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

Chapter 22: The Queen Christmas Party

December 25, 2012. Queen Mansion. 

Evelyn Queen's POV 

Oliver and I slipped in the door. He was wearing a comfortable-looking black suit with black dress shoes and a red tie with a white button down shirt. I wore a pretty red dress which was flowy, going down to my ankles, and a necklace my mom had given me for my sixteenth birthday, one I had discovered while going through my jewellry for the evening. I had my arm wrapped in the crook of his elbow. He shut the door behind me and we walked up to Diggle, who stood there, looking for all the world like the stern bodyguard he was. He was getting more-hearted, though. 

'I see the halls are decked,' Oliver commented. 

'You okay?' he asked, looking at me, referring to my meltdown earlier in the week. I smiled softly. 

'I'll manage.' 

'Is everyone having a good time?' Oliver asked. 

'You sure you want to do this, man?' Diggle asked. 'Maybe now is not the best time for you to be Martha Stewart's elf.' I laughed at this. 

'My family needs this party, Diggle. Which means that I - we need it,' Oliver replied, gesturing to him and I. Just then the door closed and we both turned to see Shane, the kid from the diner. I felt my whole body stiffen and I could see Oliver giving him a hard look, but not enough to start anything. 

'Hey, dude,' he said to Oliver, who was still staring at him. 'Thea invited me. I hope that's cool.' The kid was holding a bouquet of flowers and I looked down at them, apparently so did Oliver, because the kid decided to assuage our suspicions. 'These are for your mom.' He turned back to Diggle, raised his eyebrows and whispered one word, 

'Smooth.' Then he and I walked away. I heard over my shoulder, Diggle telling the kid 'good luck'. We came into another room, where a photographer was taking photos of people. Up ahead of two ladies taking a photo, we saw our family. Mom, Thea and Walter, all standing in a circle, talking to some other people. I heard briefly Mom saying 'thank you for coming' as we walked up. 

'Oliver, Evelyn,' Walter greeted. I slipped my arm out of Oliver's and smiled at my family, letting all the tension fade from the previous meeting with Shane. 

'You guys look great,' Oliver said, the tension seeming to have left him as well. 'Merry Christmas.' 

'Merry Christmas,' they all said in unison. 

'Let's get a holiday photo,' I said automatically. 

'I've already sent out our Christmas cards, Evelyn.' I sighed, resigning the earlier comment. 

'Mom,' Oliver butted in, 'let's just get a picture for the five of us.' 

'Of course,' Mom replied. We got in position, myself on Oliver's left side, Thea on his right, then Mom next to Thea and then Walter. The photographer took the photo, then Shane walked up to us. 

'Excuse me. Mrs. Queen? These are for you?' Thea sent him a grateful smile, as did Mom. 

'Well, thank you. I - I'll go put this in water.' Thea put a hand on Shane's shoulder, and they walked over to a corner of the room.  

'Is everything alright?' Walter asked. 

'You and I should talk alone,' Moira said quietly, but I heard it. Oliver turned, almost robotically, and spoke to Walter, while still watching Shane and Thea over in the corner, making light conversation. 

'Everything alright between the two of you?' 

'Yeah. I'm sure it'll work itself out.' He patted Oliver softly on the shoulder and walked away. Then our gazes averted to Thea and Shane, and they soon walked out of the room together as well. Just then, we turned to see Tommy and Laurel walk through, arm in arm, him wearing a similar black suit and her a low-cut red dress. 

'So glad the both of you could make it,' he greeted. They embraced. 

'Merry Christmas, man,' Tommy said to Oliver. 

'Merry Christmas,' Oliver said as he hugged Laurel, rather awkwardly I might add. He stepped away. 

'Merry Christmas, Tommy, Laurel,' I greeted. 

'Hey, Ellie-bear,' Tommy said. 'Merry Christmas to you.' I hugged Laurel. 

'Merry Christmas, Laurie,' I greeted, using the nickname that I'd given to her as a kid. 

'Stop it,' she said playfully. 'You know I hate that name.' 

'Oh, but you know you love me.' She grinned at me. 

'So how long do you guys think it'll be till this isn't so weird?' Tommy commented. 'You know, the three of us.' 

'It isn't weird at all,' Oliver chimed in. All four of us laughed. 

In a hallway of the Queen Mansion... 

Third Person POV 

'You lied to me,' Moira stated. 

'An odd accusation coming from you.' She turned to him. 

'When you came home, you said you were through investigating Robert's death.'

'Robert was my oldest friend,' Walter replied. 'Do you take me for a man who wouldn't avenge his best friend's murder?' He walked over to a small couch and sat down on the arm of it. 'I thought I could forget about it, go back to the way things were. But you told me too many lies, Moira. You embezzeled money from the company. Salvaged the Queen's Gambit. Why, Moira? What was it all for?' 

'For leverage.' 

'Against whom?' She shook her head slowly and looked away. 'Against whom?' he asked in a firmer tone. 

'People who you made very angry.' 

'Well, then let me help you fight them,' Walter replied. 

'I can't fight them,' she protested. 'I am them. I have tried so hard to convince myself that I'm not. And loving you... You were my salvation.' He stood and grabbed her hands, but she tried to pull away. 

'Moira.' He reached again and grabbed them. 'Moira. Whatever you've done, and whoever these people are, the time for lies is over. You need to tell me exactly what's going on.' 

'Let's just get through the party... and I promise I will tell you everything,' Moira said simply, looking into his eyes. Taking a hold of her cheek, they kissed.