Author Note:Two chapters in one day, not to shabby. I know this is shorter than some of all my other chapters (not that they are super long, I'm working on that by the way), I still hope you all enjoy it anyways. Also, I'm sorry to all the Laurel fans for the way I wrote her... I am very unfond of her and I think you're going to be able to tell. Sorry :/ Disclaimer: Yup you guessed it, Arrow still isn't mine :(

He watched her walk down the hall back into her bedroom and close her door behind her. He really wishes she was more willing to share her troubles with him. He was awake last night when she laid herself beside him. He could feel her fear in her shaking, but he also felt the tension leave her body as she curled up close to him. He also felt the kiss that she placed on the corner of his lips and he wished that he moved his head just a fraction of an inch so he could have felt her lips on his. Yes, of all the things he wished he wished for that the most.

A couple weeks have passed since the night she crawled on the couch with him. For a few nights afterward she slept on the couch with him. Then one night when he was getting comfortable on the couch and waited Felicity to lay down with him, she did something completely shocking. She grabbed his hand and walked him to her bedroom. She made a comment about having a back ache since she started lying on the couch with him.

The first time he woke up next to her in her bed, he felt such a rush of happiness a happiness that he hadn't felt in such a long time. She was becoming an addiction to him. He wanted, no he had to around her. Since the night of Tommy's death to right now, she has become his best friend. She has never judged him or thought little of him. Sure at the beginning of her joining as she would say "Team Hood", she was a little uneasy, but not anymore. She knew him, better than anyone has since he came home from the island.

He shook his head to clear all these thoughts he was having. He needs to have a clear mind so he can play his club owner playboy persona to be believable. He was talking with some of the workers when he heard her voice, "Hi Ollie."

He stops mid-sentence and turned to look at the woman who up until three and half months ago he believed to be his hope, the one he was always going to want. "Hello Laurel, what can I do for you?" He looks to the guys he was talking to, "Can you guys give me a few minutes?" They all nodded in unison and walked away, and Oliver in turn walks toward Laurel.

"You look good Ollie. How have you been?"

"I've been ok, getting better all the time. I'm going to ask again, what can I do for you?"

She took a deep breath and started walking toward him, "I wanted to talk to you. I really hate the way we left things the last time we talked-"

"Don't you mean you? You told me our night together was a mistake. Then you told me that we can't be together because it's an insult to Tommy's memory and I can agree with that, so what else is there to talk about?" He voice came out a lot sharper than he planned, but he made no apology for himself.

Laurel was standing in front of him now, and he felt his jaw tighten. "I know I said some terrible things to you. I was so upset about Tommy and I blamed myself because he died saving me. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. We have a history not all of it good, but not all bad either. Like you with Sara and me with Tommy, but we have always found a way to forgive each other and move on. After grieving over Tommy I realized that he would want us to be happy and after everything I believe that my path to happy leads to you."

She was a foot away from him now. He could see the shine and hope in her eyes and that made hat he was about to say a little harder, "Laurel, when I was on the island it was hell. I went through so much and one of the only things that got me through it all was a picture of you. The thought of seeing you again gave me the strength to survive and a part of me will always love you and have feelings for you because of that."

"But?" She asked because the word was hanging in the air between them. He didn't miss the hope leaving her eyes.

"But… there is a lot going on in my life and I need someone who completely knows me and accepts me and all the things that I can't say. And as much as I always wished you would be her, you're not. I'm sorry." He took a deep breath after he said it. He couldn't believe he said it, he never thought it would be something he would say.

She followed suit and inhaled a deep breath and released it. "She must be a very incredible woman."

For the first time in this whole conversation Oliver actually smiled, "She is. I can honestly say that I have never met anyone like her before. I hope we can still be friends."

"Of course Ollie, I'll always be here for you." She then closed the space between them giving him a soft kiss on his cheek and then pulled him in for a hug.

He returns the hug and takes in her sent one last time, and all he can think about is that he wished what he smelled lavender from blonde hair and instead of apples from brown. He looked up and saw Felicity watching him. He sees the hurt in her eyes, there was no mistaking it. As soon as she sees him watching her she resumes her walk toward the door that leads downstairs. Oliver pulled away from Laurel and said good bye to her. As she walked out of the club he made a bee line for the door to the Foundry.

When he descended the stairs, he found Felicity already typing away at her computer. He walks right up behind her, close enough to take in the smell he was just wishing for... Lavender and the natural sent that is her.

He is about to speak to her, but she beats him in breaking the silence. "So I printed out all the information you're going to need to pay a visit to Scott Rodgers, I left it all on your work bench. However, it's taking longer to find all the information you're going to need on Steven Anderson. I'm going to let the system run through the night and I'll get back to it tomorrow and hopefully I'll have all the stuff you will need. I have plans tonight, so I'm taking off. Feel free to let yourself into the apartment, though I don't know if or when I'll be back." She then stood up from her computer, grabbed her bag and started walking toward the door. "Be safe tonight Oliver," and like that she was gone.

He sat in her chair and stared at the door she just walked out of. He heard the hurt in her voice and the pitch change in her tone that tells him she was lying. He hurt his god given solace, the person who inspired him to be better, the one who always been there. While he just watched her walk out the door and then all he did was sit there and start missing her.

Scott Rodger can wait until tomorrow right now he needs to talk to Felicity explain to her that he chose her over Laurel. He says as much to Diggle when he calls to ask about tonight's Hood plans. The response he got out of Diggle was a surprise though. He mumbled something along the lines of, "It's about damn time." Then he said his farewells and hung up on Oliver.

Oliver didn't remember grabbing his black leather jacket and helmet. He didn't remember weaving through traffic at high speeds. He didn't remember taking the four flights of stairs two at a time and he definitely didn't remember knocking her purple door. What he does remember was his heart rate picking up when she opened the door and he saw tears in her eyes. He also remembers her opening and closing her mouth a dozen times, but never spoke and he remembers that he was the first to break the silence by whispering her name. He remembers looking into her eyes and smelling lavender all around and then being over taken by a feeling of finally being home.

What he will never forget is the soft gasp she made as he wrapped an arm around her waist and for the rest of his life he will remember how soft her lips felt against his when he finally granted his own wish and kissed her for the first time.