Title: A Successful Interrogation
Words: 2611
Pairings: Laurel/Oliver and Daniel/Felicity
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Done.

Summary: Laurel and Oliver host a dinner to get to know Daniel, Felicity's new beau, to make sure that's he good enough for their girl.


"Laurel, why do I have to get dressed?" He asked. "We're just having dinner in your apartment," He said as he fixed his tie for the evening.

She rolled her eyes. "Because it's not just dinner in my apartment, Ollie. It's dinner with Felicity and Daniel Davies. And I need everyone to look their best so that he knows we expect the best for her." She said as she fixed his black silk tie for him. "You never do this right."

"Five years on an island and you sort of forget the stuff like how to do the tie that your girlfriend always did for you anyway." He said as he looked in the mirror. "Besides, it's sexier when you do it." He whispered and kissed her behind the ear.

She closed her eyes for a minute and indulged him, but didn't let it go much longer than that, because when he went to go a little further, she opened her eyes and put a hand on his chest. "We cannot have sex now." She told him firmly.

"Ah, come on, it'd loosen you up. Make you nicer for the dinner of doom." He said as he tried to capture her waist.

She shook her head. "Nope. We need to be on our sharpest, because we are gonna interrogate Daniel Davies together, remember," She said, holding his face. He nodded. "Good, now, can you make sure that dinner is ready and the table is set while I change into my dress for the evening?"

He chuckled and nodded. He left the room, but not before giving her a kiss on the forehead while she dropped her t-shirt on the floor, thankfully out of the way of the door. At least no one would see the mess in there. He didn't actually care that much about the mess they left the apartment in, but Laurel was insistent about house guests seeing nothing less than her perfect apartment.

He checked on the beef wellington, which he made and smiled, perfectly done. There were also truffle mashed potatoes and carrot risotto. He also looked in the oven where Laurel's red velvet brownies were. They were done, so he turned the oven off and let it set on the top of the stove for a minute, just to let the oven cool off, before putting them back in.

The doorbell rang and Oliver looked in on Laurel who was struggling with a zipper. "Here," He said as he put his hand firmly on her back and zipped her up. A red dress against her pale skin, it looked amazing. the doorbell rang again. "They're here."

She turned around and smiled at him. "Are you nervous?" She asked him while she stretched up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He shook his head. "I'll only be nervous if I get blood on that gorgeous dress of yours. Although that would be a great way to get you out of it," He said as he stroked his imaginary beard.

She shoved him in front of the door and smiled as she opened it. He nearly immediately put his hand on the small of her back and they both smiled at the couple who stood before them, "Hey guys," Felicity said as the sweat rolled down her forehead, "So we're here. This is my boss and new boyfriend Daniel Davies," She said. "Daniel, these are my friends, and he is my ex-boss, Oliver Queen."

"I've heard such good things about you," Daniel said with a kind blush. "Felicity said that you don't drink, so I brought you these," Daniel said as he pulled out a nice arrangement of beautiful lavender and cream roses.

"And for the record, we do drink, just not in front of her father. Who believes the only way to quit a bad habit is cold turkey and abstinence. Laurel and I have been working on her road back to normalcy," Oliver said as Felicity went with Laurel into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase.

Felicity looked at Laurel, "So you and Oliver working on the road back to normalcy with drinking. That must mean that trust is pretty intimate." She said with an eyebrow raised.

Laurel smiled. "You know already?"

"Laur," Felicity said as she grabbed her friend's shoulders. "You have nothing to worry about. In fact, you both could use a little companionship. Being a superhero is hard work and there are only so many people you can share that with. He's a good one."

"You mean you're okay, with me and Oliver? I thought you wanted it to be you and Oliver if Daniel didn't work out." She said, looking over Felicity's shoulder to make sure the boys hadn't killed each other in the time that they were chatting over flowers.

Felicity shook her head. Oliver and her. She didn't know if it would work out in the way that she had wanted it to for so long. "You know, I did, but if tonight goes well, I have to say, I don't see this ending for awhile. Besides, even if I wanted Oliver, I would have had to face the fact that any girl who gets him, they don't really get him. They just have a loan on him. You're always gonna be his girl."

Laurel smiled to Felicity before she left as Felicity followed behind her into the living room. Laurel put the flowers on an end table by the couch and smiled over to Oliver. Felicity went to stand by Daniel who kissed her on the head. "So what are we having? Because I am starved." Daniel said.

Oliver opened his mouth but before he could get any words out, Laurel started, "We have Beef Wellington with truffle mashed potatoes and a carrot risotto. I'll start making plates if Oliver would like to pour some wine,"

When dinner was served, Laurel looked over to Daniel, Felicity still sat beside him, nervous like a bunny that her friends wouldn't like her new boyfriend.

"So how did you guys start talking about something other than work?" Laurel asked as she stared at Dan while cutting her food.

Dan chuckled a little. "Well, I mean Felicity is one of the best assistants I could ask for. She's funny and brilliant and knows how to answer a phone, not to mention she looks great which is an asset to the team, but she accidently put a personal date in my calendar and so I ended up at her place."

"Yeah," Felicity said, with a sparkle in her eye, "I was so surprised he came. I mean over at my place." At that moment everyone stopped and almost let her keep going even though it might make her uncomfortable. It didn't even register to the rest of the table that she had something slightly dirty until she paused and pointed it out with her silence. "I mean that he was in my apartment, while I was having my Harry Potter Marathon with a couple of my colleagues."

"So the boss came to a non-work function?" Oliver asked as he poured some wine.

Daniel laughed. "Well, you know, I thought maybe since my very valuable assistant who is very good at her job put it in my calendar that it would be important."

"So how'd you like it?" Felicity asked.

Daniel blushed and looked to Laurel and Oliver and then looked to Felicity, "I loved it. I mean your buddies are so very passionate about Harry Potter. I admit I was a little out of place, but I always sort of feel like I am."

"I mean it could have been worse. It could have been the day when you showed me your willy." Felicity said without thinking.

Oliver choked on his wine and Laurel's fork dropped to her plate. "He showed you his willy?" Laurel asked as she picked up her napkin and coughed into it.

"Well yes, but not in this instance. It's not what you think, I promise," Felicity said as she blushed bright pink. "His wooly willy." She said and she realized that wasn't better. She put her hand on her face and then pulled it down. "Dan, why don't you take this?" She asked.

"Of course," He said, kissing her on the top of the head, before he turned to Laurel and Oliver. "It's a toy. It's an antique toy from the 1950s. I feel nostalgic for mine, but my nephew whenever he comes to the office loves to play with it. And it was his birthday just a few weeks ago, so I asked Felicity to find another for me. But in order for her to find the right one, she needed to see it." He said and laughed. "I admit, I didn't sell it well. Sold it about as well as Felicity just did."

"So you like antique toys and charity events? Those are some pretty varied interests." Oliver said. He put a bite in his mouth and looked at Daniel in the eye.

Laurel slapped him with the back of her hand. "You can give the guy a little bit of credit. I mean that dance was pretty amazing. Even if we had to deal with Max." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, did Max harass you two? Felicity didn't tell me that you guys had problems with Max. Or else we would have chosen a different venue. Or tried to be there."

Laurel put her hand on Daniel's wrist and smiled. "Felicity didn't know. Max had a problem with Oliver and a friend."

"You can say his name. Just because he's dead, doesn't mean we can't say his name. And it's not your fault." Oliver said as he kissed Laurel's temple and held her hand.

Laurel nodded and let out a breathe. "Max had a problem with Oliver because before Ollie came back from the dead, Oliver Queen slept with Max Fuller's fiancee at the rehearsal dinner. There was an altercation for Oliver and Tommy. Which I got in on and kick Max's ass. Which got us all banned for life." She smiled. She liked recounting the tale of kicking Max's ass because he deserved it. "Luckily your friend Julian was there."

"How'd you like Julian? Felicity said that you wanted to meet some of my single friends. Julian, he's one of the best people I know, but he has the worst luck with women. And men. I'm surprised he didn't hit on you, Oliver." Daniel said as he smiled.

Laurel and Oliver looked at each other and their lips turned up. "He flirted with Laurel, but I don't think I was his type. Maybe he didn't know I was available." He said looking into Laurel's eyes.

"Maybe I should tell him," Felicity said as she smiled to Oliver and Laurel with her eyes while keeping them on the plate.

Oliver set his utensils down and wiped his face with his napkin. "I don't really think that's a good idea, because I'm taken at the moment."

"Maybe he'd be a good fit for Laurel then," Dan's eyes twinkled as he winked at Laurel.

Oliver's eyes got as big as dinner plates for a second and then he slowed down his breathing. "Well, I think that would put Laurel in an awkward position since she's dating me," Oliver said as he took her hand and smiled into her eyes. "I have no idea why she takes me back, but I love that she does,"

"You owe me 100 bucks, Liss." Dan said as his grin widened.

Laurel and Oliver looked between them and then to Felicity and Daniel, "Wait, you were betting on us?"

"No, you totally owe me. I was the one who said it would come out at dinner. You said they would get together at dinner." She said with a bright smile and it was clear that Felicity was gonna stay with this guy for awhile.

Daniel shook his head. "I totally overheard you in the kitchen with Laurel. It came out to you in the kitchen before dinner."

"Wait, you were paying attention to what was happening in the kitchen earlier?" Oliver said as he looked Daniel in the eye.

He nodded. "Come on, you telling me you weren't? I saw your eyes go to that window. I mean from what Felicity has told me about the amount of people who have broken into your apartment." He said as he blushed a little. "We can totally help you with that by the way."

Laurel chuckled. "We've pretty much figured that out."

"That's good. I'd hate for anything to happen to Felicity's closest friends. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous coming over here, but we had the big meeting with my friends too. And of course, they all fell head over heels for Ms. Smoak," He said as he scrunched his face at Felicity.

"Well," Laurel said as she realized that plates were all cleaned. "Why don't we get dessert on?"

Oliver stood up and pulled out Laurel's chair and followed her to the kitchen. "So what do you think about him?"

"I think he likes her. Like more than likes her. And I think he's funny and charming and he's answered all of the questions that we've both had. They've done the meet the friends and she's met his father. And he showed her something really personal."

Oliver looked over to the happy couple gushing over each other with their hands entwined and shook his head. "You're right." He took some plates out of a cupboard. "Are you okay, about tonight?"

"You telling Daniel that you didn't want Julian to be hitting on either of us, because we were dating, yeah, I was okay with that." She said as she got out a knife and started cutting the red velvet brownies. "I'm glad that we're telling people now."

Oliver started putting the brownies on the plates and smiled to Daniel and Felicity to come over. "So Laurel made Red Velvet Brownies for you two," He said as he gave them each a plate and Laurel gave them forks.

"So what's the verdict of this interrogation?" Felicity asked as she dove into the red velvet brownie. "This is delicious by the way."

Laurel laughed. "We like him."

"Well, Laurel likes him. I'm okay with him. And I will not hesitate to break you," He said now looking at Daniel, "if you hurt her. But if you keep her happy, we'll be happy. And I think you've a spot at the next Queen Charity event."

"Oh, totally, if you hurt her, taking you out by the kneecaps will seem like a blessing," Laurel said and she looked like a fierce little dog. She was definitely not someone Felicity would mess with. "But I like you. And he'll come around," Laurel said as she bumped Oliver with her shoulder.

Daniel took a glass from the table and took a drink from it, "I promise you I fully expect that. If someone didn't threaten me with bodily harm for dating her, I think it'd be a lost trip. And now I've got two of you." He said.

"Do you want your glass?" Oliver asked Laurel.

Laurel nodded. "Yes, I would." She said as she kissed him on the cheek.

Oliver brought back hers and his own. "I think this deserves a toast, but what to?" He asked.

"Let's toast to," Felicity started, "A successful interrogation?"

Laurel nodded. "That sounds like the right thing. To a successful interrogation."

And the boys joined in. "To a successful interrogation."