AN- sorry for then delay, I had some difficulties with my computer and got a little sidetracked with the holidays. I will be back to regular updates. Happy almost new year!
Felicity was sitting at her desk updating her computers when he arrived in the foundry. It was the first time Diggle had seen that since Oliver died and it was a sight for sore eyes. He thought she was talking to herself, but as he got closer it was hard to stifle his laugh.
"Talking to your babies again, Felicity? I think they missed you too, almost as much as me."
She turned in her chair and gave him a soft smile. "Just the man I wanted to see. Listen, I'm sorry I haven't been around. I wasn't exactly hiding. I just… I still wanted to make a difference, to help Starling and keep to our crusade, but being down here... it was his home for months and, I don't know, it just felt wrong to be here without him."
"Felt? As in past tense?"
"Yeah, now that I came back I can't imagine how I managed to stay away - this was his home. Where he was unguarded, and real. As a team, we never hid anything from each other, so maybe that's why I couldn't be down here, because I couldn't be truthful about Ray. And about Ray -"
"Felicity, you don't owe me an explanation, and you wouldn't owe Oliver one either. He wanted you to be happy, I'm glad you're happy with Ray."
"I'm not, I mean, I am. Wait. I am happy with Ray, working at Palmer Tech and working on the A.T.O.M. technology. It's way better than being an EA or working that horrible mall job. It's just, I know I told you we've been dating since just after I went back to work, but, that's not exactly true."
"Felicity, I know you were seeing him before Oliver left, he saw you kissing him in your office. You don't have to feel guilty about that."
"He saw that?! But, wait, that's not the point. The point is that being the President and working closely with the CEO is way better than being the CEO's EA. Agh, I'm not explaining this right. Every hero needs a cover story, and as a team we suck at them, so I kind of came up with a brilliant one when I agreed to work with Ray.
xxxFLASHBACKxxx
"Okay, Ray, I'm ready to work on the suit with you, but - we need to talk logistics."
"Logistics? I thought you had access to everything. I mean, even if I hadn't given you access I'm sure you would have hacked in by now." His boyish grin was so light and refreshing, a complete 180 from the brooding vigilante she was used to.
She forced herself out of her thoughts, out of comparing Ray to Oliver, out of the sheer pain of Oliver being gone.
"No, those logistics were easy. You did give me access, though I have to give you access again because I backtracked a few things to make them un-hackable, and I might have erased your key codes in order to create the new firewall." She had a slight grin as he stared in awe. "That's child's play, I'm talking the logistics of how we keep this superhero work we are doing under wraps. When we start working through all hours of the night together, people will wonder what we are doing. And I'm sure you've already heard the rumors about…"
"What rumors?" He was genuinely concerned.
"Well, Isabel Rochev may or may not have prided herself in spreading rumors that I was promoted so that Oliver could have his toy at his disposal - you already know that wasn't true. He promoted me because he trusted me, and I think the same is true with you. That you trust me I mean. (Sigh) But the rumors are there again: that I'm a gold digging whore and…"
"What!? How can you be saying that calmly, Felicity? I'm so sorry, I can…"
"No - don't finish that sentence. The rumors are perfect. If people assume we are sleeping together no one will be suspicious about us being together through the night, or keeping extra clothes in our executive bathrooms. Hell, you could turn an empty office into a bedroom and no one would bat an eye."
He gaped at her as she paused, obviously lost in her thoughts.
"So, if you want my help with the A.T.O.M., then you need to date me."
"Felicity, I really like you, I do, but you're mourning and…"
"Let me rephrase, the public needs to think we are dating - at least if we give credence to the rumors by officially dating, this time I won't just become the blonde bimbo in this version, probably still get the power hungry gold digger rep though."
"Felicity, are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm positive. So you agree - the public thinks we are a couple, but really it's just a cover, a way to explain how we spend our nights."
"Agreed," He smiled and added under his breath as she walked away, "for now."
xxxEND FLASHBACKxxx
"So?" She contorted her face as she finished the story, questioning if he thought she was crazy, or was mad that she had kept the secret, or even that last night at her apartment during the superhero intervention they had decided to throw her, she promised she told them everything yet still continued to lie.
She thought so was prepared for the worst, but not for what happened next. He laughed and came close enough to kiss her quickly on the top of her head. "Brilliant, you are absolutely brilliant!"
"Wait, what?"
"That is the best cover story this team has ever had - but, you also need to know that if you really were with him, we would be happy for you."
"Dig, I'm still grieving, and, so is he - it's nice to go through it with someone else though. This time I promise though, I'm not keeping anything else from you, and I'm okay, really. I think it will be much easier running stuff out of here again instead of Ray's penthouse. You really are okay with him coming down here, right?"
"Felicity, after all the beans that got spilled last night he might as well come down here, I think the only secrets we have left is Oliver's true identity and Barry Allan. Promise me though, if we tell him about Barry I get to be there the first time he sees what he can do."
"Deal."