A/N: This chapter is a bit longer than my previous ones so brace yourselves! It also really caused some big writer's blocks but all in all I'm happy with what I'm sharing with you all and I hope you enjoy it too :) leave a review letting me know what you think.
Felicity woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She groaned and rolled over, her hand clumsily trying to locate it. "Hello?" Felicity answered, trying to cover up her yawn.
"Ms. Smoak," Walter replied. Felicity's eyes immediately shot wide open as she sat up in bed.
"Oh, um, Mr. Stee… uh Walter, I didn't realize you would be needing me today," she answered, hoping he wouldn't notice she had just woken up.
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I need you and Oliver to come to Queen Consolidated as soon as possible. If you could give Oliver a call and let him know, I would really appreciate it," Walter quickly cut in.
"Yes, yes, of course," Felicity said, glancing at her clock. She cringed, it was already 8:30. "I'll be there around ten, and I'll tell Oliver, too."
"Thank you, Felicity. See you soon," Walter replied, and then he hung up.
Felicity glanced at her phone. For some reason, Walter sounded really rushed this morning, not like his usual calm, collected self. She hoped nothing bad happened at QC.
Sighing, Felicity got up and went to get ready. She knew Walter was relying on her to notify Oliver, but Felicity didn't think she would be able to sperak to him just yet. She was still reeling from their argument. She got into the shower and tried to forget about Oliver and his stupidly hard head as the hot water massaged her skin.
"What can I get you today?" A young girl at the counter asked as her eyes roamed over Oliver's body.
"One coffee, black, a cappuccino, and a raspberry danish," Oliver replied with a quick smile, hoping Laurel still liked danishes.
"O-kay," the girl said, punching in his order and batting her eyes at Oliver.
When she turned around to prepare his order, Oliver glanced around the cafe and cased his surroundings. It was pretty busy, and all of the tables were filled with groups of people talking and laughing. His mind went back to when Felicity, Diggle, and he had gone to lunch a couple of days ago, but before he could dwell on it, the girl returned with his coffees in hand.
"Can I get you... anything else?" She asked, her voice and body language indicating she meant something entirely more than just his order.
Oliver raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat. He was about to say "no" and just leave, but something made his eyes flick to his right to a table where three young teens were sitting and talking enthusiastically. There were two boys and a girl in their group. Oliver sighed and clenched his jaw with indecision as one name in particular ran across his mind.
Finally, he answered, "Actually, yes." The girl's eyes widened and Oliver cringed. He didn't mean it like that. "Just add a nonfat latte with extra sugar and a blueberry muffin to my order, please," Oliver finished, trying to give her a look that said he wasn't interested.
The girl's face fell slightly. "Of course," she replied.
After everything was ready, Oliver quickly paid and turned to leave, but not before earning a wink and a small wave from the girl at the counter.
Laurel limped to her kitchen and searched through her bag for the pills that Diggle had given her the night before. Her leg was killing her.
After downing a pill with a glass of water, Laurel grabbed a file she was researching for the DA's office, her phone, and sat down on her couch. She checked her phone and saw that it was almost nine o'clock, and Laurel wondered if Oliver had forgotten about their breakfast plans.
She was about to give Oliver a call, when a text popped up on her screen.
Be there in 5, it read. Laurel smiled and settled back into the couch. Of course Oliver wouldn't forget.
Minutes later, there was a knock on her door, and Laurel got up and opened it to greet Oliver, who was standing on the other side.
"Good morning," Laurel said with a smile, as she gestured for Oliver to come in.
He returned her smile and stepped into her apartment. "How are you feeling?" Oliver asked, turning around and facing Laurel once he had put down her breakfast.
"My leg was aching when I woke up, but I took the pills John gave me, so it feels fine now," she replied, reaching for the cup Oliver had put down and gesturing for him to have a seat.
"Just take it easy on that leg," Oliver answered, eyeing her injury. "I don't want the wound to open up again."
Laurel nodded in reply as she took a sip of the coffee and opened the bag from the coffee shop that Oliver had brought over. Laurel pulled out the raspberry danish and then she turned and raised her eyebrows at Oliver.
He shrugged. "I know it's been a while, but last I remembered, you loved those," he said, a smile playing on his lips.
"I can't believe you remember," Laurel replied with a light laugh. "It has been a very long time since I've treated myself to a raspberry danish, so thank you."
Her smile was quickly traded for a furrowed brow when she tipped the bag and saw that there was nothing else in it. "Ollie, you didn't get yourself anything?" Laurel asked, glancing back up at Oliver, who stood stiffly instead of sitting like she had offered.
"I actually won't be able to stay and have breakfast with you," Oliver replied, scratching a hand through his stubble. "I need to go run an errand for a friend." He pursed his lips and gave Laurel and apologetic look.
"Oh, um, okay," Laurel said, scrambling to keep her disappointment from showing. "Maybe another time then?" she asked as she walked towards the door with Oliver.
Oliver nodded and gave her a tight lipped smile. "Mhm, of course," he replied.
"Could I come by the foundry this afternoon to train?" Laurel asked tentatively.
When Oliver's eyebrows raised up slightly, Laurel knew she had caught him off guard with her request.
"I don't think training is a good idea with that bullet wound still healing," Oliver replied with a shake of his head.
Laurel's lip dipped down into a slight frown. "Oliver you know how much I need this. I promise you I'll be fine! It doesn't even hurt anymore," she lied, trying to convince Oliver.
He pursed his lips and paused for half a second before replying, "Fine, but we're only going to do the basics."
Laurel smiled, she knew she would be able to convince him. She walked Oliver to the door and he left after they exchanged their goodbyes.
She went to the window and watched Oliver climb into his car and drive off. The smile dropped off her face as she wondered who this "friend" was. As far as she was concerned, Oliver didn't have many friends outside of the people he fought crime with. Was it just an excuse to get away from her?
Laurel sighed and sat down to eat the breakfast Oliver had brought her. As she bit into the warm danish, she thought about how he was acting, and then it came to her. He was having cold feet again, just like what happened when they dated before. If this was the case, then Laurel knew she would have to be the one to give him a little push.
After realizing that she had been in the shower for over ten minutes, Felicity ran out of the bathroom and rushed to get her dress on. She ran a hand through her damp hair to get the knots out as she searched for the earrings that would match her navy dress.
As Felicity looked around her room, her eyes fell on her phone, and Felicity remembered how she had promised Walter that she would call Oliver. Sighing, she picked it up and selected Oliver's contact. Right as Felicity put the phone up to her ear, there were two quick, consecutive knocks on her door.
Felicity walked over and was ready to tell the person at the door to wait a second while she finished up her phone call, but when she pulled open the door, there stood Oliver with his phone ringing in his pocket.
He quickly fished it out, and after glancing quickly at the screen, raised an eyebrow at Felicity. "Looks like we had the same idea," Oliver said, shooting her a smile as Felicity hung up.
"Actually we probably don't," she replied, making no move to let Oliver in. "I was only calling to tell you that Walter needs us at the office in an hour."
"Huh, maybe would could head to the office together then," he offered.
Felicity didn't budge. "Oliver, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I wanted to apologize for last night," Oliver replied, his face taking on its usual serious demeanor.
"Oliv-" Felicity started, but he cut her off by holding up a cup of coffee and a bag from the coffee shop.
"And I brought you breakfast," he added.
Felicity glared at him. "You can't win me over with a muffin and a latte, Oliver," she said, but Felicity held open the door for him nonetheless. He looked so hopeful, she couldn't just shut the door in his face.
He walked in and put the food down on her kitchen table, but when he turned around, Felicity was gone. Oliver was about to call her name, when he heard the sound of a blow dryer coming from the bathroom.
Out of the corner of her eye, Felicity saw Oliver come into her bathroom and lean against the doorframe. She continued to dry her hair and refused to make eye contact with him even though she could feel his eyes boring holes into the back of her head. Felicity hoped that he would get the message and leave, but stubborn as he was, he stood and waited.
When Felicity finished, she tied up her hair in its usual ponytail and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Oliver to follow behind her.
"Will you at least listen to what I have to say?" Oliver asked, grabbing her elbow as he caught up with her.
Felicity swiveled around, her ponytail whipping through the air as she did so. "I think you already said enough last night," she replied, pulling out of Oliver's grip and swiftly walking to her kitchen.
"Felicity, plea-" Oliver started, but Felicity stopped mid-stride and held up a hand to stop him.
"I don't want to hear some half-baked excuse justifying what you did," she replied, her anger finally surfacing. "I know what you said to me, and trust me, you don't have to explain anything. I heard the message loud and clear."
Oliver sighed and ran a hand through his hair with frustration. His eyes focused on something over her shoulder, and Felicity could tell that he was trying to gather his thoughts into a reply.
After a moment, Oliver's eyes went back to Felicity, and he took a deep breath. "I'm not here to make you understand or to convince you that I was right, Felicity," he started, taking a step closer to her. "I know that what I said was wrong and hurtful, and I'm sorry."
Felicity tried to hold onto her anger, but his close proximity and his words made her resolve crumble at the edges. "Why did you say it then?" Felicity asked, her voice cracking at the end against her will.
She could tell Oliver had heard it when a flash of emotion went across his face. "There was just a lot going on with the mission and with Laurel, and I wasn't thinking," he admitted quietly, a hand coming up to rest on her arm. "I shouldn't have put the blame on you for Laurel's actions."
Felicity nodded, accepting his apology. She then walked over and opened the bag from the coffee shop, and just as she had expected, a blueberry muffin sat nestled inside. Then Felicity picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip. She let out an appreciative sigh as the latte slid down her throat and warmed up her whole body.
Felicity turned to Oliver. "Not bad in the breakfast category, Mr. Queen," she said, a smile playing on her lips. Oliver grinned and walked over to join her, taking a seat and picking up his own coffee to take a sip, glad that he was once again in her good graces.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Felicity turned to Oliver and asked, "What if Laurel pulls something like this again? And what if the next time it happens we don't get there in time?" As she said these words, Felicity was thinking back to the conversation she had with Diggle last night. Diggle didn't have much faith in Laurel, and it was making Felicity doubt her own decision to try to giver her a chance.
Oliver sighed, he knew Felicity wouldn't drop the situation that fast. He opened his mouth to reply, but just as quickly, shut it.
Felicity looked at him suspiciously over the brim of her coffee cup and noticed that he was shifting in his seat- a dead giveaway that there was something he was withholding from Felicity. She shot him a look.
After a moment, Oliver pursed his lips and then replied. "I'm going to train Laurel to make sure she can handle herself," Oliver said, watching Felicity's face to gauge her reaction.
"Oh," Felicity said in response, setting her coffee cup on the table and clasping her hands together in her lap.
Oliver could hear the shift in her voice, and judging by the way her nails dug into the backs of her hands, he knew Felicity was holding back a lot of unsaid words. He cringed, trying to decided whether or not saying more would make the situation worse, but before he could say anything, Felicity cut in.
"Did Laurel ask you to train her? Or did you offer to?" Felicity asked.
Oliver furrowed his brow, confused as to why it was relevant. "I offered," he replied slowly. "Once Laurel knows how to fight and defend herself out in the field, she'll be more helpful to our team."
Felicity could not believe her ears. More helpful to our team- It felt like a punch in the gut.
She had always been unsure about whether or not she was a burden to the team since Felicity didn't have the same training as them, and even though most of the time she pushed it to the back of her head, every once in a while it would surface. Like when Sara joined the team, or when Felicity got a bomb collar around her neck, tied up by Helena, taken by the Count, and countless other times where she had needed to be rescued.
If Oliver thought that Laurel would be helpful to the team only once she was trained, then why would he think any differently of Felicity?
"I think we should head to Queen Consolidated now," Felicity said, standing up and pushing in her chair. Oliver followed suit. "Walter's probably waiting on us," she finished, trying to keep her voice pleasant. She turned and went to get her jacket.
Oliver frowned. He could see right through Felicity's facade. He knew she was probably upset over the fact that he was going to train Laurel, but he didn't understand why, and what confused him more, was the fact that Felicity didn't outright tell him why either.
Felicity had always been important to Oliver because from the moment he met her, she was speaking her mind. Felicity was never afraid to stand up to him and give her two cents on a matter, and Oliver had come to rely on it. Now he couldn't help but wonder why she had held back her opinion this time, and it made him worry that Laurel might be affecting his relationship with Felicity more than he thought it would.
Felicity appeared a moment later with her jacket in Oliver's line of sight, and he immediately snapped out of his thoughts.
"Do you want me to give you a ride to the office?" Oliver asked tentatively.
He saw her hesitate for a moment before answering, "Sure. Carpooling is good for the environment and what not."
Felicity slung her purse over her shoulder and together they walked out to Oliver's car.
By time Oliver and Felicity got on the elevator at Queen Consolidated, the tension between them was still palpable, if not thicker even. The car ride had been mostly silent except for the few words exchanged about Arrow business or QC's stats.
"I hope it's not bad news," Felicity said as she watched the numbers on the wall of the elevator slowly increase as they traveled up.
Oliver raised an eyebrow at her. "Hope what's not bad news?" he asked.
"Whatever Walter called us here to talk about," she replied, finally turning to face Oliver. "He sounded pretty flustered and worried this morning when he called me. I mean as flustered and worried as Walter can get, which actually isn't that flustered or worried at all. That man's always so calm... I have no idea how he does it."
Oliver couldn't help the smile that twitched his lip upward. Felicity's babbling reassured him that all was not lost with the relationship between the two of them.
"I'm sure everything's fine," Oliver said reassuringly as the elevator stopped at the top floor. The doors opened and Oliver instinctively waited for Felicity to get out first before following and falling into step beside her.
As she walked toward the offices, Felicity couldn't help but notice how even though she and Oliver were at odds with each other, everything they did still felt so normal; Oliver driving her to work and buying her favorite breakfast foods, small talk in the elevator, and even the smallest details like how he would offer an arm while she was getting her shoes on, or how Oliver slowed his strides so she could keep up with him as they walked.
They were around each other so much that everything had become somewhat of a habit. Felicity wondered whether or not Laurel would disrupt this order that they had or if she would become a part of it.
Noticing that Felicity was lost in thought, Oliver grabbed her elbow to help guide her to their office. He maneuvered her around other employees and through the glass doors where Walter was sitting on the couch waiting for them, a laptop open on the table in front of him.
"Oliver, Felicity. Thank you for coming on such short notice," Walter greeted, standing up and walking over to the them.
"Walter," Oliver replied, reaching out to shake his hand. Oliver looked over at Felicity and saw that her eyebrows were still furrowed in thought .
He gave her arm a gentle squeeze and her head snapped towards him. "Yeah?" Felicity asked, regaining her bearings. Oliver tilted his head in Walter's direction.
Felicity turned her head and her eyes widened when she noticed Walter looking at her curiously. "Oh! Uh, Walter! Hi, how are you?" she said quickly, a blush coloring her cheeks.
Walter smiled. "I'm doing fine, Felicity. Thank you," he replied. His face turned serious and he gestured for them to come take a seat at the couch across from him. "Please, come sit down. I have some… news to share with you regarding Queen Consolidated."
Both Oliver and Felicity noticed how Walter's tone was solemn and guarded, and they exchanged a glance before taking a seat. Investment party? Felicity mouthed at Oliver as she pulled out her tablet from her purse.
He shrugged, but spoke up to Walter saying, "If you have concerns about the investment party, we have everything planned out, and the date is set. We're sending out the invitations tomorrow."
Walter opened his mouth to reply, but a gasp from Felicity cut him off. Both men turned to see Felicity gaping at her tablet. She looked up at Walter with dread written all over her face.
"You didn't call us here to talk about the investment party did you," Felicity said, turning her tablet around to show Oliver and Walter an article titled "Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences Struck Again".
Walter shook his head and let out a frustrated huff of air. "The media catches on to everything so quickly nowadays," he said, anger lacing his voice. He looked up at Oliver who was reading and rereading the article, trying to process it. Walter softened his voice and said, "I'm really sorry, Oliver. I meant to tell you about it all before it got out, but it seems to be too late now."
Oliver ran a hand through his hair and stood up. "How did this happen right under our noses?" Oliver growled as he started to pace around.
Felicity stood up and put a hand on Oliver's arm to calm him down. "I'm sure we'll figure this all out," she said, walking over to the computer at Oliver's desk. "I'm going to go through the database and see what's missing."
As Felicity turned on the computer, the sound of a news report filled the room. "The Applied Sciences division at Queen Consolidated has always been one of the company's greatest assets and a very beneficial factor for investments, but it recently has been facing some difficulties. Just a few months ago, it was completely destroyed in a bombing, which caused Queen Consolidated to fall to it's knees. Since then, Oliver Queen, son of the late Robert and Moira Queen, has been fighting to bring it back, but this latest attack on the science department might just be the end of its recovery. Blueprints and plans for the future of QC's Applied Sciences division have been spreading like wildfire all over the blackmarket around the world. There is no evidence showing who initially leaked the information, but one thing is clear: This situation is leading right up to the final collapse of Queen Consolidated."
A heavy silence filled the room as Felicity quickly exited out of the news broadcast. She looked up and caught Oliver's hardened eyes. Even without exchanging a single word, Felicity knew his thoughts were mirroring her own; Who on earth would do this?