Author's note: and I'm back! I got a few messages about the last chapter... was a bit surprised I didn't get more with the confessions... this chapter is a but of fun... especially with the OC that makes an appearance... she is my favorite so far and we may see her again in the future (hint. Hint)
I am still working on bratva... I'm so sorry I have fallen so far behind on it
As always so much live to my fabulous beta and friend warehouseluver13 for all you do
Disclosure: I own nothing of Arrow but laughed my butt off at Stephen in pumps! GOD BLESS JOHN BARROWMAN!
"Oliver." Felicity whispered as she pulled away, leaving him access only to her lower lip. He nipped at it trying to entice her into yet another make out session. They had spent the better part of an hour sitting on her couch, making out like two teenagers which she had no problem with, but there were still things they needed to discuss. "Oliver…. Oliver, please. We… need to… talk."
Oliver let out a groan but sat back and helped her adjust into a more comfortable position, but one that was still close to him as he was refusing to release her for any reason. "You're right. We have a lot to figure out."
"So what do we tackle first?" They both quietly pondered the question for a few minutes before Felicity spoke up again. "Seems we have a few things to figure out. First there is our families. I'm not close to my mom and she lives in Las Vegas but I feel like she should hear about us for me before it gets out at all. Thea already knows, well most of it, so she's taken care of. Same with our close friends. So that just leaves…"
"My mom." Oliver growled, the sour taste returning to his mouth. He still hated the fact that she had actually attempted to buy Felicity off like she was some kind of gold digger.
"Yes. Now I know today was bad on all accounts with her but she needs to see that we are serious to understand that this isn't a fling between us. But I also don't want to surprise her with it by having the press plaster photos of us out everywhere and she see it that way. That won't do anything to help our cause. So I think maybe another dinner. Just the three of us. Maybe Walter as well so that he can advise us on how and when to go public so that your reputation and QC's doesn't take a hit from this. And that's another thing. The press. How do we handle that? When do you go public? I really wanted to hold off until the database project was complete so that there wouldn't be any scandal but if we go out and get caught that will create a scandal all on it's own."
Oliver ran his hand down her back, trying to soothe her tension, while the thumb of the other gently brushed her cheek. "Hey, it'll all be okay. The press we can handle and you're right about asking Walter for advice on that. If a statement of something needs to be done, we will handle it together. I agree that we should hold off until the project is done. At least on going public. I feel that we should still meet with Walter and the Board as well as HR and inform them of our relationship so that no one can say we hid it away. Just seems like the most logical thing to do.
"You're also right about our families and close friends. We need to tell them in person and make them understand that this is a serious relationship for us. If we want them to respect it then we have to treat them with the same respect and not hide from them. I'm not sure how Mom will take it but Thea will be over the moon. She might even start talking about trips and vacations and our wedding for all I know." Oliver chuckled.
Felicity giggled at the idea of the small brunette storming her way through everything for them before they even talked about it. "Pretty sure my mom will be right there with her. Especially after she meets you."
"You want me to meet your mom?" Oliver was surprised at the idea since the two didn't seem to have a close relationship.
Felicity shrugged and looked down at his chest as she traced the buttons on his shirt. "Of course. You matter to me and just cause we don't talk a lot or see each other like you see you family or have much in common, doesn't mean I want to forget about my mom completely. She is still my mom. So yeah, I'd like for you two to meet. Is that okay?"
"Of course it's okay. I'd love to meet your mom and anyone else you want me to meet. I want to be apart of your life, as much as you will allow."
"Good!" Felicity smiled and leaned in to peck his lips.
"Now about this dinner with my mom… I think we should have Walter there. Since Dad died, Walter has been a great help in getting my mom over her grief so I think if she sees that we have Walter's support than maybe she will give us a chance. If not then it will be her loss. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but I need to start making choices for me and living the life I want. And I want you." Oliver pulled her closer again, grinned down at her before adding, "Every way possible." Their kiss was a heated one, Oliver's last words dancing on their minds. When they separated a few moments later, Felicity could still feel the tingle left behind by his lips.
"So we agree. We tell our families and show them we are serious. We wait out the project then go public but still talk to the Board and HR as soon as possible." Felicity's tone was as if she was reading off a checklist.
Oliver snickered at how serious she was being but knew it was just her way and ensuring that everyone would be happy and not hurt by their choice. "Yes. I will call HR first thing in the morning and set an appointment as well as tell the Board we need a quick moment at the meeting on Friday. I will also check with my mom and Walter about their dinner plans for that night. Since we don't want the press catching wind just yet, I guess it will be another dinner at the house."
"Sounds perfect. I don't want Thea to feel excluded so I think I will see if she wants to grab a bite on Thursday with us. If that's okay?"
"Of course. I know Speedy will love it and I already had lunch with you planned out for the rest of the week. Not gonna get rid of me so easily." Oliver teased as he reached out to tickle her. Felicity squirmed in the seat next to him, giggling and begging him to stop. She knew he was trying to relax her and she loved that about him. "When do you want to tell your mom?"
Felicity considered his inquiry before answering, "I figured I would call her later this week. I never know her schedule so it's kinda hard to tell when is a good time to chat with her. And this is not something I can just leave in a voicemail." Felicity tripped into her thoughts for a moment before Oliver nudged her as if asking if she was okay silently. "I just remembered something. Do you remember the day you came by QC and asked me out to drinks and dinner to celebrate you acing your test?"
"Yeah. Best decision I ever made. Was excited and nervous the whole way but well worth the trip if I do say so." Oliver grinned pleasantly.
Felicity rolled her eyes at his cheap attempt at being cute. "Anyway. My mom had actually called me that day. That's why is was crying. We had had yet another fight. Kinda of an ironic one if you know what we argued about with everything that happened after." Felicity giggled softly to herself.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but I would like to know." Oliver ran his thumb across her cheek again, enjoying the slight shiver it causes to race through her body.
Felicity sighed and sat up as she prepared herself to go into yet another very emotional discussion. It seemed that the last few days were just that for them but she loved it because it opened the doors for them now. "She is convinced that I am alone and miserable and will never find anyone here. That's what we fought over. She wanted me to move back to Vegas and live with her and work at one of the casinos. I told her that I went to MIT and got the job at QC to help make a difference. She thought I was just acting out against her."
"Sounds like she is just worried about her brilliant and beautiful daughter being all alone so far from home and family. Did you tell her that you have friends now? About Sara? Thea? Tommy? Me?"
"We haven't talked since then. I was always busy at work or hanging out with you, which I didn't mind and never will. She works a lot of hours at casinos as a waitress so it is always hard for us to pin down a time to chat."
Oliver seemed to consider the reasons Felicity listed but couldn't help wondering if she had not told her mom for another reason. "Oh. Okay. Well I'm sure you will be able to talk to her soon."
Felicity heard the dip in his tone and asked, "You okay?"
"Yeah." Oliver tried to blow it off but she wasn't buying it and he knew it.
"Oliver, I promise, we just haven't talked due to timing. Nothing else."
"You sure? Seems odd that it has been months and you haven't talked to her."
Felicity smiled as she realized that he was concerned with her commitment. "I'm sure, Oliver. Mom works at 3 different casinos during the week, at least two shifts a day. When she's not working she is usually out with some guy or her friends so it's hard to catch her long enough to chat. And like I said, we don't have a lot in common so we don't chat often. Growing up she was always at work and that left me alone a lot. As I got older, we just sorta drifted apart. Further and further over time. Then when I left for college it got worse. We would talk during breaks and the holidays but I never had enough money to go home and see her and neither did she. We're just a different type of family compared to what you have. That's all. I promise as soon as I talk to her again, you will be the best news and first thing I tell her about."
Oliver smiled happily, glad that his worries were for nothing. He leaned down and kissed her again, this time soft and langly. When he pulled back his smile remained. "So there is one last thing we need to discuss. A deal breaker for me."
Felicity giggled at the humor she found in his serious tone. "And what would that be, Mr. Queen?"
"Your title."
"My title?"
"Yes. I demand the right to call you my girlfriend whenever and however often I feel like. Now this is a must if we are to continue."
Felicity snickered again, her heart floating in her chest at the idea of him calling her that. "A must you say?"
"Yes. We can work on other endearments as we date but I demand the title 'girlfriend' as well as at least one date night a week. Our lunches stay and we still hang out on weekends but I demand at least one date night a week where we don't talk about work or families or school. Where it's just us being us."
Felicity whispered his last words again as they settled in her head. "Us being us. I like that and can agree with all terms but must add one of my own." Felicity sat up straighter, the upper half of her body pressed into his chest as her legs hooked on the couch beside Oliver.
"That being?"
"Boyfriend. I demand the right to call you my…" Her response came in the form of another deeply heated kiss, a form she would never turn down.
/OQ\
/OQ\
/OQ\
Another 10 minutes had gone by with them only stopping for air when completely necessary when Oliver's phone started ringing. He glanced down and saw it was the manor and knew his mother was trying to fix what she had torn down earlier that day. Felicity saw the caller id and smiled sweetly. "Maybe you should go home and talk to her."
Oliver shook his head. "No. I think I am right where I want to be and need to be. But I do need to talk to her. I think I will step out on your fire escape and do so while you," Oliver leaned in and pecked her lips again. "order us some dinner. I was serious about that date night and it starts tonight."
Felicity grinned happily up at him. "Have you always been such a stern negotiator?"
"Only for things I find important. And you, Miss Smoak, will always be that to me."
Felicity stood up off the couch and collected her phone, ready to order Chinese from the spot around the corner. She watched Oliver stand and start for the fire escape. "Who knew my boyfriend was such a cheese ball."
Oliver stopped in his tracks when he heard her utter the word he had wanted to leave her lips for months. He turned back towards her and smiled mischievously. "There is a great many things you still have to learn about me. Things only my girlfriend will have the pleasure of knowing." His words oozed sexual appeal and Felicity felt her heart race just from his tone. She actually stumbled a bit as she pulled up the phone number to dial out.
/OQ\
/OQ\
/OQ\
Felicity was in the kitchen, grabbing utensils and glasses when she heard Oliver's return. It hadn't been but a few minutes so she knew the conversation had not been an easy one. "Everything okay?"
"Yep. She wanted to know if I would be returning home for dinner. I told her I was enjoying a quiet dinner in at my girlfriend's and she started to lecture me on the propriety of our relationship. How it won't be good for anyone involved." Oliver huffed out of frustration.
Felicity stepped towards him, placing the bottle of wine she had gathered on the counter with the other items. "I'm sorry Oliver. Maybe we should…"
"Don't! Don't say what you are thinking. If people can't see this for what it truly is then they don't know either of us well enough to matter in our lives." Oliver cupped her cheek, a gesture that was quickly becoming a favorite of his. "This is real for so many reasons. This is right. And if others can't see past our social standings and their own prejudices then they are just blind or stupid or both. I refuse to live my life for others anymore. I am finally ready to say what I want my life to be. What I want it to include. And that's you in every way you will give me."
Felicity felt a single tear slide down her cheek only to be wiped away by Oliver's thumb. "Oliver Queen, if you don't stop saying such amazing things I will never get my heart to act right."
"That's my plan." Oliver teased, winking at her as one side of his lips rose in a sensual smile. Oliver leaned in to kiss her again only to hear a loud knock break their moment. "I'm guessing that's dinner."
Felicity stepped out of their bubble and towards the door. "Wow! They're super fast tonight. Usually it takes them another 10 minutes or so." Felicity flung the door open only to feel her heart stop as she was greeted with a hugging redhead.
"Barbie! So glad you are home! What am I saying? You're always home. Especially on work or school nights."
"What… how… what?" Felicity stuttered as she tried to wrap her mind around her visitors presence.
The vivacious redhead leaned back and smiled at her. "Surprised you good this time, right? I'm heading to Gotham for a project presentation and decided to stop in on my old roomie on the way. Had a layover planned in the trip anyway so figured I could make the stop in Starling and check on you. Make sure you weren't sitting at home, in your pjs, eating all your ice cream while pining for that guy you told me about. Your McDreamy."
Felicity groaned as she realized not only was her college roommate and friend in her home but she was also discussing details about the last conversation they had over the phone about Oliver and Felicity's life on Starling. "Ruby! I never called him that. Never would."
"No I did. And from the pics I found online of him, he's more of a McSteamy really."
"McSteamy?" Oliver snickered from behind the two friends. Ruby and Felicity glanced back to find him grinning at the private moment they had shared with him.
"Please tell me I didn't interrupt a date!" Ruby pleaded as she looked back at Felicity. She glanced down at Felicity's clothes and laughed. "Nope. Unless it was one in the bedroom which I don't remember you tell me you two had even started dating when we talked last week."
"Ruby! No! It's… we…" Felicity rolled her eyes as she stepped back and held her hand out, inviting her friend in. Ruby took the invitation and came inside, dragging a suitcase in behind her. "Ruby meet Oliver. Oliver this is my college roommate and friend Ruby McGowan."
"Pleasure to meet you." Oliver smiled warmly as he held his hand out to greet the feisty new addition.
"Trust me, the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Queen."
"Oliver please." Ruby shook his hand and smiled friendly towards him.
"Call me Ruby. Sorry to interrupt your evening with Barbie. I just haven't seen her since graduation and couldn't pass up a chance to surprise her."
"Could have called first though." Felicity mumbled to herself.
Ruby laughed out loud. "And give you a chance to make an excuse as to why you couldn't be here or let you hide all the pity ice cream cartons I know are here somewhere."
"I have one in my trash. That's it. You make it sound like ice cream is all I eat."
"No takeout is all you eat." Ruby pointed directly at Felicity knowing she couldn't rebut the last statement. Then she turned to Oliver. "Don't ever let this one cook or leave her in a kitchen unsupervised. The kitchen may not be there when you get back."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Ruby glanced at Felicity, a single eyebrow raising to meet her hairline. "Okay. Maybe."
Oliver chuckled, enjoying the look into a new aspect of Felicity's life. "Well I think I should leave and let you two visit. It was nice meeting you Ruby."
"Oh no! Do you have to? I'm sure Barbie can order up a mean Chinese and I would love to hear about her life here. I think she would glaze over the good parts if I asked." Ruby pleaded.
Oliver studied the fiery redhead for a moment. She seemed a bit out of place in Felicity's colorful apartment. Her hair was almost a bright orange and she was decked out in a huge zip up hoodie, loose fitting tank top, leggings and combat boots. She had several piercings on her ears as well as one in her nose. The "tougher than nails" look was finished off with a neck tattoo that Oliver could just see peeking from below Ruby's hair line. Oliver was slightly perplexed as to how these two could ever have anything in common. He then looked towards Felicity to see if him staying would be crossing a line or not. He wanted to learn more about the surprising redhead but also what she knew about the blonde that had found her way into every part of his life so easily.
Felicity's gentle smile showed him she was okay with it but was a bit nervous about having him near her friend, something that sparked his curiosity but he wouldn't push the issue. "As long as you're sure I am not impeding on any friend time. My sister has several girl friends and I know they can go for hours talking about things."
"No. Not at all. But it seems that Barbie here is comfy and you are comfy looking. Well actually…" Ruby glanced over his entire body before a smile grew on her face. "you are gorgeous! I was spot on with the McSteamy nod. But I look a hot mess from being on a plane for nearly 12 hours so I am gonna steal this one real quick so she can help me get settled and changed. You don't mind, do ya?" Ruby grabbed Felicity by the shoulders and started to turn her towards the bedroom, dragging her bag behind her.
Oliver chuckled. "Not in the least. Felicity ordered some Chinese for us so I'll just wait on it to arrive."
"Great!" Ruby eagerly pushed Felicity down the hall.
"Wait I have to give him money." Felicity struggled as Ruby put a bit more force behind her shoving.
Oliver couldn't help but laugh out, "My treat."