"Comminuted fracture," the doctor said as he pointed to the x-ray. "She's lucky that she didn't break the arm, she'll just need to wear a brace for a while."

"How bad is that type of fracture?"

"I'll be honest, Mr. Queen, it's not the fastest to recover from. It'll require x-ray and some physical therapy, but she'll be up and walking and back to normal activities. It'll be several weeks, but she's strong and that'll help things."

"I want the best surgeon…the best care."

"Of course, Mr. Queen."

Oliver sighed and looked towards Felicity's sleeping form. She'd not complained during the night of pain and hadn't received painkillers…and then when she'd woken in immense pain they'd ended up sedating her as well as giving her something for the pain. She'd felt the urge to move her limbs that needed to stay stationary, so they really had no choice sedating her.

"My bodyguard will be watching over her, if you'd make sure that the staff is aware of that, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course."

"Do you mind if I stay for a while?"

"Not a problem, but she is sleeping… You look like you could use some rest as well," the doctor told him.

"I will," he lied. "As soon as my bodyguard arrives. He's picking up coffee and breakfast."

"It's past lunchtime."

"It's been a long day," Oliver countered.

"I'll see when the soonest that the surgery can be scheduled for and do a search for what surgeon would be best fitting what Ms. Smoak requires."

"Thank you," he said.

"I'll leave you," the doctor told him before leaving the room.

Oliver simply nodded before moving to the chair, which he'd been sitting in at her bedside since she'd been put into that room. Diggle would be coming, but he really had no intentions on leaving Felicity alone. He didn't care that she didn't want to tell Lance everything that had happened because of his mother…she didn't want her to get into trouble…but Oliver was still worried of what his mother could do to Felicity if she really felt threatened.

No one should ever underestimate Moira Queen.

Sometimes there were things that children should never know about their parents. He knew too many of those things. He'd once thought that his parents lived these perfect lives…how wrong he'd been. He'd kept holding out hope that his mother really was this good person, but time and time again she'd proven him wrong. Was it really that bad of him to want to hold out hope that his family wasn't completely screwed up?

Oliver ran his hands roughly up and down his face. He was exhausted. He didn't know how things were going to be next week, but he knew that things had to change. He'd already taken the first step in changing his relationship with his mother, but he needed to actually move out. He had been sleeping at the Foundry, even though he'd been caught…and both Felicity and Diggle had offered their couches. He'd passed. He didn't really sleep much, so if he was at the Foundry, then he'd train when he wasn't sleeping. He needed to make sure his mother knew that she was to stay away from Felicity though.

"How's she doing?"

"She's going to have to have surgery on her leg," Oliver said as he looked back at Diggle. He took the offered cup of coffee and watched as Diggle dragged over another chair and sat down with his own coffee in hand and bag being juggled. "The doctor says that her arm shouldn't need surgery, just a brace."

"I told you that she's going to be okay, one of us just needs to stay and make sure that we have the nurses are in here on time to keep the pain meds in her system," Diggle told him. "But you still have to go into work… Isabel will use it against you if it's more than just today.'

"Who else is going to sit with her? We can't juggle watching over Felicity, Queen Consolidated, and Foundry matters between the two of us… And there's a really short list of people we can trust right now…"

"You have recruits," Diggle pointed out. "Sara doesn't have to stay in the shadows anymore. You just have to explain how important Felicity is to you and you've got Thea and Roy here…"

"If I even explain that Felicity is my friend, Thea will be planning a wedding while she's in here," Oliver told him with a sigh.

"Come on, Man, Felicity is more than just a friend…"

"Digg—"

"I know, it's too much…too scary for you…but everyone else sees it…"

"No—"

"They really do."

Oliver sighed more and covered his face with his hand. Did everyone really think that he and Felicity— And for a moment, he wondered if it was really that crazy. He knew that people he was close to tended to get hurt one way or another…and he'd saved Felicity so many times… But he'd told Diggle that they could protect her. He still believed that. He had to still believe that. "Did you bring food?"

"Breakfast burritos," Diggle said. "And the paper…I thought you might want to look for a place."

He moved his hand and looked over at Diggle who was holding out his burrito wrapped in a section of newspaper. "Thanks."

"We can figure out a schedule as soon as you've finished eating… Did he say how long she'll be in the hospital?"

"I didn't think to ask… I was just thankful that it wasn't more serious," Oliver admitted. "It probably depends on how quickly they can do the surgery."

"Do you really think your mom was involved in all of this?"

"I have a hard time believing she didn't have anything to do with it," Oliver responded. He unwrapped his burrito and was about to take a bite when his phone vibrated. Today just wasn't going to be his day. He covered the burrito once again and looked at his phone. It was a text.

"Who is it?"

"Lance," Oliver said with confusion obvious in his voice.

"Which one?"

That really was the question right now. It used to be either Quentin or Laurel…now it could be them or Dinah or Sara, now that Sara was alive to the rest of the world and released from the League of Assassins. "Mr. Lance…"

"What does he want from you?"

Normally the only phone he received calls or messages on from Quentin Lance nowadays was the Arrow's phone. "He wants me to help him ease tensions between Laurel and Sara… He thinks I'm the only person who can get through to Laurel."

"I thought you tried that?"

"Sara's been gone for six years…and Laurel has issues about…well the whole world. I guess we can't expect one civil evening to end in peace between all of the Lances…"

"How has Sara's return been going over?"

"You know, Quentin and Dinah act like they're still married… I think Sara sees hope that maybe they'll get back together… Quentin has put his drinking problem behind him, now their only problem is Laurel…"

"You'd think she'd be happy to have her sister back from the dead and her parents possibly getting back together."

"You'd think…"

"What issues are nagging her?"

"What aren't?"

Diggle shook his head. "I swear women hold grudges for so much longer…"

Oliver wasn't going to speak to that…just in case Felicity could hear. The last thing either of them needed was a lecture from her about anything like that… Though, in all honesty, he'd give anything to hear her voice for two minutes right now. He knew that it was better that she was sleeping and that she wasn't in pain, but he was still worried about her…even after hearing everything the doctor said.

"You're still worried, aren't you?"

"I said I'd keep her safe."

"She's alive, Oliver…"

He wasn't hungry all of the sudden. Looking at Diggle as he ate, Oliver wondered if Diggle really understand how he felt. Oliver felt like his world was slowly shrinking around him. He was trying to keep friends in place that he felt like he owed in some way, mainly Laurel… He'd failed Tommy; he wasn't going to fail her.

"You don't need to be focusing on the 'what if's."

"You sound like a therapist."

"I see you're just catching onto that," Diggle told him with a shake of his head.

And Diggle was right. He and Felicity (now Sara and Roy) were the only ones he could really talk about what happened at night. He couldn't tell anyone else his fears because they didn't know that he was the Arrow and they just didn't need to be burdened with them.

"Let's just go with the fact that Felicity is going to be okay," Diggle spoke up after a few minutes of silence. Oliver knew he was right. "And you know that she wouldn't want you beating yourself up or getting so pessimistic about life."

Oliver turned his head to watch her and smiled suddenly. He remembered all of the times that she'd tell him off or be upset at him and make sure he knew it. Diggle was right. Felicity had even told him that he really knew how to take the 'win' out of things. The 'win' in this situation was that Felicity was alive and with surgery (not even major surgery) and some physical therapy, she was going to be up and walking and chasing after him in no time.

"I guess… I was just remembering how short life really is," he whispered as he continued to stare at her.

"Right," Diggle responded slowly. He paused. "So, find yourself a place…figure out everything in your life so you can tell Felicity how you really feel… We both know that's not going to happen until you can have Laurel…and even Sara out of your head… You've already hurt Felicity enough in Russia with Isabel…"

"We're not even—"

"I know, I know, " he said quickly.

Women were still confusing even after spending five years on that island. Some things just never changed. Whenever Oliver thought he had something figured out, it was always more complex…especially when it came to Felicity. He'd always thought it was simply because she was like no other woman he'd worked with…or interacted with on a regular basis…and then he'd started to wonder if it was simply something more… He'd told himself that he wasn't allowed that. That he didn't deserve that happiness. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault, even if his mother had had something to do with the car accident. No matter, he was determined to make it right.

He had to make it right.

For her.

Always for her.

"Do you happen to know what vehicle has been proven the safest?" Oliver finally spoke up.

"I'm taking it that's my homework?"

"I'd appreciate it," Oliver said and turned back to him. He rubbed his face again. He really was exhausted. He really didn't want to go home and leave her side though. He wanted to be there when she woke up. "I don't think I could even focus on a screen right now…"

"What about Lance?"

"I don't know…"

"Look, I know you want to be here when she wakes up, but she's going to understand," Diggle told him. "I can call or text you, but you need to take care of yourself. You look like crap… Like I said, you've still got to be CEO of Queen Consolidated tomorrow…"

Why was it that Diggle had it all together? He knew that Diggle cared about Felicity too… And then he brought himself back to the idea that it was more than just friendship. The guilt crept back again.

"I'll call Sara and Roy to start with… We'll get some schedule worked out… Thea and Roy still have to keep their night jobs at Verdant… But even two hours would be enough relief for Sara or I…"

"I want to be here—"

"But we all have to keep our identities, remember?"

Oliver knew he was right. He just wished that Laurel wasn't being so much of a handful right now. He could see her having mixed feelings, but Laurel seemed one way or the other…and her problem with alcohol and pills were still very much a concern for everyone who cared about her. She wasn't the Laurel he'd come back to after being on Lian Yu and she hadn't been the Laurel he'd left behind when he got onto the Queen's Gambit. He hated to think of people as weak, but that's what she seemed… She had problems and he knew that really the only thing that needed to be done was to get Laurel into some kind of rehab or counseling…

"What if I need my black driver?" Oliver teased.

Diggle grinned back at him. "I'm taking over Felicity's job today, but I'm assisting from her bedside…"

"Good cover."

"Just in case someone asks…plus, I know you can drive yourself… Just pretend it's like when your mother first hired me. She does do some things right."

"Good point."

Oliver smiled at him and nodded. "I guess I should go then?"

He nodded. "I'm going to text you a list of things, though," Diggle told him. "Things that I know Felicity will want once she's awake and feeling herself…unless she wakes up and I can get Roy or Thea here…then I can do it."

"I can do it," Oliver said slowly. He was capable. Oliver sometimes found that people assumed that because he was rich that he was incapable of simple things because his family had people to do that for him. He knew Diggle knew better, that he was only saying it because Oliver was exhausted, but he wanted to do something for Felicity. "Just send me a list…"

"Okay," Diggle responded just as slowly. "What about the Lances?"

"Let me take care of that."

"Do me a favor and get some sleep first…and a shower…"

Oliver looked towards the rather uncomfortable padded couch-looking armchair in the corner. The nurses had told them that it folded out into a bed, but sitting in it as a chair had been rather uncomfortable and neither him nor Diggle could see it being comfortable as a bed. "Maybe I'll sleep here…"

"I think you're avoiding going to the mansion," Diggle said. "I could give you the key to my place…"

"I appreciate it, but I just mainly want to stay as long as I can in case she wakes up," Oliver said. "I'll sleep…and then I'll go and shower, change, and maybe be able to put out some fires with the Lances," he announced. Oliver started to text Lance back on his phone and just hoped that it wouldn't take up much of the day. He wanted to be gone as little as possible. Diggle would need some time to sleep too. Neither one of them slept much, but they still both needed it to keep sharp.

"Good luck then," Diggle said as he motioned to the chair across the room from them.

Getting up from his chair, he held out the wrapped burrito. "Want it?"

"I'll ask one of the nurses if they wouldn't mind putting it in the fridge for us. I'm pretty sure that I just have to mention your name and they'll do whatever I ask…" Diggle told him.

Oliver shook his head. "Good to know you're getting a hang of dropping my name."

Diggle just smiled and reached out and grabbed the paper. "I'll circle some places that might be good too…"

"You've already got a handle on your new position, don't you?"

"Don't worry," Diggle teased. "I won't get too comfortable with it. I know Felicity will want it back."

"She will…"

Oliver moved over to the questionable piece of convertible furniture and started to work on changing it from its current function as an uncomfortable chair to a bed. In all honesty, Oliver had no problem sleeping on the floor, but he and Diggle had discussed how they were fairly sure that the nursing staff would probably freak out if they found him like that. Eventually, he got it into bed form. It hadn't been easy, but he'd eventually figured it out and Diggle had seemed quite amused by it. At least he was providing entertainment.

"I'm sure the nurses would be more than happy to bring you a pillow or a blanket," Diggle teased. He'd been doing that a lot. Diggle made it sound like 'The Bachelor: Hospital Edition'. That was really the last thing he needed.

"No, no," Oliver said quickly. He pulled off his jacket and folded it up into a makeshift pillow. He really didn't need a pillow. It was more for show if a nurse came in. He lay down and tucked the pillow under his head. "I'm good…"

"Just looking out for you."

"I'm sure you are."

Oliver tried to make himself comfortable, but he was fairly certain that the linoleum floors were more comfortable than the thing he was laying on. Hospitals really did need better funding, so that they could have more comfortable furniture for people who were visiting. He tried to push that thought out of his head. He'd make it work. Oliver closed his eyes and tried to focus on something that would help him relax a bit.

Felicity.

He smiled as he thought about her. He thought about all the times she made him smile and just…normal stuff. Felicity made him feel normal…and he swore that she was the one who made sure that he continued to live in the normal world.

Felicity.

. . .

TBC…