A/N: My version of events on the beach. You know the scene. All familiar dialogue belongs to the show Arrow. All other stuff is mine. My first Arrow fic! Really nervous about this one. From Felicity's POV.
"Well, you did it." I say, walking around him to face him.
"I had help." He nods and smiles his genuine bright smile. The one I don't see very often. Are his eyes twinkling? His eyes are twinkling.
"Yeah. That's really smart. How you out-foxed him. Talk about unthinkable. You and me, I mean. When you told me you loved me, you had me fooled. For a second, thought maybe you might have meant it. What you said. You really sold it." Yeah, unthinkable. No kidding. It'll never happen. Get it out of your head.
"We both did." There is a long pause and his smile falters a little, becoming tighter. God, even now, he is looking at me...in-in that way. When we were at the mansion-look. I am so confused. Could it be that he meant every word and that was why Slade so easily believed him? I can ponder this later. Right now, I just want a shower and a warm bed.
"Let's go home." I say, hiding my exhaustion. He nods and walks around me. I start to follow.
"Felicity, wait." He suddenly turns around and I realize I am inches from running face first into his chest. I revel a little in the close proximity of him.
"Yes?" I look up at him expectantly. Taking his time, he walks around me again, and I turn to face him.
"I-uh-wanted to say something." His face is expressionless, his usual stone facade replacing his smile from a few minutes ago. He is looking in Diggle's direction who is staring off at the sea. He won't meet my eyes even after several long seconds. I continue to study his face, as he stuffs his hands in his pockets, hunches his shoulders and lowers his head to look at the ground. He is acting like a shy little boy. Oliver Queen, shy? Not so much. What could he possibly have to tell me that would make him act this way? Unless...No. Just stop that train right now.
I continue to wait, hopeful for the words, but realistic all the same. We could be here for awhile if I don't say something, so I deflect with my usual wit. In my best 'Oliver' I say "Let me guess? Felicity, you were so brave, ballsy and bad-ass. Wow! That's a lot of B's. Did I come close?" I flash my biggest grin.
He emits a breathy chuckle and the usual tight, it-hurts-to-smile, smile. And his line of sight is still on John. "Well, yes. All of that, but that isn't what I was going to say." Why won't he look at me?
"What were you going to say?" He seems so serious all of a sudden. My touch of his forearm brings his eyes back to me. "Oliver, why so serious? What's going on?"
"It's nothing. Forget it."
I frown and visibly let out a breath. "It is obviously not nothing. I mean a lot has happened in the past few days. Do you need someone to talk to because I am here to offer my services. Do you know that I was once called a great listener, which I know is hard to believe since I talk a lot, but-"
"Felicity."
"What?" I stop talking, because his eyes are blazing at me. At that exact moment, a gust of wind takes my hair stragglers from my ponytail and blow them in my face. His hand reaches up to smooth them back and then his thumb accidentally grazes my bump on my forehead. I wince in pain. He quickly drops his hand as well as his face. Is that because of the little pain I felt or because he was dangerously close to showing some emotion other than friendship?
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."
That's all? Of course that's all. This man makes me crazy! Just when I think there might be hope for something more, he diminishes it. There will never be anything between us. It's too dangerous for him to be involved with somebody he cares about, he once told me. I should just forget about him, but that's difficult since I work for him. Ugh!
"I do, you know." He says, completely taking me off guard.
"You do, what?" I ask carefully, squinting my eyes in the bright sun. Have I missed something? What is he talking about? Does he mean he needs somebody to talk to? "Oliver, if you need to talk, I am sure he'd understand." I jerk my head to the side referring to John. "Or maybe you'd rather talk to him, ya know, man to man?" He is shaking his head.
"That's not what I meant."
Sighing, I reply, "I am not a mind-reader, Oliver. Spit it out, please. I am a woman of many talents, but-" I am interrupted by warm lips pressing hard on mine. My eyes go wide and I push him away.
"I'm sorry. I misread all the signs. I-" He fumbles for the right words to take it all back.
He tries to duck his head, but I place my hands on either side of his face to plant him firmly in front of me. "No. You didn't. I am just surprised. I have dreamed about this moment for so long. It was better than I imagined." I kiss him back, this time with passion and surprisingly enough, I don't push him away. Eventually, unfortunately, the kiss ends. Slowly, we pull apart, our foreheads touch. I lick my lips to taste him again. Truly, better than fiction. Now that we have escalated our relationship, it's a little awkward. Neither one of us knows what to say. I break the silence.
"Oliver." I pause, trying to approach this gingerly. "What did you mean earlier? The whole, 'I do, you know'." I brush the hair out of my face and watch his face intently. He gives nothing away, but I am not letting him out of this.
He groans and stares at his favorite spot out at sea. "Felicity, this is hard for me. To care about someone. To let someone in." His eyes meet mine again. "To-to love someone. Because of who I am."
"Oh." I think I understand. He is trying to say it, without actually saying it. Because saying it would make it real. "Oliver, I'm already in. We have already been through a lot and I am here to stay because I love you and you have already proven you will always protect me. You would never let anything happen to me. What? Why are you laughing at me?" I am so glad I amuse him! I can hear his breathy laugh and see his chest moving, his face fighting a real smile.
He sighs, this time, with a sense of...is that relief? "Felicity, I love you, too," he says with a soft smile. A smile that melts my heart. I love those. Wait!-Did I just tell him I loved him? But he said it back. He said it back! I decide to play it cool.
"Oh good! I was afraid you were going to say it was all for Slade and there was nothing there. That I had imagined it all. But, we really did sell it, because it was all true." I grab his hand and nod toward the plane. "Let's go home." I say with what I assume is a big stupid grin on my face.
A/N: This is my first Arrow fic. Are they in character? That is what I am most worried about. Please review!