20 Meeting Walter

[January 7, 2008 3:58 PM]

Two cars entered the Queen compound driveway, one supposed to pick up Thea from school and the other belonging to Walter Steele. Inside Walter's vehicle, the man himself sat behind the wheel while his deceased friend's daughter sat in the backseat. As he drove up to the mansion, he had to deal with questions from the young lady. 

"Why did you ask me to put the orders in my bag?" asked the curious girl after she took a break from her milkshake and smacked her tongue. "Is it a surprise? For mom?" Talking about her mother made her deflate visibly. Ever since the accident, the woman had locked herself in and ignored everybody…even her. 

Sucking on the straw with less vigor than before, she just wished everything would go back to normal. She wanted her father and brother back. If they were here, everything would be okay. Today was her first day of school, yet her mother didn't even see her off. If they were here, such a thing would not happen. 

His eyes flicking over to the rear-view mirror, Walter noticed the emotional shift in the young girl. 

"Everything will be okay, I promise," he placated, using his British accent and deep-toned voice, knowing that the surprise was for her not her mother. However, he was also confused about everything. Why did Oliver want to investigate things himself? He would soon find out, as he alighted from the vehicle and handed the keys to a servant. 

"Come on, let's go," he said, grabbing his suitcase and helping Thea with her bag. They entered the house, only to be greeted by a smiling and seemingly waiting Raisa, whom Thea ran to hug. 

"Welcome sir. It's good to see you." 

"Thank you Raisa. I am pleased to be here." 

Going straight to the point, Walter asked as Thea let go of the woman. "Is he here?"

"Who's here?" the young girl inquired. As far as she was concerned, the only people who ever came to visit were her Dad's friends and business partners. Some of them had come over the past month to see how they were doing but her mother didn't give any of them the time of day, so they learned to stay away.

Did one of them return? And if so, why did Walter want to see him? She thought he was here to surprise her mother. 

Seeing the conversation stray off topic and begin to spill into the surroundings, Raisa grabbed the bag from the inquisitive young girl and gestured for them to follow her.

"This way sir…" 

Getting the message that this surprise was going to be stretched on a lot longer, Thea remained silent and followed, that is, until she realized their destination. "That's Oliver's room. Why are we going to Oliver's room?" No answer was needed as she recalled Walter's question. 

The only times he ever came to the mansion was to see her father or to attend a party. And since there was no party….

-Whoosh!

With a speed faster than the flash, she dashed towards the door and flung it open. Pausing for a bit to ascertain that what she saw wasn't a dream, she ran into the room saying, "I knew it. I knew you were alive." 

Oliver, who felt he had waited long enough, caught the tiny girl as she came flying at him, and relished in the second dose of daily hugs. "Hey Speedy." 

Walter and Raisa both smiled while the former walked in and the latter excused herself and shut the door. 

Moira, who had come here to prevent Oliver from saying something he shouldn't, took her gaze off the hugging duo and approached Walter, her shame at an all time high. 

"Walter, I didn't know you were coming," she said in a tone that suggested betrayal. If she knew he was coming, she wouldn't have let him see her like this. 

"Oliver called me," he said and drew closer, eyeing her hobo-like appearance. "But from the look of things, I should've come sooner." His comment made her embarrassed, but his next words showed his true intent. 

"You shouldn't have to deal with this alone." 

His kind words and warm hand on her shoulder tugged at her heartstrings. "Thank you, Walter," she said and stopped herself from crying. 

Barging into the borderline romantic atmosphere, Oliver held Thea's hand and said to the two, "The three of us need to talk." 

"Three?" Thea asked, and felt all eyes settle on her. 

Pulling her away to the door, Oliver, using the most endearing tone he could muster, said to her, "Mom, Walter, and I need to discuss something important. When we're done, I'll come see you okay?" 

She alternated her gaze between him and the duo a few times and then nodded. 

"Thank you," Oliver said and opened the door for her, leaving with. "It won't take long I promise." 

He shut the door immediately afterwards, and the sound of running reached his ears, making him laugh. 'Kids are the same, no matter where you are.' He then turned to face the now seated duo of Walter and Moira, his face devoid of the amusement he just displayed. 

He approached them, giving his mother a passing glance and Walter a small smile. "Walter, it's good to see you," he greeted and shook hands with the man. 

Walter stood up and returned the greeting, "It's good to see you too son," and let go. "I'm sorry about…Robert. I can't imagine how you must've felt when it happened, or how you're feeling now. But rest assured, I'll help you in any way I can."

These words were like music to Oliver's ears. He replied with just a nod and moved his eyes over to the man's briefcase as he asked, "Were you able to get the things?" 

If Walter had indeed succeeded, he could start making moves tonight. This hide and seek with Malcolm had begun to get on his nerves. 

Click! Click! 

Walter sat his suitcase on a table nearby and opened it, pulling out a sheet and handing it to Oliver. "This is the information you requested, and this contains the untraceable funds," he added, handing over an unassuming phone. 

"I understand the situation is anything but simple, but are you sure about this? I have some contacts in the police force, they would be happy to help…"

Moving his gaze from the sheet back to Walter, Oliver shook his head, "No police, please. Malcolm has proven he's willing to kill. If we go after him now with no hard evidence, that'll just alert him to us, the people who can ruin his plans. And I don't need to tell you what happens to such people…"

They both remembered Robert, and their solemn reactions proved that his words had sunk in. Pleased with their responses, he continued with something that would appease them. "If after a month I don't find anything, we'll go to the police. How's that sound?" 

Walter and Moira looked at each other for a second or two, after which the former stood up with his suitcase in hand. "I don't know the whole story, but you seem confident in your chances, so I'll trust you on this," he said and extended his hand forward. 

"Thank you, again, for reaching out." 

"No, thank you." Oliver said and shook his hand. Thinking of his depressed mother and worried sister, he felt Walter didn't have to leave just yet. In the show, he was the one to lift the two ladies out of their depression. The way he saw it, there was no problem with it happening earlier. 

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" 

His surprised gaze flicking over to the mortified Moira, Walter saw no reason to disagree. The company could last a few hours without him. "Of course," he responded, and moved his gaze back and forth between mother and son.

"But, if we're going to have dinner, you two need to solve whatever this…is," he said, gesturing at both of them, referring to the silent treatment they gave each other. "Don't forget, Thea lost Robert as well. She needs you now more than ever. So please…."

Oliver nodded to show he had heard and Moira, Moira just kept being herself and looked elsewhere. 

"I'll be in the living room." 

Leaving these words behind, Walter exited the room, drowning it in silence. Not one to waste time with uncomfortable situations, Oliver broke the ice. "I think we misunderstood each other this morning." 

After going over their conversation numerous times, he realized that Moira's stance wasn't totally wrong. 

"When I said we have to tell Thea everything, I didn't mean 'everything.'" Sitting beside her, he continued, "I probably should've phrased it better, but what I meant was, telling her the truth about me and the island. Not about you, Dad, or Mr. Merlyn." 

Glad that her son finally saw the light, Moira faced him and tried to say something. "I'm not done," he stopped her. 

"She's already dealing with the loss of dad. Telling her the truth about you and him right now will not do her any good. However, we'll have to tell her at some point." 

"No! We don't have to do anything. Why are you so insistent on this?" Moira practically screamed. 

"Why are you so insistent on keeping it a secret?" 

Oliver threw back, and without giving her an inch of space, continued his rebuttal. "Don't answer that. I already know. You're afraid of what will happen when she finds out. She will hate you, and it scares you so much that you're willing to lie to her face for the rest of her life. 

Well let me tell you something, whether it's tomorrow or twenty years from now, when Thea finds out the truth, that rejection you're so afraid of, will become very real. There's no escaping it. That's why it's better to get it out of the way early and be free of it.

If you wait until she's old enough to take care of herself, you'll lose her forever. Think about it. She's young now. That means any hate she feels for you won't last, and the best part, she's a minor. She cannot just up and just leave no matter how she feels." 

This time, Moira did not display any outbursts and just sat there, thinking. After a minute or two passed, she got up and stood in front of him. "We'll talk about this later. I want to make myself presentable for dinner." 

Knowing that his words had gotten through to her though not completely, he didn't press any further and went along with the change in topic. "I didn't think you'd want to join us." 

"I didn't. But I remembered what you and Walter said. About setting a good example for Thea and being there for her..." 

Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her. He would not miss the chance to sneak in a hug once it appeared. Soon, the touchy moment ended and Moira finally left with a, "Thank you," and a kiss on the cheek. 

Now by his lonesome, Oliver grabbed the phone and sheet. He put the former in the inventory and gave the latter another quick super speed read. The first phase of his plan required information. And what better way to obtain it than a hacker? 

That's who he had Walter search for, or his address to be precise. As to why he didn't have Walter investigate the information he needed, that was to protect him. The cabal he wanted to go after was a highly dangerous, sophisticated, and meticulous one. There was a chance an investigation into them might draw their attention. 

That's why he opted to use an external party with no ties to the family. If someone got found out, it would be the hacker, not Walter. He doubted that would happen though. The person he had in mind was quite good and only needed the proper motivation. 

Folding the paper in half, he stored it too and left for Thea's room.