Post by adrini on Jul 21, 2013 18:38:04 GMT -5
Mia heard a number of voices downstairs. She hurried to put her boots on. Dinah would be back any second. She hurried onto the balcony when she saw the door open. Diggle walked in first, carrying a suitcase and a backpack. Behind him she saw Oliver and then-
“Dinah!” She cried as she raced down the stairs. Dinah saw her coming and opened her arms as Mia crashed into her. Mia felt the woman hug her close. “I missed you.” She said.
Dinah picked her up and swung her around. “I missed you too, Little Bit.” Dinah smiled and put her down. “You look fantastic!”
Mia beamed and looked at her, excited to tell her about her day shopping with Thea. Looking at the tall blond man standing next to her she spoke to him as well. “I missed you too.” She said quietly. He looked at her with his kind green eyes and smiled.
“What does it take to get a hug like that around here?” Mia heard a new voice say.
Dinah’s eyes went big. “Jade.”
>--)->
Jade hardly believed it when she saw her old teammate walk into the impressive front hall hand in hand with the Queen heir. She wasn’t surprised they had found each other, it had taken them long enough. They had certainly danced around each other long enough in the haven. She just had no idea that sweet, innocent Di was so good at hiding when she wanted to be. The woman was full of untapped potential.
The girl she assumed was Mia shortly raced down the stairs and flung herself into Di’s arms. She remembered the comfort those arms offered, and if what Roy had told her of the girl was true, she needed it.
“What does it take to get a hug like that around here?” She said.
The blonds breath caught and Jade smiled to herself. Her own bit of revenge, as it were. She could have allowed them warning, she chose not to.
Di looked up. “Jade.”
“Hey Di.” She said. Di looked at her for a moment, having trouble believing what she saw. “It’s been awhile. Oliver." She nodded to the man. "Good to see you again."
"It's been too long, Jade." He said, nodding to the others to leave the two women to talk.
Di had to nod to an unsure Mia that it was alright for her to leave them alone before the girl would let go. Jade sighed.
“Please tell me you aren’t going to run out on her to.” She shook her head once the girl was out of earshot.
“No.” The canary slowly walked over to her. “I learned that lesson the first time. I-” She swallowed. “It’s good to see you again. I've been thinking about you, I missed you." She tried to lighten the conversation. "How do you know Ollie?”
“How did you not? He was at every Kane party you went to. Hell, half the time he was in the same room. Where do you end up finally meeting him?” Jade shook her head again at Di’s look of disbelief.
“Berundi, in Africa. I was working at an aid center in the middle of several villages who were fighting a drought.” She put a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s more like he found me.”
Jade laughed ryely. “You always were hard headed.” She walked to the living room, Di followed. Jade noticed her looking a little pale, even for her Irish completion. "Are you feeling alright?"
The blond looked to make sure no one was watching from outside the room. "No, I feel sick, just like I knew I would. I took some meds earlier."
"What did you take?" Di never got seriously ill.
"An anti-infection and anti-toxin. Ollie is such a worry wart." Her friend leaned back in her chair. "Then they gave me an anti-nausea shot and told me not to eat for an hour. Which Ollie will follow to the letter."
Jade felt her eyes go wide. "You are going to tell me why you got an anti-toxin shot now."
Di pulled down the collar of her turtle neck. An angry red line was on her throat. "We didn't want Mia to see. Talons. My welcome home present."
"You were in the haven." It wasn't a question. "Why?"
"Repaying a favor to Clue. Getting a few things I had left behind. Tying up loose ends." She shrugged. "Fighting people."
"No wonder the man freaked." She came all the way out here and Di was back in haven again. She shook her head.
"He didn't freak, he decided." Di corrected her. "He's gathering every billionaire, every hero, every aid origination he can get his mits on to balence them out.. Scary thing is he knows a lot of people, and he's too smart and sneaky for his own good."
"This will be fun." Jade said dryly. Di only nodded before grabbing a nearby blanket and curling into a ball.
>--)->
The Queens owned a large hybrid capable of holding nine full size adults. Thanks only to Ted's insisting on taking his bike it was not tested to that compasity.
Dinah was now feeling fully ill. The crackers Diggle had pulled from the glove department, over Oliver’s objections, had only made a dent. Next to her Mia was glaring at him. It was as though the woman had a pet pitbull. Thea seemed to find the situation rather amusing. He sent her a gaze, telling her to knock off the look but she only smirked. Roy had shyly sat next to Jade, she was having fun whispering things to him that were making his face turn red. Oliver could have stopped it, but Roy had made fun of him and Dinah long enough that he chose not to. In the front Adrien was glancing in the rear view mirror and discussing with Diggle if they should stop for drive through just to help the bride-to-be out.
"We're ten minutes from Mario's. Just hold on." Dig called to the back seat, sending his own glare to the young man.
She only had ten minutes left, and Oliver wasn't going to apologies for following doctors orders. Dinah stuck her head out of the fetal position to speak.
"I make no promises." She said dramatically before returning to ball form.
Mia glared a little harder, and both Jade and Thea stifled laughter. Oliver noted that she could complain because she was still healthy enough to do so and pulled out his phone to get some work done.
"Put it away or I puke all over it." Said a growl to his right.
"Di, we're almost there-"
"Best do as she says. She has a lot of practice aiming with that mouth." Jade suggested.
He caught Diggle trying to hide a laugh and put the phone away. "Fine. Happy now?"
"Why don't we swing by the hospital and give you all the stomach wrecking meds with no food and see how happy you are." Dinah glared at him briefly.
He had had about enough. "I will do what I have to to keep you healthy." He said. "Even if you don't like it."
"You paternalistic, chauvinistic, self-centered-"
"They were shots! You're acting like you're dying! Try not to ruin the evening." He rubbed his eyes, so much for romance.
"Oh, I'm sorry if my being sick is inconvenient." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "But by all means, enjoy your rehearsal dinner."
"I didn't mean that-" He needed to work on his words.
"Like hell you didn't." She curled back into her ball.
"Enough!" Adrien called from the front. "The wedding is in eighteen hours and it and the party are already paid for. So kiss and make up already. I am not returning my gift."
Dinah's ball tightened and he knew the first move was his. He chose his words more carefully now.
"I really am sorry you're feeling sick.” He spoke to the pale looking woman. “ I guess I just dismissed that. I wanted to make sure you were okay, but that should have included not being miserable. I know better now."
He saw her look up briefly from the ball and look at him.
"And I will personally make you a plate of food when we get there."
She grudgingly nodded and curled back into her ball. Only this time his hand had been pulled into it.
"Isn't that better?" Adrien said front the front seat.
He knew better than to say anything to upset the fragile peace. Though if the sly smile he saw on Dinah's face was any indication he was in trouble again.
>--)->
"We really need to stop doing this." He said as they got dressed in the dark, cramped quarters of the back meeting room at Mario's.
"I don't know, it's kinda hot." Dinah said, she lifted her hair and he zipped up her dress. "Best way to make up I've found yet."
It was effective. The argument was over. "Still, someone isn't very good at being quiet."
She laughed. "You weren't complaining a minute ago."
"I was in no position to." He smiled and turned on the light, checking to make sure their outfits were put back together. They looked okay.
"True." She pulled on her jacket and made sure she had all her things. "But we're practically legal. What are they going to do? Make us get married?" She winked.
"How are you like this?" He pulled her close and smiled into her laughing eyes. "After everything?"
"I'm getting you." She grabbed a kiss. "This time tomorrow we'll be married."
"Just me, huh" He lead them from the room. "I can live with that."
The remainder of the guests had shown up. Mia was excitedly talking to Brave Bow. Diggle was talking to Ted, who was chuckling. Adrien was talking to Jade and Thea, the three gushing over something. Roy was pointedly paying attention to the buffet.
Dinah walked over to Mia. He walked over to Digs.
"Boxing again?" He asked when he arrived.
"Is that what they call it now?" The man said.
"Your manny here was telling me some stories. Got into trouble, didn't you?" Ted smirked.
"Every now and then." He said lightly, seeing Dinah walk over.
She gave Ted a hug. "Glad you made it." She said. "Enjoy the food?"
"It was fine, Di." He smiled sadly a little as she stood next to Oliver again. "You have a few surprises in the back, by the way."
He looked at his other half who was already walking to the table.
“What is all of this?” Oliver asked looking at the names on the packages, looking pointedly at Adrian and Thea.
“I’m curious too.” Said Dinah, looking at Ted.
Roy walked up and stood next the culprits. Being the gregarious sort, he spoke for the collective. “These are things we thought you two would want. Not even you have everything."
Oliver shrugged. Dinah smiled. Gifts meant more to her, she hadn’t had as many.
Thea stepped forward and picked up one of the larger packages. She smiled as she handed it to Oliver. “A little something for the future.” She said quietly to the two of them. The amused look was on her face again.
He stared at Thea for a moment before opening the package. Two large, beautiful, green hand embroidered baby blankets were inside the box. Thea was the only person who had been told of future plans in that regard. Oliver’s throat tightened and Dinah’s eyes glowed at the contents. “Thea...” he whispered. He smiled at her and, needing no words, he pulled his sister into a hug. “Thank you” he whispered. Thea smiled, embraced Dinah with a large grin and returned to her seat.
Adrian picked up a small package from the table. She handed it to Oliver with a sad smile. “I think you’ll recognize this.”
Oliver slowly opened the package and found himself holding his grandfather’s watch. He was stunned, speechless. The watch that had been passed down in the Queen family for the last four generations. He thought it had been lost in the accident. He took a few deep breaths before he looked at Adrian and smiled.. “Thank you!” He said. Adrian gave him a hug.
“I had it restored just for this occasion. I thought you’d want it back.” He nodded before he released her. Without hesitation, he strapped the watch on to his left wrist. He felt a sense of completion as it settled against his skin.
“All of this boo-hooing, and I’m only gonna add to it.” Ted grumbled with a small smile. He lifted a rectangular box from the table and passed it to Dinah.
She looked at him with a puzzled expression before setting it on the table. She removed the bow and opened the lid. The veil was exact one he had seen in her mother’s wedding pictures, the one she had played with as a kid. The cake cutter and server looked familiar as well, and had her parents wedding date carved into it.
She picked up the sealed envelope, slowly turning it over. On the front, it was addressed “To Dinah, my beloved daughter”. Her mother’s handwriting flowing on the paper.
She ran her fingers over the envelope, setting it down before her tears could fall on it.
Ted was there in a moment. “These are things your mother wanted you to have when you got married, Little Bird.” He actually gave give her a hug. “I promised her I’d give them to you.” His usually gruff manner had softened considerably.
Dinah held him close, and he squeezed her tightly. “I’m so proud of you, and I know Di would be too.” He whispered. Dinah nodded. When she finally stepped back, she was smiling. Oliver put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head lovingly. He understood what a gift these items truly were.
Diggle slowly got up and pulled the largest package over. “I know we were hoping to put the tights and leather away after the last mission but it’s not looking that way.” Oliver nodded. "The important thing to remember in a marriage is to always work together. You just have more areas where you’ll need to do that then most.” Dinah smiled at him.
Diggle smiled and handed over the box. “The whole two people become one thing is a little creepy, but it isn’t entirely untrue. You already know how to work as a unit, hell you’ve become good enough at it to pull the wool over our eyes a few times now.” He tried to look innocent while Adrian shook her head. Several people chuckled. “So consider this a reminder for when the going gets rough.”
Oliver pulled off the lid and Dinah took out the tissue paper. She pulled out a double sided coat of arms. On the front was the traditional symbols on a split shield. On the back was a motif of a green clad archer with a black canary flying over him. Oliver smiled as Dinah took a moment to look at the design.
She gave the man a hug, followed quickly by Ollie. “I love it. Thank you so much.”
Diggle smiled, then looked at them sternly. “I want you two to fight together from now on. No one needs to go through that again.” He said softly. It wasn’t something they needed to be told twice.
“Okay, last one and then we can get back to the fun stuff!” Said Roy. He picked up the last two packages on the table and checked the front of each before handing one to Oliver and one to Dinah. "It's from Jade and I. They were her idea."
They stared at their friend, puzzled. Then Oliver shrugged and unwrapped the gift and Dinah followed suit. Oliver found himself holding a white gold locket with an ornate Q on the front, and Dinah was holding an identical locket with an ornate L. She looked like she was going to cry again.
"To replace the one you lost." Jade said. "I know it's not the same, though."
"No, but it's still beautiful. Thank you." Di said softly. Oliver smiled as he saw the two exchange a quick hug.
Roy shrugged. “I know, not the most manly thing to give you Ollie, but I figured you wouldn’t mind. Go ahead. Open them.” Dinah and Oliver opened the lockets. There, in Oliver’s hand, were his parents in the locket. Oliver felt a warm smile on his face. He looked over at Dinah and saw her parents smiling up at her, she didn't seem surprised.
“You know, this way, they can be with you guys tomorrow.” Roy said softly. They moved forward swiftly and pulled Roy in to a vice-like hug.
>--)->
Dinah was sitting at the vanity in her room later that evening when she heard a knock at the door. She put the letter away on the top drawer.
“Mia, Thea.” She smiled and let the girls in. “Can’t sleep?” The two stood there in their pj’s.
Mia smiled at her and gave her a hug, Thea claimed one as well. “We had a present for you, but Mia was too shy to give it to you at the party.”
Mia looked up at her, she would likely never recover the height she was meant to have. “I wanted to give it to you in person, without so many others.” She explained.
Dinah looked around. “Ollie’s just brushing his teeth. Should I get him?”
“On it.” Thea smiled and hurried over. Dinah laughed as she darted into the bathroom and she heard her fiance yell in surprise.
Mia was still holding tight. “And how are you, Little Bit?” She asked the teen.
“How about a one week honeymoon?” Mia suggested. “A week and a half? You only have to come downstairs four hours a day?"
She smiled. Oliver had planned a three week honeymoon within days of getting engaged. Mia didn’t approve.
“It’s already planned, sweetie. You’ll have people to be with. We’ll be back.” She kissed the blonde head. “You know we aren’t leaving forever.”
Mia stuck out her tongue and held her tighter. “Might as well be.” She mumbled into Dinah’s robe.
“You little brat!” Oliver said with a wide grin, as he walked out of the bathroom, Thea wiggling as he tickled her. She was laughing so hard she had to work to breath a little. “I’ll get you back.”
She felt Mia laugh as Thea danced out of his reach. “Dinah, help!” Thea laughed and darted around the bed, quickly out flanked by her big brother.
“I don’t know, I think you’re done for kiddo.” Dinah laughed. Oliver had her held in a viselike hug and was peppering her face with kisses. “I’d take the punishment if I were you.”
“Oh, what a punishment.” Oliver said and let her go. He smiled at Dinah curious expression. “She goosed me.”
“Thea!” Dinah said in mock shock. “That’s my job.”
“Not like that.” Thea said and climbed onto the bed. Mia darted out into the hallway to grab a medium sized bag.
At Thea’s suggestion the four climbed into the bed. “Jax helped us.” Mia said. “He found pictures and made it work.”
“But it was Mia’s idea.” Thea added quickly.
Dinah smiled at her better half and they each took out a frame, two remained.
Looking at the frame she saw a family shot of her with her parents and Mia with hers. While in reality it would never happen it was a nice reminder that they were family all the same, and that the sisters were together again. “Oh Mia.”
“We should have grown up together.” The girl said, leaning on her. “We missed out.”
“We’ll make up for it now, Little Bit. Thank you.” Dinah smiled at the scene and held her close.
Oliver was hugging his sister. “Di, look.”
Looking over she saw another family shot. The Queen’s with their two kids, Digs and Adrien standing just behind. Jax had somehow photoshopped her into the family shot as well. “Thea, it’s perfect.”
The dark haired teen leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Mom and Dad would have loved you.” She said. “And not just for taming this hornball over here” She squeaked as the hornball tickled her again.
Dinah laughed. He wasn’t so much tamed as contained, taming him wouldn’t suit her at all. Mia nudged her to take out the additional frames.
“How did you-” She wiped away a tear at the next frame. Jax had aged her father and placed him behind her mother. She and Ollie were seated in front of them. It looked like a real snapshot. “This is amazing.”
Thea gave her a hug from one side and Mia from the other. “They’re still watching.” Thea said. “Just like Mom and Dad are. They can’t help to.”
She did her best to stop crying. “That I believe.” She said. She smiled at the blonde man near her to let him know she was okay.
“One last picture.” Mia said.
Oliver pulled out a frame and started choking up. When he angled the picture to her she did as well. It was a custom frame with the words “We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when. But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day.” carved into it. At the bottom of the picture was a small bronze square that stated “Love never dies”. In it was all the lost parents; Robert and Moira Queen, Lawrence and Dinah Lance, and Jonathan and Sarah Dearden. They were smiling bright as if to say “Take your time. We’ll be here.”
The four dissolved into a mass hug, the shared losses and grief come to surface. Somehow the darkness and bitterness of the past made the light of the present all the more precious. They knew anything could be taken away at any moment, and they knew to make the most of the moments allowed to them. One never knew when the words one spoke to someone might be the last.
Several hours later Dinah woke up to see the girls had never left. Thea was sweetly curled into her brother. The two had a bond she knew she would never match.
Mia was holding onto her with a vice like grip. The teen was fighting nightmares again. She rubbed Mia's back, kissing the sweaty head.
"None of that, Little Bit. You'll not be hurt again." She said softly.
Mia shook a little. "It just comes back and-"
"I know. I know." Di said, whispering. "We'll chase it away. We'll chase all of it away."
"I want mom." Mia started crying. "I want my mom."
Dinah held on and let the girl cry. She looked up and saw Oliver looking at them. Thea was awake and was trying to hide her own tears. They sighed, all they could do was be there.