The Road to Central City
A/n: A short fic on why the team decided to go to Central City.
Oliver Queen placed the boomerang on Felicity's desk for her analysis the next day. He had sent her home earlier because he hadn't been sure how to face her or act around her now that she and Palmer had started up a relationship. The mess he had caused in the foundry the night he had seen her kissing Palmer hadn't gone unnoticed by her and he had felt guilty when he started walking down the stairs and saw her cleaning up his mess. He did an about turn and decided the city needed more patrolling that night.
He glanced at the fern that now sat near her computers, wasn't it on the other table before? He distinctly remembered when had sent things flying, he had almost hit the fern. Why had Felicity moved it closer to her computers? Wasn't she afraid she would spill water on her precious babies when she watered the fern. Or did she know that their fern had been in danger from his jealous outburst and she moved it to a safer place? He had yet to figure out what the state of his relationship with Felicity was. He didn't know what they were anymore. Were they close friends, were they acquaintances, or were they even partners anymore?
He had finally decided that he wanted that second date and then walked in on something he wished he never saw. He finally understood the misery he had caused the women that littered his past. He understood the pain of watching someone you care about deeply kissing another person. It was the first time this had ever happened to him and he hoped it was the last but he can't imagine a time when he won't love her and he doesn't ever want her to leave his side. He doesn't know what to do but he knows picking up a woman for the night is the wrong answer. He glances at the clock and decides to go home and get some rest. He needs to be home before Thea. The last thing he needed right now was for Thea to find out exactly what was below the club. He didn't think he could handle that conversation without permanently shutting off his emotions.
The next night as he arrived in the foundry with Roy after a night of patrolling, Felicity was telling Diggle about the boomerang and talking about Central City. He decided that he'd taken enough time. Any longer and she would know he's actively avoiding her. Oliver may not realise it but everyone in the room already knew that.
"What's this about Central City?" Oliver asked as he placed his bow in the case.
She watches him for a moment. She hasn't seen him in a few days and he can see she's scanning him to make sure he's ok. Guilt begins to pull at him because he realises that she will always care. He holds her stare and they have that silent conversation, he had been hoping to avoid but she knows him so well. She smiles at him. It's not her, happy smile, it's her apology smile. More guilt tugs at him as she has every right to move on and try to be happy. He pushed her to. But despite this knowledge, he still doesn't like Palmer and he thinks he never will.
"I think there might be a connection between the boomerang and Central City. I can also get Cisco at Star Labs to do a proper analysis of the material it's made from. I can take the first train out in the morning." Felicity says.
Oliver frowned, didn't she have work and her relationship with Palmer to attend to. How is she getting so much time off? But he figured when your boyfriend is CEO, you can take as much time off as you want.
"It will probably take a few days but I'll be back as soon as I can." She said as she slipped the boomerang into a large zip it bag and placed it into her purse.
Oliver considered Felicity's words carefully. She would be spending a few days in Central City which he equated as a few days away from Palmer, now that sounded like a good idea. Oliver liked these thoughts and then before he could control himself his brain connected directly to his mouth and he said, "I'll come with you. We'll take the van. " That way it will take us longer to get to Central City, he thought.
Diggle, immediately sensing that those two alone together on a car ride to Central City may not be the best idea, especially considering the recent tension, decided to intervene. "I haven't been to Central City in a while and it would be nice to check up on Barry. You guys did say that he woke up from the coma?"
The first real smile passed between Felicity and Oliver since the Palmer incident and suddenly everything seemed right again. They couldn't wait to see Diggle's reaction to this one.
"That settles it then," Oliver said as he walked over to start packing his Arrow gear. "Roy, you gotta hold down the fort till we get back. We leave tomorrow."
"Why are you taking your arrow gear?" Felicity asked.
"I thought I would check out how Barry's doing with his hero gig." Oliver answered.
"Barry a hero? Is there something about him you aren't telling me?" Diggle asked.
Felicity gave him a wicked grin. "Oh don't worry, you'll see, or maybe it's more accurate to say you won't see?"
"No you can still see something, even if it's a blur." Oliver commented.
"Ok then you'll see soon." Felicity beamed and she and Oliver shared another one of their glances.
Oliver realised he felt excited for this trip. Maybe it was because he would get to see what type of hero Barry is trying to be, or Diggle's reaction to the first time Barry appears in front of him but he suspected it was because for a few days, Felicity would be his.
The End