One thought drove him home. His city, his family, nothing else mattered. He needed to see her. His source of joy. His Felicity.

He walked back into the Foundry with a snarl on his face. He put his bow down on the table and looked at his teammates. "What were you thinking? Laurel shouldn't be involved in this!"

Felicity gazed at him with her quiet eyes. He gazed at her for a long moment. Her eyes softened. His heart thumped and he took a calming breath. Felicity walked over to him and put her hand on his forearm. "We made sure she was safe."

"Thank you," Oliver replied. Diggle and Roy turned their heads to look at something. Oliver lowered his head to Felicity's lips. He kissed her gently and smiled when he pulled back. "I don't want to wait. Please let me in."

Felicity smiled and she nodded. He grinned and kissed her again softly. Felicity took his hands, which grasped her cheeks softly, and kissed him gently. "Why…?"

"Death gave me clarity," he stated quietly. Felicity kissed him passionately, which almost made his knees buckle at the feeling of it. Felicity backed away from him and smiled shyly at him.

"I've got an empty closet," she murmured. Oliver grinned at her and kissed her cheek. "You can use it… when you want to stay over."

He nodded. Felicity kissed him again.

Laurel stood still while she watched Oliver kiss Felicity. Her heart pounded fiercely. Her blood thundered throughout her body, but she kept the adrenaline response out of her system. She had to be happy for him, not angry and sad. He needed light in his world that didn't have any blemishes.

Roy walked toward her and smiled. Laurel grinned at him and sauntered toward Diggle. Diggle shook his head at her. "You did good tonight."

"Thank you," she told him quietly. He nodded and showed her a computer screen. Laurel gazed at it and shook her head. "I wasn't good enough… I got cut."

Diggle shrugged. "It happens."

"Why're you suddenly so helpful?" Laurel asked warily. Diggle jutted his chin toward Felicity and Oliver. Laurel raised an eyebrow at him. Diggle shrugged.

"They're together… you'll need someone in your corner to root for you. She.. is preoccupied with him." Diggle shrugged again. Laurel gazed at him for a solid moment and compelled her laughter to stay inside her body. Diggle grinned at her. "Helps to know… what do you think about it?"

"She'll offer him an outlook on life that he doesn't have right now," Laurel answered. She gazed down at her dirty clothes. "I need to get home… I want a shower."

Diggle nodded and watched her slowly walk away. He looked back at Oliver and Felicity. His eyebrow shot up when he saw Oliver's gaze follow Laurel's limping form from the room. Diggle memorized the look on Oliver's face for the next time he would encounter it.

Oliver's expression was a mixture between a frown and glare, as if he couldn't figure out which emotion he wanted to feel more. Diggle watched his face wipe itself clean before he gazed down at Felicity with a tenderly protective glance.

Laurel groaned when she stepped down into her tub. The hot water soaked aching muscles and she sighed back against the tub. She closed her eyes. Her lips curved into a smile as she remembered Oliver's impressive speech to the people. He could command a crowd when he wanted to, and he did a splendid job of it that night.

She heard her front door open and groaned. "I'm in here… Wait a minute."

"Where's the ice cream?" Oliver's voice boomed. Laurel shook her head and groaned again. "Don't make me come in here and rescue you."

"I'll let you know if I need rescuing," Laurel called back. She rose out of the tub. Laurel pulled a robe on and walked to her living room. There was an assortment of takeout food on her coffee table and two plastic forks. A bottle of sparkling grape juice adorned was accompanied by two wine glasses on her coffee table. Laurel sat down and saw Oliver walk from the kitchen to their makeshift picnic table.

Oliver sat down next to her. He handed her a plate and they both served each other silently. Oliver turned the television on to a movie he'd never seen. Laurel chuckled at it. Oliver's eyes looked into hers. "What? I heard The Hangover is a classic."

Laurel nodded. "It's classic, alright. Just wait and see."

Laurel watched Oliver's facial expressions throughout the movie. She laughed at his disgusted looks and then his concerned ones. She sat back and ate parts of the food as he watched the movie with an alarming intensity. When it was over, he gazed at her. "So not a classic."

"So a classic," she argued back. "You, Tommy, and I had a few of those nights. There just weren't tigers and babies involved."

Oliver laughed and nodded his head. His green eyes met hers and he froze for a moment. "I don't know if I'm ready for a serious relationship."

Laurel raised an eyebrow. "I guess it's about what you want to do, isn't it?"

"I want her in my life," he repsonded. Laurel nodded and smiled at him. He shrugged. "I need to make this work…"

"I've got nothing for you," Laurel replied. Oliver chuckled and settled against the cushions. Laurel leaned back. She gazed at him seriously. "What did death's door look like this time?"

Oliver grinned and started telling her the tale of his recovery. Laurel kept silent, but watched his face for every nuance of expression. His shoulders shrugged when he ended. "Honestly, the worst part is they won't get back together."

Laurel laughed at him. "After all that… the first thing you think about is love."

"Always," Oliver replied instantly. He leaned back against Laurel. "Do you think it'll work?"

"Better to try and love than to not," Laurel paraphrased. Oliver nodded and she put another DVD in her DVD player. They fell asleep on the couch with her head on his shoulder and his head on top of hers.

.

Oliver moved in with Felicity the next day, despite Thea's protests. He took half the closet she was offering. They started their relationship with no boundaries. He let her in and she told him about her past stories.

Six months of living together, he asked Felicity for her hand in marriage. She told him no. Oliver started closing himself off, little by little, and their relationship began to deteriorate.

Laurel sat him down and told him, "You can't keep leading her on like this. Either ask again or move out."

He asked again. Felicity said yes. They were happy for one year.

Until Laurel disappeared.

Malcolm Merlyn always made it his personal pleasure to bring pain to Laurel and Oliver, depending on who he wanted to play with the most. This time, he wanted to torture Oliver. So, he relieved Laurel of her job and duties for a few days.

Without a soul knowing.

He smiled in his luxurious apartment, at his lavish table, and gazed down at the person duct taped and tied with tight rope on a chair. He smiled devilishly. "I am so excited."

Laurel rolled her eyes. "He's engaged now, you dolt. He's got better things to do than worry about me."

Malcolm smiled. "You mean the world to him and Thea."

"You're still thinking with your ass," Laurel commented. Malcolm's face was an inch from hers. He smiled his wicked grin. "He won't come looking for me."

Laurel felt the ropes around her tighten and she glared at Malcolm. Malcolm sneered at her. "Any problems?"

"None at all," she smiled and threw her head against his. Malcolm groaned and Laurel levered herself up in the chair and hit him with the back legs. Malcolm groaned on the floor and she wrenched herself free of the tight ropes. Laurel kicked him in the side and started running for the door.

"Laurel!" Oliver's voice cried out. Laurel ran toward his voice. She saw him come around the corner and she launched herself at him. Oliver hugged her tightly and walked out of the warehouse with her in his arms. Laurel sobbed into his throat and Oliver kept walking.

They reached the sunlight and Oliver lowered her to the ground. He took her head in his hands and his lips crashed into her. He tugged her close to him and she flushed.

"Don't ever go away from me," he breathed when their kiss ended. Laurel nodded and Oliver breathed in her scent. "I'm not letting you go."

"What about Felicity?" Laurel whispered. Oliver gazed at her with a serious expression.

"Nothing else matters," he responded. He kissed her lightly and smiled at her. "This moment, it's all we have. The future will settle itself out… as long as you're safe."

And it did. Three months later, he married Laurel.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this! This is dedicated to Phillipe363… Please let me know what you think ^_^

Until Next Time,

DBA