Chapter 19 – Warrior
"In other news; Starling City Police are searching for the identity of a masked vigilante that is terrorizing the city's drug dealers. It seems that this archer has been tracking down dealers, many of them not surviving his attacks, some being handed off to the Starling City Police Department. Detective Quentin Lance of the police say they are hunting the masked vigilante and are closing in on his identity. They have asked anyone with information to come forward as he is noted as being armed and extremely dangerous."
"God, what has this world come to? A masked vigilante?" Moira scoffed as she sat on the couch in front of the TV, Thea by her right side, dropping the control onto the couch next to her.
Oliver glanced toward his mother, listening intently to what she honestly thought about the vigilante, although he was glad that she wasn't happy with what he was doing, it made it easier to pretend it wasn't him if the chance came to it that someone started to put two and two together. "Man, this guy has been around for like a week and he gets' more air time than the Kardashian's." Oliver laughed, shaking his head.
Thea and Moira glanced towards Oliver, raised eyebrows and shock on their faces. Neither were expecting a comment like that. "What? I wasn't gone for that long…"
But Thea just shook her head, raising from the couch, kissing Oliver on the cheek as she went, "You are hopeless." She shook her head before walking away. Oliver wasn't sure how to take her comment but Thea leaving gave him a chance to talk to his mum, the mention of Quentin Lance on the TV brought a thought to the front of his mind.
"Hey, I need to ask you something and I need an honest answer."
Moira looked concerned for a moment, the last time Oliver had been this serious with her, they had argued about her treatment of Felicity and her secret keeping from Thea. But Oliver's face softened a little as he came close to her, sitting on the side of the coffee table in front of her. "I need you to tell me about Sara…Lance. I know have spoken to Mr. Lance."
Oliver watched as Moira's face froze for a second. "Oliver why do you want to go back over that?" But is face held strong, he needed to know. Sighing, she leaned forward. "Oliver please…You need to let this go. It's not worth bringing up the past." She rose suddenly, leaving him sitting there on his own, angry and frustrated.
The music was thumping as Oliver made his way into the club, a little overwhelmed at the amount of people that had turned up to his 'welcome home' bash, but he wasn't surprised, considering how many people pretended to be his friend before he got on that boat. There was only 2 people he wanted to spend his nights with – Felicity and Tommy – but he promised he would attend the part and here he was. Taking a deep breath, Oliver buttoned up his jacket and looked around, glad to find Tommy almost instantly.
They hadn't seen each other since earlier that day, Felicity having taken the day off work to help with the set-up, Tommy having started at Verdant before heading off. It was a strange afternoon but by 5.30 he, Felicity and Thea had left the empty bar, headed back to their own places to get ready for the party.
"Ollie!" Tommy greeted him instantly, bringing him in to a tight hug, "Looking good man, it's been a long time since I've seen you in a suit…damn, I didn't realize how much you filled them out now…" Clearly Tommy had had a bit to drink already, considering it was almost 8.30pm it wasn't a surprise.
Oliver just smiled; he was used to woman talking about how he looked but it was a little embarrassing that Tommy had mentioned his extra mass. "I don't know if I should be annoyed at that comment."
But Tommy shook his head quickly, "No, no…just we used to be the same size and now…jeez." Suddenly he turns, his arm slung around Oliver's shoulder as he motioned towards the dancing crowd, "So by my calculations you haven't had sex in 1095 days. So, I think it's time to get you laid."
Tommy moved Oliver closer to the crowd, giving him a better look at the girls that were on the dance floor, "What about the red head, Carrie Cutter…I heard she is a cop…" Tommy pointed to the girl standing in the middle on the closest group of girls, her red curls bouncing as she swayed her hips to the music, her eyes focusing on Oliver instantly.
Oliver inwardly groaned, yeah, he was not interested in her at all. That was not going to happen, "Not really who I am looking to catch-" Oliver trained off as his eye caught sight of a beautiful blonde just off to the side of the dance floor, her hair was curled in tight curls down her shoulders, the gold dress she wore shining against the lights of the club. Oliver's mouth clamped shut instantly, he swallowed deeply at the sight in font of him.
She was gorgeous.
Felicity Smoak was absolutely stunning and it was as though she didn't even know it. She looked around, very unsure of herself, her phone in her hand, her only lifeline it seemed as she stood alone, seemingly looking for someone she recognized.
Oliver tilted his head a little as he took her in, blinking a few times as though trying to clear his vision. She was a vision. He felt as though his hands were shaking, the need to be closer to her taking over as his feet started moving by her side. He wanted to reach out for her, to touch her, to see her smile directed to him but as he came by her side, something stopped him, his heart dropping instantly.
"Damn. Where have you been my whole life?" Tommy laughed as he came to Felicity's side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and placing a kiss on her lips. "You look amazing Felicity." He smiled at her again, laughing once more as he pushed him away from her.
Oliver watched as Felicity blushed under the compliments of Tommy, a little unsure of herself but she didn't let it show for very long. "You look great Oliver! The suit is definitely a good look." She smiled brightly at him, pulling his own smile once more.
If there was anything Felicity Smoak could do – it was pulling a genuine smile from Oliver's usually stoic face. He blinked once more, noticing that Tommy's arm stayed around her shoulder tightly. "You look…beautiful Felicity…" he wasn't sure how strong his voice sounded over the music but the deep red blush that ran from her cheeks and under the dress told him that she had heard him.
Slipping a piece of hair back behind her ear, Felicity ducked her head a little, "Thank you Oliver."
They fell into an awkward silence for a few moments only broken by a more awkward situation. "Laurel…" Tommy's voice pulled them all from their silence, Oliver's back straightening. He hadn't seen Laurel since before he left, he had tried but she had been busy with a client and decided it was not a good time to talk to her.
Turning on his heels, Oliver found Laurel, as gorgeous as ever, standing in front of him. Her long dark hair was by her shoulders, neat business dress across her body. She was beautiful. "Hello Laurel." Oliver spoke softly. He wasn't really sure what to say.
Laurel looked angry at the sight of Oliver but considering she was at a party of him, what else did she expect to happen? "Hello Ollie. I ah…" But she wasn't too sure what to say really, the silence falling over them all.
Oliver decided that now was going to be the best time to have a conversation with Laurel. Motioning out towards the entrance doors of Verdant, Oliver placed his hand against Laurel's elbow, leading her back the way she came – watching as she gave Tommy and Felicity a glance over her shoulder before heading back into the cold night with Oliver by her side.
They walked side by side out in the cold, Oliver watching as Laurel pulled her jacket closer to her body. "So…you went to Law school. You always said you would." He had long since placed his hands into his pockets, trying his hardest to keep himself calm considering the conversation he was no doubt going to have.
Laurel nodded, her lips in a tight line, considering what to say next. "Yeah, everyone is proud. Three years and you want to talk about me going to Law school?" May as well rip the band aid off instead of beating around the bush.
Oliver nodded to himself, he knew Laurel better than to have idle chit chat. "No. I want to apologies. It was my fault. I want to ask you not to blame her." He really didn't want Laurel to blame Sara for what happened. He remembered more of night than he thought he would. He was the one who had sought Sara out, he'd texted her, he'd rented the hotel room for them both and he was the one who had supplied the alcohol.
He distinctly remembered being the one to initiate the kiss as well. Sara was just there, someone he had easy access too. Oliver didn't like who he was back then, he despised who he was so he expected nothing less than being despised by Laurel.
Laurel stopped short, huffing out an unbelievable laugh, "For what? Falling under your spell? How could I possible blame her for doing the same things I did? Oliver you do what you want to do, you always have-"
"I never meant-" his voice dropped, he hated knowing that he had hurt her so much, by what else did he expect was going to happen when you sleep with your girlfriend's sister?
Laurel cut him off, not wanting to hear any more of what he had to say, "-She was my sister. I couldn't be angry with her because she was gone. I couldn't grieve for you because I was so angry. That's what happens you when you die after screwing your sister. I stood at your empty coffin and I wanted to be happy you were dead. I wanted to be sad you were dead. I wish you stayed dead."
Oliver locked his jaw, looking over her head for a moment, mostly to settle his own emotions. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at Laurel, his voice soft, "I know that it's too late to say this but I'm sorry."
Laurel took a step back from him, her face straight, "Yeah I'm sorry too, I hoped that you would rot in hell a whole lot longer than 3 years." She turned on her heels, leaving him out on his own in the cold.
He deserved a lot more from Laurel because of his actions. He had caused so much heartache over his years, his friends, his family, his girlfriend. He wasn't a good person; he never had been. Until this moment, he hadn't given much thought to where Sara might be, he knew she had gotten into a fight with Laurel and her father after they found out but he never knew where she's gone. He had left on the Gambit within a few days of everything blowing up in his face.
Waiting a moment, Oliver decided he needed to go back into the party, he had to at least show his face for a little while but in the back of his mind, he was running through all the drug dealers he could be beating the shit out of for information. Before making his way into the party, Oliver had dropped off his bike and his backpack and bow off under the bar, he had planned to spend most of the rest of the weekend working on his set up. Thankfully Tommy had decided that Friday night was a good time for a party.
Shaking his head, Oliver placed a smile back on his face, he made his way back into the bar, looking around at the en mass of bodies dancing with each other. He found his way to the bar, Felicity's dress shining like a beacon for him. His fake smile fell into a real one for a minute, seeing her throwing her head back with a laugh, drink in her hand, she looked happy. But his smile fell when he saw Tommy by herself, his hand on her arm, laughing and drinking as well. "Hey!" He called out to Oliver when he saw him, smiling brightly.
Felicity turned around with a smile, handing Oliver the rest of her drink which Oliver took happily. "I'm gonna…yeah…" Tommy skulled the rest of his drink before moving away from the two of them, heading straight into the crowds of people.
Oliver didn't watch him leave, his eyes only focused on Felicity but she could read him easily, "You ok…?" She placed her hand on his arm, getting his attention fully. Felicity blinked slowly as she watched him, she knew this conversation with Laurel didn't go well. "It'll be ok Oliver. I know she isn't happy to see you but it'll be ok." Oliver wanted to hate her complete optimism; she was always so sure that goodness would come to him.
He knew better. He was past the point of goodness.
Oliver only smiled back at her, feeling the warmth of her hand on his arm, something he didn't want to give up just yet. "Hey ah…" He tilted his head towards the side to the side, motioning for her to follow him. Instantly she did, letting her arm slip around his crooked elbow as they moved to a quieter spot. Once they were there, Oliver turned to Felicity, forcing himself to drop her hand from his arm.
"Can you tell me what happened to Sara?"
If there was one thing Oliver knew for sure was that Felicity couldn't keep a secret from him and she answer almost everything he asked. He watched as her smile dropped, nodding her head. "Ah…after what happened. Sara and Laurel got into a massive fight; I remember Tommy telling me about it. Mr. Lance got involved as well. Last I heard Sara had taken off, no one has seen or heard from her in 3 years. I tried tracking her down but even I couldn't find her. I mean that would usually mean that she either was in the middle of nowhere or she was…dead."
She sighed, rubbing her forehead that the thought. Felicity never knew Sara; she barely knew Laurel before the last 3 years but that didn't mean it didn't upset her to think about where Sara was. "I think that Mr. Lance thinks she's dead so…" Felicity shrugged a little, a sad look taking over Oliver's face. Felicity stepped forward once more, her hand reaching up for his cheek, he subconsciously leaned into her hand. "It's not your fault Oliver, ok. Please remember that…"
They stood there for a moment, just watching each other, Felicity still touching him, wanting to be sure that he is real and Oliver just basking in the feeling of her touch, pretending that she wasn't going to be going to Tommy's bed that night.
It was well after midnight when Felicity approached Oliver and Tommy, who had been holed up on the VIP level of the bar, Tommy was drunk, Oliver was just smiling but Felicity couldn't tell how drunk he was. "Hey…I'm gonna head off. I need sleep."
Tommy stood instantly, reaching for her, "Are you sure…stay longer!" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and brought her into his side. Felicity glanced down at Oliver who just smiled back at her, he had dropped his jacket on the couch next to him, his sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows and his top buttons of his shirt undone.
Tommy dropped his nose to rest against her cheek, sobering up almost instantly. "Are you sure?" Felicity looked towards Tommy and a conversation passed between the two, a silent conversation that it seemed they only they knew. Oliver just watched the two, he felt like he was intruding on a private moment, his stomach dropping even more at the thought.
He really needed to get a hold of himself. He knew he couldn't be with Felicity, she deserved to be happy and he couldn't give her that. He knew that. But it still hurt to see her with Tommy, to know that if he hadn't gotten on that boat, it might have been him standing there with her.
"I'll be fine Tommy. I promise." Felicity's voice caught his attention and Oliver blinked, looking back at the two. After a moment, Tommy nodded, placing a kiss on her cheek before he moved away, sitting back down next to Oliver. But Oliver had stood by this point, wanting to give her a proper goodbye. "Walk me out?" Felicity tilted her head towards to entrance downstairs, hoping he would agree.
Oliver smiled and nodded, placing his hand on her lower back as he led her from the VIP level. Over her shoulder, Felicity glanced back at Tommy who just watched her go, smirking with a raised eyebrow at the two. Felicity just rolled her eyes and kept walking, she relished in the feeling of Oliver's hand on her back.
Once outside, Oliver hailed Felicity a cab, waiting for her to get in but before she did, Felicity leaned up and placed her lips on his cheek, "Have a good night Oliver…" She looked away from him before leaning into the cab. Oliver held out his hand to help which she took instantly before he closed the door, watching as the cab drove off. Oliver stood there, watching her drive off, a tingle in his cheek from where her lips were.
Felicity's drive back to her apartment was quick, quicker than she thought. It had been 6 months since she had been in her home, staying with Tommy since the last night with Cooper. Tommy had asked her for a few days before she went home, she wasn't sure what he had done but when she pushed open her front door, she found that her place was warm, Tommy had turned the heating on.
Moving into the living room, she found that the kitchen seemed to be stocked with food, her fridge full. She smiled slightly, she loved Tommy; only he would think to help her out this way. But as she stood there, alone and silent in her living room, her heart started to pound.
She started to shake, the memories of Cooper circling her, pushing her against the couch and the coffee table assaulted her thoughts. She slammed her eyes closed, trying to keep those thoughts out of her mind but it didn't help, the sound of a door slamming next door made her jump and cry out instantly.
With shaking hands, Felicity pulled her phone from her bag, sending a quick message to the one person she knew would come running to help her.
Oliver stood nervously at Felicity's front door. He wanted to spend the day with her, wanted to just be happy for a little while before he headed out and try and track down Adam Hunt, The Count or any of the dealers that had been hanging around still. But he wanted to spend time with Felicity first, before he put on the hood and became someone else.
Knocking on her door, Oliver listened while there was movement and then suddenly the door swung open, Tommy stood in the door way, hair ruffled, track pants sitting low and t shirt twisted. "Ollie man. What are you doing here?" He was shocked to see Oliver standing there.
Oliver blinked, he should have expected Tommy to be there after the party, where else would you go after a night of dancing and drinking – but to your girlfriend's house. He took a quick step back, his heart dropping like a lead balloon. "I ah…I was actually going to see if Felicity wanted to get breakfast but it's alright."
He turned to walk away, his hand going straight to his forehead, "Ollie wait, how about you come with us. Felicity will love to have you."
But Oliver shook his head again, "No it's cool man. Don't worry about telling her I dropped by. Enjoy your day!" And then he was gone, not wanting to hang around any longer. Tommy watched as Oliver headed back down the hallway, clearly overthinking what was happening right now but he knew he couldn't tell Oliver the truth, not until Felicity was ready to tell him first. Turning back, Tommy closed the and turned back towards Felicity's living room.
He needed to talk to her, he needed her to talk to Oliver about what had happened but he also knew that pushing her was not going to get him anywhere.
After leaving Felicity's apartment, Oliver did the one thing that he could think off, he jumped on his bike and headed to Verdant and his entrance to the Foundry below. It didn't take long before he was shirtless and out of breath. He had worked himself to the point of exhaustion. Setting up a desk and computers, setting up his workout gear, the rope tied to the roofing where her found himself now, with each pull of his upper body Oliver pulled himself further up the rope, his back muscles screaming in agony and protesting.
Once at the top of the roofing, Oliver swung himself into the rafters, upside down by the knees. He proceeded to do crunches this way, his whole body taut as he pushed hard and faster. He had been at his work out for almost 4 hours. He had long since soaked through his shirt which was laying off to the side.
It was close to 2pm by the time he set himself down from the rafters of the Foundry, enjoying the cool breeze that was making its way from some gap, somewhere in the basement. He grabbed the towel on the table, glancing down at the computers. He had been able to find some information on Adam Hunt on his own but he was at an end as to how he would find anymore about him. But he knew that Adam Hunt was his ticket to finding out who this Count was.
Glancing down at his watch, Oliver groaned, he promised his mother he would be back in the afternoon and he was already late for that. He took one last look around, making a mental note of the equipment he was going to start acquiring over the next week to further his plans, he also signed when he looked at the computers – there was one person he knew could help him do what needed to be done.
It didn't take long before he was back home and changed, he was going to head out to spend time with Thea who was somewhere in the house, but as he was walking down the stairs Tommy pushed open the front door, he had always been welcome and never needed to knock. Before they even had a chance to talk, there was a heavy knock on the front door.
Raising his eyebrow at Tommy, Oliver moved to the door, opening it, he found Detective Lance and Detective Hilton standing there. "Just who we were looking to speak to." They pushed their way into the house, headed straight for the living room where the rest of the family were already seated.
Within moments, Oliver was seated next to his mother, Thea on his left and Tommy across from him. He knew exactly why Detective Lance was there, he just hoped that he could convince him of what he wanted him to believe. "What can we do for you detective Lance?" Moira spoke suddenly as soon as Detective Lance and Hilton were seated on the opposite couch.
Lance held Oliver's stare for a few second before he spoke, Hilton standing back behind them. "I just have a few questions about your son's miracle return to Starling City." Moira's back straightened at the tone Detective Lance held. She knew he blamed Oliver for Sara leaving but she had no idea why he was talking to Oliver now. What could he possibly need to tell him about his time away and how he got back?
"Detective I'm not sure why-"
But Lance cut in, not wanting anyone from the family to take over this questioning. "I find it strange that you come back to town after 3 years of being marooned on an island and this vigilante suddenly turns up, going after dealers of the drug, a drug that almost killed your sister no less." Lance leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he watched Oliver closely. This was something he expected, he had planned for this.
Moira sighed, unsure of what he was trying to get at, "What is the relevance of these questions Detective Lance? My son isn't some vigilante." She wanted to roll her eyes at the notion that her son had grown into a killer.
That set Lance's jaw, if he had it his way, he would have been asking Oliver these questions in a police station interrogation room, but he didn't have his way and this was the compromise he had to give. "The relevance of these questions is that whatever happened on that island turned your son into a cold-blooded killer. The physician that examined you reported that 20% of your body was covered in scar tissue. Did that happen there?"
Oliver tilts his head a little at the mention of his scars, Thea hadn't seen them or even known about them, Moira had known about the scars but not the reasoning behind them and Tommy had seen them most recently but he'd never spoken about them. No matter how prepared he was for this conversation, that was a question he had hoped he was better prepared for. Oliver's lips tightened into a line, "Yes." A simple reply to Lance's question.
Lance was like a dog with a bone, he felt like that was the in that he needed to unravel Oliver's entire story. "When you came back you told everyone that you were alone on that island. Are you saying your scars were self-inflicted?" He just needed to rope him in a little bit more.
He had to give a little for this story to sell, Oliver knew that, he honestly just didn't want his family there with him when he told Lance where he got the scars from. "No. I wasn't alone. I didn't want to talk about what happened to me on the island-" He tried to explain away his reasons but Lance cut him off.
"-Why not?"
Oliver could tell that his mother wanted to jump in and say something but he wasn't going to let her, he needed to do this "-Because the people who were there, the people who found me - they tortured me." He sighed, looking away from Thea and Tommy, he didn't want them to see the look in his eyes, the look that clouded over his eyes almost in shame. He didn't want them to see the pain and the fear in his eyes.
He sighed, "I spent weeks at a time not seeing the light of day. I spent 3 years hiding in the corner of room, begging them to kill me. Why would I share that with anyone?"
Oliver sniffed back the tears that begun to form behind his eyes, they were real. It was hard for him to talk about what happened there, to be confronted with questions specifically about what happened there. He stood quickly, suddenly feeling a little closed in, the stares of his family and Tommy becoming too much for him. "Detective if you think I had time to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow after being locked in a cell for 3 years, you are seriously deluded."
It was harsher than he expected it to be but Oliver had underestimated how much he would be affected by the line of questioning. He turned from the living room, rushing out and up the stairs, not even bothering to look at Felicity who had apparently come in during the conversation. He vaguely heard Moira demanding the detectives leave.
He was in his bedroom instantly, not really sure how he got there but he needed to get out, he needed to go for a run or work out or something. He just needed something to work out the excess energy that he suddenly found; he didn't think that after his four hour work out that he would have any energy left. His hands went to them buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning from the top down, he needed to get out.
"Hey…"
Oliver stopped, turning on his heals he found Felicity leaning against his doorway, arms folded over her chest. She was watching him closely, her eyes settling on the part of his chest that she could see. Instantly, Oliver felt a little self-conscious with her watching him but he didn't move, couldn't move. Just watched as his blonde best friend, dressed in a gorgeous purple dress, matching heels, making her way to his side.
She looked unsure of herself, she'd seen him angry downstairs, she'd heard his story, heard what had happened on that island. She came to stand in front of him, her eyes had never left what she could see of his chest, she was embarrassed at staring at him though – that was something he had seen in the past, Felicity blushing while staring at his chest – but this was different, she was curious and shy. He wanted to move, didn't want her to see him this way but he couldn't, she was keeping him there with her eyes focused on him.
Once she was standing in front of him, Felicity reached out, her hands reaching out to move his shirt out of the way a little, his chest tattoo and scars visible to her. But she didn't push more than that, no more than she already had. "I…I didn't know about the torture Oliver. Or your scars." She looked up into his eyes, trying to get him to focus on her, he was looking down, trying to hide his eyes from her. She could read him too easily, she always could.
She didn't put her focus on his scars and at the point he realized that he was scared about what people would think about his body, what she would think. Her hand moved from his shirt, she still hadn't touched his skin, to his face, bringing his eyes up to hers, "What happened to you on that island was for more than you deserved. You survived so much."
Oliver sighed, turning his head into her hands, swallowing deeply against the lump in his throat, his voice was soft yet rough, "There were times I wanted to die." He felt sick for mentioning this to Felicity, it was a weakness he never wanted to show her.
"But you didn't, Oliver you fought and you survived. These scars, they shouldn't be a reminder of the pain, they should be a reminded of how you fought and won. Each time you look at them, it should be with the knowledge that you are still standing here today." She placed her other hand on the other side of his face, her fingers framing his eyes and cheeks. He couldn't stop the small tear that slipped from his eye, her thumb catching it. "Oliver Queen you survived three years in Hell and I for one – am extremely happy that you did. That you came back."
Oliver sighed against her, "In the end, there was something I wanted more. I wanted to come home to Thea, to Tommy…to you…" He leaned into the hand on her cheek, silence settling over them. "Are you happy Felicity?" He really didn't want to be that guy, the guy who wanted his best friend and girlfriend to break up but he needed to know, he also needed to change the subject from him and what happened.
Look back up at Oliver, Felicity's brow scrunched unsure of what he was talking about. "Oh Oliver, I am so happy that you are home. I know it's been a hard week for you to be back but-"
But Oliver shook his head, "No I…" He placed his hands over hers, which hadn't left his face, "…I mean you and Tommy. Are you and Tommy happy?"
Slowly Felicity nodded, "Yeah of course we are happy…you are home…"
But this time he laughed a little, clearly, she wasn't understanding him. "Felicity I want to know if you are happy with Tommy. The two of you…together…" Oliver watched as realization shone in her eyes, her small falling from her lips. Oh no, that was what he worried about, he would mention it and it would all be weird between them.
He went to pull away from Felicity but she held him tightly, "Oliver…Tommy and I aren't seeing each other. I don't know why you think that but trust me, we are not together." She looked at him closely, trying to read him.
Oliver hoped that he didn't look to relieved. "Why would you think that me and Tommy are seeing each other?" Felicity tilted her head to look at him a little more. By this stage Oliver had dropped his head, taken a step back from Felicity and buttoned up his shirt, he really didn't want to have this conversation with his shirt unbuttoned, no matter how ok Felicity seemed with his scars.
He moved towards the bed, sitting down on the edge, Felicity following him. "It's just…Tommy said he was seeing someone but wouldn't tell me who then I heard you guys talking in the office at Verdant yesterday about telling me. And then this morning…this morning I stopped by to see if you wanted to get some breakfast with me – Tommy opened the door and you were in the shower. I figured-"
Felicity laughed throwing her head back, Oliver raised his eyebrow at her, shocked at her reaction, "Oh Oliver…I'm sorry. Tommy is seeing someone but it's not me. That's what we were arguing about yesterday at Verdant, I was trying to encourage him to tell you. And this morning…" She swallowed deeply, not really wanting to tell him why Tommy was there, not just yet. "…Tommy had just come past this morning, he had to drop something off to me. There was nothing it in." She shrugged, hoping that he would let that go.
Felicity reached for his hand, holding it tightly, she needed Oliver to be ok right now. She did not miss the sigh of relief that Oliver gave when she told him, that he seemed happy that she wasn't with Tommy but she did not have time to think about it anymore because there was a throat cleared from the doorway. They both looked up to see Tommy standing there, almost mirroring the same stance Felicity had, leaning against the doorway.
"So…whatchya doin'?" He smirked, looking at their joined hands.
Felicity just rolled her eyes, smiling at Oliver before standing. "I was just telling Oliver that you and I are not together." She raised her eyebrow at Tommy who's smile fell instantly. "I am going to head down stairs and check on Thea." Felicity turned to Oliver, leaning over as she placed a kiss on his cheek, "Remember what I said ok." She pulled back to look at Oliver who smiled and nodded in return, holding her hand a little longer as she walked away.
As she walked past Tommy, Felicity reached out for his hand, squeezing it tightly before whispering, "Tell him." And then she was gone, headed straight out the bedroom door.
Silence passed over Tommy and Oliver, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, Tommy decided he should, "Hey man, about what happened downstairs. I'm so sorry. I-"
But Oliver shook his head, "Nah, it's fine man. I ah, I don't really want to talk about it." Tommy nodded, he understood. "So, are you going to tell me who it is that you are dating?" Oliver just needed to know now. It was clear that Felicity knew and it was killing Oliver that he couldn't figure it out.
Tommy let out a huff of a laugh, he couldn't get away with it now. "Look man…first I want to tell you that I debated for a while before asking her. I even talked to Felicity about it all. I didn't want to; I didn't think I should-"
Then it dawned on Oliver, it all made sense. "You're are dating Laurel." It wasn't a question but a statement. Oliver looked away from Tommy, suddenly not really sure how to feel. He and Laurel had been broken up when he left on that boat, that much was clear. But there was so much they had been through and so much they still needed to settle between the two of them, plus Tommy was his best friend, but Oliver had been dead.
"Look man. I promise, we didn't do anything while you were together. It just, it grew when you were gone-" Oliver stood suddenly and Tommy became very aware of how big Oliver was. He took a step back on instinct.
Oliver smiled, "It's alright Tommy. I get it. As long as you are happy." He held out his hand for Tommy to shake but after a moment of hesitation, Tommy wrapped his arms around Oliver, bringing him into a hug, both for the conversation downstairs and this one.
Once they pulled away, Oliver smiled at Tommy, a happy feeling taking over him at that thought that Tommy was not dating or sleeping with Felicity. "This morning…Felicity called me last night to drop something off to her and I did it on my way home from the club. I crashed on the couch." Tommy laughed, shaking his head, such a misunderstanding between them.
Something caught Oliver's attention though – the difference in story as to why Tommy was at Felicity's was strange. Why would she just not have said he crashed the night before? Oliver smiled back at Tommy, his mind going a mile a minute while trying to find a reason. It was something he was going to have to ask Felicity about the next time he saw her.
Wow, that was a big chapter, hope it moved the story along a little more and wasn't too much of a filler chapter! – please review!
