Author's Notes: Okay! After much wailing and gnashing of teeth and tearing out my hair in sheer frustration, I now have a title for the next story, which involves the arrival of Gideon Wilson and Bastiaan de Vries in Destine (along with a few others). It is Deathstroke: Every Man a Quotation. It's taken from a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, which runs, Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. Considering the theme of the next story is 'it runs in the family,' I thought it was just about perfect. So. This chapter. In this chapter, the remaining cousins try to figure out where they go from here (and what kind of consequences they're facing); Slade and Oliver talk, and Grant gets a vocal introduction to his new uncle; meanwhile, in Star City, Oliver sets events in motion that will lead him to Destine, with William in tow. (And Slade is partly responsible … in a good way). As I mentioned, the primary focus of the next chapter will be on Shado, Tommy, Rebecca, Malcolm, and Dory, and the title (at least as of right now) will be The Innocent and the Guilty. That's, as ever, subject to change. Onward and forward, my dears!

Chapter Nine

New Beginnings

"What happens to us now?"

The question, surprisingly, didn't come from Dillon, but Braden. The two cousins were leaning against each other in the back of Troy Everette's car, Braden's side already bandaged. It was a clean slice, and while he'd lost a good deal of blood, his injuries weren't nearly as severe as they first appeared. And since he was bleeding, and she wasn't, Meg Carvalho insisted that he should be taken care of first … something that surprised the boy. A bit grudgingly, Andrew Perkins had to admit that the late (?) Grant Wilson knew what he was doing when he injured the young man. Braden passed out as much due to the shock as the pain and the blood loss. The boy would go to the hospital, along with everyone else, just as a precaution … but he would live.

Troy was seeing off the coroner's van, which held the bodies of both Adeline Kane and Grady Reston. Andrew's own cousin was fussing over his parishioners, which left Andrew taking care of the remaining cousins. Not for the first time, he realized just how young these two boys were. He sighed quietly, answering, "Not gonna lie to you boys … there will be consequences. What form those consequences take … that's gonna depend on Slade Wilson, and on the Carvalho ladies. If you're not lucky, you'll get prison time. If you are, you could get community service once Braden recovers." It was an equal bet, either way.

Personally, though, based on what he knew of the man, Andrew suspected that Wilson wouldn't be interested in pressing charges, not when the man who hurt Meg Carvalho and murdered his ex-wife was himself dead. It also wouldn't surprise him if the former mercenary took an interest in the two youngsters. He'd glanced their way often enough during the last few minutes, when he wasn't checking his phone or talking to his son. Dillon asked quietly, "What do you think will happen?" Andrew looked back at the boy, not entirely sure what to say.

Finally, however, he answered, "My sense is, given that the one actually responsible for the kidnapping, and the murder of Adeline Kane, is himself dead, they'll go easy on you … but it's a bit unpredictable." Neither of them were bad kids, but they'd spent the last several years trying to keep their older brother/cousin out of trouble … and getting into trouble at the same time. He added, "My partner and I can make recommendations, but nothing is set in stone." The boys nodded soberly, in both acknowledgment and understanding.

All three were silent for several moments, before Andrew decided to ask a question of his own. Clearing his throat a bit, he inquired, "What do you think happened to Grant Wilson?" He was still trying to wrap his mind around what he'd seen … what they'd all seen, albeit from a distance. They'd reached the top of the stairs, leading into the room where the captives were being held. He'd thought the Mirukuru army was the strangest thing imaginable … a drug, a poison, that could destroy a man's sanity even as it enhanced his body, could turn good men into monsters. This, however, was something else entirely … seeing a man vanish in front of their eyes.

Dillon answered hesitantly, "He isn't dead, because the current Grant Wilson is alive. It's just that now, that version doesn't exist. He would phase in and out, because he was being unmade … with every story his mother told the current Grant about his father, with every action that the child feared. He no longer exists, and hopefully now, he never will. Grant can be whoever and whatever he wants to be now. The slate is completely clean for him."

Andrew turned that over in his mind. He'd been told that out of the three of them, it was Dillon who spent the most time with the disturbed time-traveler … had seen him change from the time he first hired the three of them to the man who forgave his mother at the end of her life (and his). He murmured, "If only we all got that kind of second chance." Everyone got second chances, in one way or another, but Grant Wilson, the child, was getting a special kind of second chance.

"I think that's what he was really looking for. Grant, I mean, when he came back in time. He said that he wanted to end Oliver Queen before he could make trouble for his dad, but he ended up in the wrong time. So, since he couldn't do that, he decided that he would end things for his mother instead. Except, he ended up changing himself so much by taking his mother and younger self hostage, he changed himself out of existence," Dillon observed.

That was a bit extreme, but Grant Wilson was Slade Wilson's son, and there was a man who knew more than a few things about extreme. All three fell silent once more, quietly watching what was going on outside the squad car. It was a comfortable silence, although both boys seemed to be waiting for … something. He wasn't entirely sure for what. Honestly, he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. Finally, Braden asked softly, "Where do we go from here?"

Andrew knew what the boy meant. But since he'd already answered that, he chose to answer him literally, because that was the best way to answer him, at least for now, saying, "First, we take you to the hospital and make sure that you really are okay. And then … we'll figure out the rest. Don't worry, boys … I have a feeling that this will be a turnaround for you both." Especially, he added silently, now that you can live your own life, rather than worry about keeping your crazy older brother and cousin out of trouble. For these two boys, this could be a new beginning. Really, it could be that for them all. They only had to take the opportunity in front of them.

DSDSDSDSDSDS

Grant had plastered himself to his side, ever since leaving the warehouse, and that was fine with Slade. He wasn't inclined to let him out of his sight. Father Rick Gillmore observed in between his running that the youngster was likely to be clingy for a while, whilst Meg observed from her gurney that the 'clingy' door swung both ways. She wasn't wrong. The child's warmth at his side was … reassuring to Slade. It reassured him that this wasn't a dream, that he'd truly found his youngest … and that he had a second chance at being a father.

He kept one arm around Grant while checking his mobile with his free hand. Not long after she was placed on the gurney, Meg reminded him to let Oliver know that Grant was found and with him. Angel laughed, almost hysterically, and observed that her mother was mother-henning people even with a concussion. Meg answered primly that it hadn't yet been established that she did, actually, have a concussion, and she was a mother, so mother-henning was part of her job. Slade just rolled his eye and texted his younger brother. That was one of the last things the kid said to him before Slade hung up in the hospital … let me know when you find Grant. I need to know that he's okay, that you're together.

He'd been sitting atop Father Rick's car for the last ten minutes, listening to Grant's earnest observations when his mobile rang. Slade glanced down at it … and caller id informed him that Oliver was calling him. There was a second of indecision … did he answer it or call the kid later? Grant made that decision for him, saying, "Is that my uncle Oliver?" Slade looked at his youngest and nodded, and Grant's eyes lit up. Slade smiled and pressed the 'accept' button, followed by the 'speaker' icon. Whether or not that was a good thing, remained to be seen.

"Hey, kid," he began … and that was all he had a chance to say, because for the next five minutes, he was reminded of all the times on the island when Oliver drove him crazy with his chattering. Grant listened, blinking up at Slade, who just smirked at his son. He covered his laugh with a cough a few seconds later when Grant face-palmed himself backward. Luckily, he didn't hit his head against the bonnet of the car … Slade wasn't yet ready to find out if his youngest had the hard Wilson head, and one head injury a day due to a car was enough (never mind what Meg said, there was no way she didn't have a head injury after that).

Oliver's chattering came to an abrupt halt when Grant sighed, "He really talks a lot, doesn't he, Papa?" There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line, and Grant used that silence to his benefit, saying, "Hi, Uncle Oliver … I'm Grant. Papa just found me today, along with Angel and Miss Meg. Papa is mostly okay, Angel's fine, and they're afraid that Miss Meg has a concussion, so they're going to take her to the hospital as soon as they change the tire on the ambulance, to make sure that she's okay." All of this was said so matter-of-factly, Slade almost had a hard time believing that this was the same kid who'd been plastered to his side for the last several minutes. Then again, everyone dealt with trauma in a different way.

And he couldn't deny the warmth in Oliver's voice as he responded, "Hello, Grant … I'm very glad you're okay. And I can't wait to meet you. Your father has been looking for you for a while. But … what do you mean that he's mostly okay?" Slade would have face-palmed himself, but that would have meant removing his arm from his son's shoulders … something he definitely didn't want to do. So, instead, he just closed his remaining eye and shook his head. People talked about his mother-henning tendencies, but the kid was just as bad.

"He got hit in the head. Mum says … said … that he has a hard head, but Uncle Oliver, if Miss Meg might have a concussion because her head got slammed into a door, couldn't Papa?" Grant asked, now sounding scared. And the worry, the fear, that he'd managed to put away at the beginning of the call made its return. Before Oliver had a chance to say anything, Slade intervened, tightening his arm around his child, a quiet reminder that he was here, that he wasn't going anywhere, and right now, it would take a crowbar to remove him from Grant's life … and good luck even with that.

"I do have a hard head, Grant … and my head wasn't slammed into a car door, like what happened to Miss Meg. But. If it will make you feel better, I'll get checked out when we go to hospital with Miss Meg," Slade told his son (and his kid brother, by extension). Grant looked relieved (as he hoped), and Slade went on, "But Grant is right. The woman I've been staying with … we were captured this morning. I surrendered myself … not a word, kid … and the arse who was holding Meg slammed her head into the car door. Being taken was part of the plan … her being injured was not."

He couldn't help but grin at Oliver's muttered, "Now why does that sound familiar?" At his normal tone of voice, the kid went on more seriously, "I hope she'll be okay. Grant, I need you to do something for me. I'm trying to work out when I can come see you, but until I do get there, I need you to look after your dad for me. Can you do that?" Slade started to speak, but his son's expression had him closing his mouth very quickly.

"I will! And Angel and Miss Meg will help. Actually, they've been taking care of Papa all along. Angel said she would teach me how to help them, because Papa's a bit stubborn about letting people take care of him … and taking care of him can be a full-time job!" Grant exclaimed. Slade squeezed his remaining eye shut, trying valiantly to shut out Oliver's laughter ringing out over the parking lot. He was gonna kill the kid … the one on the other end of the line, not the one sitting beside him.

And it was then that he was saved, however temporarily, as Lindy's car blew into the parking lot. Angel called her honorary aunt as soon as they emerged from the warehouse, since Detective Everette had his hands full (literally) with the girl's mother … and as Meg put it, if Lindy wasn't notified, there would be hell to pay later on. The ginger, who'd become nervous around him ever since his hospital stay, emerged from her car as if it was on fire, looked around wildly, before making a beeline for the gurney currently holding Meg. Slade shook his head. No one was sure if the ambulance ran over something on its way over, or the foreign object was embedded in the tire during a previous run.

And because he needed to talk to his brother in at least semi-privacy, Slade told his son, "That's Miss Lindy, Miss Meg's best friend. I need you to do something for me … keep Miss Meg company while Miss Lindy looks her over, and then let her examine you. That'll keep her occupied, and let Miss Meg rest." Grant looked torn about being away from him, even for a little while, and Slade added, "I swear to you, I will stay right here, where you can see me, and not move until you get back." And because he did remember when Joe was that age, and looked at him in just that way, Slade offered his pinkie finger to his youngest.

Grant looked back and forth between Meg and Slade, before slipping his (much smaller) pinkie finger around his father's (much larger) one, and asking warily, "Pinkie promise?" Slade nodded, and the boy reluctantly released him and started to head over to the anxious ginger currently making Meg's head ache even worse (he tried not to laugh when Meg complained of just that, and Lindy retorted, that's my job, you ninny!). Grant took a few steps before turning to face Slade, to make sure he was still there. Slade just smiled at him quietly and reassured, Grant turned back toward Meg, Lindy, and Angel. Once he reached the trio, Lindy immediately began fussing over him, successfully distracting her from Meg … something the brunette immediately picked up on, for she mouthed, 'thank you' around Lindy.

Slade merely smiled at her and returned his attention to his conversation with his pain in the arse kid brother, saying in the most pleasant voice he could, "I am going to kill you for that, you know that, don't you, kid?" He was rewarded with Oliver's laughter once more, and Slade shook his head. How far they had come, when Oliver could recognize a threat to kill him as being just the opposite. Just as quickly, the amusement fled, leaving only exhaustion. He said in a much softer voice as Father Rick Gillmore (former mercenary, it seemed) emerged from the warehouse and headed toward the ambulance, "I don't know how I'm gonna do this, kid. I failed Joe, and that was with both me and Adeline there. Meg'll be there to help, but I'm not sure how much experience she and Angel have with traumatized kids who saw their mother die and suddenly find themselves with a father they barely know."

He dropped his voice even further. It evidently wasn't soft enough, because Gillmore said in overly-loud voice as he passed Slade, "Oh, gee, if only you knew someone with a young son who barely knows them and lost their mother in a traumatic way!" Slade swatted at the priest, exchanging a Look with the deacon following behind him. The slightly-younger man (well, he was around Slade's own age) wore an expression best described as 'long-suffering,' and Slade had to wonder how many times the deacon found himself in this position.

"Either help the ambulance crew change the tire or fuss over Meg, just make up your mind and stop pestering me," Slade snarked at the priest. Deacon Andy smirked at him as he trailed after his boss … and it wasn't until much, much later that it occurred to him that Gillmore's comment wasn't meant for him at all. Or that the intended target would almost immediately start making plans to join him in Destine. By the time it did occur to him, Meg was being released from hospital and the rest of Team Deathstroke (as Angel insisted on calling them, even though they weren't a team, Slade didn't do teams) trying to figure out where Grant would sleep … beside his father in the dressing room, as it turned out.

DSDSDSDSDSDSDSDS

Star City, Oregon

Same Time

Mayor Oliver Queen slowly hung up the phone after concluding his conversation with Slade Wilson. Slade was so many things to him, over the course of his life … irritant, mentor, friend, brother, nemesis, ally, brother once again. In the months since Thea's awakening, he'd begun sharing stories of the island and his time with Slade and Shado, so his little sister could begin to understand. It would take Thea a long time (if ever) to forgive Slade, but at least now she was starting to understand why he could.

For now, though, his mind was already working to figure out the best way to cover all bases. Item: he had a young son for whom he was responsible now, who relied on him. Item: he was the mayor of Star City and had an obligation to the citizens of the city. Item: the man who was his brother in all but blood just found his son, and the boy lost his mother in a traumatic fashion, just as Oliver's own son William did. And while Slade would never say the words, Oliver knew that his older brother needed him.

"Everything okay, Ollie?" Thea asked quietly, sitting atop his desk. She'd been wrapping up a briefing when Slade texted him about Grant, and rolled her eyes at his hesitation to call Slade. Call him, she said with a fond exasperation that reminded him so much of Slade it took his breath away, you won't be able to focus until you hear from him yourself. No one whom Oliver knew was better at taking care of himself than Slade, but Oliver would never stop worrying about his big brother.

"Slade found his younger son, Grant. He and Slade's ex were kidnapped … there was an altercation between the kidnappers, and the ex was killed, in front of the boy," Oliver explained. Thea flinched, but whether she was thinking of their mother's death or Samantha's death on the island, it was hard to say. Oliver went on, "One of the people who were helping in the aftermath said something that hit me. How it was too bad that Slade didn't know anyone with a young son they barely knew, who lost his mother in traumatic event."

Thea eyed him before saying, "And now you're trying to figure out a way to balance all of your obligations, and help Slade and his son." Oliver nodded. His little sister tapped her lip thoughtfully for several moments, before saying slowly, "Ollie … when you went to help Slade the last time … didn't you use your credentials as a mayor?" Oliver nodded slowly, not yet seeing where his sister was going with this. He found out a moment later when Thea added, "Why not do the same now?"

Why not? Oliver frowned thoughtfully and Thea's phone chimed. With an apologetic look to Oliver, she slid down from his desk and walked away, leaving him to stare at his computer thoughtfully. All right … how would he do that? Liberty Watch was Slade's idea, but how could Oliver turn this to his advantage? He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, willing himself to relax. He was the mayor of a city on the West Coast of the United States … his chosen brother was currently protecting a city in the center of the country.

His mind began to drift to other things, to the paperwork he'd signed this morning; to … wait. Oliver's eyes flew open, and he began to scroll through his emails. Quentin Lance sent him something … there! He clicked on the email, titled, 'Sister Cities?' Sara's father had been doing research on city outreach … and one possibility he came up with was sister cities. Sister cities. Oliver began to smile. That was perfect. Thea, concluding her phone call, asked warily, "Ollie? You look like the cat who ate the canary … oh, hush!"

Oliver laughed at her unintended double entendre before saying, "I have a project for you, Speedy." His little sister rolled her eyes at him and the nickname he wouldn't let die, but listened as he continued, "I need you to do some research into the town of Destine, Missouri … specifically, who the current mayor is, and how I would contact him or her." Thea frowned thoughtfully, but slid her cell phone into her pocket and shifted her tablet back into her hand. Why she did that, when she could have looked it up on the phone, he had no idea, but as long as it worked for her, that was all that mattered.

Meanwhile, his mind was speeding along. He wasn't entirely sure what the protocols were for creating sister cities, but he wasn't exactly a conventional mayor, in any sense of the word. If it wasn't protocol to visit ahead of the signing of the papers, he could offer that as a valid reason. And it certainly seemed reasonable … in a sense, he was allying his city with someone else's. Of course he would want to see it before cementing that alliance. Thea cleared her throat and Oliver looked up at his sister, who said, "The current mayor of Destine is one Jacob Butler, and here is his email." She handed him the tablet, and Oliver grinned up at his sister. Thea asked, "Okay, Ollie … what are you planning?"

"Sister cities," he answered succinctly as he began typing up the email to Mayor Jacob Butler. Thea's eyebrows shot up into her hairline as she mouthed, 'sister cities.' He saw her running the possibilities through her mind before she smiled. Oliver went on, "I'm emailing the mayor now, Speedy, but I'm giving him your cell phone number … I have a meeting with one of William's teachers; yes, on a Sunday, it was the only time we both had free time available. If Mayor Butler calls you, just let him know that I'm unable to take calls and will get back to him as soon as possible." Thea nodded as Oliver re-read the missive and ran it through spell/grammar check, before hitting 'send.'

"Sister cities … I don't think we have any yet. In fact, I'm not even sure if it's ever been up for discussion. Stroke of genius, Ollie," his little sister told him with a smile. She added after a moment, "Now get going, you don't want to be late for your meeting at William's school." Oliver swore under his breath and locked his computer, pausing just long enough to kiss the top of Thea's head before scurrying out of his office, mentally calculating how long it would take him to get to his meeting, and if he would have time to pick up William on the way there.

I'm coming, Slade, he mentally told his brother, and I'm bringing help. He didn't know who issued that challenge, because that was exactly what it was … but it was someone who knew of the connection between Oliver and Slade. He would find out when he got there … and then he would thank them.

TBC

Additional Author's Notes: I repeat, reviews or comments in general can provide inspiration for chapters. Such as the 'shout-out' from Father Rick in the second section, that prompted Oliver's decision to reach out to Jacob Butler to establish Star City and Destine as sister cities, and there will be more about that in the epilogue (chapter after next) … that particular inspiration was provided by Acolyte of Daniel. So, keep it clean, keep it polite … if it works, I'll use it and give you credit. If I don't, you haven't lost anything, either. Like I said, the next chapter will be 'The Innocent and the Guilty,' and will focus on the Merlyns, on Dory, and on Shado. And yes, with this chapter, I've added Oliver to the cast of characters, because he'll be important in the next two chapters, especially the third.