Standing in her bedroom, Wendy missed Felicity. Although Felicity had been home a few times, Barry was still in a coma, so she was still spending a large portion of the time in Central City. Today was a day Wendy could use her company and her ability to pick the perfect outfit. The day after Hilton's funeral, Wendy had finally set up a meeting with Shelia and that day had arrived. Quentin had also planned their second date for the same day of which Wendy initially protested. Once he reasoned that Wendy would have something good to look forward to, especially if the meeting didn't go well, she had conceded.

This was where her dilemma came in. Wendy paced back and forth at the end of her bed. Shelia was meeting Wendy at the diner and then Quentin was picking her up to go for dinner from there. After dinner was a surprise. Quentin told her what he had planned was casual, but the date part of her day wasn't what had her stomach in knots. Shelia had a habit of judging every choice Wendy made, including her wardrobe.

Deciding on a pair of grey slacks and a simple dark green fitted top, Wendy got into the shower. After doing all the necessary cleaning, Wendy leaned against the shower wall and let the hot water flow over her body. There was a lump in her stomach that just wouldn't go away. As she dried and styled her hair, Wendy forced herself to think of Felicity, of Quentin. They were the people who kept her sane. Leaving her hair down, she styled it into loose curls. It was different from her normally straight hair and that was good. Wendy wanted Shelia to know she was different and she was changing for the better.

Wendy made sure she arrived at the diner before Shelia. Taking a seat in Quentin's usual spot, Wendy's knee bounced uncontrollably as she waited. It felt like hours had passed, but in actuality is was only twenty minutes and Shelia walked through the door. As Shelia slid into the booth across from Wendy, she had to admit Quentin was right. Shelia did look good and surprisingly, it was the first thing that slipped out of Wendy's mouth.

"You look good," said Wendy.

A small smile formed on Shelia's face. "You look good also."

Shifting awkwardly in her seat, Wendy didn't know what else to say. There were so many things she had planned to say. Most of them were not nice, but the woman sitting in front of her didn't look like the Shelia she remembered. This Shelia was in clean decent clothes and wasn't the sickly thin woman Wendy had known growing up. Even her token drinker's nose was almost gone. It was hard to look directly at Shelia, so Wendy looked down at her hands.

Shelia took one of Wendy's hands into her own. "I know I've made a lot of mistakes and I know it may be too late for us but I need you to know I am proud of everything you've done with your life."

Wendy's heart slowed as she moved to look Shelia in the eyes. Wendy's chin trembled as she spoke. "That's not what you said when I was in the hospital, when I was trying to heal and deal with the loss of my best friend."

Shelia looked away. "Wendy."

A heat rose in Wendy's body; she didn't give Shelia a chance to continue. "You told me you never wanted to see me again. You..." Wendy tensed and she pointed a finger at Shelia. "You told me the stupidest thing I did was join the military, that I probably got Ben killed." Wendy tried to blink away the tears that were forming. "You didn't even know him... And worst of all, you were mad because you would never have any grandchildren, like I would've ever brought a child into this world after everything."

Shelia clutched a napkin, whipping away tears from her cheeks. "I wish I could take it all back. I really do."

They both sat quietly; both staring at the table. Shelia was still holding one of Wendy's hands. After saying everything she'd said, it felt like a weight had lifted off of Wendy. Her stomach even felt better. Wendy by no means forgave Shelia, but she was her Mother and it appeared that for once she was truly trying. It left Wendy chewing on the inside of her mouth.

"How bad is the cirrhosis?" asked Wendy.

Shelia met Wendy's eyes. "You know about that."

"I have a friend who's good at getting information."

"Yes, I forgot, your roommate, the girl who looks like a younger version of yourself."

"You know following me was not the best way to try and make peace right?"

Shelia sighed. "I know. I didn't plan it." Squeezing Wendy's hand tighter she continued. "Shortly after that day in the hospital, I got really sick and found out about my cirrhosis. The doctor told me if I wanted a chance to live I had to quit drinking."

Sue interrupted Shelia, asking if either of them need a refill on coffee. This gave Wendy a moment to digest the new information. They both sipped at their cups for a moment. Just in case, anything went really bad, Wendy had made sure that Sue knew about the meeting prior to Shelia arriving.

"I entered a detox program." Hard ridges appeared on Shelia's forehead. "It was the worst couple weeks of my life, but the realization of everything I'd done, that was so much worse."

Wendy took Shelia's other hand and squeezed both of them in hers. "So how'd you find me in Starling?"

"After the detox, I then went through a program for recovering alcoholics. Once that was complete, I needed to see you. I went to the hospital and of course you were out by then. An admin person there told me you chose to not go back overseas, that you were headed here to help the quake victims. You're a nurse, so it wasn't hard to narrow down where you might be, but then when I actually found you. I got nervous, so I started following you, unsure about how to approach you."

Wendy sat back in her seat. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you."

"Then don't forgive me." Shelia took a deep breath. "But maybe you would be willing to try to start something new?"

"Maybe we could," said Wendy.

They fell into silence again, both drinking from their mugs. Wendy's knee still bounced away under the table. Shelia's face was soft, a slight smile on her lips. Studying Shelia's features, Wendy realized she really did look a lot like her, the differences were there too though. They were a subtle reminder of the man who had left them.

"How are things going with the tall handsome officer you've been seeing?" asked Shelia.

Wendy snorted. "Really?"

"Yes. He seems like a kind man, but I know he goes to AA meetings. I just want to make sure you finally have good people in your life."

"He's the kindest."

That was the end of their meeting. With one last squeeze of Wendy's hand, Shelia stood and walked out. It was an awkward goodbye for both of them. Wendy's mind was blank. She sat stiffly, her knee still moving; she replayed the conversation, picturing this new strange normal version of Shelia.

Quentin slid into the seat that Shelia had previously occupied. Wendy was zoned out and looked like a statue. His presence brought her back to reality and his eyes went wide as Wendy focused on him. She looked, well gorgeous. Quentin touched Wendy's knee under the table and forced his mind away from certain thoughts. He'd seen Shelia walk away from the diner and she looked happy, so he could only assume things didn't go horribly.

"You didn't kill her. That's a good sign."

Wendy's body relaxed. "I wouldn't do well in jail."

Quentin lowered his brow. "How did it go?"

"Not at all how I expected."

"Is that good?"

"I don't know." Wendy squished her brow together. "It's not bad."

"Come on." Quentin stood and helped Wendy with her jacket. "Time for part one of the best date you've ever been on."

Wendy chuckled. "Confidence, just what I like."

For dinner, they went back to the same pub that Quentin had taken Wendy to for their first date. It had been Wendy's idea. Quentin had made other suggestions, but Wendy wanted to go back. It already felt like so long ago, but in reality it had only been a few months. They sat at the same table, in the same seats. Quentin's breath caught as Wendy ran her foot up and down his leg, exactly as she had the last time.

It had been a week since Hilton's funeral and Quentin knew Wendy had been asking around the Glades about the man in the skull mask. They'd talk over anything new, at night, when Wendy came to his apartment. There wasn't much. It frustrated both of them. How could one man be such a mystery? For their date they decided that they wouldn't talk about it, that they needed a night off. Of course, they both order the same cheeseburger and fries. As they waited for their food, Wendy talked about her meeting with Shelia. Quentin was relieved to watch Wendy talk about Shelia and not have any anxiety surface. When they finished eating and had paid, Wendy looked at Quentin, eyes full of curiosity.

"So what's part two?" asked Wendy.

Quentin leaned back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm taking you to another favourite place."

They left Quentin's car parked near the pub and walked. Wendy didn't question where they were going, she just went along with Quentin. He had been outwardly confident in his secrecy, but inside Quentin's stomach turned a little. As they walked, he looked over at Wendy. Her face and body were relaxed and every other swing of her arm, it would lightly brush his.

"Can I ask you something personal?" asked Quentin.

Wendy lightly bumped Quentin's arm. "You can ask my anything."

"I've gathered that your dating history isn't all that great." Quentin paused to look at Wendy. Her smile faltered a little, but she stayed relaxed. "Among the small things you've said during our conversations, Ms. Smoak also threatened my life if I didn't treat you right."

Wendy hooked her arm into Quentin's. "And you're afraid of Felicity?"

"You remember who she works for," said Quentin.

Snorting, Wendy imagined Felicity lecturing Quentin. This brought on a memory of Ben. Wendy's shoulders dropped and the brightness in her eyes disappeared. Quentin went to apologize for bringing up the topic and Wendy stopped him.

"It's not that. The thought of Felicity lecturing you reminded me of something Ben did for me."

It was before Wendy and Ben joined the Special Forces, when they were just soldiers. They were home, training on the base. Wendy had gone on a couple of dates with another soldier. His name was lost on her, but on the third date, he had wanted sex. When Wendy refused, he slapped her so hard that her nose bled. He claimed he'd wasted his energy being nice to her for nothing.

"My vision blurred. I punched him in the face, hard, then kneed him in the stomach. I left him keeled over, groaning."

Wendy's arm was still linked with Quentin's, so he pulled her closer. "Got it. Don't get on your bad side."

"There was no hiding something had happened. Ben was pissed when he saw my face. I tried to tell him I had already dealt with it, but he stormed off knowing where he'd find the guy." Wendy sighed. "Ben kicked the guy's ass. It was bad, I had to step in. We all got disciplined for fighting on the base. I think Ben got it worse though, his wife, was she ever mad."

"I'd have the same reaction if Laurel or Sara had come home like that."

"That's because you're one of the good ones." Wendy ran a hand through her hair. "Being an attractive blond and not having any good role model relationships in my life, that set me up for a lot of failures... I actually gave up on dating for awhile, but I think it all lead me somewhere good."

Wendy had distracted Quentin and they almost walked by their destination. Clearing his throat, Quentin pointed across the street. They were standing across from an old movie theater. It was the type where the sign overhangs the doors and the letters are removable. The lights on the outside of the building were straight out of Las Vegas. It was a well kept theater, so much so Wendy felt like they had stepped back into the 1940's. There was one movie listed on the sign.

"Citizen Kane, great movie," said Wendy.

Quentin suddenly felt lighter. "You've seen it?"

"Oh yeah, we watched a lot of old movies overseas. The quality of movies was so much better back then compared to now."

The interior of the theater was as well kept as the outside and stayed with the original old time feel. It was clear to Wendy that Quentin was a regular. All the employees greeted him by name and each time, Quentin was quick to introduce Wendy. Wendy's eyes became wide as they stepped up to the snack counter. The popcorn was popped fresh and they used real butter not that artificial shit the big multiplexes gave people. The best part, it was decently priced and the size of the bag could feed twenty. Wendy's excitement was cut short as Quentin held his side and groaned a little as he sat.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Advil's wearing off," replied Quentin.

Wendy rummaged through her bag and handed Quentin two pills. "Take them."

Quentin swallowed the pills and shortly after the movie started. As the lights went down, Wendy leaned into Quentin and he put his arm around her. She was careful to not put pressure on his ribs. Citizen Kane was a movie he'd seen many times, so he spent most of the movie looking down towards Wendy and not looking at the screen. Before Quentin knew it, the movie was over and Wendy was standing stretching her legs.

Wendy looked down at Quentin. "You come here a lot don't you."

Quentin broke Wendy's eye contact. "I started coming here when I quit drinking. It was a quiet place with few people and no booze."

"Well, it's a nice place." Wendy grabbed Quentin's chin lining up their lips for a kiss. "Thanks for the great date."

They walked arm and arm on the way back to Quentin's car. It was dark out. The sun had set at some point during the movie. As they passed by an alley Wendy slowed their pace, released Quentin's arm and came to a stop. Quentin looked at Wendy, brows raised. Straining her ears, Wendy again heard the noise that made her stop. Quentin didn't have time to react before Wendy had moved into the dark alley, out of his sight.

At the end of the alley, Wendy confirmed her suspicion; the noise had been a woman trying to yell out for help. A man had the woman pinned against a wall, a knife to her throat. The man was too busy trying to stop the woman from squirming to notice Wendy. Slowly, she bent down to pull out her baton, but the man's voice caused Wendy to freeze. That voice. There was a pounding in her ears as she realized who the man was. He was the man that escaped from Wendy's attack in the Glades.

There was a crack as Wendy's baton connected with the man's skull. "This'll be the last woman you take advantage of in an alley."

The woman ran as the knife and the man slammed into to the ground. There was a second crack and a loud scream as Wendy's baton connected with his arm. He had reached out for the knife. Adrenaline pumped through Wendy's veins and she lost sight of everything but the bastard on the ground in front of her. She continued to hit him, his blood splashing up and on to her. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Wendy reacted without thinking, throwing an elbow back. It took only a second for her to turn and realize what she'd done.

All the air left her lungs. "Oh my god, Quentin."

Quentin had tried to call out to Wendy, but she hadn't heard him. He had quickly figured out who the man was. He also knew it was a risk touching her, but it was the only way to make sure she didn't accidentally kill the man. Quentin held his ribs; the pain filling his eyes with water. He held his posture, not wanting Wendy to feel any worse than she already would. He stepped towards Wendy, but she stepped back, shaking her head at him.

"It's okay. I'm okay," said Quentin. Wendy met his eyes and this time, she let Quentin pull her into his arms. "I have to call this in. I'm going to let you go for just a minute."

Wendy collapsed against one of the alley's walls and slid down until she was sitting on the cool ground. Looking over her knees, a few feet from her, the man was groaning, barely moving. Wendy's heart raced and she felt like she might lose her dinner. Turning away, she watched Quentin hang up his phone and console the woman who'd been the victim. It didn't take long before sirens could be heard.

Retreating into her head, Wendy would not speak; she only shook her head to answer questions. Everything was a blur until they got back to Quentin's apartment. Quentin seemed to know exactly what Wendy needed to bring her out of her head. He took her into his bathroom and made her sit on the toilet seat. While he started to fill his tub, he washed the blood off of Wendy's hands. Once the tub was full, Quentin placed a clean pair of pajamas on the counter. He told Wendy he'd be in the bedroom when she was done.

Wendy soaked for a long time, letting the heat clear her head. She cursed at herself for letting her emotions get the best of her again. She also laughed a little at the irony of having just told Quentin the story about having to stop Ben from beating a man to near death. Stepping out of the tub, Wendy dried off and dressed. All she imagined was how mad Quentin was going to be after what she had done. Entering his room, Quentin was lying propped up on his bed, reading a book. Noticing her presence, he closed the book and moved to sit at the edge of the bed. He looked so relaxed, a slight smile on his face. That's when she realized, it was her own anger she was imagining, not Quentin's.

"I'm sorry," said Wendy.

Quentin opened his arms. "Come here."

It was a rough night. Sleep didn't come easy for Wendy. In the morning, Cole stopped by to give them both an update. No charges would be laid against Wendy and the man would live to see a jail cell. It wouldn't be a short stay for him either; apparently he was wanted for multiple other assaults on women. Even though she'd lost control, Wendy liked how she felt knowing she'd helped catch a true bad guy.