Chapter 3 – The Dinner

An: I do not own Arrow. Things don't go according to Thea's plan.


Thea smiled as Oliver's car pulled up in front of her apartment to collect her for dinner. He was actually on time. She jumped in the passenger side quickly and he wasted no time in pulling away from the curb. Thea was pleased with the response to their rebuttal. Her speech was the top trending article for the day and many people were talking about it. Numerous debates had been sparked about ethical journalism and how far a journalist should go to get a story. The focus had successfully shifted away from the investigation on Oliver, to Susan Williams. With Adrian working closely with the detectives in charge of the investigation, Thea was confident that they would weather this storm.

She glanced over at her brother to find him staring doggedly at the road. His mouth was drawn into a thin line and he seemed to be avoiding looking at her. His whole posture screamed that he had done something that she didn't like and the sudden sinking feeling in her gut was reinforcing this notion.

"What did you do?" she asked. She wasn't sure if she was ready for his answer.

He glanced at her briefly before turning back to the road, "What makes you think I did something?" Oliver asked.

"Because, and I'm going to quote Felicity here, 'You have guilty face on,' now spit it out," she demanded fiercely.

He was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "We aren't having dinner alone."

Thea frowned. She knew his security detail was following behind them and they would be present in the restaurant so technically they won't be alone but she knew he wasn't referring to that. The team was busy with planning the break in at the bank to review the contents of the safety deposit box without anyone knowing. Who on earth could he have invited to dinner with them unless he invited…, no he didn't!

"Ollie, please tell me you did not invite Susan Williams to dinner with us!" Thea asked angrily.

The silence from her brother was all the answer she needed. Of all the stupid naïve things he could have done.

"Why on earth would you do that!" Thea screeched.

"Thea our team is all about second chances and redemption," Oliver started but Thea cut him off right there.

"She had her second chance," Thea stated fiercely. "She had many opportunities but she never once tried to reach out to me. I wasn't her target. You were Ollie. I didn't matter to her because I couldn't give her the story she needed. She wasn't serious about your relationship. If she was, she would have tried. I'm your sister. We are family. She can't get around that. When you were with Laurel or Felicity, they always made every effort to be nice to me and help me. If I needed them they were there for me. When I needed a place to stay, Laurel opened her apartment to me. When I needed to get to Nanda Prabat without dying, Felicity handled all of the arrangements without blinking an eye!" Thea argued.

"You weren't exactly welcoming to Susan," Oliver pointed out.

"What, was I supposed to forget what she did to me because she was spreading her legs for you?" Thea retorted crudely. "Laurel told me she and Felicity didn't get off to a good start but they worked it out. Your girlfriend never tried to approach me," Thea said sullenly crossing her arms over her chest.

"We are meeting with Susan end of discussion," Oliver stated in that dictatorial tone of his.

Thea turned angrily to look out the window. Of all the idiotic things her brother could have done to mess up her plans, she hadn't even considered this as a possibility. She needed a plan. She was not letting that woman sink her claws into Oliver again. If he could invite someone then she was calling for backup.


The snake was already waiting for them at the restaurant when they arrived. She was dressed in a tight fitting black dress that showed off her ample cleavage. Her makeup was perfectly applied and her hair fell smoothly passed her shoulders. She gave Oliver a pleasant smile and hesitantly reached up on her toes to kiss his cheek. Thea had to suppress the urge to vomit. The last news headline they needed was Mayor's Chief of Staff caught retching in restaurant plant. Thea wondered what angle the woman was playing. Was she trying to get more solid proof from Oliver?

"Susan," Oliver greeted her, adjusting their positions to put a bit more distance between them. Thea was at least satisfied that he made the effort. Maybe there was still hope for him.

He looked encouragingly at Thea to say something but she was kept her mouth shut. Only crazy people talk to snakes. When he realised that Thea was deadest on being as rude as possible, he made his way over to the restaurant hostess.

"I'm afraid the Queen party increased by one," Oliver said guiltily to the hostess.

"Actually two," Thea stated with a smug look. "The last member of our party will be joining us in about fifteen minutes."

Oliver looked at her surprised. Thea ignored him. She followed after the hostess to a table for four and sat first. Oliver sat opposite her and Susan on her right. To head off any casual conversation that Oliver might want to start, Thea asked for the drinks menu right away. The menu was immediately brought to them and Thea ordered a glass of red wine, which she specifically stated she wanted filled to the brim. She had no problem paying for price of two glasses to get one full glass. Oliver's eyebrows practically rose to his hairline but Thea didn't say anything. She knew he suspected something.

As soon as the waitress was gone Susan started talking. Thea placed her clutch on the table and proceeded to empty the contents onto the table. Susan stopped talking and Oliver looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

"Thea what are you doing?" he asked horrified by her actions.

"Oh I'm looking for some medication," she said moving her phone aside to find some loose aspirin that had spilled out onto the table.

"Why are you sick?" Oliver asked with concern.

"I'm suddenly feeling a bit queasy. I distinctly remember telling you that when some people talk, I vomit," Thea said while she focused on the various items from her purse.

"Thea!" Oliver said absolutely horrified by his sister's behaviour.

Thea ignored him and instead looked outside to count the number of paparazzi that showed up. When she made the booking she asked the manager to call in anonymously to the papers and let them know where Mayor Queen was dining that night. She also asked for a table near the window where the paparazzi could get good pictures of them. She did not have to worry about being pushed to the back of the paper because dinner was boring. This was going to be front page news.

Their drinks arrived and Thea was thinking of a new way to stop Susan from talking when Oliver went tense. Thea smiled, that could only mean one thing; her back up had arrived. The room could be packed with people but her brother would always notice Felicity. She turned to see the blonde marching angrily to the table. She was wearing the same outfit she had on earlier in the day which meant she came straight form the Arrow Bunker. Felicity reached about a foot from the table when she tripped forward and crashed into the table. That sent Thea's untouched glass of red wine all over Susan. Felicity apologised profusely while the reporter screeched in horror and managed to stop just short of cursing Felicity as the flashes from the cameras outside where going off at a record rate. Susan excused herself from the table to use the bathroom and a few waitresses rushed to the table to clean up the mess. They stood from the table and moved to a private area out of sight of the paparazzi and the rest of the guests at the restaurant while the staff changed out their tablecloth.

"What the hell is this?" Oliver asked angrily. "You just ruined her dress purposely."

"What the hell is this?" Felicity repeated in disbelief. "This is us trying to stop you from doing something stupid again. I can't believe you agreed to meet with her."

"I'm not meeting with her alone. I have Thea," Oliver said pointing out the obvious.

"Yes your sister who I am sure has been dying to reach across the table and rip Susan's tongue out so she can't speak anymore. How can you blindside your sister like this?" Felicity hissed softly. If they weren't in a very public restaurant he would be on the receiving end of her loud voice.

Oliver opened his mouth to say something but Felicity turned to Thea instead, "So what did the Dragon Lady say?" Felicity asked her.

Thea shrugged, "Not much, I was too busy concentrating on keeping the contents of my stomach, in my stomach."

"Ok, that is enough Thea," Oliver said angrily pointing his index finger at her. "There is no need to be so rude and disrespectful. We were raised better than that. We came here to hear Susan out," Oliver said through gritted teeth.

"No you were going to hear Susan out. I thought I was coming to a nice dinner with my brother but said brother had different plans so I had to change mine. I'm here to take the bitch down a peg or two," Thea stated.

"I thought we talked about second chances," Oliver said frustrated with her.

Thea threw her hands up in the air, "No you said you wanted to give her a second chance and I said she had her second chance already."

"Ok, enough you two," Felicity said stopping the argument midstream. They were getting nowhere. "Thea, your brother needs to believe in redemption and there is nothing wrong with giving someone a second chance," she said to the younger Queen before turning to the older one, "People have to seek redemption for themselves Oliver. It's not for you to thrust it upon them. Just remember that second chances can be deadly."

They both fell quiet and the waitress approached them to re-seat them. They all tacked on smiles and dutifully returned back to the table where Susan was already seated. The wine had been replaced and Thea handed it to Felicity before turning to the waitress and asking for a glass of champagne.

"It's nice to see you again Felicity but I thought this was a family dinner?" Susan asked watching the wine in Felicity's hand warily.

"It is," Felicity said with a smile taking a sip of the wine.

"I'm having a hard time understanding why his ex-fiancée would be here?" Susan stated with a slight frown on her beautiful face.

"I'm having a hard time understanding why his ex-girlfriend is here?" Felicity fired back.

"We haven't officially broken up yet," Susan pointed out confidently.

At this point Oliver tried to intervene and remind Susan that they weren't together, that this dinner was about him maybe giving her a second chance but Felicity just went right ahead talking.

"I may be his ex-fiancée but I am one of his best friends and I always have his best interest at heart," Felicity started before being cut off by Susan.

"Even when you broke up with him," the woman snapped at her.

"Especially when I ended our engagement. He wasn't ready and the truth was I wasn't either. We both still had plenty of learning and growing to do, particularly me. When I get married, I want it to last for life and for that to happen, I have to be the type of partner that can do that," Felicity said but she wasn't looking at Susan. She was looking at Oliver and they both focused on each other in silent conversation.

Thea watched pleased with the interaction between her brother and friend. The photographers were also having a field day.

Susan narrowed her eyes, "You know, there is a theory out there that the Green Arrow works with a hacker," she said looking directly at Felicity.

Felicity turned back to Susan, "Really, must be someone on the dark web," she quipped lightly.

Susan turned towards Thea, "And Speedy is a girl with a petite frame much like you."

"Susan I thought we were going to discuss what happened today," Oliver said not liking where Susan was going with the conversation.

"We were but your sister has been very hostile and your jealous ex has appeared out of nowhere," Susan complained.

"Felicity was invited," Thea snapped. She really hated that woman.

"Susan, Thea and Felicity are very important to me. If you can't get along with them then I really don't see much hope for a possible relationship between us, even if I forgive you for what you did," Oliver said reasonably.

"It was my job Oliver. You knew I was a reporter and what I did for a living when we started seeing each other. You said I was good at my job and you liked that. You can't be upset that I was so good that I uncovered the truth about you and don't try to lie me. I know it was the truth," Susan said fiercely.

"You can't be that good at your job if you're breaking an ethical standard by being in a relationship with the man you report about!" Thea retorted.

"You are not the Queen I'm seeing Thea. This is between me and Oliver," Susan stated firmly.

"I may not be the one the warms your bed but you can't get Oliver without getting me as well and unlike my brother, I'm not so forgiving," Thea pointed out.

"You forgave her for breaking his heart," Susan said inclining her head in Felicity's direction.

Thea stopped and surveyed Felicity closely. She had never even thought to be angry with Felicity when they broke up. She looked back at Susan, "No I didn't because even though they broke up, it's like Felicity said, she will always put Oliver's best interests first. She has been there when either of us needed her. She's helped us when we were down. You only kicked both me and my brother down. And because I have no faith in your integrity as a journalist, if you thought you could record this conversation and twist it to say Oliver admitted that your preposterous accusation were true, you'll find your recorder isn't working properly," Thea gloated. Felicity had made sure to walk with some type of electronic blocker to prevent that.

"I don't need a recorder, I have proof. Proof that you won't be able to spin into something else," Susan said standing up. "Oliver I tried to salvage our relationship but obviously with your sister in the picture, it will never work. Goodbye Oliver," Susan said before walking away.

Felicity reached to her left and linked hands with Oliver, "No guilt parties. She did not want a second chance. She wanted a story you could not give her," she said to comfort him.

Oliver sighed. A part of him wanted to ask her if she wanted a second chance but it was not the right time or the right place. He would wait a few days and let things blow over first before he sat down with her and had an adult conversation about what happened between then and where they were going to go from there.

"Did you get her proof?" Thea asked Felicity.

Felicity gave her a brilliant smile, "Mission complete. We swapped it out for your gift to her," Felicity explained.

"Great," Thea said looking down at the untouched menu on their table. "Now that the trash is gone, let's eat."


Early the next day Susan was the second customer to enter the bank's doors. She went straight to the area assigned to the safety deposit customers and requested to get access to her box. She went through the usual process of retrieving her box and was eventually left alone in the private room to review its contents. She was regretting not publishing everything. She had decided to take it easy on Oliver because of her feelings for him. She had grown to care about him. That had been a mistake. She lifted the lid to her box expecting to see the manila folder labelled Oliver Queen and the accompanying memory stick with further information but was instead met with a picture of Oliver and Felicity staring into each other eyes. She recognised the picture as one before they broke up. Thea was rubbing it in. They had stolen her proof from right under her nose. She called for the bank manager immediately but they couldn't find any evidence of tampering with the box. She laughed bitterly. Her phone pinged with a message from an undisclosed number. She opened it up.

Don't ever mess with us again!

The text disappeared from her screen as soon as it came. Susan's lips curled in disgust. She didn't care how long it would take but she would prove she was right. She would wait for the day that Thea Queen would mess up again and then she would pounce.