This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so please be gentle…. I don't own arrow or anything related to it… all the legal rights belong to CW…. If there is any spelling or grammatical errors please do forgive me. Please do let me know what you think.
The past six months had been a struggle would be saying the least, apparently getting your family's company back from greedy and money hungry board members and the ever vicious Stellmoor International was easier said than done. I have never hated anyone more than Isabel Rochev not even Slade, she was a conniving bitch who had led to the destruction of the queens. It had taken us a lot of scheming and plenty of help from Walter to wrench back what was rightfully his. It was his first day back in the office as CEO of Queen consolidated after his brush with poverty.
"I think congratulations are in order." Digg's deep voice resonated through the office jolting me from the trip down memory lane.
Oliver sighed heavily as he sat himself down on his chair.
"Not yet Digg." He replied glumly.
"Thea." I whispered before I could stop myself. He met my eyes. His face filled with worry and pain for a second before he put on a mask of indifference. Why did I always have to say things that made him miserable?
Thea Queen was missing for the past six months, the last time anyone had seen her had been before the attacks on the city. It was always assumed that she had left the city before Slade's men had started tearing it apart but now they knew better, Roy had seen her after waking up from his Tibetan pit viper venom induced coma. I had hacked into security cam footages from the train central which led to the shocking discovery that Malcolm Merlyn was still alive. With the reluctant help of ARGUS we now know that Thea had taken off with Malcolm Merlyn willingly.
"We will find her man." Digg reassured him.
"Any news from Sara?" I asked him as I walked to his desk.
"Nothing good, the league has no idea where Malcolm Merlyn is." He bit out angrily.
"We will know the instant she steps into Starling." I told him. Facial recognizition will spot her.
"If she comes back." He retorted sharply. His pessimistic side was showing. His shoulders sagged in defeat.
"No matter what, she will find her way back home just like you did." I told him reassuringly. That seemed to ease him a little. A small smile tugged on his lips.
"Let's hope Layla and ARGUS had some luck locating Merlyn." Digg broke the moment.
"Speaking of Layla how is she? Still making you run around town to get her midnight cravings?" Oliver enquired.
"Ah! Can we not talk about that." Digg grunted in frustration. A bigger smile broke out on Oliver's face, a real smile.
"That bad huh?" I couldn't help but tease him a little. Between his duties as backup to the arrow, helping Oliver get his company back and running around trying to get Layla everything she needs Digg had been run Haggard.
"You have no idea." He responded warily.
"You need to tell her to let me throw a baby shower for her, its tradition." I whined, she wouldn't let me and I needed Digg to back me up. I had struck a friendship with the ARGUS agent after the attacks.
"That's between you and her I rather stay out of it." He told me as he made a run for the exit. Digg had been upgraded to Head of Security while I was still stuck as his EA.
"Coward!" I mumbled under my breath. Oliver chuckled at the exchange between me and Digg. I turned towards him, it was so good to see him smiling it had become such a rarity these days.
"It's good that you have your fortune back, poverty was not a good look on you." I realized the error in my words as soon as I said them. "Not the look look the other look, I mean you always look perfect I mean with or without these expensive clothes or clothes for that matter not that I have seen you without clo." I stopped myself before I could say more, heat rushed to my cheeks. I had been doing so well for the past few days.
He just looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"You know what, let me get you your schedule for the day." I rushed out to my desk, I need to stop doing this. I need to get over this stupid crush. I sat down and started to line up his duties for the day. Even though I missed my old job sometimes, this job had certainly had its perks. I liked being near him.
I saw Laurel step off the elevator; I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. I knew they were dating and they were not very subtle about it. Detective Lance was still in a coma and they were trying to find solace in each other. It may not be the healthiest of relationships but it did the job. He had been living with Laurel for the past six months and it was natural to start a relationship, they had so much history between them. Good news for me Barry was up and running and boy was he running!
She gave me a tight smile as she passed my desk, I don't think she likes me very much. Laurel was always around the new lair, training and patching up Oliver it was as if she was keeping an eye on him all the time. If she was still hung up over the staged act then she was wasting her time. It was long forgotten and it was never mentioned of after we left Lian Yu.
He rose from his chair to give her a hug; I wish his office had been made of actual walls not just plain glass. The phone rang loudly distracting me and I was quite glad for the interruption.
I heard my former boss's voice on the other end. They needed me down in the IT department. My position was yet to be filled and whenever they had a shortage of manpower I had to rush down to avert crisis. I rushed down leaving the love birds alone; I would be surprised if Oliver had noticed that I was missing from my desk.
A soft knock on my cubicle made me look up.
"How long have you been down here?"Digg asked as he stood there staring at me.
"Long enough!" I stood up and stretched out, my back was aching and my feet felt like they were on fire. High heels may look good on you but damn it hurts!
"You want to come back here?" If anyone could see through me it was probably Digg.
I sighed, "Yes."
"Why? I thought you were beginning to like your new job."
"I was fired six months ago when Oliver was no longer CEO and then hired back yesterday when he was back on, there are rumors Digg, bad ones."
"I thought you didn't care about them." Digg asked me with confusion etched on his face.
"He has Laurel now and I don't want everybody to think he is cheating on her with me, trust me it would not do his already damaged image any good." I ranted out.
Digg nodded in understanding.
We walked into Oliver's office, work hours were long over and the whole building was deserted.
"I am never going to be done." He sighed in exasperation as he saw us walking in.
"Not even a day and he is already complaining." Digg teased.
"Nobody said being CEO was easy buddy." I couldn't hold back.
"Looks like Roy will have to hood up alone today." Digg remarked apprehensively, Digg thought Roy needed more training and more restrain.
"Don't worry I'll keep an eye on him, Digg can drive you home." I told them both, Roy was someone who was ruled by his heart it was not hard to understand him he just needed a lot of reassurance and love.
"No you won't." He snapped his file shut. "Digg can patrol with him today, he may be off the Mirakuru but he is still heartbroken and angry that makes him extremely unstable." Oliver told me firmly. The tight set of his jaw told me not to argue with him, there was no way I was winning this argument.
"Fine then, we will see you tomorrow I guess." I told him reluctantly.
"Ollie aren't you done yet?" Laurel walked in with an inquisitive look on her face. Digg shifted on his feet, he was not the biggest fan of Laurel Lance. He had no kind words for their relationship.
"Looks like I am going to be stuck here for a while." He replied grumpily.
"Well misery loves company doesn't it?" Nobody could miss the sly overtones in her reply.
"We should get going." I croaked uncomfortably, Laurel's integration into arrow team was causing us all some level of discomfort except Oliver. He was relieved to be himself, he was tired of lying to her.
Digg was driving my car. How he had fit into the small space would be a mystery forever. I rested my head on the window and watched the buildings and the bright lights pass by. Our new lair was in an abandoned Queen factory on the outskirts of the city. The commute was causing us all serious trouble. Lookout for a new convenient liar was on, now that Oliver had his money back it shouldn't be a problem anymore.
"Penny for your thoughts, you are awfully quiet these days."
I turned to look at him, he looked a little worried.
"I am just tired, how is your research on HIVE going?" I asked him, Digg had started looking into it a few months ago.
"No luck on that front too." He sighed.
"Maybe Oliver can help." I nudged him gently. He was being stubborn; the only person who knew about this search was me. And there was nothing on them online.
"He has enough on his plate." He reprimanded me.
"Can you get a few minutes alone with Layton? Maybe he can give us more information." I speculated.
"There is no way I can get that done without getting Layla involved." He told me.
We reached the new liar, Digg and Roy trained for a while and were off for their patrol duties.
This new liar felt cold and gloomy and I couldn't wait to find a new place. I sat on my chair, facial recognizition was running as it tried to spot Thea. The peaceful silence in the liar was interrupted by the loud ringing of my phone. It was Oliver calling.
"Oliver?"
"Can you guys meet me at ARGUS headquarter?" I could hear impatience in his voice.
"Yes, What's going on?" I asked him with caution.
"I don't know, we were summoned there." He replied irritably.
I asked Digg and Roy to meet us there and drove myself to the headquarters. I could see team arrow waiting for me. Everyone had gathered here except Laurel.
"What's going on?" I asked them, all of them seemed to be unaware of why we were being called here.
"Let's find out." Oliver bit out, he walked in. He was on full alert mode, which was never a good sign.
We were ushered inside Amanda Waller's office.
"Care to tell me why we are here Amanda?" Oliver snapped.
"Slade Wilson is going to be a problem again." She told us. Has she always looked menacing? The steely look in her eye commanded respect and fear in others.
"Why? Isn't he locked up in Lian Yu?" Digg asked her.
"Slade Wilson and ten other prisoners have escaped." She was devoid of any humanly emotion, how can she be so emotionless? I felt the blood drain from my face. That Psychotic bastard was on the loose again? I had convinced Oliver not to kill him, was that decision going to cost Oliver something more? My eyes snapped at Oliver's face, he was clenching his teeth. He was furious, his fists were clenched. I tried to reach out to him.
"Oliver!" My voice barely a whisper.
"You are joking right? This has got to be a joke right? He was on a freaking island!" Roy voiced his disbelief. All of us knew Slade was smart and if anyone could break out of that prison it would be him. Our worst nightmare was a reality now. The last time he was here, he had tried to burn the city down to ashes and destroy Oliver but he was unsuccessful, was he going to succeed this time?
"Since ARGUS is at fault, we owed you a warning." She was still calm.
Oliver stormed out, we tried to keep up with him but he was too quick. I tried to run after him.
Digg pulled me back. "Give him some time Felicity."
I never thought we would be back to fearing Slade Wilson but it had happened. I never thought Oliver's first day in office would be such a disastrous one.
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