Felicity cried.

Understatement. She wept, she sobbed, she excreted more water from her eyes than she thought could possibly be contained in her body. Her face got red and swollen. Her eyes felt salty every time she blinked. When there was nothing left in her, she lay on her couch and tried to find shapes in the texture of her ceiling.

When someone knocked on her door she ignored it. It wasn't Oliver, so why should she care. A second more insistent knock came. She went still, as if by not moving they would think she wasn't there.

Just as she was about to relax she heard a key being inserted into her lock and the door being pushed open. She'd forgotten to latch the chain, so Roy came right in.

"That key is for emergencies only," she scolded half-heartedly from her reclined position.

He hung up his hoodie on the hook behind her door and took off his shoes. "I brought ice cream."

"You are only slightly more welcome than you were five seconds ago."

"It's mint chocolate chip." Roy smiled.

She finally sat up. "Fine. Bring me a spoon."

Felicity could feel his eyes on her as she took her first few spoonfuls. She looked at him over the rim of her glasses, daring him to speak.

"Why do you let him do this to you?" he asked quietly. "This is the third time since I've known you that he's broken your heart like this."

Tears threatened again. She shrugged and took another mouthful of ice cream.

"Felicity, he has to know how you feel. I don't understand how he can keep dating other women like this." Roy was out of his depth, obviously not very good at comforting, but it was sweet of him to come and check on her.

"Why are you here?" she asked. "And tell me the truth."

He leaned back, putting his arm over the back of the couch and looked away from her. "Because you helped pick me back up when Thea and I broke up."

"And you're here to pick me back up?" She hid her smile behind her spoon.

"Someone should, but since he's too big of a prick to realize what he's doing to you, I came instead." His shoes suddenly fascinated him.

"Roy." Felicity waited until he looked at her. "Oliver never made me any promises. I did this to myself. Just like always. Because why would he love a girl like me?" She broke down in ugly sobbing.

Gently, Roy took the ice cream and spoon from her and pulled her into his lap. Holding her like a baby, he rocked her and rubbed her hair until she calmed down enough to speak again.

"I'm not his type, I guess." She tried to extricate herself from his arms, but Roy held firm.

"You're probably right." Roy gave her a condescending nod. "Who would want a loyal, clever, funny genius on his arm?"

"Not a man who's used to models." Felicity quipped.

"You're worth so much more than just your looks and your legs, Blondie." Roy's voice was low.

She swallowed, realizing just exactly how much of her was touching him. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or complimented."

Roy's blue eyes looked into hers and he didn't look away as he said, "You're gorgeous. I can't even describe the type of beautiful you are because I don't have the words for it. The only thing that outshines your looks is your brains. Maybe if I had a mind like yours I could tell you how I feel, but…" He sighed and looked away. "Sorry, they don't teach poetry on the streets."

Felicity pushed away from him and he didn't resist this time. She clambered off his lap and knelt on the couch next to him, rocking back on her heels.

"My face looks like a punching bag after you've worked it over. My hair is unwashed and gross. I'm wearing the same clothes I was wearing yesterday and I'm pretty sure I forgot to put deodorant on this morning." She blinked a couple of times. "I'm really emotionally fragile right now, so please answer carefully – why are you here?"

He put his hand on her cheek. "Because I'm tired of seeing you get hurt. Because if I were Oliver I would have married you by now. Because you're the most amazing woman I've ever met."

She let out a shaky laugh. "Sounds like poetry to me, Harper."

"Yeah?" He was trying to gauge her attitude, she could see him searching her face for a clue.

"What if I hurt you?" she whispered. "I don't want to lose you."

"I'm not… I'm not good at this type of thing. You witnessed firsthand the train wreck I made of my relationship with Thea." He dropped his hand to her shoulder. "I won't make promises I can't keep, but…"

"How long have you felt this way?"

Roy laughed. "I don't even know. It just sort of happened. I didn't even come here tonight planning on telling you." He looked away from her and rubbed his face in his hands.

"Well the timing certainly isn't ideal," Felicity joked. "Picking a girl who's crying about another guy and who you've seen cry over that same guy repeatedly. I'm not saying I'm obsessed with Oliver Queen, but I wouldn't blame you for thinking that. So it begs the question, what makes you think I'm interested in anyone else?"

The smile faded slowly from his face. "Better get back to patrolling."

She scrambled to her feet. "That came out harsh and I didn't mean it that way." Felicity grabbed his arm with both hands. "What I meant to say is, how did you know I had feelings for you when everyone else thinks I'm all about Oliver?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

Felicity took a deep breath and smiled. "I like you."

Roy put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. "I like you too."