Chapter 8: Lance
2 months, 3 weeks and 1 day till deadline
Oliver looked over at his son and stared.
"I don't think I heard you right did you just say you and Jess were taking off for the weekend to go and visit Lance?" Oliver asked in disbelief.
It wasn't that Lance wasn't important to their family because he was, if anything he had become an honorary father to Felicity and grandfather to their boys it was just so strange for Tommy to want to leave the lair for so long. This was the second time in just under a month that Tommy had asked for help in covering Arrow duties, it was so unlike him.
Tommy nodded his head.
"Yeah." Tommy said rubbing his shoulders looking so unsure.
Something was definitely off. Next weekend all the kids were taking off for the beach and it would down to the originally team to man the streets. Oliver had thought that was funny too but Felicity had told him to let it go. She said that the kids could do with a break. Oliver agreed with her but while Connor and Andy normally jumped at the chance for a day off, they normally had to force Tommy. Now Tommy was taking days off here and there and not just in the lair. Diggle had mentioned that Tommy was using up all his built up paid leave.
"May I ask why?" Oliver asked concerned for his son.
Tommy sighed and sat down heavily.
"I'm just tired dad." Tommy replied but there was more to it than that.
"So why got to see Lance, why not just take a couple of days off and catch up on some sleep." Oliver wondered.
Tommy looked away and Oliver new instantly that whatever he was about to say would be a lie. Tommy could never look him in the eye when he was lying.
"Mum is always saying we should visit more and I thought Jess might enjoy the change of scenery." Tommy mumbled.
Oliver opened his mouth to challenge his son when Felicity walked in.
"I think that's a lovely idea." His wife said obviously listening to their conversation.
Tommy smiled at his mum.
"Hi mum." Tommy greeted as she kissed his cheeks.
"Hey baby." She replied sitting next to their son.
Oliver looked as he wife. It all the years they had been together they had somehow come up with silent communication.
Felicity shook her head and mouthed let it go.
Oliver sighed and looked back over at his son.
"Fine, I will keep an eye on your brother and Andy." Oliver promised Tommy.
Tommy let go a sigh of relief and stood up.
"Thanks dad." He replied.
"I better to get back to work." Tommy added.
Tommy bid his goodbyes before heading out.
Oliver looked over at his wife.
"He's hiding something." Oliver told her.
Felicity sighed and nodded.
"I know." She replied.
"So why didn't you call him out on it?" Oliver questioned. He knew his wife better when anyone and he knew there had to be a reason why she would just let their son go without questioning him.
"Because I think I know what his hiding." Felicity said standing up.
Oliver followed his wife to the kitchen and waited for her to continue.
"Do you remember when Sin was a sick, she wrote this list of things she wanted to do before she died?" Felicity ask and Oliver nodded slowly.
He remembered helping Roy organize a couple of things for her.
"Sin never got to finish the list." Oliver remembered sadly.
Felicity nodded.
"I think Tommy might be helping Jess finish the list." She told him.
Oliver frowned trying to remember what was on the list.
"She asked you to teacher her Russian. Sara and Jess are taking pole dancing classes, they went on a bar crawl, a few days ago Tommy took Jess on a hot air balloon ride, they are going to the beach and Connor and Tommy want to take Jess to Vegas for her birthday." Felicity listed.
Their activities did sound familiar.
"But why not just say that, why lie about it?" Oliver asked.
Felicity smiled sadly.
"Jess has always been sensitive to how bad we all felt when Sin died, she probably didn't want to bring it all up for us and especially not for Roy." Felicity informed him.
Oliver sighed. Jess shouldn't have to worry about their feelings, she was just a little girl and she had lost her mum.
"So what do we do?" Oliver asked.
Felicity shook her head.
"We help them when they ask for it." Felicity replied.
"It's all we can do." She added.
Oliver wrapped his arms round his wife.
"How did I ever get so lucky?" He asked as he kissed her cheek.
Felicity turned in his arms and kissed him. He really was lucky.
THE NEXT DAY
Jess shoved her spare shoes into the small duffel bag, it was really too small for a weekend trip but she didn't have anything bigger other than a suitcase and she was not about to take a suitcase for a weekend trip.
Jess pulled at the zip but it refused to budge. Maybe if she could get someone to hold it closed she could zip the bag up.
"Sara?" She called out.
"What's up?" Sara questioned, stepping into her room a couple of minutes later.
"Will you help me with this?" Jess asked pointing to the bag.
Sara nodded and made her way over.
"So what time does Tommy get here?" Sara wondered aloud.
"He is on his way." Jess said through gritted teeth as she pulled at the zip once again. Why wouldn't it just do what she wanted?
"Is there something going on between you and Tommy?" Sara asked.
Jess froze.
"What?" she stuttered.
Sara sighed.
"You and Tommy have been spending a lot of time together recently." Sara commented.
Jess shook her head.
"No more than usual." she defended but they both knew it was a lie.
"You went on a hot air-balloon ride with him, if that isn't a date I don't know what is." Sara argued.
Jess pulled at the zip on her bag once again and this time it took pity on her and closed. She wished Sara would take pity on her obvious discomfort and leave it alone.
"It's not what you think." Jess reassured.
She looked up and met Sara's eyes.
"Then what is it?" Sara asked.
"Tommy is helping me with something." Jess told her. She wasn't ready for Sara to know about the list yet.
"Helping you with what?" Sara asked just as Jess's phone pinged.
Jess looked down at the screen.
Outside. Do you need help with your bag? T xx
No thanks, I'll be right down. J xx
Jess looked at Sara.
"I have to go." She told her friend.
Sara nodded.
"Whatever it is going on between the two of you Jess I hope it makes you both happy." Sara said.
Jess gave a small smiled and nodded. Maybe she should have just told her the truth.
Tommy tapped the steering wheel as he waited for Jess to come down stairs. Lance's farm was a couple of hours out of town and if they wanted to get there before dark they would need to get a move on.
After Lance retired as the Police Commissioner he found living in the city difficult, there was so much crime and after he retired he had no power to do anything about it. So he left the city and brought a small farm. It kept him busy and his mind away from the thoughts of criminals. When Tommy was a child his family visited often. Lance was like a father to his mum but when they got older and the more he and Connor got involved with team Arrow the less time they had to go and visit.
"Sorry I kept you waiting." Jess told him as she got into the car and threw her bag into the back.
Tommy smiled at her.
"It's fine." He replied.
"You got everything?" He asked and Jess nodded her head.
"Good let's get going." Tommy suggested as he pulled away from the curb.
Jess was oddly silent for the first hour of the journey and every time he asked her what was wrong she would reply nothing.
"Ok something if defiantly wrong and don't say nothing." Tommy asked, fed up with the silence.
Jess sighed.
"I'm just over reacting." she said.
"But is bothering you so tell me what's wrong?" Tommy probed.
"Sara thinks something is going on between us." Jess told him and Tommy sucked in a breath.
He wasn't prepared for that but he should have been. Sara was way more perceptive then most people and he was pretty sure that if Connor didn't know about the list he would be asking the same thing.
"What did you tell her?" Tommy couldn't help but ask.
Tommy felt Jess eyes on him and he had to force himself to look at the road.
"That is wasn't what she thought." Jess mumbled, her voice sounding disappointed.
Tommy shock his head, she was not disappointed.
"But I don't think she believed me. Maybe I should just tell her about the list." Jess added.
Tommy shrugged his shoulders. He didn't care what Sara thought, he did care about what Jess thought.
"Jess you can tell Sara whatever you want." Tommy offered.
Jess smiled at him gratefully.
"Thank you." she replied.
"Any time." He told her and he meant it.
Lance looked out of the window it was getting dark, he hoped the kids would get here soon.
"What time were the kids due?" His wife May asked noticing his worry.
Lance had met May just after he moved out of the city. At first she had just been a friend, then more and as the days past he realised he was in love with her. Refusing to waste another day he asked to her marry him and he was lucky that she accepted.
Lance looked over at May.
May was a tiny pear shaped women with a big heart and a smile that you couldn't help but smile along with. She had shot red hair that was going grey and warm hazel eyes.
"They should be here any minute." Lance told her.
He had been surprised when Tommy called him and even more so when Tommy asked if he and Jess could come and stay for a weekend. Nothing was more important to Tommy then being the Arrow and protecting the city, but Tommy had said he needed a break. Lance new the boy worked hard and he was more than happy to give the boy he loved like a grandson a place to relax for the weekend. But when Tommy asked if he could bring Jess he knew there was more to the boy's story.
Headlights shining through his living room window brought Lance out of his thoughts. Lance breathed a sigh of relief.
"There here." May said excitedly.
She made her way to the door to greet them and Lance followed. He watched as they got out the car. Tommy just as tall and broad as his father, smiled broadly as May greeted him.
"Hey May." Tommy said hugging her.
Lance looked over at Jess. She looked so much like her mum and wave of grief rushed Lance. Sin had been Sara's best friend and when Sara died Sin had taken it upon herself to check on him. He had watched Sin grow from a teenage street kid with attitude issues to a young women who fought to protect the innocent. When she had died it was like losing Sara all over again.
Jess smiled as she approached him.
"Hello beautiful." Lance greeted as she hugged her.
"Hey Lance." She whispered as she hugged him back.
The last time he had seen her was his wedding to May.
"Lance thanks for this." Tommy said grabbing his attention.
Lance let go of Jess and made his way over to Tommy.
"Look at you kid all grown up." Lance said ruffling the boy's hair.
Tommy laughed.
"It's good to see you too." Tommy replied.
"Let's get you both inside, you must be hungry." May said leading Jess inside.
Lance and Tommy followed.
Connor took a sip of coffee and spat it back out again. It was cold but he could have sworn Jenna had just placed in on his desk.
Connor looked up to ask her and froze at the window. It was dark outside.
"Not again." Connor groaned.
Connor had been so consumed with a problem in the IT department that he didn't notice time slip by.
He sighed as he picked up his phone. 4 missed calls from Katie and 2 texts messages.
Just finished work do you want to meet for dinner? K xoxo
Since you haven't returned any of my calls I am going to bed try not wake me when you get in. K
He knew even though she said she was going to bed she would still be awake when he got in and it would all lead to another argument.
Connor sighed again. He was tired of arguing with her, tired of fighting a losing battle.
"You know I can hear you sighing from all the way in the hall." Jenna said bringing him out of his thoughts.
Connor looked over at Jenna as she walked in carrying a tray with two mugs in one hand and a bag of take out in the other.
"You didn't have to do all this." Connor said getting up to help her.
Jenna scoffed.
"Actually I do, it's kind of my job to take care of you." Jenna argued as she handed him the bag of take out.
Connor shook his head as he followed her to the sofa in his office. Her job was to assist him with work related issues not make sure he ate three meals a day.
"Jenna its getting on for eleven o'clock you should have just gone home." Connor said feeling guilty.
Jenna was always at work before him and she never before he did.
"Connor you don't eat unless I remind you." Jenna pointed out and Connor cringed.
He knew he sometimes got so consumed with a problem things got away from him but he would have remembered at some point.
"What's going on with you anyway?" Jenna asked.
"You're not normally this bad." She added.
Jenna was always more than just his assistant, she was his friend and he often wondered if he could even function without her. Telling her his problems always seemed so natural.
"I think it's over with Katie." Connor admitted.
Jenna's eyes shot to his.
"What?" she asked.
Connor shrugged his shoulders and told her everything that had been going on lately.
"I'm sorry Connor." Jenna said softly after he was done.
"Is that why you have been spending a lot of time here?" She added and Connor nodded.
Jenna took a sip of her coffee.
"The thing is Connor you can't keep hiding and you can't keep avoiding Katie, you have to make a decision." Jenna told him.
"I know, I know." He repeated.
Jenna shook her head.
"No Connor I mean it." she said standing up.
She gathered their rubbish.
"You have to decide once and for all if you want to be with Katie." she said.
"If you want to be with her then fight for her and if you don't you have to let her go and sooner rather than later." Jenna added.
Connor watched her. He was lucky to have her.
Jenna put their rubbish into the bin. She whipped her hands.
"I am going home now and I think you should too." She announce and Connor nodded.
She was right, but then again she always was. Tomorrow he would decide what he wanted for once and for all.
Jess shivered but she refused to go inside. It was so pretty here and you could see the stars. You could never see the stars in the city.
After dinner Tommy had gone with Lance to help him finish some chores on the farm and May had gone to check on their elderly neighbour. She had invited Jess to go along but Jess was happy admiring the night sky.
"You're going to freeze out here." Tommy said and Jess jumped. She hadn't even heard him approach.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she yelled and Tommy shook his head laughing.
"Where's Lance?" she asked noticing they were alone.
"Inside." Tommy replied shrugging out of his jacket.
Jess shook her head she would not take his jacket from him again.
"Fine." Tommy sighed.
He sat on the step behind her and wrapped his arms around her. This was really starting to become a habit and she loved it.
"I'm sorry I keep taking you away from the city." Jess commented.
She knew how important being the arrow was too him.
"It's nice having a break once in a while." Tommy reassured her.
THE NEXT DAY
Lance watched from his porch as Tommy and Jess rode horses in the distance. They looked so happy, so carefree it was nice to see.
"They look good together." May commented as she handed him a glass of lemonade.
Lance couldn't help but nod in agreement. As far as he knew the pair were just friends but the way Tommy looked at Jess and the way she looked at him, if that wasn't love he didn't know what was.
"There just friends." Lance said with a shrug.
"Aww." May muttered.
"It's such a shame, I think they could be really happy together." May added and Lance couldn't help but nod again in agreement.
Tommy was so much like Oliver, Lance wondered if Tommy fought he was protecting Jess by not moving forward in their relationship much like Oliver had done with Felicity.
Jess's laughter reached his ears and Lance looked back over at her. He wouldn't say Jess was an unhappy person but he would say she was happy either. Hearing her laugh was wonderful. Tommy looked just as happy as he was at hearing her laugh.
"Give them time." Lance said to May.
"If he really is like his dad he won't let Jess get away." Lance told her as he remembered when Oliver finally realised he couldn't be without Felicity.
May smiled happily.
Tommy kissed May's cheek. This weekend had been lovely and relaxing. Not only did they both get a world deserved break but Jess got to go horse riding and tick another item off the list. She had so much fun horse riding. He could still hear her happy laughter.
"Thank you for letting us stay." He said as Lance hugged Jess goodbye.
"Oh your welcome honey." May replied hugging him tightly.
"You both must come again soon." She added as she turned to hug Jess.
Tommy made his way over to Lance as May smothered Jess into a hug.
"We will." Jess promised and Tommy new she meant it.
"Thanks Lance." Tommy said, hugging the man he often thought off as a granddad.
"Tommy can I give you some advice?" Lance asked.
Tommy nodded.
"Don't over think." Lance ordered and Tommy frowned, confused.
"Sometimes we do things because we think it's for the best." Lance said looking over at Jess and Tommy swallowed. Where his feeling for her that obvious.
Jess smiled at them as she got in the car.
Lance tapped his chest where his heart was.
"Your heart." He started.
"Your heart is the only thing you should listen too because it's the only way you can every truly be happy." He added.
Tommy took a deep breath. If only it was that simple.
