Arrow In My Wild Heart

Darkness On The Edge Of Town

So, Oliver and Diggle made up. At least, I think so considering Oliver had Diggle stalking his mom. "I've been watching your mother for days now, Oliver, and nothing. She goes to work, she comes home. Occasionally she goes out for dinner. She seems to particularly like the salmon tartar at Table Salt," Diggle said as he and Felicity looked over the surveillance photos Diggle had been taking of Moira.

"I'm linked into her home and office phones. Nothing out of the ordinary. No mention of Walter's abduction or the Undertaking. Just a few innocuous calls to Malcolm Merlyn," Felicity grumbled in addition. "Why wouldn't she call him? They're old friends," he told us simply. "We're all old friends," he added with a sigh. I moved over to where he was sitting on the edge of a table, his bow in his hands.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly as I rested my hand on his shoulder. "My mom and our best friend's dad are involved in a conspiracy that may have dire consequences for the city. And I'm pretty sure they murdered my father. I'm not planning on using the word 'okay' again anytime soon," he told me, shaking his head slightly. I gave a small nod. "Right, that was a stupid question," I sighed. He reached up with one hand and put his hand on top of mine.

"Listen, all we know for sure is that Malcolm and your mother are planning something for the Glades," Diggle said, coming up behind me. I shifted slightly so that I was standing beside Oliver, instead of in front of him. "And that Walter and I were getting too close to it, that's why they had him kidnapped," Felicity added from her seat at the computer. "We have to find out what this Undertaking is," I said, trying to think of how this would work.

"I got to ask her," Oliver said with a sigh. Confused, I stared down at him. "What? No way," I said as Oliver got to his feet and started for the door. I quickly grabbed his arm and spun him around to face me once more. "The last time the vigilante paid your mom a visit, you got shot, and I got to play doctor with you," Felicity said, getting to her feet as well. I glanced at her over my shoulder, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Ugh! My brain thinks of the worst way to say things," Felicity groaned as she covered her blushing face. "This time it'll just be me asking," Oliver told me, taking my chin gently and turning my gaze on him. "Friendly mother-son chat," he assured me. I sighed and gave a small nod. He kissed me softly before he turned, set his bow back in its wooden box, and then he left.

I groaned and turned back to Diggle and Felicity. "I don't like this," I told them. "Neither do we, but you're the one dating the guy. If he's gonna listen to anyone, it's you," Diggle reminded me. I sighed and gave a small nod. "I'll talk to him," I grumbled before I turned and started up the stairs for the club. I opened the secret door and stared out into the main dancefloor when I heard a familiar voice. "After you disappeared – with Sara – I was sorry I ever knew you," I heard Laurel's voice call out. She sounded as if she was emotional.

"But now, things have happened that I never thought would. You coming home. My parents being in the same room. And you. What if I'm finally starting to see you for who you really are?" she asked him. I could just imagine the tears welling in her eyes and her trying to fight them back. "No, Laurel –" Oliver started, but she cut him off. "And maybe Tommy was right. Maybe he and I weren't meant to be. Maybe I'm finally ready to admit that... that I still have feelings for you," she said. I felt my chest start to ache at her words. She stilled loved him? Everything in my body told me that I had to leave. It said I didn't want to hear his reply. But my heart told me to stay. I had to know what he was going to say.

"Nothing's changed. My life hasn't changed. I haven't changed. The only thing that's changed are my feelings for you – they're gone. I don't feel that way about you. I haven't for a long time," I heard Oliver said. I was glad to hear it, honestly. If there had ever been a tiny bit of doubt in me that Oliver still loved Laurel, it was gone now. While he had been talking about how his life hadn't changed, I heard the lie. But when he said he didn't care about her that way anymore, I heard the truth. "I got to go. Walter's coming home," Oliver said before I heard his footsteps fade away and the door close behind him.