Unravel Me | Arrow [ COMPLETED ]

chapter nine

"I am the man we both couldn't stand
I can't wash off the dirt from my hands
What was it like to feel in love"
MATT MAESON - 'The Hearse'

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"So," Cali said, pressing the phone to her shoulder with her cheek while she pushed a book back onto the shelf. "I heard you played valiant defender last night at Laurel's place. You alright?"

Oliver shifted, the sound sounding stifled through the phone. "Yeah. I got a lucky shot with a kitchen knife. Nothing too major. Diggle did most of the fighting."

"That's not what his text says."

Oliver sighed. "He thinks I'm hiding something."

You are, Cali almost said, but managed to bite her tongue in time. Now wasn't the time to start a fight about secrets and heartache. "Well, you can prove him wrong at the Applied Sciences Center opening. That's today, right?"

Oliver was polite enough not to mention the glaringly obvious subject change. He sighed heavily. "Yeah. Lunchtime. You're still coming, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I thought that's what you said about my court date when I got legally resurrected, but you missed that." Oliver's voice wasn't accusing, only tired. "I don't want to pressure you into coming if you don't feel up for it."

Cali jammed a book onto the shelf rather harshly, a grimace pulling at her lips. Nancy gave a strange look from the office. "You've spoken to Tommy, I take it." It wasn't a question.

"He called this morning, after Laurel left his place. He's worried about you."

"He'd better be worried about himself," Cali muttered to herself, picking up the empty book box and stalking towards the office. Nancy saw her coming and blanched, grabbing some paperwork and scuttling away seconds before Cali got there. She could move fast for an old lady. "I swear, when I see him next-"

Oliver cut her off. "I'm sure Tommy didn't mean it in a bad way. From what I've seen since I've been back, he's overprotective of you no matter what you do. I think you may just have to deal."

And now, didn't that put Cali in an uncomfortable position? She couldn't very well tell Oliver that the reason Tommy was being such a bastard about looking after her was because his trust for the new Oliver Queen was significantly less than the trust he'd had for Ollie Queen. It was obvious that Tommy was still off-balance about the whole situation. His instinct was to take Cali and hide them both under covers until the bad thing went away.

Unfortunately, Cali didn't think it was all just going to 'go away' this time. She had a horrible feeling they might actually have to deal with it.

"I'll meet you at the presentation, okay?" She said, suddenly very, very tired. "I've got some more reshelving to do."

Oliver's murmured goodbye sounded awfully despondent.

Cali shook her head as she hung up and tossed her phone on her desk. God, this whole thing was turning into a bigger and bigger mess. Tommy was floundering, Thea was floundering, Laurel was floundering. Cali's spiral was getting tighter and faster, and Oliver was standing by in the shadows, watching it all fall apart.

Cali filled the box with more books, her hands moving on autopilot as she let herself slip into her own head. The phone call just now had only served as a reminder - this new Oliver was nothing like the Ollie she'd come to know and love. Her Ollie had been easy to read, his emotions on display for the world to see, his intents and beliefs painted across his face every second of the day. Her Ollie had smiled more.