Title: Not a Goodbye

Author: Sasusc

Fandom: Arrow

Characters: Felicity, Oliver

Spoilers: 309 "The Climb"

Summary: An alternate ending to the Olicity Goodbye Scene.

She turned with him as he walked around and away from her. She watched as he reached for his jacket. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"And the second thing?"

He looked up and straight into her eyes. It was breaking his heart to see her like that. He gave her a sad smile and a sigh. If this was the last time he would see her… If this was his last chance to tell her…

"I love you."

Felicity stared at him. She wasn't sure what she had expected his answer to be, but his honest and heartfelt reply struck her straight to the core. He was leaving. He was going off to a duel-a duel to the death. There was no guarantee that Oliver Queen would win. Ra's al Ghul was a very dangerous, deadly man.

"Oliver…"

He paused, but didn't turn around. He couldn't. He was already having trouble just walking away from Felicity. He told her that he wouldn't be doing this if he didn't think he could win, but he had to do this. He had to protect Thea even if it meant his death. And Felicity? She was going to continue on without him. She wouldn't be in danger from his night activities anymore. She had Ray Palmer now to look after her-to love her like he had refused to do…like he should have done long before they went on their disastrous first date. She deserved that.

"Oliver," she repeated again, her voice quivering. "Look at me, Oliver."

He bowed his head, his hands clutching tight to his jacket. "I can't, Felicity."

He heard her take a few steps closer and stop. "Why can't you?"

"Because…if I turn around I'm going to want to hold you and never let you go. And we both know that I have to leave."

Felicity couldn't hold on to the sob anymore. "Oliver…please…" Her knees hit the hard floor.

He whirled around, pulling the strap of his satchel over his head and to the floor before dropping to his knees in front of her. He scooped her up and held her tight in his arms. "Felicity. My Felicity."

"I don't want you to go," she cried into his neck.

"Shh."

"But I know you have to go. You have to go for Thea. Kill Ra's al Ghul. Kill him and come back to me."

He pulled her face to his and placed his forehead against hers. He could feel her tears leaking down her cheeks and over his fingers. He tried to brush them away with his thumbs. Oliver hated doing this to her. Hated himself for doing this to her.

"Felicity…"

Felicity tilted her face up, pressing her lips against his. It was a sweet kiss lasting only a few seconds, but it was heartbreaking as well. With the taste of salty tears on their lips, she knew this was a goodbye kiss…possibly their last kiss.

"Felicity," he whispered. He slanted his mouth across hers, needing a deeper, hungrier kiss. He put his whole soul into the kiss-needing her to know how much he loved her. She was important. She was his everything. He would do anything and everything in his power to come back to her. He needed her. Always.

They held each other for what seemed like ages, but was far too short of a time of either of them. He stood up, bringing her with him. She stood on shaky legs as she clutched at him. Their time was up.

"I have to go."

She nodded. She swiftly backed away and held herself together as best as she could with her heart breaking. Oliver stood there letting his love for her show. She would never forget that look ever.

"I love you, Felicity."

She swiped at her cheeks. "I'm not going to say it back. If I tell you how much I love you, it sounds like it'll be my last time to tell you-that this is a final goodbye. It's not. This is not a goodbye, Oliver Queen. If you want to hear me say it, you have to come back."

He smiled at her. "Okay."

She nodded. Before she knew it, he was gone.

AN: My first Arrow fic...usually I wait a lot longer than a week and a half to write for a fandom I just started watching (and yes, I had spent the last two weekends watching all three seasons) and fell in love with Olicity. After catching up, this scene just screamed to be rewritten. I wanted a kiss, I love yous, and sex. But Felicity decided she wouldn't say I love you and my muse told me that Diggle and Roy was waiting upstairs for him. And thus this was written. I'm still fangirling over this scene! And I'm not even mad about the ending (probably because I'm still on a high on all the Olicity scenes-this scene-I crammed into a very short time).