Disclaimer: Arrow is owned by The CW, Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. Television. The characters of the Green Arrow and the Justice League is owned by DC Comics. I own nothing; I'm just playing in their universe.

My name is Thea Queen. Or perhaps it's Thea Merlyn.

Over the past two weeks, I've learned things- about my family, about my friends, about MYSELF- things I've never known. I've learned things that I wish I HADN'T learned.

I learned the man I thought was my father really wasn't, and the man who WAS my father had him murdered.

I learned that my mother had worked with him for the past five years to bring devastation to this city, all while fearing for our lives.

I've learned that my brother wasn't really dead, but had seen and experience horrors that had turned him from a carefree playboy into a stone-cold killer.

And I learned that I had the potential to become a killer, too.

Someone once said 'Once you let the darkness inside, it never comes out'. And that darkness is inside me now. But if I'm going to be there for my brother, for my family; if I'm going to keep an eye on my father to make sure he doesn't end up killing us all, I can't be the monster I became in the future. I need to become someone else, to become something else….

Because I don't want to be her.

The talk with Walter went about as well as you could expect.

For the first half he sat there dumbfounded as Moira and Thea explained what they had been doing for the past two weeks, starting from when they were brought into the future (that alone took about half an hour) all the way to when they were sent back. Moira even had Thea show Walter the video on her phone of her consent to having her mind wiped.

Moira then proceeded to tell Walter everything she had kept hidden over the years. She told him how Robert had once killed a man by accident, and in going to his friend Malcolm Merlyn for help he had been pulled into Malcolm's insane plans; she told him about Tempest, and what Malcolm eventually led them to agree to; she told him how Robert had confessed all of this to her, and she had begged him not to go through with it, to stop it. How it was her urging that sent Robert sailing towards China to raise the capital he needed to buy out Malcolm's interests in the Glades, and how they both thought that would be enough.

Then she told him what Malcolm had done to the Queen's Gambit. How he had insinuated to her months later that it hadn't been an accident, and how Queen Consolidated was still needed in the plan. How she had worked with Malcolm for five years, constantly fearing for her, Thea's, and Walter's safety if she failed to do what he asked. As Moira went on, Walter became more and more silent. When he was angry, Walter wasn't one to yell and scream profanities. A true Brit, he became more stoic and stiff, his posture ramrod straight, his eyes slightly narrowed. At this rate Thea wasn't sure he wouldn't blow up soon.

Moira finished by talking about what they had seen in the future, what Mia had told them all, and how Malcolm had ultimately come around and promised to make amends, if he could. "So on Friday everyone will be meeting here." She concluded. "To plan what we should do next."

"Everyone, including Malcolm." Walter replied. It was a statement, not a question.

"Well, yes—" she stopped when Walter abruptly stood and walked angrily out of the room. As she sat there silently crying, Thea got up and headed to the wet bar. She quickly poured two glasses of scotch, then headed back to the sofa and handed one of the glasses to her mother.

"You can officially ground me in a minute." Thea announced. "And anyways, this is the last time I'm taking a drink. But I think we both need it."

Moira gave a watery chuckle. "What was that toast Oliver said?"

Thea raised her glass. "Prochnost."

"Prochnost." Moira repeated. And they both drank.

MONDAY

Monday morning found Thea back at school. Balliol Prep- or more commonly called Starling Academy- was a private school that all of Starling City's elite sent their children to. That proved to be a double edge sword, though. The school was the best funded, the best appointed, and had all of the latest and greatest things that any public school would be envious of. But the reason the school had all of that money was because parents routinely paid for their kids to advance each year, and it was almost expected that the school would get a new wing, or a new library, or a new pool when it was time for one of the wealthier students to graduate.

Thea always got a kick out of that. She used to be proud of the fact that it was her mother's checkbook that got her into Junior year. Now though, as she stood at her locker stuffing books into her bag, it shamed her.

"Yo, Thea!"

She turned to see her friend Morgan Hathaway, flanked as always by Blake Caine and Lacey Crowe. Thea gave them a tired smile, as she had a feeling she knew where this conversation would go. "Hey girls."

"So, we wanted to hit the Galleria tonight. There's a new boutique opening up; we can get some killer outfits for Friday—"

"Can't." Thea said, stuffing the last book into her bag and closing her locker. "My mom found my stash, so I'm grounded."

Morgan shrugged. "So?"

Thea sighed. "So I'm taking it seriously now. Plus, I'm getting tired of the party scene, aren't you?" she had to try, at least. "The drinking and the drugs, and the sex in the bathrooms…"

"I'll never get tired of the sex in the bathrooms." Lacey snickered.

"Well I am. I just… I want more out of my life, now. I'm giving up the party scene. I'm actually going to try and pass my classes."

"Why?" Blake asked. "That's what our parents are for."

"What's gotten into you, Queen?" Morgan demanded.

Thea stared at her 'friend'. "I'm making a change. Going straight edge, I guess you'd say."

"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do on Friday?" Morgan snarled.

"You mean 'How are we supposed to get into the Viper Room without you'?" Thea replied. "Oh, I'm sure you'll figure something out."

Morgan made a dismissive sound. "I bet this straight edge crap doesn't last a week." She said, then looked back at the other girls. "Let's bounce."

Thea watched them saunter down the hall, then shook her head. "Good to know who my friends are." She muttered to herself.

By the time she made her way to her science class, she noticed her normal seat was taken by someone else. Morgan shot her a nasty look, but Thea just rolled her eyes. Two weeks ago, this would have been a devastating blow to her ego. But now, after seeing what she had seen and experiencing what she had experienced, it was nothing more than an annoyance. She spied an empty seat and walked over to it. "You mind if I sit here?" she asked the girl. She looked very familiar, with striking white hair…

"Why?" the girl replied, looking timidly up at Thea. "I mean hi! Um, did you want me to move?"

Thea chuckled. "Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Thea,' and then segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while."

The girl looked at her in confusion. "But aren't you hanging out with Morgan?"

"I can't do both?"

"Not legally."

Thea laughed lightly. "Yeah, well… I'm trying a new, novel approach to school- namely actually trying to learn something. And Morgan seems to be against that, and so I find myself in the need for a new lab partner. I can't promise I won't drag your grade down, but I can promise I will try hard not to."

The girl gave her a timid smile. "Then I guess I got a partner." She held out her hand. "I'm Rose. Rose Maddison."

Thea swallowed her shock. She DID know this girl- she had just spent two weeks with her on a space station. Of course that Rose had been older, was missing an eye, and went by another last name. Forcing a smile, she shook the proffered hand. "Thea Queen."

The rest of the day continued without any other shocks, and as the class filed out of Mrs. Groth's English class, she lingered until she was the last student in the room. As the door closed, she hesitantly approached the desk. She had never really gotten along with Mrs. Groth- mostly because she never applied herself in class, never did the assigned work, and constantly mouthed off to her, secure in the knowledge that she would still go on to senior year. That meant this was about to be a very painful conversation.

"Uh, Mrs. Groth?" she started timidly. "May I have a moment?"

Mrs. Groth didn't look up from the papers she was grading. "Make it fast, Queen. Unlike some people, I have work to do."

Thea winced. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I know I didn't do the assignment—"

"Not an unusual state of affairs."

Thea winced. "And I know I haven't done… well, ANY of the assignments…."

"Is there a point to this introspection."

"Please, Mrs. Groth. I'm trying here." She pleaded. The teacher sighed and finally looked up at the girl. "I've been a shit student." Thea began. "And I can blame my dad and brother dying, or my mother not caring enough about me, or my own sense of entitlement. Bu the fact is I made the decision to coast through school on nothing more than my last name. But," she sighed. "I've had to face a lot of hard truths about myself recently. And I learned that I don't like who I've become. So now I'm going to try and be better, but I need help." She swallowed. "If there is any way I can make up at least some of the work I haven't done, or if there's a way to earn some extra credit, or something…."

Mrs. Groth considered the girl for a few moments, then turned back to her computer. She quickly pulled up a file and printed it out. "Do you know what this is?" she asked rhetorically. "This is a record of every assignment you've missed this year. I keep one of these sheets for every one of the students that feel they don't need to do the work. And every year I print these out and take them to Dean Douglas. And every year he ignores them, because each of these kid's parents buys him a new toy, or buys the school a new building. And it makes me sick." She said harshly. Thea fidgeted. "I've taught here for 7 years, and not once has one of you entitled students come to me and actually expressed a desire to learn. And up until this moment, you were no different." She handed Thea the sheet. "But if you are willing to make the effort to actually come to me and ask me for help, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. You have four months to start knocking thigs off of this list- in addition to doing the current work as well. If you have questions, I will be happy to answer them. If you are truly dedicated, I will ask one of my honors students to work with you after hours, if they are willing. And of course I will be here for you during school. As for extra credit," she thought for a moment. "Next year you are required to perform community service to graduate. Most students get around this in the usual fashion. But if you are serious, start looking for something to volunteer at. If you stick with it, I will give you extra credit for however much you work."

Thea sighed in relief. "Thank you, Mrs. Groth. I'm serious about trying, I promise."

"I think you are." The teacher replied. "Prove me right, Miss Queen."

TUESDAY

Thea spent all of Monday night pouring through her books and working on her assignments. By Tuesday she had decided to take Mrs. Groth up on her offer for help from her honor's student.

She was sure Mrs. Groth was getting a measure of revenge for her previous attitude by assigning her to the Harris twins.

That night Thea had the driver take her to Laurel's apartment. Wearily she made her way to the third floor and knocked on her door. After a moment, Laurel opened the door.

"Hi!" Laurel said in surprise.

"Hey." Thea replied tiredly. "You got a minute?"

"Sure." Laurel led her into the apartment. "Did you want some coffee? Or if you're hungry, I ordered pizza from Mario's; it should be here in a few minutes."

"I'm good." Thea said with a strained smile. "Actually, I needed to ask you a favor."

To Be Continued….

A/N: fun fact- the teachers were named after teachers I had back in high school, though they never acted like that. And sorry for the dialogue between the girls, but A) I am not a teenage girl, and B) I haven't been a teenager in over15 years.

A/N 2: Can anybody guess who the Harris twins are? They will be appearing in 'A Future Imperfect'.