A/N:So, I wrote this awhile ago, so please forgive the differences from the show. I just wanted to explore them discussing this and how it could have worked. And, a happy ending because I think we could use it right now.
I hope you enjoy this! I hope it helps after tonight's episode! As always, I love to know what you guys thing! Thanks so much!
3x09 SPOILERS!
"You can't do this!" Felicity cried, her heels clacking against the hard concrete floor as she stalked up behind him. "Well, you can," she amended in frustration, "But..."
He slung his bag from the table slipped it over his shoulders with a sigh, and she knew he was bracing himself before turning to face her.
His dark blue eyes met hers and she took in a stilted breath at the emotions swirling in their depths.
"I can," he ground out, voice thick, "I have to. The decision's already been made."
When he turned to look at her, he could see the fear in her gaze, but also the remarkable strength she had inside of her.
"No!" Felicity shouted, anger and fear rising to a tipping point inside of her.
Oliver let out a long sigh, his eyes fluttering shut. Her eyes began to water as the resignation and stubbornness she knew all too well, spread out over his features.
"It'll be okay," he told her, and he tried to believe it, tried to make her believe it. But he could see it in her eyes. She knew what he did, and she knew there was a chance he might not be coming back.
"Oliver, please…" Her voice was barely a whisper, catching on the plea behind his name.
His eyes flew open and he stepped forward, both hands cupping her face, thumbs wiping away tears she hadn't known she'd cried. "Everything I said to you that night at the restaurant was true, you know that, right?"
Her heart plummeted. She knew a goodbye when she heard one, and she began to try to shake her head but found she couldn't move, stayed by the look in his eyes and the warmth of his skin against hers.
"Of course," she breathed, "Oliver, what…"
"You saw the good in me when no one else did, and you've stood by me through it all," he paused, eyes roaming over her face, searching her gaze. "Without you, I wouldn't be the person I am today…"
"I love you, Felicity," he whispered, his thumbs swiping at more tears as they leaked down her cheeks, her chest tightening with each word he spoke until finally she couldn't hold back so soft sob that crawled it's way up her throat.
"I love you," he said again, his eyes holding hers with an intensity that took her breath away. "I need you to know that. I need you to remember that."
"Don't do this, Oliver," she begged, "There's another way, we just have to find it…"
He shook his head, stepping back as his hands slipped to her shoulders. "She's my baby sister...I won't let her die."
"I won't let you die!" Felicity threw back at him, desperate clawing at her.
"There's no other way…"
"There's always another way!" she interrupted. "You can't just…"
"I can!" he roared, stepping back, his hands falling from her shoulders as he began to pace in front of her. "I can. To protect the people I love, I can and I will."
"And what about Thea?" she threw back, "What happens to her afterwards? She has to live with knowing her brother traded his life for hers?"
"What about Diggle and Roy and…" she swallowed around the lump in her throat. "Me? What about me? We can't...I can't…"
"Yes, you can, Felicity," he interrupted her, stepping back into her space, his face softening as he looked at her.
"You can," he sighed, eyes fluttering shut before opening again and staring down at her, windows to his very soul open for her to see. "You can and you will. You will have the life you deserve. You'll have the job you deserve, the family you deserve...you can have all of it and you won't die down here...you'll live."
Her vision blurred and she shook her head, the lump in her throat so big she had to swallow twice before she could get any words out. Her thrummed in her chest as she shook her head back and forth.
"No," she finally managed to rasp, her voice breaking as she tried to continue. "I can't...I won't have any of that…"
She saw him frown through her blurry vision, and she saw him open his mouth to reassure her once more and she broke.
"No!" She shoved at his chest. "I can't have any of that without you!"
He froze, his hand spanning the distance between them as his eyes widened.
Her breaths came out in short, shallow pants and she gasped in air so she could speak again. "I love you, you idiot!...I love you…"
There was a moment where she wasn't sure either of them breathed, and then his hands were cupping her face, pulling her close as she met him halfway, her hands finding his shoulders and pulling herself up against him.
Their lips met and it was three months of built up frustration and longing and desperation clawing it's way to the surface, spilling out over them in cresting waves. Felicity nipped at his lower lip and he growled, running his tongue along her upper lip, begging for entrance. She opened to him, fingers digging into his shoulders, finding purchase in the midst of the passion that threatened to pull both of them under.
They surrendered to it all - everything they'd been denying themselves for months; every word they hadn't spoken, and every word they had. Every moment not spent in each other's arms, touching, kissing, living.
When they finally parted, they were both gasping for breath, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair at the nape of her neck.
"I love you…" she murmured against his lips. "Please don't do this...let's find another way...together."
There was a moment where she was sure he was going to set her back and turn to walk towards the door and his death. But then, he sighed, his shoulders sagging as he closed his eyes and leaned into her. Their lips brushed, noses touching as they stared at each other.
"I can't let her die…" he breathed, and she nodded.
"I know. We'll figure it out. Just promise me…"
Promise me we'll work this out together. Promise me you won't leave me. Promise me…
Leaning forward, he closed the hair's breadth between them and let his lips touch hers as he whispered, "I promise."