Inspired by Tumblr and two amazing stories that caused this idea to become firmly lodged in my head.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I own nothing in relation to Arrow or it's characters.

I'll always choose you

Earth is filled with stories about heaven and hell…about Angels and Demons…about the tolls of good and evil; but what they leave out is the truth of what happens when they come together. Angels protect us; they guide us, watch over us and provide us sanctuary when we're most in need. Heaven is their realm where they hide from prying eyes until an innocent soul beckons to them from below; their mortal lives sparking hope and joy from those of us with immortal souls. Demons find us in our weakest moments; they take our darkest and deepest desires and then use them to corrupt us, to lure us into a dark and tangled web of lies. Hell is their domain but unlike heaven they don't come down to protect or to save they come up to feast and pray our souls are their fuel but this time the soul survived…but two lives were forever changed.

The target was yet another nameless soul one what held no real interest other than he was young, innocent, and lost a perfect candidate for Lucifer's vastly deplorable army. The meeting was by chance the two sides each getting to him at the exact same moment each there to claim their prize. One went to save him while the other was sent to destroy and to feed on the young man's soul. The Angel young in appearance but her eyes held a wisdom that spanned eons the years she'd seen, the war's she'd fought echoed throughout her steely gaze. The demon also young in appearance but weathered in both body and mind stood ready to fight for the claim that would spare him the lash of Lucifer's whip against his already heavily marred body. Each one an agent one for God the other for Satan each one represented one side of the same deadly coin. Each trained to fight and then trained to die if it meant their goals had been reached.

The battle was quick but the consequences were long lasting. One born of pure energy and light moved forward as her massive white wings expanded eclipsing her small delicate frame; each mighty thrust sending shockwaves of pulsating power rippling throughout the entire land. The other a demon with wings blacker than the darkest night sky his light banished long ago by the darkness that now eroded his soul; his body heavily scarred by the remnants of his lords punishment stood bare skin glowing against the light of his opponents face. His scars the reminders that he bore to show how far humanity had truly begun to sink; light against dark, good against evil, one a savior while the other a murder each one there to accomplish one stated goal…claim their prize. One hovered above the ground her wings beating rapidly as the other remained on the ground staring upward as her form advanced the air around them charged as the heavens watched waiting to see who'd be the victor…who'd still be standing to claim the young man's soul.

Each movement was matched by the other, each jab was deflected, every sword and blade was tossed aside neither of them finding advancement nor defeat. Both were perfectly trained to defeat the other but neither of them could strike the final landing blow that would make them the ultimate victor. A stalemate of sorts had been reached as they two each stared deeply into their opponents steely gaze, both heaven and hell fell silent as they waited the two remaining frozen in place.

She lowered her guard as she allowed her feet to touch the damp soft ground her white plated armor glistening in the pale moonlight advanced as her blonde hair fell around her face in a torrent of curls and sun. He moved as well bare feet pressing firmly into the ground his own heavy steps bringing him closer and closer to the other side her light seeming to stamp out the darkness that had long ago worn down his war ravaged soul. Chests both heaving but from what neither of them fully knew the air around then got thicker and heavier the closer they came to the other. The demon spoke first his voice was rich and deep the tenor a perfect blend of male authority and boyish charm.

"Oliver…my name is Oliver."

The angel quirked her head slightly to the side as she roamed over his body with her hot fire filled gaze unsure if she should trust her voice to respond.

"Felicity…my name is Felicity." Her voice light just like the aura that surrounded her but what struck him was her smile and how her face lit up as she uttered her name.

Both sides for the first time left without their prize but neither of them cared because what happened after the battle had left a mark upon each of their weary war torn souls.

Months would pass as the two continued to meet each one picking the same target and each time they'd leave empty handed. The meetings at first were evenly spaced apart they'd each wait two weeks before meeting again exchanging simple words, and empty stares each of them needing and wanting more but each unwilling to take the first forbidden step. Slowly as if by a force stronger than their wills combined the time between the meetings became shorter and shorter weeks became mere days before finally the excuses that they'd used to stay apart began to drift away.

"You came…I can't believe you came…" She'd sent me a note via a raven hours before asking me to meet her at the water's edge where both Heaven and Hell connect each side the same in the small protected space. I came closer reaching out a tentative hand hoping that just this once she'd return the gesture by finally accepting my touch by giving me her own.

"Of course I came…why would you think I wouldn't? I've picked every target over the past six months hoping that the soul would be yours. I'd do anything just to spend mere seconds in your presence…how do you not see that by now? How can you not see how affected I am every time you so much as look into my dead soulless eyes."

"We can't do this Oliver…you're a Demon…I'm an Angel a daughter of the light…we…" Her words disappeared against the harsh urgent pressure of my mouth as my lips glided roughly against her own. Sucking and nipping along her jaw line I felt her hands pull me closer her soft supple fingertips turned rough as she gripped down hard against my arms her legs coming to encircle my waist as our tongues dipped past the other's timid lips each one meeting in a erotic dance of sweat and heat.

"We can't…Oliver we can't…it's forbidden…we're forbidden…"

"I don't care…" Her neck tasted like the morning dew that I sometimes felt against my bare feet whenever a soul beckoned me forth from the fire pits I called home. Her resistance weakened until finally her fingers were tearing at my body armor as my own tore away at hers. Layer by layer the armor was removed our bodies each fully revealed to the other…her pale skin reflected the pattern of the stars as I grabbed her hips with my rough calloused hands pulling her slick wanton body down upon my own. I kissed every inch of her pale soft moon touched skin as her hands and mouth traced down my scarred upper chest and lower back. She learned every mark, every wound and every single point of contact that Lucifer's whip had ever left behind. I marked her neck, her shoulders, her breasts and inner thighs as I bit and sucked until the skin puckered and bruised her screams urging me forward with an unrelenting need to feel her come undone beneath me.

While I went quickly she took her time marking me as well her mouth tasting every square inch of my chest all the way down to my toes…her eyes glinting with heated satisfaction as I shuddered and growled against the pressure of her lips and tongue as she traveled slowly down the length of my entire naked body. Taking her felt like coming home and waking up all at the same time my body fitting tightly…fitting perfectly within her as I moved our soft wings coming together to shield us from the prying eyes of any unsuspecting passer's by. A contrast of complete light and utter darkness created our cover as I slid forward her body bringing me further and further inside until I felt her muscles ache with each contraction as I slid roughly in and out of her slick inner core. Over and over we moved that night our bodies coming together over and over again sometimes I'd take her while other's she took me her hips firmly situated atop my pelvic bone as I thrusted upwards hitting her over and over again until she screamed out in utter erotic joy.

We laid there wrapped firmly in the other's arms our wings covering our naked sweat soaked bodies as her head rested gently against my bicep her small delicate breaths tickling the sore bruised flesh of my tender lips.

"Oliver…"

"Yes Felicity…" I opened my eyes as she looked up her gaze filled with unshed tears as she leaned forward pressing her lips softly against mine.

"We can't do this again…if they ever found out…Oliver the consequences…I'd never see you again."

"We'll be careful…we won't get caught…Felicity do you want me?" I waited for her response as my breath caught in my chest the possible pain of her rejection radiated outwards from my heart down to the tips of my toes.

She smiled softly as she nuzzled her nose softly against my own. "Yes I want you…I shouldn't but I do. I want to be with you Oliver."

"Then we'll find a way…once a month we'll come here…we'll be together…with each other…and within each other until the sun rises the following day." It was all I could give her but her smile and hard demanding kiss told me it was enough.

Each month we'd meet and each time we'd spend hours wrapped around each other and within each other each of us pushing the other's body until we were both left screaming our names falling from the other's lips. We said many things during our times spent taking the other from various angles and positions each of us discovering more and more about our lover with each hot feverish touch that our lips and bodies gave the other. Yet the words were never spoken not once…we'd said everything but those precious words…I care for…I need you…I want you…I desire you…be with me…but never the words that might have saved my soul. Each of us never uttered I love you not until it was too late.

She was right of course our secret couldn't be kept forever the spies for each side found us one stolen night and by morning my world was destroyed.

It was an ambush we'd each gone after the same soul as we'd been doing for over a year now but this time the soul was one of them an Angel. We followed the same pattern that we always used she'd move first her white steel blade slicing quickly through the air angled just above my shoulder so that when it came down I'd be able to move just out of reach. Then I'd advance my own black blade coming to cut her side but as always I moved the blade missing its target by mere inches as our tit for tat continued on. Usually the "staged" battles lasted mere moments before the soul would run; their forms disappearing from the clearing as our movements stilled our fingers reaching outwards until the other's hand was locked in place. She'd then kiss me her lips smiling against my own in silent greeting before we took to the air her body wrapped tightly around mine as we traveled through the skies our destination always on the horizon. This time she didn't kiss me…this time she didn't reach for me…this time her blade wasn't aimed at me it was aimed at him.

She'd seen what he was well before I did she'd seen the glint of his hidden armor beneath the old tattered rags he'd worn as a disguise. I was too late to stop his dagger from striking my cold dead heart…I was falling to the ground my hands coated in my own blood when I heard her scream…

"OLIVER…NO!..." Blades clicked and clacked loudly steel against steel as they fought each deflecting the other with perfectly timed blows. My vision was becoming hazy my body felt cold as the blood continued to seep from the wound the dagger dipped in poison to assure my downfall.

"Oliver…please look at me…Oliver please…please…please don't leave me…" Her voice pulsated through my ears my soul that was once dead started to glow. I yearned to hold her, to kiss her, to reassure her but the poison was fast acting leaving me with mere moments before my retched existence would finally meet it's long over due end.

"Oliver if you can hear me squeeze my hand…" I did her warm vibrant body soothing the ragged edges of my soul as I slowly began to fade my last moments were now mere seconds from occurring as I squeezed tightly to my last lifeline. "I hope you meant what you said on our last night together…I did."

She paused her voice coming out ragged and raw her decision made; her choice taken from her because of three words we'd both never said. "I told you I'd choose you…" I could feel the tears that fell as they hit my cooling skin her lips hovering just above my own as she gave me the only gift she had left to bestow. "I'll always choose you…" Again she paused as she kissed me softly one last time before I felt her hand slip from my own her other hand came down to grab my discarded sword.

Then she said those three words those words that we'd both felt but never dare admit. She said them as she plunged my sword straight through her pure beating heart.

"I love you…I'm in love with you Oliver…"

I woke three days later my body hauled from the blood stained clearing to our hidden space my savior was the very reason that we'd ever met to begin with. I survived because I was saved by the love of an Angel who'd given her immortal soul in order to save my own. She'd taken her own life effectively falling from grace all because she'd fallen in love with one of Lucifer's army…all because she'd fallen in love with me.

"Open your eyes Demon I lost my Felicity because she lost her way…I lost her because she was never really mine to begin with." I did as commanded his body glowed just as hers did whenever we were locked in one another's embrace.

"Why…why bring me here…I belong to Lucifer…my dead soul belongs to him…why…"

"Silence if your soul really was his then falling in love never would have occurred. You loved her but you never told her why? She died for you…she gave up her immortal soul for you…she was in love with you…why couldn't you just say it back?" I looked at him the one that I'd spent eons fighting against…the other half of the dangerous coin that had brought me to her. He looked no different than he did before I fell…before my darker impulses too hold.

"I didn't…I don't deserve her I never did. Loving me got her killed…I'm the reason she's gone…I'm the reason she's lost." I gave him the answer but the words fell on deaf ears the words weren't what he wanted he wanted my truth he wanted what I never could give her…he wanted my soul.

He sighed before coming over and patting me softly on the shoulder my body still lying against the white cotton sheets."Oliver…why didn't you tell her?"

"Because I was scared of what I'd become once I did. I fell from Heaven because of love…I became Lucifer's pet because I'd fallen for her once I wasn't about to make the mistake again…I wasn't going to see her fall because of me and now I've failed making my damnation even more deserved than it already was." Now I was sighing as my eyes slid shut his calm voice echoing throughout the open glowing space.

"What if I could give you a chance to save her? Would you take it?" I shot up with a jolt my hands coming to grasp the sides of the bed my eyes suddenly opened wide in what I feared was hope.

"How?" He smiled before giving me the words that would help starve off my own misery and madness until I could find her once again.

I'd spend decades locked away refusing to feel, refusing to do anything but wait until I could feel her soul once again living within the mortal realms. It happened 35 years after her death I felt her just as I'd always felt her before she'd appeared before me whether in battle or in love I'd always felt her.

I loved her…I'd been in love with her since before we'd shared our first kiss but I never once told her… I never did the one thing that would have saved my soul. Demon's couldn't feel we were empty husks men and women who were nothing more than shells of human beings…people who'd joined Lucifer's army to escape the wears and tears of having to protect humanity's souls. I'd joined his army to escape love…to escape the knots that had begun to form in my stomach whenever she'd walked past. I'd run away from her even before she knew my face. Yet despite what I knew and despite what I'd been trained to believe I fell for her again…I fell for the very person I'd been trained to defeat…I fell for an Angel who then fell for me.

I was going to fix this…I was going to get her back…All I had to do was tell her the truth…All I had to do was admit that I was in love with her…but this time she had fall back in love with me.

China…Paris…Rome…Greece…Venice…England…San Francisco…I'd been around the globe each lifetime she had I found her and each time she died before I could tell her the truth. That was the deal or part of it anyways. I was given 13 lifetimes, 13 times to tell her the truth..to do what I should have done before the fall. Each time I'd found her and each time she'd fallen for me. Sometimes it took mere weeks before she was lying in my arms our bodies exhausted from making love as she uttered those three words into my wet salted lips. Other times it took longer months once it even took a year but in the end the result was always the same she'd tell me she loved me and by morning she was gone.

Her death was my punishment for breaking the rules…her death was both sides way of reminding me that demon's don't love…that her sacrifice had been in vain…that I was never going to get her back.

I sat there for hours watching from across the street her hair was blonde once again but this time she wore glasses which was a change from her other previous incarnations. Still despite the small physical changes she was beautiful…breathtaking…she was perfect. In her first incarnation she'd had jet black hair, her blue eyes were slightly muted and her skin was not as fair but my heart still skipped a beat when I saw her face…it always did even when she had red hair and a chipped bottom tooth. It didn't matter what she looked like I knew who she was and each time I'd waited for the perfect moment to once again start the cycle all over.

I waited for my opportunity watching her as she crossed the street her perfect red lips lightly touching the rim of the steaming cup of coffee as she moved swiftly in my direction. One…two…three…

"Oh…gosh I'm sorry I didn't see you there…are you alright?" She looked up at me her bright blue eyes smiling at me from beneath her black rimmed glasses. "Hi…did you hear me? Are you alright? I'll pay for the cleaning it's the least I can do after spilling my coffee all over your suit…"

"No…no it's fine…no harm no foul." I looked her over my heart warming as her fingers came up pushing her glasses up the slim ridge of her nose as she began to look down her face flushing beneath my gaze.

"Really I wasn't paying any attention I'd really like to pay for the cleaning…please…"

"Have dinner with me…"

"What?" My simple question left her baffled and confused her lips forming into a perfect oh as her face wrinkled the lost look became evident in her eyes as I spoke.

"You want to repay me have dinner with me…I'm intrigued by the complete stranger who's willing to pay for my suit cleaning because of a mere accident. So have dinner with me…" I waited for mere seconds hoping that my rash choice hadn't pushed her too far too fast. I'd done this now 12 times and each time I'd lost her because she fell to fast and she fell to hard admitting that she loved me first before I'd found the courage to say it back. Each time I woke she was gone and my hell began anew…this time was going to be the last time…I wasn't going to lose her again.

"It's just dinner…we can meet at the restaurant of your choosing…I just…I want to get to know you better that's all…" Then sensing I might be losing her I did what I'd done the first time that I laid eyes on her after the fall I reached out with my timid hand and said the same words I'd used all those years ago…

"Oliver…my name is Oliver."

I waited mere moments before I saw it the slight flicker of recognition in her eyes as she smiled placing her small delicate hand in my own larger calloused palm.

"Felicity…my name is Felicity." She smiled before giving me her answer.

"Yes…yes Oliver I'll have dinner with you say 8:00 at the Louie's off of 2nd and 5th?" I nodded quickly before smiling as my answer flitted quickly from my lips.

"Great so I'll see you tonight…Felicity…" She paused before walking her away her palm still held firmly within my grasp.

"Yes Oliver?"

"This was the best first meeting I've ever had I'll see tonight…" I leaned forward in haste as I kissed her forehead gently before releasing her and walking away. Her response of an exhaled breath left a small smile upon my face as I moved back towards the shadows and up the street towards my current home for the time being. Tonight the same routine would began again the same story would be told just this time the end was going to change. I'd found her in every lifetime and in every lifetime I'd lost her because I couldn't say it back but…this time I would because this time unlike the last time's I saw it in her eyes. She remembered for a brief passing second she remembered me…

I was going to make sure that she'd do more than just remember me…I'd make sure she knew that she loved me because I've spent the last five hundred years completely in love with her. I may have started this relationship as a demon but she saved me…an Angel saved me the moment she said her name.

Felicity…my name is Felicity.

I tried to move slowly with her…hell I always tried to move slowly with her but my own desire usually won out over logic and reason...as I said I always tried.

"Felicity…Felicity we have time we don't have to do this…I'm not going anywhere…I promise." We'd been seeing one another for three months which to my credit was still longer than her first incarnation. The first go round I'd had her naked and in my bed in a matter of three weeks devouring her with my body moments after I'd striped off the final layer of clothing. In the other incarnations usually I held more control but then I'd become restless…agitated with simple kisses to her brow when all I wanted to do was claim her mouth with my tongue as I had the first time we'd come together so many years ago. This incarnation was different she was different. Before I'd always taken the lead…I'd always set the pace and the tone of the relationship but this time she'd set the pace…she'd chosen to kiss me on our first date the memory still brought a small smile to my face. She'd decided after our first month together that I could do more than just kiss her…in fact she discovered that very night just how much more I was willing to do as I kissed and sucked my way down her half naked chest. When my tongue entered her core I felt her body go from shocked to excited to aroused all in the matter of ten seconds. Yes she might have set the pace but once she gave me an opening I took full advantage.

"Oliver shut up and kiss me…I want this…I want you…Oliver I'm…"

I sealed my mouth to her lips before she could utter the words that I knew were now fast approaching. The time might be different and the clothes may have changed but she hadn't. If she was ready to be with me than she was already in love with me; the question was could I say it before her…could I finally open my heart to her before it was truly too late.

Clothing fell to the floor in fast hurried movements our fingers stumbling blindly over buttons as I lifted her body towards my own our tongues dueling as I stumbled blindly down the ill lit hall. I had her flat against the mattress; in one swift movement she'd once again be mine…she'd once again be surrounding me as I drove us both home.

She stilled her once rapidly moving hips paused as her hands came forward grasping the sides of my face with her soft fingertips. Her blue eyes held a question and for one split second I swore they held something more…

"Felicity…"

"Tell me…tell my how you feel about me…tell me before it's too late…tell me before I once again have to tell you." My body still hovered over her form as her words rippled through my mind…did she know…did she remember…was I once again too late."

"Oliver tell me…please baby tell me…say the words…" I was about to speak when I heard her last phrase the two words were no more than a muffled whisper as I lowered my mouth down to her own as she whispered "Save Me"

She remembered me…those small moments of recognition weren't just in my mind they were real. She remembered us…she remembered our entire story and now she was telling me in the only way she knew how that she was here…she was right here…all I had to do was say it…I just had to do what I was afraid to do then. With my lips now softly ghosting against her own I smiled her own lips smiling softly in response as I finally gave her what she'd deserved from the very beginning.

"I love you…" Then just to make sure she understood that I'd remembered every moment of our shared past I gave her the same words she'd given to me before she'd plunged that sword through her heart. "I'm in love with you…I'd choose you…" I kissed her softly as I moved forward her screams echoing throughout my entire body as I finally claimed the woman whose heart had been mine for almost five hundred years. "I'll always choose you Felicity…always." I felt her smile as our lips once again met in what I'd one day describe as the perfect kiss.

"Why…" We'd made love well into the morning hours…I'd told her how much I loved her… how long I'd tired to find the way to give her what she'd given me. I told her our entire long story as we moved within each other each time bringing me closer to home.

"Why what Felicity?" Her chin was placed atop my chest as I skimmed my finger tips in small patterns up and down her spine.

"Why couldn't you tell me that day on the field? Why couldn't you just say those three damn words?" I smiled at her as she smiled back her tone indicating that no anger or resentment was felt.

"I was afraid…"

"Afraid of what…Oliver you had to have known…I was risking my life to be with you…I was willing to die for you…how could ever doubt that I loved you?" I sighed slightly but answered knowing that this wouldn't be the last hard conversation we'd have.

"Felicity do you remember from before the fall?" She looked at me the questions in her eyes told me to elaborate. "Before the fall I was an Angel like you…but I fell because…"

"You…you were the one that trained me…Oliver were you…Oliver why didn't you just tell me…I felt the same…I've always felt the same way that you do." Her answer stopped me dead in my tracks. She did remember me but more importantly she felt the same…she'd felt something for me that lasted even after I'd sold my soul to Lucifer himself. I could have told her more, hell I could have spent countless hours talking about how many lost days I'd spent wishing that I'd made different and better choices. However I'd chosen a different tactic so smiling I placed my hands on her smooth rounded buttock and pulled her forward our lips once again meeting in torrent of still unexpressed emotions.

"The point is you found me and I've spent five hundred years finding you…I love you…I've loved you since the moment I first saw you and now I can spend eternity proving it to you."

"I love you Oliver…thank you for finally saying it back." She kissed me deeply our bodies once again melding softly and slowly into the other's well into the waning morning hours. '

I'd fallen for her and then in fear ran away. I'd found her again but died her love for me saving me from what I felt I deserved. Five hundred years and thirteen tries later I'd said it…I'd broken the cycle because as she did so many years ago she saved me once again with just a simple phrase….

"Tell me how you feel about me…" This time I finally did.