You're My Partner

by plaidchameleon

When Curtis is hurt and stuck at the lair while Oliver and the team are out searching for Wild Dog, he tells her a story about what if it was another vigilante that Felicity worked for. This is Part 7 to my What If Series of One-shots. Each is a stand-alone story but follow a path through Season 5. Mild Language.

A/N: I swear 2017 is kicking my butt. However, I've been productive in actually writing, but all my editing starts when I type and I just haven't had much of a chance to get on the computer to actually get any of it done. I swear this whole series is all written and I am even working on another longer project that I hope to share soon. I do apologize. I am trying to be much more prompt. I hope that you are enjoying the series. I took some liberties with changing some of the characters and names in this story. Comments make me smile. A huge thank you to my beta, missmeagan666, for always stepping up and helping out.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Arrow and DC Comics.

"I'm so bored," Curtis whined as his fingers trailed over the keyboard in front of him. "I want to be out there searching for Wild Dog."

Felicity spun her chair around so she could face her injured friend, concerned that he sounded so dejected. "You'd be no good in the field in your condition."

"You were shot and lost the use of your legs and you were here working."

"Not right away. And it was either that or drive myself slowly insane with my pain medication," Felicity told him while she pulled up the satellite software in an effort to continue their search. "You'd think we'd be able to get a better image of their location."

"You're changing the subject."

"Am not." Felicity made a face. "Okay. I am. But it was my fault you were hurt. I should have never sent the four of you in there alone. Oliver was right, you weren't ready yet."

"And now I'm not sure when I will be." Curtis stood but his face contorted in pain before he sank back down. "Rene stayed so I could get out. It's not fair. It should be me."

Felicity shook her head and patted his arm. "Curtis, I learned a long time ago that nothing is fair in this business."

Curtis's face softened and he patted her hand. "You're thinking about you and Oliver. I thought things were getting better."

"They are. Kind of. Maybe."

"Is your mom still here?"
Felicity shifted the satellite feeds and shook her head. "No. She headed back to Vegas a few days ago." For a loss of what to do, Felicity began to fiddle with the computer keyboard and monitor. "At least she and Quentin decided to start talking again. I can't blame her for not wanting to be hurt again and yet Mr. Lance needs her as much as she needs him."

Curtis smiled at her, stilling her hands so she would look at him. "Sounds sort of like you and Oliver."

Felicity snorted a laugh. "I thought you said we were like my parents."

"You are," Curtis assured her. "And you're like Donna and Quentin. And a little like my husband and I. What you and Oliver have is what the rest of us are striving for." Curtis rubbed his hands together with a gleeful grin. "You're the fairytale that went wrong. I don't know what makes people happier when we see the perfect couple together or apart. When you're together, we all want to be you in the worst way and when you're apart it, makes us happy that you have normal problems like the rest of us."

Felicity rose and walked away. She couldn't picture her and Oliver in a fairytale. Things had gone so wrong the moment that Oliver decided to shut her out. It didn't matter what it was about the second she found out that so many other people had been in on the secret while she had been kept in the dark. She was the one who agreed to marry him. To live the rest of her life with him. To share her hopes, her fears, her secrets, her past and her future with him. And yet, it seemed that he didn't feel the same way.

Sure he seemed to be trying. Growing. Ready to win back her trust. And she was letting him. However, a small part of her still kept the fence around her heart. It would be too easy to let him back in, she loved him too much. But that meant she could be hurt again. Maybe worse.

Her father had betrayed her at such a young age that it was hard to allow a man to have a second chance. But hadn't she given Oliver so many second chances already? With Sara. With Isabel. And she didn't even want to think about his deception with the League of Assassins and subsequent marriage. Too easily she let him back into her life after all that. No. In spite of all of the circumstances, she ran off with him. Even Diggle hadn't been able be so gracious. Difference was that she and Oliver weren't just friends. There was a connection between them that had run deeper than that.

"You okay?" Curtis asked from next to her.

Felicity glanced up at him. With a shrug, Felicity went back over to her chair. "I don't know."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."
Curtis laid a hand on her shoulder and resumed his own seat. "When you do, you know I'm here, right?"
Felicity smiled at him sadly. "I know."

Curtis grinned. "I've got an idea. It's great." He clapped his hands together and then winced from the pain. "Okay. Remind me not to do that again."

"What is it?" At his confused look, Felicity continued, "Your idea."

"Right." Curtis spread his hands out as if trying to get her to see something. "Imagine for a moment that this place doesn't belong to Oliver."

"Who does it belong to?" Where was Curtis going with this? Felicity pointed to herself. "Me? I'm not exactly vigilante material."

"Said the woman who kicked the Bee Man's ass." Curtis laughed. "Oliver may have mentioned it."

"I'm surprised."

"Why? He was proud of you. Thea told him how you handled your mom and rescued the board. Not her. Not Speedy. You. You'd make a kick ass vigilante." Curtis laughed again and grabbed his ribs. "Bet Oliver would have let you ring the bell."

That had Felicity laughing with him. For the life of her, she knew that Oliver probably would have.

"Anyway, back to my story."

"You were telling a story?" Felicity joked.

Curtis nodded at her his excitement filling his eyes. Despite the pain of his injuries, he seemed animated. "Let's picture that it's Merlyn's son who was the vigilante."

Felicity snorted. "Life would have been easier if Merlyn shot himself on that boat off Lian Yu, but he's not that noble. He'd have probably shot Tommy after the Gambit went down to save himself. He's like a tick. No matter how many times, and ways, you kill him, he keeps coming back."

Curtis let out a whistle. "Who are you and what have you done with Felicity?"

Felicity shrugged. "That man never dies. No matter how much you want him to."

"That's pretty harsh coming from you." Curtis held up his finger when she was about to respond. "True, but harsh." He mockingly glared at her. "Now stop interrupting."

"Sorry." Felicity held up her hands. "Go ahead."

"So, Tommy?" Felicity nodded and Curtis continued, "Tommy is the vigilante. He discovered all the creepy things his father was involved with."

"Did he end up on Lian Yu, because I'm telling you I doubt Malcolm would have been so selfless…"
"Shh. No, that was still Oliver. Now listen…"

OQFSOQFSOQFS

"Felicity?"
Jumping in her chair, Felicity turned and faced Tommy Merlyn. "What?"

"What has you so distracted?" Tommy unzipped his jacket and walked over to her.

Felicity pointed to her computer screen before she reached over and turned up the volume on the speakers. The news reporter's voice filled the basement that the two of them used for their base of operations.

"Oliver Queen was last seen entering a car owned by Queen Consolidated outside the airport. It leaves us all to wonder where he's been since the Queen's Gambit was said to have sunk in the West China Sea along with all of the passengers on board."

Tommy turned to Felicity. Despite the whiteness of his complexion, Felicity noticed a spark of hope on his face. "Ollie's alive?"

Felicity paused the news. "Sounds like it. I searched other news sources and they have pictures of him at the airport with his mother. I wanted to wait until you were back to tell you."

"When was that?" Tommy pointed to the monitor.

"Right after you left is when it aired. With you going after Roger Templeton I didn't want you to be distracted."

"I appreciate it. Templeton is a sick bastard. I was able to break up the sex slave shipment." Tommy threw the jacket that he balled up in his hands on a nearby table. "You can cross his name off the list."

Felicity rose from her chair and retrieved the notebook that Tommy kept in a drawer near his weapons. She was still new to the vigilante business and the thought of all the damage the guns, bow and knives had done still creeped her out. Quickly, she grabbed the book and brought it back over to her own workstation. "Sure you don't want to do it?"

"I already dealt with that slime. I don't want to think about him for a while." Tommy walked off to the changing area he kept in the corner. "Plus, I think I need to get some rest. I have a best friend who arrived back from the dead."

Felicity laughed. "You're planning a party already, aren't you?"

Tommy rounded the corner and shrugged on his suit jacket. A huge grin split his face. "You bet. Wanna come?"

"That's okay." Felicity shook her head. "I think I'll pass on meeting playboy Queen."

Tommy postured in front of her and fake pouted drawing an even bigger smile from Felicity. "Hey, I'm insulted. What am I?"

"A fake playboy who's wooing the woman who was practically the fiancé of the dead best friend who isn't exactly dead anymore."
Tommy's face fell and turned serious. "Shit. I never thought of that. Ollie's going to kill me."
"Kill Arsenal?" Felicity pfted. "Please."

Tommy broke out into laughter. "How is it you can humble me one minute and stroke my ego the next?"

"I've known you for too long," Felicity told him with a sideways smile and a hand on her hip. While that statement was far beyond true, since Felicity had only known Tommy for about six months. She had only come to work with him on his vigilante mission two months ago. Felicity began to know the real Tommy in that short time, the one he kept hidden from the rest of the world. The person who he especially hid from his father.

"I wish you'd meet Ollie. It would be nice to see my two best friends together."

"I thought that was Oliver and Laurel. Did I get a promotion?" Felicity teased. She began to shut down the computers. The main system would still run but she preferred to shut down her subsystems whenever she left.

"Once upon a time, I would've definitely put those two in that category. Now, I don't know. As for you. You know me better than probably anyone else." Tommy walked over and kissed her forehead. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do while I'm away."

Felicity dramatically sighed and rolled her eyes. "But that leaves me so little to do."

Tommy tugged on the end of her ponytail. He drove her nuts when he did that but it was kind of his thing to do before he left for the day. Tommy was like the big brother she never had and, sometimes after dealing with him for hours, never wanted. As she gathered her things she watched him head upstairs to the upper sublevel of Merlyn Global Group's satellite office in the Glades. Grabbing her keys, Felicity followed ready to head home after a full night of vigilantism.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

All had been quiet since Oliver Queen had returned home. Tommy had come a few times to check in but Felicity had barely seen him. And she definitely had no thought she'd even hear from him that afternoon after she came in once the offices upstairs closed early. Tommy and Oliver were out on the town discussing homecoming party plans.

Which was why she was so shocked to hear his license plate number on the police scanner. According to the police, his car was abandoned in an alleyway and he and Oliver were nowhere to be found.

Pushing her chair over to the main computer terminal, Felicity did a GPS search on Tommy's phone. It took a little bit of hacking but she managed to track him despite the weak signal.

Her only problem was that she couldn't call Tommy to rescue… well, Tommy. What had happened? Felicity began to pace. There had to be something she could do, but what?

An hour later with still no solution, Felicity began to pack her bag and go after him. Only as she was about to exit the door, her cell rang. The number was local but she didn't recognize it. "Hello?"
"Felicity. It's Tommy."

"Where are you? Are you okay? What happened? Do you need me to meet you? Call the police?"

"Breathe. I'm fine. Oliver's fine. We're at his house right now." A voice yelled out Tommy's name in the background. "I'll call back when I can."

Felicity fell back into her chair and placed her cell on the desk next to her with some relief. Tommy was fine. So, why couldn't she slow her heart down?

It wasn't like Tommy didn't go out almost every night with the chance that he might not return. But at least when he did he was prepared, armed. And in a way, so was Felicity. She knew what they did was dangerous but everyday life shouldn't have to be. It didn't matter right now. Felicity wouldn't know more about what happened until Tommy called her back. What she could do was find out what the police knew in the meantime.

Tommy never did call her back. Instead he came through the door of the bunker two hours later. The second she saw him, she ran over and hugged him. "Thank God, you're okay."

"I told you. I'm fine," he told her with a squeeze of his own. Which was a little worrisome because he would have normally tried to charm his way out of it.

"What happened?"
Tommy strode around her and grabbed one of his guns and proceeded to clean it. It was a nervous habit of his. It also meant that he needed a minute to think before he told her anything. "We were kidnapped. It happened so fast that I was unprepared." He shrugged and Felicity sensed there was so much more meaning to that slight gesture. "Even if I was, Oliver was there. I couldn't expose myself."

"What did they want?" Felicity leaned back on the computer desk and studied Tommy's profile. There was a dark look there. One that signaled a worry that Felicity couldn't even delve into.

"They were after Oliver. I was out of it most of the time." Tommy placed his gun down and twisted the rag in his hand as he turned to face her. "By the time I woke up Oliver was running after someone and all of the kidnappers were dead."

"What?" Felicity's brow crinkled as she tried to take in what Tommy had told her.

"When we talked to the police, Oliver told them a man in a green hood rescued us."

"But you never saw anyone in a green hood?"

"No."

"It was Oliver?"

Tommy threw the rag on the table. "I honestly don't know."

Felicity walked over to Tommy's side and rested a hand on his arm. "Are you going to ask him?"

Tommy shrugged and the movement caused her hand to drop from him. "The next time I see him will be tomorrow night at his homecoming party. It's not exactly the place to have that conversation."

"Not to mention your little side trip to visit with Adam Hunt. I like how you conveniently scheduled the party across from his offices."

Tommy smiled at her, his first since he arrived at the bunker. That was probably a first for him. "Can't let Laurel go after him without doing something to set him straight, but actually Oliver suggested the location. It just happens to work in my favor."

"Ah. Laurel. Now I know exactly why Hunt came up next on the list." Felicity nodded at the whiteboard off in the corner where Tommy kept names of the people he planned to target in the coming days or weeks.

With a wink, Tommy placed his gun back where it belonged. "We all have to have goals."

Felicity studied the man she had come to know. "You know you don't have to pretend for me, right? I know Laurel's different. As my mother would say, you light up like Christmas whenever her name comes up."

"Doesn't matter." Tommy face lost its shine. "Ollie's back. And even if Laurel's acting like she doesn't want anything to do with him, I know better. I know her." Tommy slammed the drawer shut and faced Felicity. "She'll be mad for a while and then she'll come to realize that she wants to know if there is still something there between them. I was never first. Not with her."

"Then let her see a glimpse of the real you. Not the charming playboy that she's known forever. But you, the guy I know. The one who'd do anything to save this city even if it means going against everything his father stands for."

"I can't."

"You can."

Tommy turned away from her. "It's not that simple."

"It's exactly that simple," Felicity argued.

When he faced her again his face was drawn up in anger. "I can't have Laurel get hurt and if she even has an inkling of what I am doing that's exactly what could happen to her." Tommy ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends like he did when he was upset by something. "I have to get home. Dad will flip when he gets whiff of the kidnapping."

"Go. I'll see you tomorrow after the party."

Tommy's face lightened. "Apparently you've never been to a Queen/Merlyn party. It shouldn't end until at least dawn."

"What about Hunt?"

"I already stashed my gear. I can slip away for a short time to deal with him."

Felicity kissed his cheek. "Just be careful."

Tommy winked and tugged her hair. "Always."

OQFSOQFSOQFS

Tommy was actually enjoying himself. Laurel and Oliver still seemed estranged despite their talk. Tommy's best friend was back and having a good time. Despite the fact that Adam Hunt was soon to face Arsenal, Tommy was relaxed. Something he hadn't been in a long time.

Or at least he had been until Detective Lance and his band of police goons broke through the crowd demanding answers. The Hood had gone after Adam Hunt across the street.

Tommy inwardly shook with rage. Adam Hunt had been his target. There was no way Arsenal would be able to do anything that night.

Oliver with his easy charm deferred the police attention away from the party and, once they exited had the party, resumed his air of nonchalance. Only Tommy had questions. Oliver had been missing after his talk with Laurel. Tommy had thought nothing about it until that moment.

Approaching his friend, Tommy addressed him, "Funny how the Hood decided to go after Adam Hunt across the street."

Oliver gave Tommy a serious look. One he had sported way too many time since his arrival back home. "I'd just be glad we're both still alive."

Tommy watched Oliver walk away. Draining his drink in one swallow, Tommy tugged out his phone. He dialed the one number he could now call in his sleep. "Felicity?"

"Yes?"

"Find whatever you can about this new vigilante. The Hood."

"Why?" Her voice was concerned.

"He struck Adam Hunt before I even had a chance to get over there."

"Oh." Her voice held a tinge of surprise. "Oh! You still think it is Oliver?"

"Maybe. Yes." Tommy rubbed his brow. "I don't want it to be."

"Do you want me to see what I can find on Oliver?"

Tommy fisted his hand. "He's been on a deserted island. I doubt there'll be much of a digital trace of him over the last five years."

"You did think he was alive once. You told me about how you went to Hong Kong to look for him."

Tommy shook his head even though he knew she couldn't see him. "It wasn't him. I was kidnapped then too. It was all to get ransom money."

"Unless it wasn't."

Tommy slowly made his way away from the party. "Why would you say that?"

"What if it was him?" There was a pause on her end which he was grateful for since it allowed him time to try to process her words. "It wouldn't hurt for me to look into it, Tommy. Worse that could happen is that we really do find out it was all a dead end."

"Do it." Tommy closed his eyes. How had he become so cynical that he had Felicity checking into Oliver's backstory? What had he become?

OQFSOQFSOQFS

Oliver was frustrated. There was another vigilante in his city, one who had been around longer, for at least a year. But that didn't bother Oliver half as much as the fact that the man was in his way.

More than that, after Oliver's recent arrest and release, Tommy had become his constant shadow. His only relief was the fact that Tommy courted Laurel allowing Oliver time away from his best friend who he hated lying to.

And now it was Diggle's turn to be in Oliver's path as he insisted Oliver step away from the list and try to stop a group of bank robbers who had almost killed a cop. While Oliver had wanted to turn his new partner down, he couldn't. Oliver needed Diggle's help and this was Oliver's way of proving he could be a team player.

Finally thinking there was nothing in his path, Oliver was surprised to find one more person standing between him and his goal. A blonde who seemed to think a tablet was going to stop grown men with guns.

"What are you doing?" Oliver growled at her through his voice modulator.

"Reprogramming the bank's locks so they can't escape."

"They've been known to tunnel underground." He glared at her from under his hood. "Reprogramming the locks will do nothing but piss me off."

"Well, at least I'm doing something," she shot back at him. She didn't seem intimidated by him at all.

Oliver rolled his eyes and ran past her. As he expected there was a tunnel under the bank vault. He looked behind him and found the blonde walking toward him with her nose practically pressed to the tablet. Oliver let out a sigh.

He pushed thoughts of the Velma wannabe aside and jumped down the hole. He had to hurry. Running on silent feet, he caught up to the robbers and shot one bag out of their hands. As he was about to have them lose the other the bag it exploded and red paint splattered everywhere, coating the robbers.

Before Oliver could do anything else, the police arrived on the scene and began to come after him instead of the robbers. Shit. He needed to hide and fast.

"Over here."

The blonde appeared out of nowhere. Her tablet still present in her hand. She waved him over to a darkened section of the tunnels.

"Why are you helping me?" Oliver silently asked her as they pressed themselves to the wall.

She held a finger to her red lips as her head turned to take measure of where the police were. Oliver noticed her perfume was a pleasing combination of flowers and something more. Something that he had a feeling was distinctly her. Her blonde hair wafted across his face and he noted how soft the strands were. When she stepped back for a moment she was pressed against him. She was smaller than he realized. About the size of Sara and Shado if she took off the dangerously high heels she wore in this most inappropriate situation. How the hell had she even gotten down the tunnel in those things?

"They're gone." The woman turned to face him but Oliver barely could make out her features since her back was to the light. He could only hope that he was in enough of the shadows himself that she couldn't make out any of his features.

"Thank you."

"You're…" She held up a finger and pressed the Bluetooth in her ear. "I'm fine. No, they didn't get away with the money." She shook her head despite the fact that whoever she was talking to couldn't see her. "No." Another pause and while she listened to whoever it was on the other end of the phone, her eyes met his. "You don't want to know. I'll be there shortly. Don't worry. I'll be okay."

"Who are you?" Oliver asked her when she hung up.

He watched multiple expressions flutter over her features and he felt a smile tilt at his lips at her indecision on what emotion to settle on. Finally, she tilted her head and studied him. "You go first."

Oliver leaned toward her and whispered, "Nice try."

She shrugged and stepped back so he could exit from the corner they were in. The blonde hugged her tablet to her chest like a shield. "Are you going to kill them?"

Oliver had begun to walk away when he heard her question. Turning he faced her. "It's not normally my first move."

"Good."

He wasn't sure why but that lone word made him want to be better. To not go out and take out people for the lone purpose of accomplishing his goal. In a way, she was the female version of Diggle, without the wise words.

Unsure of what else to say, Oliver pointed to the way out with his bow. The woman smiled and nodded before she began to walk. Too many times his eyes flickered down her body as he followed her before setting a pace equal to hers so he would remain by her side.

When they came to an alleyway, the blonde stopped at a red Mini Cooper. "This is me."

Oliver watched her retrieve keys from her pocket and open the door. He also made a note of her license plate which he had every intention of running once he reached his bunker.

He saluted her with his bow when her eyes met his in her rear view mirror before he launched one of his grappling arrows. The woman was an enigma he was desperate to solve, making this one of the few nights Oliver was happy to head back early, if only to discover her name.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

"Felicity Smoak?"

Turning in her chair, Felicity found Oliver Queen standing by the door of her office. Startled, she pulled the pen she had in her mouth out and stared up at him.

He stood there smiling at her. "Hi. I'm Oliver Queen."
"I know who you are. You're Mr. Queen."

"No, he was my father." Oliver stepped closer to her desk and for the life of her Felicity felt the urge to escape.

"Yes, but he's dead. I mean he drowned. I mean…" She would have continued but he circled her desk with a predatory ease and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Wha… What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Tommy."

"In the IT Department?" Felicity felt a shiver of electricity at the exact spot where his fingers touched her body through the light pink linen of her shirt.

"He's not at Merlyn Global as I expected and I was hoping that you might be able to help me find him." Oliver paused for a moment and his clear blue eyes met hers. "Since you work for him."

"Well, I don't exactly work for him. I do work for the family in a way, but I guess it's more like I work for his father." Okay, so she knew she was stumbling over her words but as Oliver edged closer to her, Felicity was amazed that she even had the ability to speak at all.

"Felicity." Oliver spread out her name as he said it. The only other time she had heard her name like that was when she was younger and her mother yelled at her. But with Oliver she reacted totally different. Her name sent a shiver of lust down her spine.

He crouched down and his eyes never left hers. "You and I both know I'm not talking about your employment with Merlyn Global Group."

She knew her eyes went wide. Was he admitting he met her as The Hood? No, she couldn't have heard him right. Before she could even react further, her phone rang. She didn't even have a chance to say hello.

"Let me talk to Ollie."

Felicity held out her phone. "It's for you."

Oliver stood and walked back around her desk. It was the first time that Felicity felt safe to take a deep breath. He accepted the receiver from her and Felicity desperately wished that the phone was on speaker. Especially when Oliver didn't say a word. He just stood there and listened while Tommy talked. Felicity shivered as Oliver's eyes iced over, his face became cold as it lost all expression. It was scary how super calm he was.

"We'll discuss it later, Tommy." Oliver paused. "Yes. I can meet you there." Oliver shook out his watch from underneath the jacket he wore. "Give me thirty minutes."

Oliver hung up the phone and silence grew heavy between them. Felicity swallowed hard, but pasted a fake smile on her face that she certainly didn't feel. "So, what did Mr. Merlyn want?"
Oliver leaned forward on her desk, his face level with hers. "I'm about to find out. And just so we're clear, we'll talk later about your involvement in all of this."

"What involvement?"

He stood and pointed at her. "If I didn't have to leave…"

Felicity's smile almost slipped at the warning. "It was nice meeting you… Oliver."

The second he walked out, Felicity deflated in her chair. Oliver knew and he knew she knew. This was his proverbial shot across her bow. Only Felicity was out gunned for whatever battle that was to follow.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

"So, you're Arsenal," Oliver noted as he sat across from Tommy at the Chinese restaurant they agreed to meet at.

"And you're The Hood," Tommy said as he looked up from his menu.

Oliver nodded at his best friend.

"I'm assuming after the escapade with your arrest that Mr. Diggle is involved with your crusade." Tommy laid down his menu and folded his hands over it.

"Only as much as Felicity Smoak is involved in yours."

"Touché. I'm assuming the two of you ran into each other at the bank."

Oliver swiped the menu from Tommy. "What the hell were you thinking sending her in there?"

Tommy laughed and flicked the menu at Oliver's face. "I like how you assume that Felicity doesn't make her own decisions."

Lowering the menu, Oliver stared hard at his friend. "How can you protect her if she's out there? You can't," Oliver quickly told him when Tommy looked as if to defend his actions. "She's unprepared. Untrained. And her only defense was a tablet. She shouldn't be out there even if you were there to watch her back."

"Were you watching her back?" Tommy teased.

"More like she was watching mine." Tommy's eyes became deadly interested. It was a look Oliver never associated with him before. His best friend was a different man from the one Oliver left behind. However, Oliver had no right to judge after all he had been through in the last five years. "The police decided I was of more interest than the robbers. She found a place for us to hide."

"I'd thank her tonight if I didn't already have plans with Laurel."

The waitress arrived and the two placed their orders. When they were alone, Tommy leaned forward. "I heard about the shooting. How is your mom?"

"When I leave here I am meeting her at the hospital. Thea called and said she was ready to be released."

"Good. I was worried." Tommy drank some of the water in front of him. "I heard my father stopped by though."

"He did."

"Hmm."

Oliver's eyes met Tommy's. He wondered what was really happening between his friend and his father. "The shooting had something to do with the Bertinelli family," Oliver informed him. "I'm heading over to Peter Bertinelli's house tonight."

"Be careful, "Tommy warned him. "If you need backup, I'm a call away." The waitress appeared and Tommy smiled up at her assuring them they were fine until their food arrived.

"No," Oliver told him after the woman left. "You have a date with Laurel. I'm not going to get in the middle of that."

Tommy reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. He slid it across the table to Oliver. "Then at least call Felicity. That's her untraceable number."

Oliver tucked her card in his shirt. "I think I'd have more luck with Diggle, but thanks."

Tommy grinned at him. "You might be surprised by what Felicity is capable of." Tommy winked.

The thought of Tommy teasing him about Felicity made Oliver uncomfortable and he squirmed in his chair. Instead of allowing Tommy to see his discomfort, Oliver decided to go on the defensive. "Aren't you scared I might steal her away?"

"You and Felicity?" Tommy humphed. "Felicity is so much smarter than that. No offense, buddy. She graduated MIT class of '09 at the age of nineteen. You couldn't even stay in one college for the same amount of time it took her to graduate."

Oliver glared at Tommy. Yet, no matter how much he wanted to be mad at his friend, he was right.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

"You can't be serious." Oliver glared at Tommy from under his hood.

"Not only am I serious, she's already in there." Tommy pointed to the dilapidated building across from where they stood.

"I didn't realize you cared so little for the safety of others." Oliver smacked his friend with his bow. "So much for trying to step away from the genes of your father."

Tommy stepped up to Oliver his face a mask of anger. Oliver knew he hit below the belt with that one but Tommy had placed an innocent woman in danger. Again. Just then, Oliver spotted a man with a gun slink along the edge of the wall of the building. Good. Diggle was here. At least Felicity would have enough backup if things went south.

Tommy poked Oliver in the chest. "I don't judge you and you have no right to do that to me, or Felicity, for that matter." He seemed to want to say more but he paused and pressed on his Bluetooth. "Go ahead, Felicity." Tommy turned to Oliver and nodded at whatever Felicity said to him. "She's set. The bug is about to be turned on."

Tommy began to step away from their hiding spot and pack up when he suddenly became ramrod straight. It was in that moment Oliver knew something had gone wrong. "Shit. Oliver we need to go."

Oliver jumped from the building and followed Tommy's lead. Motioning to Diggle, Oliver let him know something had happened. Oliver only hoped that the trust Tommy placed in Felicity's capabilities proved true.

Arrows and bullets flew in all directions as Tommy and Oliver busted through the front door of the warehouse that had been turned into an underground casino. Not having seen Felicity enter, Oliver had no idea how to spot her. However, a glimpse of red caught his eye. He trained his bow in that direction because his body reacted to that small hint of the blonde he couldn't forget. Before he could release an arrow, the man who had her in his grip was gone, along with Felicity.

Oliver pressed on his Bluetooth. "I'm going after Felicity. Cover Tommy."
"Copy that," Diggle responded.

Rounding the corner, Oliver held his bow aloft, alert. There were so many doors along the hallway and he wasn't sure if he'd have to check every one for her when his eye spotted a black heel several feet in front of him. Felicity had left a trail. A smile perked up the side of his lips near his bow string. Smart girl.

He walked past it and noticed another several more feet down the way, right as the corridor rounded. Peeking around, Oliver noticed a scrap of red over a door handle.

His Bluetooth beeped and Oliver answered it. "Go."

"She's in the manager's office down the hall from the bathrooms," Tommy told him. "Where are you?"

"Right around the corner from her. She left a trail that I followed," Oliver whispered back. The handle of the door turned. "Gotta go."

A man stepped out of the room and ripped the gold chain from which the purse hung. Right as he was about to open it, Oliver let loose his arrow. The man's body fell heavily to the ground. The splash of the red purse almost comical as it lay under the arrow on the man's chest.

Waiting a moment to see if anyone else would appear, Oliver made his way over to the man and snatched up Felicity's purse. Tucking it into his jacket, Oliver glared down at the man. "Red's not your color."

All of Oliver's humor fled the second he heard Felicity's screech of pain. Kicking the door open, Oliver faced down the man who brutally held Felicity by her hair, a gun to her head. Oliver raised his bow, nocking another arrow, ready to kill the man who held her if he had to. "Let her go."

The man gave Oliver a slimy smile. His finger began to squeeze tighter on the trigger. "Do anything to me and she's as dead as I am."

Oliver's eyes shifted to Felicity. He could tell she was scared, probably as much, if not more than he was. The guy could kill her right in front of him and he might not have the opportunity to stop it. Tommy should have never placed her in such a dangerous situation. Oliver placed his bow back in his quiver. Lowering his bow, Oliver held up his hands. When the man relaxed his stance, Oliver grabbed another arrow and shot it past the man's head.

The gun slipped slightly from Felicity's head as the man looked at the arrow behind him. "I thought you don't miss."

Oliver shook his head. "I don't."

The arrow blew up and knocked the guy and Felicity forward. Oliver grabbed for her and shielded her with his body. Pushing her forward, he got her to run for the door. "Stay here."

Oliver went back in and pulled the man up by his collar. "What happened to Walter Steele?"

Felicity lost the rest of what was said as she trembled outside the door. This was closer to death then she ever wanted to experience again, but she wasn't sorry she did it. Tommy had told Felicity about Walter Steele's kidnapping and she had wanted to help. He had been nice to her the few times she had a chance to meet him.

Oliver reappeared in his vigilante costume and grasped her arm. "We need to get out of here."

He led her out of the maze of corridors and out the back door. He didn't stop until they were around a darkened corner. He grabbed an arrow. It looked funny with some sort of large bulb at the top. Tommy didn't use arrows much. Felicity was sure it had something to do with his dad, but she never really questioned it. So, this type of arrow was new to her.

Oliver glanced down at her as he held his bow up, pointing it toward the top of the nearby building. "Hold onto me tight."

She stepped up to his side and he wrapped an arm around her as hers came around his chest. She was afraid to grasp him around his neck with the bow so close to his face. "I pictured you saying that under different circumstances."

Oliver's head lowered from his target and his body tensed under her hands. His nostrils flared and Felicity suspected he felt the tension that had laid between them since their first meeting. Felicity blushed and felt the need to clarify. "Strictly platonic circumstances."

With a deep breath that caused Felicity to take one of her own, Oliver loosed the arrow and the two of them shot up into the air. His arm that didn't have his bow, surrounded her the second the arrow was released. When they reached the rooftop, Oliver seemed like he couldn't let her go fast enough and Felicity almost fell backwards from the vertigo of sudden change. He reached out and took her arm to settle her. It was in that moment that Felicity realized how cold she was without his body heat and shivered.

That's when Oliver really surprised her because he stripped off the green jacket, complete with hood and settled it over her shoulders. Felicity's eyes grew wide at the sight of Oliver Queen in front of her with green grease paint feathered around his eyes.

He smiled down at her. "You already knew it was me. Don't look so surprised."

"Knowing and seeing are two different things."

Pulling the front of his coat together, Oliver reached for the zipper. He pulled at it and it upset her still shaky balance causing her to fall into him. He encircled her into his arms. She felt her own breath echoing off his chest in the cold air. Oliver's head seemed to dip toward hers when she glanced up at him. "I'm sorry. Guess I'm still a little dizzy."

Oliver raised a hand to her cheek and she leaned into the warm palm. "It was my fault."

His eyes focused on her lips. Oliver had never been so aware of a woman before. Every movement she made burned into his brain. From her teeth nibbling at her lower lip, to the way she shifted on her toes. Oliver wanted to pull her in tight and hold her there at his side while his brain warred over whether to kiss her or not. They weren't completely out of danger.

It didn't matter what his decision would have been because it was stolen from him the moment his Bluetooth chimed in his ear. "Go."

"You have Felicity?"
"I have her, Tommy." Oliver's eyes met hers. They stood there in each other's arms knowing the world was intruding and yet not wanting the moment to end.

"Arsenal," Felicity whispered up at him, correcting him.

"Arsenal." She smiled up at him and Oliver felt his heart flip over. What was it with this woman? He had only met her twice and he would bend over backwards just to keep that smile on her face. Even Laurel didn't have that kind of power over him.

"Meet back at my bunker."

"I can't." Oliver snapped himself out of the deepening moment between him and Felicity because he realized in that exact moment that what he said was true. He had his Ducati. There was no way Felicity could ride with him. Not in the dress she was wearing. A tight, red dress that was only meant for one purpose, to gain attention, not to be on the back of a motorcycle with a vigilante the police were gunning for. "Tell Digg to bring the van."

"Will do. Follow Digg. Felicity will tell him the way."

Oliver disconnected the call and stared back down at the blonde who was still connected to him by the slightest of touches. "We need to go. My partner will drive you."

Felicity slipped off his coat and held it out to him. "You're going to need that." She pointed to his face and Oliver half wanted her hand to touch him. "The grease paint isn't enough."

Oliver slipped on his jacket and pulled up the hood. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her toward the edge of the building. "Wrap your arms around my neck."

Damn if he didn't also picture saying that to her under different circumstances. He had to take a deep breath to steady his nerves when her arms wrapped around him and her front was pressed to his back. Oliver reattached to the zip line and descended.

John Diggle appeared out of the shadows and Oliver introduced the two of them. Diggle guided Felicity over to the van, while Oliver ran to retrieve his motorcycle. He would need to follow the two of them to get back to Tommy's base of operations. Only Oliver never planned that his time alone would allow him too much time to think about the blonde in front of him in the black van.

The first chance Oliver had to talk to Tommy alone, he planned to tell his friend that there were too many dangers for Felicity to be involved. Tonight proved that to be true.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

"You know, I should've just kissed the girl, torn the damn dress and stolen her away on my bike from under my best friend's nose."

"Oliver," Felicity and Curtis screeched at the same time.

Felicity recovered first as her hand gripped the necklace around her neck. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," he told her with a smile.

Curtis glanced around. "Did you find Rene?"

"No." Oliver stood straight from where he lounged against the railing by the stairs. "You have anything?"
Felicity shook her head. "Nothing. It shouldn't be this hard to find him."
Oliver walked over and laid a hand on her shoulder. The squeeze from his fingers gave her some comfort. "We'll find him, Felicity." Oliver nodded over at Curtis. "Why don't you head home? I already told Rory and Evelyn that I'd call if there were any changes."

"Thanks, boss." Curtis rose from his chair with a grimace of pain after being there in one spot for so long. "I could really use a few hours of sleep and my husband's chicken noodle soup." Grabbing his coat, Curtis began to limp away. "Night."

"Good night, Curtis," Felicity called out to him.

"Get some rest," Oliver said. "We'll need you at full steam tomorrow so we can get Rene back."

Felicity wasn't sure how long the two of them were alone in the silence before Oliver reached down and pulled her up from her chair. Smiling, Felicity asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Tommy. Roy." His eyes narrowed on her. "You." A sad smile spread over his face. "How interesting it would have been if I did have to steal you away from my best friend."

"I don't know if you would have," Felicity teased Oliver as she leaned against the desk next to him. "Sounds like I didn't have to argue half as much with Tommy about his crazy chances."

The smile slipped from Oliver's face as his hand reached up to brush a wisp of her hair behind her ear. "No. The stupid chances he took were with you and that should never happen."

Rubbing her hand down his arm, Felicity tried to reassure him. "It was a story, Oliver. And I really did go into that casino. With only you watching me."

"I know. I never said I wasn't stupid, too." He encircled her in his arms.

Felicity searched his eyes. "What really has you so upset? Was it because Curtis mentioned Tommy?"
"No. I'm glad he did. It's nice that… It's nice that I can remember him and smile now. I miss that. I wish I could do that with Laurel but I don't think I'm ready yet."

Felicity hugged him close needing the connection as much as he did. They had lost too many people they cared for over the last several years. And Oliver had lost more than most over the past decade.

He pulled back and raised a hand back to her face. His lips pillowed into hers with gentle ease seeking the sanctuary they found in each other. Felicity felt him lift her in his arms and place her on top of the desk. "Tommy didn't deserve you."

Felicity smiled up at him. "Does that mean you would have fought for me?"

"No." He smiled as hers slipped away. "I already told you, I would have stolen you away, even if I had to lock you in the basement of Verdant to do so."

"Tommy would have rescued me."

Oliver whispered in her ear, "He wouldn't dare. I would have put an arrow in him and if that didn't work I would have told Laurel his secret."

"At the expense of your own?"

"If that's what it took to keep you safe."

Felicity slapped at his chest. "I wouldn't have let you. I reprogramed your locks before, I probably would have done it again."

Oliver stepped so close that her legs were trapped between his own. "Then I guess neither of us would have left before our systems were rebooted."

"Promises," Felicity teased.

"That's it." Oliver stepped back and removed his quiver, throwing it at a nearby desk. "I'm going to show you promises. I'm mayor, I keep my promises."

"Oliver." Felicity laughed nervously. "What are you doing?"
When he turned back to her, his eyes were black, the blue nothing but a memory. His nostrils flared as he stepped toward her with purpose. "Keeping my promise. I did say I would kiss the girl, rip the dress and throw her on the back of my bike. Only difference is I have a softer place in mind for you. For us."

Felicity jumped from the desk and held up her hands while Oliver stalked her. "Hey. I happen to really like this dress."

"It's a good thing I now have access to my Russian funds now." He ran her down the stairs and toward the hallway that led to the room that Oliver had used when the two of them first broke up. "I'll buy you a new one."
Felicity bumped up against the bed in the darkness. Her eyes weren't as trained as his were to the blackness. "You didn't tell me that."

"It skipped my mind. I wanted to tell you after I rescued Diggle but with Rene gone…"

"I never should have sent them in there while you were out of town," she said by way of apology.

"Shh." Oliver pulled her flush to him. "I probably would have made the same call."

"No, you wouldn't have. You'd have never sent them in there alone. You would have been with them."

"Felicity, it's not your fault." He kissed her forehead. "I shouldn't have left town without telling you about Digg." Oliver pulled her hair from her ponytail, running his hand through the strands. "You made the best decision you could at the time. And everyone on the team knows that." He tilted her head so he could look her straight in the eyes. "Everyone."

Felicity nodded and raised up on her toes to kiss him. She didn't deserve his forgiveness but she was happy to have it. Felicity still had much on her conscious after the disaster of Havenrock. And it seemed that everything she touched lately had some consequences that she had to wrestle with as well. But right now, here with Oliver, she didn't want to think about any of that. She only wanted to be here with him. Loved.

THE END