InsaneJournal

I could have just killed us both and it’s not even like that.
Who: Ollie and Wrex vaguely, mostly Thea and Alma.
When: After Ollie’s texts on Saturday
Where: the ranch
What: Alma tries to help Thea calm down about stuff.
Rating: PG13 for language and stuff


After Ollie had finished with the texting, he voice commanded the phone off, and returned his full attention to Thea, who was quietly crying while he held her pulled against him. “Look.” he said, trying to sound calm, and not completely freaked out like he was, based on what had almost happened. “I promise this isn’t...one of those places. Wrex and Shepard and Scott, they’re good people. They’ll help you. Not screw you up more. Look, Roy works here. I wouldn’t bring you somewhere I hadn’t vetted even though I don’t know you all that well. You’re still my baby sister.”

And she still didn’t trust him. He got a murderous glare for that as Thea considered, really considered, what she could do to him next. Nothing came to mind, and so she waited for that moment, that very perfect moment when she could take him out, as soon as she’d figured out how. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get better, for the sake of her job if nothing else. It was more that in all of this? Not one bit of it had been on her terms. She didn’t have to like that, she decided, trying to yank away from his grasp despite the fact that Ollie had a pretty good hold on her now.

Alma had already been waiting in the SUV when Wrex climbed in. She said nothing as he started the vehicle and they drove down the long driveway to the main road. He sped most of the way, and soon enough, the brown car pulled up alongside Ollie's hydrid.

"You should get out first," Wrex said, glancing at Alma. "You're less threatening."

She nodded her head, opening the door and hopping down. She sensed great distress in that car. Wrex stayed in, for the time being.


“Hey, Alma.” Ollie rolled down the window to give her a little nod. “Thanks for coming out here.” he added, also mentally thanking Wrex for sending her on ahead. Smart man, he thought, making a mental note to think about using that kind of tactic with Mia if stuff ever came up. She LOOKED safer than he did anyway. But right now...Other stuff was going on.

“So. Thea. Wrex is Alma’s dad. She came here a while ago and is pretty okay as far as stuff goes.” he let his hold on Thea go a little. “Alma, this is my little sister, Thea. She’s...not to sound patronizing, but a little freaked about everything. Maybe you guys can talk.” He added, slipping out of the car himself after he let go of Thea, once he was pretty sure she was going to mostly stay here and he had reinforcements if she didn’t.

“Hi...” Thea debated getting out of there, she really did, but considering all the people around, that might be really stupid so...she didn’t know. And managed a watery smile for the other girl instead. “This...looks bad.” Ollie was bleeding and his face was swollen, it was kind of obvious what had happened here. “It’s actually nice to meet you even though it’s sorta awkward. “ Slightly.

Alma smiled, and slipped into the car with Thea. She didn't try to change her formal way of speaking. It was natural to her, and even though she was slowly learning how to act like a normal kid, she still wasn't entirely there.

She did sound honest, and earnest. "Hi. It does look bad, but I was scared before I came here, too. It is like a... sanctuary. I was a run-away. They gave me a home, and helped me adjust to real life. "


“I...” Thea frowned, hesitating. “Okay, so I ran away too.” she muttered at last. “I’m not really scared though.” She said, trying to look like she believed it, jutting out her chin a little, but it was lacking the way it usually was. “I just...I don’t like it.” she said at last, frowning. “I mean...real life...I was doing okay. ...Mostly.” Not really. She let out a shuddering breath.

“You just...hear about these places, you know? Brainwashing and all kinds of cult crap and...I don’t know. I was supposed to go to one of them. How do I KNOW?”

"There are bad people, out there in the world, who will use you, and hurt you. But there are also good people, who want to help you and who are worthy of trust." She trailed off, tucking some hair behind her ear as she considered her words. "This place is a last resort for a lot of people our age. Without it, they are looking at jail, or worse. There are classes, and activities. Horses and cattle. A science lab. We learn things. How to better ourselves."

Taking a breath, Alma glanced into Thea's eyes, and grinned. "I have a perfectly normal cheerleader girlfriend at a perfectly normal school in the city. The only cultish elements are probably our doctor's obsession with the sport of Cricket."


That? Okay, Thea managed a snicker. “That’s kind of awesome.” She admitted. “I...don’t know about jail, maybe...probably. I’ve done a lot of stuff...” she admitted, biting her lip, and feeling a little shaky, and not so much from a lack of pills. “There wasn’t any other way is the thing. “ She added, biting her lip, as she glanced out the window to see what else was going on here.

“He’s not my brother like he says.” She added abruptly. “He just thinks that because of a screwy thing his father did...” Thea shook her head. “I don’t get why people care, I guess. Not like that.” She added, frowning. “It...stuff like this...doesn’t make much sense. I haven’t been normal for a while though, I guess. “ Maybe it’d be worth a try.

Wrex had rolled down the window, mostly so she could see his face and get used to him. He was a big man after all. He trusted Alma, though. She could tell her story, and defend herself if need be, even if the thought of her potentially being in danger twisted up his gut.

"That's okay. No one is going to judge you. We only want to help you. The doctor is very nice and can help you detox." Gently, she placed a hand on Thea's forearm. "People care, because at our cores most people want to be good, no matter what their potential for bad is. I'm still learning that lesson, myself. It is worth a try. To be normal.”

“It....” Thea felt like she wanted to start crying again, for real this time, not...whatever had happened before when she was being held back from doing anything to the Lexus. And she’d been sure at first it was about the Lexus but now...maybe she was wondering a little.

And whoa, guy who ran the joint was huge. Was he some kind of half giant or something? What? She’d read Harry Potter and was just getting a Hagrid type of vibe out of him somehow. So maybe that part anyway, wouldn’t be so bad.

“Oh God.” she muttered, as another thought took over. “I could have just killed us both and it’s not even like that.” Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Yes, you could have." Alma's tone was matter-of-fact. "That's something else I learned. That sometimes a simple action can have great consequences."

She hesitated, then put her arms around Thea. She felt oddly protective, even a little motherly, despite their being the same age.

“I almost killed Oliver Fucking Queen.” Thea muttered, and then the absurdity of that hit, and she started snickering. “Oh god, sorry. I just...” She shook her head a little. “He got beat up by a teenage girl.” Was that because he’d let her or...

“I...guess it can.” she said, sighing. What did swiping the percocet do but create problems for Rarity? And the drug store swipe and swap probably had some kind of consequence that would’ve reasonated down the line. “It’s...not that I don’t think about those things it’s more...they never matter I guess.” she said, then leaned in a little. It had been five years since someone had been this close to her that she hadn’t wanted to push away. Since someone had meant it.

That was...weird.

"They do matter, you just never realized it?" Alma stroked her hair calmly. "And do not doubt the strength of a teenage girl." She lowered her voice and whispered, "I could beat him up too."

That? Got Alma a little smirk. “Okay so there’s a start.” Thea grinned at her. “Between us, really, we could probably take him. He ever tries something like this again..” She glared at Oliver’s back. “Well, let’s just say that it won’t be me in danger but..he still might be. Whoa, that’s probably not healthy like at all. Congratulations, Thea. You’re a psycho.”

"No, it's not healthy. But we can help you work on that." Alma decided to recommend to her father that Thea have a room mate, mostly for her own safety. One of the other girls that was tough, but had come far enough that they would be able to be both an example for Thea, and able to resist falling off the wagon.

“Not sure what else I could do as it is.” Thea admitted. ‘Just about anything would take me out just as much. I mean I’ve had the freak ass dreams they’re talking about online. I’m not really capable of all that much THERE. Fake brother DOES have a hot friend there that I kinda hope comes true.” She admitted, eyedarting. “But doesn’t leave me much to fight with, does it? Maybe if I’m better. Someday.”

Did she want to be? She didn’t want to deal with what she knew she’d probably have to do for that if the child psychologist she’d had thrown at her when she was twelve had any say in this.

"Fight to be yourself, and better yourself," Alma said. She tilted her head. "I dream too. They're terrible. I have to be better than the woman I become in them. If I can do it so can you."

“So like, what, my new self?” Thea teased, and considered the dreams for a minute. “I don’t know that I’m in that bad shape there yet, mostly like here I guess.” She admitted, frowning a little. “Miserable. They remind of things I’m never gonna have that ARE decent ones, you know?” It wasn’t like she was going to have a real family again, after what her family had done for her. Sometimes she wondered if she’d settle for an awkward dinner with her brother and stepfather snarking the hell out of each other, her mother being...weird and the Russian maid. And Tommy. Ollie’s friend was seriously hot and interesting enough to listen to.


“I don’t know if it’s even possible to be not miserable, I guess. Either place. You think this is going to help with...all of that?”

"I think this place can help with dreams,too." Alma smiled, and lifted her hand. A pen hovered in the air, slowly spinning. "And someday, if you pull yourself out of this bad shape, you'll be able to make the family and life you want."


“She’s de...” Thea started, then stopped, gaping at the pen. “Holy shit. you don’t just have the dreams, you can do things because of them? I knew about, well, HIM.” she jerked her head at Ollie’s back where she could see it. “But I’d assumed it was mosty...layover from here. That’s....seriously really cool.”

"Do you understand what I mean, though? About actions and consequences? This." The pen shot through the air and embedded itself in the dash.

"Is no more or less than a knife, or a gun, or a needle." She put her hand on Thea's arm again. "I believe you can find yourself."

That was more damage than Thea had done, but less than she’d intended. So she nodded, slowly. “A needle.” she said, “The one place I’ve never gone. That’s hard to come back from. Sometimes too much.” It didn’t count the same way when you fed doctors lines about pain and got THEM to inject it, not when you could find easier stuff, and sometimes even morphine tabs out there for the buying. The damage bit though? Yeah, she nodded.

“Thanks.” she said, the smile a little bigger now. “I guess it’s worth a try.”