Flashpoint
Disclaimer: not mine. The words are mine, the characters are not.
Spoiled through 1x20 (1x21 to be safe). For this story, Laurel never went to talk to Oliver about Tommy breaking up with her, but she did go see Tommy at Merlyn Global, therefore Laurel and Felicity have never met.
The problem with posting what could be a standalone story, is that if people love it, they want more, but you run the risk of the following chapters not living up to the first, we'll see how this goes.
Thanks for all the reviews, the response was pretty overwhelming. I amuse myself, so it's nice that other people enjoy my humor too. Oliver in a makes me smile.
Chapter 2
Safe in the comfortable confines of her own apartment, Felicity did exactly as she said she would, heating up a bowl of tortilla soup and taking out her frustrations by chomping on chips and salsa. Sweeping her dishes into the sink, but not bothering to rinse them, she stripped off her work clothes, pulling on a comfortable oversize t-shirt and little knit shorts before sitting down on the couch and slumping back into the soft cushions.
She really couldn't believe Oliver. She thought she'd been more surprised at him approaching her in public and then kissing her, completely out of the blue, twice, than when she'd found him bleeding in her car. Yes, twice, she fumed, feeling a thousand butterflies take flight once again in her stomach at the memory,
And now he expected her to pretend to be dating him, act like they were together. In front of his family. In three days. Which meant they had to keep up their ruse for at least four days.
He was insane. Completely, totally insane.
She groaned and turned on her DVD, a disc already loaded, selecting an old episode of Firefly to watch. As the antics and quick dialogue washed over her she finally started to relax.
As the credits began to roll, Felicity roused herself, getting up to turn off the lights, check the door and the alarm system, and finally meander into bed.
Her last thought as she fell asleep was that it really was a colossally bad idea for her to pretend to be Oliver Queen's girlfriend. It would be one thing if it were the real him that she'd be playing against, but she would be playing the role of girlfriend to a lying, cheating, perpetually irresponsible, man-child.
Felicity had always been somewhat separate from the rest of the IT staff. She was tasked with special projects, working on Queen Consolidated research and development project to set up specific systems, securities and programing for them, not the generalities of the day to day servers and electronic services. But she'd just completed a project upgrading the servers' firewalls with several other of the IT staff, and she'd felt like she'd made friends.
Then Oliver had intercepted her returning from lunch with three of her male coworkers and she'd never felt as alone or separate as she had that afternoon. All three had looked at her as if she'd teleported back into the office once she'd finished babbling her unhappiness to Oliver in the park. And they'd clearly shared the news that Felicity was on a lip-to-lip basis with their boss's son, since she'd received jealous looks from two of the female IT staff, and an idiotic comment implying that 'that' was how she'd gotten her last promotion from another colleague.
Which was ridiculous, and Felicity had said so, clarifying that she had earned that promotion, and she hadn't even known Oliver then. Not that that seemed to matter. The gossip had continued until she had locked herself in her office with her computers and a project that only required her, and her computers to complete.
~~ARROW~~
By the time Friday rolled around, Felicity didn't know if she should be grateful or terrified. She decided she was good at multitasking since she was successfully managing both emotions simultaneously. Grateful that it was the end of the work week and she could escape the jealous, censorious, and curious looks of her co-workers; terrified that she was supposed to have dinner with Oliver and his family that night.
She'd managed to impress upon him how important it was that he not come in to QC for the next few days, without telling him exactly why. She saw the knowledge in Diggle's eyes, but Oliver had just accepted that it would be easier if he stayed away, thereby not requiring her to play the role he'd forced on her more than necessary.
Standing in front of her closet dressed only in a towel, her hair wet and twisted into a towel on top of her head, she contemplated her wardrobe. She had a few dresses, the kind that would be required for diner with the Queens, but she had no idea which to wear. Felicity usually liked to wear bright colors. It made her feel better. More herself. But she was leaning more towards the simple black cocktail dress, hoping that it would make her blend in instead of stand out during the night to come.
She was certain that dinner was going to be a disaster. She didn't know what or who she was more afraid of. Handsy Oliver, who made it very difficult to remember that it was all a charade. Cool and regal Moira Queen, the family matriarch and apparently a double dealing lair and possible co-conspirator to kidnapping and God knew what else. Thea Queen, irrepressible teenager who was apparently more effective than a steam roller at getting her own way with her brother. Or Walter Steele, recently returned, his ever-present unflappability intact even after six months in captivity.
Felicity really liked Walter, and wanted him to think well of her.
Thea and Moria terrified her. For very different reasons, but still. Terrified. Felicity was concerned for Walter, wondering how he was managing to return to his life, especially his wife, knowing what he knew, and suspecting what he must suspect.
Oliver had tried to calm her down after watching her melt down the previous night, but his advice was just not going to work.
"Just focus on me. If you start to get nervous, just look at me. We can get through this, Felicity. I'll be right at your side. In fact, I'm probably going to have to hold your hand the whole night just so if you start to veer onto topics best left alone I can signal you."
Felicity had stared at him, wondering if he had a form of aspergers, not that that was anything to joke about, but honestly, he had no people skills. Zero. If he had, he might have noticed that the thought of him holding her hands, their fingers locked together, standing and sitting side by side for hours on end was not going to help calm her down. Not a bit.
She'd spent the last few days trying not to think about how firm Oliver's lips were, how funny his stubble had felt against her face, and how soft his hands had been when he'd cupped them around her arms. She absolutely refused to allow herself to spend more than five, ten, fifteen minutes of each hour thinking about how his abdominal muscles had felt under her hands as he'd kissed her the second time.
It had been three days since he'd lied, invented a girlfriend out of thin air to avoid telling his ex-girlfriend that he didn't want to or couldn't date her again.
Another thought that ran on a continuous roll in Felicity's mind was she'd hurt herself more than him if she punched him in the face. But since she as pretty sure she knew the answer to that one, she'd decided to put off coming up with a more effective, less painful for her, way to exact her revenge if dinner with his family went as horribly as she thought it would.
~~~~ARROW~~~~
Oliver and Diggle picked up Felicity at her apartment, Oliver coming upstairs to get her while Dig stayed with the car on the street. Felicity was ready and waiting when he knocked, slipping on a light coat, and grabbing her purse and keys, she turned off the light and opened the door to a too handsome Oliver, dressed in a grey suit with a blue shirt that made his eyes an even deeper shade of blue. Felicity stepped out, closing the door quickly behind her, earning a frown from Oliver.
"There's no doorman," he said without preamble. Felicity ignored him as she locked her door, turning the key in the single deadbolt. "All you have is a deadbolt? Do you know how easy it is for someone to force their way inside?"
Felicity shot him a look of annoyance, pointedly not saying anything as she put her keys into her purse.
"It's not safe Felicity. And your elevator doesn't even have a key. Anyone can get into this building and up to your apartment. You need-"
"This is why I never invited you over," she said irritably.
Oliver stopped, looking at her blankly. "Because you knew your home was unsafe?"
She rolled her eyes, getting onto the elevator and staring at the doors as they descended. "No, because you are incapable of acting like a human being."
He frowned, turning to face the elevator doors, but Felicity saw the flash of hurt before he turned his head away from her.
Felicity's shoulders slumped, her anger at him draining away suddenly. "Oliver. I'm sorry, but would it kill you to try some polite communication before you start tearing my life apart? Like maybe: 'Hi Felicity, thanks for agreeing to do this. You look nice. You know on my way in, I noticed that your building could improve security.'" She widened her eyes, making her sarcasm even more blatant. "Or maybe something like, 'Hey, Felicity, thanks for working every night this week even after I totally threw you under the bus as a way to avoid dealing honestly with my ex-girlfriend. I really appreciate it.' See how that works?"
She didn't wait for a reply, walking out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened, but Oliver caught up with her at the exterior doors, holding them open and ushering her through with a hand at her waist.
"I do appreciate it. And point taken," he said, bobbing his head as Diggle exited the car to open the door for them both. "I could express my appreciation more often." He took her hand as she started to climb into the luxury vehicle. "I really am grateful for everything you do for me Felicity, not the least of which is being my friend."
Sliding inside, Felicity shot a smile at Diggle, earning one in return before Diggle turned his attention to the road, making the familiar trek out of Felicity's middle class neighborhood. He often escorted her home after long nights at the foundry.
"We're friends?" Felicity asked, her face scrunched up in a confused expression. "I mean I consider you a friend. Of sorts. I mean not the come hang out and eat popcorn with me while I watch bad movies type of friend, more the I'd take a knife for you kind of friend, I guess but-"
"I thought we were friends," Oliver said stiffly. "I obviously don't have many," he rolled his shoulders as if trying to ease his way physically through the words. "And I lie to the ones I do have, so, yes, I thought we were friends."
"Don't sweat it, I don't watch bad movies with her either, man," Diggle said, as much to remind them that he was in the car as to try to help them get to a lighter note before Felicity had to face Oliver's family.
"Of course not, Diggle is more the kind of friend that comes over to help you move without you even having to ask," Felicity said, as if that clarified everything.
"Now that I've seen your lack of security, I would be happy to help you move," Oliver said with one of his bright fake smiles.
"Ha, ha. There is nothing wrong with my place. The crime rate in this neighborhood is actually pretty low."
Oliver's gaze met Diggle's in the rearview mirror and Diggle decided to take one for the team. "But your neighborhood is exactly the kind that burglars look for." Felicity frowned and Diggle could see that she didn't believe him. "Middle class, right? Yuppies, good incomes, plenty of disposable cash, that means stuff worth stealing and whole buildings that are empty during the day and often on weekend nights."
"Enough stuff to make the attempt worth it, not enough that you'll encounter many security systems, police or private security," Oliver continued where Diggle left off.
"I already have a dad. And a security system. So there," she said childishly, earning a small smile from Oliver.
Realizing that he really didn't know much about her, Oliver grilled Felicity for the remainder of the trip into the countryside outside of Starling City. Felicity looked alarmed at first, wondering if she was going to face a similar inquisition from his mother and sister, but managed to fill him in on the basics of her life without too much rambling.
She'd grown up in Coast City, loved Mexican food, but not the beach because she burned so easily. Both her parents were still alive, her father was a scientist, her mother a sculptor. She had one younger sister, Stephanie, and only saw them during the holidays, and once a year when she went home for her sister's birthday.
"Is there anything I should know about Thea? Or you?" Felicity gulped as Queen Manor came into view. The imposing bulk of it looking like the least welcoming home she'd ever seen.
"Try to avoid letting Thea get you alone. She's like a dog with a bone once she wants to know something," Oliver advised.
"OK, great, that makes me feel better."
"You'll be fine," he said simplistically.
Diggle parked in the driveway and opened the door helping Felicity out first, turning to her as he waited for Oliver to disembark. "Just remember, he's not the Oliver you know here, and he's not the playboy."
"Then who is he?" she asked, her voice pitched high.
"Somewhere in between," Diggle tried to explain.
"Felicity," Oliver said softly, his hand at her back again to escort her inside, but she refused to move.
"No, this is crazy. I mean, totally, completely, bat shit crazy. I don't know you, I mean I know you-you and hood you, but not this you, not jackass you, though you can be a jackass as you-you too, and obviously hood you has that going on too… so that must be part of the real you, but how am I supposed to convince your family that we're together when I don't even know the you that is going to be in there, with me," she sputtered.
"Just treat me how you normally treat me, Diggle was just trying to let you know that I wouldn't be acting like me, all the time in there. OK?"
She shook her head, looking frightened.
"Felicity Smoke, you went to college at 15, you count cards, you confront murderous jewel thieves, you can do this," Oliver said with quiet certainty.
"That was actually a pretty good pep talk," Felicity said with a smile, letting him ease her towards the oversized double doors that led into his home.
"It really was," Diggle complimented.
In the foyer, Felicity's frightened look came back. Felicity knew expensive homes, and this one was off the charts. The woodwork alone must have cost hundreds of thousands, and the artwork was even more impressive. "Is that a Renoir?"
"Good eye," Oliver said, helping her take off her jacket, before handing it to Diggle and getting his first look at her dress. She'd opted for a new dress she'd bought in anticipation of a night like this, something undercover at a society mixer or something, but hadn't worn it yet. From the front it was demure enough while being stylish, but the back packed a punch, hugging her curves and exposing patches of her pale skin through cut-out details as Oliver saw when she walked over to examine the painting masterpiece she'd noticed.
He wondered if she'd noticed the symbolism of choosing a black and green dress. The black bodice had grosgrain shoulder straps and a folded detail front, coming up nearly to her collar bones. The fitted skirt was green, a deep hunter green skimming her body down to her legs, fitting narrowly enough to show her figure, but loose enough to not be overtly sexy.
He cleared his throat seeing Diggle's appreciative gaze skim over her before he vacated the room, most likely going back to check in with the grounds security team.
"Thank you," Oliver said deeply, "for doing this. And you look beautiful tonight."
Felicity turned and smiled at him, her face glowing with simple pleasure. "Thank you, you, as well. Not that you need to be told that. You pretty much walk around with the attitude that people should admire you no matter what you you're pretending to be…"
Hearing footsteps approach, Oliver quickly stepped closer to her, pressing a kiss to her neck just below her ear. "Show time," he said quietly, weaving his fingers through hers.
That was how Walter found them, standing close together, Oliver's head dipped low, their fingers laced together. "Oliver, and Felicity. Welcome."
Felicity jumped a little despite Oliver's warning, but there was genuine happiness in her face for her boss. "Walter, I mean, Mr. Steel, hi."
"I think you can call me Walter, Felicity. Especially while you are a guest in our home."
Walter waved them towards a formal reception room, that housed several couches and a bar cart, inquiring if either of them would like something to drink.
"Oh, God yes. Please. I could really use a drink. Something. Anything to help me relax, I mean this… is lovely, really, and I appreciate the invitation, but I…" her hands fluttered with her nerves and Oliver smiled, seeing Walter was similarly affectionately amused by Felicity.
"Felicity likes red wine," Oliver said smoothly.
Walter moved to the bar cart, opening a bottle of wine for and letting it breath as mixed himself an Old-fashioned, a classic bourbon drink served on the rocks with muddled and Angostura bitters. "I knew that Oliver had come to you for help with his... what was it?"
"Laptop," both Oliver and Felicity said quickly.
"Yes, his laptop, but I had no idea it had progressed to a more personal level," Walter said in his posh accent, but with a warmth to his tone and expression that let them know that he wasn't upset by the idea.
Before Walter could inquire again about a drink for Oliver, Thea appeared. "I'll have a white wine spritzer, sir," she said in an imperious tone, her eyes gleaming.
"I'll make you a Shirley Temple," Walter offered in reply, handing Felicity her glass of wine.
"You're no fun," Thea shot back quickly, approaching Felicity, her eyes raking over the blonde from head to toe.
Felicity quickly took a sip of her wine, looking at Thea as if she were a rattlesnake coiled to strike. "Wow, this is good, like really good. It must be expensive. I mean of course it's expensive, this is hardly the place I would come to expecting cheap liquor, not that I was expecting anything, but…" Oliver squeezed her hand, and Felicity bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stop talking.
Thea watched the interaction with sharp eyes, tilting her head as she widened her assessing look to include Oliver with his girlfriend. "I'm Thea, and you're Oliver's girlfriend, Felicity," she stated, noticing Felicity's small flinch at her words. "Not his friend, as previously stated," Thea said with a sideways look at Oliver who looked pained.
"Uh, hi. Oliver speaks fondly of you," Felicity said, extending her hand to the teenager.
"Well that's something, he barely speaks to me at all. Unless it's to say how he disapproves of my life," Thea complained.
"Oh, uh, well. As an older sister, I get that. You want what is best for your little sister. You worry, you imagine that they're going to make the same mistakes as you, and you just want to make sure nothing ever happens to them, wanting to keep them from getting hurt, but of course, that's not possible. And then there's the mistakes you didn't make, but they might, but since you're a girl, and Oliver is a boy… Obviously. Uh, but not just a guy, or any guy, but Oliver Queen, I mean let's face it he's a big sister's worst nightmare for her little sister. Or big brother I guess," she paused only long enough to look at Oliver seeing his tight smile, one she knew was fake and meant he was biting his tongue. "I bet you've probably met a few unhappy older siblings, but before the island, clearly, because, I mean since you've been back you've been, well, and now there's me, and… I should stop talking. Now." She grimaced, looking at Oliver in apology. "Sorry."
With Thea's gaze locked on Felicity, she spoke to Oliver. "I like her, she's… not what I expected. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. You're not Oliver's usual bimbo," she said with the zealous glee of a younger sibling landing a hit on the older sibling. "Or the awkward girl who came to see Walter in the hospital, but instead it's you."
"Me?" Felicity squeaked."
"Be nice," Oliver commanded.
"You. Clearly you're smart, though I'm not sure what your taste in men says about you. Pretty, though you don't seem to know it, and yet you're wearing a Roland Mouret dress. That is a Roland Mouret dress, isn't it?"
"Ah… yes?" Felicity said in a questioning tone.
"Interesting," Thea said with narrowed, inquisitive eyes.
"Excuse Thea," Walter said as he handed the younger girl a very red sugary drink. "We were all a bit surprised by the news that Oliver was dating, especially that he was dating someone seriously, that we knew, and liked."
"I don't see why, I mean why you would be surprised, not why you like me, which, by the way, thank you. I like you too. But Oliver dates, I mean he dates more than I do, or he has since he returned from the island anyway. And before the island, if the stories are true."
"They are," Thea snorted.
Felicity's eyes shot to Thea, the two sharing a look of amusement before Felicity continued in her rambling thought. "I mean there was Helena, and McKenna, and-"
"I think that's enough," Oliver said with a tense look.
"No, Ollie, let her continue," Thea said happily.
"I think we'll be ready to go into dinner as soon as Moira makes an apperance," Walter cut in, playing peacekeeper easily and smiling at Felicity warmly. "Thea, how did you do on your math test?" he inquired in an obvious attempt to divert the teenager.
Oliver squeezed Felicity's hand, and she turned her head quickly towards him. "What? I didn't say anything."
"You're doing great," Oliver said with one of his real smiles. Dipping his head close to hers and lowering his voice, he spoke quietly enough to keep his words private. "They're not questioning it, at all."
"Oliver, I'm sure that Ms. Smoke did not come here to be pawed at," Moira Queen's voice rang out, causing Felicity to spring away from Oliver with a guilty look.
"Well this certainly not where I come to be pawed at," Thea drawled.
"Thea please, let's endeavor to give Ms. Smoak a somewhat positive opinion of us," Moira said imperially.
"It's Felicity, and she's dating Ollie, I think she has a flexible mind, able to see the good even in-"
"Good evening Mom," Oliver greeted, cutting off his sister. "Let's eat," he said with a bright smile, wanting to get to dinner so the evening could start and hopefully end before Felicity melted down, or teamed up with Thea to make him regret returning to Starling City at all.
~~ARROW~~
Sitting down at a gigantic table, that could easily seat 20 people, Felicity felt her nerves settle, since she was no longer the focal point as attention turned to dinner and inquiring about each other's day. Felicity happy ate the soup and salad that was brought out, one course after the other, but mostly ignored her entrée, looking around the room instead, noting the casual display of extreme wealth.
"Felicity?" Walter's voice interrupted her reverie.
Huh? Oh, sorry, I was looking at the vase." Seeing the family's blank looks, Felicity pointed to a blue and white vase sitting on a narrow table against one wall. "It's Chinese, right? Ming Dynasty?"
"Yes," Moira said with a slight smile. "You know art."
"Felicity's mother is a sculptor," Oliver interjected easily.
"Clay?" Moira inquired politely.
"No, metal. It's… pretty awesome actually. I didn't get any of her artistic skill, but I did learn to admire art from her."
"Where are you from, Ms. Smoke?" Moira asked, taking a bite of her steak.
"Felicity, her name is Felicity," Thea grumbled.
"Coast City," Felicity said quickly.
Moira suddenly looked thoughtful. "I purchased a sculpture from an artist in Coast City a few years back. It's a wonderful mix of abstract and tangible, it's in the rose garden. I believe the artist was Meaghan Abramsky.
"She kept her maiden name professionally," Felicity said.
"Why didn't you say something Oliver," Moira exclaimed.
"I didn't know."
"Is something wrong with your steak, Felicity?" Walter asked, drawing attention to the fact that Felicity hadn't eaten more than a few bites off her plate.
"No, I mean, it looks perfect. Fine. I just, the salad filled me up and I was…"
"Saving room for dessert?" Oliver guessed.
"Yes. Sorry, I know, I shouldn't, please don't tell my mother."
Moira smiled, her first real smile of the evening, and looked but amused and intrigued with Oliver's newest girlfriend.
"I may have told felicity that Chef was making a bread pudding with chocolate and figs," Oliver said in a teasing tone.
Moira set down her fork and knife, her movements precise, perfectly ladylike and smiled. "Well, then lets request dessert now, if everyone is amenable." Moira rang a small bell that sat next to her place setting and smiled at her son. "Oliver, tell me how you met Felicity, I have a feeling it will be an… entertaining story."
Feeling the warmth of his mother's gaze, her approval radiating from her eyes, Oliver felt some of his mixed emotions for her fade. She was his mother, she loved him. If she'd made mistakes he owed it to her to listen, to try to understand.
Felicity's watched as a boyish smile, one she'd never seen graced the masculine planes of his face. For a moment, he looked younger, innocent still. And Innocent was never a word Felicity would have imagined using to describe Oliver before that moment.
~~ARROW~~
Dessert was much more relaxed and informal than dinner had been, and they moved to a comfortable, and much less pretentious family room.
Oliver sat next to Felicity on the couch, his thigh touching hers, his hand finding hers again. Conversation flowed among the family members, Felicity taking the opportunity to remain quiet, and therefore reduce the risk of exposure and/or humiliation. After a half hour, Moira and Walter left them, Walter retired to his office, leaving his wife to go to bed alone.
As soon as her parents left the room, Thea turned her attention back to Felicity. "You must go to Verdant a lot."
"Oh, um, some, not a lot," Felicity laughed awkwardly "What is a lot?"
"Well that's where Oliver spends his nights, or so he says…"
"Oh, well, yeah, I mean, I guess you could say I'm a regular," Felicity stumbled over her words.
"We should hang out one night," Thea declared with a smile.
"What?" Felicity exclaimed, her panic rising.
"At Verdant. We can get to know each other better while Ollie works."
"No," Oliver said simply.
"Not talking to you," Thea said in a sing song voice.
"What do you say Felicity?"
"Oh, well, I mean, I go to Verdant. Clearly, but it's not really my scene. I don't really have the right kind of clothes to hang out. Fit in. Be one of the cool kids. Not like you. I love your dress. Your style. I mean from what I've seen. Tonight, and in the papers. Not that I read-"
"You can borrow something from me, lets go look in my closet."
"Thea…" Oliver said, but knew that short of picking Felicity up and removing her from the house, nothing would stop his sister from doing exactly what she wanted, which at the moment was getting to know Felicity better, without Oliver.
Felicity shot Oliver a helpless look, pleading silently for help as Thea wrapped her hand around Felicity's other wrist (the one not attached to the hand that Oliver still held) and pulled the blonde up and out of the room, ascending the stairs towards Thea's bedroom.
Closing the door behind them, Thea turned to Felicity with an avid gaze that made Felicity's heart race. "Now we can really talk. Without Ollie or my parents hovering over us. Tell me, what made you take a chance on my brother? You seem smart-"
"I am smart, I…"
"And you clearly know Oliver's reputation, so what sold you on him?"
"I… I wouldn't say I was sold… more… still… trying him on?" Felicity said with a cringe.
~~ARROW~~
AN- For people who reviewed that Felicity Babbled too much here... take a look at when she babbled, it was excessive and it was deliberate. Freak out number one: arrival at Oliver's home. next one: Enter Walter. Next several: Thea, Thea, Thea. She calmed down until Thea came at her later.