Chapter Eighteen
Ray Palmer's executive assistant called Oliver and asked him in for a private meeting. With Felicity settled at his loft with Tatsu looking after her, Oliver agreed to meet. He showed up looking like a CEO about to meet a CEO, designer to designer suit. Palmer's EA ushered him into his office where Palmer stood behind a smart table looking at upgrades for his suit. Oliver noticed a bruise on his jaw. He suppressed a smile.
"Mr. Queen," Ray said with a smile, "Thank you for coming."
"Mr. Palmer," replied Oliver.
They stared at each other for a few moments then Ray grinned.
"This is uncomfortable. I'll call you Oliver and you'll call me Ray," he said.
Oliver nodded.
"You pack a wallop there," said Ray then he rubbed his jaw. "You taught me valuable lesson. I'm interviewing former special forces soldiers in order to become my trainer, if not my mentor. I have a lot to learn."
"I think that's a good idea," Oliver stated.
"When I bought your family's company it was for two reasons: the O.M.A.C. design, which I upgraded to A.T.O.M., and the applied sciences for the dwarf star alloy, so selling back to you most of your family company isn't a sacrifice. I go from being worth four and half billion to two and half billon dollars. The next gen of my watch will probably put him back at four billion," he explained with a smile. "What I'm trying to say is that I've gotten from your company what I wanted."
"That's all you really wanted from my company?" asked Oliver.
"Oh, yeah, Felicity Smoak was another asset I wanted. I viewed her as much as an asset as the design and alloy. Her record at M.I.T. was amazing. I even appreciated her hacking ability which got her into some trouble in college. She is a genius and I knew she could solve some of my suit's problems. She did solve them," Ray said. "How is she?"
"Getting better. She could have been hurt worse," growled Oliver.
Ray smiled at this knowing that Oliver was marking his territory. He hadn't realize how connected Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak until he saw them at the hospital.
"She is a prize," Ray said.
"I know. She stays here," stated Oliver.
"Use her creativity and your company will be in the black in short time. She is a wizard with a computer," said Ray.
"Why did you really invite me here?" asked Oliver.
"To thank you, to apologize, and to convince you that I'm going to learn from this and do things right," said Ray. "Before The Arrow there was The Hood. You've changed. You no longer kill with ease."
"If you are to do this you have to keep in mind two things: you are a protector, so your life is less valuable than civilians, and the less attention the better. We should stay to the night and in the shadows. We aren't looking for thanks and we are never going to get a parade or a museum," he said.
"I have shined a pretty bright light on myself and my suit," said Ray.
"Six months to a year of training and people will have forgotten about you. The light will dim," said Oliver.
"I'll keep that in mind," grinned Ray. "The deal is in the hands of lawyers right now. I want it done as quickly as possible. I'm setting the new Headquarters up in Coast City. There is some interesting cutting edge avionics going on there."
"Flying must be cool," said Oliver.
"Being able to fight without a like you do must be cool," replied Ray.
Arrow
Felicity insisted on going into work. Oliver had no control over her. His stubbornness tended to fail against her, since he couldn't say no to her. Yes, he could bitch and moan but no was impossible. She dressed for work and Oliver drove her to the office since her broken left wrist kept her from using her Mini-Cooper.
As Oliver pulled up in front of the building and parked, Felicity looked pensively down at her lap. Oliver looked over at her and smiled.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"You know that Ray and I… well, we slept together," she said.
He inhaled deeply through his nostrils and then exhaled.
"Felicity, I came to talk to you late at night one night and saw you kissing him in your office. Now I remember when you were my EA we didn't share tongues so I had a feeling that you were more than employer and employee," he told her.
"You saw us kiss," she blushed.
"Yes."
"And you still told me that you loved me?"
"Because I do," he smiled.
"You are going to be a very understanding boyfriend, Oliver Queen," she smiled.
"Not really. Now that I am your boyfriend the next time I see you kiss someone I'm going to put an arrow in them," he said with a neutral expression that drove Felicity crazy since she couldn't read it.
"I'm going now," she said. "You are going to pick me up later?"
"And take you to dinner," he smiled.
She opened the door to get out when Oliver cleared his throat to get her attention. Felicity looked back at him before shutting the door.
"If he offers you a job the answer is no, right?" he said.
"Right," she beamed then shut the door.
Arrow
Ray was sitting alone in his office when Felicity entered. He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Before she could speak, he did.
"Felicity, I'm sorry," he said. "I almost got you killed."
"Your inexperience and trust in your invention rather than training almost got me killed, Ray. I know you'll do better the next time," she said.
"I know I could be better if you were my command and control," he said.
"Are you offering me a job?" she asked.
"I'm offering whatever you want. I don't want to lose you," he said.
"Ray…," she paused. She really had come to care for Ray, maybe even start to love, but Oliver had pierced her heart with one of his arrows long ago. "I'm with Oliver now."
It said it all. She was with Oliver. She was with him rebuilding his company; she was with in at night fighting crime; and she was with him everywhere else. They were one.
"I had a feeling that would be your answer," he said softly. "I'm not sure he deserves you."
"Oh, he deserves me alright and I deserve him," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Ray."
"For what?" he asked.
"For trusting me," she said then exited his office.
Ray watched her go. Maybe once he had proven himself as the Atom then he could win her back.
Arrow
The deal was made and the rebuilding renamed back to Queen Consolidated. Oliver wanted to arrive at work with Felicity on his arm, but she said no. She told him that he was one of his VPs now, so she wanted to show up on her own. Diggle drove him.
"You ready for this?" Diggle asked him.
"I wasn't a great CEO the last time. I let a crazy bitch steal my company from me. I think I can do better this time," he said.
"Yeah, if you have to sign over power of attorney to someone make it Felicity this time," smiled Diggle.
"I agree," chuckled Oliver.
They arrived at the headquarters. Diggle drove into the garage, parked the car then he escorted Oliver to the elevator. They headed up to the top floor. Instead of taking a left to Ray Palmer's office, Oliver took a right to his old office. He walked by Felicity's EA and into her office, while Diggle guarded the door.
Felicity looked up from her computer and sighed.
"I know you are the CEO but it would be nice if you let my assistant announce you," she said.
"Uh huh," was his response, as he continued to around her desk then took her by her arm and pulled her to her feet. She was about to argue with him when he kissed her with all the passion that he masked so well on most occasions. Felicity felt her knees buckle as she moaned. When he broke the kiss he looked into her eyes with eyes that were dark with passion.
"I don't care who knows about us because I love you and intend on spending the rest of my life with you," he said. "If you have a problem with that you can find another job."
"I don't have a problem," she grinned.
"Good," he said then kissed her again.
This time when he broke off the kiss, he whispered in her ear, "I'll see you at the foundry tonight. Amanda Waller let me know that a terrorist she is looking for has entered Starling City. We have to find him. I don't want A.R.G.U.S. making a mess of my city."
"Yes, boss," she smiled.
Oliver Queen gave his VP another kiss then exited her office. He had a long day ahead of him at the offices.