Long Live Love

Asking

"You create your opportunities by asking for them."

Shakti Gawain

One of the distinguishing characteristics that separates humans from animals is that humans have become accustomed to burying their dead. Five hundred people were killed worse than animals, but they were still buried.

Katie's fingers slides through the warm grass beneath her as she rocks back and forth in the spot between her parent's graves. She isn't completely sure why she still comes here. She doesn't usually talk to them, or update them on her life. For about forty five minutes, Katie just sits in this spot. Even though her eyes are closed she hears the movement behind her.

"Sneaking up on people in cemeteries is not cool." she muttered never stopping the mindless pattern she was tracing in the grass. Mostly because she knows it's him. His aftershave usually gives him away.

"I wasn't sneaking, I just didn't want to disturb you." Oliver replied walking over to stand right behind her. "I was visiting with Tommy and spotted you over here."

"I guess we have the same dead people visiting schedule." Katie say opening her eyes to look at the names of her parents etched into stone in front of her. "My schedule is probably going to be wide open soon." she let out a sigh before standing to her feet and turning to see the man dressed in a very nice suit. She'd heard from Felicity that he was taking over the duties of CEO at QC, but there was a part of her that couldn't quite believe it. Oliver didn't have the passion for the company as his father did, but she guessed that right now he has no other choice. "CEO Oliver Queen I presume." his tie was slightly crooked and for some reason reaching up to straighten seemed to be the right thing to do. It wasn't until she'd fixed his tie, and her hands fell to rest on his chest did she realize that maybe it was a mistake. His heart was beating fast in his chest and she could feel even through his clothes. When Katie lifted her head, and her eyes met his and Oliver never felt the need to kiss anyone as he did in his moment. He dropped his head slightly in an effort to meet her lips. All she had to do was meet him halfway, but instead she pulled back. "I have to go." she walked around him a little surprise at her own strength do something as hard as not letting Oliver kiss her.

"Did you get my flowers?" he called after her and he heard her laugh.

"Yep, all one thousand of them!" she replied turning to him as she walked backwards. "I gave them to the patients, so thank you for that." she was about to turned again when he spoke.

"Have dinner with me!" he called and Katie stopped walking. She turned back to him with a furrowed brow as he walked over to close the distance between them. She doesn't think she heard him correctly.

"Like a...date?" that question made him chuckle, because he thought it was pretty obvious.

"Yes, a date." Oliver says taking another step toward her. "I would like to take you on a date." Katie turned away for a moment, a bit surprised that this was happening. When she was younger she'd always used to dream of the day Oliver Queen would ask her on a date, and after a while she sort of gave up hope.

"You think a couple of flowers makes up for what you did?" Katie asked and Oliver shook his head.

"Of course not. I know what I did was shitty and awful timing, but I'm here and I'm trying to prove to you that if you give me a second chance I won't let you down again. How do I do that? Tell me." Katie stared at him for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"It's not that easy Oliver. There isn't some magic solution that's going to erase the past year of me wondering what about me was so easy to walk away from. Or how someone who claimed to have loved me could leave via note on a pillow." she turned about to leave when he caught her arm and she stopped.