Chapter title: Onside Kick
A/N: Hello, dear readers. Has it really been a week? Thanks to everybody who took the time to review. Always appreciated! I've decided to move things along a little quicker than originally planned, which is why this is actually the penultimate chapter.
To those people who complained about me using Ray as the asshole in this story: if you had read the end note for the last chapter you would've known that I only chose him out of the two love interests (that we know of) of Felicity because he fit the physical requirements of being a QB and could be considered an actual competition to Oliver. I have nothing against his character on the show, even though I'm definitely not a fan, but history has taught us that we do well when we trust the writers. Also, this is an AU! So, of course, characters won't be the same in my story as they are on the show..
That being said, I hope you all get to enjoy a beautiful weekend! Happy reading!
Definition: an onside kick is a play in which the kicking team tries to recover the kicked ball.
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"Woah, woah, woah. Say that again and slowly this time because for a second there I thought you said you're dating Oliver Queen," Caitlin exclaims with wide eyes and puts her wine glass down on the table.
Felicity takes a deep breath before answering. "That's actually what I said."
A garbled sound of surprise and shock leaves her best friend's mouth. "The Oliver Queen? The football superstar. Former playboy extraordinaire. Heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. That Oliver Queen?"
She just shrugs helplessly and takes another long sip from her wine. It's highly doubtful that alcohol will make this conversation any easier, but hey, it's worth a try.
"You're telling me that your Oliver is Oliver Queen?"
"Yes, but you can stop saying his last name like that," Felicity grumbles.
Caitlin stares blankly at her. "How in the world didn't you recognize him? His abs and his junk are plastered all over the city in those underwear ads, he's constantly in the newspapers and on TV whenever there's a game."
Felicity gets up from her seat on the couch and starts pacing through her living room.
Isn't that the one million dollar question?
How the hell did she not realize that she was dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the city, hell, in the whole country?
"Did you never ask him for his last name?" Caitlin wonders. "I guess I get why you didn't want to do the whole background check stuff but not knowing your boyfriend's last name seems a bit weird, not to mention potentially dangerous."
Felicity groans and plops back onto the couch. "That's the thing, though. I thought I knew his last name."
"So he lied to your face about it?"
"Not exactly," she says. "The first time I went over to his place we were watching Game of Thrones when he got a phone call that he took over in the kitchen, but since his apartment is this gigantic open-plan loft I could still hear some of what he was saying. And he said something like 'put me down as Oliver Jonas' and he emphasized the Jonas part so I thought that was his last name and that's why I was never really bothered by any of this because I thought I knew his name."
"Oh honey, that's his middle name," her best friend says and squeezes her hand lightly in support.
She groans and lets her head drop to the head rest. "I can't believe this happened to me."
"And you never suspected anything?" Caitlin probes.
"No," the blonde exclaims frustratedly. "I mean, when I first met him I thought there was something familiar about him, but I never expected this. I just thought he was this sweet, thoughtful, handsome as hell guy who was crazy enough to take an interest in me."
"Hey," Caitlin interjects sharply and waits until her friend looks at her. "You're awesome and beautiful and he better be interested in you!"
Felicity smiles gratefully at her.
"So what's next?"
"I asked him to give me some time to process all of this."
"So you haven't broken up?"
"No, I guess we're taking a break?"
Caitlin eyes her carefully. "And have you had any realizations about your future with him, yet? Do you still want to be with him?"
"That's not the question I'm asking myself right now."
"Explain that, please," her friend urges her softly.
"I want to be with him. He's this incredibly amazing guy, Kate," Felicity starts slowly. "He's sweet and polite and funny and smart, and you should see him with his son. He just turns into this gooey ball of adorableness whenever he just mentions Connor."
"So, be with him," Caitlin shrugs.
"It's not that simple. I don't know if I can."
"Why not? If he's all those things, you should be all over him. Hell, you should keep him far away from me because now I want to be all over him. He sounds perfect."
"Yeah, but he's Oliver Queen," Felicity exclaims and jumps up and starts pacing again.
Her friend shoots her a confused look. "Yes, I think we've established that fact by now. Why is that a problem?"
"Are you kidding me? Why is that-? He's Oliver Queen! He's the football superstar, the former playboy extraordinaire and the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune," she repeats her friend's earlier words. "How the hell do I fit into that life? How do I date someone who has all those obligations and expectations and..." she trails off, waving her hand helplessly in the air.
"So it's not really about knowing his last name but rather about what will happen to your relationship once you go public?" Caitlin guesses.
"Yes," Felicity says defeatedly and slumps down on the couch. "I'm just... scared."
"Of what? He's kept you out of the press so far, hasn't he?"
"Yes, but that's because we never went on an actual public date. The first date was just us alone in that drive-in theater and then we went to the park for our second date, but it was at night and he was all wrapped up in his hat and scarf so nobody could've recognized him. After that, all of our dates were either at his or my place."
"Okay, so you go to a restaurant next time, give the tabloids some fodder to talk about and then they'll lose interest soon." Caitlin shrugs, "It's just like ripping off a band-aid. It'll sting at first but then it's over. I mean, how much interest can people have in Oliver Queen's dating life?"
Felicity grabs her tablet from the coffee table. "I don't know about Oliver, but I googled 'nfl quarterback girlfriends' earlier. You know what kind of results I got? It was all Top 10 and Top 20 lists of who's the hottest girlfriend. Guess what? There was not one IT specialist in any of those lists. They're all actresses and playmates and fucking super models."
To her surprise, Caitlin lets out a hearty laugh. "So what, Lis?" You don't care about that shit. And by the looks of it, Oliver doesn't either." When Felicity just glares at her, she continues. "Lis, that man could have any woman in this world, but he chose to be with you."
"Well, maybe for him it's just easier to be with someone who's not famous."
"Felicity, stop," Caitlin retorts harshly. "He's probably dating you because he likes you and because you're you."
"But can I date Oliver Queen and be me?" She questions, her voice rising in volume.
"Of course, why not?"
"Because I'll be reduced to being 'Oliver Queen's girlfriend'. Nobody will see me for who I am. Nobody will give me credit for the things I've achieved in my life and they'll all just care about my hair and make up and why I'm not as thin as those super models. They'll probably think that I only got that job offer at QC because I'm dating the boss's son. Nobody will take me seriously," Felicity exclaims a little breathlessly.
"Oh honey, anyone who just takes one look at your resume knows that you've earned that job offer because you're incredibly smart and because you deserve that position," she says with conviction and takes Felicity's hands in hers. "I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling with all of this weighing on you or what's going on in that genius head of yours. And don't get me wrong, I think you make some very valid points and this is all something you'll have to consider at some point. But for now, you should just stop putting so much stock into what other people hypothetically may or may not think about you and Oliver some day, and rather dig into your own thoughts and find out if and how you're going to be with him."
"What if I come to the conclusion that I can't?" Felicity all but whispers, fighting to keep her tears at bay.
That right there is really the core issue, isn't it?
She knows that she likes him. Knows that she would like to be with him, continue their blossoming relationship. But what if, after weighing all her options and really thinking this through, she realizes that she can't handle the pressure of dating him? That she doesn't want her life be turned upside down by paparazzi and reporters and the world (or at least Starling City) scrutinizing every choice she makes. That she can't live her life like before.
Caitlin smiles sadly at her. "Then you let go."
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"So we're not going to the zoo on Sunday?" Connor asks as he draws his eyebrows together in confusion.
Oliver shoots him an apologetic smile. "We can still go if you want, but Felicity won't be joining us."
"But why not?" his son inquires persistently. "You said you'd come home on Sunday morning from your away game and then we would pick up Felicity and go see the baby polar bear at the zoo."
"I know, Con," he sighs. "The plan changed."
"Is she sick?"
"No, she just needs some time without us."
"So she doesn't want to spend time with us anymore?"
Oliver clenches his jaw. "It's just… temporary."
"But it was her idea to go to the zoo," Connor presses on.
"Look, Connor, she's angry with me and doesn't want to see me for a while," he finally relents to say.
His son's frown deepens. "What happened?"
Oliver runs a hand through his short hair, scratching the back of his neck. "I wasn't honest with her."
"But you always tell me that lying is bad."
He shakes his head slightly. "And it is, because it can hurt people and then they don't want to talk to you."
Connor's frown turns into an angry grimace. "So you hurt Felicity?" There's a protective edge to his son's tone that he can't help but feel proud of.
"In a way, yes," he admits and lowers his head. "I didn't mean to, but I still did."
"Did you apologize to her? She forgave me when I wasn't being nice to her," Connor reminds him eagerly. "Maybe I can talk to her?"
That makes Oliver smile. "That's very sweet of you, but no, when the time is right I'll talk to her." He sighs deeply and kneels beside his son's bed. "Alright, time to sleep, buddy. Today, you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you," he murmurs softly and presses a kiss to his son's forehead. "Good night, Con."
"Good night, dad."
He's almost at the door when Connor's voice catches him. "Hey, dad?"
He turns around. "Yeah?"
"I really like her. Do you think she's coming back to us?"
Oliver blinks a few times, lost for words. "She'll come back," he finally whispers, not sure if he's trying to convince his son or himself. "She'll come back."
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His phone rings halfway through an episode of Game of Thrones, a show that isn't quite the same without Felicity's running commentary, he realizes quickly. But still, it reminds him of their time together and right now he'll take what he can get. He reaches behind him and grabs the phone.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Queen, good evening. I'm sorry for bothering you this late, but I have a guest waiting for you in the lobby,"comes the voice of Jim, the building's night concierge.
He rolls his eyes. "I don't expect anyone. Just send them away."
He's about to hang up when Jim speaks up again. "But, Sir, it's the nice young lady that has been coming and going with you. Her name is, uh," he hears him ask whoever is down there for her name. "Right, Felicity Smoak. She says she can come back if now isn't a convenient time for you."
Felicity?
"No!" he says a little too loudly and he clears his throat awkwardly. "Send her up, please."
He hangs up and jumps up from the couch, looking around wildly, contemplating if the mild disarray of his apartment is within an acceptable range. Surrendering to the fact that he can't change it anyway in the next ten seconds he makes his way over to the elevator and waits nervously.
What is Felicity doing here? Had he missed her phone call somehow? Highly unlikely, considering that he's been checking his phone in embarrassingly short intervals since Monday in hopes of seeing their picture and her name flash up on the screen.
What does it mean that she's coming by now? It has 'only' been three days since everything had blown up in their faces and she'd said she needed a week or two. A quick decision like this couldn't possibly be good, could it?
"Oliver," her soft voice yanks him out of his thoughts, and his head whips around to look at her. "Deep in thoughts?" she asks with the faintest smile on her lips.
"Hey," he breathes out, but remains rooted to the spot, unsure of how to greet her. "Uh, how are you?"
He slams his eyes shut and groans inwardly. Really? 'How are you', that's the best he could come up with?
Somehow, he doesn't hear her move towards him, but suddenly he finds himself with an armful of Felicity as she presses herself into his body. His eyes fly open in surprise and he can't suppress the sharp intake of breath when he feels her warm hands come to rest flat on his back, her face pressed into his chest. It takes him exactly two point five seconds before he circles his arms around her and pulls her impossibly closer.
His head dips down so he can bury his nose in her hair, right over her ear. "God, I missed you." The words tumble out of his mouth in a whisper before he knows what's happening.
He feels her take a deep breath and he's ready to apologize for just blurting it out like that when she moves her hands to come to rest on his waist, fisting the fabric of his shirt, and he hears her soft voice. "I missed you, too."
They stay in their embrace for a while longer before she finally pulls back. "I hope it's okay that I'm just dropping by like this. I should've called ahead."
"No, don't worry," he assures her as he takes her hand and pulls her gently towards the couch. "I'm glad you're here. Would you like something to drink?"
"Glass of wine maybe?"
She settles down on his couch and gladly accepts the glass he brings her. He sits down next to her, barely resisting the urge to take her hand again.
"How are you, Oliver?"
"Uh, I'm… yeah, I'm okay. You?"
She smiles tentatively. "Good, swamped at work as per usual. Been doing a lot of thinking. About us."
Right, cutting right to the chase.
He nods slowly. "Yeah, me, too." After a deep breath, he continues, "Have you… made a decision?"
Her head tilts to the side in thought. "I don't think it's just about me making a decision. I came here to talk."
"Okay," he agrees slowly.
"I hear you won against the Atoms on Sunday," she says with a smile. "Barry hasn't been able to shut up about you playing a fantastic season, especially in the last few weeks after your injury."She takes a breath. "Oh, you missed a game after-"
"Yes, I did, but it's not a problem," he cuts in quickly. "And it wasn't really about the injury. I could've played but my coach benched me for getting into a fight."
Her eyes widen. "Oh God, Oliver, I'm so sorry you got into trouble because of me."
"Hey," he says softly and takes her hands into his. "Don't worry about it. You know I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"Felicity," he starts again after a few beats of silence. "Is this… Are we still happening?"
She lets out a long exhale and he feels his stomach drop in uneasy anticipation of her answer. "I like you, Oliver. I like spending time with you, and of course, I've enjoyed the time that we've spent together over the last few weeks."
"But," he interjects, dropping his head defeatedly. Is he a fool for ever believing there was a real chance for them left?
"But," sh repeats and cups his jaw with both hands, making him look up at her. "I'm scared."
His brows furrow. "Of being with me?"
"Of how being with you will affect my life," she explains, looking straight into his eyes. "I know this sounds selfish and it probably is, but I've worked long and hard to get my career to where it is right now. I'd hate to have my professional value called into question after it becomes public knowledge that I'm dating you. If I got promoted at MG everybody would think it's because it's your best friend's family's company. If I took Walter up on his job offer at QC everybody would say I only got it because I'm sleeping with you. I want to be recognized and valued because of what I've accomplished and because of who I am and not because I'm dating you."
He watches as she bites her bottom lip nervously. "I get that. I really do, Felicity. In a way I've lived through that myself. Growing up, I was always Oliver Queen, son of successful business moguls Moira and Robert Queen. Their and everybody else's expectations were crushing me and I only ever seemed to disappoint everybody. It was only after I started playing for the Archers that I started to be seen for who I am. Yes, I'm still heir to QC, but I'm also my own person."
"How do you deal with being in the public eye all the time?" she asks curiously.
"I grew up with the media attention around my family, so to be honest, I've just learned to tune it out most of the times. And then of course, for my job I have to give interviews basically every week, so I've kinda just gotten used to it. I mean, it still pisses me off when the paparazzi start to lurk again, but all of that usually dies down once the season's over," he shrugs.
"So it doesn't get to you when they write things about you?"
"I try not to let it get to me. Most of the time they just make stuff up or blow something completely out of proportion. My publicist usually combs through everything and contacts me when there's by some miracle a true story out there that warrants a statement from me. The only thing that really gets to me is whenever they write about Connor. Despite everything, I want him to have a childhood that is as normal as possible."
She nods by stays silent, seemingly lost in thought. "This is what you're worried about? The media and all that?"
"Yeah, I mean, it's just all pretty intimidating, you know?" she says slowly. "I mean, I don't know how much the media attention from your life would translate into mine, but just the thought of people discussing what I wear or eat or why I don't look like those models and playmates that quarterbacks seem to have a soft sport for, is just… troubling."
A chuckle ripples from his throat. "Felicity, believe me when I say that all those women have got nothing on you. Sure, they may be beautiful, but so are you. And do you know what makes you even more beautiful and sexy as hell?" She shakes her head and blushes profusely. "You're smart. You're so smart that you can talk circles around me without even trying. You're amazing with Connor and you're not afraid to say what's on your mind. You're funny and patient and you look like an actual woman and not like those… sticks. So don't even bother comparing yourself to them. Because they don't stand a fucking chance."
Without thinking about it, he leans forward and presses a soft kiss to her mouth, emphasizing his point. She sighs against his lips and combs her hands through his hair, holding him in place.
He finally pulls away before the kiss can get too heated. "Please tell me that we're giving this another shot, everyone else be damned."
She looks up to him with wide eyes, pupils blown. "I don't think I have another choice."
Oliver pulls back a little more, studying her face. "Why's that?"
Her lips curl up into a smile. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
He sucks in a sharp breath and surges forward to capture her lips in another kiss. With their foreheads leaning against each other, breathing heavily, when they part once again, he whispers, "Good, because I think I'm falling in love with you, too."
Her responding happy bark of laughter may be the most perfect thing he's ever heard in his entire life.
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"You look happy," Diggle notes casually beside him while he's lacing up his running shoes.
Oliver grins back at the older man. "That's because I am."
And yeah, he really is. Felicity had stayed the night at his place. They'd spent hours talking and kissing on his couch until they'd both fallen asleep. He'd woken up in a mess of tangled limbs and with a good mouthful of her blonde locks and he couldn't have been happier about it. She'd left pretty quickly, though, because she had an early day at the office and needed to get to her place to shower and change. But not without promising to come back over for dinner that night to tell Connor that their zoo date on Sunday was totally a go.
When Connor had finally made his way downstairs she'd been long gone. Despite his best efforts and the promise of dinner with someone special, Oliver wasn't able to lift Connor's grumpy spirits. Even when he'd dropped him off at school he'd still had that annoyed frown etched into his features.
"Good for you, man," Diggle says with a wink. "Ready to run a few miles?"
Right on cue, Oliver's phone starts ringing and he shrugs apologetically. "Hello?"
"Mr. Queen? Good morning, this is Jenna Kemper, one of your son's teachers at Starling Academy."
"Good morning, Mrs. Kemper. How are you? Is everything okay with Connor?"
"Well, your son was showing some odd behavior. He was acting up in class so I sent him to the principal's office, but he never arrived there. We reviewed our security tapes and it looks like he left the campus without permission and without giving notice to anyone," the teacher explains hurriedly.
"How could he just leave the campus? There's a guard at every entrance preventing just that from happening?" Oliver asks, clenching his fist in a vain attempt to contain his anger and fear.
The woman clears her threat. "It seems like the guard was taking a break at the time."
"Have you alerted the police, yet?"
"At this moment there's no reason for us to get the police involved. For all we know he just went home."
"Are you kidding me right now?" He exclaims heatedly. "My son is walking around Starling City right now without money or any means of communication because of your negligence and you're not even going to call the police?"
"Sir, there's really no-"
"You'll be hearing from my lawyers," he says coldly and hangs up.
He quickly finds Felicity's contact in his phone and brings it back up to his ear, ignoring the worried look Diggle shoots him. "Felicity," he breathes out when she picks up. The gravity of the situation suddenly hitting him full force, clogging up his throat. "I need your help."
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A/N: I'm all out of big twists so I guess this plot element is pretty easy to predict. Ehh, whatever.
Would still love to hear what y'all think about this chapter.
Also, since this story is rapidly coming to an end, feel free to send me prompts/ideas for my next AU.