Lanced Through

The Heart

Part 2

Disclaimer: And here we go!

The Next Day At JDI

Another day had come and with it came the firm looking into accusations of cheating in a French Poodle Competition. Accusations that Kara, along with Iris for the ride, looked into while Barry was determining if whether or not a few bottles of Wine really were as aged as the owner was claiming them to be. Cases that the firm could have rejected but Jonas had decided against it as it was work none the less that just as easily could have gone to another firm. And Jonas himself was looking into reports about missing persons at his desk. Missing persons that involved those who'd been homeless at one point until they managed to get their lots in life to turn around. None of the individuals in question knew one another and the only connections any of them had was the fact they all shared the common factor of having been homeless until their situations improved. The CCPD had been keeping this under wraps for some time now to avoid causing a panic.

Which Jonas thought was stupid until he later learned the reason behind that and he wouldn't have even known about the situation with the missing homeless people if it wasn't for the grandchildren of one of the missing former homeless men coming to the firm about it. Singh however had been helpful in getting him the reports for him to look at and the fact that someone was apparently breathing down the necks of the CCPD was the reason things were being kept under wraps and not being explored. And that was something the good Captain did not like whatsoever at all. Prompting Jonas to promise him that he and the firm would try and get to the bottom of it. The sound of the door opening failed to catch his attention thanks to how engrossed he was in his going over the reports. "Hello, Oliver." Came a very familiar voice that once again had him freezing up for a short time until he shook himself out of it.

Looking up, he saw Dinah Lance and he had to bite back a groan. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I think you have me confused for someone else."

"Considering I would recognize your face regardless if it had extra hair on it, I don't think I've gotten you confused for anyone else, young man." She told him firmly.

"And if you don't stop trying to act as someone else, I WILL go to the Media and tell everyone you are alive and masquerading as a Private Investigator." Threatened the mother.

Jonas narrowed his eyes at the woman and stood up and came around his desk to be face to face with her. "Bold threat for someone who abandoned her family, Mrs. Lance." Retorted the man coldly and making her flinch.

However, she didn't back down as she stared back at him. "I did what I had to do, Oliver. I… I couldn't be with them and have the constant reminder of my guilt for the fact I'm the reason my little girl is dead. Something I'm sure you know nothing about."

"Believe me, I understand possibly more then you can imagine. And what do you mean you're the reason?" He asked and Dinah could believe what he said considering the haunted look in the younger man's eyes.

A look that couldn't be faked either. Her eyes began to glisten with tears as she looked at him. "If… If it wasn't for me en-encouraging her to follow her heart where you're concerned, she, she would be alive right now." Near whispered the heart broken mother as Jonas' eyes widened in shock.

As he hadn't been expecting that at all as he took a few steps back in his shock. "And when, when I saw you, yesterday, I had hope rise up in me that if you're alive, then so is my little girl!"

The look of hope from her glistening eyes and face broke his heart as he tried not to think about Sara's second watery grave aboard the 'Amazo'. "So please, Oliver, PLEASE! Where is my little girl!?" Dinah asked in desperation as she came up to him and grabbed his shirt with her hands.

"I… I'm sorry, Mrs. Lance… But she's, she's not here. Your daughter died when the 'Gambit' sank. I wish like Hell that wasn't the case but… It, it is."

He hated that he was somewhat lying to her but Sara had made him promise her not to tell her family if he ever saw them again about the person she'd become after the 'Gambit'. But he would keep his promise no matter how much he hated it. Dinah shook her head in denial as he looked at her with a saddened look on his face. "NO! That, that can't be true! It can't be!" Wailed the heart broken mother as she began to hit his chest while tears came down her face.

Jonas pulled her into a hug as she sobbed heavily against him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I wish she was alive as much as you do, Mrs. Lance… But that's just not possible. And we both have to live with the guilt we both feel where Sara's concerned… Live with it and find a way to go on and perhaps even forgive ourselves one day." He murmured into her hair as she sobbed heavily.

The two would remain as they were for a good long while as she cried herself out against him until she passed out. Prompting him to place her on the couch he and the others sometimes rested on.

A Little While Later

A while later saw Dinah stirring from her sleep and at first feeling confused by the fact she didn't recognize where she was. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Mrs. Lance." Said a gentle voice that startled her.

"Oh, that… That wasn't a nightmare then?" She asked queitly as she looked up at the concerned individual known as Oliver Queen.

Or Jonas Queen as he seemed to be going by for some reason. Jonas shot her an apologetic look. "No, sorry. All too real I'm afraid."

Taking a deep breath as she sat up and was handed a cup of Coffee, she took a sip before putting it down on the table in front of her. "If my little girl isn't alive, then why are you here, Oliver? Why aren't you home with your family?" Questioned the mother with a steely gaze that only a mother could possess. Especially when they aren't too pleased with a child's actions.

Jonas winced as she stared at him while waiting for an answer. He took a deep breath before answering. "Its… Its complicated, Mrs. Lance." Began the man and hoping, perhaps foolishly at that, that she would accept that answer and leave things be.

"How on Earth could it be complicated!?"

Damn.

Because of course she wouldn't just accept that answer! "Because… There's things, things I've done while I've been believed dead that I'm not proud of. Things that happened long before I set up the firm. And the work we're doing here is my way to atone for those things I'm not proud of, Mrs. Lance. And that's why I haven't told my mom or anyone else back home that I'm alive because I'm not ready for something like that." He told her somewhat truthfully as Jonas doubted that she'd believe him where a certain premonition is concerned.

Dinah stared at him in shock as today had been a surprising one for her as this and their earlier talk was the most truly serious she'd ever seen Oliver be. A truly stark contrast to the boy she had been somewhat familiar with before the 'Queen's Gambit'. "But surely staying away from them is horrible for you, Oliver."

"It is. But I bear through it each and every day. And I'll keep doing so until I feel I can finally be ready enough to tell them." He admitted with a pained look on his face.

"And its why I'm glad I have Kara, Barry, and a few others to help me get through the day." Added the man seconds later while looking down.

Missing the saddened look from the mother in the process as she looked at him. Even wondering if she herself would be able to do such a thing. Blowing out a breath, Jonas looked up at her. "But you? You're different, Mrs. Lance. You can go back to your family and be a family again."

"I'm not sure it would be that easy, Oliver."

A sad smile came from him. "Nothing worth while ever is. I know you came here with the hope of a different outcome and I'm sorry it didn't happen. And maybe now you can start to forgive yourself for not making a different decision where Sara was concerned." Though admittedly he was kind of angry she hadn't been a better mother where Sara was concerned.

As honestly, who the Hell encourages their own kid to pursue someone who's already with their sibling!? That's just something he'd never do in a million years. He caught the wince from the older woman but kept quiet. Things were quiet between the two for several minutes until Dinah spoke up. "I… I imagine you want me to keep quiet on the fact you're alive and under another identity?" She asked of him quietly.

"Yes. Because its no one's decision but mine to reveal to my family and friends back in Starling that I'm alive. I know its not ideal but think of it as another piece of your own atoning for bad decisions." Jonas replied somewhat bluntly and making her wince again.

Dinah didn't like it, but she knew the young man in front of her was right in regards to his own situation. Grabbing the cup of Coffee, she took a long drink from it before sitting it back down and rising to her feet with a sigh. Jonas following suit as well. "I don't like it, Oliver, but you are of course, correct. I just hope you won't end up regretting your choices in the end."

"I hope for the same thing every day, Mrs. Lance. Believe me on that." He told her seriously and she could believe him on that one.

"Strangely enough, I do, young man."

And with that, she began to make her way towards the door of the office but stopped and turned to look back at Oliver. "If you ever need anything regarding Greek or Medieval history for a case, feel free to get in contact with me."

"Thank you, I appreciate that." Jonas replied seriously and with a nod, she made her way out while thinking seriously on all he said.

Wondering if it was possible to reconcile with her family and hoping that Oliver's choices wouldn't come back to haunt him in a most unpleasant way. And with her leaving, Jonas took a deep breath to settle his nerves as that had been a little more rougher then what the Underground City situation had been for him! The whole thing making him hope there wouldn't be another situation that emotionally draining to happen to him for a long time to come as he wasn't sure if he'd be able to deal with it all that well.

Author's Notes: Well now, that was a Hell of a pleasant occasion with Momma Lance! Hopefully I handled this situation pretty well too.