Wednesday at lunch he ventured out to see her. He was dressed in his normal pristine business attire, which earned him an eye roll as she answered her door in sweats and an oversized grey hoodie, glasses askew and hair a mess. She didn't even invite him in, just huffed, left the door open, and walked back to the couch and her carton of mint chip ice cream.

"Felicity, what's going on?"

"I'm mourning, Oliver is gone, why do I have to explain any of this to you? You said my job could wait, but if you've changed your mind, fine, I can get a job elsewhere. You weren't the only trying to hire me-"

"Felicity, that is NOT what I am talking about and you know it. When I showed you the ATOM, you agreed you would help me. And then you got distant. Then a couple weeks later, the accident happened, and I understand you needed space for that. I'm not trying to force you to work, I just, I want to understand. You scolded me for kissing you and then backing out- but not for kissing you. You never said you were with anyone else- I guess, I guess I just want to know how close you and Oliver really were."

"Oliver and I are partners, were partners." She stumbled over the use of past tense. To cover the pain on her face she began to scowl at him. "You knew that. That's why you made me vice president- since I helped Oliver run the place for the last year. And no, we weren't together- but, I don't know how to explain it... I just, since he got back from the island our lives were intertwined. He was my friend, my BEST friend. He was the one I could come to and share my day, no matter how messed up it was. I love him, and he loves- eh, loved me, it was just never the right time- and he prom- (deep breath) he promised I wasn't going to lose him! Dammit! I never told him the truth, never said I loved him too- and now I never will..."

By this point Ray was at a loss for words. When she started talking she had been sitting, then she began pacing. When she cursed she had simultaneously slammed her fist against her couch, and now she was on her knees, weeping, looking as if she couldn't catch her breath. So he did the only thing he could think of. He picked up her crumpled body, just as he had once done with Ana, and sat on the couch, her in his lap, and just let her weep.

"We were partners, and I failed him- we were suppose to get QC back, and be Sara's god parents, best man and maid of honor of Dig's wedding. We had plans, things to do to help fix this city... we had plans... Oh God what do I do without him."

He let her weep, soaking his shirt colar, his own eyes dampened thinking of the pain she must be in- the pain he knew all too well. He finally spoke up, "Felicity, you follow through with the plans. Help me fix this city, be a godmother, be the maid of honor- help me run QC the way you and Oliver wanted to. That, uh, that's actually why I came over today."

She looked up at him, suddenly realizing the position she was in and quickly scooted so she was next to him instead of in his lap. Noticing her movement and puzzled look, he stood, turning back to look at her, "Have Oliver's lawyers contacted you yet?"

"Yet? No, why would they?"

"Well, I think I understand now- you were partners in every way and he loved you." He garnered a faint smile as he put the peices together in his head. "The lawyers came to the office today to discuss the company stock- While i own 65%, Oliver still owned 30%. I was expecting some sort of an offer for me to buy it from his sister, but it turns out he didn't leave it to her. He left it to you- that and everything else he had, including his life insurance. Your lives are still intertwined, you can still do it all, he made sure of it."

She looked shocked and he couldn't blame her, he bent to kiss he softly on the forehead and whispered in her ear, "I know your lost right now, I have been there too, recently even. When you are ready to be found, your office will be waiting for you- just the way he left it."

In an instant he was up and out of her townhouse- He never would have guessed in a million years that his night would have gone that way, but suddenly everything he had noticed about her over the past few months, including her absolute disgust over the prospect of working for him made sense- everything revolved around Oliver...

-xxxxx-xxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-

The Thursday board meeting was boring, as usual. The members of the board had been sympathetic to Oliver's death, but concerned about the stock being controlled by Felicity. He assured them that she had been a vital role in the recent acquisitions that led to the raising stock prices. That since becoming vice president of IT the department was running its best in years, and the applied sciences department was also growing leaps and bounds.

He felt there was no need to be CEO and President, and that, as partial owner of Palmer Technologies it made sense for Felicity to take more control, and moved that she be made President, active immediately.

He had expected it to be a tough sell. However, since Starling National was still 5% owner of the company, Walter Steel had been in the meeting and encouraged everyone to agree. He even thought ahead enough to add the caveat that while her title would transfer immediately Ray would continue to hold the responsibilities while she was on bereavement leave, and they could hire a replacement as vice president so she could take as much time as she needed. Ray was glad Walter was there, looking out for Felicity just as he had done at the funeral... Yes, since talking to Felicity a lot more was making sense.

What he hadn't expected was the angry blond in his office bright and early Friday morning.

"I thought I wasn't fired- and I could take as long as I needed to come back to work!?"

Taken a back, more by her mere presence than the use of her loud voice, which he was getting used to, he threw his hands up in surrender, "Whoa, time out, your not fired, you can take as much time as you need, it's all true. What-"

"Then what's this?" She forcefully placed an intra-office memo in his hand, "Just because I haven't been in doesn't mean i don't at least scan my e-mails... if you are going to secretly replace my position, you should probably at least not send the job posting to me!"

"Oh, that, you didn't happen to read the other memo that went out- about-"

"I didn't need to see another memo, I saw this one, so thank you for letting me cry on your shoulder, literally, but i don't need to to be coddled- I'll be cleaning out my office, unless of coarse you need security to watch me do it!" She turned to leave in a huff but he grabbed her arm before she was out of reach.

"The other memo, was announcing that I was replaced as President during the board meeting yesterday." She turned to look at him. "Replaced by you."

Her eyes went wide as she mouthed an exaggerated "oh" without actually speaking.

"Walter Steele also got the board to agree that I will cover any slack you may have during the transition, as we are expecting you to take more time for bereavement."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't apologize, just go home, come in when you are actually ready to work, madam president. And maybe don't wear sweatpants the next time."

She would have been mortified if not for the smirk and wink he showcased during the last comment. So she gave herself a bit of a pep-talk, and huffed out under her breath, "For Oliver," and turned back to Ray, "I'll be in on Monday, showered and sans pants, sweatpants! I mean, I will be wearing pants, professional pants, or probably a skirt, pantsuits aren't really my thing, i mean, uh, 3, 2, 1... I will see you Monday, goodbye."

As she rushed out of the office he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he watched her leave.

-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-

AN- Bonus Chapter- Inspired by mabscifiromantic in a review- couldn't get the idea out of my head so you get this info now instead of as flash backs later. Hope you liked it.