YOU NEED TO KNOW (3X07 ALTERNATE ENDING)
He gets off the elevator at the executive floor where his office once was and hears Felicity's voice. His stomach turns and he can actually feel the knots forming as he moves closer to his….her office. Palmer is with her.
He has a choice to make. He can leave or he can for once just do what his heart wants and make his move while he still can. He knows Diggle is right. If tonight taught him anything it's that his jealousy of Ray Palmer and Felicity together is more of a distraction than being with her. He has to tell her how he really feels and he has to do it tonight. What happens after that will be entirely up to her, but he has to do it now before it's too late.
He walks toward the office door and gently knocks, startling Felicity who abruptly takes a step back from Ray.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." He says softly inspecting the body language of the other two people in the room.
"Not at all. I was just leaving." Ray answers and turns back to Felicity. "Necklace?"
"Oh yes of course….necklace." Felicity turns around so Ray can loosen the clip, swallowing thickly when she turns back around. "See you tomorrow." She smiles weakly.
"Yeah." Ray returns the smile and walks toward Oliver standing in the door.
"It was nice seeing you again Mr Palmer." Oliver extends his hand and Ray takes it, shaking back.
"Yes, like wise. Have a good evening." Ray greets and leaves the office.
Felicity makes herself comfortable behind her desk once more as Oliver waits for the elevator door to close. She tries to ignore the blatant stare coming from the office door by busying herself with signing the documents in front of her.
"Nice office." He finally breaks the silence, but she doesn't look up from signing the documents.
"You should know."
"I'm sorry we ruined your dinner."
"Not we Oliver, you and you didn't ruin the dinner, Ray managed to clinch the deal with Mr Gardner."
"Good." He says softly standing with both his hands buried deep in his pants pockets staring at the floor. "He probably wouldn't have been able to do it without you though, you always ha….."
"Oliver, why are you here?" she interrupted him
"Well, I just…"
"You just what Oliver? I'm sure it's not to make small talk. So if you could please get to the point I would like to finish my work and go home. It's really been a long day."
"Diggle might have mentioned that you were upset after tonight's mission."
"Well as you can see I'm fine, you can go now."
"You don't seem fine." He carefully added.
She scoffed and carefully put down her pen to look at him taking a deep breath.
"Oliver, what would you like me to say right now? What would be the right response to get you to walk out the door and leave me alone?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and not angry with me for dragging you away from your dinner tonight, but it seems that angry might have been an understatement when I tried to picture this scenario in my head."
"Angry? You think I'm angry? Sure Oliver, I'm angry okay. I'm angry at myself for letting my thoughts run away with me thinking there was a hint of jealousy when I asked you if I could have the night off. I'm angry that I allowed myself to be pulled into your conversation with that phycho woman who wanted to kill you tonight and lose all sense of professionalism. I'm angry that I can't seem to bring myself to fall out of love with you even when you've given me every possible reason to do just that for the last two years and move on and now I'm even more angry at myself for even saying this out loud because apparently my brain to mouth filter gets worse when I'm around you. So yes Oliver, angry might be an understatement."
"Felicity…."
"No Oliver, please….I just need to not be around you right now."
"You're right."
"Thank you."
"Not about me leaving."
She gave a deep sigh and crossed her arms leaning on her desk, giving him a questioning look.
"After my little speech with Carrie Cutter I realised something. The night at the hospital when I told you that I couldn't be with you wasn't just about me being the Arrow. Ever since I came back from the island I knew that having a life outside being the Arrow was a risk to everyone involved. I knew that if my enemies ever had to find out my identity that it would paint a huge target on everyone I loved. And it did. Slade killed my mother and he was hell bent on killing the woman I love."
When she doesn't say anything he knows exactly why.
"Felicity, the only reason I used you to target Slade was because I knew he would see right through me if it were someone else. I meant every single word I said to you that night in the mansion. You need to know, you're it for me. I love you….I'm irrevocably, head over heels in love with you Felicity."
Her eyes widen at hearing the admission for the first time, without any agendas, without any turning of words.
"When I saw you lying on that floor of the restaurant after the explosion, the only thing that kept going through my mind was that I couldn't lose you too. I would rather live in a world where I was alone than ever lose you…..until tonight….I came back to the foundry and you were gone. There was a hole in my heart, because I knew I screwed up again, I knew I broke your heart again and it killed me to know that there was the slightest possibility that you would find comfort with someone else that wasn't me."
"Okay, so what you're saying is that if you don't want me, you'll make sure no one else can either."
His face changes and complete shock is displayed all over his features. "How could you even think that? All I ever wanted for you is to be happy."
"You're right, I'm sorry. That came out meaner than what it was intended to, but Oliver I was there remember? I've been there for the past two years. I know the risks involved. But all of this….it remains my choice. You don't get to decide for me Oliver."
"Yes, I know that Felicity, but you can't blame me for trying to protect you. I told you when you got involved with us that I would protect you and that's always been my instinct when it comes to you. I don't know what I'll do if I had to lose you….but I know that if I don't give this….us a try I will never know what it would feel like to be whole."
"Oliver….what are you saying?"
He moves closer to her and takes both her hands.
"I'm saying that I was wrong and I'm sorry for being such a huge idiot. I'm sorry for breaking your heart and making you cry…..but if you are willing….I really want to give us a shot. I don't want to run away from what I'm feeling anymore. You mess with my head Felicity Smoak, you're like a drug I simply can't get enough of and I don't think I can stay away from you anymore."
She doesn't answer, instead she stands on the tips of her toes and kisses him. All the longing and the hoping is poured out in that one kiss making her dizzy. He steadies her by cupping her cheeks just like the night in the hospital, only this time it doesn't end in heartbreak.