"For the last time, Oliver Queen, you have got to stop blaming yourself every time something goes wrong!" Felicity shouted, her hand striking Oliver on the cheek with a resounding slap.

Oliver stared at Felicity with wide, stunned eyes.

His beloved Felicity had just slapped him.

Felicity mirrored Oliver's look, mixed with a tinge of regret. After a few painful beats, she turned and ran from him as fast as she could.

"Felicity!" Oliver called out. "Felicity, wait!"

But Felicity was already gone.

"FELICITY!"

Oliver shot up in bed, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't believe the dream he just had. Granted, he was blaming himself for something that had happened, but then Felicity slapped him. The woman he loves slapped him. In his dream. He shook his head to clear his mind. Something at the back of his sleep-dulled mind told him that it is ridiculous to be worked up over something as Felicity slapping him in his dream. But she has never done that in real life.

"Get a grip!" Oliver muttered to himself. He shook his head once more and headed for the bathroom.

When he came out, Oliver noted that Felicity's side of the bed was already empty. In his disturbed state he hadn't noticed it when he woke up. Now that he did, the dream invaded his thoughts once more and he let out a frustrated groan. He must have been caught in it more than he realised.

"Hey there, sleepyhead!" Felicity said cheerily as Oliver entered the kitchen. "You're just in time for the Smoak Breakfast Special." She gestured to a pan on the stove with a turner for emphasis.

Oliver smiled and wrapped Felicity in his arms. "Scorched eggs and toast?" he asked, giving her a kiss.

"Ha-ha, very funny." Felicity rolled her eyes. "I'm making pancakes this time. Can't go wrong with that." She pointed to a platter of pancakes with different levels of doneness on the counter and then turned her attention back to the pan. "Go sit, I'm just about done here."

Oliver gave Felicity one last kiss and sat as ordered. A few minutes later Felicity let out a tiny shriek as the beginnings of a scorching odor started to fill the air. He grinned to himself, almost forgetting the dream he'd had.

"So I forgot to tell you, I got to talk to Barry last night and he said that Iris and their baby girl are doing well," Felicity said conversationally while pouring a generous amount of syrup on her pancakes. "They're inviting us to Central City once they get home from the hospital. I'm so excited to see... Oliver, are you listening?"

"What?" Oliver looked up.

Felicity cocked her head at him. "Have you heard a word I said?"

"Yeah, Barry and Iris's baby is born and we'll visit them soon," Oliver answered absently.

"Great. I was thinking that we could buy their baby this cute set of onesies that I... Oh come on, Oliver, it's not that bad," Felicity whined when she noticed Oliver picking at his pancakes. "They're just slightly burnt. You can still taste the blueberries. See?" She took a bite to prove it and winced. "Oh-kay, they're more burnt than I thought."

"The pancakes are all right, Felicity," Oliver reassured her, grinning. But his eyes remained solemn.

Felicity set her fork on her plate and fixed Oliver with a stare. "Okay, Queen. Speak up. What's going on in that uber angsty mind of yours?"

Oliver inhaled deeply. "This is going to sound crazy, but... I had a dream."

"A dream." Felicity nodded, willing for Oliver to continue.

"You're gonna laugh at me after this."

"Try me."

"It's... silly."

"Come on already!"

Oliver hadn't even finished his story when Felicity began to snicker. "Slapped you?" she asked, already laughing so hard that she had to catch her breath. "Why would you be worried over something as silly as that?"

"Because it's so unlike you," Oliver replied, closing his eyes as he realised how stupid he sounded.

"Don't flatter yourself Oliver Queen, I might have slapped you in my mind once... twice..." Felicity faltered when Oliver looked at her briefly with that small knowing smile of his. "Okay, many times, but that's beside the point. Don't tell me you were blaming yourself yet again for something you did not do. In your dream."

Oliver looked so much like a lost little boy just then that Felicity stopped laughing altogether. She came up to Oliver and sat on his lap, gently cradling his face. "Oh, honey, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"It was just a dream, Felicity." Oliver leaned into Felicity's warm touch.

"Exactly. I could have helped you forget sooner."

"Yeah, but you were busy making me this awesome breakfast." Oliver took a big bite of his pancakes and tried his best not to grimace. He chewed as fast as he could and then washed it down with freshly brewed coffee. "Awesome," he repeated. "Thanks Felicity."

Felicity smiled mischievously as she stood up. "Now that you mentioned it," she turned and held up the platter. "More pancakes?"


thanks for reading :)