CHAPTER III
In the lair, Diggle and Oliver were training, when Felicity came in.
- Hey guys. I brought lunch.
Diggle suddenly went toward her and said with a wink:
- I really missed you.
She smiled at him until she saw Oliver: he was looking at her with a concerned glare.
- Are you ok? You look tired.
- I have a new job, well, technically it's my former job, but I do have a new boss. I'm…adjusting.
While she was heading to the table to put down the lunch, her phone rang and she looked who the call was coming from.
- Speaking of the devil...
Noticing the slightly threatening looks on the two men eyes, she felt the urge to assure them.
- He's really a good person. Trust me.
To prove that, she put the phone on speaker.
- Mr. Palmer.
- Felicity, for the umpteenth time, call me Ray.
- Yes, Ray.
- Sorry to bother you on your lunch time, but I really can't find the Rocher's folder.
At the recall of that name, she shuddered, but forced herself to recover immediately. If she was lucky, Oliver and Diggle couldn't even notice that.
- I left it on my desk. I thought you'll need it tomorrow.
- Yeah, so did I. Don't worry, I'll grab it. Oh, did you schedule for me that appointment with Oliver Queen?
She looked at Oliver, asking the question with her eyes. He nodded.
- Yes.
-Thank you. Could you make sure he'll be on time, please? I'll see you after lunch.
- Sure. Bye.
She turned around to see they were still looking at her, waiting for something.
- See? Nice guy.
She saw them relax, though Oliver was still concentrate on her. Then all of the sudden he broke his stare and said he had a date with Laurel. Of course he had.
- Oliver?
He stopped and looked at her.
- Could you please be on time?
- I wouldn't miss it.
- Thanks, I'll text you the date and the time.
- Ok.
Before he left, he approached her, laid a hand on her shoulder and told her he was happy to see her, just like the time she went on the island to bring him back to Starling. This time though she saw something in his eyes, as he was...hurt.
As soon as he was gone, she turned to ask Diggle.
- Something is going on with him.
She was positive about it, that's why she made a statement, but, still, Diggle wasn't willing to help.
- It's all good.
- It wasn't a question, Dig. Tell me what is it.
Diggle lowered his head, she was sure he was trying to buy some time.
- Oh please, John! I can handle that.
- I know you can. I'm not entirely sure about him.
- Ok, now I'm worried.
- Believe me, you don't have to worry. Things are changed. He has to adjust too, like all of us.
- Oh God, it's because I didn't tell him about the job? I knew it! I should've ask him, at least tell him before I said yes.
- In that case, you should've tell him before the interview then. It seems that Palmer guy didn't give much of a choice.
- I...he didn't snatch me and put me on that desk, Dig. Sure I had to say yes first!
- I'm sorry. I don't know the man. You can't expect me to trust him right away.
- I know that, but it's just my boss. We don't have to be friends.
- Seems to me he wants you two to be friends.
- Don't change the subject.
- What you wanna know, Felicity? That night, Slade's night, changed us. Oliver is just trying to figure things out.
- What things?
- Just...things.
- I assumed he was doing just fine since he's back in the Arrow business. How much did he terrify the New Count? Did the poor guy pee his pants?
Diggle smiled: that was Felicity. She didn't help them on that case, but she knew the Count and the Vertigo meant something really personal for the Arrow, in part because of Thea and in part because of...herself. She was aware of how Oliver cared for her, she just didn't have a clue about the depth of his feelings.
Still smiling at her, he replied:
- Almost.
She smiled too.
- Well, it was his bad. He should've chose another name, sell another kind of drug. He had guts, I give him that, if he knew how the former Count story ended, and still wanted to continue that story.
Diggle noticed a shadow on her face.
- I'm sorry we didn't tell you. We wanted you to take some time, to be out of the Arrow business for a while.
- I'm stronger than you two think.
- We know, it's just that...
- ...that Slade almost killed me.
- Yeah.
- Except he didn't. I'm still here, well, if you need me.
- Of course we do! The thing is that we care about you. And that night, with Slade, we were so close to lose you. We understood he was going to break you, we reached the awareness of your vulnerability in his hands and we didn't like it.
- So that's it? That's why Oliver is so silent with me?
- He feels guilty.
- For what?
- He deliberately gave you to him.
- He didn't have a choice.
- He doesn't see it that way.
- Well, he has to! We had to save the city, to save Laurel.
- Wait, you think it was for Laurel?
- Not only for her, but…should've he let her die?
Diggle shock his head in disbelief.
- Did I say something wrong?
- No, I...you need to know, Felicity; yes, you saved Laurel as well, but you have no idea what Oliver went through from the moment he left you in the Mansion until you were safe.
Felicity didn't know what was the right answer for that sentence. She recollect her stuff and before she started to go, said:
- John, I know I'm vulnerable more than you two are. But, please, tell Oliver I will never even think to blame him. It was an extreme situation. Things had to be done. I'm alive, I'll be fine. I need you two to be fine as well.
Diggle closed his eyes and sighed.
- Ok.
- Promise me?
Diggle looked at her and smiled.
- And Slade said you weren't a strong woman, his loss, literally.
He saw she was amused...and still waiting for his answer.
- I promise. You should talk to Oliver too.
- I will. When he's ready.
