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An: I do not own Arrow. Special thank you to my beta missmeagan666 at Ao3.
Summary: No matter how many times Oliver wandered away from Laurel, he always went back. After their latest separation he meets a beautiful IT genius. Maybe this time, he won't go back.
Felicity stood on the balcony of Oliver's loft and stared out at the city nights. Today marked their one year anniversary. When she had finally agreed to go on a date with him, she certainly didn't think it would last more than a week much less a year. There were three known facts about Oliver Queen:
He was the heir to a Billionaire corporation, which so happened to be the company that she worked at. He was a Playboy, and he had an on and off again relationship with Laurel Lance, which was off at that time.
He had come down to get assistance with his personal laptop which had crashed. He could have chosen anybody in the IT department but he walked up to her cubicle. She had no choice but to help him and at the end of the encounter he asked her out. She said no. She did not want to be a flavor of the week.
His latest breakup with Laurel was splashed all over the tabloids and there was a countdown to when he would get back together with his true love.
Felicity did not want to get into the middle of that mess.
He came back the next day with a cell phone problem, then his best friend's laptop, then his best friend's phone, then a new tablet that he had purchased.
He was a persistent pest that she couldn't say no to.
When he ran out of technological devices for her to fix, he started getting himself assigned to projects that she worked on. She probably should have been alarmed, since that type of behavior was similar to a stalker but she never felt threatened by him. His presence had quickly grown on her and she was only mildly irritated with him. There was also the added bonus of him green lighting all of the projects she was involved in.
She made the mistake of mentioning his advances to her mother who enthusiastically told her to take a roll in the hay with him.
Her friends weren't much help either. They told her she was smart enough to keep her face out of the papers so they didn't seen why she couldn't enjoy a week of great sex with the Adonis. She had noticed that since he had started 'courting' her, he hadn't been spotted around town with anybody else and Laurel was dating some famous Doctor. Her breaking point came when Oliver brought her the city's best coffee one night when they had been working late. She hadn't asked him to do it. They were both working late to submit a report to the board.
He took a quick break and returned with it. He hadn't said anything cheesy or used any lines. He just placed it in front of her and went back to work.
She agreed to go on a date with him and he wanted to take her out to some fancy restaurant but she refused. She was not getting caught on camera with him. Their first date had been in Big Belly Burger late at night with not a soul in sight.
It had gone surprisingly well and she found herself actually wanting to spend more time with him. When he dropped her home that night, he kissed her softly on her cheek and left. Their next date was in a small Italian restaurant at the edge of the Glades that a person like Oliver Queen would never been caught dead at. Felicity wondered if Oliver would be able to appreciate the quaint restaurant but he surprised her again by thoroughly enjoying their time there.
One week turned into two, then a month then six months.
It was in their sixth month of dating that they had been caught. Her face had been splashed all over the papers as Oliver Queen's flavor of the week. The tabloids had noted that he had been keeping a low profile while Laurel openly dated the Quarterback of the Star City Football Team but he was back in the saddle now.
Felicity had initially been angry at the report. She hadn't wanted to end up in the papers but her relationship with Oliver was serious. She wasn't going to break up with him because they were caught. She had started to see a future with Oliver and she had been naïve to think that she could get that future without the media attention associated with being the significant other of Oliver Queen.
Her apartment was where they used to spend most of their time together but that changed when the paparazzi permanently camped outside. It was then that Oliver purchased the loft, in a more secure building, for them under a pseudonym.
Technically, she still lived in her apartment though most of her stuff was at his loft. Today had started off well. Oliver woke her up in the best way possible which he followed up by cooking her favourite breakfast for her.
It was unfortunately a work day and after a few weeks of discussion they had decided that they would not apply for the day off which meant they did in fact have to work. That didn't faze Oliver though and he planned for them to have lunch at most expensive restaurant in town, Table Salt, and then dinner at their little Italian place.
As a couple they had never been to Table Salt. Felicity had been once or twice as part of business meetings for Queen Consolidated but never for a knew what statement Oliver was making by taking her to Table Salt or at least she thought she wore her best suit to work, straightened her hair and painted her nails.
She wanted to look flawless for the dates but she started chewing at her nails by mid-morning so by the time lunch time hit, her nails were an absolute mess.
She shouldn't be so nervous but she was.
The paparazzi outside the restaurant took their picture on the way in. A few asking for Oliver to comment on what took him so long to bring his girlfriend there. Oliver ignored them and guided her inside. They were both surprised to see his mother, sister and Laurel seated in the private section.
They hadn't started lunch yet and his mother invited them to dine with them. Felicity knew it was an invitation that Oliver couldn't refuse so she put on her bravest face and sat between Oliver and Thea. Her interactions with both Queen women were always limited to QC related business.
It was the worse lunch of her entire life. The women made every effort to let Felicity know that she was not welcomed in their family. They talked about their monthly lunch that they had as mother and daughters. Oliver tried to stop them several times but they didn't listen to him prattling on instead about when he finally got back together with Laurel and he made her Mrs. Queen.
The bit of information that troubled Felicity the most, was what she learned when Oliver wasn't at the table. Thea had pulled him away for something and Moira excused herself to go to the bathroom leaving her alone with Laurel.
The woman's words bounced around in her head.
"You're just a placeholder for me. It's only a matter of time before Oliver comes back to me. Our first date was in this restaurant. He's been with you six months and this is the first time he brought you here."
"He's just using you to warm his bed while he waits for me."
"Did he tell you why we broke up last year?"
Before Felicity could reply Laurel steam rolled ahead.
"Of course not, he doesn't really share his life with you. I ended our relationship because I wanted to experience life with other men without cheating on him, it's only fair since he had sowed his wild oats."
"The deal is when I am ready we will get back together permanently. My advice is, don't get too comfortable. I'll be Mrs. Queen before the year is finished."
A strong pair of hands wrapped around her midsection while soft lips connected with the spot behind her ear that made her weak in the knees.
"I know I had you screaming my name at the top of your lungs a little earlier so that angry face couldn't be directed at me," he whispered in her ear.
"Mmm," Felicity responded. Oliver's hand slipped into hers and he pulled her inside with him. He sat on the couch and pulled her into his lap where she immediately snuggled into his warm embrace.
"Talk to me Felicity," he said his thumb rubbing smooth circles just above her hip bone. She was about to say it was nothing when he said, "Don't tell me it's nothing." A small smile crept onto her face. They knew each other so well.
A frown settled on his face, "This is about what Laurel said when I left the table isn't it?" Oliver asked knowingly.
"She just said a few things about you," Felicity told him hesitantly.
"I know what she said Felicity. I suspected my sister was up to something so I left my phone on the table to record the conversation. I listened to it in my office when we got back. You seemed fine at dinner so I thought you had brushed it off as comments from a very delusional woman but now I find you in the wee hours of the morning sulking on the balcony after an amazing round of sex," he said holding her a bit tighter. "Ask me what you want to ask," he encouraged her.
"I don't know where to start," she admitted. She didn't want to question their relationship. She thought they had a solid foundation and she felt like questioning it meant that they didn't but at the same time Laurel's talk about her deal with Oliver had shaken her. She knew about their relationship. Oliver had always been honest with her about Laurel but he had never mentioned a deal.
"Ok, let's start with what Laurel said about our breakup. It's true. She asked for us to break up for her to enjoy life the way I had been. Her idea back then had been when she was ready we would get back together," Oliver stated. "I agreed because it gave me more freedom to do what I wanted without feeling the crushing disappoint from everyone around me that I was letting Laurel down."
"And now?" Felicity asked fearfully.
A small smile pulled at his lips, "And now I need to sit down with Laurel and tell her it's permanently over. I thought the fact that you and I have been publicly in a solid relationship for six months would have been a huge neon signboard that we aren't getting back together but I was wrong. I will have to spell it out for her," Oliver admitted. "Are you sure you want to do that?" Felicity asked hesitantly.
He cupped her face in his hands, "Felicity, you are it for me. You're my forever. There is no going back." He proved his declaration by slowly making love to her on the sofa making sure he maximised their pleasure as much as possible.
Oliver walked straight passed Laurel's secretary and leaned against the opened doorway of her office. Her secretary didn't say anything so he assumed Laurel had told the woman that he was allowed access to her at any time.
He took the opportunity to study her carefully. This was a new office.
His mother had gushed at dinner a few months ago about Laurel's promotion to Assistant District Attorney and the large beautiful office she was given. It seemed like a normal office to him. He tried to remember what Laurel's previous office looked like but he drew a blank. He knew they had had sex in that office several times but he couldn't even remember what the desk was like.
In contrast, he knew every detail of Felicity's office and he had never had sex with her in her office or his. Felicity insisted they had to be professional in the office. Perhaps in a few years he could get her to change her stance on that.
Oliver figured he had been leaning against the frame for a minute and Laurel still had no idea that he was there. He could never get away with that with Felicity.
After five seconds, no matter what she was working on, Felicity would sense his presence and smile at him. They both had a sixth sense for when the other was around. He loved to stare at Felicity while she worked. She had a series of unconscious habits with her hands and lips she did when she was stuck on a problem. As he looked at Laurel he realized that he had no idea if Laurel had any.
He had never watched her work. He only showed up at her office to fuck her.
"What are you doing here?" a hostile voice behind him asked. Oliver turned to see Max Fuller, Laurel's current fling, standing there with flowers for her.
"Oliver!" Laurel said acknowledging him and not her boyfriend.
"Don't worry Fuller, I'm just here to talk to Laurel for five minutes. You can get her after that," Oliver told the other man.
"You don't tell me when I can get my girlfriend," Max said clenching the hand that was not holding the flowers into a fist. "Max," Laurel said with a small smile. "Let me just see what Oliver wants and then we'll head off to lunch."
"Laurel," he said his voice laced strongly with disapproval.
Laurel went to him, held both of his hands in hers while she looked him straight in the eye, "I promise five minutes," she said in a calm reassuring voice.
Oliver had to look away.
She learned that trick from him. He only used it on her every time he was trying to disappear for a quick fuck with someone else. Max of course relented and agreed to wait outside. She closed her office door and looked up at him with the look she usually used right before they were going to have sex.
"Laurel," he said seriously.
"Yes Oliver," she said with a hopeful tone. He dipped his head forward and Laurel immediately closed her eyes, parted her lips and angled her head for him to kiss her. Oliver ignored her mouth and kissed her lightly on her cheek.
Her eyes snapped open and Oliver could see anger there.
"Thank you for everything Laurel," he said. "I know I've put you through a lot in the past and you deserved better."
"Thank you! That is what you came here to say," she said angrily.
"Yes," Oliver said stepping around her to leave.
"You don't get to walk away from me," Laurel said. "We had a deal."
"No Laurel, it was never cast in stone that we would get back together. I have met the love of my life Laurel and I'm not letting her go," Oliver said turning back around to face her.
"No!" Laurel said shaking her head in denial. "We are getting back together."
Anger sparked inside of Oliver, "You called Felicity a Placeholder."
"I did not," Laurel denied.
"You did," Oliver insisted.
She laughed bitterly, "We've known each other for years and you believe your latest screw is telling you the truth over me. She's manipulating you Oliver. I never called her a Placeholder," Laurel lied.
Oliver was completely taken back by it.
This wasn't the Laurel he knew and remembered.
"You know what Laurel I didn't want to go here but I guess I have to. You called Felicity a Placeholder," at this point he pulled out his phone and played the sound file from the lunch the day before. Her only reaction was to cross her hands stubbornly over her chest. Oliver continued.
"The truth is, you were the Placeholder for me until she arrived. I have NEVER been faithful to you Laurel in any of our many relationships. I've been with Felicity for a year," he noticed her eyes widen at his admission but he kept going, "And she is the ONLY one that occupies my thoughts. I don't notice the other women in the room when she's with me," he told her honestly.
"I came here today because it was brought to my attention that you still think we're getting back together and I'm here to tell you that's not going to happen.
"Move on Laurel," he said turning around and exiting the office. He nodded at an angry Max on the way out. His next stop was Queen Mansion.
He needed to set two others straight.
As soon as Oliver entered the Mansion he was assaulted by his mother and Thea.
"At least you're both in the same place so this will be a bit easier," Oliver commented as he saw them angrily approach him.
"What is this nonsense about you and Laurel being permanently over," Moira asked angrily.
"Yeah Ollie that was a dick move," Thea said supporting their mother.
"No it was not. It was me being honest with her and not stringing her along like I used to do in the past. I told her the truth about how I felt and that I'm moving on with Felicity. I'm here to tell you the same thing," Oliver said to them.
"This girl is manipulating you," Moira said. "Whatever recording she claimed to have about Laurel is false. She's in IT. She could have created it."
Oliver's blood started to boil and he itched to hit something but this was his mother and sister. He rubbed his hand over his face trying to reign in his emotions.
"You're one to talk about manipulations mother," he spat. "Your monthly lunch isn't supposed to be for another two weeks."
"Thea and Laurel were both busy so we had to move it up," she stated calmly.
"Ah I see you just happened to be there the first time I took Felicity to Table Salt," he replied bitterly. He knew better. He made the reservation through his father's assistant, the same assistant his mother paid on the side to keep tabs on what he was up to. "It was a coincidence," his mother said innocently.
He looked carefully at her face. If he didn't know her better he would have been inclined to believe her. "You planned to ambush her!" Oliver said disgusted.
Moira bristled, "Nonsense Oliver. You're letting this girl manipulate you, first with a sound recording and then with suspicions that we are out to ambush her.
Let me ask you Oliver, Laurel said you claimed you have been dating her for a year, why is this the first time you took her to Table Salt? Your first date with Laurel was there. If she means as much as you claim she does, you would have taken her there long ago," Moira insisted.
"Yes I've been with Felicity for a year. Yesterday was supposed to be our one year anniversary. It was supposed to be a happy day for us. Instead I had to fend off my mother and sister from verbally attacking my girlfriend."
"And before you ask why she couldn't defend herself, she was being respectful and considerate of my feelings and love for you two because trust me, if you were anyone else, she would have ripped you to pieces."
"Furthermore, we've practically been living together for the last six months. I love her and I'm not leaving her. That recording wasn't given to me by Felicity. I left my phone on the table to record the conversation because I saw through your little charade. And for your information, taking girls to Table Salt was something the playboy in me did."
"I didn't want to take Felicity to a place that I used to get laid. The only reason I took her was because I overheard gossip that people thought because I hadn't taken her there she meant nothing to me."
"I wanted to dispel that particular piece of gossip."
"Ollie, I didn't know," Thea said with a sorrowful expression.
"Maybe you should have asked Thea instead of trying to ambush my girlfriend," he said before walking out making sure to slam the door on the way out.
Felicity stared at the door to their loft. She realized she and Oliver were at a crossroads. News had hit earlier in the day that Oliver Queen had visited Laurel Lance at her office which followed by a very public break up of Laurel Lance and Max Fuller in front of the law offices.
Rumors were rampant that Oliver and Laurel were a couple again. Last night Oliver had been confident that he wasn't going back to Laurel but there was that little seed of doubt in her brain that feared he had done just that. That Laurel had wormed her way back into his heart and he had let her in with open arms.
She could open the door and see Laurel with a large smirk on her face as she sipped from a glass of wine that Felicity had purchased. She could also open the door and find the loft dark with all of Oliver's stuff gone.
The only way to know for sure was to open the door and walk inside.
She took a deep breath turned the door handle, opened the door and closed her eyes as she stepped into the loft. If she could delay the pain a few more seconds then she would. Before she could open her eyes, she was greeted with a pair of soft lips that she knew well.
"Happy anniversary," he said when he broke the kiss.
Felicity opened her eyes to see Oliver staring at her with a smile on his face.
"You're here," she said in awe.
"Where else would I be?" he asked confused.
"Did you see the news?" she asked.
"Nope, I had better things to do with my time," he said his hand falling to the small of her back to usher her further into their loft.
She gasped at the site before her. Practically every surface was covered with candles. There was a table for two, where the dining table used to be, that was draped with a white tablecloth and two red candles in the middle.
"I cooked us a six course meal but some of the courses are still cooking. I drew you a bath upstairs. There's a timer to tell you when to get out of the tub."
"There's a dress on the bed for you as well."
"Why did you do all this?" she asked.
"Because yesterday didn't turn out as mind blowing as I wanted it to, well except the sex part that's always great," he said with a sly grin.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" she asked.
Oliver gave her that dopey smile she only ever saw when she told him she loved him, "Not today but head on upstairs I need to focus on finishing our meal."
"If you distract me now, I might screw up our soufflé." She reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss, "I love you," she said before scampering off.
"I love you too," he replied.
Felicity smiled and giddily made her way upstairs.
She followed all of his instructions and when she returned downstairs, he was dressed smartly in a three piece grey suit. He pulled out her chair and proceeded to present her with the most exquisite dishes he had ever prepared. When the soufflé arrived with a diamond ring on top Felicity was flabbergasted.
Oliver got down on one knee next to her, "Felicity I realised today when I was talking with Laurel, my mother and Thea that I plan to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you, and I will marry you, whether you say yes today or you decide to make me wait a few more months like you did when I first asked you out. I know in my heart it will happen and I am willing to wait until you're ready, though I hope you're ready soon because I really want to marry you…"
"Oliver," Felicity said getting down on her knees with him. She used her right hand to cup the left side of his face and he instinctively leaned into her touch.
"You're babbling. Ask me properly."
He smiled, "Felicity, will you marry me?"
"Yes," she said throwing herself at him.
He tumbled backwards but kept her from hitting the floor with him. She was so happy she thought she was going to burst. She plastered her lips onto Oliver's and poured all of her feelings into it. When they broke apart he rested his forehead against hers, "I need to put the ring on your finger," he said.
She looked up at the table. It seemed so far away and Oliver had stuffed her so full of food she didn't feel like moving yet. "Tomorrow, take me to bed and have your way with me Mr. Queen," she instructed him.
"Anything you say Mrs. Queen."
An: Thanks for reading.