A/N: Yee. Dean getting under Oliver's skin is fun to write:) If you're waiting for the action, don't worry! It's coming!
Thanks Gang, for the love!
Nerd On!
Chapter 7: Oliver
Oliver had a problem trusting people. So, last night after Sam and Dean told them everything they knew about vampires, he called up John Constantine. And just like Dean said, Constantine vouched for the two brothers.
"Ah! You finally ran into those two buggahs?" he said with a laugh through the phone. Oliver heard the flick of a lighter and Constantine's inhale. He then proceeded to call them snarky pieces of work, but he trusted them and even knew their dad. They were good hunters, easily the best in North America. That both surprised Oliver and didn't . . . there was just something about the brothers. He then drilled Constantine on what he knew about vampires. All the information added up. The Winchesters were the real deal.
The next day, Oliver acquired two pints of "Dead Man's Blood" from the city morgue by using a little misdirection, a smile and well, a little fire. He'd had to get creative since he couldn't bust down the doors in his Arrow suit and literally demand blood. He was trying to repair the public's perception of him after all. The blood bags sat on the passenger seat, wiggling with the car's motions as he drove back to the Foundry and the Winchesters. He shook his head. Dead Man's Blood. Jesus. Oliver had seen some pretty crazy things in his life, yes, even magic . . . but he was still wrapping his head around the supernatural, and mostly because of Constantine's last words over the phone: "Oh, and give Dean a smack about the head, will ya? For me? Tell him he isn't the only one who's been to Hell and been brought back up by Angels, so quit with all the sass."
Hell? Angels? Dean had been to Hell? And been saved by Angels? Oliver used to think that his five years on Lian Yu were Hell. . . but now he was thinking he'd have to come up with a different adjective for his time spent on the island. The world was an even bigger and scarier place than what he had previously thought. If there is a Hell, than there must be a Heaven. If there are Angels, there really must be demons. Oliver had thought Constantine's previous mentions of demons was a joke or even a metaphor for something. He was wrong apparently. And if there is all those things, there must be a God . . . and a devil. Oliver took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tighter. He had to compartmentalize. And in box number one: Keep Starling City safe.
It had just started to drizzle when Oliver pulled up to the Foundry's alley. He looked around before stuffing the blood bags into his coat pocket and threw a thought out there that a garage might be a good thing to add to the Foundry. Leaving the Bentley here was just asking for trouble, but hopefully the rain would deter most people from heading outside today. He turned up his collar, opened the door and made a dash to the Foundry. Arguing voices came through the last security door and made Oliver pause.
"Dean. I'm fine! I should be there tonight! You're going to need my help." Sam's voice said.
"Sam. You can't even lift your arm over your head. You aren't strong enough to chop wood, let alone a vampire's head off. Oliver, Diggle and I can handle it. Now shut up and bring those building plans back up."
Oliver figured it was safe enough to enter then, so he opened the door like he always did. Apparently that was very quietly, because when his foot touched the top of the stairs with a soft clunk, Sam and Dean whipped around, guns in hand and pointed up at him. Sam winced and brought a hand to his side. Oliver just blinked. He was not used to having weapons drawn on him in his own secret lair.
Sam grumbled an apology, while Dean said something under his breath about damn silent green vigilantes. Oliver walked down the stairs and over to the two. They were looking at the warehouse's building plans on the computer. Good. He pulled the blood bags out of his coat and plopped them down on the table next to them. "Is that enough?"
Dean raised his eyebrows at the bags and then up at Oliver. "Plenty. How'd you score that much Queeny?"
Oliver ignored the stupid nickname Dean had started calling him and smiled back, his face giving nothing away. "Being a handsome billionaire has its perks," Oliver lied. Sam's mouth twitched and he glanced at his brother. Dean pursed his lips and nodded, acquiescing round one of the day to Oliver.
"So," Oliver said and turned back to the computer. "Any thoughts on how tonight should go down?"
"Only that Sam isn't coming."
Oliver raised his own eyebrows although he'd heard as much from upstairs.
"He'll slow us down. He's too hurt."
Oliver sighed, he really didn't want to call Roy in on this. His mind isn't the right place, and to add all of this on top? "Can we do this with just you, Digg and me?"
"If you're as good as you say you are, then yes."
One more dig like that, and you'll find out. Oliver rolled his shoulders back and said without a trace of annoyance, "Don't worry about me." There. Felicity would be proud. Then pointed to the computer and the warehouse plans. "The shots last night came from here and here on the second floor. Digg and I made the mistake of coming in from the ground level. Let's switch it up a little tonight."
Sam leaned forward, and again his hand flew to his side. He was in way more pain than he was letting on. Still, he asked like nothing was wrong, "What did you have in mind?"
Oliver looked at Dean. "How do you feel about heights?"
XXXX
The plan was as good as it was going to get, so they set about getting the weapons in the Foundry ready. All arrowheads were sharpened and dipped in the Dead Man's Blood. Four different bows, checked and ready to go. Three short swords, and a couple knifes later, everything was prepared.
Oliver noticed Dean admiring one of his newest longbows. He walked over with every intention of being cordial, but instead said, "You ever handle one of those before?"
Dean glanced over to him and set the bow back down. "We'll we were raised with a little more modern weapons. But yeah, I've used a longbow before, a crossbow a bunch more though. I've got one in my car that was my Dad's from, God, the 70's?"
Oliver nodded intrigued, "You got anything else in your car that could help tonight?"
Dean smirked at his brother and then Oliver. "Yeah, we've got a few tricks in the trunk."
Sam decided to stay behind and wait for Felicity and Digg to get back, so Oliver and Dean started up to his car. When Dean opened the alley door and spotted the Bentley, he whistled. He looked over at Oliver and gave him a smile that actually reached his eyes. The first Oliver had seen. "A Bentley Continental GT3-R?" Dean shook his head in appreciation.
"You know your cars."
"That I do. Although my tastes lean a little more . . . old school. But man, is she a beauty."
Oliver pressed the unlock button and got it, Dean followed suit. "I'm more of a motorcycle guy myself. They're easier to maneuver about in the city."
"So that's why the leather suit. . ."
"Yeah, partly." Then Oliver pulled out of the alley and they fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Dean started looking around the interior, squirming around every minute or so. Oliver made himself take a breath. He hated when people couldn't be still. Another minute went by before Dean finally said, "So, you and Felicity . . .you a thing? Or not a thing?"
Oliver took another deep breath and reminded himself that strangling someone and trying to drive at the same time wouldn't be easy. "No, we are not a thing."
"But you have a thing for her. And she obviously has a thing for you. So why can't you let it become something," he paused and smiled. "where you both get to do fun things between the sheets? I mean, come on, man! She's gorgeous, she's flippin off the charts smart. She walks around in those dresses and damn high heels all day. She's obviously down with the hero/vigilante deal. And those heels! Have you noticed how they make her-"
Oliver cut him off. "I've noticed."
"Then what's the deal man? 'Cause if you're not going to be making any moves on her . . ." Dean left the sentence open, but Oliver got the picture. Dean wouldn't mind trying.
A worry that Oliver didn't know was there popped up at the thought of Felicity with Dean, or anyone for that matter. He swallowed an angry retort and instead said, "Just last night you said you didn't want to get us involved in your world. That it was too dangerous and people around you die. Now you want to get a little closer to Felicity? Maybe get involved with her? She's not a one night stand kind of girl, Dean. She's not like any girl." He saw Dean look out the window, smile gone from his face. "She's a forever kind of girl. And guys like you and me, we can't promise to give that to her. We can't even promise to keep her safe."
Dean was still looking out the window when he said, "So what happens when some guy comes along? Who knows, maybe some joe-shmoe guy who will take her away from all this crazy. What will you do then? Let her walk away?"
That worry, that deep in his stomach worry, that worry that spread out through his bones popped up again. But all Oliver said was, "I don't let her do anything. She's her own person. If she wants to walk away, then I'll be happy she's finally safe."
Dean scoffed. "That's the thing though, man. She's happy where she's at. Safe or not. I've only known her for a day, and even I can tell that. And like you said. . . you don't get to decide, she's her own person."
They fell into another uncomfortable silence, both of them giving up the conversation. It was heading to a deeper place than either of them had meant it to go. Dean waited a whole minute before he started moving around again.
Jesus Christ.
"I talked to Constantine last night," Oliver said into the silence.
"Figured you would. How is old Johnny boy?"
"Good. Although he had some choice words to say about you."
Dean smirked. "Ahh, he's still pissed about the first time Sammy and I met him." He looked over at Oliver and studied him. "You see, I almost iced him before I realized he was also trying to send a pretty nasty demon back to Hell." Oliver's face showed no surprise. After his talk with Constantine last night, he was ready for this conversation. "So, he's filled you in a little more, has he?" Dean asked with a little laugh.
Oliver pulled into the parking garage and rounded up and up until he found the black Impala he'd seen on the computer after Felicity's research on Dean. He parked in the slot next to it and turn off the ignition. He kept his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on his hands.
"So, Hell. It's real?"
"Sure as shit."
"Demons?"
"Real."
"Angels?"
"Buncha douche bags," Dean said and got out of the car. "I'll meet you back at the Foundry."
