Oliver wanted to pace. He wanted to move, but what was keeping him in his spot was that Felicity could see him from the camera. It had been 24 hours since his arrest, and from the basics of law he'd learned from Laurel, the police had the right to hold him for 48 hours without cause.
Oliver ran a hand through his hair. No one had seen him since Lance put him in this cell. Except for whoever was watching the cameras, and certainly Felicity. Hacking into police cell block cameras would be child's play for her. The thought made him smile, and his heart pounded as he heard the door open.
He looked up and saw Lance and another officer standing there, with the Captain who was frowning. Glancing back at the two men, the Captain moved to his cell and unlocked the door.
"Mr. Queen, I apologize that we've had to bring you in for questioning. It appears though that we were mistaken. You're free to go." The Captain stood by the open door, and Oliver stepped out. He nodded to Lance and began to walk out of the cells but stopped. Turning to the Captain he raised an eyebrow.
"Why am I being released Captain?"
The man swallowed. "It appears that the evidence against Ms. Smoak was handled poorly, and the detectives placed evidence. It was a terrible mistake on our part, and on Ms. Rochev's, who is holding a public apology in about an hour."
Oliver smiled. "I see."
He turned and walked down the hallway, through the bull pen, and out the front door. Reporters milled about, shouting at Oliver as he stopped and saw Dig standing there, smiling as he opened the door to the Bentley. With a smile of his own, Oliver quickly slid in, to find Felicity sitting in the car as well, a safe distance to not be seen by the cameras. Dig shut the door, and began to walk around the car as Oliver crushed the blonde genius to him.
As the car began to move, neither one eased the embrace. Oliver felt the hot tears dampening his shirt, and he swallowed tears of his own.
"We have to get you changed, b,b-before the press release." She whispered to him, her lips brushing his neck.
Oliver nodded, and didn't let her go. "How are you? Felicity are you okay?"
He felt her smile. "Yeah. I'm okay."
Oliver ran a hand down her back, gently laying it over the scar from her surgery. "Are you sure?"
Felicity eased back, and lifted her tear stained face to him. "I'm fine."
Oliver rubbed a thumb on her cheek. "Don't say fine."
She smiled, and cupped his cheek. Oliver closed his eyes, turning his face to press a kiss to her palm.
"I'm here." She whispered, as he pulled her closer for a kiss.
"ETA is about an hour you two," Dig's voice came over the divider. The two broke, Felicity blushing and Oliver smirking. Felicity smacked Oliver's arm, and began muttering about rules.
Dig laughed, and turned down a side street.
"Where are we going Dig?"
Felicity smiled. "To the lair. You need to shower, change, and eat before this conference Mr. Queen."
Dig pulled up to the back alley of Verdant, and parked the car. Oliver stepped out, and gently reached back in, scooping Felicity up into his arms. She sighed, and laid her head on his shoulder. Dig stepped ahead of them, and punched the code into the door, holding it open as they went in.
Sara clanged up the Salmon ladder, dropping on hearing the door open. Poising one of her knives in her hand to throw she faced the staircase.
"Sara? It's John."
She huffed out a breath, relaxing at the code. They'd decided in lieu of the recent break-ins to use last names as a signal for distress. In Dig's case, he used his first name. Sara placed the knife back on the rack, and moved to the stairs, watching as Dig came down, followed by Oliver carrying Felicity.
"As much as I like our new lair, it's good to be home." Felicity smiled, and Sara smiled back. Oliver put Felicity in her chair, and didn't move for a few moments. Sara almost snorted because Oliver was so afraid to leave his Girl-Friday alone again. Felicity rolled her eyes, and raised an eyebrow up at him.
"You have a shower with your name on it. Take less than five minutes, we're in a crunch here. Dig left a suit in the bathroom for you, change into that. Then come out here and eat the Big Belly Burger before we go."
Oliver smiled and nodded, not moving from in front of her. Felicity crossed her arms. "Now please Oliver? We have to get to QC so Isabitch can apologize to me on camera."
Oliver backed up and went to the bathroom, just as he was coming to the door he heard Dig say, "He's totally whipped by a blonde IT nerd."
Felicity huffed. "I prefer bitch with wifi."
Moira waited at the doors to the QC parking garage. It had been a brilliant ploy of Ms. Rochev's to plan the press conference at QC, but in the end, she still looked like a fool.
Thea stood next to her, Walter standing on her other side. She was planning on talking to her children after the elections on Tuesday about Malcolm. It was time to get past the lies and move forward with their lives.
"ETA is a less than a minute Mrs. Queen." The bodyguard next to her stated, touching his ear.
Moira nodded.
The man nodded, and Moira looked back into the garage. They would only have a few minutes to get everyone ready for this press conference. Moira knew not to answer any questions, as the Queen family release was already released when Oliver was let out of jail about an hour ago.
The Bentley pulled into the garage, and up to the curb. Mr. Diggle stepped out and nodded to Moira, who smiled back. He didn't walk around the car to open the door for Oliver, who instead opened the door for himself. As he stepped out in the dark grey suit, Oliver smiled opening his arms as Thea jumped at him. He hugged her back, whispering in her ear. Thea began to ease her hold on him, and Oliver turned to Moira.
"Mom," he smiled, and gently hugged her.
Moira sighed. "I never doubted your innocence." Oliver gently squeezed her.
A door clicked shut, and Oliver released her, turning to the car. Mr. Diggle had brought a black wheelchair out, a brightly colored pillow on it. Thea gasped, and Moira smiled. Oliver turned to the open door and reached inside.
Mr. Diggle had parked the wheelchair on the curb near the door, but it was still a few steps for Ms. Smoak to walk. Oliver gently wrapped his hands on her elbows and lifted her out of the car. She looked beautiful, eyes sparkling behind her dark frame glasses, hair curled and half pinned back, bright pink lips, light pink peacoat, and a dark green dress with a black belt. Moira almost laughed when she saw the color of her dress. Black knitted tights into knee high boots completed the look.
Oliver's eyes never left her as he put his hands on her waist, and lifted her up the curb. Ms. Smoak blushed as Oliver carefully set her down in front of the wheelchair. He smiled, and eased her down into the chair as Mr. Diggle shut the Bentley door, handing the keys to another guard to park the car.
Tears began to fill Moira's eyes. Oliver's treatment of Ms. Smoak was attentive, caring, with absolute love for her. It was how Walter treated her, how Robert had in the beginning of their marriage, and towards the end when they began to reconnect.
Oliver smiled, and Mr. Diggle pushed Ms. Smoak towards the group.
"Mom, Thea, you've met Felicity." Oliver smiled at them, and Felicity smiled as well.
Moira stepped forward, taking Felicity's hand in her. "I'm glad to see you're safe. Ms. Smoak."
Felicity smiled at Moira. "I'm glad to no longer be in hiding Mrs. Queen. Please call me Felicity."
Moira squeezed her hand, and let go. She turned and lead the procession into QC.
Felicity smiled as Oliver walked beside her, Thea moving to flank her other side.
"I'm glad that you've been proven innocent Felicity. Not that I thought for a minute that you were guilty." Thea stated, smiling.
Felicity smiled back. "I know. How are you holding up Thea? Where's Roy?"
Thea's smile fell a little, but she shrugged. "I don't know. He just disappeared before Oliver was arrested."
Felicity reached out and took Thea's hand. The younger woman looked at her, and Felicity smiled back. "I'm sure wherever he is, it's important. You mean so much to him."
Thea smiled, and nodded, but didn't let go of Felicity's hand. The group turned a corner and there stood Isabel with the Police Commissioner. Isabel didn't smile, but the Commissioner did. He stepped forward, and shook Moira's hand, then Oliver's before stopping before Felicity.
"Ms. Smoak, I am sincerely sorry for what happened. On behalf of the Starling Police force, I apologize for the suffering you've gone through. Ms. Rochev did not consult our CSI department for processing the scenes in their entirety, and the detectives who charged you formally will be reprimanded."
Felicity smiled, and nodded. "Thank you Commissioner. I know that your men were only doing their jobs, and that this will be a lesson for the rest not to repeat in the future."
The Commissioner nodded, and shook Felicity's hand. He nodded to Oliver, and stepped back as Isabel came towards the group. Felicity raised an eyebrow at the woman, smiling sweetly at her. Isabel swallowed, and felt like prey for the first time.
"On behalf of Queen Consolidated, I apologize for jumping to conclusions Ms. Smoak. I hope that this doesn't affect our business in any way."
Moira smiled, Oliver smiled as well and looked down at Felicity.
Thea frowned. She looked at Isabel. "Business?"
Felicity laughed. "I created many of the computer programs used by QC both in this building, and in the contracts. They list me as the creator, and are in fact my property. I could pull rights for QC to use them." She shrugged. "It might crash a lot of business and the current system, but in a couple months Ms. Rochev could get it running again."
Oliver snorted, not bothering to hide his smile. He placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder, and she reached up and placed her hand over his. Isabel's face went impassive, and she turned to stand by the Commissioner.
Moira smiled at Felicity, and they filed up behind the ice queen before the doors opened to the conference.