Oliver was exhausted as he walked down the stairs of the Foundry. Days of little to nothing sleep and the stress of trying to keep everyone, including himself from imploding, was catching up with him. It was early afternoon and he thought he'd have the place to himself. Maybe attempt to sleep. But as he reached the last step, he saw her.

She had been there till late last night helping with another dead-end lead in their hunt for Sara's killer. It felt like he hadn't seen her in months though.

His eyes greedily drank in her sleeping form. She had her hair down today. The ends of it gently curled around her shoulders like a curtain of silk. He could still remember how soft her hair felt when he had kissed her. He slowly shook his head to clear the memories. He couldn't risk remembering. Remembering hurt too much.

She would have a kink in her neck, he thought to himself, with the awkward angle her head was in. Her chair had always been her domain. There would be hell to pay if any of them dared to sit in it. She still came in to do the work. Their work. The work needed to find the coward who killed Sara. She did it for Sara. She did it for the team. He was thankful for that.

This new and horrible strain between them weighed heavily on him. Oliver was tired of holding back his emotions, but it was the only way he could protect her. He hated knowing that he caused her pain, but he had to do it. He would not falter in this. He winced as his heart fought with his mind. He raised his hands to his head to try to mitigate the pain. God, he missed her. He missed her smile. Her touches. Her friendship.

Ever since the island, he'd always felt cold. Right up until he had met her. Felicity's friendship had become a balm for the cold. A warmth that soothed and radiated towards him. He wasn't warm anymore, even now, a slight tremor ran down his back. He took the opportunity to look at her. To allow himself a few seconds of pleasure and peace. He could see the dark circles under her eyes. He caused them, he knew this. He only hoped that one day she would forgive him.

He didn't want to wake her. With one last glance at her, he slowly turned and quietly walked back up the stairs.