Notes:
I am so, so nervous about this chapter and I really hope it makes sense to you guys and is realistic.
Butterfly, fly away Got your wings, now you can't stay Take those dreams and make them all come true You've been waiting for this day All along you've known just what to do
Robert was surprised when his son didn't show up at the docks alone. Even more so when he and his companion were close enough for him to make out the unmistakable features of Sara. Wasn't she supposed to be on her way to Europe? At least as far as he knew. It was a smart, strategical move that was going to set her apart from most of her peers after college when she would be looking for a job. Having participated in an exchange program and learnt another language and culture in the process was well appreciated in the business world. This choice could open her doors that would otherwise stay shut.
So why was she here?
The explanation the kids gave him was reasonable enough. Still, he wasn't quite sure why they hadn't told Sara's parents about their plan. If Sara had still plenty of time before school in France started and she therefore chose to join them on their trip, because she had always wanted to go to China, according to Oliver, why keep it a secret? It sounded innocent and plausible enough at first glance, but seemed to fall apart rather quickly if looked at too long.
Robert watched his son and his friend, as he had from time to time during their journey. He had had his suspicions for a while, especially with the two of them sharing a room, but nothing solid, until now. Their behavior had been rather subtle so far. They were sunbathing on deck, or had been originally when he had left them to get some work done a couple of hours ago. Now, Sara was lying on her back, Oliver partially draped over her, one of her hands was buried in his hair, the other one holding his biceps, their mouths were fused together in a sensual kiss.
Moira wasn't going to like this, that he was sure of.
He watched them a little longer before sighing and heading back inside. Unsure how to proceed and how to bring his observation and thoughts on the matter up with his son. It was later that day that the opportunity presented itself for him to take Oliver aside to talk to him in private.
"You know, son, that is not going to finish well, for either of them or for you." Oliver had just brushed him off, in the same casual, nonchalant way he had let them know he'd dropped out of yet another college while insisting he join him on his trip to China. It did nothing to ease the foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach and the worrisome thoughts at the back of his mind, but he let it go, as he had done with so many things concerning his son's behavior. Only continued to silently watch them when the opportunity presented itself, trying to analyze the situation to ascertain the exact context of their involvement.
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"What do you mean you aren't coming on the boat with me?" Robert wasn't sure he had heard his son right, they've had a deal, him, Moira and Oliver. Oliver could join him on his business trip to China, but they would discuss his future and he would go back to school and stay there once they returned home. Which college his son would go to was up for debate and he was willing to hear Oliver's thoughts on it, but not going back to school was not up for debate. This was most definitely not a part of that deal.
"Dad, Sara's heading to Europe in less than three weeks. I'm just gonna stay with her, we might head to Hongkong and then Singapore and then I'll come back home as soon as I put her on her plane to Paris. I just want to make sure she's alright until her flight leaves. We can't just leave her here by herself. What if something happens to her? And it'll be months until we get to see each other again, she'll be studying in France and I'll be studying at an Ivy League college somewhere in the US. Plus, it's not like I would be faster if I came back with you on the Gambit, so it really doesn't matter if I stay here for another couple of weeks or head back home with you on the boat. I really don't see the issue here." It was a reasonable argument and that would still mean Oliver would be home around the same time as him. And his son was right. Just leaving the nineteen-year-old all by herself in a foreign country wasn't something he'd feel comfortable with. He did feel responsible for her, given he had allowed her to join them, even though he knew rationally neither of the kids had given him much of a choice in the matter.
Robert could also see how this was probably a rather challenging time for Sara, knowing that she won't be able to spend any time with the people closest to her for at least several months. Not only that, but going to a foreign country, he could see how this might be intimidating for the young woman and that not giving her a little more time to spend with Oliver for no actual reason seemed unnecessarily unkind and insensitive.
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He should've seen this coming. At least a part of him was insisting he should've known. That he could've prevented this. There had been several situations he could've stepped in. Kept this from happening.
Robert contemplated telling Moira that Sara might (still) be with Oliver, not that he had mentioned the blonde's presence on their trip before. There was no need to cause the drama that would've followed that revelation, while the Lances might have assumed it to be innocent, just two friends having one last adventure before they would be separated by an ocean and a continent. He knew his wife would not. She had brought up Sara sharing Oliver's room more frequently, when she was staying over and Oliver locking his bedroom door whenever she did.
Yes, it didn't take a genius to come to the conclusion that they had already been physically involved with each other before they boarded the Gambit together. It had also not been as surprising to him as it had been to Moira. There had always been something between those two and once they've gotten older, it had turned into a barely noticeable tension. Yes, Oliver had been attracted to the younger Lance sister starting her freshman year in High School, which had been his son's senior year. Sara's crush on Oliver had been very obvious, and he was sure even Oliver himself must have been aware of it, if only subconsciously. Yet, he knew for a fact that his son had never crossed the line with the then fourteen to fifteen-year-old, something that could've had catastrophic consequences if his seventeen to eighteen-year-old son had and things didn't turn out in favor of the two friends. Never mind depending on Quentin's feelings about his baby girl being involved with Oliver. Starting a relationship with a detective's underage daughter was never a good idea. No matter how close you were to him.
He had taken Oliver aside once. Acknowledging his son's changing feelings towards one of his best friends since childhood. Reminding him of what Moira and he had taught him about girls and making sure he wouldn't break any laws. Sara was young, too young, given their age difference. He had told Oliver that it wasn't worth the risk, that if his feelings were strong enough to risk their friendship for, they would still be here when Sara was older and the wrong person seeing them together would not lead to him being charged with a statutory rape charge and have him end up on the sex-offender registry for life. Oliver had seemed to have understood how dire the consequences could be, should he go ahead and follow his feelings.
Yes, Oliver had made a very smart choice, keeping their relationship platonic, even with their mutual attraction towards each other. He had instead focused his romantic attention back on the sister who had originally been the sole object of it for years and years. This leading to him assuming it had only been a phase and was no longer an issue at least, when Oliver and Laurel's relationship had first begun.
So, no, he hadn't been that surprised to learn from his wife that the line had been crossed, now that Sara was a legal adult. Despite the fact that Oliver had been involved with Laurel for years at this point. And appeared to love the older Lance sister dearly.
Once Moira had learnt that Sara not only hadn't arrived at the university in France yet, but also that she had never even applied for the exchange program, there was nothing he could do. Whatever the kids had planned had been well thought out, better than he would've expected, but it hadn't been all the way thought through. Oliver must have known that his mother wasn't going to just stand by and watch him throw his life away. That she'd just look the other way while he was off in Asia, with his girlfriend's sister.
Robert sighed deeply before picking up his pen and signing the papers in front of him. Walter was sitting across from him, acting as a witness, a disapproving look on his face. He understood where his friend was coming from, he really did, but he had warned Oliver on the Gambit and again in China before he had left on his way home. Both Moira and he had reasoned with him on the phone and tried to make him understand… he wished there was another way to do this. Another way to make his son understand that they only wanted what was best for him and that the path he was on right now could lead to disaster both for him and for Sara, if her family learnt about their actions... there would be no going back from the repercussions that would come with that revelation, Sara could lose her entire family over this, and he feared his son would one day turn around and regret the choices he had made while he had rebelled against them and sabotaged himself and his and Sara's entire future in the process. Oliver was such a smart young man, always had been, if only he wouldn't consistently stand in his own way and realize just how gifted he was. That the world was lying at his feet. All he had to do was apply himself and change his ways. The same was true for Sara. Both children had such bright futures ahead of them and yet…
They were burning everything down right now. He picked the papers up and handed them to Walter.
"Are you sure about this, Robert? If you really go through with this, you will essentially tell Oliver that he is no longer a part of your family. The repercussions coming with that message might be bigger than you expect. Especially given his current behavior." He looked at his friend and studied him closely. Yes, if he and Moira were wrong with their assumption that Oliver would come home once he ran out of money, they could lose him. Possibly forever but he was at the end of his wits and didn't know what else he could do to make his son see, make him understand… he just wanted the best for him, for Oliver to reach his full potential, to not waste his life away the way he had been doing for years, drinking and partying and shirking all of his responsibilities in order to have more fun. The path he was currently on was dangerous. He had seen enough of his friends' children choosing the same path and ending up in the hospital, rehab, or dead. Wasting their lives and potential away indulging too much in their pleasure, never taking on any responsibility or control of their lives.
No, that was not the life or outcome he wanted for his son.
So Moira and he proceeded with their plan and froze his assets and blocked his credit cards, fully convinced that this would finally bring their son home again. The reaction that followed had not at all been expected from anyone. No, none of them had even entertained the possibility of Oliver calling Laurel and breaking up with her. They hadn't been sure if he was playing games with them or not, except their son would've never made Laurel a part of it if he had been. He cared too much about her for that. And Oliver had never been one for games. While he had the intelligence to outwit everyone, he didn't have the patience for them.
But there was also an underlying statement in this action, one no one beside Moira and he knew. Oliver chose Sara. Unmistakably so.
Robert had been surprised to learn that Sara was in contact with her family semi regularly, keeping up the story she and Oliver had concocted. Neither he nor Moira saw a reason to tell the Lances the truth, especially now. Now that Oliver had broken up with Laurel, essentially to be with Sara. No, there was no need to cause Laurel any more pain, just as there was no reason to tear their friends' family apart and for them to feel the same pain Moira and he were feeling because of Oliver's actions.
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Robert placed another couple of dollar bills into the envelope, closing it after and putting it on the side of his desk, ready to be picked up as soon as John would arrive. He had first hired him as security for Thea after the news broke that they had disowned Oliver. The press had had a field day when they had found out and he had been worried about his daughter's safety. A lot of people had been upset about their choice, while not even coming close to the truth behind their reasons.
It was only after the private investigator he had hired to find his missing son had showed him the photos he had taken of Oliver in Libya that he had given Mr. Diggle an additional job. He had called him into his office, handed him an envelope with several thousand dollars' worth in Dinar, and a round ticket to the city closest to where Oliver had been last and the instructions to make sure the money would reach his son, but that Oliver was not to know it came from him. Robert knew his son was working odd jobs. Which would be the way to get the money to him.
It had taken him almost two years to find Oliver. Robert had to admit that neither he nor Moira had considered the fact that disowning Oliver also meant they had no way to track his movements any longer. Not that they had expected him to not return home once the comfort he was used to was taken away from him. His companion might have played a part in that.
It was only after the other man had left, assuring him that Oliver would not find out where the money was coming from, that he took the envelope with the photos out of the drawer of his desk again.
His eyes were trained on the one he had placed at the top, his favorite, his son was laughing in it, while he was holding a little girl in his raised arms over his head, their foreheads touching, and the little girl was laughing too, Sara was also in the picture just at the edge, with the biggest smile on her face. Nothing in this picture would've let him believe just how bad their financial situation was at the moment, not if he wouldn't have the report from the P.I. in addition to the photos.
No, he would not let his son, his daughter-in-law, and his granddaughter fend for themselves, not after what they had just been through. But he also would not interfere. He looked at the picture again, the little hands touching his son's beaming face. No, he wouldn't interfere in the life he had built for himself, not when Oliver looked happier than he had ever seen him.
Robert had kept track of Oliver and Sara and their little girl over the years, had sent John Diggle with money whenever their financial situation had been too dire for too long, always making sure they wouldn't learn where the money was coming from, knowing full well his son would refuse it if he knew the truth. And never sending more than they would need to stay on their feet.
There was a knock on his office door before Walter stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He walked towards his desk and sat down in the chair across from him, so they could go over QC's latest financial report. It was only once they were done with all the issues that his friend's eyes strayed to the envelope at the edge of his desk.
"How are Oliver and Sara, and little Eloise?" His oldest friend was the only person, besides John Diggle who knew about his son's family and whereabouts.
"They are doing alright. They are back in the US. They've been travelling across the country for several weeks now. Sara is pregnant with their second child." A smile graced his lips while sharing this new development in his son's life with Walter. He enjoyed sharing what he knew about his son's life with someone, and Walter had proven to him time and again over the years that whatever he shared with him was at a safe place and would not leave the room. He opened the drawer in his desk and pulled out the lates photographs to show them to his most treasured friend.
He only ever sent them money through John when things were very alarming for them and didn't appear to look up for a while. He didn't want to interfere too much in their life. Especially not after seeing the man his son had become thanks to the life he had chosen and the hardships he and Sara had faced. Yes, he was very impressed and proud of his son and the man he had become. His devotion to his wife and daughter and willingness to do whatever it took to take care of his family was impressive.
The guilt of keeping this from his wife and daughter was nearly crushing him and only intensified even more every time John would provide him with a new picture of his son and his family. But he knew Moira, and he knew how she would react if she learnt about the choices their son had made, about the life their granddaughter was growing up in. She'd be horrified and heartbroken and she'd take the jet to wherever they were at the time and wouldn't leave without them. And Robert knew her actions would come from the right place, a place of unconditional love, but they would still be wrong and knowing their son, it would only make things between them even worse. Hell, he'd wanted to get on the jet and bring them home to the safety and comfort he and Moira could provide them with, numerous times over the years, but every time he picked up the phone to get the jet ready his mind would remind him of that very first photo of his son he had seen in almost two years at that time.
The very first time he had seen and learnt about his granddaughter and just how happy the young family had looked. They'd had lost everything only a short few weeks before, they'd barely had enough money to get by for more than a couple of days and still... they had looked so happy.
And he couldn't take that from them. He refused to take that from them.
His wife would want to protect and shield their boy from it all. Which was exactly where their problems with Oliver had started. They had meant well, had tried to protect and shelter him from the world and essentially taken away his opportunity to grow. They had removed every potential obstacle from his way, had prevented him from the consequences of his actions and with that taken away his chance to learn from his mistakes and understand that actions had consequences and sometimes those ramifications would lead to realizations and growth. They had overprotected him and in the end caused more harm than good.
No, he would not keep his son from uncovering his full potential by taking away the struggles Oliver had chosen for himself to grow on.
All he had ever wanted was for his son to be happy to find meaning in his life. Something Oliver had only achieved once he had stepped away from them, from the comforts and privilege they had provided for him. He would not be the one ruining this for him. Dragging him back into a life that had made him miserable to the point of self-destruction. No, his son would not follow the long path of his friends' children, who fell and never truly managed to get back up again.
Robert's eyes strayed to one of the photos he was showing Walter, it had Sara and Eloise in it playing in the mud. Yes, the guilt was a constant in his life. It was difficult for him to be in the same room as Quentin and Dinah, knowing what he was keeping from them, but Sara had been in contact with her family through all those years, even if only sporadically, had she wanted them to know she would've told them. She chose not to. And he respected her choice. It was not his place.
Should Oliver and Sara decide to come home, their door was always open and nothing would make him happier, but until then, he'd keep watching his son from a distance while he grew even more; as a man, as a husband, as a father. With immense pride and the utmost respect.
Notes:
Well, you guys asked for it so here it is, let me know what you think. Did I get Robert right? Or did I completely miss his character?
This chapter completely got away from me and took on a life of its own...
The chapter title is from the song "Butterfly Fly Away" by Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus.
