Home. Heart. Hero.

A Home Threatened

"There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home."

-Rosalynn Carter

Oliver  Queen likes to think that even though a lot of darkness was created  from his time on Lian Yu, he'd be lying if her didn't recognize the  positive things that came from that time as well. One of those things  was a sixth sense about people. He'd met Bruce Wayne maybe a hand full  of times, but they were brief. He was young and Bruce was always so  serious. He seemed to be working tirelessly to prepare himself for  taking over his father's company. Then there was the fact that he too  had disappeared from all eyes for years, way before Oliver and his  father's sailing trip. He'd seen and read about the news of the sole  Wayne heirs return, but the last place he expected to see the man was  standing on the steps of Queen Consolidated, with his arm still wrapped  around Katie's waist as they posed for more pictures. That's what caused  the twinge in his gut. There was a familiarity that seemed to be  swirling between the two that he had no idea about and it made him feel  things he was trying so hard to ignore.

"Hey" Diggle said nudging  Oliver's side, pulling him from the fog in his head. "You alright?"  Oliver turned to the man an nodded, but Diggle didn't look to believing.  "You sure, because that vein in your forehead looks like it's going to  burst." Oliver's jaw tightened as he turned back to the posing pair.  Diggle followed his gaze and suddenly the realization hit him and he  simply nodded before giving his friend a pat on the shoulder.

"Alright,  I think that's enough" Katie said turning a tight smile over to Bruce.  She was unable to keep up this charade any longer. "Shall we?"

"We  shall" Bruce replied taking her hand in his, and lead her up the stairs  toward the front doors of the building. Katie glance over to Oliver,  whose expression could be described as nothing but pure annoyance. Once  they all walked into the building and stepped onto the elevator, Katie  couldn't wait until the doors closed before she snatched her hand from  Bruce's grasp and pushed him.

"I can't believe you just did that!"  she snapped and he simply shrugged, seemingly unfazed by her outburst.  "What were you thinking? What the hell are you even doing here?!"

"I  thought you'd be happy to see me Robins." Bruce said with a smile  before turning to Oliver who stood near Katie, glaring at Bruce.  "Oliver-" he held out a hand to the man. "It's been a long time. How  have you been?" Oliver took the man's hand and reluctantly shook it  making sure his grip was strong. Maybe even stronger than necessary.

"I've been better." was Oliver's reply. "I can't help but share Katie's sentiment. What are you doing here?"

"Well  I read about the merger and thought I'd fly in and give my two cents."  Bruce said turning back to Katie who looked at him with a furrowed brow.  "We should talk."

"About?" Katie questioned, only for Bruce's eyes to glance over to Oliver and then back to her. "Wayne-"

"I  was sort of thinking that maybe we should talk in private." Bruce said  looking over to Oliver with a smile. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Actually,  I do" Oliver said taking a very bold step toward the man. Katie quickly  grabbed his arm to stop him from getting too close and causing  something that definitely shouldn't happen in the small confines of this  elevator.

"Oliver" Katie said moving to stand between the two  men, but facing Oliver. "Calm down." Bruce watched the interaction  between the pair with a raised brow as he happened upon something he  hadn't seen before. Once the doors slid open, Bruce stepped off first  and watched as Katie and Oliver stepped off, but distanced themselves  further down the hall where they spoke in whispered tones.