A/N: Thanks everyone for supporting the story! I'm having fun writing this and I'm happy you guys like it.
Gin2a: Thank you! I hope you will like this one..
Spitfire303: Thank you. I tried to make Felicity a strong and independent woman as she is in the show. Yeah, Carrie is pretty mean, resourceful though ;)
IFancyu: I will try to update as fast as I can..
Misspsycho24: Yes, Carrie is a bit of a stalker. She has decided she wants Oliver and she is doing whatever she can to get him. I'm really happy you like Oliver and Felicity's relationship. Felicity is clearly in denial, such an useful state of mind ;)
Lililovingreading: Thank you! I hope you keep enjoying the story..
MarianaOlicity13: Thanks! I will try to update as fast as possible.
Felicity reached her room walking slowly, absentmindedly swinging a big blue plastic bag containing the cutest little purple dress she had ever seen.
She could swear categorically she wasn't looking for a dress for tonight. She was going to dinner with Oliver, her friend Oliver and she knew she didn't need to get all dolled up for a friend.
But that afternoon, when she had seen the dress in the shop window she had fallen in love with it instantly and she had to buy it. Part of her also couldn't help but wonder what Oliver would think of it while she had tried it on, glancing at her reflection in the long mirror inside the changing room.
It was tight and in a beautiful light shade of purple, adorned with silver embellishment on the high neckline and on the cut on the back, which let a generous amount of skin showing. She knew it flattered her petite body and she also had the perfect matching shoes that made her legs look long and lean, just the way she liked them.
She stopped abruptly when she saw someone in front on her door, pacing nervously with her arms crossed in her sky high heels.
"Oh, Felicity!"
She didn't move, watching stunned as the red head woman hurried towards her and hugged her tightly, grasping the back of her shirt and clouding her sight with her long locks.
Felicity awkwardly reached around her to pat her back tentatively with her palm, not sure of what to do.
She reasoned something must have gone wrong during her date with Oliver but she couldn't imagine what and more importantly she didn't know why, of all people, she had decided to come to her.
Carrie drew back with a long, dramatic sigh and rubbed her hands on her cheeks as to wipe away tears, even if Felicity hadn't seen any.
"I need to talk to you. You have no idea what happened! Let's go inside."
She spoke in a high pitched, distressed voice and gestured with her hands while she walked back to the door, waiting for Felicity to join her.
"Uhm- Okay sure."
Felicity stood dumbfounded for a moment before clumsily fishing for her keys inside her big bag, while trying to keep the shopping bag with her new dress out of Carrie's sight.
Carrie entered the room first, frowning at the small, modest room.
"It's not very fancy I know."
Felicity said apologetically, hiding the shopping bag under a chair, and walking towards Carrie, drawing another chair out for her, trying to make her more comfortable.
Carrie sat down in front of her, her eyes quickly glancing at the bag under Felicity's chair, her forehead wrinkling for a moment, before looking back at the blonde twisting nervously her hands on the table between them.
"My dad found out what happened between me and Ollie six years ago. I don't know what to do."
"What? I-"
"You know what happened right? He must have told you, for sure."
Carrie spoke without hesitation and Felicity shifted under her stare, unwilling to admit how little she knew about Oliver's past.
"No, he- he didn't tell me."
Carrie shot her a sympathetic look, shaking her head a little and Felicity felt her cheeks growing a little red, uncomfortable.
"He told me he had feelings for me, that I was different from any other girl he had met before and I believed him. I fell from him, because Ollie can be so-"
She sighed, fixing her eyes on her, leaning a little on the table and speaking in a low voice as if she was confessing a big secret.
"Once I told him I had feelings for him too and we- we got together he disappeared. He broke my heart."
"I'm sorry Carrie."
Felicity cast her eyes on the table, hoping Carrie was going to stop if she didn't encourage her too much, but the other woman seemed determined to tell her everything.
"I didn't want my father to find out because I still have feelings for him and now we have another chance to be together. I wanted my dad to like him."
"But he found out."
"Yes. We must do something, Felicity."
Felicity looked at her quietly for a moment, pondering on the new informations. She wasn't sure why Carrie would want to help Oliver or being with him if he had really treated her that way, but she also didn't know why she would lie to her now.
She worried her bottom lip, not wanting to confide in that woman but also feeling the need to help them if she could.
"Carrie, I' m sorry for what happened but you don't have to worry about the business deal, it has nothing to do with your or Oliver's private life. Your father is a professional, he won't care."
"No, no, Felicity. My dad isn't going to pass over this, he isn't. Unless-"
Carrie insisted stubbornly, a crease of annoyance between her brows, stopping to give Felicity a meaningful look and she couldn't stop herself from asking, her curiosity spiking.
"Unless what?"
"Unless we show him how much Oliver has changed, how much he cares for me. Maybe this way he will change his mind. I just want to help him."
"Carrie, I- I don't know what to say. This is between you and Oliver, I-"
Felicity tried to stop her, stunned, wiggling her hands in front of her face.
"You are his friend! He is too proud to ask my father to forgive him, but I can see how important this deal is to him, to the company. Maybe you can help him. You can convince him to do the right thing, he will listen to you."
"I- I" Felicity stuttered, her brain failing to provide an excuse, cursing inwardly when she couldn't help but giving in, feeling cornered. "I can try."
"Thank you. But don't tell him I came to talk to you. Please. We are still trying to figure things out and he doesn't want me to protect him. You know, he wants to be the one to protect me."
"O-okay."
Felicity let the smooth fabric of her new dress slide between her fingers. She was supposed to get dressed, but for some reasons she was sitting in the middle of her bed, freshly showered and with her blonde hair in wild free curls on her bare shoulders, while the rest of her body was covered in a big, fluffy towel.
She couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to her conversation with Carrie and her promise to help her, already regretting her involvement in Oliver's messy private life.
After she had started working with Oliver and had begun to know him better she had gotten curious about his personal life, especially about his past dealings with women due to all the gossiping around the office.
She didn't know any details, though, even if she had tried to snoop around a little.
She discovered a little from Oliver's chatty friend, Tommy, before Oliver hastily shut him up with a murderous look, clearly uncomfortable, his cheeks already turning pink with embarrassment.
She knew he had been with a lot of women and most of them weren't the kind parents would approve of and that apparently made his mother suspicious of any girl he came in contact with, including Felicity, it seemed.
Two Years ago
Felicity smiled brightly, walking fast towards the elevator to welcome the elegant and poised woman who had stridden out of the sliding doors with decision, like the place belonged to her, which if she had to think about it was precisely the case.
She was surprised to see her there, but happy nonetheless. She knew she had been avoiding being seen in public and most of all she hadn't been at the company since the accident, leaving Oliver on his own.
"Mrs Queen! Welcome back to the company, I'm-"
"I know who you are. You are Oliver's secretary and you were my husband's secretary."
Felicity pressed her lips together to avoid correcting her, trying not to wince under the slow perusal she did of her body that stopped a moment longer on the hem of her dress, probably judging it too short for her liking.
"Mom? What are you doing here?"
Felicity turned in time to see Oliver walking uncertainly towards them, a kind, if not a little nervous smile on his face as he glanced between her and his mother.
"Oliver, dear."
Moira Queen moved around Felicity with elegance to kiss her son's cheek with affection, her whole demeanor changing in front of Oliver, while he bended his knees slightly to help her reach his cheek without effort.
Felicity observed them curiously, smiling a little.
She knew Oliver was particularly close to his mother, even before his father's death, and she clearly adored him, her feature softening as she spoke to him, before slipping her arm in his, to make him guide her towards his office, but Oliver stopped, looking behind his mother, right at Felicity.
"So have you met Felicity?"
"Yes."
Mrs Queen spoke slowly, watching her son cautiously and she rose her brows in surprised when she saw him reaching for Felicity with quick strides to tug her towards her.
Felicity glanced confused between Oliver's face and his hand still holding her arm, but recovered quickly and gave his mother a polite smile.
"Hello, again."
"Good morning, Miss?"
"Smoak." Felicity answered, almost at the same time as Oliver said "Felicity.", leaving his mother speechless for a moment.
"Good, very good. Darling I need to talk to you. Can we go inside your office?"
"Of course."
"Miss Smoak."
"Yes. What can I do for you?"
Felicity rose on her feet, placing her tablet on the desk, smiling warmly at the older woman, trying very hard not to be bothered by the distinct hardness in her light blue eyes.
As Mrs Queen looked down at her Felicity felt herself blushing under her stare. She made her feel like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"Oliver speaks very highly of you and if I remember correctly my husband was quite impressed with your skills, too."
"Thank you. He was very nice to me and I' m thankful for-"
"Of course my husband seemed to have a high appreciation for young women in general."
Mrs Queen didn't let her finish and Felicity felt herself flush at what she was not so subtly implying.
"Mrs Queen, I-"
"I'm sure you are a delightful young woman, but I need to make myself clear. My family doesn't need any more distractions, especially in the form of young and ambitious women."
"I'm not-"
Felicity tried to step in, embarrassed that Oliver's mother, of all people, misunderstood so completely the nature of their relationship, but she didn't let her speak, pinning her with a stern look.
"I know my son, Miss Smoak."
"Mom?"
Oliver looked at them just outside his office, glancing from his mother tense stance to Felicity's flushed face. "Is everything okay?"
"Of course. I wanted to greet Miss Smoak properly before leaving. Have a nice day, both of you."
"Hey, what was that about?"
"Nothing. Really, it was nothing."
Felicity tried to brush him off and started tidying her desk, hoping to hide her still bright pink cheeks.
"I know that my mother can come out a little intense sometimes, but she has nothing against you.
What happened with my dad had been hard for her and she can't help but be wary of everyone now. I' m sure she would like you if she got to know you."
"Thank you. That's fine, don't worry about it, I understand. I just- I think she may have misunderstood our relationship."
Oliver looked at her blinking rapidly, his shoulders slightly tensing.
"Why? What did she tell you?"
"Well I think the meaning was to leave you alone, even if it was really elegantly put."
"I'm sorry."
Felicity shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. She was aware that their relationship wasn't considered innocent by most of the people at the Company, she had heard the rumors after all, and as difficult as it was she was trying not to let them affect her.
"I haven't been that trustworthy in the past so I guess I can't blame her." Oliver explained uncomfortably, before adding after a moment, without looking at her. "She liked Laurel, she likes Laurel."
"Well, you were young. Maybe one day the two of you can try again."
"No, I- She is a great girl, but we didn't work. I know it was my fault but I have always hoped it would have been different with someone else, someone who was right for me. Maybe I wouldn't have been such a jerk."
Felicity looked at him, sighing softly, before putting a comforting hand on his arm.
"You are a good man, Oliver and I think you will find a nice girl who is right for you and you will treat her well. Maybe one that even your mother will like."
They shared a smile, Oliver shaking his head a little while she punched him lightly on his arm.
The only Oliver who mattered to Felicity was the one she got to know in the past two years, not the image the tabloids painted of him.
And the man she knew didn't use women, cared for his family and tried to do his best, despite having to live constantly with the knowledge of being usually described as a rich, spoiled child.
Before seeing Carrie she was looking forward to their dinner, only joking about wanting to discuss his lunch date.
She had simply wanted to have dinner with her friend, to sip an absurdly expensive bottle of red wine, and probably share a delicious, fancy looking dessert.
Now she not only had to talk about him and Carrie but she also had to be the one to insist on the topic, since Oliver wasn't going to be happy to discuss his private life.
She was also supposed to lie about her meeting with Carrie and that was the worst part. She was a lousy liar and she didn't like the idea of lying to him of all people. She hadn't done it in the whole time they had worked together.
Oliver smoothed nervously the lapels of his dark grey suit.
He had picked one of his favorite suits paired with the light blue tie he knew Felicity liked. He could remember the way she affectionately told him it brought out his eyes so he had chosen it, smiling.
He had decided not to worry too much about what was going to happen with the business deal. Maybe it was irresponsible as the CEO, but Oliver felt he didn't have any choices and anguishing over it didn't solve anything.
He was sure he did the right thing when he spoke to Carrie and he wasn't going to let his past, in the form of a crazy red head ex girlfriend, ruined his future, or his dinner.
Oliver smiled widely as he saw Felicity opening the door, a warmth spreading inside his chest at the sight of her familiar blond curls and shining blue eyes.
He was so relaxed, so carefree that he didn't even notice the way she avoided meeting his eyes and the tight lipped smile she gave him.
He ranked his eyes over her body while she was stuffing her keys and phone inside her small matching clutch and noticed the way the purple fabric, clinging perfectly on her curves, made her pale skin glow.
"Ready to go?"
She fidgeted with a particular wild lock, before managing to tuck it behind her small, delicate ear.
"Yeah."
He held the door open for her, letting her brush past him and kept glancing at her during the whole, quiet ride to the restaurant.
He quickly realized Felicity was unnaturally silent, no enthusiastic comment on the red wine she was going to order, no reprimand for not keeping his eyes on the road.
She was keeping her focus on the slightly open window, two fingers tucked in the split, to feel a bit of the cool night air.
"Hey."
Oliver spoke softly, nudging her shoulder with his own, stopping her before she could get inside the small Italian restaurant he had chosen with such care.
Felicity turned to look at him. "What?"
"What's going on with you?"
He asked kindly, with a concerned tone that made Felicity feel even worse, so she cast her eyes away and mumbled in reply.
"Nothing."
"Felicity, please. You are a terrible liar and I know you. Something is bothering you. Come on, you can tell me."
He had stopped her with a hand on her bare arms and he was now bending a little to meet her eyes, making impossible for Felicity to stop herself from saying exactly what was on her mind.
"I- I just. I was thinking about Carrie."
That was probably the last thing he thought she was going to say and he let go quickly of her arm, watching her with wide eyes.
"What is with you and that girl? We spent one night together six years ago because we were both drunk and I was a jerk. That's it. There has never been anything between us."
"So you saw her just once?"
"Yes! No, well, not once, but that's not the point!"
Oliver rose his voice without thinking, annoyed both at her and even more at himself for getting involved with Carrie in the first place.
Felicity shifted uncomfortably under his stare and glanced back at the valet who had parked their car.
"Ok, maybe I should go."
"No, no, wait."
Oliver grabbed her wrist quickly, before she had the chance to step back.
"I didn't mean to snap at you, I' m sorry. Can we not ruin our night? Please?"
"Okay, okay."
Oliver looked at the woman at the other side of the table, his chest heavy.
He couldn't wait for their dinner, to hear her babbling, to make her laugh and let her have most of his dessert after she had refused to order it because she claimed she had already had too much to eat.
But Felicity wasn't talking to him or laughing, or even smiling. She was looking grimly at her plate, moving her half eaten pasta around, frowning slightly.
"Felicity, I-" Oliver took a deep breath, willing to do anything to dissipate the tension between them. " Just tell me what I did wrong, please. Talk to me."
Felicity watched him with pleading eyes, chewing on her bottom lip, clearly doubting what she was about to do.
"Please, don't tell her."
Felicity kept her focus on the crisp white tablecloth while she told Oliver everything Carrie had confessed that afternoon, so she missed the way his face darkened more and more at every word.
Oliver couldn't believe the stunt Carrie had laid on. Apparently she was determined to make him pay, just as she had promised, but he didn't expect her to use Felicity to do it.
Luckily Carrie had undervalued Felicity's loyalty, obviously counting on her lying to him. Sure to have made her doubt him with her little tale about their past relationship.
"Oliver, Oliver."
He slowly rose his eyes to look at her, realizing he had spaced out.
"Hey." Felicity spoke softly and looked at him with wide, worried eyes, before reaching with tentative hands to make him release the tight grip he didn't realize he had on his fork.
"I'm sorry."
He opened his hand, letting her take the fork to put it on the table.
"You are mad, like really really mad."
It wasn't a question, more of a nervous statement and she started worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, drawing his attention to her pink painted lips. Oliver shook his head, bringing his eyes up to hers.
"Not at you."
Felicity smiled a little at that, her eyes softening.
"Probably you wouldn't have believed her if I had been honest with you, if I had told you about what had happened between us. But I was ashamed, I am ashamed."
"You don't have to tell me." She said gently, sensing his distress.
"No, I do. Just try not to think too lowly of me."
Felicity ended up eating Oliver's whole dessert this time, a marvelous triple chocolate souffle with raspberries while he kept observing her, his jaws set, still waiting for her to react at what he had told her.
"Are you sure you don't want to try it?" She looked at him, with the spoon full of the last piece of souffle and he shook his head decisively, eating the last thing on his mind.
"Oliver stop sulking. I'm not your mother, you don't have to justify yourself with me."
"You may haven't noticed but I care about your opinion."
"What do you want me to say? Yes, what you did was wrong and pretty horrible and even if she is a conniving liar she didn't deserve it. But I also think you have changed since than. If you haven't you would have used her to close the deal, but you chose to tell her the truth. You did the right thing. You are still a good person, a good person who did a horrible thing."
"So you are not mad at me?"
She smiled kindly before indulging him. "I'm not mad at you Oliver."
Felicity shivered a little when they stepped out in the cool night air. There was a breeze and she had forgotten a jacket.
She startled slightly when she felt something warm and soft on her bare shoulders and she glanced at her side, surprised to see Oliver draping his suit jacket on her, before reaching for the lapels, smiling, tugging the jacket closed, making sure she was covered.
Felicity felt her cheeks flushing, her treacherous heart beating faster at his closeness. He was so close she could almost count his eyelashes and she caught a sniff of his aftershave, that made her a little high headed.
Her chest tightened at his kindness and thoughtfulness and she stood there for a long moment, frozen, before blurting out the first thing that came into her mind.
"Why do you bother so much with my opinion?"
"What?" He looked at her surprised and maybe a little hurt and Felicity winced, regretting her question instantly. "Would you prefer if I didn't care?"
"No. No. I- I' m just curious, that's all. I-"
He gave her an exasperated look and sighed, glancing briefly at the sky before casting his eyes back on hers, a curious expression on his face.
Felicity frowned and opened her mouth to speak but she stopped short as she felt his large, rough hand grasping her cheeks gently, his eyes flickering at her lips before glancing back at her wide open eyes.
She just had a moment to gasp before she felt his lips on hers, warm and soft, moving gently, slowly, trying to coax a response out of her.
Her eyelids shut closed on their own accord as she felt his firm body pressing into hers and she sank into him, her stomach fluttering at the marvelous tingling sensation she felt wherever he was touching her.
