•••
The whole ground vibrated around me with music and people. The lights shined and flickered creating a dozen shadows through the many bodies that danced across the yard. I maneuvered through the crowd trying to find either Oliver or Diggle, what I found was the latter.
"Have you seen Oliver?" I asked, having to raise my voice to be heard over the music.
"Hi, everybody!" Oliver shouted into the mic as if on cue and the music cut off bringing the room to silence.
"Yeah," John answered unnecessarily.
"Hey! I'm very touched that you came to celebrate with me before I am sent up the river. Closest neighbors are six miles away, so don't worry about the noise. Actually, on second thought... Let's wake those losers up!" With that the party kicked back into full swing and Oliver hopped off the stage smiling between John and I.
"If you think this is what prison's like, you are in for a rude awakening." Diggle smart mouthed as the three of us headed inside. "Mueller's car has been parked in the warehouse district of the Glades for 45 minutes." He explained once they reached the safety of Oliver's bedroom and away from prying ears and eyes.
"Yeah, that's a good place for an arms deal." Oliver commended.
"Okay, since this is going down tonight, what do we do, drop a dime on Mueller with the cops?" Diggle asked.
"No, the man in the hood. He's going to stop them."
"Oliver, you can't leave the house." I looked at him like he was crazy, which he probably was.
"It doesn't have to be me in the hood." And just like that everything made sense.
I could see the moment the realization hit John and he let out an incredulous laugh, "That's why you threw this ridiculous party? So you have a hundred witnesses placing you here at the house while I'm supposed to be across town dressed as a vigilante?"
"I thought that it was going to be good enough just for you to be seen in the hood. I didn't count on Mueller showing up and I didn't count on the possibility that the Glades could be flooded with machine guns," Oliver argued, letting out a heavy sigh as he ran a hand down his face. "Look. I promise, it was never my intention to put you in harm's way."
"Oliver, I didn't think joining your crusade was ever going to be risk-free. I just don't like being played. Now you might have gotten used to lying to everyone else in your life, but I'm the one guy you don't lie to."
"You're right. I'm sorry. So am I going to jail?" Oliver asked.
"No, man," John said after a moments hesitation. "I got to stop an arms deal."
Oliver looked at me then and I frowned at him, my arms crossed, "what?"
I watched his eyes dart over to John before taking a step closer to me, ducking his head to meet my gaze. "When Diggle walks out that door and puts on the hood, that's it, all charges are dropped. Unless you tell me to call it off."
"What?" I whispered in shock.
"It's up to you, if you want to blow the lid off this whole thing you can and I won't fight the charges."
I stared at him like I didn't even recognize him and at this point I wasn't sure I did. And maybe it was the island, maybe it wasn't, but it was like he was this whole knew person. A person I wanted to get to know, and I knew I couldn't do that if he was in jail. But, one question still lingered in my mind.
"Why? Why would you give me that choice?"
"Because..." he took another step closer and I raised my head to look up into those blue eyes I stared into a million times before. "Even if you don't trust me, right now, I still trust you."
I immediately dropped my gaze from his intense stare to clear my throat and then I shifted my attention passed him to John. "Go," I nodded. "You've got an arms deal to stop." John nodded, grabbing his jacket off the chair and with that he left.
"Thank you." Oliver rested a hand on my upper arm with a smile for a moment and I gave him a tight lipped one back. His fingers dropped from my bare arm and he turned to head around me to his desk and I slowly turned on my toes to watch him. What he told me earlier played on repeat in my head.
"I didn't know about the torture, or your scars," my voice was quiet as I slowly met his gaze, and I could see the battle in his eyes. "What happened to you on the island... no one should ever have to go through that. And I'm sorry that I pushed you into telling me all that, pushed you into reliving it. But, now that its... all out there. Can I- Can I see it?" I asked hesitantly, licking my suddenly dry lips.
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked quietly.
"Yes," I nodded. Slowly Oliver undid the buttons on his shirt revealing scars decorating his chest. There were more than I could count, big ones, small ones, the one on his left shoulder stood out the most. It was large and seemed to swirl inward and I gently reached up a hand to trace my fingers along the thick skin. "How did you survive this?"
"There were times when I wanted to die. In the end... There was something I wanted more." I looked up into his eyes and I frowned at that look I saw in his blue iris'. My eyebrows furrowed and I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but he cut me off before I could.
The press of his lips against mine was soft, undemanding, the slightest movement. His fingers ghosted over my arms, raising goosebumps on my skin causing a gasp to leave my lips. He took that as his invitation to trace the inside of her mouth.
I pulled away quickly my eyes wide and a hand covering my mouth. My eyes met his before they darted back to the ground. "What're you doing?"
"I was just-" He broke off, clearing his throat and I could see the instant regret in his eyes. "Harley, I'm-"
"It's fine," I cut him off quickly, my heart hammering in my chest and my eyes wide. Oliver just kissed me. My best friend just kissed me. "I should go." I turned quickly, and raced for the door, not looking back.
"No. Harley, you don't have to leave." He called after me, but I didn't look back. I had to go.