Later that morning, after Oliver had showered and changed, he found himself sitting across from Tommy and Malcolm in his dining room, with Buffy no where to be seen. He picked at his eggs and ignored the pointed look from his best friend, all the while replaying that kiss with Buffy on an endless loop through his mind.
Did she regret it?
He didn't think so, but as she wasn't down for breakfast yet and it was almost over—Oliver was having some doubts.
Then he heard a decidedly feminine laugh coming from down the hallway, and Walter's deep voice echoing too—and his shoulders relaxed their tension even as Buffy came into view.
She was dressed today in a pair of chocolate leather pants and a stark white turtleneck sleeveless sweater with a matching long cardigan hanging over her arm. Her hair was pulled back away from her face in a long braid down her back and she had a beaming smile on her face.
His breath hitched at how stunning she looked when she smiled genuinely liked that, her eyes lit up and her body relaxed and open.
It was a stark reminder that he hadn't seen that much, if at all from her since they'd met.
"Good morning," Walter offered politely as he pulled Buffy's seat out for her and she said a sweet, 'thank you' as she sat across from Tommy. "Sorry we're a bit late. Miss Summer's got a bit turned around."
"This place is too big." She blushed as she shook her head and Tommy laughed, while Oliver smirked at how cute she looked all flustered.
"Where did you end up?" Tommy queried.
"I'm not sure what kind of room you'd call it?"
Oliver glanced at Walter, who had an indulgent smile of his face.
"Solarium."
"Hhmmm yes, because every house just needs one of those." Buffy quipped, her voice only slightly sarcastic.
Laughter echoed around the table, causing Buffy to blush harder but it didn't stop her from plating some fresh strawberries and pouring herself a generous cup of coffee.
"So, what's the plan for today?" She asked, not making eye contact with anyone as she reached for a muffin.
"Walter called Laurel this morning and told her he had some paperwork for her to look over for the nightclub." Oliver replied, as he grabbed a muffin too, and plated it. "She will be here soon."
"I thought we were going to head into the city?"
"Figured this might be easier. We got in late last night so even if Ra's has someone watching the airport or the house, he most likely won't be anticipating anyone coming here this soon."
"Whereas if we go into town, we might be putting innocent people in harms way?"
"That too."
Buffy nodded as she took a bite of her breakfast and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. She then glanced over at Walter and said seriously, "Are you going to head back to Gotham will us?"
"I wasn't planning on it initially, but that was before I knew Ra's was here in Starling City. It might be prudent for me to come with, if only so Moira doesn't worry herself needlessly."
Oliver's expression softened, as he tilted his head in gratitude to the older man and his Mother's new husband.
"What about Ra's?" Malcolm demanded, "are we really not going to see what he's up to?"
"He's being watched as we speak." Buffy bit back, her expression hard as she considered Malcolm.
"What?" Oliver grated out, "who?"
"Spike. That's why he came. He's good at what he does."
"Which is?"
"Diversion."
"Excuse me?" Malcolm hissed, "just what kind of diversion?"
"The kind that will not only allow us to get in and out of Starling City unmolested, but the kind that will hopefully, put us in a position to end this once and for all."
"I don't understand," Oliver interrupted, stopping Merlyn's tirade with a caustic look, "what is he doing?"
"If Spike is successful, which I have no doubt he will be—he should send Ra's scurrying back to Nanda Parbat."
"And why is that a good thing?" Oliver asked, confused.
"It just is. You need to trust me on this. The farther Ra's is from Gotham and Starling City, the easier it will be to take him out."
"On his home turf?" Malcolm sneered arrogantly. "That is where he's strongest."
Buffy glared at Merlyn, but didn't get a chance to reply as Raisa brought in Laurel—who noticed the tension and then smiled in relief as she saw Tommy, and he immediately stood and rushed over to her, enveloping her in a crushing kiss.
Buffy side-eyed Queen, and saw nothing but calm acceptance and even a hint of a smirk playing on his face. When his blue eyes caught her's he winked, causing her to blush again and turn away quickly—ignoring his rumbling chuckle as she could feel his eyes on her.
When Tommy finally allowed Laurel to come up for air, her gaze landed on Oliver and she came over and placed a swift kiss on his head, as he patted her arm in welcome. Then green eyes landed on Buffy, and her pretty face morphed into curiosity.
"Hello."
"Hi." Buffy replied softly. "You must be the famous Laurel Lance that Tommy can't stop gushing over?"
Tommy chuckled and Laurel grinned lovingly at her fiancé. "That would be me. Have we met?"
"Nope. Buffy Summer's. I'm a friend of the Wayne Family."
"Ah," Laurel nodded as Tommy pulled out a chair for her next to him and she sank into it gracefully with a smile of thanks. "Tommy might've mentioned you, but to be honest I've been so busy lately with work that he could've told me he'd met the Queen of England, and I'd probably not have remembered."
Buffy snickered. "I live in London part time and let me tell you, the royal family is kinda overrated."
"Really?" Laurel asked with interest. "Have you met any of them?"
Buffy blushed again, but nodded once and everyone stared at her in shock.
"Who?" Tommy leant forward with a gleam in his eye, and even Oliver was interested in this unexpected segue.
"I went with Giles, a business associate—to a charity gala last year and met the Queen's daughter, Anne and her daughter. I think her name was Zara? Anyway, nice enough people I suppose, but the whole aristocracy thing is a bit much and to top it off, I was bored out of my mind."
Oliver grinned widely, and even Malcolm wasn't sure what to say. Tommy's body however, was shaking with the force of his mirth.
"Boring, Huh?"
"Gods, yes! So boring. Pompous people. Plus, I don't get the British slang all that well. Never have. Part of me had hoped a vamp or demon might be set loose on the festivities, if only to liven things up a notch."
Laurel blanched, and Walter's eyes widened in shock, while everyone else broke down in uproarious laughter.
"I really didn't think Tommy had been serious before he left and told me that monsters were real. They are?"
"Oh, yes." Buffy nodded seriously. "Which is why you're here, actually."
"Tommy?" Laurel turned to her fiancé, and noticed his expression flip from fun to deadly serious in a flash.
"Sorry baby, but it's true. We need to get you out of Starling and back to Gotham, just for a short period of time."
"Why?"
"Laurel," the short way in which Oliver said her name brought the woman's hackles up instantly, "the person who put out the order to sabotage the Queen's Gambit is here in Starling. It would be better if we could explain everything on the way back to Gotham. Do you trust me?"
"I do."
"Then trust me when I tell you that I can protect you and Tommy better together, and not here."
Laurel swallowed heavily as she turned to her fiancé and Tommy nodded seriously, his own expression fierce.
"Okay."
"Well, that was easier than I'd thought it be." Oliver mumbled and ignored Laurel's severe look in his direction—while Tommy shook his head in playful exasperation at his best friend.
"I'll need to call into work and let them know."
"You can do that once we've landed in Gotham." Tommy pleaded and Laurel sighed and agreed reluctantly, before she asked worriedly, "What about my Dad?"
"I think it's unlikely Ra's would go after a well respected Lieutenant in the Police Department, at least unless he wanted to start an all out war, which I don't believe is his intention." Malcolm reassured.
"And what is your part in all this, Mr. Merlyn?" Laurel's voice was hard, and Tommy glowered at his Father with a warning look, which Malcolm surprisingly heeded.
"When we get to Gotham, Miss Lance—all your questions will be answered, fair enough?"
"Fine."
Tommy sighed in relief, and once breakfast was finished, the group packed quickly and headed back to the airport where the Wayne Jet was waiting—fueled and ready to go.
Once at the airport, Oliver noticed Buffy was pacing around the hangar clearly upset.
Walking over to her, he whispered with concern, "What is it?"
"Spike's not here."
"Was he supposed to be back by now?"
"I contacted him and left a message on his cell, letting him know we were heading back. That's all I said, but he'd know what I'd meant. I just expected him to be here by now."
"Would he have come back if he hadn't completed his task?"
Buffy's lips thinned and she shook her head.
"No, he wouldn't have—which makes me think he either is still working on it..."
"Or something else happened."
Buffy nodded shortly, her whole body radiating tension. When her hazel eyes locked with his, Oliver could see the raw determination in her gaze and he shook his head emphatically even as he gripped her arm gently. "No! You can't mean to go after him!"
"I have to!" Her face was now pleading. "I can't leave here without knowing he's okay."
"You care for him?"
"I do, Oliver. Spike and I may not be together anymore, but you need to understand that I don't leave my friends behind. It's not who I am. If he's in danger, I need to help him."
"But you don't know if he is, and you'll be putting yourself in the line of fire!"
"Ra's doesn't know about me. He knows about Faith. He won't be expecting me at all, which gives me the advantage."
Oliver cupped Buffy's cheeks in his hands, and said firmly, "If you go, I'm going with you."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you can't leave Walter, Tommy and Laurel vulnerable. Malcolm can't be trusted, you know this and you're the only one strong enough to take him down if he becomes a liability."
Growling lowly, Oliver couldn't argue with that logic. He knew Buffy was right, but it didn't make it any easier to let her run off into the Demon's den without backup.
"Trust me." She whispered huskily. "I'll be back."
"Promise me."
"Queen, no matter what happens from here on out—just remember that I'll always to my best to come back."
Face hardening, Oliver wasn't sure how to respond to that comment. While he desperately wanted to take comfort in it, he knew deep down that there was more going on with Buffy than what she was telling him. When the words wouldn't come, he leant down and kissed her hard—feeling her body molding into his as she took what she wanted from him—which he was more than willing to give back in equal measure. When she finally broke the kiss, her expression was softened, but resolved—and all he could do was step back and nod.
"Be careful."
"I always am."
He pulled her over to the car where his driver was waiting and said succinctly, "the key code to the underground lair beneath my club is 774251. When it asks for my thumbprint...hit zero three times and it will let you bypass the system for ten minutes, long enough to get down there and grab what you need. When you come back up, hit zero again three times to reset the system." He then held out his hand, and Buffy looked confused, until she realized he wanted her cell phone. Handing it over, she watched in bemusement as Oliver entered his contact information into her phone and then linked their GPS, so he could track her.
"If you're not back in Gotham by tomorrow morning, I will come back here and hunt you down...got it?"
"Deal."
He opened the car door and helped her inside, before giving her one last long look and then stepped back, closing the door. He walked to the driver and said deeply, "Take her to the club. Don't stop anywhere and return to the Manor afterwards."
"Of course, Mr. Queen."
Oliver watched the limo pull out of the hangar and when he turned around, it was to several sets of eyes watching him. Walter and Malcolm appeared bemused, Laurel was smiling but Tommy's expression was filled with worry.
"Where did she go?" He demanded.
"She went after Spike. He was supposed to be here by now."
Tommy's lips thinned, but his gaze fell past his best friend and out into the morning sun. "Is she going to..."
"She'll be fine," Oliver replied shortly, "we need to get going."
"Oliver..."
"Let it be, Buddy. Now is not the time for this."
His best friend huffed, but complied as he guided Laurel into the plane. When they landed in Gotham two hours later, Oliver checked his GPS and what he saw made his heart leap into his throat.
There was no pinged GPS response from Buffy's phone.
It was like she'd disappeared.