some of us more than others. Walter left home for a week on a 'business trip' and I...let's go get that hot chocolate shall we?" Oliver wasn't sure what surprised him more; the fact that his sister had gotten Artemis's full attention with that by itself, or that she had started to open up to the blonde that was almost as stunned as he was.
"Sure...I don't suppose you have any marshmallows too?" Thea managed a smile and nodded to the young girl's question.
Why would it not surprise me if she never got to try those either? Oliver only smirked a few minutes later, as it was clear she had indeed never had something as simple as a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows before. Thea was just as surprised as Diggle and Oliver had been earlier when Artemis answered her unspoken question. "What kind of rock were you born under again?" Her expression a split second later clearly showed that Thea wished she hadn't said that.
Having taken up temporary residence in the living room, Artemis only had to look over her glass to meet Thea's gaze. "One you don't ever want to find out about."
"Or maybe you suck at talking about what happened to you about as much as my brother, and you need someone to open up too." Oliver was really hoping all of his sister's limbs would still be intact by sunrise, especially after that little tidbit of advice.
He didn't have to worry though since the little 'sparring match' they had had in her room earlier had seen enough of her anger gone, at least for now, that Artemis didn't have it in her to raise a hand against Thea. "I don't know, maybe you're right, but I don't feel like talking now."
"Okay, I can do companionable silence. Want some more marshmallows? Sorry, and I'll start being quiet now." Thea managed to last all of ten seconds before speaking up again, much to Artemis's annoyance and amusement, although she'd never admit to the latter. "Okay, I have to ask, how'd you patch up my nosey jerk of a bother, I mean brother, so quickly? That was kinda impressive, to be honest."
Thea's praise did little to relieve the guilt behind the reason she had had to patch him up to begin with. Artemis's next reply, while delivered with only a hint of her sarcastic nature, gave Thea enough of a hint to drop it. "Remember I said I didn't want to talk about it? That is part of what I'd rather not talk about."
Oliver slightly nudged Artemis's shoulder as he gave her a wink, and turned to his sister. "I don't know about you, but I could go for some of those marshmallows Thea. Just doesn't quite cut it without them." Thea looked between her brother and their new and strange guest but didn't press for anything else as she left the two alone. Only then did Artemis sigh and sink into her chair a little more. Oliver's smile had disappeared as he took his sister's seat.
"I really do like your sister, Oliver, but I might end up killing her if she isn't careful. Maybe you should just tell her I'm basically an unstable, loaded gun. That should freak her out enough to leave me the hell alone. Right?"
"Arty, if I was worried for my family's safety, do you think I would have brought you to my house? And I hate to say it but Thea's as stubborn as I am and she's taken a liking to you. The only way you'll be rid of her now is if you actually did." Artemis proceeded to bang her head on the counter repeatedly, muttering under her breath. Oliver had to bite the inside of his cheek for only a moment before he put a hand on the table to stop the blonde from putting a dent in her forehead. "Artemis, relax already. Tomorrow, just concentrate on getting through the day, and we'll be fine. You will be fine."
She slumped back into her seat and sighed heavily, but the mutterings had stopped at least. "Fine, you win, but don't say I didn't warn you." Oliver wasn't fooled by the gruff tone she tried to put on, instead focusing on the doubtful look in her eyes. Tomorrow looked to be quite interesting, to say the least, given what had been promised to her already. Being allowed a glimpse into the life of a vigilante was temptation enough for Artemis to stick around. But if that was all she had wanted out of Oliver Queen however, chances would have been good she would have bailed already.
It was the slim possibility of being part of a real family that held her there. She just had to survive being around the Queen family long enough to prove whether or not they could be trusted. How hard could that be?
Closing Notes; Vergil1989; I'll be honest, I always hate trying to write drama of any sort. I always hated soap operas and trying to write family drama and what have you has never been something I enjoyed. I always felt like I either overdid it or didn't do enough or something.
Archer83; What he said. Seriously though, I hope anyone reading this has gotten as much enjoyment out of it as we need writing it. Well, the editing part sucked, but the rest was fun!
Vergil1989; Archer? Bite me. Lol anyway, before anyone says a word, YES, I know that Walter isn't due back until Muse of Fire. We...kind of had a brain fart and didn't catch our mistake until we were halfway done with the chapter, and by then it was too late to fix without reworking everything from the ground up. Still, we just had him come back a little earlier was all to...cover our asses lol. Ok it's a piss poor excuse, it's fan fiction! We forgot, there we admitted it!
Archer83; Vergil...just say it's AU, the miracle-forgive-all of fan fiction.
Vergil1989; We also forgot...lol. In all seriousness though, we hope you enjoy the story and as always, feedback is always welcome so long as it's more than 'I liked, please update.' I get so many of those reviews it's gotten past the point of OLD.
Archer83; "This was AWSUM!" is perfectly acceptable to me Vergil.
Vergil1989/Oliver Queen; "Archer83, you have FAILED this fan fiction!" Lol.
Archer83; Ow! I thought 'an arrow to the knee' was just a lame joke!
Translations:
Bienvenue chez nous: Welcome to our home.