Chapter One

I Must Be Dreaming...

It was probably midnight here in Sterling City, but Barry needed my help with some things. So, I decided to skip on some sleep and work on it. Oliver was upstairs in the club, doing, whatever Oliver does in the club. Diggles at home with his family and Roy is working in the club. So, this place is nice and quiet, just how I like it.

Though, now that my sample was scanning, it was going to take a while. I figured I'd go up to the club and get a drink. See what bimbo Oliver was all over tonight. He's been different lately, one minute he's telling me he's in love with me. The next, it's like I don't even exist. If I didn't know Oliver better, I'd take it personally. No, no, I still do.

At midnight the club was in full swing, and it amazed me everytime how I could never hear it downstairs in the lair. Good workmanship I guess.

I sat down at the bar and saw Sarah flirting with some hottie at the end of the bar, whatever, I wasn't really thirsty. I looked around for Oliver, he's probably out on the dance floor, wooing the girls as usual. He'd gone back to his old, woman using and party going self. Or at least that's how most people saw him, I knew better. He was trying to hide from himself, and from the things he feels, but, it wasn't working.

I finally spotted him, he was at a table chatting up some red head with very big boods, and her dress wasn't doing much to hide them. But, for once he didn't seem interested, he was a million miles away. Then for no reason at all, he sat up and looked right at me. I felt my face burn as I turned back to the bar, Sarah having left me a Smirnoff, my favorite. I lifted it up to her as a thank you, she just waved and went back to her hottie.

"What are you doing here?" Oliver said as he sat beside me.

I flushed, I'd hoped he wouldn't come over, guess I was wrong. "Just doing some work downstairs... got a bit stiff, so came up for a stretch." I shrugged and took a drink.

He waved for Sarah to bring him a drink, she gave the hottie a kiss to hold him over until she got back, and made him a martini. Since when did he drink martinis.

"You okay?" I asked randomly, he looked startled, I was startled I'd even asked. "You seem a bit... distant lately..."

He sighed and looked down at his drink, I figured that was all I was going to get. So, I turned back to the dance floor with my drink.

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled from beside me.

I glanced at him, and he was looking at me. "What?"

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you... I didn't mean too." He sighed and drank his martini in one gulp.

"How many of those have you had tonight?" I asked, I figured he was drunk, but was shocked when he held up one finger, the one he'd just had.

"I was just thinking about our... chat... yesterday." He sighed and finished off another martini, make that two.

'Chat', was a nice way to put it. I'd gotten sick of his avoiding me and ending up screaming at him for a good five minutes. Roy and Dig were too horrified to even move from their prepared spar positions. Oliver didn't say anthing, he just took it all, then asked me if I was finished, before leaving. I too left, now was the only time I've been back.

"...Oh?" I asked, hoping he wasn't mad at me, I'd said some nasty things to him. Like, how he cared more about partying with bimbos then us and our 'quest'.

"Yeah, and you were right. I was trying to lose myself in the booze and girls to forget my problems. And I'm sorry... and you were also right. I was avoiding you. I was confused after what I told you. When Slade said he'd kidnapped the woman I loved, my heart stopped. And all I could think about was... you. Laurel not once came to my mind, so when Slade showed me Laurel... I was confused. Until I realized I had accidently in my mind, named you as the woman I was in love with, not Laurel. That really upset and scared me, and as usual. Instead of working through it, I pulled away and buried my head. And I'm sorry." He held out his hand to me, I looked at it confused.

"Are you sure, you're not drunk?" I asked skeptically, he just chuckled and shook his head.

"Okay..." I reached out and took his hand, only to find myself in his arms a few seconds later, he just smiled at my shocked face. I expected to find his eyes cloudy and his breathe, stinking of alcohol. But, instead his breathe was fresh and his eyes were clear. I don't know what scared me more, the fact that he wasn't drunk, or the fact, that I'd wished he was.

"Dance with me?" He smiled, all I could do was nod, afraid my voice would betray me.

He pulled me to the dance floor and pulled me even closer, as a slow song came on and everyone partnered up.

"Are... are... you sure, you're okay?" I don't know why I kept asking, but, he just didn't seem like himself.

"Never better, why?" He asked as he spun me around and back to him.

"You... you just don't seem like yourself... is all..." I managed to get out, I was having a hard time breathing, let alone thinking.

"You mean my usual, brooding, depressed self?" He grinned at me, and I nodded. "Well, I figured it was time for a change..." He smiled as he dipped me and brought me back up, so that we were mere inches apart. I swear he looked down at my lips, and licked his own, before coming back to my eyes.

"Felicity, I..." He leaned in and kissed me, before I could asked what.

His lips were so soft on mine, I wasn't sure what to do. Part of me wanted to kiss him back so bad, but another part knew that he would regret this tomorrow and maybe do worse then avoid me this time. Guess he's not the only one afraid, but for two different reasons.

When I didn't reply to his kiss, he pulled back and looked at me confused and hurt. It was too much for me to handle.

"I... have work to... finish." I pulled away from him, and ran back to downstairs, I could hear him calling my name. Once I was safe downstairs, I leaned against a wall and tried to control my breathing.

What is wrong with me?! He was kissing me and I gave him the cold shoulder! Gee, I'm worse then him. But, if we did something, and then he regretted it, and pulled all the way away from me, or worse, kicked me out of the group... I'd never survive it. I'd... I'd... die...

"I thought running away was my thing?" Oliver said from the stairs. I sighed and stood up, I wiped my eyes and stepped out to him.

"Must be spending too much time with you then... picking up your bad habits..." I tried to laugh, but it came out as a sob. The look of pain on his face, made me sob harder.

"Felicity... I'm sorry. I thought it's what you wanted..." He was confused now more then ever, I'm sure.

"It was... is... but..." I had to take a few deep breathes to controls my sobs.

"But, what?" He asked as he moved closer.

"But, what if tomorrow you reject me out of fear or regret? You've done it before... you'll do it again!" I didn't realize I was yelling until I was done, he looked shocked. I'd be shocked too, I've yelled at him twice in forty-eight hours, must be a new record.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But, I told you... I'm trying to change, I want this, I want us... Felicity... I love you!" He practically yelled at me, not the most romantic declaration of love, I've ever had... wait, never mind.

"I know you do, but, what about tomorrow? Or the next day? Or the first time a enemy attacks me to get to you? Because, I will not get into this relationship, knowing that one bad day you will turn tail and run like a coward rather then deal with the pain!" Again, I was yelling, but, I had to say this. "This was why I ran upstairs. All you thinks about is your pain, your heart, you never once considered what pain I'd go through if you decide it's too much work to have a relationship, and dump my ass! Not... once." The sobs had stopped, but I had tears flowing freely now.

He stepped forward and took my hands into his, and stared right into my eyes. "I swear to whatever gods are out there, that I will never hurt you! I love you, and I want to be with you... always!" He waited a few seconds, before he leaned in and kissed me once more. But, this time I didn't fight him, I kissed him back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist and pulled me as close to him as he could get.

He lifted me up, as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He pushed me against the wall and kissed me with such passion. Passion I've never, ever felt from another person before, in my life. Suddenly glad he finally got a bed for down here, as I didn't like the idea of doing this on the floor, or desk, I have to work on that.

He carried me to the bed and laid me down, before he started to undress me, while I undressed him. All I could do, was giggle, as I was about to have sex with Oliver Queen.

And that... is how I had sex with Oliver Queen, after he swore to love me always, and never hurt me, I should have known better then to believe him. Because, all Oliver does is... lie!