CHAPTER TWO
Oliver had a press conference the next morning outside Starling City Police Department, and for a solid half hour, he answered questions about the anti-crime task force and one or two concerning the vigilantes of the city that left him feeling somewhat hypocritical.
Finally, he noted that he had to attend to other matters, thanked the reporters for their time, and turned away.
"Excuse me, Mr. Mayor."
Oliver didn't recognize the voice, and it was curiosity as much as the manners his mother had drilled into him that made him pause and turn to the speaker, a middle-aged woman with a kind expression that seemed out of place on a reporter.
"I'm happy to give an interview," he told her, "but you'll have to schedule it with my office, Ms. -?"
She smiled. "Eliza Danvers."
Oliver recognized the name immediately and slid a glance around them. The bulk of the reporters who'd gathered for the press conference were already packing up their gear or otherwise not paying attention.
Still, he kept his voice low as he said, "You certainly don't need to schedule an interview, but I have another appointment this morning, and a meeting with some city council members this afternoon. I should be free around three, if that works for you."
"Shall I come to your office?" Eliza asked, and her smile was so like Kara's that Oliver had to remind himself that she wasn't Kara's natural mother.
"Please," Oliver said. "I'll let them know to expect you. Just don't use your last name – we haven't made an official announcement yet."
"Any particular reason?" And there was the edge he'd been expecting, the hint of suspicion and the protective instinct.
"Several," Oliver told her. "And I'll explain all of them to you this afternoon."
Eliza held his gaze a few minutes longer, then nodded. "I'll see you at three."
Oliver watched her walk away, and when she turned a corner, Oliver wasn't surprised to detect the faintest whoosh of sound. Kara's cousin, no doubt – or perhaps Kara herself, if she knew of Eliza's visit.
Finally, Oliver turned to join his protective detail – some days he missed the simplicity of Dig as his bodyguard – and get on with his day.
- S -
Much to Oliver's surprise, his meeting with Councilwoman Tyler and Councilman Kemp not only went well, but ended earlier than he'd planned. At 2:45, he found himself returning to his office and wondering how to fill the fifteen minutes before Eliza would arrive.
When he emerged from the elevator, he saw he wouldn't have to fill time. Eliza stood chatting with his assistant, Cassandra.
"Eliza?" he asked, and she turned to him with a smile.
"I know I'm early," she said. "But you did say around three."
"So I did," Oliver agreed. "And as it happens, my meeting ended early. Shall we?"
Eliza excused herself from Cassandra and came to join him as he punched the elevator button.
"What would you like?" Oliver asked. "I know some good restaurants."
"No, that's not necessary," Eliza said. "Why don't you show me your city? Alex said there are some interesting sights here."
"For a given definition of interesting," Oliver quipped.
"Not too interesting," Eliza said, and Oliver had to chuckle at her tone. "How about this – show me what you love about this city."
The elevator doors slid open, and Oliver made an after you gesture. When the doors slid shut, Oliver pressed the button for the ground floor and finally responded to her prompt. "It's not the city itself so much as the people."
"Of course," Eliza countered. "But a city shapes its people as much as its people shape it."
Oliver shot a glance at her. "I thought you were a bio-engineer."
"I am," Eliza replied. "But I'd be pretty dull if I ate, slept, and breathed bio-engineering twenty-four hours a day."
Oliver could only smile at her. "Far be it from me to accuse anyone - especially you - of being dull. My apologies."
"Not necessary," Eliza replied as the doors slid open onto the parking garage beneath the ground floor.
Oliver led her to his Porsche Carrera and opened the passenger side door for her, half-expecting a derogatory comment about his choice of vehicles. But she just settled in and fastened her seat belt without prompting.
Oliver slid behind the wheel and started the engine.
"So," Eliza said as Oliver turned from the garage into midafternoon traffic. "Why no formal announcement?"
"Yet," Oliver added. "The first reason is that we wanted to tell you - our families on both worlds - first."
Eliza nodded. "I appreciate the consideration."
"The other - We're trying to figure out how to honor her heritage without giving away our identities."
Eliza was quiet long enough as Oliver turned toward the Glades that he risked taking his eyes off the road to look at her.
Her expression showed surprise - and gratitude. All she said was, "I understand, now - why she chose you."
- S -
It was fully dark when Oliver pulled the Carrera into the parking garage beneath his apartment. Beside him, Eliza looked thoughtful.
"Star City doesn't meet your expectations?" Even though Oliver tried to keep his tone light, he thought he heard an edge in it.
"You have a beautiful city," Eliza said, and Oliver had to chuckle.
"You don't have to exaggerate," he said. "I know we have a lot of work to do."
"Maybe, but Star Bridge is beautiful, and I enjoyed the Grell Museum a lot."
"I'm glad." Oliver secured the car and led her toward the elevator. "But something had you looking concerned, and if there's a problem, I'd rather address it now than let it fester."
"It's not that kind of problem." Eliza caught his hand before he could press the call button. "But you're right, better to talk about it now than later."
"All right." Oliver gestured her to one side, out of the direct path of people exiting the elevators. "What is it?"
Eliza bit her lip, then said, "You know you won't live as long as Kara will."
"Eighty-two," Oliver blurted.
"Pardon?" Eliza asked.
He hadn't meant to say it, but now he had to explain. "A couple of years ago, I helped a friend in Central City fight a speedster from the future. The speedster told me the history books said I lived to be eighty-two."
"A good lifespan for a human," Eliza said.
"Especially for one in my line of work," Oliver added dryly, and Eliza smiled briefly before sobering again.
"But not nearly as long as Kara or Clark might live."
That was a truth Oliver tried not to think about, but he had to respond to Kara's mother. "All the more reason for us to enjoy now."
"Absolutely," Eliza agreed. "And all the more reason for me to try to get you more time."
"I'll cherish whatever time we do have."
Eliza waved that away. "Look, Kara's not my daughter by birth, but I love her as if she were. I want her to be happy as long as she can - and I'm a bioengineer. There has to be some way for that to happen."
"I hope so," Oliver said. "But I don't know of any on this Earth."
"Then we'll have to make one," Eliza said. "Give me a blood sample before I go."
"Not a problem," Oliver replied easily. "How about a pint?"
"A … pint?" Eliza shook her head. "I'm not a vampire."
Oliver chuckled. "I know - but I always have a few pints stored, just in case."
Eliza stared at him. "I don't know whether to be horrified or impressed."
"Why not both?" Oliver grinned at her, and whatever reply she might have made was interrupted by the ding of the elevator arriving.
Oliver nodded to the middle-aged couple stepping off the elevator, then gestured for Eliza to precede him.
She paused, facing him with a considering expression, and he could only return her gaze and wait for her judgment.
"You're not at all what I would have chosen for her - if I had any say in it," Eliza said finally. "And not what I would have expected her to choose, either. But it's clear that you love each other, and that's all any mother could hope for."