Hello All! So here we go, lot of things happen in this chapter, I hope you're gonna enjoy it. Thank you for all the new faves/alerts, and for all the feedbacks!
Huge thanks to Hip Karma for the corrections!
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"Felicity, it's so nice to see you again," Walter smiled at me warmly from behind the table, standing up when he saw me. We agreed to meet during my lunchtime as I barely had any spare moment other than that. Actually, usually even my lunchtime was busy. It had become a habit now that I spent that hour with Bruce. Working at Wayne Enterprises, and then running to the lair to support Oliver left me with no time for myself at all. Not that I complained about it. Being left with no time helped me from overthinking everything.
"It's nice to see you, too," I returned his smile, sat down to the table and placed my bag next to me on the floor.
"Good afternoon," a young brunette waitress stopped next to us with an obligatory smile on her face. I didn't envy her that job. At least, I was lucky enough to have a position, and the type of bosses who put up with my not so happy face as well. "What may I get you?"
"I'd like to have a steak, well done with double fries, and a glass of Mapema Malbec, please," I replied, not bothering with checking the menu. Bruce had brought me here a few times so I knew their steak was pure perfection, especially with that red wine. Walter supressed a laugh as he listened to my order but the truth was that I was starving. I got so lost in the new project that we were working on with Lucius, I forgot to eat in the morning.
"Yes, Miss," the young woman nodded, taking a note of my order before turning her gaze to Walter. "Sir?"
"A salmon salad, please, and a whiskey," he said, handing the menus for the waitress.
"I'll get your drinks in a moment," she nodded before she turned to leave.
"So how are you, Felicity?" Walter asked, moving his eyes to me. I could tell he was stressed, I spent enough time with Oliver to see the signs. It made me anxious as well. I was worried something might have been wrong with Oliver.
"I'm alright, Walter, thank you," I replied, moving my eyes around the restaurant. I couldn't help it, being around Oliver and Bruce made me paranoid. "Why are we here?"
"You never waste time, do you?" Walter sighed, shifting in his seat. No, I didn't think we had to dance around before we'd get to the point. We'd been through enough to jump over the polite chit chat part. "Oliver is in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" I asked nervously, moving to the edge of my seat. Oliver was always in trouble but I didn't like being oblivious to what that trouble was.
"Laurel is working hard to get investors, and board members to accept the invitation to the party," he started to explain, and I at nodded him to go on. I knew about that, Laurel was even more of a nervous wreck than usual. "And even though, I'm trying to use my influence as well, things don't look good for him."
"Do you mean there isn't a chance of him getting back the company?" I asked, as I felt my heart clench at the thought of that. Oliver might have been irresponsible, and terrible as a CEO but he still wouldn't deserve this.
"Not much, I don't think," Walter took a deep breath, shaking his head.
"Here are your drinks," the waitress arrived back to our table, ending the heavy silence for a second.
"Thank you," Walter said quietly before taking a sip from his whiskey. I followed his actions, and took a sip of my wine, not sure what to say. Unfortunately, I couldn't help in this case.
"Why am I here, Walter?" I asked quietly, playing with my glass. "Do you want me to tell Oliver?"
"No," he shook his head, holding my gaze. "How is working for Wayne Enterprises?"
"Great, I'm having new experiences every day . Their Advanced Sciences Department is amazing," I started into an excited ramble but then I realized we weren't here for that. "But what's that have to do… oh," I frowned as I realized where the question would lead. Oliver would so not be happy about even the thought of this.
"How is your relationship with Bruce?" Walter asked, not even trying to hide the purpose of our meeting anymore. "I heard you have become close."
"Not everything the tabloids say is true," I mumbled, blushing slightly. "But yes, we are on good terms, I guess."
"Do you think he'd help if you asked him?" That was a good question. Would Bruce help Oliver if I asked him? Were we in such close relationship that he'd support someone who he clearly disliked?
"I'm not certain," I replied, taking another sip from my wine. That was the truth. I didn't know him enough to know that, also I wasn't sure how close we were to each other. If I could even ask something like this of him.
"Steak and double fries for you," the waitress smiled, and put the plate in front of me. "And the salad for you, Sir."
"He could make such a difference, Felicity," Walter continued when the woman left. "If they saw someone like Bruce Wayne supported Oliver, existing and potential investors would have much more faith in him. It could be a game changer."
"I understand that," I sighed, cutting my steak up slowly. I didn't even feel that hungry anymore. "But again, I'm not sure if Bruce would agree to this. He isn't exactly buddies with Oliver."
"Oh, I remember they've never liked each other. Bruce has always been more of a thinker while Oliver's been an action type of man. I think that is the source of their mutual dislike," Walter said, a small smile appearing his face. He might have been right. Oliver often didn't think before acting –living, or shall I say dead proof for that was Isabel-, Bruce on the other hand was like a chess player from what I could tell. "But I'd like you to try if it isn't too much to ask."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot," I said, and wondered how I would bring up the topic for Bruce, and Oliver. I had a feeling a bumpy ride was awaiting me.
"Thank you, Felicity. This really is our last chance," Walter said with a careworn expression on his face, finishing his whiskey before taking a bite from his salad.
I had a feeling compromising about this wouldn't be too easy with Oliver. Just the thought of bringing up the subject made my stomach clench. But luckily, I was smarter than Oliver, pride also didn't blind my judgment and I knew what had to be done, had to be done.
"Good evening all," Felicity stepped into the lair, a little bit too enthusiastic even considering her usual brightness. "I brought food and wine." She waved the bags in her hands.
"Are we celebrating something?" Laurel asked, frowned for a moment as she saw the bags in the blonde's hands. We had just finished the training for the day. Laurel was working hard, she was determined to learn how to fight. Fortunately, she wasn't pushing the subject of her and I since I'd turned her down that night. However, I was aware of her dislike towards Felicity, and the possible source of that.
"No, Felicity has something to say, don't you?" I moved my gaze to her as I reached for a towel, and brushed the sweat off from my face. I knew Felicity long enough to recognise when she had to make a statement . It was one of her odd ideas to think that everything could be handled with some food and wine.
"Actually, I do," she nodded as she walked to her desk, and placed the bags on it. Diggle reached into one of the bags, grabbed a hamburger, and leant back in his chair. Sometimes it seemed to me that Digg felt like he was in a cinema. "I talked to Walter, and he has an idea about how to get the good opinion of the investors, and the board members back."
"Okay…" I said slowly, dropped the towel to one of the chairs from my neck, and moved closer to Felicity. Why did I have a feeling there was a catch somewhere, and I wouldn't be happy about this idea?
"Why didn't he tell me? I'm the one handling the business part of Ollie's life," Laurel narrowed her eyes, stepping up to us.
"What's the idea, Felicity?" I asked before Laurel could have had a go against the blonde again. Walter must have had a good reason to turn to Felicity instead of her.
"I'm going to ask Bruce to help you," Felicity answered casually with a small shrug. So that was the reason for all the food and wine.
"No, you aren't," I stated firmly, my hands tightening into fists. Bruce Wayne would be the last person who I'd turn to. I'd rather lose the company period than ask for his help.
"I wasn't asking for permission, Oliver, I just didn't want to go behind your back with this," she said, her features hardening as she held my gaze. "I'm going to ask him, whether you agree, or not."
"No, Felicity, you aren't," I growled, my jaws clenched as I tried not to yell at her. What was she thinking? What was Walter thinking? This was the worst and most insane idea ever.
"He could help you, Oliver and you might not like to admit it, but you need his assistance to get the company back," Felicity explained with a slightly shaky voice.
If I let Bruce help me this time, he'd always rub it in my face that I only got the company back because of him. That wasn't going to happen.
"Why would he help anyway? It isn't like we're such close friends," I raised my voice in disbelief of this crazy idea. He had no reason to do so.
"Because I ask him," Felicity answered, her hands tightened into fists as well, her face turned more and more red with each heated sentence.
"Oh, because you ask him," I huffed annoyed, nodding to her answer. That was just rich. He'd just jump and help someone he hated because she asked him. "So you're that close now, hm?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Oliver," she groaned frustrated, shaking her head. It was a valid question. If she didn't think they were that close, she wouldn't think he'd do it.
"I don't need his help," I stated again. I needed nothing from that egoistical bastard.
"She's right, Ollie," Laurel cut into our argument. "He could help, and we need his influence."
"Thank you, Laurel," Felicity nodded to the other woman. Great, now that they could team up against me they'd even become best friends. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a moment to earn some of my control back.
"Fine," I growled. I could not believe that I actually agreed to this nonsense. But I had to think of others, the employees of the company, Thea, and it meant that if I got the company back, Felicity would also be back by my side. I wouldn't have to worry about Bruce anymore.
"Guys," Diggle mumbled, trying to get our attention, with his mouth full. "There's a hostage situation in the centre, Nanny's Restaurant."
I grabbed my hood, and started out quickly, anger still pumped through my veins as I got on my bike.
I quickly sat at my desk, put in my comms unit and synced Oliver so we'd be in contact. Diggle was listening to the police radio constantly, in hope he'd learn more about what was going on. Laurel switched the TV to one of the news channels where they were airing a live stream from the restaurant. The stream was available for everyone, it was all over the net, and every channel, we realized as Laurel surfed among them. They took over the main channels, and aired their 'show' on the internet, too.
I tried to find their IP address, hoping maybe I'd be able to lead it back to someone but it proved to be more difficult than I thought.
On the other screen I followed Oliver moving through the city, in case he needed help with finding a shorter way to the scene.
"Oliver, they're airing this live, everywhere," I informed him, still trying to find a trail that I could follow. "Oh my God…" I whispered as my eyes landed on the screen. I saw two women tied up. They were bleeding badly. They lost so much blood that they weren't conscious anymore. I saw five other people sitting in a corner away from the two tied up women.
"What's going on, Felicity?" Oliver asked, urging me to talk to him.
"There are seven hostages, five in a corner, and two women tied up at the counter, I think I know them," I said quietly, narrowing my eyes. "They're unconscious. It seems they want to bleed them out."
"Where do you know them from? What about the attackers? Can you see them?"
"I think they're working at the company… Wayne Enterprises, I mean," I answered, my heart racing away. "They are the main managers of the sales department."
"They're talking," Laurel nudged my side so I'd pay attention to what was happening.
"The terrorists again… They are repeating the same thing what they said before about Wayne Enterprises, " I told him what I heard from the TV. "Oliver, you have to hurry up, I don't think they have long left."
"Keep me…" He started before a huge crash almost deafened me. I jumped in shock, stared at the screen in front of me, seeing Oliver's bike spinning on the road, followed by another vehicle. "Oliver?"
"Where is he?" Diggle and Laurel asked in union, staring at the screen as well, trying to see him somewhere, anywhere.
"Oliver!" I called for him again but I couldn't hear anything. His comms unit must have broken in the crash… But that would have meant that he was hurt too…
I was watching out for every movement on the screen when I realized what happened. I recognized the other bike on the road, it was a black vehicle, Batman's bike. They crashed into each other. There was a small street crossing the one that Oliver had used. Bruce must have been coming from that, and hit him at the intersection. I couldn't believe this had happened.
"Do something! Can't you find another angle with the cam?" Laurel screamed at me, pushing me out of my momentary shock.
"These are traffic cams, I can't move them around, Laurel," I yelled back at her, feeling sick in my stomach as I thought of both Oliver and Bruce laying on the pavement, injured.
"I'm going there," Diggle said, grabbed his jacket and started out.
"I'm alright, Felicity," I heard Oliver's voice, and let out a sigh of relief. Thank God he wasn't hurt badly.
"Dig, he's okay," I called after him, stopping him in midstep.
"What were you thinking, you stupid rat? You could have gotten both of us killed!" I heard Oliver shouting, and when I moved my eyes back to the screen I saw him going against Batman.
"Oliver, stop it!" I screamed at him, even though, I knew it was completely useless to try and stop him.
Fortunately, Bruce wasn't injured much either from what I could tell. They both seemed to have enough strength to start and shout awful things at each other.
"Oliver, you must stop this, and go before it's too late," I commanded with my firmest voice. We didn't have time for a testosterone war between them.
"We aren't done," I heard Oliver stating before he started to run towards the restaurant. Obviously, Batman's bike was way better built than the one that Oliver had, so he started out with that again.
"Felicity," Laurel said in a small voice, making me look back to the TV screen. I felt my heart drop when I saw the two women's throat being cut open.
"It's too late, Oliver," I whispered, my eyes welled up with tears.
I was standing in front of the wall size windows in my apartment. There were bandages around my torso. I had ended up with a few fractured ribs this afternoon. Two women died today, because of me; because I wasn't able to get there in time, because I started a fight with the Arrow instead of doing my job.
I heard a knock on the door but I didn't move. Alfred would handle it. Whoever it was he would send them away. He knew well I was in no state of mind to put on my public mask, and act like someone completely oblivious to the world.
Heels were clicking on the cold stone floor quickly getting closer to me then stopping a few steps away from where I was standing.
"Are you alright?" The familiar feminine voice asked, except that this time it sounded hard, and angry.
"A few fractured ribs, nothing major," I answered, turning to face Felicity. She ran her eyes over me, stopping for a moment at the bandages before her gaze landed on my face. She looked exhausted, upset, and angry, many emotions mixed on her face.
"Good," she nodded and let out a sigh. "Your pride will kill us all... This city now has two vigilantes but instead of reaping the benefits of it, this is what happens."
"I'm not a team player," I said firmly despite the fact that I knew she was right and our nonsense fight had gotten two innocent people killed, I didn't see a world where I worked with the Arrow.
"Don't worry, I didn't think either of you'd be willing to do that," she huffed in a very uncharacteristic way. She was more than angry with this situation, and of course, I could understand that. "That's why I decided that I'd help you."
My eyes bored into hers for a moment. I was hoping she'd decide to help me because she wanted to, and not because she felt obligated to, or because she thought that I'd do more damage than good. However, a small part of me was happy that I'd have her by my side.
"Thank you," I answered with a nod. Her assistance was needed. She was right, what happened today, couldn't happen again.
"No need to thank me, I'm doing this for all of us," she said, pushing her glasses up on her nose. "There's something else, too."
I raised an eyebrow, cocking my head to the side. It was strange to see Felicity being this serious, almost business like. Though, I had always thought she must be a tough woman under all the rambles otherwise she wouldn't have lived a life where she could have been killed any time.
"I have a favour to ask," she started, swallowing hard as I nodded to her to go on. "I don't want you to think this is blackmailing because I'd help either way... Like I said, I don't want all of us to get killed because of your egos... But I need you to help Oliver to get the company back. All you have to do is attend that party we are throwing for him, and say that you support him."
I watched her and listened to her closely as she explained her condition, and recognized the change in her voice as she mentioned the name of Oliver. It would have been hard to miss how her voice lightened for just a moment as his name left her lips. Jealousy hit me for a moment but I wasn't about to give up on her. Felicity Smoak was something different, and if I had to support and fight Oliver to change her mind so be it. Also, I couldn't have said no to her now that she decided to help me.
"Alright," I nodded. "But I have a condition as well... No blackmailing, of course," a small smile reaching my lips. "I'd like you to be my partner at that party."
I watched her going through the emotions from a slight bashful blush to the point when she offered me a gentle smile and a nod.