"Good morning baby sister." Tommy said as Abigail walked through the front door. She stopped for a moment, turning to the sound of her brother's voice. "Late night?"

"I told you I couldn't sleep." She smiled as she made her way to the stairs.

"You look pretty rested to me."

"Tommy," she sighed.

"Just tell me you're not going to get your heart broken." He said as he took the few steps that separated them. "I know him, and I'm sure you know him even better than I do. From what I remember, he wasn't exactly the most stand-up guy when it came to women and I promised myself a long time ago that I would protect you from that."

"He won't break my heart Tommy, I'd never let him." She gave him a tight hug before running up the rest of the stairs. "Give me fifteen minutes then we can get out of here."

Tommy decided to take his new sports car. Abigail was only slightly irritated because that meant that she'd have to sit in the front, in Oliver's lap. It's not like the three of them hadn't done it before, on several occasions, but there was something infinitely different about it this time. Oliver's hands rested comfortably around her hips, on one side his thumb was rubbing absently against the skin left exposed by the rise of her shirt. She kept one arm wrapped around his neck in order to keep her balance as her brother shifted gears fiercely as they sped into the city.

The boys talked as if no time at all had passed. If it wasn't for the subtle shifts she felt while sitting on top of Oliver she would have thought she'd dreamed all those years away. Her focus was on the rolling city outside the window. It looked nothing like she remembered, but it wasn't as if she'd cared that much back then anyway. Everything before the island seemed pointless now. It had been parties, booze, drugs, and then there was college. She was going through the motions until eventually she'd end up married to or working for one of the many wealthy families she knew.

"Why'd you want to drive through this neighborhood anyway?" Tommy asked. Abigail finally pulled her attention back to her companions, realizing that Oliver's eyes were trained on the same Queen's Consolidated factory hers were only seconds ago.

"You know what I missed, steak." Abigail finally spoke up. "Can we go get lunch and wine?"

"Sure, you in Ollie?"

"Let's make one more stop first." Oliver said, the grip on Abigail's hip tightening. "Laurel works around here, right?"

"Come on man, she's not exactly you're biggest fan." Tommy sighed. "I did my best to tell her you two didn't run off together, but when she found out about you and Sara there was no reasoning with her."

Apparently there was no talking Oliver out of it. Abigail sat on the low wall beside her brother as they waited for Oliver and Laurel to finish their conversation and come to the front of CNRI. Tommy slipped an arm around her shoulders as he watched her. She rolled her eyes as she pushed against him.

"I'm fine, Tommy."

"Are either of you ever going to tell me exactly what's going on, or am I just going to have to speculate with the rest of the population?"

"Abbie," Laurel's voice surprised the siblings as the lawyer came up to them smiling at the other woman. "I'm glad your back."

"Thanks." Abigail said as Laurel walked back into the building, but not before giving Tommy a very pointed look. "What was that? Isn't she supposed to hate me, or you?" She asked as Oliver rejoined them.

"We talked it out. Still not my biggest fan, but I think we've come to an understanding." Oliver told her as he headed back to where they parked the car. "Let's get lunch, I'm starving."

Tommy helped Abigail back down to the sidewalk before following their friend. Tommy was throwing out restaurant suggestions as they headed into the alley where they'd left the car. Abigail jumped when she heard the fast approaching van. Instinctively, she reached for Oliver. The masked men that surrounded them caught them off guard, one already shooting a dart at Tommy before she felt one hit her as well.

Oliver woke zip tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse. He searched for Abigail first, locking eyes with her across from him. One of the masked men was standing behind her, a Taser in his hand. She gave him a subtle nod to let him know that she was alright. Her eyes flicked to the side, where he glanced to find Tommy still lying unconscious.

It didn't take long for the violence to start. For a moment it almost felt more natural than the last few days. Abigail was never surprised by the fact that almost every man underestimated her. Her bounds were loose to begin with, but the moment Oliver went after the first man she was right next him, taking on a man of her own. The goon was unprepared for Abigail to retaliate. She movements were quick and precise. Aiming for the softer, weaker spots she knew would be left vulnerable.

She easily knocked the gun out of one guys hand as she watched Oliver take down the guy with a broken leg of his chair. Using her legs to sweep the guy off his balance, Abigail caught his neck in her hands, hesitating for a moment before twisting with enough force to snap his neck. With two down and one on the run, Oliver stopped momentarily to check on her.

"Go, I'll stay with Tommy. I'm fine." She leaned into the hand he rested against her cheek before running through the warehouse.

She sat on the pallet next to her brother. Her heart clenched every second Oliver was out of her sight. It brought back too many memories of the past five years. The feeling of Tommy reaching out to her shocked her, putting her back on the defense. Her features softened as she helped her brother stand. He was taking her into his arms, shakily.

"We need to call someone." He said, falling back to the floor taking his sister with him. She carefully laid him back down as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

"Abbie," Oliver called out as he ran back into the room. She ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's okay."

"We need to get out of here. Are you alright?" She asked, pulling away slightly.

"Fine, what about you?" He glanced over her, hands moving over her body like he'd done millions of times checking for any damage. "Did he see anything?" He finally asked at he moved closer to Tommy.

"I don't think so, but what are we going to tell people, Oliver. There are three armed dead guys here. We can't exactly say we defended ourselves."

"No, but someone could have. We have to start somewhere." Abigail gave him an incredulous look.

"You mean the hood. Won't it seem a little strange if we're the ones that encounter your alter ego first? Someone's going to see right through that."

"We'll make it believable." He pulled her into his body, holding onto her tightly. Abigail wrapped her arms around him as she felt her body come down from the adrenaline rush. "Help me get him up."

They called the police, and were surprised when they escorted them back to the Queen mansion instead of the police station. Abigail was sandwiched between Tommy and Oliver on the couch across from Moira and Walter as Detective Lance tried to understand what had happened. She wasn't surprised by his caustic behavior. Of all the rumors she'd heard flying around she knew he believed that she and Oliver had boarded the Gambit with the full intention of spending a few romantic weeks in China.

She flinched when she felt Oliver take her hand, holding it tightly against her thigh. Her gaze shifted down to where their hands rested and she felt her cheeks flush at the implication. A few days ago and she would have been fine, but now that their past was in the same room it felt wrong.

"You're telling me a guy wearing a green hood came in and took out three armed men. Why would he do that?" Lance said with disbelief. Abigail looked up then, sad to see the distain Quintin Lance always had for Oliver now directed at her as well.

"Why don't you find him and ask." Abigail squeezed Oliver's hand, knowing that he wasn't helping the situation at all.

"What about you two? You see the hood guy." Lance kept his gaze on Abigail a little longer than she would've liked before Tommy spoke.

"I saw movement. Everything was blurry. I was kind of out of it."

"It's kind of funny, one day back and already someone's gunning for you. Aren't you popular?" Lance said turning back to Oliver.

"Were you able to identify the men?" Moira cut in.

"They were pros. Probably thought you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back…or a Queen's."

"Thank you detectives, if they think of anything else I'm sure they'll give you a call." Walter spoke up. Quintin spared a tight smile to the couple before collecting his things.

"You're luck never seems to run out, does it." The comment was quiet, and meant for only Oliver, but Abigail rose from her position next to her brother before following the detectives out. Tommy watched her from his spot on the couch but Oliver followed.

"I'm sorry, Quintin." She called out before the two men could reach the door.

"Sweetheart, I'm not the one that needs to hear that."

She watched as they left, flinching away from Oliver when his hand came to rest against her waist. The expression on his face was one she could easily read, and she hated that pitying stare. He knew that before, she was close with the Lance sisters-Sara especially, but it was her relationship with Detective Lance that she was mourning now.

"Hey Abs," Oliver's voice was soft, soothing as he stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned quickly, her face set as she stared up at him. "Don't let him get to you."

"I'm fine." She smiled tightly, pulling away in order to yell over his shoulder. "Tommy, let's go home. I'll meet you tomorrow at the old factory." Abigail said the last part softly as she reached up and placed a chaste kiss against the side of his mouth.

"Really not a fan of that." Tommy said as he came into the foyer. Abigail pulled away and followed her brother out of the mansion. "Want to talk about what happened today?"

Tommy watched Abigail slid into the passenger seat of the sports car waiting to hear what she had to say.

"What do you want to hear, Tommy? We were abducted by psychopaths and then had the pleasure of meeting Detective Lance again. Overall I'd call it a good day."

"Did those guys hurt you?" He asked, turning in his seat to give her a once over himself before starting the car. Abigail tried to move away from him the best she could in the small vehicle.

"I've already been looked at by paramedics and Oliver. I don't think I can take you playing the overprotective brother as well."

"That's my job, Abbie." The sad undertone in his voice brought tears to her eyes as she watched him start the car and speed away from the house.

"Thank you," she spoke quietly. "You always took care of me Tommy. I just need a little time to get used to that again." He gave her knee a quick squeeze before putting his hand back on the gear shift. Abigail sat quietly for a little while, it wasn't until they were close to their own home that she spoke again. "Did you see the way he looked at me? He used to make me pancakes after sleepovers and it's like I'm no better than a common trust fund groupie. I did it for her, I was friends with both of them and I couldn't let Sara destroy what her and Laurel had. She's been my best friend since we were thirteen, but I let her think…you have to believe me that nothing happened between me and Oliver until years later."

"Abbie, Sara was worried about you. They were both hurt, we all were, but we were all dealing with conflicting emotions."

"I wish I'd never gotten on that damn boat." That was the last thing she said as she got out of the car and ran up the stairs to her room.

"Laurel's going to kill you." Abigail sighed as she fell onto her bed beside Sara. The blonde was typing out another text with a huge smile on her face meaning only one person could be on the receiving end.

"Come on, it's just some fun. Besides, they're fighting right now." Sara laughed as she lay beside her friend. "I've never had this much fun before."

"Too bad it has to end." Abigail glanced towards Sara with a knowing look. "You're still going to Central City for college right?"

"That's what phones are for and long weekends." Abigail rolled her eyes as she got up and moved to her closet to change for their night out. "Have you and Oliver ever…"

"What?" The brunette stared at her friend's reflection as she played with her long curls. "We might have kissed once at a Christmas party when I was like thirteen or something, but no we've never..."

"Would you? If the opportunity came?" That question stopped her for a second and the hesitation wasn't lost on Sara. "You're in love with him aren't you?"

Abigail turned around with a serious expression on her face. "Sara, don't take this the wrong way, but he's either going to end up with a powerful woman like Laurel after law school or another trust fund baby."

"So if he doesn't marry Laurel, he'd marry you?" Sara asked as she slid off the bed. "You're pissed he's never made a move, aren't you? Oliver sees you as a little sister and it kills you that he's with me."

"That's not it at all. I've watched Tommy and Oliver go through dozens of girls through the years. I'm doing you a favor, he's going to break your heart that's just what he does. Is that really worth your relationship with your sister?"

"No, but we'll figure that out when we get back from China."

"Sara, you can't go to China." The two girls stared each other down for a moment before Abigail continued. "I'm going. We're meeting some of the investors for QC, and then we're flying out to Europe for a month."

"Just you and Oliver?" Sara asked as tears began to leak from her eyes.

"Yeah, Tommy might meet us later but Oliver's the one that asked me."

"You know I never did understand why you were always attached to your brother's hip, but I guess that made it easier to get close to his friends, huh? Let's see there was Jason, Aaron, Max, and I'm sure a few dozen others I'm forgetting." Sara said as angry tears began to fall down her face.

"Sara, please…" Abigail walked around the bed to stand closer to her friend, but Sara only moved further away. "I'll telling you this because I love you, because I need you to understand how this works before you get your heart broken."

"Enlighten me, Ms. Merlyn. How does it work in your perfect, high society world?"

"Guys like Tommy and Oliver are going to sleep around through their twenties with girls that want to be seen and party at the best clubs. Hell, I'm doing the same thing. But when it comes time to settle down, they're going to pick a girl that their mother will approve of."

"You're a stuck up bitch, Abbie. And you're wrong, Laurel might be mad at me for sleeping with him, but we will both hate you for having him on the side this whole time."

Sara threw the bedroom door open and ran out of the house. Abigail fell to the floor in front of her mirror, her cool resolve finally giving way as she heard the front door slam at Sara's exit.


A big thanks for all the response from the last chapter. Just to lay a little background, and to respond to WinterRain36, Oliver hasn't slept with Abbie but that doesn't mean that he never slept with Shado or anyone else while they were gone. It's still early...