Philophobia (Jonathan Crane, O/C)

Men Must Love You

"No, I don't want your number. No, I don't want to give you mine and No, I don't want to meet you nowhere. No, I don't want none of your time. I don't want no scrubs. Scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me."

- "No Angels" by Bastille ft. Ella Eyre

"Thank you so much for meeting with me on such short notice Mr. Queen," I smile at the handsome man walking down the laboratory, shaking off the jet lag I've been feeling since I got off the plane.  

"For the last time Cassandra its Oliver," he smiles at me, I notice the crinkle at the edges and the bright burning behind his ocean blue eyes. My heart pangs thinking of Bruce's eyes, they reminded me of his, in the way that they seemed to be hiding darkness and tragedy.   

"What is with you rich people and your dazzling smiles?" I return the smile with an understanding look and calmness. 

"You have the amazing Bruce Wayne in your city don't you?" He asks, I try my best not to roll my eyes something tells me already knows all about my past. 

"I do," I keep my smile only turning it into one of tight lips.

"And have you ever met him?" He's baiting. 

I chuckle and roll my eyes, "You could say the two of us are best friends."

He raises his eyebrows, "Really?"

"Truly, we've been friends since the day I was born."

Of course this made getting his private jet a lot easier to obtain. Last night after my phone call with Jonathan I walked down the hallway and knocked on Bruce's door. He answered, looking at me and immediately knowing something had to be wrong. I told him about my conversation with Jonathan. He called up one of is men about getting the jet all set in place for the following morning. I know that Bruce didn't want me to go. The next morning he waited until the last possible second to come up and say goodbye. He roped me into one of his long hugs, knowing that he wouldn't see me for a while. When I pulled away I searched his eyes for what I thought would be hardness sadness, instead they looked voided emotionless. He saw me looking into them, only to give me a half smile missing all of the playfulness in it and kissed me on the forehead. It was painful to leave Bruce. It was 05t my eyebrows together, "What?"

"Yo5u said your last name was Jackson. But I know that isn't true. I have a girlfriend who does pretty extensive background checks." My eyes widen in fake surprise, oh Oliver, if you think I didn't know you knew. 

I cut him off- "Felicity Smoke. I'm a little sad I don't get to meet her." His smile falls. "You aren't the only one with an impressive team of hackers."

"Tell me has Batman agreed to this little group? I know Madame Raven has, haven't you?" I put my hand to my chest in pretend shock as I did moments before. 

"Oh well then Mr. Queen was I supposed to dress up as Madame Raven and corner you in a dark alleyway?"

His smile returns, an easiness sets into his features.  

"I thought we would skip over all of that. You know everyone's real identities then?"

"Yes I do and that is my business and mine alone."

"Well the only reason you have that information is because you know who Batman is under the mask."

"I'm sure in time you will as well Batman," I pause, "it takes awhile for him to warm up to a group of people but once he does he will trust you."

"As he does with you," Oliver nods his head.

I sigh, "God knows why he does now." I say it quietly enough that Oliver can't hear me.