Thriving

Jessica

Jessica stood by the front door of her apartment, checking her watch yet again. "Amber, hurry up."

"I can only move so fast with a stack of books." Amber retorted as she slowly shuffled toward her stepmom with a stack of nearly a dozen books rising over her head.

"Why? Just... why?" Jessica questioned, defeated.

"You're gonna be gone for three days and I'm still grounded. I need to be prepared." Amber explained.

"First of all, I am going to be gone for two days and second of all, you have a key. If you forget something here, you can just ask Oliver to drive you over."

"Those are very good points," Amber admitted. "I'll be right back." She slowly turned around and started shuffling back to her room.

Jessica facepalmed. "I had to get a weird kid."

"I'm ready." Amber walked over with only four books in her hands this time.

"Finally." Jessica opened the door and ushered Amber through it. She locked the door and the two made their way outside where Jessica hailed a taxi.

The car had just pulled away from the curb and entered traffic when Amber remembered something she had forgotten. "Wait. My book."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "You have four of them."

"I haven't started reading any of these yet. The one I just started is on your desk at the precinct."

Jessica checked her watch. "Well, you're gonna have to get your dad to take you because I'm really pushing it with my flight."

"Fine."

* * *

Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity sat in a booth at Big Belly Burger, discussing their vigilante business and getting lunch.

"So, to catch this guy, we need to figure out where he is or where he's gonna be," Oliver spoke.

Felicity glanced between Oliver and Diggle. "Is this really how you guys figure out how to get your target, over burgers and shakes?" She asked.

"Sorry, it took me so long." Carly apologized as she walked up to the table. "I'm waiting on a bunch of particularly rowdy customers."

Diggle looked over his shoulder at a table full of loud, obnoxious teenagers. "You need me to handle that?"

"I appreciated it, but I'm a pro by now." Carly kindly turned down Diggle's offer.

"I'll be here if you need me." Diggle smiled at Carly, who returned the gesture before returning to work.

"Girlfriend?" Felicity raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, it's my, uh, sister-in-law." Diggle clarified only to end up backtracking. "Sort of."

"Carly was married to Dig's brother. And he passed away." Oliver explained.

"Well, looks like she's hot for you."

"Ah. Can we get back to crime fighting, please?" Diggle practically begged. He did not want to talk about his love life right now.

Oliver, on the other hand, wanted to linger on the topic. "Actually, Dig, I was thinking you probably should ask her out."

Diggle leaned back in the booth, ready to play. "Really? I'll do it five minutes after you ask out McKenna."

"Ooh, the detective on the Dodger case." Felicity looked over at Oliver. "You have a thing for her?"

"Uh..."

"Yes," Diggle answered for him.

"I don't see you asking Carly out." Oliver shot back.