A/N: This chapter is about the bonds of friendship and how I feel that Felicity needs someone on the inside, who isn't quite on the inside, with whom she can relate. Let me know what you think!

The next chapter will be the Gala! :)

LadyG

"I need your help…please," Felicity said as she approached Carly Diggle at Big Belly Burger.

Carly smiled in welcome. "Felicity!" Her hands were clutching a tray piled with burgers and shakes. "Can you give me a second?" She hurried to a corner table to drop off the food.

Felicity watched her flit between the tables. She was tall and slim, her straight, chocolatey brown hair was caught up in a ponytail. Her caramel skin was flawless, devoid of make-up, except for a bit of lip gloss and two spots of colour on her cheeks. She had a natural beauty that Felicity envied.

Looking around she noticed that the place was fairly empty for a Thursday afternoon. There was the odd person reading the newspaper over a cup of coffee while a few others treated themselves to a meal.

Felicity felt nervous. When she'd seen the Big Belly wrapper in her bin, her mind had immediately flashed to Carly. She was Diggle's sister-in-law, although Felicity knew there were romantic feelings on both sides. While she didn't know Carly well enough to call her a friend, she'd always been friendly.

"How can I help?" Carly joined her at the counter and dropped the tray over the top and onto the other side.

Taking a steadying breath Felicity explained. "I've been invited to attend the Queen Charity Gala and I don't have anything suitable to wear. In fact, I don't even know where to find something suitable to wear… or even what the definition of suitable is," she rambled.

Carly put hand on her arm. "You came to me for help?" She looked surprised, but flattered.

Felicity nodded. "Yes. Dig always talks about your great sense of style and well, you're the best looking waitress I've ever seen. I'm-," she gestured to her plain red skirt and polka dot shirt beneath her serviceable coat, "not sure that this is the type of thing one wears to a Gala."

Carly laughed. "Firstly, thank you. I think that's one of the nicest compliments I've ever received." She eyed Felicity's outfit from top to bottom, her gaze settling on her ballet flats.

"There's nothing wrong with the way you look. It's just a little-" she struggled for the word.

"Boring?" Felicity volunteered.

"Practical," Carly countered.

She gave a small smile. "That's me, Functional Felicity."

Carly squeezed her arm encouragingly. "Better that than being inside a skin you find uncomfortable."

Felicity appreciated her kindness. She could see why Diggle liked her. She liked her too. "Thanks."

"So, let me get this straight. You need my help to find something appropriate to wear?"

"Basically. Any advice on hair and makeup would not be frowned upon either," Felicity said a little self-consciously.

"My shift's over in 15 minutes. If you're willing to wait we can head out afterward? I already have a few ideas." She seemed excited.

Felicity sagged with relief. "That would be awesome."

Carly beamed. "Have a seat and I'll get you some coffee, on the house."

Felicity was exhausted. Who knew that shopping was such hard work? Carly had taken her into an upmarket boutique in the City that housed so many beautiful dresses she'd felt intimidated just looking at them. Although, two surprisingly fun hours later, after trying on seven different styles, they'd walked out with the dress of her dreams and a pair of matching heels.

Despite feeling drained, Felicity had enjoyed the experience very much. Or perhaps she'd enjoyed it more because she'd been with a friend – a status Carly had been upgraded to within minutes. She was fun and outgoing, easy to talk to and most of all, Felicity felt like she could genuinely be herself around her. They'd chattered endlessly as Felicity paraded in front of the dressing room mirrors, giggling like school girls when they selected a miss and gasping collectively when they finally scored the hit.

"So, you and Oliver?" Carly asked as they placed their purchases in Felicity's bedroom.

Felicity blushed. "No. Definitely no me and Oliver."

"Ah," was her knowing response.

Felicity felt the need to clarify. "We work together."

"Many a lasting relationship has started out the same way."

"Not this one," Felicity said. "He's way out of my league." The second the words left her mouth she realised what she'd admitted.

Carly raised a sculptured eyebrow, "Don't sell yourself short, girl. You have loads to offer a guy. Oliver Queen would be so lucky."

Appreciating the vote of confidence but not really wanting to get into it, she asked, "What about you and Dig?"

It was other woman's turn to look a little embarrassed. "It's complicated – I was married to his brother. I think he feels as though we're betraying him."

"You don't?"

Carly shook her head, her ponytail swinging gently. "No. He would have wanted both of us to be happy."

Felicity watched her new friend as she hung up the dress they'd picked out together. While she didn't wish Carly any harm, it felt comforting to know that she wasn't the only one dealing with matters of the heart.

"So, you and Felicity, huh?" Oliver was at the foundry, having his ribs re-bandaged.

He scowled at Diggle. "There is no me and Felicity."

"Right. So that little hand holding last night was just a friendly gesture?" Diggle asked, checking Oliver's injuries.

Oliver wished he knew. "It was a thank you."

"No need to give me the rehearsed version. I'm the one who's been telling you for months that you need to put yourself out there."

Oliver winced as Diggle secured the bandages around him. "Felicity is different. She's off limits."

"Since when?"

He exhaled slowly, his ribs tightly swathed. "Since I brought her on board to help us. I won't place her in any more danger."

Diggle packed the supplies away as Oliver put his shirt on. "Coming on board was her choice. She's a big girl and I'm sure she won't appreciate knowing that you're making decisions on her behalf. Secondly, she can't be in any more danger than she already is. You're the one who told me you can protect her. Have you changed your mind?"

"Of course not," he said. "It's just complicated."

"Complicated is me being into my dead brother's wife."

Oliver acknowledged his point. "How's that going, by the way?"

"We'll choose another day to bond over my sad love life. Right now, my time is all yours."

"Your time could be better spent," Oliver argued. Seeing Diggle's determined look he explained, "My track record isn't great, Dig. I cheated on Laurel with her sister. I don't know anyone who's sunk lower than that. Then there's Helena and McKenna – both of which didn't turn out well." Understatement of the year. He stood and buttoned his shirt, tucking the ends into his jeans.

Diggle leaned over the heart rate monitor machine, making himself comfortable. "Those are just excuses. You aren't the same man you were back then, so yeah, I get that you feel guilty about what happened to Sarah Lance, but that's no reason to stop living."

"I am living - the life of a crime fighter. There's no room for romance."

"I see the way you look at Felicity." Diggle let that sink in for a moment. "I suppose your reasons for asking her to the Gala were only altruistic?"

Oliver wasn't surprised that Diggle had found out. He seemed to know everything all of a sudden.

"Not that I need to explain myself to you, but Thea wants to meet her."

"Which could be remedied over a cup of coffee," he said reasonably.

"Drop it, Dig," Oliver snapped, irritated. He wasn't used to being poked and prodded for answers when half the time he didn't have any.

Diggle shrugged, indifferent to Oliver's sudden burst of temper. "All I'm saying is that the road you've chosen to travel is a long and lonely one. You don't have to do it alone. If you're really not interested in Felicity, fine. Just don't throw away a chance at something that could change your life – for the better – because you're hung up on doing what you think is the right thing."

Later that night, long after Diggle had left, his words continued to haunt Oliver. Was he being too hard on himself? Were his own demons preventing him from pursuing some normalcy in an otherwise chaotic situation?

Past experiences taught him to be guarded. Granted, things were different with Felicity. He didn't need to lie to her, run out on her at the drop of a hat without a plausible explanation, or pretend to be someone that he wasn't.

In the privacy of his bedroom, with no one to hear his confession, he finally admitted to himself that asking her to the Gala had nothing to do with Thea. Yes, he was sure his sister genuinely wanted to meet Felicity, but that could have been achieved in many different ways. His reasons had been more selfish. He'd asked her to accompany him because he'd wanted to spend a night with her that had nothing to do with fighting crime. He'd wanted to just be with her - to talk about normal things, to enjoy a meal, to share a laugh, a glass of wine.

So despite his own misgivings, he'd given in to the urge to be with her. For the first time since the inception of his family's annual soirée, he was actually looking forward it. Not for the pomp and ceremony, but because on his arm was going to be the woman who had knocked a kink in what he thought was his impenetrable armour.