Notes:

Not sure where this one has come from. Also, I didn't really get around to editing it, might do it at some time, but I'm pretty busy right now but I really wanted to post something so... I apologize if it is not up to my usual standard.

We all kept secrets. Some out of kindness, some in anger, and others to protect ourselves

Thea couldn't put into words how grateful she was that Sara had offered to fill in for her runaway employee, she not only knew her way around a bar, but was also very professional but still managed to make the patrons relaxed and bring in a lot of tips. Which honestly wasn't that surprising. Sara just like Oliver was a big flirt once she put the charm on. But she'd obviously also noticed the changes in her friend since she's come back. She was a lot more serious, composed and, most noticeable of all, quieter. But then again, so was Ollie.

It was the first time that the two of them ended up as the last two after closing the club and with finishing everything up. They were currently up in the office, counting the cash, making sure there were no errors for bookkeeping. They'd been sitting in comfortable silence while doing the task that required concentration on both ends. And it was late, so late that it was almost early again.

It was once they were done and putting the stock back into the cash registers. Having taken out the income, she'd bring it to the bank later today, placing everything in the safe and locking it. That she turned towards her friend. Unsure how to address what has been going through her mind for a while now.

"Hey Sara, can I ask you something?" The blonde looked up at her and stopped going through the side drawer of her desk.

"Sure." She gave her a smile before going back to rustling through the documents there until she found what she was looking for.

"But can we move the convo downstairs? I want to get the stock inventory behind the counter done before heading out. Makes it easier tonight." Sara moved towards the door while talking and Thea followed in step.

"Of course. That is so true." They walked down the stairs in silence while she was trying to figure out how to best phrase her question.

"So, what's up?" Sara looked at her after they'd been working in silence behind the counter for a while.

"I just… I was wondering… okay, you totally don't have to answer if you don't want to but…" Thea could've hit herself at her ramble, Sara was just looking at her patiently a small amused smile playing around her lips.

"Just spit it out already, Speedy."

"You and Ollie have been hanging out a lot." Thea had to repress the urge to hit her head against the counter, given how stupid that sounded. She wasn't sure why she was being anything but eloquent tonight, maybe she was just tired.

"Yeah, haven't had the chance to in years." Thea bit her lip mentally facepalming at her moronic statement, she had a feeling Sara knew exactly what she was trying to ask and purposely not answering the question she had yet to actually voice, and she wondered if it was because she found it amusing, or because she didn't want to answer it. She guessed there was only one way to find out.

"Well, yeah, obviously, but… is there something going on between the two of you? I mean, are you guys…" She wasn't sure how to finish that sentence.

"Sleeping together? Yeah." On the one hand Thea was surprised by the instant and honest reply, on the other hand she was unsure what to make of the way Sara had finished her sentence. It wasn't what she had wanted to ask. She'd wanted to ask if they were in a relationship. So Thea wasn't entirely sure how to take that answer. Did it mean they were just casually hooking up, or were they more serious? She really wanted to know, but she wasn't sure how to specifically ask that and whether it was even her place to.

"That's not what I… so you guys are just casual?" Thea felt this was probably the safest approach, and it gave Sara an easy out if she didn't want to divulge the exact state of her and Ollie's involvement. She could just agree with her statement and leave it at that.

"I guess we're seriously casual." Sara winked at her and grinned. Thea was unsure what to make of that statement.

"Look, Thea, I'm not… we haven't really defined what we are, we kinda just fell into it, again, and we're just going with the flow and see where it takes us but we both just know that we want to give this thing that's between us a real shot and figure out where it goes and whether or not we can make it work in a long-term sort of way." Sara continued and tried to explain the situation between Ollie and her. Thea had to bite her lip to hide the grin her friend's words put on her face. It was just so Ollie and Sara.

Thea's mind was suddenly playing Long Shot and she now seriously had to force herself to keep from laughing out loud. The song seemed so very fitting to the potential couple.

"Seriously casual? I like it. I hope it works out. I think you guys are great together." She meant it. She felt like Sara was a great fit for her brother and she'd seen the changes in him ever since Sara has come home. He seemed lighter, happier. Even if it wasn't obvious and there was still stuff going on, like whatever the hell he and her mom had going on, she wasn't sure what they were fighting about, but she knew for a fact they were. And Ollie hadn't really been home in ages, sure he dropped in from time to time, but he wasn't spending the nights at home. Even if he tried to make it seem like he was, she knew he wasn't. And while he tried to be normal and civil with mom, she also knew he was pretending and she was so sick and tired of both of them lying to her and telling her everything was fine, when it so obviously wasn't. It made her wonder…

"Sar? Can I ask you something else?" Thea was unsure whether she should do this or not, but she'd asked both her mother and brother several times and they both had blatantly lied to her.

"Sure." Sara smiled at her encouragingly.

"Do you know… has Ollie mentioned… there's something going on between him and mom, and I think it's coming from him, like he's mad at her for something but when I ask him, he denies it and when I ask mom she's also telling me everything is fine. But I'm not stupid and I know they're lying to me and I'm just so tired of it." The moment she asked the question her entire frustration spilled out, and she hoped Sara could help.

"Thea… look… it's really not my place to… I'm sorry Ollie isn't… do you trust me?" Sara looked very uncomfortable while trying to give her an answer, it gave her the impression Sara knew exactly what was going on, but Ollie told her not to tell her.

"Of course." She replied without a moment's hesitation. She'd always trusted Sara and still did. She was the only person that hadn't lied to her so far.

"Okay. Then trust me when I tell you both Ollie and Moira have their reasons why they are not telling you what the issue between them is. And stop digging. There's nothing you'll gain from it. They both love you dearly and only want the best for you and protect you and keep you safe. Ollie's just learned something through a friend of his that he wished he hadn't and essentially has nothing to do with him and isn't any of his business but he is struggling with the knowledge and the easiest thing for him to do right now is to put all of his emotions into channeling anger and blame and point it towards your mom. Which might not be entirely fair to her, but he's still dealing with the revelation and trying to figure things out. Avoiding her instead of actually sitting down with her and having a conversation about the unwanted knowledge he now has. I hope he'll come around and decide to do that and hear your mom's side of the story. They'll work it out eventually, they always have. Ollie loves your mom, and your mom loves Ollie and you more than anything in the world. And you are the most important thing in Ollie's life. There's nothing and no one he loves and cares about more than you. Don't ever, ever doubt that. Both your brother and mother are flawed, and they make mistakes, but don't you ever doubt their love for you and that their intentions are good, and their choices are made out of love, even if they are misguided. They never meant or mean to hurt you. Hurting you is the last thing they ever want to do. They love you so much." Thea listened closely to Sara's words. Seeing the truth in them, even if she didn't really want to. She wanted to stay mad at them for once again keeping secrets from her but it sounded like she really might be better off not knowing if Ollie was struggling so much with it. But then again, it made her wonder what he'd learned about their mom now. What else she's gotten herself into. She'd only just been released from prison…

Sometimes Thea wished her family affairs weren't this twisted and secretive and morbid. Sometimes she wished they were just a normal family. Sometimes she wondered if things would be different if they didn't have as much money and prestige as they did. Maybe then their life would be less dramatic, there would be fewer secrets and skeletons in the closets.

She looked at Sara. And thought about the Lances. So, maybe not. They were essentially what people would call a normal family or had been until the Gambit. But even the Lances had had their secrets and skeletons in their closets. Sara's eating disorder, Quentin's at times very controlling behavior towards his daughters, Dinah's at times too easy-going nature, Laurel's compulsion to always win and be the best at everything, Sara's affair with her sister's boyfriend, Quentin's alcoholism, Dinah's need to run from the remainder of her family, Laurel's alcoholism… maybe normal was an illusion. Maybe there was no such thing as a normal family.

"I just wished they'd stop lying to me. I'm so sick and tired of it, Sara. Even if they mean well, I just…" She confided what the real issue was.

"I get that Thea. I really do, and so does Ollie. But… His friend, the one who learned something that she shouldn't have because she stuck her nose where it didn't belong and then instead of keeping what she'd found to herself, as a kindness to Ollie because it may concern your mom, but it does not at all concern Ollie and it has been a long time ago. She chose to tell him and, to be honest, I think she meant well, but she didn't do him any favors. Far from it and if she'd known him better, she'd known that telling him what she did would overwhelm him, your brother very easily ends up emotionally overloaded, and has trouble dealing when he is, which is why he's currently at odds with your mom and not having the conversation they should be having to clear the air and so he can get the answers he desperately seeks." Sara elaborated further and Thea wondered for a moment which friend Sara was talking about. She didn't seem to be too fond of them, her, actually. Or just really disagree with those specific actions of hers.

"Yeah, Ollie doesn't do well with confrontations or emotional conversations." That really wasn't her brother's strong suit. He liked to avoid uncomfortable conversations for as long as possible. It was in that moment that she realized who Sara was most likely talking about, Ollie's EA, former IT employee of QC, who her brother seemed to have taken a liking to. That would make sense, given the little information Sara had given her.

"I really think you should let it go, Thea. It's an issue between Ollie and Moira and they will resolve it in their own time. But I'm certain they will. Once Ollie is ready to have that conversation. Until then, he's going to need time to have it set and forcing them into a confrontation won't solve anything but only make things worse. Give them time and have faith in them. I know it's hard sometimes, especially given everything that has happened, but please Thea, trust me. This is nothing you want to know, and knowing won't do you any favors. They are trying to protect you because they love you. Not all knowledge is good and some secrets are necessary. Sometimes, keeping secrets is a kindness because sometimes the truth is worse, and knowing the truth isn't necessary." Thea listened closely to Sara. What she said made sense and yet, she wasn't sure she agreed with her friend. But there was something about her, the way she looked, the sound of her voice that made her hesitate, made her question her own beliefs when it came to secrets and lies. Sara sounded so sure, so certain, that at times keeping secrets was the better choice. But she wasn't sure.

Thea was still mulling Sara's words over, trying to find the words to say what she wanted to or ask the questions that haven't fully formed yet, when she realized that their conversation had just abruptly ended when Sara looked at something behind her and an unexpected smile suddenly graced her lips.

"Hey. Shouldn't you be in bed by now? Don't you have that important meeting in like five hours or so?" the blonde addressed the person behind her.

"Hey. That's tomorrow? Today? Whatever." She shifted so that she could look at her brother and his girlfriend, she guessed, and had to snicker at his reply. Why wasn't she surprised by that?

"Yeah, that's today, didn't Felicity send you a reminder?" Sara looked highly amused.

"Probably, not sure where I put my phone, though. Hey Speedy." Her brother could be such an idiot and so scatter-brained at times, it was unbelievable. Because at the same time he had an almost eidetic memory, and it was just such a huge contrast that she wasn't even sure how it was even possible.

"Hey Ollie. How'd you manage to misplace your phone?" She rolled her eyes at him. Seriously, only her brother could be Mr. CEO and lose the most important device for the job. She watched him walk past her and bend down to kiss Sara on the lips. Huh, interesting. This was the first time they'd shown any PDA in her presence. She wondered what it meant, most of all because Ollie was the one who initiated it and not Sara. Sara would've made more sense given their previous conversation, but it looked like Ollie didn't care if she knew about them or not.

"Not sure. Busy night. You about ready to head out?" Ollie turned from Sara towards her and shrugged his shoulder before turning back to the blonde when addressing her.

"Yeah, I think we're about done here. What'd you think, Speedy?" Sara looked at her questioningly. But she guessed Sara was right. The most important parts were done, and it was getting late or early, really. So, yeah, they should head home. Or wherever Ollie was staying, while not staying at home. She was probably going to crash at Roy's herself. She really didn't feel like driving all the way back home.

"I think so, too. The rest can easily be done by the first shift tonight." Thea agreed with her friend and the three of them walked towards the entrance of the club. She noticed that Ollie and Sara were holding hands and it was like the cutest thing ever and she had to muster all the willpower she could to not let her excitement and joy show and jump up and down right next to them. But they were just so adorable!

Ollie held the door open for both of them and Thea locked it behind them. The couple walked her to her car and hugged her goodbye, waiting until she'd left the parking space and the property belonging to the club. Thea spent the drive to Roy's wondering where Ollie and Sara would stay tonight, chances were that Ollie had gotten a hotel room for them, somewhere between Verdant and QC. Yeah, that was probably it.

Thea was thinking about Sara's words and whether or not she should take her friend's advice until sleep finally took her over, while she was snuggled up to Roy. Happy to know that neither Ollie nor Sara would be alone tonight.

Notes:

I've wanted to write, or more accurately finish and post, a Sara/Thea friendship fic for ages, so here it is. Let me know what you think.

The story title is a quote from Hailey Edwards.