The pain wasn't anything that she couldn't handle…at least not without the help of the painkillers… She remembered what she felt like earlier. This was better. So much better. Felicity opened her eyes slowly and took in her surroundings.

She hated the hospital.

Especially this hospital.

Because she was in the hospital.

Felicity wanted to be anywhere but there right now. She hated needles and pointy things and hospitals were full of them. The fact that she had an IV in her wigged her out even though technically there was no needle inside of her. It still made her feel all woozy thinking about it.

Diggle was there and she smiled. He was concentrating on his phone and Felicity had a feeling that he was thankful for the invention of smart phones. She'd seen Diggle's apartment, art everywhere, but she wasn't sure if he was a reader. If he didn't have his phone, what would he do while she slept?

"Are you keeping watch?" she managed to whisper out.

He looked immediately over to her with the biggest smile on his face. "There's our girl…"

"I'll take that," she told him as she closed her eyes for a moment. She really didn't mind being Oliver and Diggle's 'girl' in that context. They were her 'guys' after all, whether they were aware of that or not.

"How are you feeling?"

"Less like I'm dying…"

"Definitely not dying," Diggle told her as he moved closer to her bedside. "You have to have surgery…and physical therapy…but…you're going to be okay…"

"Did you warn them that I hate pointy things?"

"I think they figured that out," Diggle told her, a smile still in place.

Felicity sighed. "It's not my fault… I hadn't meant—"

"You were in a car accident," Diggle said slowly. "They understand that you're in pain and they realize that you didn't get the pain meds when you should have had them… "

"What were you doing before I interrupted?" she asked as she weakly motioned to his phone with her good hand.

"Homework."

"Oh, you have homework?"

"I'm Oliver's temporary assistant."

"Lucky you," she teased. "Do you want tips?"

"Don't worry, you're getting back the position as soon as you're out of here…maybe sooner… Oliver was supposed to bring by your tablet before his visit with the Lances', but I guess he's going to do it after."

"And my glasses?"

"And your glasses…"

"You didn't tell him to go through my drawers, did you?" she asked and then closed her eyes. So wrong. "You know…for clothes… I meant—"

Diggle chuckled. "Actually, Sara said that she'd go with him so that he didn't completely invade your privacy… We figured that it wouldn't be so bad if another woman went through your clothing."

"I suppose…"

"So, the Lances? Laurel acting up again?"

"So it seems…"

"You know, I feel like I should have sympathy for her…but I can't bring myself to do it," Felicity told him matter of factly. "She blames everyone…doesn't take responsibility, but John…" she stopped and took a breath to try to keep herself from getting too worked up. Oliver had been trying to 'fix' the Lances for a couple of weeks now…ever since Sara came back and was able to be 'alive' again. "She has her family back… She has a family… She doesn't know how lucky she is."

"She doesn't…"

"She needs help."

"And hopefully Oliver can get her to see that."

"We can only hope that's true, but sometimes…as hard as it is…you just have to let people fall…and let them find their way back…"

"And I think that may be the hardest to watch," Diggle told her.

"So," Felicity said a moment later. "Your homework?"

"You need a new car."

"The last one was leased."

"I'm pretty sure that Oliver will cover it."

"I liked my car."

"It's pretty totaled."

"I figured," she replied with a sigh. Felicity really wasn't too thrilled about that. She had really liked her car and even though the back seat had been stained a bit from Oliver's blood, it had memories. It was where Oliver first revealed himself to her as the vigilante. It was her home in between home and work…

"Oliver really wanted me to look up the safest car for you," Diggle confessed. "I think this scared him a little more than he's willing to admit. He actually has slept more here than anywhere else in the last twenty-four hours or so… He didn't even want to leave to shower… I'm surprised he didn't just use the facilities here…"

"I don't need you guys here watching me the whole time," Felicity told him. "It's nice, but not needed…as soon as you give me my tablet and glasses."

Diggle smirked. "Of course, but it's just to be safe…"

She stopped and just stared at him. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Were they really worried about her safety? "You think that Mrs. Queen—"

"I'm not thinking she'd make such a bold move, but Oliver isn't putting anything past her… Someone will be here with you… That's how it's going to be, at least until we can get you out of here."

"And when will that be?"

"Once they can do the surgery."

"Which will be…?"

"We haven't been told yet. They were waiting for swelling to go down," Diggle explained. "Oliver had been the one who talked to the doctor. He was gone by the time I got here…"

"Great…" she mumbled. Not only did she pretty much know nothing about what was happening, but neither did Diggle. In terms of fail, this was pretty epic.

"So…" Diggle said slowly. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"You know what happened."

"Felicity—"

"I got hit when I was heading towards Verdant," Felicity recounted. "They hit the side of my car and not only ran me off the road, but flipped by car… I was locked in by the seat belt—"

"And what about your head?"

Felicity frowned. "Did Oliver tell you?"

"He's worried about you."

"I know."

"I'm worried about you," he told her, putting emphasis on the first part. "You should have reported everything that happened to Lance…"

"I can't do that."

"Felicity, you can't protect Mrs. Queen—"

"I'm not," she whispered.

"Oliver—"

"It's not only Oliver who would be impacted if I pressed charges…especially without evidence," Felicity told him. "Thea too. Queen Consolidated… My job—"

"You work for Oliver—"

"I really don't think that would matter… I'm not going to poke the bear, so to speak…"

"I wish you wouldn't protect her."

"I'm not," Felicity reminded. "I'm protecting Thea…and Oliver…"

"Oliver's a big boy—"

"Thea's been through so much already," Felicity reminded. "The Queens have lost so much family, I won't be the one who takes her away… Oliver's already distanced himself from her…I'm not saying for good reason, but in a way….it's my fault… I didn't want to cause a rift in their family."

"Don't blame yourself—"

"It's hard not to."

"Did you really do something wrong?"

"No."

"Then, don't blame yourself," Diggle told her. "Plus, Oliver has other family…"

"But Thea doesn't…"

Felicity thought that she'd love to reach out and be friends with Thea. She seemed like she was a good kid and with Roy being pulled into the fold, it seemed natural. It wasn't the right time, though. Thea just didn't need to be put through anything else and Felicity wasn't going to be the catalyst to start anything else.

"She doesn't know she has us as family…"

"Not yet, she doesn't," Diggle reminded.

"Not yet."

. . .

He must have thought she was asleep because he had tried to be as quiet as he could. Diggle had fallen asleep and Oliver had quiet released him of his guard watch. Felicity still really didn't think it was necessary. She didn't think that anyone was going to get any sleep at this rate.

"Are you sure that you're going to be alright tonight?"

"I'll be fine. I had a nap. Plus, you know that Sara will watch my back."

"You don't have to do this…"

"We all have our parts to play…"

"I never—"

"You only intended on me playing you that one time, I know… It's okay; we're going to try to stay in anyways… Hopefully it'll be quiet."

"Did you bring everything?"

"Yes."

"Tablet and glasses?"

"I swear it's in here."

"Good, otherwise I think she'd kick you out."

They both laughed lightly and she couldn't help but smile in the dark. There was a small light on, but nothing more than to illuminate them a bit. She watched as Oliver walked him to the door before he shut it.

"You didn't say anything."

"Diggle was asleep… He needed the sleep," she whispered.

He crossed the room and moved the chair until it was right up against her bed. Oliver grabbed the small duffel bag and hauled it over to her. He set it on the bed next to her before moving to the other chair. He'd brought a suit, she figured for tomorrow, and he moved to hang it up somewhere out of the way.

"You have work tomorrow—"

"That's why I came prepared."

"But—"

"You're not going to get rid of me, Felicity," he told her.

"You need rest…and facilities and…this just isn't a conducive place for that…"

"I thought hospitals were all about resting and healing?"

"That's all a big fat lie," Felicity told him. "They poke you and prod you… There are machines that beep and alarms going off… There's a nurse coming in on a regular basis even if you're asleep… They try to make you eat on their schedule… I'd much rather be at home…"

"Soon," he told her.

"Not soon enough."

He smiled and laughed as he settled into the chair. "I brought you things, though," Oliver told her.

"You didn't happen to bring my pillow?"

Oliver looked upset for a moment.

"It's okay," she said quickly. "I know I didn't say anything and—"

"No, it's just…Sara told me I should bring it…" Oliver said. He sighed and shook his head. "I thought it was silly because there are pillows here…"

"It's not the same," Felicity told him with a small smile.

"I promise to get it tomorrow."

"I'm going to hold you to that promise," Felicity told him.

"You make me a list of anything that I didn't bring…and I'll make sure you get it… No matter what it is…"

So, she unzipped the bag and immediately beamed at the reveal of not only her glasses case, but her tablet as well. The two things she'd been waiting for since she woke up. The glasses were immediately out of the case and on her face. Being able to see clearly was really something that she was far too excited about. She flipped the cover back on the tablet and woke the screen. She immediately figured out how to connect to the hospital's wireless and then stopped at the realization that she didn't have something.

"I'm also going to need a new phone."

"I can do that," he said with a smile.

Using the hospital phone just wasn't going to work for her. Plus, it wasn't convenient as far as it came to keeping in touch with all of the members of Team Arrow. That was vital. She signed into her work stuff and frowned a bit. "You have that meeting tomorrow… It's important… With Isabel…"

"I know."

"We didn't prep for it because we should have done that today…and today you didn't go into work," she said slowly and then closed her eyes. Things were important as far as Queen Consolidated's future when it came to Isabel Rochev. "You really need me there tomorrow…"

"So, you'll be there," Oliver told her as he tapped her tablet. "I'm sure we can make it work…"

"We're going over this now… I refuse to let Isabel feel like she wins at anything…" Felicity said firmly. "So, you better be ready to work."

"Whatever you want," Oliver told her.

"After you figure out how to get me something to eat…something better than what they gave me earlier…" Felicity told him. "Liquid diet and crackers are not fun… I ate it all without throwing up… They promised me solids… I have yet to get it."

Oliver just smiled. "I think I can manage that."

"I'm sure that you can charm those nurses into anything," Felicity teased. "Go…use your superpowers…and then come back and be ready to tackle this…"

"Now, I know who's in charge…" he teased back with a grin.

"I was trying to keep you from realizing that. Better to think that everything is your idea."

. . .

TBC…