4. A Helping Hand

Hushed whispers, a hand softly stroking her hair, the feel of a cool pillow beneath her head; those were the first things Felicity noticed when she regained consciousness. Soon after, other things came into focus. She was lying on her back with her head raised up. Something was pressed to her right leg where she should have felt pain, but there was none. Her eyes shot open.

"Hey," Oliver's soft voice above her nearly made Felicity jump. "Shh, stay still," he soothed as his hand stroked her hair again.

"Oliver… What happened…? What's… what's going on?" Felicity mumbled. She felt dazed, as if a fog had settled over her brain and had yet to dissipate. Her eyes darted all over the room but she couldn't focus. Her head still spun like a top. She closed her eyes again.

"You're okay," Oliver whispered. "You fainted. When was the last time you ate something?"

"Huh?" Felicity's eyes opened slightly. "Um… I don't know… Lunch maybe the day of the…" She couldn't bring herself to say the rest. Her mind brought up images of the destruction and devastation by just thinking about it. They left her feeling guilty and heartbroken.

"Doc says your blood sugar is really low which was probably why you passed out." Oliver's voice was the only thing tethering her to the present. If he hadn't been there, Felicity knew she'd lose herself to the memories. But his startling admission made her heart race as her eyes flew open. Diggle's warning shot to the forefront of her mind.

"What? Doc? He's here?"

"That's right." His voice startled her. She looked down to find Doc placing one final stitch along her leg wound. Unable to watch, Felicity's eyes found their way back to Oliver. She realized she was laying in his lap as she looked up at him. Her heart was racing as a million and one questions flooded her mind.

"Oliver…" The panic in her voice startled him as he gazed down at her, his brows knotting in worry. "Dig… he said…"

"Shh, I know. I already talk to him. He called the house while you were gone. Everything's okay. Doc is an old friend. We can trust him," Oliver reassured her as his fingers continued to caress her hair and her forehead. Felicity tried to sit up, but he quickly clamped a hand on her good shoulder. "Whoa, stay still. I don't want you ripping out the IV."

"What?" She looked down at her arms and sure enough, there was a needle sticking out the inside of her left elbow attached to a thin plastic tube that ran up to a bag Oliver held in his other hand just over his shoulder. "But… why?"

"You're dehydrated too."

"Jeez, what isn't wrong with me?" Felicity muttered before closing her eyes again as his hand came to rest against the top of her head. She was getting dizzy again. This was too much for her food deprived brain to handle at the moment.

"Well, your shoulder isn't dislocated and you don't have an infection," Doc answered. She glanced at him as he pulled off his latex gloves and dropped them into a trash can at his side.

Some time while she'd been unconscious, she figured Oliver must have found his number in her coat pocket and called him. He'd probably also given Doc a rundown of her injuries as well allowing him to assess them properly, unlike when she was at the diner refusing medical attention.

"You're all stitched and bandaged up," Doc said. "I gave you a tetanus shot while you were out along with some local anesthetic that should wear off in a few hours. Try to keep the wound as dry as possible, but you can still take a shower. Other than that, keep it clean with one part peroxide, one part water, and those stitches should be able to come out in two weeks."

Felicity nodded in understanding. For the first time in a really long time, she felt relieved. They had done a good job cleaning her wound, but her concern now turned to his injury. She gazed up at him, eyes soft with worry, and asked, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Oliver retorted. He was being intentionally evasive. She could see he wanted no medical attention outside his own, but after all that had happened, there was no way she'd allow it, especially since there was a possibility it was infected.

"Please, Oliver, just have him look at it," Felicity begged. She attempted to sit up again, mindful of the needle in her arm this time. With Doc's help, she placed her feet up on the coffee table and gazed over at Oliver, her eyes wrought with worry. "I don't know if I have the strength to keep patching you up right now," she whispered.

Her words hit home. She could see it in his eyes. Oliver nodded, and as Doc sat on the coffee table waiting, he pulled his t-shirt over his head then peeled off the bandage just above his heart while Felicity helped him with the one at his back.

"Jesus…" Doc hissed, the alarm clear in his voice. "How are you not dead?" Oliver and Felicity exchanged glances as he slipped on another pair of gloves.

"Luck?" Oliver snickered. Felicity glared at him.

She, too, was curious as to how he got that wound in such a precarious location, but whatever had caused it, Felicity knew it somehow missed every single vital organ and artery. Something told her that this wasn't luck. It looked as if Oliver might have done it himself judging by its placement. The thought sent a chill down her spine. 'Why would he do that to himself?' she wondered. Felicity made a point to find out once the doctor was gone.

"There is some slight discoloration around the edges, but it looks to be healing," Doc observed, knocking her out of her thoughts. "I don't think you need stitches, but this should help." He pulled a small box out of the brown leather bag at his feet and handed it to Oliver. Inside was a tube of ointment with directions on usage. "It's basically high powered Neosporin. Apply this with every bandage change and it should cut down healing time." He turned to Felicity and added, "Same goes for you, young lady."

"Yes, sir," she softly replied. He pulled one more thing out of his bag and handed it to her. It was a dark blue sling with white trim and straps for her arm.

"This should help ease some of your shoulder pain as well," Doc said. The strap clipped at the front allowing her arm to slip into it easily without having to lift her shoulder. Before he put it on her, Doc took the IV out of her arm. "Make sure you take the pain meds I've left for both of you so you're comfortable and keep icing your shoulder periodically. It should keep the swelling down and lessen your pain some more."

"Thank you," Felicity said, grateful for the relief she already felt now that both she and Oliver had been properly taken care of.

"You're welcome, both of you," Doc replied as he stood up, discarding his gloves into the trash can. With his bag in hand, he started to make his way towards the door. "You two take care of yourselves, and Oliver, please don't be a stranger. It's been nearly twenty years since I last saw you. Liv and I have sorely missed you and your family. You should come around more often and see us."

"I know, Doc. I'll try to come back again sometime soon. We'll be here for a while longer so maybe I'll stop at the diner and see Liv in the next couple of days," Oliver said as he shook the older man's hand.

"She'll appreciate it. She misses you. Hearing you were back in town, she wanted to come down with me to see you, but I told her this was business and that it was better for her to stay home," Doc explained as they made their way to the door. Oliver held it open for him as he exited. "Anyway, if you need anything or if your injuries get any worse, please don't hesitate to call me; I'm right down the road." And with that, Doc was out the door leaving Oliver and Felicity alone again in the small house.

Silence descended upon the living room as she stared down at her hands. Having had many of her questions answered about Doc and if he could be trusted, Felicity felt slightly relieved that this man had once been an important part of Oliver's life. Now that he was gone, it left the two of them in a precarious position.

Felicity was still uncertain about how to broach the subject of her fight with Oliver. She wanted to apologize for pushing him, but the timing didn't feel right, not after what had just happened. If anything she felt the need to apologize for putting him through hell first. Fainting had definitely not been on her to do list when she got back.

When a blanket fell over her shoulders, Felicity nearly jumped. She was beginning to notice this happened quite often now. Every little noise or sudden movement made her want to crawl out of her skin. The psychological effects of what had happened in the Glades were finally starting to show through the cracks of her psyche. It was a troubling prospect, one she didn't want to dwell on right now.

Oliver sat down beside her, his blue eyes falling on her profile as she continued to stare down at her hands. They were cold and trembled slightly. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his fingers brushing over hers, but she scooted away and slipped her hand around her waist.

"Don't be," Felicity quietly replied. "If anyone needs to be sorry, it's me." She still couldn't bring herself to look at him. The conflicting feelings that bounced around in her head made it hard for Felicity to focus. She had so many things to say, but nothing really wanted to come out of her mouth.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"I didn't mean to scare you," she answered. "I had no idea I was that hungry."

"Are you hungry now?" The thought of food instantly made Felicity's stomach growl. She didn't have to answer; Oliver was already making his way to the kitchen. "I'll heat up those burgers you brought from the diner," he said.

"Wait, how did you know…?"

Oliver had his hand on the stainless steel refrigerator ready to pull it open before he turned and replied, "I knew you'd gotten that card I found in your coat somewhere. Doc told me he met you there and that you were ordering for two, so…" Felicity nodded before Oliver could finish his thought. There was another long, awkward silence that passed between them.

"Right, anyway…" Felicity felt the need to fill the space with something to keep her mind occupied. If the silence continued, she felt other less savory thoughts would fill her brain.

"Why don't you go upstairs and change into something else? I think there might be some clothes up there that'll fit you," Oliver suggested.

Felicity nodded. Gingerly setting her feet down on the hardwood floor, she began to stand up only to start feeling dizzy. She swayed before putting a hand on the armrest of the couch to keep from toppling over. Within that span of a few seconds Oliver was at her side again, his arm wrapping around her waist to steady her.

"Maybe you should eat first," he said as he held her against his side.

"No, I really need to get out of these clothes," Felicity replied. She was done being reminded of all the things that had happened over the past two days. It was about time she shed the final remnants of that fateful day.

With Oliver's help, they headed towards the staircase. Just thinking about the Glades made her head spin and she needed a distraction. Their guest provided the perfect out. "So… How well do you know Doc?" Felicity asked.

"He was our family physician for as long as I can remember. He'd seen me enough times to fill a three ring binder with the amount of trouble I'd get myself into on the beach and in the forest," Oliver candidly answered to her surprise. She wasn't expecting him to be so forthcoming with information about his past, but decided now would be a good time to see how far she could take this conversation.

"And you trust him?" she asked.

"Yes, just like I trust you and Dig. He and his wife, Liv, have always been good to my family. They wouldn't tell a soul we were here," he said.

Felicity nodded as they ascended the stairs. "Well, I trust you, so any friend of yours is a friend of mine," she replied with a half smile.

They had reached the master bedroom and Oliver eased her onto the bed before throwing open the doors to the walk in closet. He pulled out an oversized white t-shirt and a pair of navy board shorts from it. "Are these okay?" he asked, handing them to her.

"Yeah, they're fine," Felicity replied as she took them from his hand.

"I'll be right outside if you need me," Oliver said before he left the room so she could change in peace.

"What about…" Felicity's voice trailed off. She wasn't about to ask Oliver Queen to find her some underwear. He paused for a moment at the door and stared at her. "Never mind," she added, figuring she'd just go commando tonight. He left without another word. Tomorrow, after things had settled down a bit, she'd look for the unmentionables.

Slipping her arm out of the sling, Felicity set about trying to take the tattered dress off by herself. She only succeeded in touched the zipper with her right hand, but being unable to pull it down because it kept getting stuck in a wrinkle along her back. Her left hand was useless. Just moving it caused pain to shoot through her limb and straight through the rest of her body.

Frustrated that she couldn't do anything by herself, Felicity sat on the bed and took several deep breaths to calm down. She was about to do the last thing she wanted to do. "Oliver!" she called out. He was standing in front of her seconds later. As she gazed down at her lap in shame, Felicity mumbled, "Can you help me?"

"Yeah, sure," Oliver replied. She stood slowly and turned around, pulling her hair away from her neck when he reached for the zipper. As he dragged it down, her cheeks began to redden. Suddenly, this was really becoming a bad idea. These weren't the circumstances under which Felicity imagined Oliver taking her clothes off. The thought was immediately banished from her mind. This was not the time to be thinking those thoughts.

When the zipper reached the small of her back, his hands came up and began slipping the straps down her shoulders. Felicity quickly stepped away and said, "Whoa, there! I'm good. You can go now." Oliver had already done enough in five minutes to kick start her dreams for the next few years. Things didn't need to get any more awkward between them.

"Sorry," Oliver mumbled before he walked out of the room again. She could see the flush on his face as he ducked his head to hide his embarrassment. It almost matched hers in color and intensity. At least he felt some remorse for what he'd done. It made Felicity wonder just how many times he'd been in this position before: unzipping a woman's dress for reasons other than to help her due to injury. Again, it was a thought immediately pushed out of her mind.

Felicity carefully wiggled her way out of the dress. With Oliver having slipped the straps down off her shoulders, it made things a little easier for her and although it still felt awkward, she was grateful he'd done it. She kicked the dress to the side before taking off her simple white cotton bra and matching panties. The weight that seemed to lift off her shoulders once she got rid of her clothes felt immense. They had become a symbol of the worst tragedy she'd ever experienced. Now all that was left was to burn them.

Setting about the task of getting redressed, Felicity put the board shorts on first. She drew the string as tight as it would go around her tiny waist, but even then they were still loose on her. At least they didn't fall off her hips. The t-shirt would be a challenge, though. With her right hand, she managed to get one sleeve on and slipped it over her head to cover her body. Her left shoulder protested the moment she began to lift it into the other sleeve. Letting out a cry of frustration, she stopped only to find Oliver rushing in to help her again.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his eyes filled with worry.

"I can't get my left arm into the sleeve," Felicity grumbled as she glared down at it.

"Let me help you," Oliver offered. She hesitated for a moment. They'd already been through one awkward encounter in these past few minutes. She didn't want another one. Somehow he'd managed to read her mind and added, "I promise I won't do anything unless you tell me to."

"Fine," Felicity relented. Her right arm dropped to the side while the left remained bent at her waist.

"Bend your arm up at the elbow and I'll pull the shirt down so you don't have to move it too much," Oliver said. Following his instructions, Felicity did as she was told and surprisingly, it worked without her being in too much pain.

"Well, I'll have to remember that for next time," she said as she slipped her arm back into the sling and clipped it into place. Felicity steadied herself against the wall intending to walk down the stairs on her own until Oliver's hand came around her waist. She looked up at him, their eyes locking for a few moments as several unspoken emotions passed between them. Felicity had to look away before she got too caught up in that gaze. The fear of uttering something stupid forced her to grab the railing in order to clear her mind.

Together they descended the stairs back to the living room. This time, silence fell between them. There were so many things running through Felicity's mind that she didn't know what to say first. She just knew now wasn't the time. When they reached the last step, a knock at the front door grabbed Oliver's attention.

"Stay here," he whispered, his body tense with anticipation as he quietly stalked towards the door.

"It's Thea," Felicity sighed, realizing she had completely forgotten to tell him that his sister would be joining them tonight.

The tension in Oliver's body unfurled as he turned back to Felicity and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I kind of passed out, so…" She stopped as Oliver pulled the door open. Thea stood there in a black hoodie and dirt covered blue jeans, her eyes overrun with tears and her face smudged with dust.

"Ollie?" she whimpered before throwing her backpack to the floor and launching herself into her brother's arms.

From the bottom of the staircase Felicity watched the tender moment unfold. Oliver wrapped his arms around his sister, bringing her in for a tight hug that lasted well over a minute as she cried softly against his chest. "Oh, thank God. I was so scared something happened to you," Thea wept before pulling away. She surveyed him for a moment and noticed the bandage just over his heart. "Oh, god, something did happen to you!" she cried.

"Thea, I'm fine," Oliver reassured her in the calmest voice Felicity had ever heard from him. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"What happened, Ollie? Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you. It's like after I called to tell you about Mom's press conference you dropped off the face of the earth. Do you have any idea how scared I was? Dad's dead, Mom's in prison, Walter's gone, and Roy… I don't even know where he is! You're all I had left and I couldn't find you!" Thea was practically yelling now as she glared up at her brother with angry blue eyes. Tears spilled down her cheeks as her emotions ranged from relieved to confused to angry in the span of a few seconds.

"I'm sorry." Oliver remained amazingly calm throughout her outburst, almost as if he'd been through more than his fair share of them in the past. He placed his hands on her shoulders and held her back for a few moments.

"And why didn't you answer your phone? I had to find out from your girlfriend where you were!"

Felicity cleared her throat. Two sets of eyes fell on her. "I'm not his girlfriend," she corrected. "We're just friends." She watched something flash in Oliver's eyes, but it disappeared as soon as he realized she was staring at him. Was it hurt? Felicity couldn't tell. All she could see now was the mask he so easily fit into place when his emotions got the best of him. She continued, "And I only answered his phone because it was in the cup holder of my car. I didn't realize he'd forgotten it there until you called as I was on my way back with dinner, which you are more than welcome to share with us."

"Dinner, huh?" Thea replied. "Blondie's got a point. I'm starving. What's for dinner?"

"Cold burgers," Oliver said as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Yummy!" Felicity could almost hear the brunette roll her eyes as she followed her brother.

Oliver turned to face her, his steady gaze taking in her dirty features. "Why don't you go upstairs and clean up?" he replied. "You look like crap, Speedy."

Felicity watched her bristle at the nickname and smiled. Although they'd only met once, she had a feeling Thea was an interesting character and they'd probably get along, if she could get past the fact that Oliver had brought her here.