Author's note: I am a complete nut about romantic tragedy/mortal peril. Romeo/Juliet stuff… where realizing everything you have you may, in a heartbeat, lose and that tenuousness and insecurity makes your love more powerful. This is a short look into that fascination I have using Oliver and Felicity.

STAY

It all happened so suddenly, was her stunned realization. Felicity always thought those things occurred in movies like "The Matrix" where they use multiple camera angles and film the scene in high definition, adding in things like the flying bullet, or in this case a black arrow.

In that singular, slow motion moment where time crawls and the smells, touches, tastes and sights become heightened, blurred and surreal; that is where Felicity found herself.

Just a moment ago, she had been crunching code for Oliver in the arrow cave trying to make sense of the new information they had uncovered about the extinct subway system running under Starling City. The Undertaking was their new focus besides the typical "bad guys" on Oliver's list and she was relieved in a small part that Oliver wasn't going to shoot anyone too soon or put himself in danger.

Oliver was very tense this evening after accepting Tommy's resignation as manager of Verdant earlier in the week and she had steered clear of him and his brooding. Even Diggle seemed apprehensive around him and that was unusual since the elder bodyguard seemed to be his shepherd guiding his young lamb back to the fold of life. Before opening hours, he had beat the sparring pole so severely, hunks of wood were flying off as if he was some possessed ninja beaver. Diggle stood next to Felicity as they watched their boss "vent" his feelings. Neither of them wanted to interrupt.

It was Friday and Felicity could still hear the thumping base no matter how much sound proofing Oliver installed. Last week, she swore that one day that subwoofer would shake this place to pieces. "Oliver, my hearing is going to be permanently damaged by that noise. I'm not getting younger, well, I'm not that old either.. But anyway, no matter how old I am, I don't want to go deaf from some beat- sub acoustic sound waves!" she had accidently babbled to him and found herself sounding like her mother, which disturbed her.

Oliver had given her one of his precious smiles that he kept secreted away from everyone, and replied, " Felicity, I am sure that the noise level of this… facility, meets all federal guidelines. It can't be worse than all those computer fans around you all day at the office."

Diggle leaned against the wall arms crossed and smirked. He liked how Felicity could make Oliver smile and he appreciated her being around for more than her coding skills. She definitely lightened things up from time to time.

" I happen to like the sound of computers because I can turn them off at will, which I can't with that damn DJ!" she retorted and smoothed a curl that had escaped her neat, ever present ponytail. Oliver secretly found himself wanting to be her hand touching her hair. Shaking off that feeling, he patted her on the shoulder good-naturedly and departed the arrow cave. Felicity sighed and shook her head, returning her attention to the screen before her.

But tonight was different. The music sounded more aggressive than usual and Oliver was upstairs being the manager. He had not bothered to try and find a new manager yet so he shouldered that burden. Diggle had gone upstairs too to try and keep an eye on his ward, leaving Felicity to herself in the relative seclusion of the arrow cave. Until the text message came, illuminating her Android phone. The tone she had chosen was the "Batman theme" for his calls and texts.

" Need you upstairs." he said.

Felicity found herself rolling her eyes as if he were her father calling her to the dinner table, interrupting her soldering project of building her own robot. A few keystrokes saved her work and she trudged upstairs toward that pulsating, furious sounding music.

Finding him near one of the three bars in his impeccable grey suit, she wiggled past drunk half dressed women and the lusty men who followed like dogs to raw meat. Drinks nearly spilled on her and a few slurred insults were hurled her way about her gender and species. Felicity ignored them and moved on to Oliver's side. " Yes?" she inquired leaning in to speak because of the volume of the music. She could smell his aftershave and found it dangerously attractive.

Oliver was wearing his public mask and the smile he gave her was not a true one, " I just wanted to see you." He also leaned in near her ear, which gave him flutters in his stomach. That was the reason he wanted to see her; to actually feel alive among these flesh hungry pseudo-zombies.

She stared at him for a moment and gave him that impatient look of ' I have things to do.' The mask came down for a flash and a real smile appeared. Her heart warmed at the sight.

The DJ slowed it down some and played some Top 10 R&B single that Felicity vaguely recognized from the radio. The bump and grind crowd moved off the floor and only the serious couples who were not quite as drunk waded in to enjoy some closer encounters. Oliver looked at Felicity and tilted his head slightly, " Want to dance?"

" Who me?!" Felicity blurted out so loudly that a few couples glanced in their direction for a moment.

" No. Diggle." Oliver responded with a real chuckle, " Come on. It will be fun."

" I.. I.. well." Felicity was so stunned as he held her hand gently and led her to the floor, she couldn't even babble. Oliver's left arm went respectfully around her waist and his right gently cupped her left hand, he looked down fondly at her and Felicity could feel her temperature rising and his eyes pulling her into them. Blinking for a moment as they swayed in time with the music she admitted to him, " I never even went to prom."

Oliver frowned, " Never?"

" No." she said looking down at his lapel feeling suddenly like she should cry.

" It was their loss." he replied simply and held her a little closer. His body was warm and strong and Felicity felt herself melting like a candle, slowly relaxing herself and really enjoying the moment for once.

Oliver could feel his blood pressure lowering. This night had almost been a disaster with Tommy gone. Why had he not appreciated all his best friend had done for him with the club? Now it was all a mess and Oliver had to clean it up. But right now, he had the most beautiful woman in his arms and they were dancing. He felt her relax into him and that gave him happiness that he could help her this way. He felt that familiar butterfly feeling in his stomach and he decided that it was time to tell Felicity how he really felt about his "IT Girl".

As the song neared the end, Oliver gently led Felicity into a twirl. She stopped with an ecstatic smile, her eyes dancing, holding his hand. " Felicity, there is something I need to tell you." Oliver began. Felicity's eyes widened, maybe with anticipation or fear, he couldn't tell which, and then disaster struck.