A/N: Little missing scene from 3x03 I thought was needed. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!
The boys had only been gone three days, sixty eight hours to be precise, but she'd felt their absence even if there were moments where it seemed like they had never left. The surreal experience of trying to field multiple phone calls with her brand new boss standing only a few feet away was something she hoped not to have to repeat.
Keeping busy with recovering data from the hard drive she was technically responsible for destroying had been helpful, but every time her thoughts strayed they went to Oliver.
Being in his office, their office, now her office meant that everywhere she looked she could still feel his presence. So much had happened within those glass walls, things she'd never forget and things she wished she could.
Jerry had dropped a pitcher of water five minutes after she'd arrived her second day. She had only just made her way to her desk when the sound of glass shattering reverberated off the marble floors.
She froze, panic slicing through her as she was caught up in the memories. The boardroom being shot up. Oliver grabbing her as they jumped through the window. The feel of the Count's hands as they squeezed her shoulders right before he shot Oliver.
By the time she came back to herself with wobbly knees and a pounding heart Jerry was apologizing repeatedly as he mopped up the mess, none the wiser to her momentary flashback.
After lunch she'd walked off the elevator, distracted by looking up the information Digg had requested on her tablet and gone straight to her old desk. That had resulted in an awkward exchange with her new EA that she hoped would never happen again.
But no matter how much she told herself this was good for her and her career and maybe even her heart she still couldn't help but look for Oliver every time she peered through the glass.
They'd barely had a chance to be alone since he'd kissed her and told her in the most backwards way ever that he loved her but they couldn't be together. She'd only had a few hours to even attempt to process what had happened before they'd learned Sara had died. After that it had all been a blur of tears and angry words and feeling like something inside her chest had been broken.
And then he'd left for Corto Maltese. And she'd moved into her new office and the chair that she swore still held a trace of his cologne even if Isabel Rochev was technically the last QC CEO to use it.
After she'd recovered the data Ray wanted she'd spent the rest of the day tracking their flight, and making sure they made it back through customs alright. All four of them. She was glad Thea had returned, Oliver needed a win, badly.
She expected him to let her know when he got in but her phone remained silent and instead of sad she was suddenly angry. So she told Ray she needed a few days off. Barry was awake and a new hero seemed to be popping up in Central City which she found incredibly coincidental. A visit to get some answers in person seemed to be the most obvious choice.
But there was one last thing she needed to do.
The foundry was quiet when she arrived and as she listened to her heels echo off the metal stairs she wondered if she'd even find him there and if maybe that wouldn't be for the best. However, when she made it to the bottom she saw him methodically restocking his arrows, as if he hadn't flown ten hours to make it home.
"Oh hey, you're back. Thanks for letting me know. Appreciate that." she said with more snark than she had intended.
His shoulders sagged just an inch as she moved past him, eyes set on her bank of monitors. She just intended on setting up some alerts so she could monitor things from Central City and then she'd be gone.
"You knew we were back," he replied without turning, and she resolutely kept her back to him as she began to type.
"Did I? How? Oh that's right, because I hacked into Homeland Security and saw that you were processed through US Customs four hours ago."
"I'm sorry...it's been…"
She could hear how tired he was, knew he'd probably not slept a second on the flight back but she was angry and she wasn't going to let him off easy this time. So like ripping off a bandaid she decided to get straight to what she needed to tell him.
"I'm going to Central City for a few days." she said suddenly, knowing she'd taken him by surprise, "I know he's awake. I know he's this...Streak. But I need for him to tell me himself." No need to clarify who 'he' was.
His head whipped around at that, unreadable expression on his face.
"Oh. But I guess you already knew that, huh?" she couldn't help the hurt that seeped into her voice.
"Felicity-"
"Don't. It wasn't your secret to tell. I know."
"There was never a good time to tell you!" he countered, finally setting the last arrow he held down on the nearest table to cross the distance between them, "He called me seconds after you walked away at the hospital and then Sara died. So tell me when was a good time to tell you about Barry."
"I don't know, Oliver but people do seem to be enjoying telling me things lately without me even getting a say so. You seem to have it down to a science. Ray's practically an expert. Laurel's treating me like her personal assistant which is sort of ironic since I have one of those of my own now. Along with your old office. Isn't that just the kicker. So yeah, excuse me if I think you could have maybe found a few minutes to mention that Barry had woken up and could break the sound barrier now."
She watched as he struggled to understand everything she'd just dumped on him and part of her wanted to do nothing more than to turn back to her monitors and leave him to flounder. But the way he'd visibly flinched when she'd alluded to what he'd said to her in that hallway tore at her heart. Because as much as it had hurt her, she knew he hurt just as much, and watching him deliberately keep himself from having the life she knew he wanted was unbearable.
"You have an assistant?"
The dry, humorless laugh that escaped her throat took them both by surprise. Because of course that's what he would choose to comment on.
"His name is Jerry. And he doesn't have an aversion to getting coffee."
There was a trace of a smile, gone almost before it was there, but it let a bit of the knot under her breastbone loosen just a little.
"You deserve it." he said quickly, "You deserve every good thing."
With that she was on her feet and tugging on her coat because if she didn't busy herself somehow she'd start crying and she'd done enough of that recently. Oliver in martyr mode when it came to her was not something she was able to handle just then.
He didn't say another word as she gathered her things, but she felt his eyes on her.
"I'll be back in a few days," she said in a choked voice as she brushed by him, and when his hand caught the inside of her elbow she gasped loud enough to fill the space, the spark of electricity even through two layers of fabric sending a jolt down her spine.
They both froze, the air between them stilling because this was the first time they'd touched since their lips had parted and it was suddenly impossible to breathe.
"Don't, Oliver. Not right now." she managed to say between clenched teeth, needing space and needing it fast. If not she didn't know what could happen.
He released her slowly and she felt the drag of each finger until they'd all fallen away, and only then did she force her weak legs to move.
She'd made it all the way to the first landing before she paused and turned around, knowing that he knew each footfall brought her closer but not knowing why. When she reached his side she felt in her coat pocket until she found the slim card she'd been looking for and laid it down next to him.
It was a non descript key card, no markings, and she waited patiently while he picked it up and turned it around before holding it aloft with two fingers and a questioning look.
"It'll access the executive levels. In case you ever need it."
A flurry of emotions crossed his eyes but the one she recognized instantly was relief.
"I'll be back in a few days," she repeated, holding his gaze for another second before she forced herself to leave.
"Thank you," he called out once she'd hit the stairs again and she gripped the rail tight but didn't look back.
"Your name's still on the building. Also...things tend to happen in that office, seemed like you should have it."
And with that she raised her chin and began to climb.