CHAPTER 2.
Oliver couldn't believe he didn't remember that meeting between them, especially since he had seen pictures of Felicity in her goth-phase in college.
He guessed he simply erased that presumably insignificant moment from his memory.
He wouldn't put it past him, sometimes the life that he led as billionaire playboy Oliver Queen pre-island felt unfamiliar as if that was another life, another person. It seemed that the only memories he kept were the ones that helped him bear the torture, loneliness and violence of his journey.
The joke was on him, however, he mistakenly thought he was the first to set eyes on her and he kept that encounter as something precious, reminding him that she was always supposed to be a part of his life.
Of course, he never told her about it, even if she knew that he had been in Starling City for a brief time before his return. Clearly, he had ample opportunity to do so, but every time he thought better and didn't.
When he came back, after his five years away, he sought her out because he needed her expertise and Walter suggested her name. But it wasn't until he saw her picture in the employee's database that he recalled the funny blond girl he almost got killed two years ago.
Even now he would say that he came to her because Walter said she was the best in all QC, but deep-down he knew some part of him was a little bit curious and wanted to meet her in person.
He will never admit that he was unexpectedly nervous to approach her. She was engrossed in her paperwork, chewing that god-damn red pen. Without any warning, she started to babble and Oliver felt a flutter in his stomach he couldn't describe.
In spite of her professional outfit and bright pink lips, she looked so pure and innocent. He wanted to keep her as far away from him as he could, but there was something pulling him towards her every time. He wished desperately to save her from the darkness that was his life, but unfortunately he couldn't, more importantly, she didn't want him to. She fought him at every turn to be a part of his life and Oliver ended up always hurting her.
He supposed there was no point in keeping that memory to himself anymore. Felicity will say that destiny was trying to tell them something for a long time, and she probably would be right he reckons, however, he would never say it out loud. Between the two of them, she was still the most cheesy and romantic of them, and he loved that about her.
He will just have to remember that moment as the one that could have changed his entire life, his future, had he chosen differently.
He clears his throat.
"By the way… there is something I haven't told you yet"
Oliver and Maseo waited until the last of the executive level personnel left the building, so they could break into his father's office.
He couldn't fathom why he seemed so calmed when he knew anyone in this place could recognize him in a second. He guessed it was now easy for him to quiet his mind and remain calmed once he was out on a mission. He had to learn that technique, it wasn't always like that.
To be fair, even at this particular moment he could feel his thoughts creeping out of his subconscious and trying to take control of him but he shouldn't let them.
But today… today had been unbelievably hard to take in, he clearly was a mess and hadn´t been very successful in reining his emotions, especially anger and disappointment. So close to home, to his family yet so far out of reach.
He had been reeling and upset for a long time after seeing Thea. His little Speedy all grown up but very lost and apparently meeting with drug dealers at their home.
He didn't understand how his mother had let her end up like this. At least Tommy was there to keep an eye on her, and he was grateful for his friend. However, it should have been him. Tommy couldn't protect her like a brother might, like he wanted to.
"It's time," he heard Maseo through the comms.
He cleared his head of any thoughts of Thea and proceeded to climb the air vent.
They decided to avoid elevators and stairs to reach the top level. Less risk anyone roaming the building could spot him.
He dropped as silently as possible and checked his surrounding while standing up.
Instantly, all the memories of this place invaded him.
His father things brought him to a time when he was happy, when he didn't care about anything except having fun. He was loved here.
Suddenly he had trouble breathing and his feelings were overwhelming. Before his eyes moist he tried to regain control and answer Maseo through his earpiece.
"Yeah"
"The company computers are protected by a biometric encryption. Look for a fingerprint reader."
"Okay, but why wouldn't they take me out of the directory," Oliver asked in a low voice.
"Why would they? You're dead"
Though he wasn't entirely convinced, he put his thumb on the reader. The access only took a few seconds.
He plugged the device, crawler Maseo called it, and it started to do its thing.
Before it was finished something he saw on the screen caught his attention. Two files were kept in a private folder.
For_Oliver
For_Thea
He wanted to know right away what that was, but they didn't have much time, so he desperately looked for a memory stick to save the files for later.
It was taking longer than what they planned and Maseo was getting impatient. He could hear his breathing.
"Oliver you have to go"
" I'm not done," he answered.
'Ding,' the ring of the elevator was a loud sound among the penetrating silence and the clacking of heels that followed only made Oliver more nervous. He ran quickly to hide in the conference room. However, he could still see from his position the area where his father desk was.
Because of this, he could easily see and hear the petite blonde, probably a secretary, approaching the massive desk to drop some files on it.
"You're cute," she said.
It was a while since a woman called him that. Any woman. Before the island, it was a regular occurrence but now he has forgotten what it was to be playful with a female… ever since… Shado. The thought saddened him.
He guessed if he never boarded the Gambit his life would have led him to this, to this type of life and if his father had got his way probably married to Laurel, being in charge of QC and possibly one too many affairs with the secretaries. Such as this one.
But it was useless to contemplate what-ifs, this was his reality and he was so far away from that life as he was from escaping his situation.
"It's too bad you're ...you know… dead," the girl continued saying.
The statement was so false and true at the same time, that Oliver couldn't help but find it amusing.
"Which is obviously a lot worse for you than it is for me," she kept going.
He couldn't believe this girl. How can someone say such things, even to themselves? It was surprising and funny, and he found he couldn't stop the end of his lip from curving.
"I really need to learn to stop talking to myself," she said before turning the way she came.
He almost shook his head after hearing such a quirky sentence but instead, he exited the conference room silently.
Before reaching the desk to retrieve the memory stick, he took a look to the blond secretary leaving and got a chance to see her behind… and oh wow...
He froze for a moment.
"Oliver! Oliver, What are you doing?" he heard Maseo's desperate tone.
But he couldn't say anything because the girl stopped to check his phone no too far away from him.
All of a sudden a foreign thought invaded his thoughts.
Maybe… maybe this is what I needed. This girl can be the witness that I need to prove I am alive. She clearly knows who I am. I could return to my family and my old life. However deep down Oliver knew that before she had any chance to tell anyone, Waller could have her killed.
But was the life of this girl, a stranger to him, more important than returning to his family?
He had killed many more for far less.
Evil people, not innocent girls. His subconscious screamed at him.
Before his inner battle continued, the girl in question continued to the elevator and left the floor.
"Oliver?"
"Yeah, yes I am coming now!" he finally answered Maseo.