The Rise of Athena (An Arrow: Season 1 Fanfiction)

Chapter 28: A Much-Needed Conversation

Oliver Queen's POV 

I walked into Tommy Merlyn's office, closing the door behind me. 

'Sure beats the back of a bar,' I called out. He turned. 

'I saw your name in my schedule, thought it must be a typo,' he said snidely, but I couldn't care less. 'Why so serious? Did someone decide that they didn't want you putting an arrow in them today?'

'I thought it was past time we talked,' I offered, trying to ease the situation, but he didn't take to it. 

'About what? Me leaving the bar, you and Evelyn being serial killers? We're not lacking for topics.'

'Let's start with Laurel, since you're still in love with her.' 

'So are you,' he snapped. 

'I can't be with her, Tommy. You know why I can't.' 

'So what? I'm her consolation prize; I'll pass.'

'She's not anyone's... property. Laurel can make her own decisions. And she chose you. Until you couldn't handle it. Lord knows I am guilty of a lot of things between us, but not you and her. That's all I came to say.' I turned and walked away, but stopped in the middle of the room as Tommy sat down in his chair. 'What exactly do you do here?'

'I work closely with my father,' Tommy said. I gave a nod and said nothing more, just left the room. I walked through the hallways until I caught Malcolm Merlyn walking through the halls with a member of his security detail by his side. 

'Oliver!' he shouted in greeting. 

'Mr. Merlyn,' I said and shook his hand. 

'I must say, I'm surprised to see you here.' 

'Tommy and I just had a little unfinished business.' 

'Ahh. I know things have been challenging between you two, but I trust you're working things out,' he said kindly, but I saw nothing nice in it. I heard the commotion from Felicity and Diggle in my earpiece, but thought the better of it. 

'I'm sorry, I have to go. There are some investors waiting for me back at the club.'

'I'm heading out to a meeting myself. I'll walk you down to the lobby.' 

We came down to the lobby. 

'Tell your mother I said hello,' Malcolm said, shaking my hand. 

'I will,' I replied, trying to be courteous. He walked off, and I put my hand to my earpiece. 

'Got held up. Heading back upstairs,' I said in my earpiece. 

'Ollie?' a voice said. I looked over and saw Thea.

'Thea?! What are you doing here?' Over near the door, a young man was standing with a red hoodie on, hands in his pockets, back turned to me. 

'I, uh, just saw Tommy.'

'Yeah, me too. I'm gonna run back up, don't want to be late.' 

'Oh, I thought you just came down,' she asked, a suspicious look growing on her face. 

'Is that your friend Roy?' I asked. 

'No, um...'

'No?'

'Yeah, he gave me a ride.' 

'Thea, what are you really doing here? The truth, please.'

'The truth?'