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“You thought I was leaving too?” she asked softly turning to look at him. “Not a chance.”
She saw the way his shoulders dropped in relief, the way his eyes closed halfway and he breathed out a slow breath.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
She noticed his fingers twitch at his side and reached out her hand, slipping her fingers through his. He tentatively tightened his hold on her hand to which she squeezed back, and then it was as if he was holding on to her for life itself.
“It’s been a long eight months,” he whispered, never taking his eyes off the mannequins.
“It has,” she agreed, “But we’re still here, and this city still needs you.”
“It needs us,” he corrected, turning his face to catch her eye. “There’s no way I could do this without you.”
“You did, once upon a time…” she began, but he held up a hand.
“Not like this. I wouldn’t be here without you. I wouldn’t have stood up and given a speech about hope without you and John guiding me. I wouldn’t be alive without you. Felicity…”
She swallowed around the lump that rose in her throat, tears pricking at the back of her eyes. There was so much in that one word. Her name. Everything that had happened since they’d come back to Star City. All the heartache and loss, but also the hope of a new day; a brighter tomorrow, and of them. A future that didn’t seem so unlikely as it did before.
“I know…” Her voice was barely a whisper but she knew he heard her as his hand squeezed hers.
She let herself lean into his arm, let her head fall on his shoulder. It was the most intimate contact they’d had in months and yet it felt perfectly natural.
It always had with them.
There was still so much to discuss; so much they still had to work through. But she knew they’d get there...together...like they always did.
She felt his head come to rest on hers and soaked in the moment, closing her eyes and breathing deep.
This was a new start. Another new start. And something deep in her heart told her this was the new start they both needed.
They’d face the days ahead side by side. They’d tackle the aspects of being mayor and a hero. And they’d protect this city - their city...their home - together.
A few moments passed before she heard his phone buzz in his pocket, and he sighed reaching for it as she stepped in front of him.
When he looked up from his phone, she greeted him with a smile.
“So Mr. Mayor, where do we start?”
Oliver gave her a slow smile, his eyes soft as he let out a huff of laughter. “Not sure I'm going to get used to that one anytime soon.”
“Of course, you will...as long as you don’t answer to both Green Arrow and Mr. Mayor at the same time...oh, this could get complicated. I’m getting flashbacks to you as the head of QC. We’ll have to get you a suit to keep hidden in your office, unless we need to move the lair again, although basing it in City Hall would cause even more logistical nightmares. Right now, I have to try to salvage our poor computers and not having access to Palmer Tech’s resources…”
“Felicity…”
All it took was her name and she stopped mid-thought, turning to look at him and finding that she’d been walking in circles.
“Right.” She recentered. “First things first, cleaning up…”
“No,” Oliver corrected, holding out his hand and she furrowed her brow at him in question.
“First, dinner.”
Her eyes lit up as her stomach growled.
“How does Big Belly Burger sound?” he asked, and she grinned.
“Amazing.”
Putting her hand in his, he led her from the lair and into the cool night air.
One step at a time. Together.