She wasn't having such luck finding any links to the next few names that were in the book that Walter had given her. She didn't understand what the vector was and how bad could it really be. Oliver had already asked her multiple times but she arrived at a dead end. Even Diggle seemed frustrated with the zero leads that they have.

She had sensed earlier in the day that Oliver was trying to steer clear of anything to do with Tommy and for that she didn't know why. They were supposed to be the best of friends and yet they weren't on speaking terms.

Her day had been far from an easy one. She had woken up with a headache that morning but had ignored it thinking that it would just go away. Well, she was certainly wrong about that. It had only gotten worse as the day went on. She was feeling stuffy and could not stop sneezing. When she had arrived at the factory, Diggle insisted that she go home and they would be fine without her for the next 24 hrs but found that she was just as stubborn as the Hood himself and let her be.

"Felicity! Tell me that you have something with Malcolm Merlyn."

Oh he was in a sour mood. That wasn't good. It was already hard enough for her to concentrate and do her job when he was at least tolerable but when he does a complete 180 was another story. One could never predict his moods and she was almost always on edge with him.

"I am working on that right now. There is some serious encryption going on that even the best of MIT will have problems cracking it." She continued without as much giving him a sideway glance.

"Can't you use one of those thing that you said you installed or -"

"OLIVER! No offense but do I tell you how to sharpen your arrows?" She all but glared at him with all her might. "Go do something and leave me alone to do my job!" She whirled around back to her computers and vowed to ignore the man until she had at least cool down and her heart beat to return to normal.

He stood there in shock. This would be the first time that he has seen her mad and that anger or fury it might be was directed at him. He knew that he was pushing her far too much. Apart from Diggle, she was and still is the only one that can help him.

"Fel….Felicity. Look I'm sorry. I don't do the apologizing often but I am today and to you." He saw her heaved a sigh before slowly turning towards him. He was hoping that his attempts of apologizing weren't futile. "I am still trying to get used to a lot of things and having been on that island for five years took a toll."

He really does look exhausted. She didn't know where he was pulling energy to keep him going. "You have to know that we want to help. Diggle is here because he was hired but you and I know that he has been more than your employee. He is your friend. I am here because you had asked for my help in the beginning with the lamest excuses but when I discovered you in the back of my Jeep bleeding, I wanted to help. I could have left you and Diggle to do all of these on your own but I knew that added with my knowledge and expertise I would lift off some burden from the both of you." She had waited to see if he would close off again.

"It's just….it's…..in the beginning…you know before I was gone for a while.."

"You don't need to pain the whole picture. I get some of it. Your sister and mother were there but they weren't there when you needed them because they had problems of their own." She could only imagine how difficult this was for him to start opening up and talking to someone about the things that he had kept inside him for so long.

Nodding off, he walked over to his equipment and began examining each and every piece on the table. He heard Diggle from somewhere and appeared to be muttering something to Felicity. He couldn't make out what they were saying but he sees her taking what might have been some type of medication when she downed a whole glass of water before returning the empty glass back to Diggle who then motioned her to the nearby couch.

"What's wrong? Is she alright?" Questions were running through his head as Diggle approached him.

"She's been feeling under the weather since she came in this morning. Told her to go home and rest but like someone I know, she's too stubborn for her own good." It was an unraveling sight that these days Oliver seemed to be more worried about their computer techie than any of his ex girlfriend, with one he sees very often with Tommy. There was that look of concern that he has seen for the past few weeks.

"I didn't know that she's sick."

"Well that's because you were already too worked up when you got here and failed to notice that she needs to take a break from this once in a while. She has been here as much as we have in pursuit of finding any connections with Marlyn and all the other names in that book. Let her nap for a while. She's not in any state to go home by herself right now so we'll wait."

3 hours later…

She could feel someone trying to shake her awake and calling her name from a distance. Opening her eyes, she saw steel beams high up above. A dread of panic began settling in. She couldn't remember where she was before she was out like a light. Her purse was nowhere near her and didn't know where she was.

"Felicity….hey wake up."

She knew that voice….Oliver. I'm in the rundown factory. Turning her head, there she found those very blue orbs staring back at her. Hovering closely.

"Come on. I'll take you home." His arm was stretched waiting for her to fully get up.

"Where's Diggle?"

"On a date so I'm taking you home. Come on."

"I can get a cab to take me home. You don't have to trouble yourself. I can manage on my own."

"I know you can manage on your own on any given day but you are sick."

"So what, the Hood must guard me on my way home so there'd be no trouble along the way? Like I said, you don't have to get out of your way to do that. I am not an obligation to you."

"The Hood is not taking you home safe, Oliver is. And stop making an assumption that you are an obligation. Dammit Felicity! Why can't you see that I just want to help!"

"Because I never really know when you are just Oliver or Hood himself, even without the suit mask and all."

Rubbing both of his hands over his face, he looked at her dejectedly. "You are invaluable. Not just because of your expertise but because you became a part of this. And I hate to just send you out there when you are not in full Felicity mode. Just let me take you back to your apartment that way I'll at least know myself that you're back safe and sound. "

"Okay."

Walking over to the table, she picked up her purse and cashmere sweater and walked out with Oliver to his car which she rarely see him drive. She could feel his hand on her back guiding her thru.

As they made their way to her apartment, she noticed that he took a turn opposite to hers.

"Oliver my apartment is that way."

"I know but I called Enzo's and got soup for you so we'll swing by to pick it up."

She has only been to Enzo's once but that was enough to have her scurrying back next time she had the chance which was slim to none. The place was expensive but great and there supposedly was a long list to get a reservation. But being Oliver Queen and loaded, he never has a problem with that. Of course I wouldn't tell him that to his face!

Her hopes of just be dropped off outside her apartment failed. He insisted that he walks with her to the apartment and make sure she gets inside then he will leave which she agreed. Well that was about half an hour ago and here they were in her kitchen and she eating the soup that they had picked up from Enzo's.

Too tired to argue from his incessant talk of her going to sleep, she headed for her bedroom to change and plopped down on her bed knowing he'd sneak out from one of her windows when he's done clearing her kitchen which was another surprise to her.

Sleep succumbed her and when morning came, she felt refreshed. Stretching her limbs, she slowly got out of bed and headed out her bedroom.

Something was out of place. Something different. Cautiously walking through the narrow hallway, she looked around her kitchen and seemed to find none except for the kitchen towel haphazardly left on her countertop. Tip toeing to her living room, there she found it. Stunned. Surprised. Overwhelmed.

Olive Queen was asleep on her couch with his arms wrapped around him and looking very much out of place.