The Arrow & The Huntsman [The 1st Installment of DC HEROES: CHAMPIONS OF EARTH]

[75] All Or Nothing

Having perused the banquet hall and a few non-alcoholic drinks (after all, he was still working), Dearden caught a glimpse of his mother out of the corner of his eye and decided to go and make conversation with her for a while, and maybe clear the air about what happened the other day. However, even as he started walking toward her, he wished that for once he could get drunk because there was no way in hell that he could do this sober. At least not without hurting her feelings and making a bigger mess of things.

"Mother," he called out behind her, interrupting her conversation with another socialite. She whirled around and looked up at him in surprise before frowning slightly. Dearden tried not to wince at his mother's expression or the cool edge in her voice as she excused herself from her previous conversation.

"Well, I'm surprised you made it tonight given your hectic schedule," she snapped.

"Mom, I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise about the Bowens yesterday. I know that was important to you, and I blew you off," Dearden sighed.

"Oh, it's not just you. But recently, that's nothing new," she remarked, before softening her steely gaze ever so slightly. "I know that we've had our difficulties since you were born, Dearden, but despite all my many mistakes, you were the one child that I could always count on to be honest and dependable. No matter what kind of trouble Thea got into at school, or how many times Oliver got arrested, or even how many times your father was... unfaithful, I could always count on you to be there and be the glue that held this family together; because that's who you've always been. So can you imagine... just imagine, after being granted the miracle of having both of my children returned to me... that you, and your brother, seem to have little interest or no interest in being with me or telling me the truth."

"Mom," Dean began.

"You and Oliver have both been acting erratically since you got home and neither of you has been acting like you even want to be here. And as for lying to me about getting back together with Mia and getting her pregnant—" "Careful, mother!" Dearden warned sharply. "That is the mother of my child you're talking about." "Yes, I know, you have made that abundantly clear, but honestly, how long do you think this relationship will last?" Moira argued. "For God's sake, you slept with her while she was your assistant, and then after that, you were separated for five years on a deserted island. If she was like Laurel, then maybe I could see it working out, but since she is not, does it really make sense to leave your home and your family for a girl who is just going to bring you down? It's these kinds of actions you do that make me question sometimes why you even bother to come home at all."

A pang of hurt twisted Dean's gut as his mother spoke. He knew she had high expectations for him and that she could even be a little vindictive towards people she thought would lower those expectations, but never did he imagine that she could be so... so cold. He thought that given time he would be able to get Moira to see that Mia was actually one of the best things to ever happen to him. But now, after hearing the way she talked about Mia, Dearden knew that he had a snowball's chance of actually convincing Moira to see his side of things.

However, before he could arrange his thoughts and put them into words, Aaron approached the duo giving Moira a brief greeting, before leaning into Dearden's ear. "Redwood United Bank. They are going to try a nighttime hit," he informed before walking away in the direction of the exit."

"I, uh, I have to go, but... we're not done," Dean cleared his throat. Then he, too, turned and walked away to go find the others.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Redwood United Bank, a security guard was roaming around making sure that everything was as it should be when he suddenly felt a cloth being forcefully pressed against his mouth and nose as his attackers forced him to inhale whatever was on it. A few moments later he was unconscious and the culprits turned out to be none other than King and Ace.