Thea ignored the people approaching to offer their condolences, maintaining a cold and distant expression. In truth, she barely knew most of them and had no memories of the relationships their families supposedly shared.
It was obvious that the original Thea had little contact with those social circles.
No one, however, found her behavior particularly strange. After all, she was a fifteen-year-old girl who had just lost her father and brother. Her somber demeanor was perfectly understandable. It would have been far more concerning if she had greeted everyone with a smile.
"Thea, what a tragedy..." a young man said, disregarding her unwelcoming expression as he gently touched her shoulder.
It was Tommy Merlyn, the only person at the funeral she genuinely recognized.
Oliver's best friend, Tommy was practically a member of the Queen family. He was Malcolm Merlyn's son and, through his father, Oliver's half-brother. Their family relationships were complicated, to say the least.
Despite all that complexity, Thea simply nodded.
"Thank you."
Tommy looked deeply affected. He had grown up alongside the Queen family, and Robert had always been like a second father to him. Oliver's death had hit him just as hard.
Among the hundreds of people attending the funeral, only a handful were truly grieving. Tommy, Moira, and Thea—although, knowing that Oliver was probably still alive, she could only consider herself partially among the mourners.
Thea studied Tommy's grief-stricken face for a moment.
Although she knew the future and suspected Oliver was still alive, she couldn't ignore the young man's pain. Tommy didn't share that knowledge. To him, his best friend was dead, and he had no reason to believe otherwise.
Not knowing what else to say, Thea gently hugged him.
After a few seconds, she stepped away and left the gathering, returning to the car alone.
Moira noticed her absence and quickly followed. The two returned to the Queen mansion in silence.
Once they arrived home, Moira suggested that they spend the night together, but Thea politely declined and retreated to her bedroom.
She needed to think.
There were still five years before the main storyline began, and she couldn't afford to waste that time.
This world was dangerous. Throughout Arrow, someone close to Oliver seemed to get kidnapped every few episodes. The cycle of kidnappings, rescues, and retaliation repeated almost endlessly.
It was an absurd pattern, and she had no intention of becoming part of it.
And that was only considering the period after Oliver's return.
What about the five years before that?
As the sole heir to the Queen family fortune, Thea was an attractive target for anyone interested in money. The family's security personnel, meanwhile, weren't exactly reassuring.
Even John Diggle, considered one of the best security professionals associated with the Queens, seemed to struggle against the assassins and mercenaries who appeared throughout the story.
If her survival depended on them, she might as well start praying.
But there was an even greater concern.
Malcolm Merlyn.
The master manipulator.
Could he become interested in the Queen family's fortune? Thea suspected he might. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine Malcolm getting close to Moira, marrying her, and eventually eliminating anyone who threatened his plans.
If he didn't know Thea was his daughter, the chances of something like that happening were considerable. Perhaps seventy or eighty percent, depending on the circumstances.
The possibility of being murdered by her own biological father without him even knowing they were related was absolutely horrifying.
Thea rubbed her face with both hands.
In the original storyline, after losing her father and brother, Thea had spiraled into self-destructive behavior and complicated relationships.
But things were different now.
This new Thea had no interest in ruining her own life. She wasn't planning to compensate for her grief with parties, alcohol, or reckless decisions.
In fact, the very idea of romantic involvement, especially with men, made her rather uncomfortable.
Still, she needed to consider every possibility.
If Malcolm noticed her taking a more active role in managing the Queen family, how would he react?
Would he see her as a threat or an opportunity?
Thea massaged her temples as a headache began to form.
Her situation was far more complicated than she had initially imagined.
She glanced at Moira, who was busy organizing the final details of the funeral, and realized she might need to start carrying an umbrella.
Both literally and figuratively.
Moira was a tragic figure. She seemed incapable of recognizing Malcolm's true nature. She didn't understand that behind his polished appearance and carefully calculated gestures was a man who saw the world only in terms of allies and enemies.
Oliver had confronted Malcolm countless times in the original storyline. Even when Malcolm claimed to consider Oliver a son, he showed no mercy whenever the young man stood in his way.
And Thea, his biological daughter, had suffered terribly because of him as well.
The difference was that Malcolm hadn't yet reached the height of his power.
As long as she didn't interfere with his plans, perhaps she could remain off his radar. And if he knew the truth about her parentage, that might offer her some protection.
Maybe.
Thea sighed.
For now, she had no intention of rushing into martial arts training or transforming herself into some kind of vigilante. Before anything else, she needed to make sure she stayed alive.
After all, what good would learning how to fight do if she ended up being kidnapped by some mercenary while walking out of her own house?
Her priority was survival.
But one question continued to haunt her:
Did Malcolm know she was his daughter?
That uncertainty would probably keep her awake for many more nights.
Exhausted, Thea eventually fell asleep.
Her rest, however, didn't last long.
In her dream, Superman and Batman were fighting during a Justice League crisis. The battle was so intense that escape seemed impossible.
She tried to run, but it was useless.
Amid the chaos, she was struck and crushed like an ant.
Thea woke with a start, her body covered in cold sweat and her heart racing.
For several seconds, she remained motionless, trying to catch her breath.
What kind of ridiculous nightmare was that?
Superman and Batman?
The Justice League?
Did this world really have that many powerful superheroes?
The thought of getting caught in a crisis capable of putting the entire Justice League in danger was terrifying.
She didn't want to save the world.
She didn't want to fight aliens, interdimensional invasions, or secret organizations.
She simply wanted to live a quiet life, preferably with enough money to never have to work again.
Was that really too much to ask?
She turned over in bed but couldn't fall asleep again.
She remained lying there, lost in thought, until she heard Moira calling her for breakfast.
"Oh, Thea! You look terrible. Should we call a doctor?" Moira asked, concern evident as she studied her daughter's face.
"It's nothing, Mom. I just couldn't sleep properly last night. I'll get some more rest later," Thea replied.
During breakfast, Tommy joined them.
Over the past few days, he seemed to have spent more time at the Queen mansion than she had.
As she watched Tommy interact with Moira, Thea realized something important.
Tommy didn't know the truth about her parentage.
Moira, on the other hand, probably knew every detail.
That meant she still needed to find out whether Malcolm knew as well.
After all, if he knew they were related, he might react if he noticed her getting too close to Tommy.
The idea of using Tommy to uncover the truth wasn't particularly pleasant.
Neither was the possibility of turning their closeness into some kind of emotional game.
Thea felt a slight pang of discomfort.
Tommy was someone who trusted her. He had lost his best friend, was grieving, and was still trying to help the Queen family.
Using his feelings to obtain information seemed cruel.
But the alternative was continuing to live without knowing whether her own biological father might try to kill her.
And, at that moment, survival had to come first.
In the original storyline, Thea had developed feelings for Tommy. Fortunately, the writers hadn't taken that plotline to its most problematic conclusion.
Tommy, unaware of their biological connection, eventually rejected her advances, insisting that he considered her a sister.
It was a small mercy amid all that dramatic chaos.
Now, Thea needed to find out just how dangerous the situation could become.
She had no intention of crossing any boundaries or starting a relationship with him. Simply observing his reactions and understanding whether Malcolm showed any particular interest in their closeness would be enough.
If the man knew the truth, perhaps his reaction would reveal something.
It was a risky strategy, but she needed to find a way to confirm her suspicions.
Over the following days, Thea began subtly getting closer to Tommy.
On one hand, she wanted to see whether Malcolm would react to their growing closeness. On the other, keeping Tommy nearby might serve as an indirect form of protection.
It was a calculated decision, although not exactly a comfortable one.
Tommy was Malcolm's son. If the man really knew that Thea was his daughter too, perhaps he would think twice before acting against her.
At least, that was the logic she was trying to follow.
Fortunately, being Malcolm's daughter might give her some leverage. As long as he knew the truth, there was a chance she could remain safe.
But Thea didn't like depending on a man like him for protection.
In fact, the idea of needing Malcolm's goodwill was almost as unpleasant as the possibility of becoming his target.
Her behavior didn't go unnoticed.
Those around her assumed she was still deeply affected by the loss of her father and brother. They expected her to return to her former self with time.
No one imagined that while everyone was waiting for her emotional recovery, Thea was busy figuring out how not to get murdered.
There were also a few changes to her wardrobe.
Her short skirts and high heels were carefully put away.
She had no intention of wearing those clothes again unless Superman went insane and started destroying the city.
Tommy, meanwhile, proved to be a remarkably devoted friend.
Despite the constant attention Thea began giving him, he never complained. He believed she was still grieving and did everything he could to cheer her up.
He even started spending less time with his girlfriend, Laurel Lance, to keep Thea company.
That made the girl feel a pang of guilt.
Tommy wasn't doing anything wrong. Quite the opposite. He was simply trying to help a friend who had lost her father and brother.
And she was using that situation to gather information.
Thea watched him for a moment, feeling slightly worse about her strategy.
Then she remembered Malcolm.
And the possibility of ending up dead before she even turned sixteen.
The guilt faded, though it didn't disappear completely.
Perhaps surviving in this world meant making a few unpleasant decisions.
And if there was one thing she had learned over the past few days, it was that she had absolutely no intention of dying because of someone else's mistakes.