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Oliver looked around the table. It was hard to believe the people around it changed so much. The last Thanksgiving he celebrated was in the Queen Mansion a few months after returning from Lian Yu. Raisa had insisted, much as she had this year.
Back then, there was an elaborate spread of food down the long twelve foot table. And while the food was spectacular, and the place dripping with the most expensive décor, the people within the confines of the walls were tense. Tommy had barely spoken to his father who had sat across from him. Moira and Walter seemed to be at sorts. Nothing made any of the occupants more than surface happy.
Today was different. John, Lyla and JJ sat on one side to the table smiling and tickling each other. William sat to Oliver’s right on the much smaller table, actually happy and settled, more than Oliver had expected half a year ago when his son’s parenting was transferred to him. Most of it was due to the woman who sat across the table from him. The woman who had become so important to him and his son, infiltrating both of their lives and making it better. Felicity sat there smiling up at him and Oliver’s heart felt like it was about to explode from his chest. It felt so right for her to be there. To be across from him. To be his partner in all things. And he could not wait until he got up the nerve to finally ask her to marry him again.
Raisa pulled him from his thoughts as she laid the turkey in front of him. She patted him on the arm before she took her own place at the table, exactly where she needed to be. She was a part of his family as anyone else who sat here.
However, a ghost lay in the room. He had tried for so long to ignore the empty chair that sat between Raisa and Felicity, but it hung heavy now that everyone was seated. It lay there for the family members who could not be here.
Thea, still in a coma. Oliver was ready for her to wake up. However, his wishes didn’t matter. He had learned that lesson long ago. Thea would wake up the second she could. He had to believe that.
For William, the seat sat empty for his mother. The only person who he had celebrated Thanksgiving with for the past eleven years. The woman who meant more to him than even Oliver.
For John and Lyla, the seat lay bare for the daughter they couldn’t remember. Or maybe, it was for a brother, whose duplicity, they wished to forget.
Oliver was pretty sure that Felicity saw the empty chair as a spot for her mother. She had not had the opportunity to come due to some sort of previous commitment. Though, Donna had promised that she would visit soon.
The rest of the team had been invited, but for different reasons they each had an excuse. Curtis, Dinah, Lance and Rene, with his daughter, had come up with their own ragtag Thanksgiving get together. It was more a support group than a family, but it worked for them and that’s what mattered the most.
Grabbing his glass, Oliver held it aloft. “I just wanted to say thank you all for coming.” Oliver glanced around and slide into an easy smile, something he might not have been able to do even a year ago. “Family is what you make it and I’m just happy I found mine with all of you.”
“Here. Here,” Diggle said saluting him, before rising himself. “I wanted to thank everyone for not only being family, but being there to support me when I needed all of you.” His face took on a faraway look and a frown touched his lips as his eyes skimmed over the empty chair. “I thought I already hit rock bottom, but when I actually did, I’m glad you were there to pull me back up. Even when I didn’t know that I needed it.”
Oliver nodded. Anything he would have said would have only made Diggle feel worse. Oliver still could not believe his friend, and mentor for so long, had taken on the mantle of Green Arrow when he had been nowhere near prepared or ready. Unfortunately, that’s also why there were two separate Thanksgiving celebrations as well. The team, while saying that they understood Diggle’s situation, really didn’t. It caused a rift when Oliver was quick to stand by his friend’s side and lend his support, but not return to the helm of the team.
Felicity also rose from her seat. She went over to wrap her arms around Diggle. She did not have to speak, which was saying a lot for a woman who spoke constantly. Every one of her feelings were conveyed in that one simple movement. It was that which made her even more perfect. Sometimes guys really did not want to talk about their feelings any more than they had to. This was exactly one such moment.
Oliver saw Lyla squeeze Felicity’s hand to let her know how much it meant to both of them. And that was the definition of family. The ability to say nothing and everything at the same time. It was exactly what Oliver missed without realizing it until tonight.
A gentle silence fell amongst the group while everyone took in what it all meant to each of them, at least until JJ jumped in his seat and smacked his fork against his plate. “I’m hungry. Are we ever going to eat?”
Everyone laughed breaking the small amount of tension because no one knew exactly what to do next. Oliver smiled and leaned over to tousle JJ’s hair. “You bet.”
William handed JJ the mashed potatoes. “You go first.”
Oliver’s Thanksgiving was the best he could ever remember. He was surrounded by love. By family. The only way this night could have been any better was if that empty chair could have been filled by all the loved ones that they missed.