Ray's ATOM suit had been taking up a lot of her extra thought space. She loved puzzles, mostly because she loved challenges, and Ray's suit was both. She frequently drifted while thinking up new ways to get the suit functioning. She hated that Ray wanted it, felt that he needed it, but he had told her that regardless of her position on the subject and regardless of her intent to help, he was going to pursue it. After finally caving in, she accepted that he would be safer if she decided to throw her brain behind the project. Now, she couldn't stop. All of her free thoughts were how to program the suit and how wiring mechanisms could be condensed to fit in a thin layer and what kind of materials would react best with which programs.

She couldn't lie to herself, a project like this was fun for her. She had never done anything like it. It was challenging and new and made her to think in ways she hadn't before. She would never tell Ray this, of course. She was helping him, that didn't mean she had to encourage him. Or let him off the hook. She liked having Ray owe her a huge favor, or five.

She had toyed around with the idea of bringing the suit to Cisco to ask for help. She knew his skills and insights would be an unparalleled advantage. Not only would he improve the design of the suit, but he would probably help them finish it in half the time it would take without his help. There were two reasons she hesitated. The first, that she was not anxious to finish the suit. The sooner the suit was finished, the sooner Ray would start wearing it. An idea she was still working her head around. She could just picture it: Ray with his big suit on, patrolling Starling for criminals. He would be in pursuit of some robber or rapist in a back alley and then crash….right into Starling's original vigilante, the Arrow. The conversation that followed—not good, not good at all.

The second reason was much different. Everyone at star labs knew Oliver and his identity. They also knew that there were feelings between her and Oliver. That made things difficult. She didn't want to ask Cisco and Star Labs to lie for her and Oliver anymore. Further, they would have questions for her. Questions she didn't want to answer. Like, How are you and Oliver? Oh, Really? That Bad? And then you thought he died? And then you said what?! And now you're here with Ray? The guy who took Oliver's company and wants to be a vigilante too, and you lip-locked with him? She can only imagine.

Then there's the whole part where everyone would know what's going on but Ray, there would be this subtle subtext that everyone would pick up on, and Ray would feel it, and maybe ask questions. Questions with answers that were not her secret to tell.

So, she had held off asking Cisco. Now she was thinking she didn't have a choice. Both she and Ray were at the end of their genius limits. The thrill of the challenge was wearing off and now she felt like she was beating her head against cement. They needed the outside eyes.

She also wanted space from Oliver. It was harder being with him now that he had come back than it was before he left. It hurt more. She constantly carried around a weight in her chest, ever since the failed first date, but now when they were in the same room, the pain turned weirdly acute in an oddly unidentifiable way; unpleasant to say the least. She needed a long weekend to take her mind off things for a while. The streets had been quiet for a couple of days and they were in an interim of big bads. The timing seemed good for a brief hiatus.

She decided to call Ray now, while she still felt firm about her decision. He picked up on the fifth ring, a good indicator that he currently had his hands full with the suit.

"Hey! Tell me you figured out how to rewire the finger pieces. I just tried again, and got shocked for my efforts. I think part of building this suit is working on my pain tolerance levels. Only once my pain threshold reaches a certain level will my suit decide to work. I am already being tested."

He sounded put upon and frazzled. It was kinda cute really. She liked his cavalier approach to the project. It was a breezy reprieve to the intensity of Oliver.

"Sorry to disappoint, but no. No new ideas over here. My mind has come to a screeching halt. You should be proud of yourself. Nothing else has thwarted me so well—not since my MIT theses project that I named: It that shall not be named. My super virus came more naturally. But lets not talk about that, I don't want to examine the implications that my mind is more suited to destruction than creation. But I guess its perception, because the virus could have been used to ….I digress. No. No good news."

"I see. Well, no worries. I don't know if I really expected you to have come up with any new ideas since the last time I called you—four hours ago. Wait. I didn't call you, you called me. Why did you call?" His voice gradually increased in pitch as he realized he wasn't the one who made the call.

She and Ray worked well together. When it came to technology, they were in sync. It just clicked and they talked the same language. She loved it, most of the time. They also talked similarly and she didn't feel as self conscious around him as she did most people.

"You're right, I called you. And I do kind of have a new idea. We need help. That's my big idea. And I know exactly where were going to get it. Central City. I know people. They can help."

"You know people….That can help…" Ray said it as if he were analyzing serious new information. Then he erupted into a paragraph at a speed that impressed even her. "If you knew someone that could help, why didn't you enlist them earlier. Definitely could have used more eyes on this earlier. Why is this person willing to help? Why do you trust them with the suit? Do they know I want to wear it? Can we trust them? If they're a company, why don't I know about them? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Transporting this could be difficult. When do we leave?" There was not a single breath in all the questions.

"Which of those questions do you want me to actually answer?" She asked exasperated.

"Just the last one, I guess."

"Tomorrow. Early. I booked the copter and my friend has a landing pad set up. Pack up the suit tonight and be ready to go for a long weekend. I have two rooms at a nearby hotel."

"Well. You're efficient."

"Indeed I am. Don't forget, I had lots of practice as a secretary. This was kinda my thing."

"Sometimes I forget you did that. Such a weird thing for you. You're going to have to tell me why one of these days."

"Ahh Ray, why was I a secretary? It's a long story. And like all my other long stories, its one that I'm not ready to tell. Just believe me when I tell you, it wasn't all bad. I'll see you tomorrow." She hung up without waiting for any of his closing remarks. He had made her nostalgic and she was done talking. She looked down at her watch, only 11:30pm.

The night had been quiet and Oliver had been silent on the comms meaning there was nothing to report on the streets. She needed to stay until he got back though, to tell him she would be gone for a couple days. She knew he wouldn't be happy, but she also knew he wouldn't say anything against her going. They were on shaky ground and she knew he was scared of rocking the boat more. He would sigh and look a little forlorn and rub his thumb and forefinger together before looking up and saying, 'Do what you want,' in a way that made her feel slightly guilty which in turn made her mad because, what did she have to feel guilty about? Nothing, that's what.

She still hated when Oliver sounded defeated.

She heard steps on the grating of the stairs and braced herself for the talk.

As Oliver walked towards her he started talking. "Too quiet tonight. Eerily quiet. I know Brick went down a couple weeks ago, but there should still be more activity then what I'm seeing. I don't know, just feels off. Have you noticed anyth—. What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What? I'm not looking at you like anything. I'm just normal looking at you. Normally. This is my face when it is looking at you. See?" She makes a bracingly normal face at him which must look more like a grimace because his expression became even more wary than before.

"Just tell me. Please."

"Fine. I am going out of town for a couple days. Like, three tops. And by out of town, I mean, to go visit Star Labs…. With Ray." She tacks on the end quickly hoping by saying it last and quickly he will overlook it and not say anything about it.

"With Ray? Is it a business trip?"

Damn.

"Umm. Not exactly. I mean, it's not for pleasure, certainly. But, maybe I would categorize it as a hobby. Ya, hobby is a good word. I need Cisco's help with it."

"You are going to Star Labs because Cisco needs to help you with yours and Ray's hobby? What are you doing with Palmer, Felicity?"

She knew this was going to happen. Oliver was not going to take Ray's plans well. At all. This was going to be bad. Not rock the boat bad, like capsize bad. Shit.

"I need you to not overreact. Please. Just hold back the angry words. Maybe sleep on it before deciding what you want to say? Or, maybe go punch a dummy or something before deciding to say something. I think that would definitely help. Or Both! Both is good…"

"Felicity!"

"I'm helping Ray build a super suit!" She practically screeched the words at his face, her voice pitched at least five octaves too high.

Oliver does the thing with his body where he goes extremely still, like barely breathing, muscles tensed, still. Like a cat gearing up for a pounce, like a snake before it: whatever, like some scary predatory animal before it kills. Bad. Very bad. He's thinking about killing Ray. I can see it.

"What the HELL is Ray building a super suit for? And why are YOU helping him?" He is so angry.

"Oliver, you don't have the monopoly on vigilante-ism. Laurel should have taught you that. And, for the record, I was against it at the beginning. But he was going to do it with or without me. With me? He has a chance of some modicum of success. I like him, he's a good friend and he deserves whatever help I can give him. Just like you." I say this forcefully so he knows if he pushes too hard, he's going to get a fight. And its just like I predicted. He rubs his fingers, his eyes go kinda kicked puppy-ish and the guilt immediately sweeps over me.

"Look, Oliver. I'm sorry. I know we have to talk about this. I know this raises some serious issues. You are not being irrational with your doubts and it doesn't entirely make sense that I'm helping him. But, I just can't do this now. Please, sleep, beat up some thugs, think about it for a couple days while I'm gone. I will answer and address all of your issues and qualms when I get back. I promise. Trust me."

He looks at her seriously. He doesn't say anything, but she know what he's thinking.

"When are you leaving?" is all he says.

"Tomorrow morning, early."

His fingers begin to rub again but all he says is, "Be safe," before stalking away to the back room to change out of his leathers.

Damn.