"Mr. Queen? Mr. Wayne called and asked if he can meet you at Citron rather than have the meeting in the board room. He has lunch reservations at noon," Evelyn Longmire, his Executive Assistant for eleven months, asked.
Oliver looked at the clock and pondered for a moment before responding. "That'll be fine, Evelyn. I would appreciate it if you cancel all my afternoon appointments, please."
"What would you like me to tell Mr. Steele? You were supposed to meet with him in regard to some investment options for R&D at three," Evelyn reminded him.
"E-mail Mr. Steele and ask him if we can meet for dinner tonight," he said.
The EA nodded her head in understanding before closing the door behind her.
Evelyn, despite her proficiency and professionalism, was no Felicity.
Felicity. His heart ached upon the mention of her name.
No one, especially the team, mentioned her anymore. Their silence was a constant reminder of what they— no, he, lost. He and Felicity were match and flint. Although they fought on the same side, they argued how to get the mission done. Many of their conversations were heated. But at the end of the day, after all had been said and done, he'd be able to guarantee that she'd say goodnight to him and the team and return the next day.
That was almost a year ago.
He missed Felicity.
He expelled a loud sigh before getting up from his seat and donning on his suit jacket. He winced as he got up. Although it had been months since his injury, he left leg felt stiff. He looked at the cane leaning against the far end of the desk. He quickly dismissed walking with the apparatus.
He convinced himself that walking without the cane would take his mind off of her and on the physical pain that lingered.
Oliver didn't hobble far from his office before Diggle was at his side.
"Where are we headed?" he asked.
"I'm meeting Bruce at Citron. I," Oliver emphasized, "was thinking of taking a stroll over there."
Diggle looked at Oliver, noticing his slight limp. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you over?"
"I need the exercise," Oliver said, patting his chiseled abdomen. Diggle grunted as Oliver's reaction. He knew Oliver worked hard to stay in shape and fat in his midsection wasn't one of his problems.
"You know the easiest way to get exercise? Stop using your bum leg as an excuse. Dollars to donuts, you can still outrun most motorcycles," Diggle said. "Say the word and Roy and I would gladly hand back patrol duties to you."
Oliver took a deep breath. True, he used his leg as an excuse to hand over a majority of the Arrow duties to Roy and Diggle. However, he refused to tell them the real reason he stepped away in the first place.
"Do you want company?" Diggle asked, more as a friend than a bodyguard.
Oliver smiled wanly before cupping his friend's shoulder. "No, but thanks."
"Call me if you need anything," Diggle reminded him.
Oliver nodded to Diggle before taking the elevator to the ground floor.
Once he exited the Queen Consolidated towers, he stood at the edge of the sidewalk, welcoming the crisp fall air against his skin. He started walking briskly toward his destination. He took a quick glance at his watch before picking his route toward the restaurant. If he picked up his pace, he'd get to Citron with enough time to enjoy a drink before meeting with Bruce.
A drink. He smirked at himself. He had been clean for a while now. The island did him that favor years ago. Since then, the reason he imbibed was to forget. Heaven knew he needed to rid of certain spirits and alcohol wasn't the solution.
He was about to step off from the curb when a car honked at him, forcing him to look right to catch the driver's license plate.
That was when he saw her.
Her reflection in a storefront window caught his attention. He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned up the street across from the reflection. He was afraid what he saw was a mirage and his mind was playing tricks on him.
But there she was, in the red wool coat that accentuated her tiny waist. The shade was similar to the red dress she wore that eventful day; the day he thought imminent danger was over. Instantly, he was transported back to that moment he thought she died as she lay motionless and bleeding on the table.
His throat constricted at the sight of her.
She was deep in thought, typing on her tablet. She didn't wear her trademark ponytail but her hair was tucked behind her ear, revealing a new earring stud and the purple earbuds she favored. She was unaware of how the wind made the golden strands dance around her face.
The sight of her made him weak. For once he wished he had his cane to lean against. He swore under his breath for feeling like a love-sick fool. He hated being unsure of what to do next. Despite his head telling him to leave her alone, his motions betrayed him. Unconsciously, he walked toward her.
There she was, flesh and bone. He didn't know how long he stood in front of her. The only thing separating him from her was her table and the coffee shop's sidewalk gate.
Ever so slowly, she raised her head, surprised at the sight in front of her.
"Oliver," she said, breathlessly, removing the earbuds from her ears.
"Felicity," he returned her greeting, muttering her name like a prayer. He felt light-headed. Hearing her voice made him feel melancholic. Seeing her made him realize how much he truly needed her.
Although neither spoke, their eyes spoke volumes.
"You seem well?" she asked rather than insinuated.
"I've had better days," he replied wistfully. What he wanted to say was, "I am far from being well. I miss you. I miss us."
"Really?" she queried, tipping her head to the side. "I've heard Starling City's been quiet. It means the vigilante has been keeping the criminals at bay. Not that I'm keeping up with local news but I seem to find myself falling into old habits when it's a little slow at work."
"Can't take any credit for that," he sighed, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb and forefinger together. "Roy and Digg have done a great job patrolling."
She raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Now that's different."
"I've been keeping a low profile since…," his voice trail off.
She just looked at him, her dark red lips slightly parted.
"A week after you left, I went on a mission," he confessed.
She cringed at his statement, bracing herself for a story she knew too well. "Let me guess. Things didn't go as planned?"
He didn't want to tell her he was livid with her for leaving him and the team. Since she left, he relentlessly pursued villains and enemies. He was the opponents' worst nightmare. Night after night, he went out looking for a fight. He didn't care how injured he was was. He sought the night to let the dark swallow him. He lost count of the times Digg had to patch him up. The worst of his injuries came shortly after confronting the Triad.
He was already recovering from a bullet hole in his side, leaving him more vulnerable than ever. He left for a mission, weaker than usual. His opponent overpowered him and rendered him unconscious. His obstinacy almost cost him his life. If it weren't for Roy dragging his unconscious body out of the burning building, he would have died in the ashes.
Oliver bowed his head in embarrassment, downplaying his injury. "I singed some hair. I shattered my leg. It was in a cast for almost two months."
Felicity winced, her hand darted out toward him like touching him would make things better. But she stopped herself before she could make contact. To avoid reaching out, she folded her arms across her chest, letting out a nervous chuckle instead. "I bet the cast drove you batty."
Oliver chuckled, stroking his scruff unconsciously. "It did. I had to jerry rig a hanger to use as a scratcher."
"That probably earned a stern look from Evelyn," Felicity said. Felicity and Evelyn knew each other before she left QC. Oliver knew that every time they fought, Evelyn mothered Felicity by getting her tea and butter cookies despite Felicity's affinity for coffee and scones.
"I tried to keep my antics in check when she's around," he said, grinning.
They both stopped talking, letting the city noise take over the forced politeness between them.
"The guys miss you," Oliver finally said, changing the subject.
"I miss them, too," she said wanly. "I hope Roy and Digg are doing well. How's Digg dealing with fatherhood?"
"He's doing well," Oliver replied. "But I can't say much for Lyla. She's getting restless since she's currently stuck on a desk job."
"Unless you provide daycare services, I don't think that situation will change," Felicity teased.
Oliver peered at Felicity through his lashes before asking. "How about you? Are you doing well? I heard you relocated to San Diego."
She turned a slight shade of pink. "I did. I needed a change of scenery. Central City was too close to home and Gotham reminded me too much of Vancouver. Kane Industries is definitely different from QC. They keep me occupied. In fact, I'm here for a conference."
He looked at her longingly. She lowered her head and hesitated for a moment. Her voice softened as she spoke. "I'm… I'm also seeing someone."
He took a deep breath before faking a smile. "That's great! Who's the lucky guy?"
On cue, he heard a man say, "There you are! I'm sorry I'm a little late. I hope you didn't wait long."
"No, no. I was just catching up with a..., " she said, squinting at Oliver. She wasn't sure what to call him.
The gentleman looked up and smiled. "Queen! Hey, look at you. Finally rid of the cane?"
Oliver squared his shoulders and looked at Felicity's significant other. "Palmer! I am surprised to see you here. I thought you were in Las Vegas."
"I was. Wrapped things up as quickly as I could so I could be here with Felicity. Bruce also said he's in town so I decided to hit two birds with one stone. Had to do some catching up with him since I missed poker night," Ray said.
"Had to be a good reason for you to miss... ah... poker night," Oliver said, pocketing his hands. He started fidgeting and he didn't want Felicity thinking he was getting impatient with Ray.
"There is," Ray said, smiling. He pulled Felicity next to him and said, "I asked this pretty lady to marry me."
Ray lifted Felicity's left hand. On her left ring finger was a beautiful diamond engagement ring adorned with tiny emeralds.
Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was rendered speechless.
"Wow... Congratulations," he said softly.
"Thank you," she mumbled. Her eyes flitted between Ray and Oliver. "I wanted to tell you..."
"Felicity," Oliver said her name, his voice catching at the back of his throat. "I wish you nothing but happiness."
Ray was surprised at Oliver's affection toward Felicity. He saw Oliver take a step back before he said, "Hey, Felicity, make sure Oliver gets an invite to the wedding. I know you just wanted a low-key affair. Since you and I know Oliver, I don't think there's harm in having him come to the festivities!"
"Don't go out of your way," Oliver said quickly, faking another smile at Ray.
He glanced at Felicity, noticing her discomfort. He vowed never to hurt her again. "Felicity, can I borrow your fiancée for a few minutes? I'll make sure I don't hold you guys up any longer than necessary."
"Sure," she said, toying with her necklace.
That was when he noticed the arrow; a present he thought she would've disposed when she left Starling City. Seeing her clutch the arrow on the necklace made him hurt in a place he thought he numbed months ago.
He'd given her the necklace on her birthday; after everyone had left the party. She'd given him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. As her arms wrapped around his neck, he crumbled. He claimed and bruised her lips, kissing her for the first time that night. The kiss was frantic, passionate, and raw.
The necklace was supposed to be a promise of firsts. But after that night, it became a reminder of lasts.
After years of waiting, of wanting, they gave in to their baser instincts. They made promises to each other they never knew they couldn't keep. They made love to each other, whispering each other's names over and over before the sun came up; before they received the frantic call from Diggle that eventually had him hood up and get her hurt in the process. She bled so profusely Dr. Lockhart had to be called in and smuggled into the lair to stabilize her.
That day, he made a promise to find the person who almost killed her. But when he caught up to his target, he refused to let things go. Each enemy was a threat to Felicity. He sought and fought villains like the vigilante did before Tommy died.
It is what eventually drove Felicity away. His vow to protect her was what eventually ended what could've been between them. He was back to where he started: alone.
Ray cleared his throat to bring Oliver back from his reverie. "So… Felicity. You know her."
Oliver looked at Ray. "I do."
"The biblical sense?"
Oliver glared at Ray.
"Look, I don't want to whip things out here but she's…," Ray said.
"She's a great girl, Palmer," Oliver interrupted him. "If I have one suggestion, it's… Get to know her. Let her in. Don't forget to let her know how important she is to you."
"Not to be dense, Queen, but I wouldn't ask Felicity to marry me if I didn't know her," Ray said, slightly offended by Oliver's remark.
"Humor me," Oliver challenged him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Does she know what poker night is?"
"The Justice League's meetings? No," Ray scoffed.
Oliver took a side glance at Felicity who was packing up her gear.
"Let her in on it," Oliver said. "She'll be more understanding about it when you have to leave in the middle of the night to deal with business."
"But the code…," Ray whispered to Oliver's ear.
"Trust me on this. She will be your greatest ally out of us… heroes," Oliver said before walking away.
Oliver did not wait for Felicity to turn around and say goodbye. They didn't say it to each other then. Saying it now shouldn't matter.
With a heavy heart, he drowned his thoughts with the traffic on Main Street.
Oliver didn't hear Felicity call after him. He didn't see her swallow the sob at the back of her throat.
As he rounded the corner, he leaned up against a concrete pillar, hoping it would hold him up now that he stood on shaky ground. He slammed the back of his head against the cold surface, raking his fingers through his hair. He lost her and there was no way of getting her back.
Sighing, he gave Walter a call to let him know something came up and he had to push their meeting until the next morning.
"Are you alright, Oliver?" Walter asked.
Oliver wanted to say everything was fine. Instead, he confessed to Walter his encounter with Felicity. Walter sympathized and offered words of encouragement. Oliver said he appreciated his advice despite having the words fall on deaf ears.
After hanging up, Oliver felt alone. As he traversed the busy streets, he dialed Diggle's number.
"Hey, Digg? I think I'm ready for some company... I just found out Felicity is engaged."