So, I just realized that I've neglected Oliver in the story. So, here's the inside of Oliver's head... They say that self-knowledge is the begining of all wisdom (loosly translated, it sounds better in flemish), and I think Oliver is gaining a little wisdome in this chapter.
Hope you enjoy...
Oliver's week was a nightmare. First, Richard came into town. All cocky and confident, but not in an asshole way. Even though he hates to admit it, Richard is probably a really good guy. Except for the fact that he knows Felicity better than Oliver does, and that just irks him. It's because he thinks Felicity's life revolves around him, and their arrow business. He's not used to sharing, and he hates it when other people know things he doesn't. He should have known there is more to Felicity then meets the eye. Not just a genius IT / technical sidekick. Get your head on straight Oliver, she's a real person, she has a life outside of you. He should have asked, showed her he does care about the things behind the superficial Felicity.
She'd yelled at him for that. And he had deserved it. But he went to apologize and she'd told him about herself, in a way she'd never done before. She'd exposed a little of her softer underbelly, trusting him not to share her secrets. Trusting him to be her friend.
And then he'd gone and had a fight with her oldest friend. It doesn't matter who started it. It only matters that she saw it, and he saw the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. So did Richard for that matter. But he hadn't offered an explanation for the fight, not that Oliver really needed one.
Richard had marched into his office, not even bothering to knock. He strode over to Oliver's desk, clear determination on his face. Without stopping he pulled back his arm and landed a punch on Oliver's eye. The punch was hard enough to send Oliver spinning in his desk chair. But he regained his focus fast, and soon they were in a full blown fight. Chairs toppled over, glass broke, office supplies flew around the room. And when they broke apart, seizing the other up, trying to find the next move, she had walked in. And stormed out.
After that, there was this ridiculous TMZ segment that stated Felicity was Bruce Wayne's secret love. He could just imagine the shock on Felicity's face when she found out what they were saying. She had told him, the night before on the roof, that she came to Starling to get a fresh start. To not be 'the Wayne heir' or whatever. She wanted to make it on her own accord. And one stupid story made that impossible. He knew they would have to counter with the truth, or at least a fraction of it. That meant Felicity's anonymity was really over. She was no longer EA to Oliver Queen CEO and occasional guest at formal functions. No longer the relative unknown blonde friend. Now, in a span of only 12 hours, she'd gone from secret affair to forbidden love to end up an WE heir.
He had tried calling her when he saw the segment, but she didn't answer. He didn't know if it was because she didn't want to talk, or just didn't want to talk to him. He had paced around for a while, trying to clear his head, making Digg very nervous. He picked up his bow and told Digg he was going to patrol. To have something to do. He didn't mean to wander over to Felicity's part of town. It was subconscious, a strange pull that made him gravitate closer to the blonde. And then he found himself crouching on her fire-escape, like the night before. Except, she was asleep this time. And she wasn't alone.
So, now he was pacing his office, trying to shake the awful few days he'd had. Richard, the yelling at the foundry, the fighting, the TMZ story, and Felicity in Richard's arms in her bed. He knew she would be better off with him, he was stable at least. Oliver was.. well, the easy answer would be 'not'. But it was much more complicated than that. Oliver was not the man he wanted to be, yet. He was getting closer for sure. But he was still secretive, closed off, blunt and aggressive and prone to run. And, like he had said to Felicity so many weeks ago, because of the life he leads, he shouldn't be with someone he could care about.
But he hadn't meant the Arrow life, because Felicity was an integral part of that life, risking her own safety for the good of the city. And she'd told him time and time again that she was a big girl and her decisions were her own. No, he'd meant the life he was trying to rebuild. The life in which he shook off the burden that was the Old Oliver but at the same time trying to find some of his old self again. He needed to find the balance between being happy and good. Putting his past behind him, but not forgetting. At first he thought he would find a part of the Old Oliver with Laurel and McKenna and Sara. But that really wasn't finding his past as much as it was clinging to his past. He found that the 'good' part of this New Oliver came from his protecting the city, and the belief his friends had in him and his vow to his lost 'brother'. He hadn't quite mastered the 'happy' part yet. And until he did, there was no chance for him and Felicity, because he needed her to be happy. He just hoped he would find it. And that he would find it in time.
The press conference was… a press conference. Bruce did a lot of the talking, explaining that Felicity was his family, and he would prefer to keep his family out of the spotlight if they didn't want it. He told everybody that his niece found her own way in the world, on her own merit. Bruce was not ashamed of his niece, merely respecting her wish not to interfere in her life. And Felicity was not ashamed of being in the Wayne family, but just determined to be her own person.
Oliver had spaced out a little, still seeing the picture of Felicity in Richard's arms. But feeling that it was a good place for her to be, for now. When he was ready, felt himself be the man he wanted to be. The man she showed him was inside. Well.. let's just say that when he was ready, Richard's right hook would be nothing compared to the punch Oliver was going to throw.
When it was his turn to speak, Oliver took the stage and said his thanks to Bruce. He reiterated that Felicity did thank her position within QC to her own hard work and love for the company. He trusted her completely. There was no corporate espionage, there were no plans to merge QC and WE. There were however talks about a joint venture when it came to R&D. When Oliver was done, both Bruce and he walked off the stage, ignoring the questions the press threw at them. They had said all they needed and wanted to say.
Felicity smiled when she saw the press conference. Especially the part where Oliver said he trusted her. He was important to her and he will always hold a special place in her heart. But she had decided that morning, when her lips had touched Richard's, that she would give this thing between herself and her best friend a chance. And even though they still had a lot to talk about, to figure out, it really felt good.
So... this is sort of an in-between chapter. I promise I will share who the woman in the cell is. And I promis they will go after Cobblepot... And there will be more of the rest of our favorite team. I haven't forgotten Diggle and Roy and Sara... Just, bear with me a little while longer...
- Ellen
