Author's Note: This is my first Arrow fanfic and I'm still not totally sure about my characters so any constructive critic is welcome. Also if I do continue I'm looking for someone to beta this. So PM me if you are interested and have editing experience. Lastly if you desire I'd love to hear from you so I know whether or not to continue.

Strength as Strong as Steel

Oliver Queen walked out of his office with a stack of documents for Isabel Roshev to sign and not wanting to speak to her at the moment, he took the cowards way out and headed toward Felicity's office. She would deliver them for him or so he hoped.

At the sight of Felicity through the clear glass of her office window, her words came back to him. 'What happens in Russia stays in Russia … even when it makes no sense whatsoever.' And that is where he wanted to leave this whole incident with Isabel; leave it in the past and forget it.

If he could Oliver would go back in time and make a better choice, but he had been lonely and needing someone to be with even for just a moment in time and it meant nothing. His weakness had been a mistake and all he wanted to do was move on and continue with his quest. So that one day he could build a life beyond the Hood with someone who mattered, someone like….. He shied away from that thought.

But the problem with this whole debacle was it hadn't meant nothing to Felicity, infact his sleeping with Isabel had hurt Felicity deeply. That was something he'd hoped to avoid at all costs but being near him seemed to put her in danger and his actions tended to cause her pain. In fact anyone close to him seemed to get hurt and the closer the person was the more intense the pain.

He closed his eyes as the image of Felicity's face when Isabel walked out of his hotel room, not slinking out in shame but practically kicking her lips like the cat that ate the canary. No that woman was bad news and he would keep his distance from now on. No more bonding over vodka and speaking Russian for the two of them, not if he wanted to protect Felicity.

Oliver had always suspected Felicity had a crush on him, but he'd never dreamed that she might fancy herself in love with him. The worst part of this whole fiasco was that he'd never imagined he could feel the same way if he allowed himself the liberty.

Stopping just outside Felicity's office, just out of her line of sight, he wondered when it had happened? Was there a moment when she changed from his girl-friday to- He stopped himself and decided not to go there. She was Felicity, his tech girl and personal assistant, she couldn't be anything else, at least not right now. Giving himself a mental shake and headed into the lion's den and he hoped that everything would be back to normal.

The look on Felicity's face told him that she was still very, very unhappy with him and would be for a very long time and he knew that his hopes were in vain

Deciding to make this encounter short he held out the papers. "Can you deliver this to Isabel's office? She needs them right away."

Their fingers touched slightly as she took the papers and Oliver shivered, just a little. He could tell she had something to say and if he didn't get out of here fast it would be said, because Felicity's brain to mouth filter wasn't good at the best of times.

He was about to turn to leave when she asked, "Why her? I mean besides the obvious …. " she paused and he could tell she was looking for a diplomatic way of saying what was on her mind. "Leggy model reason."

Oliver studied his expensive shoes for a moment, not wanting to look her in the eyes, not wanting her to see his shame. "It just kinda happened." But Oliver realized as he forced himself to meet her gaze that she needed to know that this wasn't something he was proud of. That Isabel wasn't a notch in his bedpost, he wasn't that kind of man any longer. "It didn't mean anything."

She looked away studying her keyboard and Oliver wonders if he's just made things worse. Felicity bit her lip and Oliver knows he'd better explain, she needs to know why they-

"Hey." He wants to reach out to her, but that would be the biggest mistake he could make. It might destroy his ability to walk out the door and continue to keep her at arms length.

Slowly she lifted her head, her expression screamed that he's made her even angrier, if that was possible, but there's a softening in her face right around the eyes telling him she's willing to listen if he want to dig himself out of the hole he'd created.

"Because of the life I lead. I just think that it's better not to be with something that I could really care about."

His words are met with silence and he wonders what to do now. The ball is in her court and he won't do anything without following her lead on where they go from here.

She got to her feet and he can't tell what she thought of his explanation as comes closer. He tightens his hands into fists so he doesn't reach out to touch her, to stop her from walking away him.

His eyes drift close as she passes by and he knows this is his last chance to stop her, to make things truly right between the two of them. But Oliver knows the truth, he must let her go… so she'll be safe.

Then he's granted another miracle, one that he doesn't deserve, she pauses in the doorway. He can't stop the hope that fills him, that she will tell him to stuff his protective attitude, that she doesn't care about the danger she just wants to be with him. That no matter what he's done he's still worthy of being loved.

Felicity got to her feet hoping her shaky legs wouldn't collapse as she walked across the room. Her mind was spinning from Oliver's revelation. He cared for her and not just as his girl-friday or his friend but in that other way. The way she only allowed herself to think about him in the dark of night when she was alone in her room.

As she passed by him and his whole body was rigid like a statue and she knew this was hard for him. That the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but he had and he would again. Felicity had come to accept that was her lot in life, pain.

She wanted to reach out to him and stop both of their pain, to shatter the protective shell he'd wrapped around himself, but she couldn't do that just yet. She had to change and become someone he no longer had to protect, someone who wasn't a damsel in distress. Then maybe he'd let her in and they could share their pain and find a small bit of happiness.

But she couldn't leave without making one thing clear. "Well I think…. " She stopped because there was something in Oliver's expression that told her he didn't believe his own words, that he wanted her to call him bluff. That she needed to test his boundaries and he might just let her in. "I think you deserve better than her."

Then she left before she did something stupid, but she did make two calls before reaching Isabel's office and facing the she-dragon. The first one was to Digs and the other to Lance. It was time to put the plan she'd been thinking about since her run in with the doll maker.

Felicity decided she wouldn't give up, she would fight for Oliver and if that meant learning to fight dirty she'd do it. No more damsel in the distress moments, she would find a way to become strong.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you liked it please let me know I have more to this story and if there is interest I'm willing to put the time in to write more.

Also if you like my writing and would like to see what else I have published take a look at my website by Googling my pen name. I have over 80 stories archived there and some have been posted here yet.