2009

Slade sighed from the shadows as he watched the youngest Queen stumble from her group of friends with a drunken cheer. She would get a taxi home, not even trying to hide her nightly adventure. She wanted the world to see, for her mother to see. Like her brother had.

Slade felt the clench in his chest as he thought about Oliver. They had met over two years ago. He had been dead for six months. Slade had searched, going as far as tracking down Anatoly, and almost losing an eye for his troubles.

Everything they had become, gone in his drug fuelled rage. His only saving grace being that he had been too messed up to remember it.

Slade followed as Thea walked down the street, as he did every night. Looking out for the stubborn fourteen year old. He huffed as she almost fell face first into a ATM.

She really was wasted.

The ASIS agent looked around for a crossing, braking out into a jog as he spotted one that was currently full of people. As he made it to the other side, it put him only a few steps away from the Queen sibling but he was not concerned. He would hang back and disappear once more.

Just another night making sure the girl did not walk into traffic.

Slade blinked when she ducked out of sight, panic filling his chest.

He kept moving, his eyes on stilts. Until he heard it. Retching.

There, in he alleyway, she stood, bent over, vomit at her feet. Specks of which were on her shoes, toes, legs, and a little in her hair. All was made clear but the dark red colour. Red wine, if he had to guess. Something that was not meant to be gulped.

2008

Slade stood straight, looking totally unaffected by the bullet in his arm, and the miles they had run to get back in time. He spoke with the pilot of the plane that would get the two men off this hellish island.

Oliver stood behind him, as Slade told the man that Fyers had ordered them to accompany the plane back to China, to personally report to the Englishman's boss. Slade spoke so calmly and with such confidence that Oliver almost believed the Aussie himself.

Oliver owned so much to him. He had fed him, saved him from a land-mine and armed soldiers, he had even come with him to save Yao Fei, killing Billy when Oliver got caught. Now the mountain of a man was badly wounded, bleeding and still protecting his arse.

However, the look in Slade's eyes when Oliver had defended them against a guard with a gun, said that he had impressed him. Barely but still.

The plane was made for cargo, giving it a large belly with seats along its side, red straps to hold the passengers in place. The back of the plane was opened up so that the supplies could be removed. Afterwards, Slade and Olive stepped inside, Slade held onto the younger man for support.

This was how Oliver found himself in a large metal plane, to his left was a long bag with Slade's twin stainless steel ronin katana in their crossedsheath, along with a few hand guns, knifes and an automatic rifle Ollie had picked while escaping Fyers. Slade sat a seat away, resting his head against the frame which jumped and jiggled far more than any commercial plane should, wreaking any chance he could get to fall asleep. The two of them had taken off their balaclavas, the room almost pitch black in the low blinking lighting. Even if it was cold, being able to breath felt so much better.

Slade sighed, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand, his elbow to his knee.

"Thank you," Oliver suddenly said, "For coming with me."

"It's fine, kid," Slade mumbled.

Oliver looked down to his black leather gloved hands, the pair he had taken from a dead man. "I can't believe he didn't come with us."

"Yao Fei did fought for a long time. They must have something on him," Slade said, his low coarse tone sounding even more husky. "We'll save him."

Oliver blinked. "We?"

"ASIS and I."

"Hey! I want to help. I just don't know how- but I want to."

"You could do what you do best. Take cover and let me handle it," Slade grumbled. "You really want to go back there?"

"Yes," Oliver said without a thought. "Of course."

Slade cocked a brow. "Now, I know you have a sense of danger. So, you really are that stupid."

"Thanks."

Slade smirked. "Somehow when you tell your family that you're alive, I don't think they would take to the idea of you leaving again for God only knows how long."

Oliver frowned. The older man was right. "Then I won't tell them yet."

Slade turned back to the blonde.

"You're right. And I need to help Yao Fei, I owe him my life."

Slade continued to smirk. "Alright," he said with a disbelieving look. "But you follow my lead, so if I tell you that you're not coming back with me, you don't go. You're not trained."

"Will you train me?"

Slade shrugged, flinching as he pulled at his wound. "Might as well," he mumbled. He leant his head back against the metal wall.

"We're going to be here for a few hours. You should get some sleep."

"Easier said than done," Slade grumbled. The pain and Oliver's constant need to talk was starting to get to him.

"Rest your head on my lap."

Slade gave him a funny look, which the man could not really see but he could certainly imagine it.

"It's either that, do what you're doing or the floor," Oliver shifted on the wooden seat which was making his bum sore. This was also an option for Slade, but if his arse was uncomfortable, Oliver did not hold high hopes for Slade's skull.

Slade sighed, before unbuckling his belts so he could move around. "Thanks," he moved down to his side slowly, resting his head on the blonde's thighs.

"It's fine."

Oliver looked down to the man. He had done well by suggesting something for the Aussie's comfort, but he did not know what to say after that. The man had his head in his lap, two sets of belts locked to help hold him in place in case of turbulences, and Oliver had placed his hand on Slade's bicep to support him.

Ollie put his head back and allowed himself to relax, knowing he could not fall asleep and would not for their own safety. It was the first time that Oliver was doing something to protect Slade, a man who even in his injured state could fight and kill anyone who threatened them.

Oliver was lost in thought for a few minuets, thinking about what he was suppose to say to his mother and sister. About his father's death, Fyers and his men, and his return to the Island. All the hunger, pain and scars. He decided to put it all off for now, till the time he had to make that call.

The blonde glanced down to find that Slade was sound asleep, his breathing slow, long black eyelashes resting on his cheeks. Slade had always gone to sleep after Oliver and woke up before him, so he had yet to see how much of a light sleeper the man was but Oliver did not want to take any risks.

Oliver admired the Australian, for the first time in the week Oliver had known him. The man looked peaceful.

He smiled. Slade deserved to sleep.

2008

"Here."

Thea jerked as she heard the deep rough voice beside her. She would have moved but her mind was too fogged. Her movements slowed like she was engulfed in water. She strayed still, her arms and forehead slumped against the wall. Back aching from her three inch high heels.

She lifted her eyes, stopping on a Coca-cola can before moving up towards a tanned man in a long black coat. His hair was black, eyes almost the same shade. That was all she could really make sense off with her body bobbing about.

"It will settle your stomach."

Thea raised a brow. "It could be spiked."

"It's not opened, and we're not hidden," Slade motioned to the people walking by, and that was only one way out. "I'd look pretty suspicious dragging you out of here."

"You're not helping your case."

"You're underage and drunk."

"What makes you say that?'

"I'm not stupid."

Thea cracked a smiled with her purple stained lips. She groaned she moved to stand straight, before taking the can from the stranger. Her body relaxed as she heard the hiss of the metal parting. She took a gulp, and another. Her belly felt fuller, the need to throw up passing a little.

"I'll admit," she pointed the can at the man. "I'm not looking my best," she groaned, resting the side of her head on the against the wall "I feel like crap."

"You look like crap."

"Thanks," Thea leered. "What's your name?"

"Slade. Yourself?"

Her shoulders shook with laugh. "Thea."

"Feel up to getting a taxi home?"

Thea blinked slowly. "Yeah. I guess," she pushed herself off the wall. "You're Australian?"

"Just figure that out?" Slade fell into step with the girl as they moved from the alley.

"I'm cold, never wearing these shoes again, and this can is the only thing keep me from throwing up."

"I wouldn't look down."

It was not a pretty site.

"Thanks for the heartfelt speech," she grumbled. "If I could I would be taking them off."

The cold stone floor was not exactly appetising.

"I would give you a piggyback. But your skirt is too short."

"Asshole," Thea very nearly walked off when Slade suddenly stopped at a tourist stand. She watched, her mind still slow, as he gave the man a few notes, before taking a large maroon hoodie from the stand.

"Here," Slade held it out for her, yet at the same time leading her with it, so that the two stopped next to the stand, out of the way of passers by.

Thea looked at the Aussie for a few seconds, which was a lot longer in her state, before taking the hoodie with a mumbled thanks. She pulled it on with minimal difficultly, in her option. Vaguely aware of his eyes watching her, and the out stretched arm, in case she were to fall over.

"It was interesting meeting you," Thea spoke softly as they reached the line of vehicles.

"And you," Slade allowed a small smile. He tilted his head to the leading car in the queue. "Let's get you home," he said, pulling out his wallet.

"I can pay," she crossed her arms.

"I'm a gentleman," he smirked, passing the driving a wad upon hearing his amount. "You can owe me one."

Thea rolled her eyes but got inside the car all the same.

She looked out the window as the car took off, watching the man staining on the pavement, his hand raised in a small wave.

She found her hand raised just above the seal of the glass, waving back.

Spade smiled as he watched the youngest Queen leave. He froze in place as he caught a smell he recognised.

Since the first time he followed Thea, to keep an eye on her as she was going out at a late hour, he had noticed three people; two men and a woman. Sometimes they walked as a pair, others times, apart. But they were everywhere she went. Slade had hoped it was the press but they stayed too far away, hid too well.

Slade fanned a yawn, turning his head to the side, to where he felt the presence. He rubbed at his eyes, but looked out from between his fingers. He saw one of the group members, the woman. Who yawned.

Not a clear science by any means. But that was not what was important right now.

Slade slipped a hand into his pockets as he started to walk. He slowed his breathing, examined his surroundings, and tried to recall what part of the city he was in.