3484/Closure.

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Closure.
Date of Scene: 21 September 2020
Location: Lian Yu
Synopsis: Oliver and Thea visit their father's grave in Lian Yu after the HYDRA mission. It brings closure, a sharing of burdens and a new purpose to the Queen siblings. The sky looked brighter this time.
Cast of Characters: Oliver Queen, Thea Queen




Oliver Queen has posed:
The mission had been accomplished. Successfully? Well, it depended on the perspective. But Oliver knew what was to be expected when coming here. Closure to some, the re-opening of old wounds to others. And while he also hoped it could create a stronger bond between Team Arrow with it's younger members (and that much needed experience), he also knew that coming to this island was something that was long due.

Specially for his sister.

The ruined cliffs of the Hydra base had been left behind, the ship brought closer to shore so they could recover, take care of wounds, check for stragglers.. But Oliver had something else in mind for Thea. He had called her over, a simple gesture that meant 'follow me' and he had started off through the jungle, his practiced steps guiding him..

He followed some kind of invisible trail as if he lived here, no doubt on the direction or destination but so far.., he was silent, his expression a grim facade, the hood away and revealing his features.

Thea Queen has posed:
As far as Thea is concerned, this is the place where she //needed// to be. Self centered after a fashion, there simply isn't as much here for the others as herself and Ollie; having lost her world those many years ago. Robert, whom she thought was her father, her beloved brother, her mother who moved on with someone from the company- Walter ended up being a nice guy, and attentive, but he wasn't family. She'd rebelled in the worst possible way, surviving only by the fact that her family 'knew people'.

And the trickling of information once Ollie'd returned? Stories, half-truths, omittances of what she'd considered important all contrived to keep her in the dark, to hide truths that one day were going to hit the light.

When it did?

Here she is now, in the company of her brother; both someone she knows and at times, still a complete and total stranger to her, and she blames this island. The only person, up until now, that has actually been truthful to the point where it hurts? Slade Wilson. A man with whom her brother had history, and again?

She'd never known.

Here, on the island now, Thea's matured in some ways. She's losing that softer side, the emotional, feeling side and walls are growing where there was nothing to shelter or protect her. She walks through the underbrush with an air of deserving; she deserves this, she insists upon knowing, and with that, understanding. She's dressed in her red leathers, and as they move, she's keeping up where a year ago, she'd be out of breath and begging for a rest.

She, too, is silent as they move. Partly in that she knows the island quite probably still keeps its secrets, and the other part?

This is just as much for Ollie as it is her, now. This is for //family//.

Oliver Queen has posed:
All those little changes are noted by Oliver, those walls coming up, the growth, the hardier Thea that stood here instead of the one that almost lost herself through all their family went through. Deep down he still wished that she hadn't need to do this growth, to become similar to him. Perhaps he wanted to picture her as his little sister still, that last remnant of a long dead past from before he came to this island, when things were .., simpler.

He takes turns here and there, following unseen markers that show him the way, sunlight barely visible through the thick trees that cover most of the sun overhead.. He casts a glance over a shoulder to Thea, familiar blue eyes watching her, "Thank you for your support." he finally speaks up. "On the ship." Yes, he remembered the gesture. When she had shown him she was still his sister, that the bond was not broken even if their paths might have diverged.

But his footsteps do get heavier now, that sense of being close slowing him. It had been years since he had been at his father's grave..

The way opens up to a clearing, undergrowth showing but on the far end there's a large rock with something carved on it. Whatever it is still too far away to discern on what it is.

Thea Queen has posed:
As they move through, her following Oliver's lead, Thea's not that far behind. She's at his shoulder, keeping pace easily. This is what being 'forced' to run marathons in a parkour fashion will do to a person! Training will out.

Therefore, it's not with too breathy of words that she answers, slowing before they reach that clearing. Reaching out to take his hand, blue eyes look to blue, and there she is- the little sister all grown up with a weight of her own, but holding that same sibling affection she'd always had.

'Speedy', he'd called her out on the mission. While she hadn't realized it, or maybe she had, she wasn't sure how she'd be addressed. Would it be the same nickname he'd given her when she was little? Is that still there, and did it mean the same? At the time, growing up, she'd loved it. As a rebellious teen, she'd come to hate it and love it all the same. And now? It's hers.

"Hey," Thea answers softly, "It's why I'm here," and she adds a touch wryly, "among other things. But you're still.. you. My big brother. And I really want to understand." Shaking her head, her hair swings in the bob, "I hate that others know more than I do about you. About the person you are. I miss all of that." There's a moment before, "I asked Slade to train me because I wanted to understand you. And, because I knew that I just couldn't go back." A soft chuckle sounds from the young woman and she shrugs a shoulder, but it's not dismissive. "I really want this."

It's the clearing, then, that she sees, the rock just ahead with the carved.. something. Narrowing blue eyes, it's still a little too far out.

Oliver Queen has posed:
Old, with moss growing around, that's the tombstone right there, still fighting the trials of time on all those years here. As they get closer the crude writing is discernible. A name. "Queen". Not Robert, or Father, or anything else. Simply the family name. It had been a time of change, when he had began to let go of that old self and turn into the man he was today..

The tightening of those shoulders, the jaw tensing. All those are things that Thea can discern on Oliver. A tension that seems to ease just so at the hand being taken, the look shared. For him it seems almost as if she wants to share that burden with him and that does bring a sad smile to his expression. His sister had indeed grown..

And so they resume their approach, not one in front of the other like before but side by side, Oliver continuing to hold Thea's hand and bringing them step by step closer to the tomb. "Then I shall tell you what truly happened. How father lived, and died." he murmurs, "Father didn't die at sea, or of disease. Even if he was sick enough near the end that he was very close to.." he begins to share the story. His vision of events..

They come to a stop right in front of the tomb. "I thought he had died, drowned but instead he was able to bring himself to shore on another point of the island and captured by .., others. Similar to those that did the cliff base." which may also explain why he was so adamant on coming here and driving hydra out.

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea doesn't let go of her brother's hand; it's a outward sign of that internal need. There's a squeeze, and their walk continues side by side.

She's silent, then, walking through the clearing, and the carving on the rock becomes clearer. 'Queen', it says. A statement that announces a name, a dignity. For those here, now, he has those other names; Robert. Father. She nods at the offering of the story, and as it comes, there is the softening of expression even more, but the raw emotion that used to show and carve lines through her soul simply don't appear. Not anymore, not on the surface. The anger, the sorrow; it's slowly being replaced.

It's the story she feels, his voice that she hears as he relives his memories, reveals his thoughts. She's loathe to let go of his hand, and she doesn't, instead reaching out with her free hand to trace the letters, as if that'll somehow help in the moment.

She's not as hardened as she thought she could be in this moment, and a backhand is raised to wipe an errant falling tear and a suddenly slightly snotty nose.

"Tell me those that captured him are gone. Dead." She doesn't lay blame on anyone else but -those- who did that to him, did all that to Ollie.

Oliver Queen has posed:
Oliver's expression, the lines of his face, appear carved as if from that old stone. Older, full of memories but standing stoic still, unshakeable in the face of adversity. Part of him had stayed here in this island but this he had brought with him. The pride of his family, the carrying of a legacy that he was now able to share with his sister. The strength that a death could give them. All that and more..

His tale continues, the voice low, "It was when I met Slade. He was here too, by choice, not stranded like me. We lived on the island together for a few months, trained together." so ironic that one of his greatest nemesis had been so close to him in other times. "He was perhaps my one, true ally during those times..., until those others discovered us. We were .., taking care of them. Day by day we whittled their numbers, using the forest to our advantage, until they revealed their hostage. Robert."

The hand continues tight around Thea's, as a grounding support for her, the rising emotions, serving as an anchor for her as much as she does for him.

"He was weathered, dying, deep down I knew the chances of him living were .., very small." perhaps impossible, but will he ever admit to that? "Slade took the decision away from me then, killed him so I would not hesitate.." he trails off, silent for a time until that last question from her. A single nod, followed by. "We made sure none left the island." a part of him he had never truly shared. The killer, the one that was just a step away from becoming as dark as Slade, or even worse.

Thea Queen has posed:
All this he'd kept from her, and Thea, here in the moment, is letting it go. Finally, she's coming into her own, into understanding her place in her family, in her brother's life, and in her own. This island is so much of a part of her history, and she hadn't known the half of it. Even a quarter of it. She's not angry, she's not.. disconsolate. There's a strange lifting of something she'd shouldered and never knew how, why or even what it had been. But it had been there all the same.

She listens, blue eyes looking at the name carved there still. Soft noises emerge from her on occasion, and when Slade is mentioned, blue eyes lift again to her brother's face as he recounts. She returns the contact, though she takes a step sideways to stand closer beside him, arms touching, finding that anchor that the siblings both need from the other. The grinding of her hand across her face ceases, instead, letting her eyes well up a little at the picture his words build in her mind, finding the truths there. She nods quickly at the answer to her question, and answers to several others that she hadn't considered asking.

"He said it was a mercy. That he didn't think that you should have been the one to do it." Thea looks up at her brother and gives his hand another squeeze. For what it's worth.

Oliver Queen has posed:
Oliver is doing the same, letting it go, sharing instead of trying to carry everything on his own. Perhaps also learning to trust, or at least more than what he is used to. Those parts of him that had been kept secret for so long. He watches Thea, mirrored blue eyes to hers even if tears had long dried up on him. But he understands. How could he not?

And standing there side by side, shoulder to shoulder is perhaps a balm to all he has gone through, a reminder that he is not alone and can share it with his sister, his family. The ones that would be there for him. Not that all is forgiven, or forgotten. A mercy-killing. It makes Oliver look down at the ground, silent for a good long while, "Perhaps. But it felt like a betrayal, and I know his reasons weren't truly pure. He had a mission here on this island.." He takes in a breath, shaking his head slowly to himself. "But that is not for here or now. Ask him what he was doing here someday." he suggests..

The hand squeeze is returned and he goes silent again for a time, sorting out his thoughts until he finally adds, "Thank you." for wanting to share the burden. For being here with him.

Thea Queen has posed:
There are things that can be forgiven and not forgotten, and things that, as horrible as they are, can be understood. Thea digs at her eyes again, and while they're still bright with the wetness, nothing falls. "I don't doubt that," she whispers now. "But if he didn't think you were worth saving, he wouldn't have done it." She'd experienced that herself, actually, with the man. Had even covered for the fact she was present and should probably have been 'removed' completely. But, Slade had made a different call.

She nods, filing the 'whys' for later. Now that she has a growing understanding of things around her. While the island is giving answers, a lot of answers, there are questions that well up to the surface, but those are for later. She needs to talk to Slade, too.. to take walks and see if the man will speak to her. About here. "I'll talk to him."

It's when Ollie thanks her, the heartfelt sound of it goes deep, that Thea turns to hug her brother tightly. "I wish you'd told me sooner, Ollie," she whispers, "but thank you." He's not alone, not when he's got his little sister around. "You know I don't really mean it when I say I hate you, right?" She's got a lopsided, half-sad smile on her face as she tries to lift her brother's mood. "I can't help myself. I'm a little sister."

Oliver Queen has posed:
Oliver is the type to be stubborn. Look it's too many years with the 'my way or the highway' kind of approach. And so many people that fail his city too ... But yes, at least understanding he does, no matter how big the rift may be between him and Slade. There was history between them besides 'only' what happened in the island. But perhaps he is not on the 'I will find you and beat you up' stage anymore like he was when he discovered the man had told what he did to Thea... Not that it meant they would ever be friends, but perhaps not the full-fledged enemies of the past.

But that process, that would need to be for later too. Right now it was about him and his sister, what there'd be next. And when she says he will talk with Slade he offers a nod. An accepting one. Not a resigned one of before. But one that understands and will let her take her own choices..

When Thea turns to hug her he wraps one large arm around her, bringing her in close for an heartfelt embrace, that culmination of all they have been through all those years. One more barrier broken between them. "And I can't help but feel protective of you. I am a big brother afterall." he says in that deep voice of his. But he smiles now, some hope there on his features, one that he thought this island had robbed him of.

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea's hug is tight, and when Oliver returns it, there's more muscle and sinew than soft sister under his arms. She's been working out, though the chances are good that she won't be working with the 'ladder' anytime soon. "The moment you stop being all protective of me is the moment, well..." and looking up at him through the hug, there's that little sister shining through on her face, "... I hope you don't stop." There is a pregnant pause, however, and she does continue, "That doesn't mean that I'm going to listen to you all the time, though." The words come with a lingering, affectionate smile for her big brother.

She doesn't truly break the hug, but she turns enough to look at their father's stone. "I think this is what he would have wanted. He hated when we fought. Our family was important to him. We were." Which, is to say, a big personal breakthrough for her, finally repeating what she'd been told but maybe never truly believed before this visit to the island.

"I think we can go back now. They'll wonder if we got lost, or something." She's teasing! After all, there's only one other that knows the island quite like Ollie.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Good, you wouldn't be Thea if you listened to me all the time.." An eyebrow arching up at Thea as if daring her to challenge that. But they both know she's always been like that! Oliver keeps his arm around Thea as they both turn to look at the tombstone for a while longer, just some moments of silence shared, an heavy weight lifted from his heart and shoulders. One that Thea would have bear now too.

"He loved us both with all his strength. That much I know." and he does agree with her. Surprised that she'd say so? Maybe. But his expression stays stoic. "It's how we can honor his life." to be a family. Even with all the drama and problems that surfaced from time to time.

But that was what being a Queen was all about. Facing drama, their traumas, their pasts.., and coming out stronger for it. There was no other way.

He nods wordlessly, dipping his head, one last look at the tombstone and it was time to go back. To lives that would be different from now on. But hopefully for the better.