Author's Note: hey readers, I know a lot of you were very concerned about Felicity drunk driving in chapter one. Thank you to everyone who stuck around for chapter 2. I'm glad that I was able to intrigue those of you who were still finding the story questionable.
Disclaimer: I don't own a single thing from Arrow or its characters.
Chapter Three: I Didn't Mean to Make You Uncomfortable
Oliver walked up to Felicity's apartment door and lightly tapped. When he got no response, he pulled out his phone so call her, but in that moment, his phone rang. He checked to see who was calling but it was an unknown number.
"Hello?" He answered cautiously.
"Oliver, you need to come down to the station now. Lance just arrested me!" Felicity cried into the receiver.
"Seriously? I'm going to send Dig to talk to Laurel, hopefully she can work something out. In the meantime I'm going to go to ask Bailey some questions about last night." Oliver responded.
"Okay...be safe." she replied softly.
"Felicity, I promise we are going to get you out of there." He said, before hanging up and calling Diggle.
"Hey, man, you on your way back?" Dig answered.
"Lance arrested Felicity, I need you to go talk to Laurel, see if she can talk her father into letting Felicity go." Oliver responded.
"We should've seen that coming." Dig replied, shaking his head. "I'm headed to Laurel now. In the mean time, you need to suit up and talk to Bailey before the club opens."
"I'm on it."
"Felicity Smoak. IT genius and tech extraordinaire. It's surprising to see you here for drunk driving rather than hacking." Lance smiled, sarcastically, taking a seat across from Felicity in the interrogation room. Felicity kept a straight face. "While I have you here, let's talk about your friend: the Hood, Arrow, whatever he's calling himself these days."
"I can tell you one thing, he's not going to be very thrilled that you arrested me." she replied, smiling back.
"Oh is that right? I'm counting on it, Smoak, because the second he steps foot in this precint, he's under arrest too." He explained as a knock sounded on the door. "Laurel, sweetie, what are you doing here? I'm busy." Laurel stepped inside.
"I've just come to let you know that my client is free to go." Laurel said, walking over to stand beside Felicity.
"Free to go? Under what jurisdiction? " he challenged.
"The jurisdiction where the DA said so." She stated, confidently, handing him a folded up paper.
"What's this?" he asked, opening and skimming over it. "Bullshit! She's not leaving until I speak to the DA myself!"
"Be my guest," Laurel smiled as her father left the room. She then turned to Felicity. "Don't worry, the DA owes me a favor. " she winked.
"I'm sorry you had to get involved Laurel." She apologized. "But thank you. I really appreciate it."
"The Arrow has done a lot for this city. The least I can do is hand him back his tech goddess, right?" Laurel replied, nonchalantly, right before her father walked back inside.
"You got off easy this time, Smoak. But next time, no one can help you weave your way out." He said angrily, uncuffing her hands and leaving.
"I owe you big time, Laurel." Felicity told her. Laurel helped her stand, knowing she was still in pain from the night before.
"Consider it a thanks for helping the Arrow clean up this city." she smiled.
_
Meanwhile at Verdant, 6:30pm
Bailey was standing behind the bar of the empty club, drying off the freshly cleaned glasses. She place the glasses on the bar as she dried them. One of the glasses shattered, after being hit with an arrow, startling her.
"Geez, dude! You scared the shit outta me!" she yelled, seeing the arrow pointed at her.
"What did you put in Felicity Smoak's drink last night?!" Oliver growled.
"What are you talking about!" Bailey yelled, "I didn't-"
"Bailey, don't play dumb with me!" He yelled, advancing towards her, arrow still aimed. "I've already checked the security cameras, so either you tell me the truth, or the next arrow goes in your eye!" He threatened.
"Okay! Okay!" She yelled, hands flying in the air.
"I'm listening."
"The guy who was here-" she started.
"What guy?!" he growled.
"The one that was getting handsy with Felicity... he threatened to kill my daughter if I didn't drug her." she admitted. "Please, Mr. Arrow sir, you have to believe me, I have a five year old at home!" she cried.
"What did you put in the drinks, Bailey?"
"I...I dunno, he didn't tell me what is was!" She cried out, shaking in fear. "I swear, I'm telling the truth!" Oliver slowly lowered his arrow.
"Where do I find him?" He pushed.
"I don't know!"
"What's his name? What does he look like? Work with me, Bailey!"
"Umm, he was maybe two or three inches shorter than you. Dark brown hair, green eyes, he was pretty unstable. He said to call him 'the Doctor'." She rushed out. "I swear to you, that's all I know." That was enough to tell Oliver who he needed to speak to next:
Dr. Abell.
Dig helped Felicity get settled back inside of her apartment.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, sitting on the edge of her bed, while she lie down.
"Everything hurts, Dig." She whimpered.
"Where's your pain meds?" He asked.
"Living room. Coffee table. Mmm, coffee. Want coffee." She smiled weakly, causing Diggle to smile back.
"Water for now, you need to get some rest. You had a pretty eventful 24 hours." He said, standing to head to the living room. Moments later, he returned with a small bottle of Tylenol codeine and a glass of water. He opened the bottle and dropped two of the pills into her awaiting palm. She sat up and dutifully swallowed the pills, chasing them with the water.
"Thank you," she spoke softly. "Hey, Dig... can I talk to you about something?" She asked, playing with a loose thread on her blanket.
"Anything," he said, gently placing a hand on her knee. "Is this about that 'talk' you and Oliver won't tell me about?" Felicity nodded slowly, then sighed.
"Yesterday... he told me that he can't be with me... and be the Arrow." She started. Diggle made a mental note to talk to Oliver, considering he'd already had this conversation with him. "Then he kissed me... and.. it just... tore me apart." Diggle leaned over to wipe the stray tear from her cheek.
"I'm sorry, Felicity." he whispered, gently pulling her into a hug, while she sobbed softly. She pulled back and wiped her eyes.
"Dig, there's so much going on right now, my emotions are everywhere." She admitted. "I can hardly think straight. And it's harder being around him. Having him...put his arm around my shoulder and kissing my forehead... I can't have him doing this... I-"
"So tell him that." He suggested. "Oliver does care about you. Hell, the man is in love with you. He just hasn't learned how to live both lifestyles simultaneously."
"I don't think he wants to." She said, honestly.
"Listen... Oliver is used to being a loner. He'd spent five years fending for himself then came here to start this crusade on his own." Diggle started. "You and I know better than anyone, the things he's done these last few years. He feels like he protecting you by keeping you at arms length. He just needs to understand that the best way to protect you is by keeping you close." Felicity sat in silence, pondering his words. She wished Oliver would take a page out of Dig's book.
"You know, I could really use that coffee," she smiled half-heartedly.
"Fine, but decaf for you." He smiled standing and grabbing her keys. "Don't open the door for anyone."
"Sir, yes sir!" She saluted as he left.
Oliver returned to Felicity's apartment around 8pm. He was dressed casually, but had his suit in his duffel bag. The trio was currently sitting at the kitchen island, finishing up dinner.
"Thanks for cooking," she smiled, "I know it wasn't easy with the one pot I own." Oliver nodded in response with a small smile.
"How have you been living here all this time with only one pot?" Dig asked with a laugh .
"I... can't cook..." she admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Well anytime you need a home cooked meal, just give me a call." Oliver smiled at her, causing her to look up at him through dark lashes and chew on her bottom lip.
"I'm gonna use the bathroom." Dig announced, eyeing the pair, and leaving them to talk. Felicity swallowed hard with an audible gulp.
"What's wrong, Felicity?" Oliver asked, concerned for the brilliant blonde sitting across from him. She exhaled and placed her palms flat on the table, as if she was bracing herself. He reached across the island with one hand to hold her's, but was taken aback when she quickly snatched it away. "Felicity, talk to me."
"It's... it's nothing." She said, hoping to put off the conversation for a while.
"If it was nothing, Dig wouldn't have suspiciously excused himself to the bathroom." Oliver started. "Look, I know that I probably made things awkward yesterday," he continued, referring to their conversation. "but no matter what's going on with you, you can always talk to me. I'll always be here for you." Felicity swallowed again.
"Oliver..." she started out, with her voice raspy, finally getting the guts to look him in the eye.
"What's up?" He urged gently.
"I need you to stop... toying with me." She responded, trying to put her feelings into words.
"Felicity, I'm not-"
"You are. I know you don't mean to, Oliver. And I know you only mean well, but you are. You're playing with my emotions and you don't even realize it." she whispered. He reached over to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, when she caught his hand. "This needs to stop." She said, barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking down and lowering his hand to his lap.
"You told me that you can't be with me, then you kissed me and told me that you-"
"I meant it, Felicity. I do love you." He said, cutting her off.
"Then either stop pushing me away or keep it to yourself... please." She pleaded with him. "All the touching and forehead kisses... it's making it really hard for me, Oliver."
"I'm... so sorry.. I didn't mean to make to make you... uncomfortable." He said sheepishly. "If there was some other way... that I could be with you... and be-"
"But there's not!" Felicity raised her voice, standing. Oliver followed suit and stepped around the island to stand in front of her.
"I just want to keep you safe." he said. "If we're together you become a constant target."
"Oliv-" she started before he silenced her with a kiss. It started off slow, until he tangled his fingers into her hair and deepened it. His tongue teased her lower lip, and she felt herself getting lost in the moment, despite her better judgement. His right hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling the pajama clad blonde closer to him, while his left arm snaked around her small waist. Felicity's hands slid up his chest, softly pushing against him, making him break the kiss.
"Felicity Smoak, I'm-" he started.
"Don't say it, please." She said looking down, feeling the tears threatening to fall. One hand still on her waist, he gently lifted her head with one finger so she could look at him.
"I'm in love with you." He finished. "Please just bear with me... I promise you, I'm trying to... figure out how to balance this.. just please give me time." The tears instantly slid down her cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumb, before continuing. "I know it's... selfish of me to ask. But please give me time, Felicity."
"Is the air cleared?" Dig asked stepping out of the bathroom, causing them to break apart.
"Yeah, everything's fine!" Felicity lied, wiping her eyes and giving Dig a forced smile. He could easily see the pain written all over her face, but he didn't push it. "So, what's the plan for tonight?" She asked changing the subject and moving away from Oliver to sit back at the island
"Dig and I are going to head back to Starling Hospital. Abell's shift ends at 11, so the Arrow will have a long talk with him. Dig is going to break into the lab in there and grab your file from last night." Oliver explained.
"Bonus points if I can find a vile of your blood." Diggle chimed in.
"Speaking of which, did you get to talk to anyone at Star Labs?" Oliver asked, not making eye contact with Felicity.
"No, but it's fine. Let me test it myself... I need to be back in the lair. I need to feel like myself." She replied.
"Fine," he gave in. "When Dig and I get back-"
"Just let me go now, I don't need a babysitter." She complained. "I can be a better help to you guys with all of my tech." Oliver was about to debate, but Dig jumped in.
"Felicity's right, man. Don't worry, Roy can watch her." He suggested.
"Shit," Oliver muttered under his breath. "It's so much going on, I completely forgot about Roy." He admitted.
"Way ahead of you, brother. I've been keeping him up to date, he's been patrolling." Dig replied.
"Good." Oliver stated, with a nod, before turning to Felicity. "Get dressed, we'll drop you off on the way to the hospital."
So I know they were supposed to have a chat with Abell in this chapter, but I decided to save that for chapter 4, where you will get a better look into "the Doctor". If you haven't already, check out my second story, "Arrow through a Clover" and see vigilante Felicity vs Arrow!