A/N: Wow, such a response to my first chapter. How awesome are you guys? This awesome, that's how much (I'm holding my arms way apart, in case you're wondering).

Basically this fic (all 5 chapters of it) is very self-indulgent. I just like having my guys talking, talking, talking. Can't help it. You know what a dialog ho I am and well, it's mainly talking with an afterthought of Halloween. Lol But I'm guessing you've worked that out by now.

Just a by the by but the G20 summit has been held in my home state – Queensland – this weekend so all the world leaders are in my old home town – Brisbane. We put on a record breaking heat wave for the leaders. Sorry about that guys/gals. It's the weather, what are you gonna do, right? Thanks for coming and everyone gets a koala… just a heads up, most of them are riddled with chlamydia… you may want to wash your hands well before preparing food, just sayin'. The more you know…

Okay, enough of a PSA from me re: koalas.

Got an early start tomorrow – have to get up at 330am, so doing a lot of prep tonight so I can just roll out of bed and head out to work. Not a fan of going from the nightshifts into the morning shifts. My body doesn't know whether it's coming or going. Sigh, they old grey mare ain't what she used to be. Anyways, enough lamenting of my lost youthful vibrancy. I'll let you get on with this chapter. Lots of good guesses about Ladybug – had fun reading them all. :D All will be revealed in this chapter… well, not all, much to Bunny's disappointment. ;)

Have fun and thank you so much for such a lovely reception to the first chapter. You really are all too fabulous for words. 3

CHAPTER TWO

"Can I just say that you have some of the longest shortcuts known to man," said Felicity, smoothing down her hair after taking her bike helmet off. "I thought we were going to end up in New Jersey."

"It was my regular route back to the Foundry," said Oliver innocently. It absolutely wasn't but having Felicity on the bike behind him, pressed up against him, legs on either side of his thighs… well, it had been too good to rush. So, Oliver had found a creative route back to the lair. He waited until Felicity had walked around from the other side of the bike and took her hand. Oliver liked the simple intimacy. It made it feel real to him that they were actually happening and it wasn't just him dreaming. It'd hadn't even been a week since their big date but Oliver couldn't remember ever having been this happy. Felicity gave him a shy smile as he smiled down at her and Oliver couldn't help but adore how she oscillated between blushing innocent and teasing enchantress. Both were absolutely Felicity and the fact that she could be both just added to the paradox that was the woman walking beside him. She was fragile yet strong, delicate but fierce and Oliver couldn't get enough of her. "What do want to do tonight after the debrief?" he asked her huskily. Oliver managed to tear his eyes off her long enough to open the alleyway entrance door to the lair, punching in the code.

"Well, first I just want to make sure Bunny is settled in okay," said Felicity.

Oliver made a face. "He shouldn't be settling in at all. This is just temporary."

"I know," said Felicity quickly, "but earlier today I just helped him out with a couple of little things—"

They were walking and talking at the same time and Oliver walked through the door, his attention on Felicity. She looked suddenly a little anxious.

"Well, I say little…"

Oliver followed her gaze and was just in time to see a huge, black, shaggy mass launch itself at him. Oliver staggered back at the sudden weight of a giant dog giving him an enthusiastic greeting, putting its paws on Oliver's shoulders and licking his face. "What the hell?" he exclaimed in shock.

"Ladybug, get down," said Felicity urgently. She sent Oliver an apologetic smile. "Sorry, he's big on hello's."

"Why is there a dog currently drooling all over me?" asked Oliver unevenly as he looked back at the animal, taking in the fact that on its hind legs, it was actually taller than him. "Assuming this is a dog, of course and not a horse."

"He's a dog," said Felicity swiftly, hurrying over and trying to help. "Ladybug, get down, down." The dog removed its paws from Oliver's shoulders and did as Felicity had requested. On all fours it was still impressively tall, coming up to Oliver's waist. "He's a Newfoundland," Felicity introduced them. "They're kinda big."

"Are you sure it isn't a couple of dogs strapped together?" asked Oliver, tilting his head and taking in the vast size of the dog with its shaggy, black coat and giant head with lolling tongue.

"No, it's just the one dog."

"Named Ladybug," said Oliver skeptically.

"Yes."

"I'm going to go ahead and assume that he came with our new houseguest and you just didn't decide we needed a team mascot all of a sudden?" said Oliver in resignation.

Felicity wrinkled her nose. "A little bit, yes."

"He comes with a dog," said Oliver in disbelief and then gave Felicity a vaguely accusatory look. "Which you knew about."

Felicity gave had the grace to look a little chagrined. "I picked him up earlier."

"So, what?" asked Oliver in frustration as the Bunny situation continued to spiral out of his control. "Was the boob thing an attempt to soften me up about the dog thing?"

Felicity arched an eyebrow at him. "If it was, it didn't work because I don't remember anything softening when you were touching my boob."

Oliver swallowed a groan, instantly transported back to that alleyway when Felicity had caught him off guard with putting his hand on her breast. She was right. There had definitely not been anything soft on his body when she'd done that. "Why are you trying to kill me?" he asked, only half-joking.

"It's just a dog," said Felicity. "He and Bunny can't be separated."

"This was not discussed in the initial concept of Bunny staying here," said Oliver in frustration. "This is all getting out of hand." Suddenly Ladybug was shoving his enormous head in Oliver's crotch and sniffing noisily before releasing a great gust of warm, doggy breath in that area.

Felicity gave him a bright, vaguely apologetic smile. "That's also how he says hello," she said, "and that he likes you."

"Could he like me with his head out of my crotch?" asked Oliver flatly, pushing on the dogs head. "Stop that."

"He can," said Felicity, lips twitching as Ladybug defied Oliver's best efforts to get the dog to give a little less attention to his crotch, "but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen."

"That's how you know he likes you," said a voice behind them cheerily.

Oliver turned his head to see Bunny emerging from the back room after having obviously just taken a shower. He was in a fluffy, pale grey robe and slippers with a towel wrapped around his head.

"I told him that," said Felicity quickly.

"It's also how you know I like you too," said Bunny, giving Oliver a cheeky wink as he breezed by. "Poppet, where's the hairdryer?"

"We don't have a hairdryer," said Oliver irritably. "This is a place of business… serious business. It's not a beauty salon."

"It's in the second bag by the bench over there," said Felicity.

Oliver looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"I told you, I picked up a few things for Bunny so he'd be more comfortable here," said Felicity.

"I don't want him to be more comfortable here," said Oliver in distress. "I want him to leave."

"Oh monkey, try and unclench something on that deliciously hard body of yours," said Bunny easily as he retrieved the hairdryer. "You'll give yourself an ulcer at this rate." He strolled back towards them. "How was your little thingy tonight?"

"You mean where we risked our lives and saved thousands of other people's lives?" asked Oliver flatly.

"Yes, that's the one," said Bunny brightly. "Went well then did it?"

"We shut them down," said Felicity proudly. "Nobody died. It was a good outcome."

"Oh congrats, my darlings," said Bunny happily. "Aren't you all just clever little crusaders." He looked at Felicity. "Poppet, did you remember my skin care products?"

"White bag," she said. "They didn't have the moisturizer you liked but there is a new one out that the woman in the shop promised me was even better."

"Oh darling, you are a treasure," said Bunny gratefully. "I'd be simply lost without you." He gave Oliver a pointed look. "You do realize that I'm going to have to do my best to steal her away from you now, monkey? I've decided that I simply can't live without a Felicity Smoak in my life and as there is clearly only one of her on this entire planet, I'll be taking yours."

"The hell you will," growled Oliver.

"Ohh… so territorial," laughed Bunny. "You're making me all tingly again."

"Bunny's just teasing you, Oliver," said Felicity, half-smiling as she put a hand on Oliver's arm. "There is enough of me to go around."

Oliver scowled, not liking the sound of that. He didn't want to share Felicity with anyone. Maybe he'd feel differently once their three weeks of trial dating was up and Felicity had actually told him she loved him properly but until then Oliver couldn't help but feel intensely proprietary when it came to Felicity's time and attention. He knew it wasn't a particularly noble trait to have and he was working on trying to be more reasonable when it came to Felicity but the simple truth was Oliver couldn't get enough of her. Sharing Felicity with anyone else felt like a big ask.

"Don't pout," she ordered him, still looking amused by his displeasure.

"I'm not pouting," he argued. "I'm expressing my valid reservations about letting someone we don't know into our lives. It's a sensible reaction."

"Give it up, monkey," suggested Bunny easily as he brushed out his hair. "I'm here, it's happened, you're just going to have to embrace the Bunny experience."

Felicity giggled. "Oliver's not great with new experiences."

He scowled at that. "Yes I am."

"You're a little bit control freakish," said Felicity, not unkindly. "It's fine. It's who you are."

"I'm not a control freak," said Oliver sharply. "I have a completely normal and rational relationship with control." He pointed a finger at Bunny as the other man went to sit down. "Hey no, that's my chair."

"Oh yes, completely normal and rational," said Bunny in amusement, taking a seat anyways.

Oliver grimaced as the other man's robe came open a little as he sat down. "Are you naked under that thing?"

Bunny fluttered his eyelashes at him. "Who wants to know?"

"Put some pants on," said Oliver tersely.

"I would, darling, but I'm waiting for them to dry." He gave Oliver an expectant look. "Unless you want to provide a dryer to your facilities, of course."

Oliver sighed heavily.

"Oliver?" said Felicity.

"I'm giving it serious thought," he gave a quick glance at Bunny who was still lounging rather provocatively, "considering the alternative."

"If it makes you feel any better, you can take your pants off," said Bunny brightly. "That'd be the polite thing to do, you know, to make your houseguest feel welcome."

Felicity nudged him playfully. "How about it, Oliver, want to take your pants off?"

"I imagined you saying those words to me under such different circumstances," said Oliver morosely.

Felicity just laughed at his disappointment. The door above them opened and closed and then Roy was walking down the stairs, two boxes of pizza balanced on one hand.

"We said we didn't want any pizza," noted Felicity.

"I know, they're both for me," said Roy as he got to the bottom of the stairs. "I'm always starving after a mission." He glanced at Bunny and grimaced. "Hey, man, want to close the drapes a little there?"

Bunny arched a provocative eyebrow at him. "Like what you see, kitten?"

"Can I at least take my jacket off before you start the sexual harassment?" asked Roy in resignation as he put down the two pizza boxes. "And in case you're wondering, the answer to your question is a 'hell no!'"

"Me thinks my little kitten doth protest too much," said Bunny knowingly.

"No such thing when it comes to getting an eyeful of your man junk," said Roy firmly. He looked over and noticed Ladybug for the first time. Roy walked over to the large dog and bent down so his face was level with the Newfoundland's. "Diggle, is that you?" He shook his head with feigned admiration. "Wow, man, I've got to hand it to you, that's some costume."

"That's not Diggle," said Felicity in amusement at Roy's teasing, "obviously."

Roy straightened up. "You sure, because they're roughly the same size." Ladybug then shoved his face in Roy's crotch and noisily sniffed away. Roy pulled a face. "Okay, now I really hope it isn't Diggle because it just got weird." He pushed Ladybug's face out of his crotch and looked over at Bunny. "Yours, I assume?"

"Ladybug is my constant companion," agreed Bunny readily. "We're inseparable."

"So did he teach you the crotch thing or did you teach him?" asked Roy dryly. "It's pretty much how both of you say hello."

Bunny chuckled. "I love how you know my ways so well, kitten."

"Not through choice," muttered Roy. He looked the dog over. "So, Ladybug, huh? And he's a dude… what's up with that?"

"Not all ladybugs are females," pointed out Bunny pragmatically.

Roy wrinkled his nose. "I guess not… never really thought about it before but it's a pretty delicate name for, you know, a not so delicate dog."

"It's good luck when a ladybug lands on you," said Bunny. "I was looking at a litter of puppies and Ladybug just threw himself on me… so, it was good luck. The name just seemed obvious."

"An obvious name for a dog this size is Bear or Tank or something, not Ladybug," said Roy.

"Ladybug is secure in his masculinity," said Bunny dismissively. "He doesn't need an overtly butch name to reinforce his maleness."

"Just as well," muttered Roy. He looked around. "So, what, we're still waiting on the big guy then?"

Felicity nodded. "Looks like." She looked at Bunny. "How was the shower?"

"Divine, my clever little minx," said Bunny happily. "You do spoil me."

"Wait, why is Felicity clever?" asked Oliver sharply.

Felicity put her hands on her hips. "Two and a half years in and you don't know the answer to that question?"

"I mean I know why you're clever," said Oliver in frustration. "I want to know why Bunny knows you're clever."

"Poppet organized hot water for the shower," said Bunny calmly.

"Hold on, you could do that?" said Oliver in amazement.

"Yeah, just had to do some jiggery pokery with realigning some of the water pipe flows," said Felicity. "Mainly pokery… the jiggery was pretty much done because there was already a hot water system set up, just not in use."

"Ohh… the pokery has always been my favorite part," said Bunny approvingly.

"Why didn't you organize hot water for me when I shower?" asked Oliver unevenly.

Felicity looked at him blankly. "You never asked." She gave a little shrug. "I just figured you liked the cold showers – part of your guerilla training and all."

"No, I had enough of those on the island," said Oliver, not believing what he was hearing. "I'd have appreciated hot water here."

"I'm not a mind reader, you have to tell me these things," pointed out Felicity.

"I didn't know plumbing was in your skill set," said Oliver in amazement.

"Me either until I tried," said Felicity blithely. "Turns out I really am as clever as I thought I was." She tilted her head. "Is that conceited of me to say? That feels conceited."

"It's no such thing if you are actually brilliant, poppet, which quite clearly you are," insisted Bunny without hesitation. "No good ever came of hiding your light under a bushel. You always have to let your magnificence shine, it's my mantra in life."

"Is there a way you could try and put pants on your magnificence?" asked Roy unhappily as Bunny's robe parted again. "I'm about to eat, I really don't need baby Bunny watching me while I do."

Bunny adjusted his robe. "Kit."

"What?"

"A baby bunny is called a kit," replied Bunny, giving Roy a flirty look. "It's short for kitten… quite the coincidence don't you think, my little kitten? It really is like fate between us."

"That's a reach, even for you," said Roy with a note of censure in his voice.

"Darling, trust me, my reach is the stuff of legends." Bunny waggled his eyebrows at Roy suggestively. "Want me to show you?"

"No," said Roy tightly.

"Your mouth says no, but your eyes say take me now," purred Bunny, standing up and sauntering over to him.

"I'm pretty sure they don't," said Roy hastily.

"I don't know, Roy," said Felicity teasingly. "Your eyebrows seem pretty confused to me."

"Don't you start," said Roy in agitation. He looked at Oliver. "Rein your woman in, man. I don't need to be ganged up on."

"Firstly, Felicity is her own person and as she has pointed out on many occasions, I'm not the boss of her," said Oliver straight-faced. "And secondly, if I had some way of getting Felicity to do what I want, I'd be using those powers for my benefit, not yours." He turned his head to see Felicity was looking at him oddly. "What?"

"I'm trying to work out if that was adorably honest or if I should hit you for being a jerk," said Felicity slowly.

"Can I put a vote in for the adorable one?" asked Oliver hopefully.

"No." She arched a pointed eyebrow at him. "And we both know that if I didn't argue with you, you wouldn't like me as much."

"It's true," sighed Oliver. "It's quite the conundrum for me—ow!" He rubbed his arm where Felicity had slapped him.

"I made up my mind, I went with the hitting thing," said Felicity evenly.

"I noticed," said Oliver wryly. "That really hurt."

Felicity snorted. "No, it didn't. Your arm is like concrete."

She was right, it hadn't hurt but Oliver was still looking to play his advantage. "No, it was really painful." His lips twitched. "I think you should kiss it better."

"Stand back," ordered Bunny with a dramatic sweeping motion of his arms, "this is a job for Bunny!"

"Okay, no," said Oliver, hastily putting up a hand, "the suggestion was for Felicity only."

"You'd better take Bunny up on his offer," said Felicity in amusement, "because it's not happening with me. You totally deserved that slap."

"Come here, boo," said Bunny sympathetically, "Auntie Bunny will kiss it better—" He went to move closer to Oliver and that was when the lights suddenly went out and they were all plunged into total darkness.

Oliver heard Felicity give a little gasp of surprise. "Oh, we've lost power."

Oliver was tense. Blackouts happened before ambushes. "Is it just us or is it this part of town?"

"Wait, I'll try and find out." There was the sound of people moving around and then furniture being kicked. "Ow."

"Felicity?" said Oliver in concern.

"It's okay, just ran into a chair."

"Hey, that better be you grabbing my ass, Felicity," said Roy sharply.

"It better not be," said Oliver loudly.

"I'm not touching anyone's ass." More sounds of her fumbling about. "I don't think."

Oliver moved towards the sound of her voice. "Be careful. You'll hurt yourself."

"Bunny, let go of my ass," said Roy sternly.

"Of course, kitten."

"Hey, no! Don't grab that instead!"

"I get all dizzy in the dark. I need something firm to hold onto," lamented Bunny.

There was the sound of slapping. "Trust me, that is never going to be firm in your presence. No touching!"

Oliver ignored the antics of the other two men, intent on finding Felicity and then he heard another crash and the sound of someone falling. "Felicity!" he moved quickly towards the sound.

"Oh poppet," said Bunny worriedly, "do be careful, my darling."

"I'm okay," she said breathlessly. "Just tripped over something. I've lost my glasses… which I guess doesn't really matter considering the circumstances—"

There was suddenly the sound of crunching glass and Oliver froze on his way over to her. "Damn it."

"Was that my glasses?" asked Felicity in resignation.

Oliver lifted his foot to the sound of more tinkling glass. "Yeah, I think so. Sorry. Here, take my hand." He held out his hand blindly to the direction of where he'd heard Felicity's voice, waving it around. Oliver made contact with a soft hand and closed his fingers around it, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "I've got you."

"Yes, you have," said Bunny approvingly, squeezing his hand back.

Oliver made a sound of exasperation and let go of his hand. "Damn it, Bunny, you're everywhere. I was looking for Felicity."

"Any port in a storm, monkey."

"Just go and stand out of the way and don't move and don't touch anything, okay?" Oliver ordered him.

"I love it when you try and dominate me," said Bunny huskily. "It makes me quiver all over."

"Just quiver quietly," said Oliver sternly. "And no more groping, got it?"

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

Oliver could hear Felicity moving around. "Wait, I'll help you up," he said quickly.

"No, it's okay, I think I've got it," she said unsteadily. "I just need to make it to my desk."

"Okay, Ladybug, no," said Roy sternly. "My crotch isn't for your amusement."

"Oh, sorry," said Felicity in embarrassment. "I didn't know what I just ran into."

"What?" asked Oliver sharply.

"Here, grab hold," said Roy.

"No, no," said Oliver in agitation, "there is to be no grabbing!"

"I'm helping her up, man," said Roy defensively.

"That's my boob, Roy," said Felicity dryly.

"Oops, sorry, I thought that was your shoulder."

Oliver's jaw hardened.

"That's my other boob."

"Stop touching her!" barked out Oliver.

"I'm helping!" protested Roy.

"Helping yourself more like it," growled Oliver. He'd just managed to get to second base with Felicity tonight for the first time and Roy had already covered twice the distance he had. Unacceptable.

"Okay, I'm up," said Felicity unevenly. "Oh!"

"What is it?" Oliver demanded to know. "What's Roy groped on you now?"

"I'm not groping," said Roy sharply. "And it doesn't count if you can't see what you're grabbing. All the fun goes out of it." He paused. "Well, not all the fun."

"Oh kitten," sighed Bunny, "it's like you want to die."

"Bunny's right, when the lights come on, you're a dead man," bit out Oliver.

"Everyone just stop," said Felicity sternly. "Roy, stop trying to help me and Oliver, stop overreacting. My 'oh' was about me just realizing something."

"What's that, poppet?"

Suddenly there was a glow in the middle of the room and Felicity was illuminated. "My phone has a flashlight function," she said, sounding a little sheepish. "I don't know why I didn't think about that first."

"Oh, so does mine," said Roy suddenly, reaching into his coat and pulling out his phone. "No service though."

"Mine either," said Felicity, using her phone to find a safe passage over to her desk. "Looks like everything has been taken out, power, communication systems."

Oliver was back to being worried they were under attack. "Do you think we've been targeted?" he asked intently.

"No," said Felicity slowly, still trying to get her computer system to work, "I think it's citywide." She turned around and pursed her lips. "Which presents us with a bit of a problem."

"Which is?" asked Oliver.

"We can't get out," said Felicity. "The locks on our doors are electric and without any power, they just stay locked, unless someone opens them from the outside."

"No problem," said Oliver easily. "Diggle will be here soon and he'll open the doors for us."

"Diggle will do what now?"

Felicity and Roy held up their phones to illuminate Diggle walking out of the back room in a smart, black suit and thin black tie.

"What are you doing here?" asked Roy in dismay. "You were meant to let us out of here."

"I got back first and changed into my costume," said Diggle calmly.

"I didn't hear you," said Bunny in surprise.

"You were singing very loudly in the shower," said Diggle dryly. "You wouldn't have heard Armageddon."

"I do love my show tunes when I'm all lathered up," agreed Bunny readily.

Ladybug walked over to Diggle and sat down beside him as Diggle patted the top of his head.

"How come you're not getting the Ladybug special hello?" asked Roy in irritation. "Oliver and I practically had to crowbar him out of our crotches."

"We came to an understanding," said Diggle evenly, scratching behind the dog's ears as Ladybug made a happy little noise.

"Which was?"

"Between Ladybug and myself." Ladybug looked up at Diggle adoringly, leaning up against him.

"Wow," said Felicity with a smile, "he's really enjoying that. I'll have to get you to scratch behind my ears, Digg. It looks like you know what you're doing."

Oliver looked at her, trying not to be bothered by Felicity's offhand comment. Why wasn't she asking him to scratch behind her ears? Oliver could hear how manic that question sounded in his own head so he bit down on his tongue but the faint strands of jealousy remained. He had to wonder if he'd ever get over feeling this way when Felicity showed any kind of attention to other men.

Roy shone his cell phone light up and down Diggle as Diggle gave Ladybug a final pat on the head and then continued to walk towards them. "That's your Halloween costume? So, you're basically going as yourself?"

"I'm going as an MIB agent," said Diggle calmly.

"And you look very handsome," said Felicity approvingly. "Lyla is going to love it."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Geez, not exactly going against type there." He reached out a hand to pull on Diggle's tie. "You could have least gone as a zombie MIB—arrrgghhh!" Roy made a strangled screeching sound as a creature suddenly launched itself from Diggle's chest, all fangs and dripping blood.

"A MIB agent that an alien has laid her young in," continued on Diggle smoothly, smirking at the shock the hidden part of his costume had given the younger man.

Oliver couldn't help but join in with the laughter of Felicity and Bunny. The expression on Roy's face was priceless.

"Okay, that isn't funny," scowled Roy, regaining his composure.

"It totally was," said Felicity in amusement. "You nearly wet your pants."

"So sue me if I don't like big, wet, slimy things shooting out of another man's body at me," said Roy sulkily.

"Not me," sighed Bunny happily. "That's pretty much my raison d'être."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Of course it is."

Felicity held her cell phone light closer to the spring loaded prosthetic monster currently dangling from Diggle's chest. "Is it just me, or does this guy look an awful lot like Martha Stewart?"

"That's crazy," said Oliver, taking a step closer and peering at the little creature for himself. He made a surprised face. "Okay, sorry, my bad, it actually does. Weird."

"Maybe Martha upset someone in the design department of the company who makes these things?" suggested Bunny, as he too came for a closer look. "When Biagio da Cesena complained to the Pope about Michelangelo's The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, saying there was too much nudity, and was better suited to be displayed in a pub rather than a church, Michelangelo got his own back. He painted Cesena into the painting as Minos, judge of the Underworld and gave him donkey ears and a snake chewing on his wee willy winkie." Bunny straightened up and tutted. "Never cross an artistic temperament, it's just not worth it."

"I think it's just a weird coincidence," said Felicity. "I can't see Martha Stewart doing anything to upset anyone."

"Except for that whole insider trading snafu," said Bunny knowingly. "That seemed to upset some people."

"I don't have Martha Stewart's face hanging out of my chest," said Diggle firmly. "That's not a thing."

"I don't know, Digg," said Oliver, still eyeing the creature. "You clean off all that blood and gunk and take out the fangs and you've pretty much got a dead ringer."

"Concerns about my costume aside, what's going on with the lights?" asked Diggle.

"Power outage," said Felicity. "They predicted a big thunder and lightning storm for later on tonight. Maybe some lightning took out a power grid."

"Which less than an hour you were in the middle of," said Oliver grimly, not even wanting to think what might have happened if their timing had been different. "If you'd been there—"

Felicity glanced over at him. "But I wasn't and we don't even know that is what happened. Oliver, stop borrowing trouble when it comes to me."

"I can't help it," said Oliver unhappily. "When you're out in the field I feel—"

"Moody," said Roy flatly, obviously still not quite over that last incident between them.

"No, not moody—"

"Distracted," offered up Diggle.

"No, not distracted," said Oliver in irritation.

"Gassy?" suggested Bunny, joining in on the game.

"Gassy, what, no," said a vexed Oliver. "I'm anxious," he managed to finish off as he looked at Felicity. "I like to know you're safe and secure otherwise I—"

"Get gassy," offered up Bunny again.

Oliver gave him an exasperated look. "What is it with you and being gassy?"

"It's the panic response of my body," said Bunny. "I get gassy and burp… a lot."

"Well, it's not my panic response," said Oliver irritably.

"It's just a bit of overkill, Oliver," said Felicity. "If you have to worry, worry about the things which do happen to me, not the things that don't. Trust me, if I didn't do that with you I'd be a complete basket case by now."

Oliver sent her a vaguely apologetic look, reminded yet again how being in his life was no picnic for people but Felicity just smiled back at him, her expression telling him to stop being an idiot and she was just where she wanted to be.

"You two are so adorable together," gushed Bunny, catching their silent conversation. "I just want to have you stuffed and mounted on my mantle to adore every day." He paused and looked thoughtful. "Maybe you should just be holding hands, that'd probably be less confronting."

That earned him a sideways look from Oliver but he chose not to comment. It didn't feel like there was any kind of win for continuing that conversation.

Diggle seemed to have the same thought. "So, moving on, what are our options here?"

"None," said Felicity. "We're stuck in here until the power comes back on."

Diggle grimaced. "I can't even call Lyla to let her know."

"I know," said Felicity unhappily. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault, Felicity," said Diggle firmly.

"I feel like I should have been ahead of this." She pulled a face. "I'm going to have to come up with some kind of emergency release for the locks in the case of power outages for next time."

"How long do you think we'll be down here?" asked Roy. He shrugged. "I guess it doesn't matter for me." He looked at Diggle. "I was pulling Bunny duty anyways while you were out shaking your wild thing."

"What a lovely visual," sighed Bunny happily, looking suddenly dreamy.

"I'd better not be naked as you picture that," said Diggle dryly.

"Of course not, brown bear," said Bunny. He gave a big smile. "You have the cutest little bowtie on."

"Don't ask on where," Roy advised him quickly. "I feel like none of us wants to know the answer to that."

Bunny laughed. "Oh, kitten, I do love your imagination."

"I can't say the same," said Diggle flatly.

"I don't know how long we'll be down here," said Felicity, answering Roy's original question. "It could be hours."

A huge grin split Bunny's face. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask," said Oliver in resignation.

"A sleep over!" announced Bunny in delight. "Such fun! We'll eat pizza, sit round the campfire and tell ghost stories. A perfect Halloween night."

"There isn't going to be a campfire—" said Oliver.

"Oh wait." Felicity fiddled with her phone and then she was holding up her screen to reveal a flickering fire on the screen. "Campfire app," she said happily.

"So, what, I have to share my pizzas now?" asked Roy in dismay. "What a rip."

Bunny made a delighted sound and rubbed his hands together. "And let the festivities begin. Who's up first with a tale of terror, eh?"

"You realize we're not all twelve," said Oliver in exasperation.

"Monkey, there is no point to growing up if you can't be childlike on occasion," tutted Bunny. He walked over and took a seat and smiled up at them all. "Let's have a little fun."

"Robe!" said all three men at once.

"Where all friends here," said an unconcerned Bunny but he still drew together his robe which had slipped open again.

"You and I have a different understanding of the word friends," said Diggle wryly.

"And that is something I'd be more than happy to educate you about, darling," said Bunny, fluttering his eyes at him.

"I'm in," said Felicity brightly and then clarified as everyone looked at her. "Ghost stories and pizza. I'm in."

"Hurrah!" said a delighted Bunny. He patted his lap. "Come sit with me, poppet, we'll make each other tingle in terror."

"Okay, no," said Oliver firmly, stepping in between them. "Felicity isn't sitting on your lap."

"There isn't enough chairs for everyone," pointed out Bunny.

"And excuse me, Oliver Queen," said Felicity, "but I don't think I need your permission. I can sit where I please."

"Then please sit on me," countered Oliver determinedly. "I at least have pants on."

"No evening is perfect," lamented Bunny. "But then, it isn't over yet." He winked at Oliver. "Who knows where we might all end up."

Oliver sighed heavily, knowing this wasn't at all how he'd planned his night to end up but then Felicity was slipping her hand into his and his irritation instantly disappeared. She leant against him and smiled up at him and Oliver found him returning her smile on instinct.

"Things might get a little scary tonight," said Felicity teasingly. "Wanna keep me safe?"

Oliver bent his head and rested his forehead against hers. "Always," he said with heartfelt sincerity, looking warmly into her eyes.

"Adorable," announced Bunny from across the room. "Seriously, I've just put on ten pounds from all that sweetness."

Oliver valiantly kept eye contact with Felicity. "I'm just going to go ahead and pretend it's just the two of here tonight. Work with me on that one, okay?"

Felicity's lips were twitching. "I'll try, but I don't think Bunny is that easy to ignore."

"Looks like I have a spare lap going," said Bunny brightly, looking between Roy and Diggle. "Who's up for a soft place for their finely toned bottoms to find a home? Well, I say soft—"

Oliver squeezed his eyes close at Bunny's relentless flirting. "I don't see how any ghost story could be scarier than this scenario. Locked in a room with Flirty McGraberson with no way out."

Felicity giggled. "Poor baby, and you thought you had it tough on the island."

"I've got a story," announced Roy, opening up the pizza box, "and it'll scare the pants off you."

"Yay! I'm in!" said Bunny in delight. "A story with a guaranteed happy ending. What isn't there to love about that?"

"You're not even wearing pants," pointed out Diggle.

"I'm ahead of the game," said Bunny cheerfully. "I'm just waiting for you gentlemen to catch me up."

"This is going to be a long night, isn't it?" asked Oliver in resignation, still only with eyes for Felicity.

She just smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "There are worse places to be."

As Felicity laid her head on his chest, Oliver had to agree as he breathed in the subtle scent of her shampoo. There were definitely worse places to be right then, even if they did have an audience.

A/N: And in the next chapter we'll finally get to some Halloween stuff. You know, to justify the title, rather than a fic about characters just talking to one another. Lol And now you all know who Ladybug is. Just thought Bunny wouldn't like to travel alone (staff doesn't count) and what better than a giant 70kg dog to cuddle up to at night? ;) That's Bunny for you – bigger is always better. Lol Still on my crazy work schedule and I think I'll be wrecked tomorrow but I'll see how I go with an update tomorrow – no promises though but I'll try. :D