Felicity chewed on her thumbnail as she sat in the airport. It was an old habit she'd never been able to get over, even though it drove her nuts. She could do this - she could do this. She probably wouldn't even have to see him. She was just in town for a business meeting, and then she'd be on the next flight out to San Diego. Her home.

It sometimes took a moment for her to remember that Starling City wasn't her home any more.

"Passengers on flight 3179 to Starling City, please begin making your way to the entry doors. For your convenience, please have your passports ready."

Felicity took a deep breath before grabbing her carry-on and walking over to the line. She held out her passport when she came up to the counter, then boarded the plane. She hated flying, and she dreaded setting foot back in the same city as the man she'd left behind.

Today was gonna suck.


When Oliver finally got back to the foundry, it was a relief to find that there wasn't anything to do.

"Go home." Diggle advised. "You'll work yourself into a coma if you keep going at this rate. Roy and I can stay here and keep an eye on the scanners for the night."

"Thanks, Diggle." Oliver said with an appreciative smile. He turned to leave, when he heard Roy's hushed whisper.

"Aren't you going to tell him?"

He turned around, slowly. "Tell me what?" Dig glanced away, letting out a huff of frustration.

"It wasn't anything you needed to know." He said, shooting Roy a look. The younger boy flushed and ducked his head.

"Tell me." Oliver couldn't imagine what was bringing up all of this, but all the secrecy was putting him on edge. Diggle took a breath.

"It's Felicity. She's coming back to Starling."

And just like that, his world was turned upside down.

"Felicity?" His words came out confused, breathless. This had to be a mistake.

"She's back in town for a business meeting. Her name came up on a flight plan for tonight - looks like she's only staying for a couple of days, though."

Oliver tried to steady out his breathing. A business meeting. Of course. How stupid was he to think that she'd come back for him? She'd been unwavering in her decision - never calling, never letting him know that she was alive, she was okay. Of course she wouldn't change her mind now.

"You alright, Oliver?" Diggle sounded concerned - and Oliver couldn't blame him. It seemed like everything was spinning - everything he'd based his world off of since his best friend, his partner had walked out of his life.

"I'm fine."

Never had he told a bigger lie.


Felicity stepped through the doors to the hotel where she was staying, still overwhelmed by the change. She'd purposely picked a hotel that was across the city from the glades, and from her mother's old house. And, of course, from Oliver.

It still hurt to think his name, even after the years. She'd managed to keep her memories of him locked away, sealed deep inside of her. She never spoke of him, never said his name aloud. Tried to forget everything about this god-forsaken city.

But of course it hadn't worked.

She caught herself thinking of him at the most random moments - she would be walking by the dog park and remember Oliver telling her about the puppy he'd had as a kid before it ran out into the street and got hit by a car, or she'd be stopping for a burger and the memory of sitting with him in Big Belly Burger, listening as he rambled on about his life, would hit her so strongly she'd have to sit down just to get rid of the tightening in her chest. And, of course, every time news about the Arrow came onto her screen, a small part of her tensed up in anticipation of bad news - that Starling City's beloved Vigilante had encountered a foe too big for even him to take on alone.

She didn't think she could bear it if she heard it like that.

And some nights, when she was sitting alone in her apartment, or when she'd had one too many drinks out at a bar and the night was looking scary and unfamiliar, she'd go to call him up, to explain fully what happened, to tell him she still needed him.

And then she'd remember, and the phone would slip from her fingers.

Felicity cleared her head. Now was not a time for reminiscing, even though every time she turned a corner she was reminded of how much she'd once loved this city. Now was the time to unpack, and then sleep, and then head back to San Diego as soon as she possibly could.

She headed up the stairs.

The next day was even worse than the full day of flights. The meeting was a huge blowup, and the investors turned her down with a solid 'no.' And now she had to go tell her boss how it had went...Felicity sat down on a bench across from a cute little park with a duck pond sitting off to the side of. She pulled out her phone and let out a huff of air. Well, here goes nothing. She thought grimly to herself, dialing her boss's number.

"Hello, you've reached the office of Clary Deutscher, may I take a message?"

"Hey Jenna." Felicity said glumly. "Can I talk to Clary, please?"

"Meeting didn't go well?" The secretary asked sympathetically. Felicity sighed.

"You have no idea."

"Well, good luck." Jenna said reassuringly.

"Thanks." Felicity mumbled, as the click of her call being transferred sounded in her ear. She took a deep breath. You know, maybe Miss Deutscher would be in a good mood today. Also, maybe hell froze over. She reached a hand up to cover her face. This was going to be a nightmare.

"Miss Smoak."

"Hi - I mean, hello, Miss Deutscher." Felicity instantly straightened her posture and dropped her hand from her forehead. God, this was a bad sign.

"I trust the meeting was profitable?"

"See, about that - I did all that I could, I assure you. They just weren't interested in going out on a limb for a new IT business -" Felicity stopped herself before she could go into babble mode. There was an icy silence.

"So what you're saying is that you didn't get any sort of deal made with them."

"...No."

There was an exhasperated sigh on the other end of the line, then the voice came back, crisper and harsher than before. "Listen to me and listen to me closely, Felicity Smoak. I will give you one chance to save your job here." Felicity let out a relieved sigh.

"Anything." She insisted.

"You're going to go to Queen's Consolidated, and you're going to ask their CEO to join up with us."

Felicity's heart skipped a beat. "Um, I think - well, that might not be the best course of action -"

"Why not?" Miss Deutscher's voice was dismissive. "You used to work IT for them, right? Word is you were the best on their staff. Coming from you, it just might work. Now, call me back by the end of this week with good news or your fired, understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Felicity mumbled, before flipping the phone shut. She groaned, and buried her face in her hands.

Screw yesterday. This was going to suck.