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"No offence, by I would've thought that you won't be a fan of the Hood," Thea said, "Or… vigilantes in general."

She still couldn't really believe that she was spending the evening in her bedroom, with Charley Quinzel of all people, studying for an exam. Who am I? she thought, knowing that until a couple of weeks ago, she'd probably be out all night with Margo and Roxie – getting drunk, or worse.

"No, none taken," Charley said, "I get why you'd think that. But it's actually the opposite. I'm thankful to Batman, for stopping my mother. For preventing her from hurting more people…"

"And you think Starling City needs its own Batman?"

"You saw the news about Martin Somers? The guy was a murderer, working with the Triad, and now thanks to the Hood he's going to jail. That's not even vigilante justice, it's just justice-justice."

"Yeah, good point."

"So…" Charley said after a minute, not even sure if she should be bringing it up, "I mean, maybe you'd rather we don't talk about that, but… I've also seen your brother's speech on the news."

"Yeah… That was not a very great moment. For Ollie, or any of us."

"Are things between you still…?"

"Tense? Yeah. It's always… One second, he's the same screw-up he was five years ago, then he turns around and scolds me for being just like him. All the while he keeps pretending like he's just been on a lengthy vacation the last five years. It's… frustrating. I feel that I have no idea who the real Oliver is right now."

"Maybe he doesn't either," Charley said, thinking out loud, "Whoever he was on that island probably doesn't fit into real life back in Starling. So, I guess all he has to go on is who he used to be, and who he thinks he should have become."

"And we'll all just have to wait for the new real Oliver to show up?"

"Umm, maybe? I'm just guessing. Psychology degrees aren't hereditary, you know."

"So, I received an unusual phone call from the police last night…" Moira told Thea over her morning coffee.

"Oh? What about? Is… Ollie okay?"

"Actually, it was about you."

Thea looked at her mother curiously. Mainly because she almost sounded amused, which was definitely not the tone Thea would have expected.

"I was here all nigh- "

"I know," Moira said, "But apparently your friends Margo and Roxie broke into a store and decided to try on some dresses. In fact, the two of them were so drunk, that they forgot you weren't with them – so the police had spent an hour searching for you, before someone had the sense to check if you're actually missing."

Thea couldn't help laughing at that.

"Don't get me wrong," Moira said, a little more seriously, "I'm very pleased that you decided not to move up in the criminal world, and go from public intoxication last time to breaking and entering now. I just… hope this is a lasting change."

"Can't make any promises, Mom," Thea answered.

"All I'm trying to say is," her mother said, "It's good that you've found new, more positive influences to have around you. Like that new girl that was here last night."

Thea detected an opportunity to toy with her mother a little, get back at her for critiquing her friend choices, and just had to seize it.

"Actually, Mom, Charley isn't new. She's been in my class since forever. Have I never mentioned her? Charley Quinzel?"

"Quinzel?" Moira said, surprised, "Like that terrorist from Gotham?"

"Yup, that's her mom. Harley Quinn."

Moira was hardly overjoyed that her daughter's new friend was the child of a maniac criminal, but it was actually the less worrying side of things.

Quinzel… Harleen Quinzel, that name brought back a hint of an eighteen-year-old memory.

"So," Moira asked, masking her worry from Thea, "this Charley girl uses her mother's last name? Despite of the baggage attached to it?"

"It's the only one she has," Thea answered, "I don't think she has a father. At least none that she knows about."

And there it was. It was still just a suspicion, but deep-down Moira knew she was right. Of all the young pretty psychologists in Starling City, Robert… Of course, you had to have an affair with the Joker's future partner.

And now her daughter suddenly shows up in our lives, just after your death is confirmed.

"Why did we need to come all the way to the Glades for Big Belly Burger?" Thea asked her new friend in confusion.

"I always come here," Charley answered.

"Okay… But why, though?" Thea asked again, "It's not like you live around here, or that you used to… "

"Well, yeah, but… Hey Carly!" the other teenager said as they settled into a booth.

"Hey, kid," Carly greeted her with a warm smile, "How you been?"

"I'm alright, thanks. How're you?"

"Been okay," Carly answered. Turning her attention to Thea she said, "I don't think I seen you here before."

"I'm Thea. Nice to meet you. So… you two are friends? That's why we came all the way out here?"

"Charley's more like my adopted white little sister," Carly told her, smiling at the other girl.

"How did that happen?"

"Carly used to be my… babysitter? Nanny? Whatever you call it. Like… at least eight years ago?"

"Feels like a lifetime, honestly," Carly said, "Before I got married, had AJ…"

Before Andy died… Charley knew that's what she was thinking, as Carly gazed down looking pensive.

"Yeah, and after that I just kept showing up at her new job, at a book store."

"And eventually I stopped trying to get her to leave, and just… embraced it."

"That's sweet. I guess," Thea said.

A while later, as the two girls were already mid-way through eating their burgers, Carly's brother-in-law John walked it. Accompanied by none other than Thea's brother Oliver and his friend Something Merlyn.

"What's your brother doing here with Mr. Diggle?" Charley wondered out loud.

"You know Ollie's new bodyguard? Huh, small world. Anyway, why does it look like he and Tommy were in a fight?" Thea said.

While John went over to talk with Carly, Thea approached her brother and his friend. "Hey, big brother! What happened to the two of you?"

"Never mind that, Thea," Oliver deflected her question, "Why are you all the way out here so late?"

"I'm here with my friend – Charley," Thea introduced her, "Charley Quinzel."

Charley didn't really appreciate the way Thea emphasized her last name just to spite her older brother, but stayed quiet for now.

"Well, I think that's enough for tonight," Oliver said, "You should go home."

"So first you had a problem with the way I was acting before," his sister told him, "And now even when I behave, you're gonna judge me for who I'm friends with and where I go?!"

"Thea, I see you making the same mistakes that I made-"

"No, these are mistakes that you keep making. Even now that you got your life back after five years of being d…" Thea stopped to take a breath, looking like she tried to calm down but just couldn't, "And even if I try to act different, you're too busy judging me to see that, so what's the point?!

"I mean, you're one to talk about my friends?! How much do you know about your own so-called friend over here?"

"Oooh…" Tommy Merlyn tried to intervene, "Thea, maybe you shouldn't-"

"Tommy," she stopped him, "I think your BFF has a right to know."

"Thea, let's go," Oliver told her sternly.

"Well, I guess he never told you, that he and Laurel 've been screwing while you were gone."

Tommy looked down in embarrassment, while the two Queen siblings just stared each other down in silent fury. Meanwhile, Charley simply wished she was anywhere else right now.

After an awkward moment, Tommy started to apologize, "Look, man… I…"

"Tommy," Oliver stopped him, "It's okay." Then he looked back at his younger sister and said, "You and me? We're done for the night."

He grabbed Thea's arm and started to pull her away, but she pushed him off her. "Take your hands off me!" she told him angrily, "You're not my father. And you're barely my brother."

Then she walked off.

Looking back at Carly in apology, Charley said, "I… should go after her. Sorry." At least we already paid, she thought, although she still felt bad about the scene they caused at her friend's workplace.

"Thea, wait," Charley caught up with her friend on the street outside.

"Can you believe him?!" Thea turned around and said, "He's the one who's been in a fight, and he has the nerve to judge me?!"

"I know. You're right," Charley told her, "He just assumed the worst and wouldn't even let you explain."

"Yeah."

"But…" Charley stopped herself from saying anything else, but it was too late.

"But what?"

"Nothing."

"No, Charley. But what?"

"Wasn't telling your brother that while everyone thought he was dead for five years, his best friend slept with his… girlfriend, I assume? Just kinda… unnecessarily mean?"

Charley knew she shouldn't have said anything, and the hurt look on Thea just proved it. It was as if her friend just stabbed her in the back.

"Was it?" Thea lashed out, "Does Charley Quinzel, arbiter of all things holy, deem my behavior too 'mean'?!"

"I just think that- "

"I was standing up for you!"

"You were using my name on purpose to get a reaction out of him, and you know it."

"It's not my fault that you're ashamed of your last name, Charley. It's like… everything you do is just to prove you're so different than your mom, isn't it? But it's all fake…"

"Thea, I think you should stop – "

"No, you stop! Stop telling me what to do, stop trying to fix me, and stop forcing this friendship to happen just because you need some charity case to save! I had a good thing going the last five years, and I don't need you in my life if all you wanna do is to change me!"

Thea turned back around and walked away again, and this time Charley was too stunned to do or say anything about it.