It had been a week since they'd left Slade on the island, locked away for good. The sun was shining and the cuts and bruises on Oliver's face were beginning to heal. Partially from Felicity dousing them with Neosporin every chance she could get him to sit still long enough. Oliver was walking out of Queen Consolidated after securing a meeting with the board over the ownership of the company. A large file of paperwork was under his arm, Felicity would have to help him figure out what all of it meant.

He was walking towards his motorcycle across the street when he saw her standing there next to his bike.

"Hey," Laurel smiled at him.

"Hi."

"I never got a chance, that night, to say thank you. For coming after me. It all happened so fast, I didn't even get to talk to you."

"Um, no problem. But really you should be thanking Felicity."

"What? Why?"

"She risked herself to get in there and stop Slade. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have been able to. She's the one that really saved us. Without her, I don't know where'd we be right now."

"She's means a lot to you, huh?"

"She's my partner."

"And Sara?"

"Sara and I have different views on how to do things. She played by my rules that night, and I'm grateful for it. But long term, it wasn't going to work."

"Any chance there's an opening?" she teased.

He gave a flat smile, "No. The foundry is currently full."

Oliver's pocket began to vibrate. He pulled out his phone and looked at the screen before answering. "Felicity."

"Hey, Digg and I are going down the foundry to check out what we can salvage. Most of it looked like computer equipment but I didn't know if you had some arrows or anything down there you want. Can you come in?"

"Sure, I'll be there in a few."

"Great, see you then."

"Bye."

"Felicity needs you," Laurel commented.

"And Digg. Slade totaled the foundry we have to see what we can recover from it. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Sure," she watched as he got on his motorcycle and drove off towards the Glades.

"So when are we going to have the conversation about what we're doing with the foundry?" Felicity turned to ask Oliver and Diggle, holding two pieces of broken monitor in her hand.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"We can't stay here. Everyone knows where it is. Literally, everyone. Nyssa and the League of Assassins, Sara, Slade, Laurel, The Huntress, would you like for me to continue?"

"Point taken."

"So do we stay here and risk it or do we move?"

"We could always use the back up. Of course then I'll have to find another back up to the back up in case this happens again, but we could. That is what it's there for."

"We wouldn't have to worry about visitors dropping in," Diggle added.

"I could install some cameras in here just in case there were visitors. Then we'd know ahead of time if someone happens to be looking for us. It'd give us an edge," Felicity added as she scanned her area for working pieces of computers.

"Well, then I'm going to go find some empty boxes and see if I can find a hand truck upstairs. We can pack up and load what we need tonight so know one sees us move it," Oliver made his way to the stairs taking two at a time.

"So have you two?" Digg motioned between the stairs and Felicity.

"What?" she went back to rummaging through debris.

"Talked about what happened?"

"It was all an act Digg, there's nothing there."

"Are you sure?"

"Okay, I'm going to say this and then I'm going to shut up about it. Forever," she tiptoed her way around wreckage on the floor until she was in front of Diggle, "I know Oliver Queen, right? I mean I am constantly calling him out on his behavior and his lies. But I swear, that night, I didn't see a trace of bullshit. I honestly thought for that moment before he put the cure in my hand, I thought he was telling the truth. I still wonder if it was true. But when I asked him on the island, the answer I got was, 'we both played our parts.' What the hell is that? What kind of an answer is that? I let him get away with it, and I shouldn't have, but there was this smirk. That stupid smirk he gets that just –ugh – I don't know – "

"Distracts you from what you were originally thinking because you just like seeing him smile," Digg finished for her.

"You're in the wrong profession, you should be a mind reader or psychic or something."

"Sounds like you know he was telling the truth."

"That's the thing, I don't! And it's so frustrating. And Laurel, I mean everyone knows he loves Laurel right? Then why didn't he even speak to her on the roof when he came to get me? Or Sarah. And he hugged me back. Voluntarily. With two arms. And he dropped his bow. It's like there's a neon sign in my head blinking and reading 'Mixed Signals.'"

"Maybe you should have another conversation."

"I am done conversing. I'm just going to go back to my corner and try to see if any of this equipment is worth saving," she walked back over to where she was poking around previously and started looking again. "Hey Digg," she called.

"Yeah."

"Thanks for the rant session."

"Anytime Smoak."

"I'm going home, see you two in a few days," Felicity gathered up her bag and slipped her coat on before adjusting her scarf.

"See you in a few days?" Oliver turned from his quiver to look at her.

"My best friend is coming in for a few days, I figured you could live without me. If there's an emergency feel free to call me."

"Since when did you have a best friend?" Oliver asked before looking at Diggle who shrugged.

"Since freshman year of college. It's girls weekend, I haven't seen her in awhile so it's a big deal. So like I said, have a good weekend, don't get into trouble," she looked directly at Oliver, "And I will see you next week." She smiled at both Oliver and Diggle and headed for the stairs.

"Have fun," Diggle called to her as she ascended.

"Since when has she had a best friend?" Oliver asked him.

"I think the truth is, we don't really know that much about Felicity do we?"

"I mean I know her dad left, and her mom is a cocktail waitress is Vegas, but, yeah I guess I don't really know any of her friends. I didn't even know she had any."

"Well, maybe sometime we could talk to her about something other then the job at hand. Or spend time with her, other then tracking down the bad guys."

"We?"

"Yeah, I was thinking just you. Probably over dinner. At a nice restaurant you can no longer afford."

"Diggle," Oliver glared.

"Just a suggestion."

Felicity went home, fixed up the guest room, cleaned the bathroom, straightened up the living room, and absolutely anything Arrow related had been thrown into the bottom desk drawer in her home office. Now it was just time to wait.

At six-fifteen there was finally a knock on the door, and a loud squeal erupted from the two girls as Felicity opened the door.

"I can't believe you're here!" Felicity yelped.

"I'm so happy I'm here!" her friend jumped and wrapped her in a hug.

"I missed you so much!" Felicity stood back to look at her friend, "Have you been working out? Holy crap, are you sure you're Barbara Gordon?" It was though, the same girl Felicity had spent four years dorming with. The best friend Felicity had ever had. Standing before her was the same redhead she'd always known in a gray MIT t-shirt and jeans, her bangs swept to the side and rest of her hair in a messy bun on top of her head.

"It's no big deal, I've just been working out more. Kickboxing class does wonders," she laughed picking up her bags and bringing them with her into the house.

"I bet that was a suggestion made by the Commissioner."

"Naturally of course," she made her voice deep, "A girl must know how to protect herself from an attacker."

"Dead on, it was like your dad was in the room," Felicity laughed. "So, how's Dick?" she asked.

"Amazing, as usual."

"Do you guys ever fight? About anything?"

"Yes, absolutely. All the time. But, at the end of the day, all that matters is that you're there for each other through all the good and bad times. I mean a relationship basically is someone being there, willing to stick around even when you are the worst possible version of yourself."

"Geez, you're getting to heavy for me over there, Sylvia Plath."

"Shut up," Barbara slumped onto the couch, "What about you? How's the love life going in Starling?"

"Nil."

"What ever happened to that one guy you liked, the guy from Central City?"

"Struck by lightning."

"He died?" Barbara gasped.

"No he didn't die. He went home, he got struck by lightning and then went into a coma for nine months."

"And then…"

"And then when he woke up, called Oliver. Not me. Even though I sat at his bedside for a week straight. Also, he has feelings for some girl named Iris."

"Who's Iris?"

"His 'someone.' I don't need to go out on a date."

"Okay, question, you talk about him so much, why don't you go out with Oliver."

"No way."

"Why not, you obviously like him."

"Barb."

"Felicity," she mocked.

"It doesn't matter he'd never feel about me that way."

"Why is he boring?"

"No."

"Does he have no sense of humor?"

"No."

"Is he dead?"

"Obviously not."

"Then I can't think of one good reason why he wouldn't feel the same way. You are way too awesome to not go out with someone you actually care about."

"I'm going to avoid this subject further and call in the pizza."

"You know for someone who's been brave enough to do so many things with her life to make it better, you're being a scaredy-cat about this," she called to her as Felicity headed towards the kitchen to get her phone.

There was a knock at the front door, "I've got it," Barb called to her and made her way to the door.

She opened it to see a man standing in the doorway, brown shoes, dark jeans, a gray sweater covered by a tan jacket with a high collar. He was holding a box of pizza with a bottle of red wine balancing on the top.

"If the pizza guys in Starling are this fast with delivery I'm going to have to think about relocating," she called into the living room.

"What?" she heard Felicity coming towards her. She was on the phone. She saw Oliver in the doorway, "Oh. Um, I'm sorry, never mind. Thank you bye," she hung up. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you two could use some dinner and I know you love your red wine," he smirked. "Can I come in, it's a little cold out here.

"Oh yeah, sure," Felicity and Barb took a step back allowing him in the house.

"I'm going to put this in the kitchen," Oliver said.

"Who is that?" Barb whispered to Felicity as they watched him walk to the back of the house.

"Oliver."

"So your platonic friends, do they usually show up at your house with pizza and red wine?" she leered.

"Shut up."

"So, you must be the best friend," Oliver said coming back into the living room. "I'm Oliver Queen," he held his hand out.

"Barbara Gordon," she shook it. "Nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you," Felicity took a step back behind Oliver and began gesturing to Barb to shut up, "I mean I haven't heard a lot about you, I've heard basically nothing, in fact I've never heard your name before, what did you say it was again?" Barb teased. Felicity looked at her irritated while Oliver laughed.

"Um, have a seat, Barb you want to help me get glasses and plates?" Felicity asked.

"Sure, we'll be right back," she smiled at Oliver and headed towards the kitchen.

"I think you should sit on the couch with him," Barbara whispered while she got plates out of the cupboard.

"I think you should stay out of it."

"Well, if I get to the recliner before you, you'll have to sit there," she taunted, "Oh look," she pointed up to distract Felicity and then ran for the living room.

"I want to hear all about Felicity in college," Oliver told Barbara.

"Oh, I've got great stories."

"No way, this is not tell embarrassing stories about Felicity time."

"We were roommates for four years so, you know I've got all the good ones. Have you heard the one about her eating a pot brownie and then having to go to the hospital because she was allergic to nuts?"

"Surprisingly yes, I have," he laughed.

"How about the time she drank so much Boone's Farm wine she began naming all the digits in pi in order. And she was accurate all the way to the hundredth number.

"That is just impressive."

"I get kind of arrogantly smart when I get drunk," Fecility commented.

"She's a total know it all. It's awesome," Barbara laughed as she took a bite of pizza.

"So Barb where are you from?"

"Gotham. Born and raised."

"And you both met each other at MIT."

"Yup. We both worked at this terrible coffee shop off campus too."

"Oh god, 'Bean there done that,'" Felicity scoffed. "It was awful. I love serving coffee to pretentious assholes who don't realize you too are going to MIT."

"They all assumed we were just people who served coffee, everyone else seemed to actually afford to go to school there."

"We were not part of that happy crowd. We had to work to pay for school. It was worth it."

"Absolutely worth it."

"Sounds like you two worked pretty hard," Oliver sipped his wine.

"Felicity was such a badass though. She built the best computers, designed the best programs, she can do anything. I'll tell you right now, you could do so much more then just the IT department." Oliver and Felicity exchanged glances, and she smiled at the thought.

"I liked my job. I liked what I did."

"Liked?"

"Well I kind of lost it."

"How did you lose it?"

"That would probably be my fault," Oliver raised his hand.

"The new CEO, let's just say, thought very little of me. And she had it in for Oliver. Working so closely with Oliver meant she hated me and therefore I lost my job when she took the company from Oliver. But that is all in the past, Oliver is going to get the company back, and all will go back to normal," Felicity said as she picked up the empty plates and headed for the kitchen to drop them in the dishwasher.

"How are you planning on getting the company back?" Barb asked Oliver.

"Well, the woman who took the company from me is currently dead. She was involved in the destruction of the city a few months back. If I can convince the board, I can more then likely get the company back. She basically snaked it out from under me anyway."

"Oliver can bring back what the company is really about. He'll get it back and he'll do great. I know it," Felicity said coming back into the room.

"Helps to have people who have your back," he said to her.

"So speaking of the destruction of a few months back, how do you guys feel about the vigilante now? What do you call him?"

"The Arrow," Felicity chimed. He had to admit he liked the sound of her voice when she said it. He heard so much pride in her voice.

"Right, the Arrow. So thoughts?"

"He's doing right by the city, that's all we can ask for. For him to try his best."

"He seems to be doing a pretty great job if you ask me," Barb commented.

"Crazy guy running around in a hood. The only thing that would be worse is if he wore a cape."

"Oliver is a little skeptical about the whole Arrow thing," it was an act, and he was a terrible liar, but she was trying the best she could to help him.

"We've got three in Gotham."

"Three?" Oliver got curious.

"Yeah, they run around the city catching bad guys and all. Crime rate has gone down so that's good."

"And no one has any idea who they are?"

"No, my dad actually works with them, he's got a light signal and all."

"What does your dad do?"

"Police commissioner."

"So the police are actually working with the vigilante. And people know about it."

"Well, to an extent people know about it. It's not common knowledge or anything. I know because of my dad, but I've been told to stay out of it. Too dangerous or something."

"Well I can understand your father's concern, he doesn't want you getting hurt by some lunatic."

"I can handle myself."

"It was nice to meet you Barb."

"Nice to meet you too. Nice to put a face to a name that has never been mentioned before, you know?" Felicity shot her a look as she walked Oliver out.

Barb walked back to the kitchen to start the dishwasher, giving Oliver and Felicity a moment to themselves.

"So no foundry tonight?" Oliver asked once the coast was clear.

"I can't really explain leaving in the middle of the night and then coming back in the morning can I?"

"I mean we could come up with an excuse."

"One night is not going to kill you. Digg knows how to use the computers enough to send you out for stuff, just take it easy tonight will you? You deserve a break once in awhile."

"Okay, well if I need you."

"My phone will be on the entire night, I promise."

"Okay. Well, goodnight," he walked out the front door and she held it open as she watched him make his way to his motorcycle.

"Goodnight," she called back to him before watching him put on his helmet and rev up the engine.