Change

Sara's eyes opened blearily, taking in the surroundings, feeling the warm body against her, the sunlight streaming in through the gap left in the curtains, the softness of the sheets and the quilt. She glanced at the alarm clock Oliver kept at the bedside. 8:26 am.

It was always too easy to be in a rush. To be wanting to go somewhere, get something done, Sara mused. How many times had she not simply stopped and treasured the moments that she was given? The times when life was so perfect? She felt a hand in her hair, and smiled almost on instinct. Oliver must of have seen it, because she could feel a small laugh in his chest.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, twining his fingers in hers.

"Just a minute." He said, kissing her neck. "Thank God I have today off."

"I really don't know how you work both jobs." Sara teased, shifting so she could face him, her hair partially falling around her face. "Nights are draining."

"Big breakfasts, always." Oliver said in mock seriousness. "So you have plans for today?"

"Oh, absolutely." Sara said, grinning. "This place beats the hell out of my hotel room." She swung her legs over the side of the bed, got up. "I'll make us some breakfast! Do you have stuff for omelets?" Oliver's interest level rose as she ignored the jeans and shirt on the ground and instead strode directly to the kitchen. He didn't share her aversion to jeans, and followed a minute later.

"You're feeling cheerful." Oliver remarked, joining her in the kitchen.

"It's been a good last 10 hours." Sara laughed, finding a frying pan before plucking various things from the fridge, pausing to pour a glass of juice. "Dang. You don't keep a lot in stock, huh?"

"Not usually." Oliver said, her cheerfulness infecting him. "But I actually have a fryer for small omelets."

"Oh screw that, we'll have real omelets." Sara retorted in mock seriousness, tossing some cheese by the pan.

"You do know there's a huge window right there?" Oliver teased. "Someone in the next building might be getting quite an eyeful." She put a gallon of milk on the counter before coming over to kiss him, her lips tasting like orange juice.

"You could do with a scandal that would increase your popularity." She said.

"Oh, how's that?" He asked. She put a little olive oil on a pan, turned on the stove.

"Simple. Everyone respects a man who has a good looking woman." She laughed. He smiled.

"It almost feels strange." He remarked, looking around the kitchen, at her. She raised an eyebrow, managing to look dignified as she cooked, sans her clothes. "Feeling less like I need to hurry up and work on something or avoid something… and more just feeling like things are good."

"Always running to something." She nodded. "But if you're always running, you never can enjoy the now."

"Hey, the future won't take care of itself." Oliver said.

"Tomorrow can worry about itself." Sara said. "Every day has enough challenges already." She sprinkled some spices on the pan, and turned it over, waiting for it to turn the right color. She flipped it off the pan, onto a plate and slid it in front of him

"I'll wait until yours is done." Oliver said. She rolled her eyes.

"It's best hot! Besides, you can still sit with me when mine's finished." She cracked two more eggs, sprinkled some cheese and torn up pieces of deli meat. Oliver took a bite of the omelet, was impressed. It was better than a lot of diners he had eaten at.

"This is really good Sara." He said, trying to eat slowly, make it last. He hadn't been hungry when he woke up, but now his appetite was roaring back.

"Thanks." She flipped hers neatly to close it. "My dad taught me."

"He might not be glad you're with me." Oliver mused.

"I told him I wear Kevlar whenever I'm being risky." She said. "But maybe he'll be glad. He worries about me, wants to know I'll be okay. Did your parents ever give you those talks?"

"Sometimes." Oliver nodded. "They wanted to know I wouldn't end up alone, that I'd be happy." He took another bite, savoring it. Sara nodded, waiting for him to go on. "My father was afraid I'd make the same mistakes. He didn't spell it out, but I could see it when I looked back. My mother… my mother hoped I'd be a better man than him, and hoped I'd meet a better woman than her."

"No one's ever perfect." Sara remarked. "Someone could just as easily say the same about you or me."

"I know." Oliver said. "Different problems, at least."

"I second that." Sara said. "I had an idea… your nemesis with the bow, he looks like he could be league trained."

"Possibly, but bows have gotten popular around here." Oliver remarked. "And his targets related to a target from my father's book, one of the corrupt businessmen."

"True. He could have decided to be an evil doppelganger." Sara shrugged. She flipped her omelet on a plate, and walked over the bar, standing by the side as she ate, rubbed a hand on the patterns in the granite countertops. Oliver gave her a look again, as if eating breakfast naked was the most shocking thing he'd seen her do. "Personally I always like a Beretta 92 over a bow. But I'm hitting up my old league contacts. Asking if they've heard anything about operators in this area, exiles, people who went rogue…"

"Maybe we'll solve it that way." Oliver said. "You got weekend plans?"

"I was going to look at a few rentals." Sara said, waving her fork in the air. "See my dad again tomorrow."

"Just bring your luggage here." Oliver teased. "I won't charge you."

"You better not." She laughed, pausing a beat later. "Are you serious?"

"About inviting you here or not charging you?" Oliver deadpanned, scraping his fork on the plate for the last bits of egg and spices.

"Both." Sara said around a mouthful, Oliver smiling at the face she made.

"Yes." He said. "There's a spare room-" her mouth opened slightly like she wasn't believing what he was saying "—for your stuff. I'm not surrendering all my closets after how hard it was to organize them."

"I accept your terms." Sara said intently, the smile tugging at the corner of her lips before the joking left her face. She looked hopeful. "So from now on, you and me?" Oliver stood, pulled her against him, feeling her bare chest against his.

"Oliver and Sara, forever and always." He said, remembering what she had said when he found her again in the city, after the earthquake.

"Well, I wanted to make sure it wasn't heat of the moment." She said, raising up a on her toes a little to kiss him.

"Well, now it's official." Oliver said.

"Alright then." Sara grinned, as he cupped her face and kissed her again.

The doorbell rang, and Oliver groaned. Sara laughed a moment, then realized she was still lacking her cloths.

"Don't let them in!" She yelped, darting for the bedroom, almost wiping out on an accent rug Thea had put in the hall.

I hope you enjoyed, and reading this put a smile on your face. Please review if you did—I read and appreciate each review. I think a few more chapters are due for this little story