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The fundraising gala for the Glades Memorial Children’s Hospital was already in full swing when Lyla Michaels arrives.
“Sorry to be late, Johnnie,” she says after pecking his cheek.
“Waller, giving you problems?” John asks, eyebrow slightly raised. He gives her an appreciative glance, his eyes going over the sleek slate grey satin gown she had on.
“Just the usual,” Lyla answers with a confident grin, tucking her hand in his bent elbow, admiring how husband looks in his tux, “Everything in place?” she whispers.
“Yes,” John nods, turning scanning the room once again as he surreptitiously hands her a commlink device that she tucks in her ear and hides under her hair like a pro.
The team was in full attendance for the benefit gala. With Anarky and his followers gaining popularity all over the city, an event where a lot of Star City government officials and political bigwigs were in attendance was top priority for the team. They were no closer to unearthing Anarky’s real identity, so the team had agreed to keep a watchful eye on any events where an attack from him and his followers would likely happen.
Though John would have preferred to keep to the shadows tonight – on a rooftop with a telescope sniper across the venue where such events were happening, perhaps – it was logistically impossible for the team to monitor what was happening in tonight’s gala tonight from the in their usual way. The SCPD and the Star City government had come to a decision that, until the Anarky threat was resolved, all public events that political and economic players will be in high attendance will be monitored from all sides by the SCPD. The rooftops across the ballroom where tonight’s benefit gala was teeming with SCPD snipers, so that option was out for them. The only one available to the team was to monitor the event from inside.
The team had secured their way into tonight’s event, using their positions and connections within Star City to get hold of the five-grand per plate passes. John Diggle was in attendance as Lyla’s – a research agency government official (A.R.G.U.S. official cover) – date.
For the rest of the team, their access to the event was much simpler.
The Queens had a standing invitation to such events, even though they were considerably less affluent, they have retained their position as Star City royalty. Any public event benefited from the presence of the Queens as they drew the media like no other family or personality in the city.
Felicity, as the CEO of Palmer Tech, not to mention, Oliver Queen’s girlfriend – and if the gossip rags were to be believed, the next Mrs. Queen – was assured an invitation to such events.
Laurel, as the Assistant District Attorney, had no problems securing access to the gala.
Checking on the team as they position themselves throughout the the grand ballroom – Oliver and Felicity holding court in the back the room, Thea conversing with what looked to be old Starling City Prep acquaintances to the left of the couple, and Laurel standing with the other lawyers from the District Attorney’s Office near the doorways of the room – John leads Lyla towards the right side of the room with hand on her lower back.
————
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Oliver murmurs to Felicity, running his eyes over her, very obviously appreciating the way she looked that evening – from her loose curls that had grown enough to fall to her shoulder blades, to her emerald green strapless gown that showed off her shoulders and her décolletage so well, down to her strappy silver stilettos from which her purple coloured toes peeked.
They are standing by one of the high tables, sipping champagne, as they wait for cocktails to finish so they can head to the dining area.
Felicity rolls her eyes at him, squeezing the arm her hand was holding on to playfully, “Oh, I think the dropped jaw that lasted for more than a minute when you first saw me tonight was enough.”
Oliver chuckles, reaching his opposite hand to stroke the back of his forefinger along her cheek, “I thought it was worth mentioning, too. I’ll show you how hot I think you look when we get home tonight.”
Felicity blushes, which Oliver finds adorable, especially given how intimate they have gotten over the past several months, before smirking, “Deal. Now eyes on the room, Mr. Queen.”
“Oliver,” a voice calls from their right, “I am so glad that you could make it tonight.”
Oliver and Felicity turn towards the voice, more that their brief reprieve from having to mingle was over, to see Jessica Danforth, a Mayoral hopeful, approaching them.
“Mrs. Danforth,” Oliver says smoothly, bending over to give the older woman – one of Moira Queen’s oldest friends – an air kiss without losing his hold on Felicity, “I’d like to introduce you to Felicity Smoak,” motioning to Felicity.
“Of course,” Jessica greets with a smile, clasping the hand Felicity had extended towards her upon Oliver’s introduction, “I’ve heard very good things about you, Ms. Smoak. The Palmer Tech stocks have never been higher since you took over the helm. The work that you have spearheaded with your Applied Sciences Division has been remarkable, Ms. Smoak.”
“Felicity, please,” Felicity smiles, flushing in pride, “I have good people in Palmer Tech.”
“Then you must call me Jessica,” the older woman replies, then motions to Oliver, “I can’t seem to get this one to call me by my first name. No matter how much I have told him that calling me so formally has always made me feel so old!”
“My mother would never forgive me, if I ever showed you such disrespect,” Oliver says politely.
The glimmer in Jessica’s eyes dims, “There is not a day that I don’t miss Moira,” she admits sadly.
Oliver and Felicity nod in commiseration.
“Thank you for that, Mrs. Danworth,” Oliver answers sincerely.
Jessica visible shakes off her sad mood and flashes a smile at Oliver and Felicity, “Now is not the time for that.”
Oliver just nods.
“We are on the same table, yes?” Jessica asks. At Oliver and Felicity’s agreement, she continues, “Good. It will be good to catch up more. I’ve been wanting to speak with you about your future in Star City, Oliver.”
“Meaning?” Oliver frowns.
“Meaning, I think you have the potential to be a good leader for the city. Don’t you agree, Felicity?” Jessica states.
Felicity smiles proudly as she tilts her head to look at Oliver, “He already is a great leader.”
Oliver looks down to meet her eyes, flushing, “You really think so?”
Felicity nods in response, patting his arm as she holds his gaze.
“I have always seen Oliver as a surrogate son,” Jessica interrupts the couple with a pleased smile, “And I am so glad that you’ve found the perfect partner, Oliver.”
Oliver turns his attention back to Jessica, “Felicity is not just perfect. She’s the right one for me.”
“I’m glad,” Jessica nods.
Before they could continue their conversation, a good-looking and impeccably dressed young man approaches them from behind Jessica.
“Mrs. Danforth,” he says in a calm voice, “Mr. Burell has arrived. You wanted to speak with him before dinner?”
“Wow, Lonnie Machin!” Thea exclaims in an excited voice from Felicity’s left. Thea, clad in a long black Grecian-style gown, approaches them and greets Jessica with a kiss on the cheek, “Mrs. Danforth, so good to see you.”
“Hello, Thea,” the young man smiles in a friendly manner, nodding at the younger Queen.
“You know two know each other?” Oliver asks, big brother over-protectiveness obvious in his tone.
“Lonnie went to Starling Prep,” Thea explains.
“Thea’s two years my junior,” Lonnie says formally, before extending his hand towards Oliver, “Lonnie Machin.”
“Oliver Queen,” he shakes the younger man’s hand.
“And Felicity Smoak,” Lonnie greets, extending his hand to her, “I’ve heard only great things about you.”
Felicity smiles, as Oliver looks at her with love and pride in his eyes. She returns his gaze with a blush.
“I didn’t realise you’d finished with NYU and that you were back,” Thea says to Lonnie.
“Yes, I finished my Masters in Political Science last summer,” Lonnie confirms.
“And now he works as my invaluable political advisor,” Jessica interjects, “He’s got a brilliant mind.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Danforth,” Lonnie says, before motioning for Jessica to follow him, “Mr. Burell is waiting, ma'am.”
“Michael Burell is a lobbyist for environmental justice,” Jessica explains, “I need to talk to him about my platform for ecological rights. I’ll see you at dinner, Oliver, Felicity and Thea.”
As they watch the Star City matriarch walk away, Thea asks, “Did I hear her right, Ollie? She wants you to have a political career or something?”
Oliver shrugs, “We’ll see. What do you think, Felicity?”
“If that’s what you want to do, Oliver, you know I’ll support you. I think you can do a lot of good with it,” Felicity responds with a smile, “But that’s totally up to you.”
“I agree,” Thea nods, “It’s another way to save the city.”
“It is,” Felicity agrees.
Before Oliver can say anything more, the master of ceremonies for the benefit gala announces that dinner is ready and asks everyone to head to the dining area.
Something to think about, Oliver says to himself as he leads Felicity and Thea to their table.
—————-
“You said you couldn’t dance, Oliver,” Felicity says in shock as Oliver leads her to the dance floor after dinner.
“I said I don’t dance, not that I can’t,” Oliver clarifies flirtatiously, “I want you in my arms, and dancing seems to be the most acceptable way to do that in public.”
Felicity chuckles, shaking her head as Oliver positions her, pulling her arms to wrap around his neck as he places his hands low on her back.
“I can’t believe you can dance,” Felicity says as Oliver begins to move them across the dance floor smoothly. She leans her head on his right shoulder, her face towards him, her four-inch heels making it so that she could reach his shoulders comfortably.
“Only with you,” Oliver murmurs, nuzzling her temple with his mouth as he pulls her closer.
John, Lyla and Laurel sit at the table with a clear view of the dance floor. They could see that the couple had the attention of the room as they swayed and stared at each other as if they were alone in the room.
“Should the two of them be doing this right now?” Lyla asks in concern as she spies a table of socialites preen as they kept their eyes on Oliver and Felicity on the dance floor.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, things are steady,” John shrugs, dismissively noticing a few political players hover by the dance floor, observing the dancing couple with calculating eyes.
“Better tell the sweethearts to keep eye on things rather than canoodling,” Captain Lance leans from behind John, gruffly whispering.
Before anyone could react, the commlinks in Diggle’s, Lyla’s and Laurel’s ears crackles, alerting them that one of their teammates was reporting in. The three look at each other in confusion.
“Digg,” Oliver’s voice ring in their ears, “One of the plainclothes cops just left his station by the kitchen door. And there hasn’t been a replacement in the last five minutes.”
Then from the same commlink, Felicity says, “And there’s another one that’s missing from the entrance.”
“Yeah, can you ask Capt. Lance to check it out?” Oliver adds before turning the comms off.
Quentin, who had heard everything because he was leaning over John from behind, looks at him in alarm, “I’m on it.”
John can see Thea look towards their table over the shoulder of the young man she had been conversing with. John signals her to stay put and alert – to which she nods.
“How –?” Laurel stands up from the table with a confused look on her face as she keeps an eye on the couple, who were making their exit from the dance floor, with their hands clasped, so casually as if they hadn’t just alerted the team about possible trouble.
“Just go help your dad check it out, Laurel,” John says, scanning the room with a keen eye.
The team knew that Oliver’s Green Arrow uniform and his gear was stashed somewhere close by and that Oliver was on his way to change into his gear, while Felicity would check her tablet for anything to confirm their suspicions. Once they confirmed that there was indeed a problem, the rest of the team would make their way to where their own gear were to help apprehend the attackers.
“False alarm,” Laurel’s voice crackles from the commlink, “There was a mix-up with shift change. Everyone’s accounted for. Security is being beefed up, just in case.”
"Good,” Oliver responds remotely as he and Felicity re-enter the ballroom, heading back to the dance floor. They resume dancing-cuddling.
“That’s kind of amazing though, I thought they were too focused on each other,” Lyla comments as she tracks the room for further suspicious elements, “Even more amazing that you were so sure that they had not lost their focus on the mission.”
“I’m used to it,” John answers, shaking his head, “I’ve seen those two make eyes at each other as if they were not aware of anything else, then focus on what’s happening around them in a split second. Even before they got together.”
Lyla chuckles under her breath, “What a team.”
“Yeah, they’re scary sometimes,” John agrees.
/end