ʟᴀɴᴄᴇ
“Ya know- I’d say the day that Oliver came back from that damn island but everythin’s always been complicated. It’s jus’ a different KIND of complicated.” Star City had been a mess before the Hood had started on the streets. The crime rate had gone down but the amount of vigilantism had gone up. New wacko criminals bordering on SUPERVILLAINS were showing up with a helluva lot more frequency. Quentin honestly wasn’t sure if he’d preferred the old Star City or the new one. But there was no going back. No use in playing around with ‘what ifs’. He’d never believed in that. Or he’d tried not to anyway.
Quentin chuckled, shaking his head. “Thanks but I’m sober.” Properly this time. Again. He’d tried like hell after Laurel but he hadn’t been able to keep it up. He had Thea to thank for forcing him to get his ACT together. He just hoped he was strong enough to make it stick this time around. “At least now ya don’t hafta pour yourself a second.”
The detective raised an apologetic hand and returned one of the glasses to the counter. “Mind if I do?” he requested, holding up his own, still empty. Much as he felt as though he could have had both of them for himself, he knew that if Quentin could handle everything life had tossed his way without snatching a sip from his whisky, a single glass should have to do for him.
“All morning, the news couldn’t shut up about that. All afternoon, they couldn’t shut up about how... Harrison Wells announced the particle accelerator would be up and running in three years time.” He flopped back on the chair beside the other father as he shook his head in disbelief, having never imagined back in the day all of the CRAZY that was to unravel from those two events that had just happened to take place on the exact same date. He’s done a pretty good job redeeming himself though, right? One day, you’re warning your kids he’s trouble, the next he’s—the first UNCORRUPT mayor Star City’s seen in God knows how long.”
