Okay, I promised some people to get some things posted this weekend. This has been what I've been working on...Arrow has restarted and I'm already two episodes behind...UGH! So, this is my attempt to get caught up on everything I've got going on...Why is it when you don't WANT to be writing there is nothing going on in your life to keep you from it and when you NEED to write all hell breaks loose and you're in the middle of it? Anyone?

He was ecstatic when he walked through the door. He had saved up a little money for a week or so (it was surprisingly easy when you weren't out clubbing every night or buying up fast cars and faster women) just so he could take Laurel somewhere fancy.

"I hope you don't have plans for tomorrow night," he said as he walked into the office, "because I just got us a res at that new restaurant, Table Salt, opening night."

"Isn't that place ridiculously expensive?" she asked without even turning around.

"Everywhere worth going is," he replied, but then he saw the concern on her face, "Ah! You have the cutest crinkle in your forehead when you're worried.

"Tommy, stop," she said as she sipped her coffee, "This is serious. I thought you were going to live more frugally."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said, "Everybody is grown up, except for me. Even Oliver has a job. He's working on that new night club."

They'd had this argument at least a couple dozen times since he'd told her about his father cutting him off. But he needed to show to her, to the world that he could live on what very little means his father had left to him, which was not much by any standard. He looked at her and saw "that" face.

"Okay, you have thinky face. Why do you have thinky face?"

"Have you ever thought about asking Oliver for a job?" she asked.

"Not even once," he said intensely.

"This isn't a quality that I love most about you, but you do know the club scene and you know how to have fun."

"You make some very valid points," he said with a smile and replied in the way he knew would appease her most, "Look, I'll take care of it, I'll talk to Ollie later and we'll see what he thinks."

"He is gonna think it's a great idea," she said with a smile.

She moved in closer to him and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. When she pulled back, he couldn't look her straight in the eye, but he did his best to hide his lie. He was good at lying, even to Laurel.

"Thanks, I hope so," he said to her before changing the subject, "So are we good for Table Salt tomorrow?"

She sighed and then gave him a half smile.

"If we go Dutch," she said, "we'll go."

"But Laurel-"he started to gripe.

"No, Tommy," she said with the smile of a patient mother, "You cannot afford to take both of us there. I would enjoy the evening out with you and since you already have the reservation, we'll go there. However, if you so much as offer to buy me a drink, I'll walk out on you completely."

He knew she had him beat. He knew she knew, especially when he saw the cheeky grin she shot him.

"Fine," he grumbled, "We'll go Dutch."

"Thank you," she beamed triumphantly, "Now, you need to go see Oliver and I need to get back to work."

"Okay," he said as he kissed her on the cheek and smiled, "I will see you tomorrow night, then."

He turned to leave and she grabbed his arm. He twisted to look at her.

"Go see him, Tommy," she said, all smiles and teasing gone, "You need his help and he'll help."

He just nodded and turned and headed to the door. He really hated lying to her. But he knew he wouldn't ask Oliver for help. He couldn't Not when he felt the way he did. If he had to be where Oliver was every day, he didn't know that he could keep the charade of him and Laurel for very long. He didn't think he could keep mum about his feelings at all. For his sake, for Laurel's sake…for Oliver's sake, he needed to stay away.

Chapter 2 up soon...real soon...R&R - Make Doc happy, eh?