"All right. John Diggle, Lyla Michaels, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Oliver joined the guests in applause, still unable to take his eyes off Felicity, whose widening smile at the kissing couple only made him smile more. He watched, trying to hide his wistfulness as Lyla took Sara from their nanny and Diggle embraced them both.
The photographer snapped photos of the three of them, and Palmer stepped out of the shot, moving towards drinks table. Oliver made to get out of the way, too, when Diggle caught his eye. Patting his new wife on the shoulder, he stepped towards Oliver and said quietly, "How about a Team Arrow photo? I want at least one with my best man in it that isn't Photoshopped."
"John…" Oliver began to say, wanting to object (Diggle knew he didn't do photos), but then, seeing the look on his friend's face, he changed his mind and said mock-sternly, "You know we don't call it that."
Diggle grinned, putting his hands together. "Great."
Oliver peered over Diggle's shoulder, looking for Felicity, and when he found her (laughing at something the officiant said), he waved her over.
She joined them moments later. "Mazel tov, John," she said, giving him a hug and bestowing a smile upon Oliver.
"Thank you."
"John wants a photo," said Oliver. "Of the three of us."
Felicity looked at him, her eyebrows arched in surprise. "This is a first," she said.
"It's just the one," Oliver said.
"Two, actually," John corrected. "The original team – us three – and our… additions."
Felicity just laughed. "Sounds good."
Diggle gestured to the photographer, who was busy snapping photos of Lyla and Sara. At that moment, though, Felicity turned to Oliver, tiptoed and started to fix his bow tie.
"It's gone a bit wonky," she said in explanation. She didn't seem to notice his sharp intake of breath at their sudden close proximity, and Oliver was so occupied in trying to decide where to look (anywhere but at her) that neither of them registered the photographer taking a picture until they heard the click of the camera.
"Is it too late to change my mind?" Oliver said as Felicity stepped away.
"No takebacks, man," Diggle said, smiling. Felicity put her hand on Diggle's shoulder, and Oliver smiled for the camera as the photographer snapped the picture.
"Now one of everyone," Diggle said, waving over Lyla, still carrying Sara, and Laurel, Roy and Thea. "Time for a group photo," he said once everyone had assembled and offered their congratulations and Diggle had thanked them. Roy looked like he was going to object, but Oliver caught his eye and shook his head. The group shuffled, all trying to arrange themselves, and Oliver found himself squashed between Felicity and Laurel.
To his surprise, after a moment, he then felt a small hand on his waist. Looking down, he realised it was Felicity's, and she looked up at him and smiled just as the photographer started snapping. He smiled back, managed to extricate his arm and tentatively put it around her shoulders. For a few glorious seconds, the room was empty except for Oliver and Felicity, but then the spell ended and the group dispersed. It was then, also, that Oliver caught sight of Ray, who was watching, waiting for Felicity with two glasses of champagne.
Trying to push this from his mind as Felicity made her way to Ray, Oliver took a deep breath – now was as good a time as any. He signalled to stop the music and went to the drinks table, where he grabbed a glass and a spoon. After taking a draught of champagne for good measure, he clinked the spoon against the glass.
"Excuse me, may I have your attention, please?"
Oliver's eyes found Diggle, whose expression was one of pleasant surprise. He hadn't mentioned anything about a speech to Diggle – in fact, he hadn't told anyone. "Um… I just want to say a few words about my good friends, John and Lyla."
All eyes were on him now, and it made him nervous (which, when putting into perspective how he spent most of his nights, was more than a little laughable). Nevertheless, he pressed on. "Years ago, John told me something about… love. He said he didn't think love was about changing or saving a person. He thought it was about finding the person who was already the right fit." Oliver paused, and he could not help but look at Felicity. "Looks like he took his own advice."
A couple of the guests tittered.
"You see, John doesn't make Lyla a better person, or vice versa. They're already great people. She brings out the best in him, just like he brings out the best in her… they harness each other's best qualities. John and Lyla are loyal, kind and – best of all – they make each other happy.
"As most of you know, they met while serving in Afghanistan - in other words, during a time and in a place full of war and adversity. To me, there is nothing better than finding love and joy in someone in spite of that. And though it takes great courage to be a soldier, to be willing to risk your life for the good of your country, I think marriage is an act of an entirely different kind of bravery, because to love is to have the willingness to live."
He looked again at Felicity. Her head was tilted a little to one side, watching him, a smile on her lips.
"But John and Lyla took that leap of faith, and last year, they brought a beautiful child in the world. I see every day how much she means to you both and how happy she makes you. I want you to know that there is nothing more important than knowing that the people closest to me – all the people closest to me – are happy. And, of course, I welcome the fact that I can now refer to Lyla as your wife, John, without being corrected." This last quip was greeted with laughter. Oliver lifted his glass, regarding Diggle and his wife. "So I would like you all to raise your glasses to John and Lyla!"
The guests drank to the couple's health and applauded, and they began to mill around the dance floor as the music started up again. Oliver looked around, trying to find Felicity, but she had disappeared into the crowd. He could just make out Diggle and Lyla, who were surrounded by a group of well-wishers, so he instead went to the drinks table.
He was joined soon by Thea. "Nice speech," she said, giving him a hug.
"Thanks, Speedy," he murmured. He let go of his sister just in time to see Ray leading Felicity onto the dance floor by the hand. "How are you doing, anyway?" he asked, trying his utmost to push his feelings to one side.
"Getting there," she said, and Oliver was relieved to see there was a genuine smile on her face.
"I meant what I said, you know," Oliver told her. "About wanting the people closest to me to be happy. That includes you." He looked pointedly at Roy and then back at her.
"How did you know?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
Oliver smiled. "I've spent a lot of time with Roy over the last few months. I've gotten pretty good at being able to read his body language. And he's not exactly subtle. He also mentioned it to me yesterday," he added, "while we were training."
"What did you say to him?"
"That there is no one better for you than someone I trust and care about as much as Roy," he replied. "That if I was happy with you being with anyone, it would be him."
Thea reached over and squeezed his hand. "Not that we needed your blessing, but that's good to know. Thanks, Ollie." She followed his line of vision, peering at the dance floor. "What about you?" she asked.
"What about me what?" he said absently.
"Felicity," she said simply. "You were making heart eyes at her during the whole ceremony."
"I was not," Oliver said defensively.
But Thea ignored him. "And I've seen the way you look at her – the way she looks at you. You're not exactly subtle either, Ollie." She looked up at him. "You love her."
It was not a question. Oliver closed his eyes. "I do," he said softly.
"Then why aren't you with her? And don't say it's complicated."
That was, in fact, what he was about to say. "She's with someone else," he said instead.
"That hasn't stopped you before," Thea said, and Oliver chuckled.
"This is different. The life that I lead… it doesn't leave room for an actual life. And I think… I know… that I won't be good for her."
"Now I know you're talking crap." Her hands were on her hips in a fashion so similar to their mother's that Oliver couldn't help but smile – both because of the memory she evoked and because it seemed his sister was returning to her usual self. "No, really, Ollie, I get that your love life hasn't exactly been the best lately - or ever - but it's not because you're not good enough."
Oliver looked away from her and back to the dance floor. The women were milling around Lyla, who looked like she was about to throw her bouquet. Thea noticed too, and she put down her drink.
"This conversation is not over," she told him, and she hurried onto the dance floor. Seconds later, Lyla threw her bouquet in the air.
It landed in Felicity's hands. She seemed surprised when she caught it, but after a moment, she held it up in the air in triumph. The photographer started snapping madly, and Oliver made her way over to her.
By the time he had navigated his way through the throng of guests, however, he realised she had just been joined by Ray.
"Great speech," he said to Oliver.
"Thank you," he replied.
"Yeah, Oliver, I didn't know you were going to do one," Felicity said. "But it was good. Sincere."
"You told me once to speak from the heart," he said, smiling. "That's what I did. Or, at least, I tried to do."
"Glad to see you took my advice," she replied, smiling back.
"Sorry," said Oliver after a moment, suddenly noting Ray's raised eyebrows. "I hope I wasn't interrupting you guys or anything."
Ray's expression returned back to normal and he shook his head. "Not at all. In fact," he said, placing his hand on Felicity's shoulder, "I was just leaving."
"Everything okay?" she asked.
He nodded, but before he could explain further, they were joined by Diggle and Lyla, who was holding baby Sara. Ray turned to them and said, "I'm sorry, I hate to do this, but I have some business I have to attend to."
"No problem," said Diggle. He held out his hand to Ray. "Thank you, Ray."
"Yes, thank you, Ray, for saving the day," Lyla added.
"It was my pleasure," he said with a smile. "Congratulations."
"I'll walk you out," Felicity said. Still holding the bouquet and her other hand on the small of Ray's back, she left the hall with him.
Oliver watched them go before turning to Diggle and Lyla. "Thank you, Oliver," said Lyla. "For what you said."
He smiled. "I figured it was the least I could do after missing the photos."
"Don't worry about it," she said, and she turned towards the nanny.
"You should consider taking a leaf out of your own book," Diggle said.
"She's with someone else," Oliver said, shaking his head. "As she should be. Which reminds me – what the hell did you say when you shook his hand that made him look so nervous?"
Diggle just grinned. As Lyla handed Sara over to the nanny, Oliver said, "Let me guess – some variation of 'you'll hurt her and I'll snap your neck'?"
"Better it comes from me than you," said Diggle. Lyla just looked at the two of them in exasperation and shook her head. Then taking her husband's hand, she led him onto the dance floor just as a slow song came on. Oliver watched, a smile still on his face. Not for the first time, he wondered about what could have been.