The Rise of Athena (An Arrow: Season 1 Fanfiction)

Chapter 2: Legally Resurrected

                                                                            Evelyn Queen's POV

Ever since the night at the party, the welcome home bash, I had suspected something was up with Oliver. Even with the new bodyguard, John Diggle, he'd been sneaking out late. I'd caught him a couple times when I'd come down to the kitchen to get a midnight snack. He'd always get some scratch on his cheek or hand or arm or something and I'd tend to it, leaving him to say a quiet 'thank you' and retreat to his room. He'd told me he always wanted to be alone, that he was that way on the island. I knew him better than that, though, and was not fooled. 

We were all sitting in the living room, Mom on the couch, me on the couch, with Walter and Thea standing around the couch, watching the TV blare on about Marcus Redman and the recent attack by the vigilante, who I'd dubbed 'Robin Hood' for the sake of it. What? The police were calling him 'The Hood', which personally is an incredibly dumb name. The screen showed the police sketch of 'The Hood', with the caption MYSTERIOUS HOODED VIGILANTE below it. The TV announcer was speaking. 

'... Over the past 15 years, Mr. Redman has withdrawn more than $30 million dollars from the plant's account. Mr. Redman claims refunding the Halycon pension plan had always been his intent. But sources say Redman was coerced by the vigilante...' Just then Oliver walked into the sitting room. He looked at the screen and raised his arm in disbelief, gesturing towards the screen. 

'This guy gets more air time than the Kardashians, right?' Oliver asked. 

'Five years on an island and you still know who they are?' Thea remarked. 

'Evelyn and I have been catching up,' he replied, looking at me. 'It's nice to see how much our culture has improved while I was away.' 

'No, the city used to be different,' Mom remarked. 'People used to feel safe.'

'Oh, what's the matter, Mom? Afraid we're gonna be next?' Thea asked snarkily. Just then Walter spoke up. 

'Do you have any questions about today, Oliver, Evelyn? It's a simple proof-of-life declaration.' Mom stood up, and Walter straightened his jacket. I sighed and stood too, smoothing out my floral-themed blue dress and fixing my rose-gold watch. 'Just read out a brief, prepared statement to the judge, and then your deaths-in-absentia judgements will be voided.' I pulled out my piece of paper from my grey jacket pocket. 

'I've got mine. Ollie?' I asked, giving him a look. He nodded. 

'It's fine, Walter. I've been in a courtroom before,' Oliver replied, looking relaxed. Just then Tommy's voice broke through the family chatter. 

'Four times by my estimate,' Tommy said, with a strange look on his face, as if he were enjoying this. 'You know, there was the DUI, the assault on that papparazi douchebag -'

'Oh, I remember that,' I laughed. 'Oh, the pleasure of irresponsibility. And here, Oliver, is where you and I differ.' 

'As I was saying,' Tommy chimed in again, 'stealing that taxi, which was just awesome, by the way, and who could forget peeing on the cop?'

'Thomas!' I scolded. 'That's not funny. Can we please forget that one?'

'I wish everyone would,' Moira remarked. 

'I'd hang, but we're headed to court,' Oliver said. 

'I know, that's why I'm here. My best friend is getting legally resurrected, I wouldn't miss this for the world.'