Thea entered the recently reclaimed and refurbished Queen Mansion. It was the home and base of nearly all of Team Arrow. Roy and Will's rooms were in the east upper wing, while Thea's and the recently returned Artemis's rooms were in the lower east wing. Oliver and Laurel kept the west wing virtually to themselves as even the kitchen and training areas were also located in the east wing. It had taken an act of congress to get Ollie to agree to the ruse, but Batman never lost an argument. As far as the rest of the world was concerned Oliver Queen bumped into complete stranger Bruce Wayne egos and tempers flared causing a high stakes poker game that Bruce 'lost'. Speedy walked through the manor knowing exactly where to find them. Just as predicted there sat Roy and Will inside one of several rooms hidden throughout the house, namely the crime lab. It had been this way for years now Will had become obsessed with tracking down Deathstroke, and Roy had convinced himself that Slade Wilson was the second person to steal Will's life. No matter how many times he was told Arsenal had already been abducted before he even met Thea, the first person he ever met in Star City. And it began again Thea's dayly, seemingly pointless attempt to get the guys back to themselves. Will's obsession with revenge had destroyed many of his relationships, and Roy's growing obsession with Will had destroyed his relationship with Thea. Even so she still cared for them.
"Hey boys, nothing good on tv?" Will set down some documents he was going over again.
"Do you have a mission for us Speedy?"
"No I just thought you guys might wanna get out of the house for a while. Ollie and Kara are patroling Starling so I doubt he's going to need any back up. Not to mention Verdant's been reopened for a while now and none of us have even set foot inside yet." It was now Roy who turned away from crime scene photos he was scrutinizing.
"Thea we'd love to really but we think we've got something. We've almost got Slade pinned down this time." Thea had heard this before. Slade was always moving, always improving, and with his powers restored a serious threat. However..
"You know, you guys should ask Ollie how well obsessing over Slade Wilson works out. You should already know Roy."
"So should he?" Roy shot back.
"Excuse me?" Will and Roy exchange a glance and a nod before the crimson archer continues.
"I took his life Thea. I have everything that was ever meant for him. And when we find this out does he want it back? No. Does he even want his first name? No. So when he tells me the only thing he does want is help taking down the man responsible for killing the woman he loved, our friend, what right do I have to say no." Speedy stepped forward and stared down the Harpers.
"Sin was my friend to. Slade is my enemy to. That bastard took my mother from me. But he is not going to take away my life."
"We'd never let him hurt you." Will replied.
"That's not what I mean Will. Look at yourselves, You don't talk to anyone, you don't come out of this room unless it's to train or fight. Deathstroke has already taken your lives, he took them when your obsession with him took over them." William dropped his documents and walked over to Thea.
"If I get to take down Deathstroke then I don't care."
"Take down how, Will? If your gonna do it, you shouldn't be scared to say it." Speedy challenged.
"I am going to kill Slade Wilson. I am going to choke the life out of him with my human arm so I can feel him take his last breath."
"And your absolutely thrilled to follow him."
"Thea, we appriciate what your trying to do, but maybe you should go to Verdant with someone else." Was all Roy said as he turned back to his photos.
"Guess I should."
Having given tonight her best shot, and fully prepared to try again tomorrow, Thea called a few friends and went to Verdant with Artemis, Zatanna, Helena, and Megan Morse arm in arm with boy friend Connor Kent. Being the owner and a vigilante Thea had a sound proof office with a few speakers playing the same music in the club downstairs. "I just don't know what to do with them. I think I'm starting to wear Roy down, but if anything I feel like I'm just adding fuel to Will's fire." Huntress raised her glass.
"At least your still trying Thea. Never give up on the one's you love." Artemis couldn't ignore that.
"Come on Helen even you gotta admit you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped. The only thing that is going to appease them is Slade. I can't believe you still want to help them after Roy..."
"Roy made a mistake, which is why I can't be with him, but I'm not going to ignore him destroying himself because of it." Thea interjected.
"He may have done it to distance himself from you." Connor spoke up the lone male among the sea of estrogen.
"You really think he did that to protect her?" Helena asked calmly enough.
"It kind of makes sense. When I was going through my own self deprivation I once even brain blasted the team just to keep them from learning what I really am." M'gann added.
"You've been awfully quiet Z. Don't tell me your tired I was at the same gang war as you, and I'm fine." Zatanna blinked several times as though just now seeing the people she sat with.
"Sorry I was just thinking." Thea and Atremis both shot looks at Miss Martian who projected into both of their heads.
"Ask her." Suddenly Helena gawked at Zatanna.
"Z, why didn't you tell us?" She said aloud.
"Tell us what?" Thea finally asked out loud. Sighing the sorceress replied.
"Today is my dad's birthday."
"Oh my god Z, and all we've been doing is talking about Roy and Will. Is there anything we can do for you?"
"As a matter of fact Queen there is? Grab everyone another round of drinks and find us on the dance floor." The daughter of Zatara said as she got up and strut out the door.
"There is a lot more inner conflict than she is letting oooon, Connor what are you doing?" Superboy had gotten to his feet and was attempting to bring Miss Martian with him.
"Z doesn't want to talk about her father, she wants to have fun with her friends. So let's do like the lady asked and meet her on the dance floor." M'gann smiled at her boyfriend and raced after Zatanna. Thea stood and started to the door stopping only to ask.
"Are you two coming?"
"Yeah, but there is something I want to talk to Artemis about really quick." After Artemis and Wally began dating the increased exposure to each other had a positve affect on Huntress and The Emerald Archette.
Speedy walked down to the bar and started to order her drinks until a young man with short black hair, and wearing mostly black, his only color coming from a brown and gray jacket he had on over his t-shirt.
"You really don't have to do that."
"Oh I know, but how often does anyone offer to buy drinks for Thea Queen." He replied. Thea coouldn't stop the smirk that formed on her lips, or the sass that came from her lips.
"A lot more than you'd think. You see some losers think a couple of drinks is all it takes to get in my trust fund." The newcomer didn't even flinch.
"And her I thought they'd be doing it to get into your pants."
"Is that why your doing it?" She challenged.
"Well." He began. "I'd be lying if I said I came over just because your a beautiful woman, but if you just throw yourself at me like that I'm going to lose interest." He quipped returning her own impudence.
"Am I supposed to respond to you insulting me?"
"Who knows, I don't usually try talking to heiresses at bars. Are you asking me to get lost?" He asked mirroring her own smirk.
"I might wanna talk some more, but I'm gonna need a name smart guy." Thea replied.
"I guess thats fair. It's Terry, Terry Mcginnis."
Upstairs and a little while ago Helena and Artemis were having a heart to heart.
"Your thinking of dumping Wally!?" Huntress couldn't believe it. She knew they bickered, but they did that before they ever got together.
"I don't want to but the hero biz is becoming a real issue between us. He wants to quit and I don't, and neither of us wants to do either without the other. Helen I don't know what to do. I can't imagine my life without him, but I can't imagine my life without a bow in my hand either. The arguments have gotten so bad I moved back into the mansion." Helena looked her friend over again and asked her if she and Kid were still working it out. "We still went out for date night, but we barely spoke. I think both of us were afraid to start another fight." Artemis blew a heavy sigh and continued. "Hel, we can't be afraid to talk to each other if we're going to work and thats exactly what we are." Huntress braced herself for the fallout before she said what needed to be said.
"Artemis, I know I'm hardly an expert on relationships my only serious one ending the way it did, but if it comes down to the bow or Wally which are you going to choose?" Artemis was a little a shamed of herself for already having an answer to that question, a little a shamed of what she had chosen.
"The bow. As much as I hate myself for it, being a hero is more important than being Wally West's girlfriend."