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Cissie is about to graduate from college (I'm open to suggestions as to which one.) After her finals, which she will be taking once she returns from the Thanksgiving Break, she will be graduating early with a degree in business/sports management. She has really enjoyed her experiences speaking to kids, and after the way her own mother handled her early career she wants to make a difference in young people's lives. She misses her friends in the Titans, and has made up her mind that she can't put off confronting her father any longer. It still makes her queasy to think about, but she has decided to move to San Francisco, start a business coaching kids, and introduce herself, for real, to Oliver Queen. Now that she's made the decision, she needs to get it off her chest or she will be way too distracted to take those finals. A quick phone call garnered her an invite to Thanksgiving with her old friend Cassie Sansmark and her mother. Cassie's Mom is out buying the cranberries they forgot when they went to the store the day before, and the two friends are busy working on the rest of the trimmings while they wait for the turkey to finish in the oven. 



"Thanks again for having me Cassie. I usually spend this one alone and giving thanks that I managed to dodge spending it with Mom." Cissie gives a little laugh, but there is obviously something going unsaid. She wouldn't be here if she didn't want to talk, but now that the time has come she clearly doesn't know how to get started.

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[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"Don't worry about it," Cassie says, squinting through the oven window at the stuffing within. This is the worst part of Thanksgiving, when whole house smells delicious and she can't eat anything yet. "Mom thinks you're a good influence on me, so she's happy to have you. And we don't get to hang out nearly enough anymore, what with school and extra-curriculars and all."

Deciding that the stuffing isn't quite golden-brown enough yet, Cassie stands up and picks up her water goblet. "So I've been reading up on xenia. You know, the whole Greek hospitality thing?" She takes a sip, watching Cissie over the rim. "Apparently, it's rude to ask your guest questions about what they need before they tell you themselves." She leans against the counter, idly swirling her drink around the inside of the glass. "It's pretty interesting."

[strt-n-arrow.livejournal.com]

"Alright, alright, point taken. I'm freaking out. I don't know if I need advice exactly, it's just I've made some decisions, and now that they are made I have to tell SOMEBODY or I'm going to explode!" Cissie drops a little extra brown sugar into the sweet potatoes, thinking how her mom would add a shot of bourbon.

“I’m graduating next month, and I had no idea what I was going to do. I was putting off thinking about it because I had so much going on and I just couldn’t handle the extra stress, but eventually time just ran out. I was volunteering at the children’s center one day and it hit me. You know how mom raised me: always in the limelight, every day a photo op, smile honey, maybe show a little cleavage... I WAS 14!
No kid should have to go through that. I’ve met so many evil coaches over the years, seen so many crying kids. People keep hiring them because it works, but it is not worth the cost. Training is hard work, I know that, but these parents and coaches are worse than some Supervillains I know!
I want to be a good one. These kids don’t just need someone who is willing to whip them when they need to push on. Those people are common as dirt, and just as hard to clean up after, believe me. They need someone who can let up once in awhile and tell them that maybe it is time to stop: make a friend, write a paper, pass a class. I want to do that!” Cissie has been excited, eyes lighting up as she describes what is clearly a passion for her. Now she slows down as if coming around to something.

“I’m going to move to San Francisco and start my own gym…” Cissie blurts, then trails off, hoping her friend will understand the implications.

[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"Cissie, that's great!" Cassie says, setting her water down to go in for a hug. "We'll totally help you find a place in San Francisco! It'll be fantastic!"

There's probably more to it -- no one acts all edgy and secretive about moving to the same town as a bunch of their friends -- but still!

"You'll be a fantastic coach."

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"Thanks," Cissie says, happy about her friends praise but still trying to figure out how to bring up her other concerns.

"It will be good to have all the others there for support. And you'll be out of school soon, maybe I can... con... you in to moving out too." The pun was cheap but she felt due a little revenge since Cassie was making this difficult.

"You know San Francisco is less than an hour away from Star City..."

[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"Ba-dum-pssh," Cassie drawls, sticking out her tongue. "Well, if everyone else is going to be in the area, I might have to move there too."

Her eyebrows move up toward her hairline when Star City pops up in the conversation. "Yeah, it is," she agrees. "You want to give that a try again? It kind of freaked you out last time." She doesn't say it like she's suggesting that Cissie not do it, just that Cissie got all the way inside Ollie's house and into a conversation with him, and then changed her mind. Cassie's not judging, just pointing it out.

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"I know it did, but I had other stuff to finish then. I really can't run from it forever. I mean I'm friends with a bunch of the Titans, I really like Mia, it's not like we won't ever run into each other. He doesn't even know about me. I need to give him a chance. What example would it set for the kids I'm going to be working with if I can't even face my own issues. Besides, I want to do it! I mean I know what they say about him, but he CAN'T be more screwed up than Mom. His other kids don't hate him. Think about it, I have brothers and sisters out there who don't even know who I am." Cissie seems resolved, even though it also seems she's still trying to talk herself into it a little.

"That doesn't make it any easier to actually do it though..."

[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea," Cassie says, holding up her hands. "If it's something you want, I'm like the last person ever who'd try to talk you out of it. I'm just making sure it's something you really do want to do, and you're not doing it because you think you should."

[strt-n-arrow.livejournal.com]

"I know Cassie." Cissie moves over for a hug.
"I feel like I'm dumping all this out there, but I really just need to get it off my chest.
"Part of me IS doing it because I think I should, but I really do want to do it. I mean he's my father. I am not going to chicken out this time!"

[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"Hey, what are friends for if not dumping on?" Cassie asks, returning the hug. "If it's something you really want to do, I'll drive you over myself and beat up the thugs in Star City so the two of you can talk without being interrupted!" She grins. "Or I can hang around and tell him for you if it looks like you're going to chicken out again."

She's just joking. Probably.

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"Nah, I'll do it," she says, a little misty eyed, but pretending not to be.
"And thanks. Honestly, you're the only person I can talk to about stuff like this."

[markinthesands.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," Cassie says. "It sucks going through the Awkward Talk With Dad thing alone." She makes a face. "Of course in my case, I was the only one involved who didn't actually know who he was. So hey, at least you're the one in control on this!"