A/N: This has somehow become an Arrow crossover. Back when I was writing this consistently, I was catching up on Arrow and got to about season 4. As I revisited this, I'm not sure if it's just where I was in watching or if I tried to match the timelines across the shows and universes. But, it matches up to Christmas/Hanukah of 2016, so I'm going with that. There's a holiday party on Arrow S5 E10, but no further mention of any holiday in the rest of the episode. In my experience, corporate parties take place about 2 weeks prior to Christmas, so I'm going with that timeline for this. I'm thinking we're going to have maybe one chapter and an epilogue after this.

Chapter 17

Matt hadn't ever liked flying. If that had been his superpower, he thought he might have given it back. Or maybe he would prefer it to plane travel. Either way, he found himself gripping the armrest between them with white knuckles. Liz lay her hand on top of his.

"Are you okay?"

Matt swallowed his nausea and gave her a brusque nod. "Yeah. Just hard to relax on these things."

She squeezed his fingers. "We're not even having turbulence."

"Well, not on the outside, anyway."

"You're sure about this, though?" she asked, moving her hand up his arm as she spoke.

"This" meant the move and him leaving his whole life and his entire support system to come with her and their baby. Their belongings would join them in a couple of weeks, but Matt and Liz would be staying in a hotel suite for the time being until their apartment was ready and all the furniture was assembled. All of this would be courtesy of Oliver Queen, or more precisely, Mayor Oliver Queen.

Given this recent change in status, there had been some adjustment in where Matt would fit into this new world. It had been recently decided that he would be joining Oliver's personal legal team rather than the city's. Even though he was no longer a private citizen, Oliver had explained that he still wanted to make sure he had good, reliable people around him. Apparently, Liz's recommendation coupled with Oliver's (or more likely Felicity Smoak's) investigation into Matt's work in Hell's Kitchen had proven to be sufficient requirements for that job. Liz would start in the Emergency Department at Starling General after the first of the year and work for about three months before the baby came. They'd worked out details remotely with Oliver and Felicity, his right-hand woman and former fiancée, who still apparently handled his non-mayoral business. They'd considered staying in New York over the holidays, but Foggy and Karen had opted for Switzerland on the heels of Foggy's first real bonus. Oliver (or more likely Felicity, again) had somehow figured this out and summoned them to spend the holidays in Star City. Hence this plane ride and the upcoming hotel stay.

Matt leaned into her, but the armrest kept them apart. "Sure. It will all be fine. It's just transitions and all they entail."

"Right." She lifted the partition between them and scooted closer to him. "Still, it was kind of them to invite us over for Christmas Eve."

"It was." He closed his eyes as he rested his head back against the seat. "Are you nervous at all?"

"A little, but the job is always the same. And in medicine, you move around a lot – med school, residency rotations, and all of that. You learn to do the job no matter where you are. The most stressful thing is usually figuring out where to park, and Oliver assures me that will be covered." She relaxed against his chest. "I want you to be comfortable with what you're doing, though. If anything feels wrong, you don't have to do it. We'll find something different, or just take some time for yourself. That's okay, too."

"I'm not coming with you to be a 'kept man.'"

"But you could. If you wanted. Even for a little while."

"Yeah, that's not gonna work for me. You know that."

"I do, but the offer stands."

He angled his body to reach across and kiss her, resting his hand on her growing abdomen. "It's just a lot of change."

"It's a lot for both of us. We'll be okay, though. Right?"

Matt turned away from her now, leaning back in his seat again. "Yeah. We will."

Liz studied his face. Even in profile, the drawn expression on his face contrasted his reassuring words, and she wondered if she'd made a terrible mistake by taking Matt away from his home.

Two nights later as they dressed for dinner at Oliver's, Matt sat in the living area of the hotel suite, fumbling with his tie.

"Do I have to wear this?" he called toward the bathroom from which Liz had yet to emerge.

"If I've put on a dress and pregnancy Spanx, which are both shockingly and thankfully a thing, and will be wearing some sort of heels, you will be wearing a tie." She materialized behind him with a kiss and walked around to face him as she pulled him to standing. "Want me to do that?"

He closed his eyes with head slightly tilted as he took in her essence. "Nah. I got it."

She stepped back. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous."

"Really?"

Her ran his hand across her velvet-swathed body. "Yes. And you smell amazing, too."

She leaned against him, drinking in his crisp, clean scent. "So do you. Maybe we can skip this thing."

Matt's laughter trickled down around her. "Don't even tempt me. But this may be the only opportunity I have alone with Queen to feel him out. So…"

"You're cock-blocking me."

Matt's eyes widened, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as his hands wrapped around her back, pulling their chests even closer together. "Well, it's my cock being blocked, but yeah, I guess I am. But only for a few hours."

Liz pushed away from him with a chuckle of her own. "I can't say that I'll be able to wear these heels much longer than that."

"Then let's get out of here so we can get back sooner."

A slightly haggard-appearing Oliver Queen and his sister and Chief of Staff Thea Queen welcomed Matt and Liz into the family home. Thea collected coats and drink orders as she directed them from the foyer into a cozy room with a bar, overstuffed chairs, a pool table, and hors d'oeuvres stations. Matt had a folded cane in his pocket but relied only on Liz to act as a sighted guide until he was safely situated on a leather couch beside her with a Scotch in his hand. They'd spent most of the day in discussion over when and how much to tell Oliver about Matt's true identity and powers. They'd finally decided simply to see where the evening took them. They both trusted Matt's intuition and ability to feel out Oliver's reception of another potential vigilante team member.

Based on their previous conversations, Liz had expected to see Felicity Smoak tonight, but the Mayor's former fiancée and their main contact was somewhat conspicuously not in attendance. Once drinks had been passed around, Oliver and Thea sat down in the chairs opposite Liz and Matt. Liz sensed something amiss, and Matt felt it, too, his free hand resting a little too firmly to have been absently placed on her leg.

Instead of explaining Felicity's absence, Oliver asked them to raise their glasses. "To friends, old and new, and new opportunities for all," he intoned before clinking his glass against Thea's and taking a long drink.

Liz touched her glass of ginger ale against Matt's before taking her own sip. Matt downed the amber liquid in his own tumbler in another swallow. She directed his hand to place it on the coaster atop the accent table separating them from Oliver and Thea. Something was definitely off here, and he clearly felt it, too.

"We're so glad you both here," Oliver announced as he stood to refill his own glass, which was now as empty as Matt's.

"I think we are, too," Liz agreed with uncertainty as she looked from Matt, perched on the edge of his seat and seemingly on full alert, to Oliver and back. She rubbed Matt's arm.

"It's a big change, though," Matt added.

Thea watched Oliver pour himself about a triple shot of Pappy Van Winkle as she spoke. "And we're here to make that transition as easy as possible. If there's anything we can do for either of you, please don't hesitate to ask." Seeming to realize this statement would hold more meaning if she were actually addressing them, she turned in her seat to face the other couple.

Liz nodded at each of them. "Thank you. Both of you. We're excited to get to work."

"That's good to hear. Good help has been surprisingly hard to find and retain," Oliver revealed with a tired sigh as he settled back into his armchair.

Thea placed her hand on Oliver's arm. "I think what Oliver means is that he's glad that the two of you were available to help our mission of improving opportunities and living conditions for the people of Star City."

"Wow," Oliver chuckled. "And who says we don't have the best talking points?"

"They aren't talking points, Oliver. It's what we're actually trying to do." Thea shot him a sideways glance before turning her attention back to Liz and Matt. "Liz, we're looking for people on the clinical side of healthcare to help spearhead quality and patient safety initiatives. If that interests you at all, I would love to discuss that further with you once you're situated."

"And I have big plans for you, too, Matt," Oliver revealed before Liz had a chance to respond. "I hope you'll also be willing to wear a few different hats."

"Hats, masks, whatever. I'm here to be your go-to guy," Matt responded, almost without thinking.

Oliver jumped on his phraseology immediately. "Oh yeah?"

Matt nodded. "I've been a fan of your work for a while."

Oliver's eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing you don't mean Queen Consolidated."

Matt shook his head. "Not exactly. No."

"And we're in the same business?"

"Security and justice?" Matt shrugged. "Sure. Maybe just a little less corporate. And not always so legal."

Oliver glanced from Matt to Liz to Thea, searching their faces for answers that weren't immediately apparent to him. "I don't understand. I mean, how?"

Matt splayed his hands in front of him, palms facing upward. "It's complicated."

"And you're here to…"

"Help. If I can. In a way that keeps Liz and the baby safe, ideally."

"Okay. Wow. Yeah." Oliver scrubbed his hand across his face and through his hair. "This conversation is going to be a lot different than the one I had imagined."

"But before we have that conversation, should we maybe have dinner? Or we can have the conversation over dinner? I mean, there's Peking Duck and everything. Felicity wanted to give you all a traditional Jewish Christmas dinner." Thea suggested but then stopped, realizing now they'd have to address the other woman's absence, seeing as she'd planned the whole evening. It was abundantly clear that Thea had been a last-minute replacement.

Liz nodded and placed her hand on top of Matt's and lifting it from her knee. "Dinner sounds like a good idea. Probably better than these two drinking much more," she added, knowing Matt would accept another glass if offered.

Oliver stood with Thea joining him. "Good. Thea will show you to the dining room."

Liz and Matt stood and Matt took her elbow. Apparently, they were keeping up the blind thing for a while longer. Thea led them down a long corridor, pointing out a powder room along the way. Liz stopped, and Matt decided to join her inside.

"So you're doing this now?" she asked as soon as the door closed and she'd turned on the water behind him in an attempt to muffle their conversation.

Matt bristled. "It seemed like the right move."

"Something's clearly going on with these people," she pointed out as she weaved around him to make her way to the toilet.

"These people could use my help."

Liz rolled her eyes with a dismissive shake of her head. "Just them, though. Not me."

"No. Not you. You've got everything you need here. I'm just along for the ride."

"Don't do this now, Matt." She stood and reached past him to wash her hands and turn off the water. "Not here."

"When, then? Or where?"

"Literally any other time and place. But you agreed to this. Hell, you wanted this opportunity to talk to him one-on-one. So have your chance, and don't make this about me or us."

Matt clenched his right hand into a fist and counted to ten before releasing it with a deep exhalation. "You knew this was part of why I agreed to come with you."

"I'm well aware." She brushed against his shoulder in the small room as her hand found the door handle. He placed his on top of hers.

"Liz."

"Nope. Not now. Go argue your case, Counselor." She shrugged him off, opened the door and stepped into the hall, leaving him to decide whether or not to follow or to make his own way to the dining room. He took her hand and walked beside her as they followed Thea.

They entered a grand formal dining area where Thea directed them to the four places set at the far end of the long table toward the other side of the room. Oliver was already there and had replenished Matt's drink as well as his own. Apparently, the drinking part of the evening wasn't over yet, either. Liz found herself wishing she could have one as well. She and Matt slid into their seats as Oliver and Thea took their own places across from them. Waiters brought forth covered platters, placing one cloche in front of each person at the table. Once the covers had been removed, the servers moved silently from the room.

"This smells great," Matt offered, ready to wade into the real conversation he wanted to have.

"Felicity planned all of this. She really wanted to be here with us," Oliver began. "Her boyfriend was killed about two weeks ago, and his memorial service was earlier today. They waited until now for the service so that friends and family didn't have to make two trips home but also wanted everything wrapped up before the holidays. She stayed for dinner with his parents and sister. It was a last-minute thing."

"Oh my God," gasped Liz. "That's horrible. We had no idea."

Oliver nodded, accepting the shock and sadness that would inevitably descend now. "It's been a tough couple of weeks." When they remained silent, Oliver continued. "He was a police detective on the Anti-Crime Squad. Unfortunately, Star City isn't as safe yet as we'd like it to be."

"I think we all have those concerns, no matter where we come from. And sometimes it seems like the established systems won't ever make a difference," offered Matt.

Oliver eyed Matt almost warily. "You mean the established means of law and order versus vigilante justice?"

Matt shrugged, not deterred by a tone of caution underlying Oliver's words. "Don't tell me you don't agree? It's the worst kept secret in this city that you are the Green Arrow."

Oliver placed his hands on the table, staring more intently at Matt now. "And you're blind. Or you're not blind?"

Matt sighed. This part hadn't ever really sounded right in his head, but he'd give it a try. "I am in some ways. Mostly, really. But my other senses are enhanced. Superhuman. And I've trained most of my life to be ready when the time came."

The back-and-forth came quickly now. "And that time came in New York?"

"It did."

"Were you part of the Avenger Initiative? S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"No. I was more of a low-rent freelancer. In Hell's Kitchen, mainly."

"Ah. Wilson Fisk. And then The Hand. You're the Daredevil?"

"Just Daredevil. No the. Karen thought it was cleaner."

"I don't know, man." Matt started to speak in protest, but Oliver raised a hand to stop him. "My apprehension doesn't have anything to do with you. I know enough about who you are. You're clearly a capable fighter. It's just what you said before. If you're part of this team, of my team, I can't guarantee that I can keep you or Liz or the baby safe."

Thea jumped in here. "We've had a tough year. A lot of, um, turnover."

"A lot of people have died on my watch," Oliver clarified. "Even more people have been put in danger, partly because I trusted some of the wrong people."

"Then let me work for you as counsel, like we planned. And give me a chance to earn your trust and prove myself." Matt looked toward Liz before he turned back to Oliver, "And I can decide for myself if I can handle the risk. Or rather, if we can."

"And you're okay with this, Liz?" Oliver inquired.
She shrugged. "It was pretty much the only way I could convince him to come with me – if he had the chance to work with you. Frankly, I'd be happy to see him as a part of a team with resources rather than being one guy out there on his own. That's the only way we've been able to reconcile what we both want and need."

Oliver stayed silent for a few minutes more before he spoke. "It seems like a reasonable solution to a problem we all seem to have. But I gotta ask you Matt, how does it work? Are you a metahuman or what?"

"Metahuman. Hm. I like that better than what they use back home – mutant. But I'm not even exactly that. My enhanced senses or powers or whatever you call them don't come from a genetic variation I was born with but rather from radioactive exposure in the accident that blinded me as a kid. The term they use is a human mutate."

"Ah. Well, out here, metahuman covers all humans with superpowers, no matter how they manifest."

"Good to know."

"It's semantics, really. But what I want to know now, though, is what you can do."

Matt thought for a second before downing his second drink. "I'm sure you have a gym here somewhere. Why don't I show you?"

TBC