Second Chances: Artemis

Chapter 9

After returning to the surface, Thea said goodbye to Arthur before making plans to head to San Francisco to find this Garth guy Vulko told her about. However, before she could take another step, she found herself being pulled back into the veil and face to face with Artemis.

"Wow, it must be big if you're actually bringing me here." Thea said.

"Circumstances have changed. Especially since I have discovered a complication that could throw off your entire journey, since you've reached a sort of checkpoint." Artemis said.

"What do you mean?" Thea asked.

"While you can receive all the training you want from this point, you won't be able to progress any further as my avatar unless you free yourself of any remaining burdens you carry. One that has haunted you throughout all the time you spent with the Amazons." Artemis said.

"No." Thea said, since she knew what Artemis was talking about, but she wasn't ready to face it.

"You have no choice. You cannot progress any further as my avatar until you overcome this. Your burden will continue to hold you back. You must make amends. It's time for you to go home." Artemis said.

"I can't face my mom. Not after what happened the last time I saw her." Thea said.

"You have to repair what you broke. Especially since your mother believes that you're dead too. You need to face her and finally make amends with her. She's already lost her husband and her son. There's no point in letting her think that she's lost her daughter too. Not anymore. I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I didn't think you were ready for it. It's time for you to go home." Artemis said.

"And my brother, when will he come home?" Thea asked.

"His journey must remain as it was before. Five years in a special kind of hell to turn him into a man who can be the hero the world needs him to be." Artemis said and Thea nodded.

"But he will come home." Thea asked.

"Yes and I promise that one day you will fight by his side again, not as his sidekick like you were before, no matter how much you deny it, that's what you were, but as his equal." Artemis said and Thea smiled.

"I guess I've let mom think I was dead for too long. It's time to go back to Star City. How am I going to get there, since I don't think I can afford a cross country flight right now." Thea said and Artemis chuckled.

"That's the beauty of the veil. When I bring you into it, I can send you out of it, anywhere I want. Including Star City." Artemis said.

"So I've been flying coach for nothing, thanks for that." Thea said.

"If your trip to Star City goes well, you'll have access to a private jet again, since you can't use the veil whenever you want, only full gods can, not their avatars." Artemis said and Thea nodded as Artemis sent her back to Earth and sure enough, she found herself back in Star City, right outside the Queen Mansion in fact.

"Time to make amends." Thea said as she took a deep breath and walked up to the front door and knocked on it and prayed that her mother would forgive her.

When the door opened, Thea felt her heart nearly stop beating at the sight of her mother standing there, alive and well.

"Thea." Moira Queen said a bit stiffly, not that Thea could blame her considering the last time they'd seen each other.

"Hi mom." Thea said, trying to stop herself from launching forward and hugging her mom, since the last time she'd seen her mom from her perspective was back when Slade Wilson had put a sword through her chest. Or at least, that was the last time Thea had seen her real mother in the old reality. The last time she'd ever seen her mother at all was right before she and the others had escaped from the Dominator's dreamworld. Thea honestly wasn't sure if she should count that.

Anyways, she had more important things to worry about now. Like the fact that she needed to make amends with her mom.

"It's been nearly 3 years since I last saw you. I thought you were with your brother." Moira said.

"No, I'm okay. I'm sorry I've been out of touch, but I've been working on getting better than I was the last time you saw me." Thea said, trying to keep tears from coming to her eyes.

"You do seem different." Moira admitted.

"I was out east at this off the grid rehab facility. Really out of the way and I didn't allow contact with the outside world. Also, I didn't think you'd want to see or hear from me." Thea said, looking down, only to have her mom pick up her face.

"Why would you think that?" Moira asked as she looked at her daughter right in the eyes.

"Well, with the way we left things, the things I said to you." Thea said, only to be surprised as her mother pulled her into a hug.

"Mom?" Thea asked, not believing this was really happening.

"Thea, I've been worried sick about you. I'll admit I was hurt by the things you said to me, but I understand why you said them. You were grieving your brother and father and then you found out that I had been keeping such a big secret from you. You were hurt and felt abandoned and like you couldn't trust me, the only family you had left. But Thea, I never hated you, don't ever think that. You're my daughter. My precious little girl and nothing will ever change that." Moira said as she felt Thea hug her tighter.

"Still, I am so sorry for what I said to you and for how I treated you." Thea said, feeling the burden of her guilt lifting.

"It's not necessary, but since I know you need to hear it, I forgive you and I'm sorry for lying to you for so long." Moira said and Thea smiled as she hugged her mom again before being shown in.

Moira and Thea were now sitting in the parlor, talking.

"So, are you here to stay?" Moira asked, only for Thea to shake her head.

"No, I'm only in town for a few days. I'm actually heading down to San Francisco, since I have an old friend that I didn't push away when I was at my lowest point who's offered to let me stay there for awhile, since I don't want to risk a relapse by staying someplace that reminds me of Ollie everywhere I go." Thea said and Moira nodded.

"I guess I can understand that, but promise me you'll stay in touch now. I just got you back Thea. I'm not losing you again." Moira said.

"I promise I'll call more often." Thea said.

"Before you leave, you should know that I will be giving you back your trust fund, since it's clear that you can handle it now." Moira said.

"Really." Thea said, though she didn't miss the money as much as she thought she would, but it was still nice to have.

"Yes." Moira said and Thea smiled.

"Thanks mom. I mean, I didn't miss the money as much as I thought I would, but it will be nice to be able to take the private jet to San Francisco instead of having to fly commercial." Thea said and Moira chuckled.

"I'm sure." Moira said.

"Anyways, I was thinking about checking out what's changed here in Star City while I was gone." Thea said.

"I'll have a car brought around as long as you're home by dinner." Moira said and Thea nodded, happy that things had gone so well with her mom, but thinking about another reunion she needed to have while she was here. One that was even more important. One that she was really looking forward to, since it would no doubt involve some violence, but would hopefully end well.