Chapter One

Felicity sat on her couch in the dark; she stared at the black TV screen, a full wine glass in her hand. The empty bottle stood on the table in front of her. She was not sure what time it was and she couldn't be bothered with searching for her phone. Her mind replayed her conversation with Oliver, when she had destroyed his family. Why couldn't she have left it alone? Stopped snooping and walked away? The look on his face haunted her; she had done that to him. He'd said she would never lose him, but had she destroyed him?

He had left once Moira's speech was done. He was focused on saving the Lance family and protecting Sara. Felicity liked Sara a lot more than Laurel, but she still felt a tinge of jealousy. She had no right to feel jealous. She had no hold on Oliver, and she wasn't sure where she fit into his life anymore, if she'd even had a right to still be considered his friend.

Felicity swallowed the last of her wine and contemplated a late night visit to the liquor store, when a knock on her door startled her. She didn't know the time, but she knew it was late. Bad guys rarely knocked, but late night visitors usually came with bad news. She stared at her door waiting to see if her bottle of wine was playing tricks on her subconscious. A tentative knock came again.

Felicity stepped forward, pressed her hand on the door and looked through the peephole. Oliver Queen stood on her doorstep, shoulders hunched and head down. She took a breath. Would this be when he told her she was fired from both her day and night jobs? That their friendship was over? She didn't know what she would do. Would she leave Starling City? Start over somewhere else? Take that job she had applied for before Oliver came back? How would she be able to go back to a life without Team Arrow and the purpose she found in a basement of a night club?

Felicity wiped the tears off her cheek, squared her shoulders and opened the door.

Oliver lifted his head, "Hi."

"Hi," Felicity whispered back.

She took a step back holding the door open for him to come inside. He looked at her for a few seconds before he stepped in. She turned away and walked to the kitchen. She needed water to clear out her blurry vision and cloudy mind.

"I'd offer you wine, but umm, I drank the last of it. I didn't know you were coming. I didn't think," she paused unwilling to voice her fears. "I'm sorry, how's Sara? What happened?"

"Sara is back with her family. She is staying in Starling."

Felicity had mixed feelings about Sara staying. Would Oliver be able to pursue a relationship with someone he could care about now? Sara was perfect for him and knew things about him that Felicity would never know or understand. She was a skilled fighter, smart, gorgeous and lethal. Felicity feared that Oliver might fall back into his darker nature being with Sara, but she only wanted him to be happy.

"That's good, I'm glad. It will be good for her family and you. Really good news. Thank you for telling me."

She held a glass in her hand but the water did nothing for her dry throat. She nervously rotated the glass and refused to meet his eyes. She felt him watching her and it was making her agitated. She wanted him to get it over with. Break it off clean and ruthless so she could walk away without regrets. Felicity placed the glass on the counter, too scared she would drop it. Her hand empty, she brushed over her clothes.

She groaned, she was wearing her red "I aim to Misbehave" tank top with Captain Reynolds on it and tiny black sleep shorts. Felicity was standing braless in her kitchen with Oliver Queen and it was nothing like she had imagined. She wrapped her arms around herself and was hopeful he hadn't noticed her outfit. She thought she saw a flash of turned up lips before he turned from her.

"I'm sorry, I know it's late. I-uh-I should leave. Let you get some sleep. I was going to go to the foundry but I ended up here instead. I'm not really sure why."

"Oh, I thought you were here to fire me. You still can, I guess. Not that I want you to but if you have to I understand."

"Felicity, why would I fire you? I can't do this without you."

"I'm sure you can," Felicity could not believe she was trying to talk him into firing her.

"I don't want to then. I trust you and today you proved again that you have my best interests at heart."

"But, I hurt you."

Her lips began to quiver and her eyes watered. She'd hurt him, and she couldn't forgive herself. Oliver took long quick steps and wrapped her up in a hug. Felicity trembled and soaked in his warmth. She felt tiny in his arms, yet safe.

"Hey, you didn't hurt me. You told me the truth. My mother chose to lie to me my whole life. She chose to keep on lying and she chose to threaten you." He growled out that last part.

"Oliver, she did it to protect Thea and you. I can't fault her for that."

"You don't have to defend her to me. I'm done with her lies."

"I'm not defending her, I'm just trying to help you understand her. And she didn't really threaten me; she just said you'd hate me. It's not like she said she'd have me killed or anything. Wait, do you think she'd put a hit on me? Oh god, is your mother coming after me? Should I go into hiding?"

Felicity was on a downward spiral of crime movies and living on the run. Could she be a redhead? Maybe bangs? Eww no, never again.

"Never again what?" Oliver asked confused.

"Bangs, I just can't go back, my forehead is too small, they make me look squinty. Glasses and squinty just doesn't mix. But I might be able to pull off the red hair or what about pink? I always wanted pink hair."

"Felicity, you're not going anywhere. My mother will not come after you, I'd never let her hurt you."

"Sure, easy for you to say that now, when you're still mad, but what if you make up, what then? Awkward Christmas dinners? Not that I'd be invited to your family functions."

Felicity leaned back in his arm to look into his face, to read his eyes. He was hurt, sad, and she'd just managed to make him smile.

"You're Jewish, so we can skip that. But maybe a Christmas brunch with Thea."

"Sure, I like Thea, or well, I don't really know her, but I listen to you talk about Thea. And Roy loves her. Hey, calm down the Captain Growler, Roy is a good guy."

"I didn't growl," he scowled at her.

His fingers brushed through her ponytail over and over. Felicity was worried she might purr and ruin the moment. He was closer than she expected and she felt his warm breath on her face. She should step back, give herself some space to breathe. Was the thermostat set too high? It was hot in here and she needed to keep her clothes on. Didn't she? Why was he here? She figured he would have gone to the foundry to break another practice dummy. Maybe hook up with Sara. He shouldn't be here holding her and making plans for brunch on family holidays. It's not like she's his girlfriend or anything like public friends.

"Can I ask you something?"

Oliver's head pulled back and his hand moved to her shoulders. Felicity held her breath for what he would say next and for the moment he would walk out of her life for good. He looked down, at her shirt, down to her legs and back up to her shirt. Her skin felt seared by his stare. Goosebumps spread along her arms. She felt her nipples harden and Oliver's grip tightened on her shoulders for an instant. He looked into her eyes then down to the lip trapped between her teeth.

"Who is on your shirt?"

"Wha-my-oh-that's umm Malcom Reynolds Captain of Firefly class spaceship Serenity. He is everything that a hero is not and he still saves the day."

Felicity's face felt hot, she went full nerd and she might have been talking about her own favorite hero instead of Mal. Oliver nodded once and then shook his head.

"Who?"

"He's from the show Firefly, that Fox wrongfully cancelled far too soon. It broke my heart but then we got a movie and it was amazing. Even if it didn't answer all the questions that I had about Joss Whedon's world of western adventure in space."

"A what?"

"You just have to see it to believe it. It is truly a masterpiece of adventure. We could-I have it if you- I own it if you want to borrow it?" She had almost asked him to watch it with her. But had panicked at the last moment.

"I don't want to go home and I'm too wired to sleep, how about we watch it now?"

"Umm if you're sure? You don't have to watch it because I want you to?'

"It sounds fun and just what I need. A night in with you. If you don't mind? I could go if you want to sleep."

"NO!" Oliver's head pulled back and he smirked. " I mean uh, do you want popcorn? I can make popcorn."

"I once heard you tell Dig that popcorn is required for all TV watching."

"I didn't know you heard that."

"I listen."

"Okay, you are on popcorn duty while I get the couch and TV ready."

"Sounds like a plan."

Felicity pulled away from Oliver's arms and felt cold instantly. She pointed to where the bowls and popcorn were stored. She walked backwards to watch Oliver in her kitchen. A surreal feeling washed over her. What if this was her life every day? No, there is no way Oliver would want this life with her, could he? After a few moments he settled beside her on the couch, placing the bowl between them. Oliver's arm stretched on the back of the couch toward her. His fingers almost brushed her shoulder when she moved.

She started episode one and sank low on the couch curling her feet under her and leaning her head back and toward him. Felicity had needed this more than she'd needed another bottle of wine. She looked at Oliver and he seemed more relaxed than when he'd first arrived, maybe he'd needed it too.

Across town in an upscale apartment sat Laurel Lance. She had long dried up her angry tears after her sister and parents left. Sara was alive, Oliver was alive, Tommy was dead and she had nothing. Her life wasn't supposed to be this way.

She had everything and it all sank to the bottom of the ocean. Maybe it was time for her to get that life back. Sara's return had been good for one thing it had reminded her that she needed to take what she wanted and let no one stand in her way. And what she had always wanted was to be a Queen.

It was time for her to get Oliver back and remind him that they belonged together forever. No matter what happened, he always came back to her and she would always take him back. He was the love of her life and it was time to remind him that she was his.

She needed to get some rest, tomorrow she was going to get her man and no one would stop her, not even Oliver himself.