Chapter 20 — Unknown (To You)

"I don't understand why you have to go to this stupid gala every year," Oliver complains. He was sitting in the living room of the Carmichael family suite at the Rosewood Gotham. Max pointedly looks at Zoey.

Zoey sighs as she looks through some of the family jewels that Max brought from Star City. "It's tradition," she softly argues. She picks up a dark ruby choker and holds it up to her neck in front of the mirror. She wore a dark ruby-colored floor-length dress. Her hair fell in soft waves down her back.

"That's too matchy," Max tells her. He picks up a necklace with a black diamond rose pendant in the center. He holds it in front of her and nods. "This one is much better."

Zoey nods in agreement. "Much better."

Oliver shakes his head. "I don't understand the obsession over this."

Max rolls his eyes as he fastens the necklace around Zoey's neck. "The Carmichaels and Waynes go back to the nineteenth century. If it hadn't been for Hiram Wayne investing in grandpa George's idea then we wouldn't be standing in this damn suite." He shoots Oliver an annoyed look. "You are coming to this gala as a member of our family, Oliver. Stop being a jealous asshole over the fact that Zoey and Bruce used to be fuck buddies. In case you're forgetting, she married you. Not him."

Oliver holds up his hands. Max had never talked to him that way before. "Max, I'm sorry. I promise I'll be on my best behavior."

Max lets out an exasperated breath. He grabs his coat after the back of the couch and turns to Zoey. "I'll see you both downstairs in five minutes. Talk to him."

Zoey nods and watches as Max walks out of the suite. Oliver looks at Zoey, waiting. She lets out a sigh and grabs her peacoat. "He's stressed about getting a contract with Wayne Tech to upgrade the security systems in the hotels. William Earle keeps avoiding him."

Oliver frowns. "Why didn't Max just come to me? Queen Industries will take care of the security upgrade."

"He's trying to keep the tradition alive. We always go to Wayne Enterprises first. And they always helped. But since Bruce's parents died…Earle takes his time in responding to any contract offers from CRC. Through for the past two years, Earle has just outright refused to look at anything relating to CRC. Apparently, it's not lucrative enough for them."

"What happened that…" Oliver trails off when Zoey fiddles with her engagement and wedding rings. "You're fucking kidding me. He fucks over Max because we got married."

"Yeah," Zoey softly confirms.

"What a scumbag. Fuck him." Oliver stands up and walks over to Zoey. He softly kisses her. "I will take care of this."

Zoey takes a sip of sparkling water as she looks through the books. The number of times she had been in the library of Wayne Manor, she had never actually looked to see what titles were housed there. The door opens and she glances over her shoulder to see Bruce. "Your party kinda blows," she greets, turning back to the shelves.

"Not really my party," Bruce replies, walking over to her. She holds up her empty glass and he takes it from her. "It's weird seeing Max kissing ass."

"I told him to just tell Earle to fuck off and find someone else to do the security upgrades," Zoey says, joining him at the bar. "But he's trying to keep the relationship between CRC and Wayne Enterprises alive."

"And Earle just wants to bury it."

"Very much so."

"How's Met U?"

"Filled with paparazzi. I had to hire security just to be able to go to class without being harassed. But I officially made political science my major."

"I thought you had little interest in going into the family business."

"I started my own company a couple of years ago. York Media Group. So far the only media is the Smallville Ledger and the Talon. A small-town newspaper and a small-town coffee shop. Uncle Max is a silent partner. It'll grow, but when the time is right. How's Princeton?"

"Boring. But that's the joy of being in electrical and computer engineering. I had someone try and give me directions to the business department one day. I had to point out that I was enrolled in an engineering class."

"You should've told them to fuck off. Or least reminded them that your dad was a doctor who had little interest in running Wayne Enterprises."

"I'm surprised Max didn't say anything to me about his troubles with Earle."

"I don't think he wanted to bother you about it. I think he feels like fighting with Earle is taking on the older establishment. He knows how everyone looks at him. And it has nothing to do with him being gay. It all has to do with what happened between his mom and grandpa."

"Because old Frank didn't force the secretary to get an abortion. He went against the unspoken rules of the old boys club."

"Never acknowledge the illegitimate child." Zoey motions in the direction of the gala. "Did you bring your mystery woman to the gala?"

"She didn't want to come. I see Queen came with you."

"I told him about your visit to Metropolis."

"That explains why he's been a bigger dick than usual."

Zoey lets out a soft breath. She didn't understand why Bruce and Oliver didn't get along. But she had a feeling that her relationship with each of them played a role in their growing dislike of each other. "I need to get back out there. I'll see you around," she softly tells him, then walks out of the library.

The moment Oliver climbs into bed that night, Zoey is pressed against his side. Her lips trail across his jaw. He shifts. He hated that she was so close to Bruce. He hated that Bruce could have conversations with her that he wasn't able to have with Zoey. "Zo, I'm not in the mood," he tells her.

Zoey props herself on an elbow and stares at him. "You're not in the mood," she repeats. She clearly didn't believe him.

Oliver keeps his gaze on the ceiling. "I'm just not in the mood."

Zoey lays her head on his chest. "You can tell me what's bothering you."

He shakes his head. "It's nothing, Zo."

"We just talked. That's it."

"That's not the point."

"Then why are you upset?"

"I just don't understand why you keep forgiving the fucker," Oliver snaps. He runs a hand over his face. "All he does is fuck with your feelings and you just keep forgiving him."

Zoey sighs. She picks at the comforter. "I don't know," she softly confesses. "Maybe…maybe it has to do with the fact that our parents—"

"You two aren't the only people who lost their parents as a kid," Oliver reminds.

"But you didn't watch your parents die in front of you, Ollie. We did. Bruce saw his parents murdered in front of him. My mom died while I sat in her lap. You don't…you don't have the memories of watching them die in front of you. And you don't have the guilt of being the reason they died."

"Zo, you're not responsible for their deaths."

"They wouldn't have been in the car if it wasn't for me." Zoey turns and faces towards the window. "I'm sorry for making you upset."

Max walks over to where Zoey was staring out the window of the CRC's boardroom. The waterfront view of the bay was one that everyone tended to enjoy. He knew about the problems in Zoey and Oliver's marriage. He had heard about them not only from them but through gossip. And he couldn't help but be on Oliver's side. "It's not a hard choice to make," Max says, staring out the window. "One wants to be with you. One doesn't."

"I can't be friends with Bruce anymore," Zoey replies.

"If being with Oliver, who wants to be with you, who loves you, Zoey, means not being friends with Bruce. Then don't be friends with Bruce. Don't hold yourself back from being happy. If Bruce wanted to be with you, he would have found a way."

Zoey nods. She knew that Max was right. "I have to go do something," she tells her uncle, grabbing her bag. "I'll see you at dinner."

None of them are aware of the computer virus quickly spreading from Metropolis. By the time night falls, the computer virus had reached Star City. Oliver shoots Max an annoyed look as he finishes gearing up. A riot had broken out in the city. "She didn't say where she was going," Oliver angrily asks.

"No. She just said she had something she had to go do," Max argues. "She didn't get on a plane. Neither the CRC or Queen Industries jets have been used today."

Oliver puts on the infrared glasses and pulls up the hood of his Green Arrow uniform. "If she shows up, don't let her leave," he orders. He grabs his bow and quiver of arrows, then steps out onto the balcony.

"And what are you going to do," Max shouts.

"I'm gonna find her. And save some people while I do it."

Zoey clutches the steering wheel of her car. She had been on her way back from the Carmichael family home on the outskirts of Star City when the riot had broken out. Seeing people being dragged from their vehicles, she twists off her wedding and engagement rings. She shoves them into her purse and wraps the strap around her arm. She glances behind her. More people were being ripped out of their cars. Zoey takes a deep breath and climbs out of her car. She starts walking with the mob, hoping to blend in.

Queen Tower was only a couple of blocks ahead. Someone shoves her and Zoey falls to the ground. She winces. She scrambles to stand up. She makes her way over to an alley, making sure to keep a tight grip on her bag. She looks down at her hand. A deep gash was on her palm. There's a thud and she turns to see Green Arrow. He walks over to her and gently grasps her hand. "This needs stitches," he tells her. His voice was modified to be unrecognizable. "You gonna tell me what the fuck was going through your mind?"

"In my defense, there wasn't a riot in the city when I left. And the radios stopped working on my way back," Zoey argues.

"Then are you gonna tell me what made you leave in the first place?"

"I needed to put something in the family vault."

"And it couldn't wait until I could go with you?"

Zoey lets out an annoyed breath. "I was trying to do a grand romantic gesture. I went and put that stupid necklace Bruce gave me a few years ago in the vault. I…I thought it would show that I was putting everything related to Bruce in the past. I'm not even going to be friends with him anymore. Because you're right. I keep forgiving him when he doesn't deserve it. And he keeps forgiving me when I don't deserve it. So, I just put everything he ever gave me in the family vault. It's all locked away. I'm done. Truly."

Green Arrow stares throughout her confession. The sounds of the mob reach them and he glances to see that the mob has grown more violent. He wraps an arm around her waist and lifts his crossbow. He fires an arrow to the top of the building. "Hold on," he tells her. Then they're flying through the air. They land on the roof with a thud.

Zoey lets out a shaky breath. "A little warning next time."

Green Arrow shoots her an amused look. "You get used to it." He walks over to the edge of the building and looks down at the mob.

Zoey loosens her grip on her purse. The cut on her hand was still bleeding. She rips the bottom of her dress and tears of a piece of fabric. "Ol—can you help me," she asks, moving towards him. She holds out a scrap of fabric.

"We need to get you to the hospital," he tells her, wrapping the fabric around her hand.

Zoey motions to the mob. "I don't think that'll happen anytime soon."

"Don't go anywhere." She rolls her eyes. "Zoey." She turns to him. "Promise me that you won't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

"I promise."

Green Arrow walks back to the edge of the building. He fires an arrow to the building across the road. He stands there for a moment, then walks back over to Zoey. He pulls her into a deep kiss. He doesn't care if someone sees them. He pulls back and rests his forehead against hers. "It was a grand romantic gesture." He presses another quick kiss to her lips then runs over to the edge. Zoey stands there, watching as he picks up the crossbow and takes off.

Zoey grabs the paper from the printer. Star City was starting to recover from the damage due to the riots. She had talked to Chloe and gotten caught up on everything that had occurred in Metropolis. She didn't realize how out of the loop she was with everything. She walks over to where Oliver was sitting at his desk in the penthouse. He had been working on new designs for some trick arrows. She sets the paper in front of him.

Oliver grabs it. "Why are you showing me a real estate ad for an apartment Metropolis?"

"Because my realtor in Metropolis finally got back in touch with me. And I now own the penthouse in this building."

"Why would you buy an apartment?"

"Well, one, I'm tired of living in the hotel. And you said you wanted to move to Metropolis…so, I got us a place in Metropolis. It's close to campus, so I can walk when classes resume. The penthouse has a balcony so if Green Arrow wants to do stuff then it's easy for him. Luckily, no remodels have to be done. And it's all ready for us to move into."

Oliver places the ad on the desk. "You put a lot of effort into this, Zo."

"Yeah, well, I haven't exactly been putting much effort into our relationship since we got married. I've been really shitty. So, I wanted to show that I'm fully committed. I want this. The way I see it, you're either moving to Metropolis or I'm taking a year off of school and transferring to UC Star City."

Oliver stands up. He presses a soft kiss to her lips. "Looks like I'm moving to Metropolis."

Say that you don't want me, say that you don't need me

Tell me I'm the fool

Tell me you've been tortured, tell me you've beaten

What I've done to you

Even if it doesn't matter

Doesn't matter what's true

Just say that you don't want me, say that you don't need me

Tell me I'm the fool