Doctor offices always made Felicity nervous. Her aversion to needles wasn't allowed in doctor offices. The appointments since she had found out she was pregnant were nerve-wracking, but Felicity was slowly feeling better about them.
This appointment was different though. She was twenty-two weeks today, and this was the first appointment Oliver was going to be at.
The two were sitting in the waiting room, not talking to each other. Oliver was reading his pregnancy book. And boy was that still startling to Felicity.
Felicity and Oliver's relationship in the past five weeks had slowly moved to something more. Oliver had completely thrown himself into her pregnancy which included books and coming to her appointments.
Oliver hadn't brought up the conversation where he declared his love, and Felicity's following rejection but things between them were still different.
"Thea wants to meet me at the club, right after the appointment." Felicity informed Oliver who then set the book down. "She wants my help with Sebastian's rally."
"Don't know how much help you'll be." Oliver chuckled, before Felicity elbowed him in the side. "That sounds good. I want to get some Skull Mask hunting in before the rally."
"Ms. Smoak?" A nurse called.
Felicity smiled and stood up. Oliver took a small calming breath before joining her. Together they followed the nurse to an exam room.
"The doctor will be right with you." The nurse told them before leaving. Felicity sat down on the table and Oliver awkwardly sat on a chair next to her. Several seconds passed.
"Any news about Barry?" Oliver asked, breaking the tension.
Felicity winced. She wished he wouldn't ask about things that obviously made him uncomfortable.
"Catlin and Cisco say there's been no change since I was there two weeks ago." Felicity sighed and rubbed her tummy, her new comforting gesture. Oliver placed a hand over hers.
"I'm sure he'll wake up soon."
Felicity wasn't so sure.
At that moment, Dr. Newman entered the room.
"How's everything going today?" She asked. Felicity smiled at the older woman.
"It's been good." She replied. Dr. Newman smiled and turned to Oliver.
"I see we have a guest joining us today."
"Hi. I'm Oliver Queen, the father." Oliver said standing up and offering his hand. Dr. Newman shook his hand before turning back to Felicity.
"Alright let's have a look."
"Who's the man in the Skull mask?" Oliver growled out to the man dangling in front of him in the air.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never seen a man in a skull mask." The low level thug pleaded. Oliver sighed in frustration, and with one blow knocked the man unconscious.
"Call Lance and tell him I left one for him."
"Will do." Dig said over the comms.
Oliver made his way to his bike and then started his trek back to the foundry.
He wouldn't admit it, but the longer it took to find the man in the Skull Mask the more Oliver felt like something bad was going to happen.
Things with Felicity were strained and frankly confusing, since he was so sure that she would tell him she loved him back. Her rejection hurt, but Oliver was nothing if not stubborn, and he was planning on seeing this through. He could wait and be there for Felicity until she realized he wasn't going anywhere.
Once in the foundry, Oliver set his bow in the stand and rubbed his hands over his face.
"If anyone knows where the Skull mask is, they aren't talking." Dig said from in front of Felicity's computers. Oliver walked over to his friend.
"I'll just have to find someone who does."
Dig smiles as Oliver goes to change. Once Oliver comes back in his suit for the rally, Dig turns towards him.
"I didn't get to ask you before. How'd the ultrasound go?"
"Good." Oliver said with a small smile. "The doctor said everything looked good with Felicity's stress levels."
"That's good. How are you holding up?" Dig asked, all too knowing. Oliver gave him a look.
"I've got everything I could need to make me happy, yet…"
"You're worried Felicity won't forgive you?" Dig raises his eyebrows. Oliver slowly nods. "Felicity loves you man. You just gotta be patient."
Dig's advice and silent approval was much appreciated. Their team was just the three of them and adding a baby will change it. If him and Felicity get into a relationship, the team's dynamic would change even more.
Oliver thanked Dig before going up to the rally which was just starting up. He was introducing Sebastian but was distracted through the whole thing. It wasn't until he left the stage and Thea joined him on the sidelines did he snap out of it.
"Nice speech." Thea joked. "I didn't know you were a fan of politics."
"Well, Sebastian is a friend." Oliver smiled. "Speaking of, how's Roy?"
"He's fine," Thea answered with narrowed eyes, "just like he was yesterday when you asked."
"I just want to make sure there's no lasting damage from the arrow." Oliver informed her. Sebastian finished his speech, and the siblings join in on the applause.
The two went off to the side, each grabbing a drink.
"Speaking of love lives. How's yours?" Thea asked with a raised eyebrow. That was the annoying sister that Oliver knew and loved. "Because I spent the afternoon with Felicity, and I gotta say Bro she'd be a perfect sister-in-law."
Oliver gave her an exasperated look.
"Me and Felicity's relationship is complicated." Thea rolled her eyes.
"She's the mother of your unborn child. How much more complicated could it get?"
Oh if she only knew.
"What's this about Felicity?" Moria asked, walking up to the two.
"Just wondering when Oliver's going to make an honest woman out of her." Thea teased. Oliver groaned.
"Yes well, Thea. Why don't you go and make sure she's not straining herself." Moria suggested.
Thea nodded and winked at Oliver before disappearing into the crowd. Oliver wished she'd take him with her. He wasn't looking forward to whatever lecture his mother was about to give.
"I'm very proud of your sister, taking this club of yours to the next level." Moria said, looking after the girl in question. Oliver couldn't have agreed more. His mother turned to look at him. "I'm also quite proud of you Oliver."
Moria pulled a stunned Oliver into a hug before following Thea. Before Oliver could get a bearing, Sebastian and Laurel made their way over to him.
"Oliver, thank you for the kind words." Sebastian said patting him on the back.
"Only speaking the truth." Oliver replied.
"Excuse me, an old friend just walked in." Sebastian said before quickly leaving. Oliver smiled at Laurel who smiled back before they hugged.
"How are you?" Oliver asked.
"Good." Laurel said. "What about you? How's Felicity and the baby?"
"Everything's good. She misses you." Oliver informed her. Laurel's smile dropped, and she looked to the ground for a few seconds before meeting Oliver's eyes again.
"She's an amazing woman, Oliver. And the both oy you deserve happiness. Felicity's helped me a lot. I'm happy for you two."
"I'm glad. We never wanted to hurt you." Oliver said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing before dropping it. "But it doesn't really matter anyways. Felicity doesn't want to be with me."
"I know Felicity. She'll come around." Laurel said with a small smile.
"You know you deserve happiness too." Oliver raised his eyebrows. "Maybe with Sebastian?"
"I don't know. Sometimes it feels like I don't know the real him." Laurel admitted.
Before Oliver could respond, a throat was cleared to the side of them. Both turned to see Felicity standing looking uncomfortable.
"Felicity, hi." Laurel breathed out. Felicity gave her a small smile in return before turning back to Oliver.
"I need to talk to you." Felicity said before turning on her heel and making her way to the door to the foundry.
Oliver quickly followed hoping Felicity wasn't going to yell at him. In the foundry, Dig was waiting.
"Someone set off a bomb." Dig informed him before Oliver went into action.
Never a quiet night in Starling City.
Felicity's back ached. The bomb that went off last night kept her up way past her bedtime. Plus the baby had decided that kicking her spleen was the best way to spend the night.
During work, Dig had showed her the bomber's manifesto. Seemed he had a problem with the government. Now she and Diggle were waiting for Oliver to collect the specs for Detective Lance. Felicity could tell Dig had something to say.
"How are you holding up?" He asked from her side. Felicity smiled at his concern.
"I'm good. I'm officially past the halfway mark." Felicity answered, fidgeting with the computer settings. Dig gave her a skeptical look.
"What about you and Oliver?" Felicity sighed.
"I'm just trying to protect my heart Dig. I have to think for two now." Over the comms, Felicity could hear the low hum of Oliver and Detective Lance's conversation.
"I get that more than anyone Felicity. I do. But I also don't think Oliver is someone you have to protect yourself from."
Dig's advice made Felicity think. Did she really believe Oliver would leave like her father? Or was she just scared?
Before she could think of an answer, a flurry of alerts came across her computer and Oliver called her name over the comms. There had been another bombing.
"Felicity give me an address." Oliver growled out. Felicity furiously typed on her computer.
"It was the municipal building." Dig answered for her.
"I can do one better. I found the frequency that set off the bomb, and it's moving."
"Give me an intersection."
Felicity pulled up traffic cameras and rattled off the next intersection that Oliver could find the bomber.
After a few minutes with only hearing Oliver's bike, his voice rang out.
"I see him."
Sounds of traffic flowed through the earpiece as Felicity gave Oliver directions. A few small explosions went off, scaring Felicity before Oliver came over the comms again.
"I lost him."
The signal cut out for a second before coming back.
"Bank left on Gerrard Street. He should be right there." A few seconds went by before a squealing noise came over the comms and Oliver spoke.
"He's not here." Oliver growled out, frustrated. Felicity blinked in surprise. "I lost him."
"I swear it says he's right there." Felicity insisted. Oliver sighed.
"I'm on my way back." Oliver said before turning his comms off.
Dig sighed and gave her a sympathetic smile. Felicity sat and waited for Oliver to return. An hour later when he did finally return, he had on different clothes and Dig had already left.
"Where did you go?" Felicity questioned. Oliver set his bag with his bow and suit down and turned to face her with a warm smile.
"I just needed to blow off some steam." Oliver said surprisingly gentle. Felicity sputtered, confused.
"Well… I'm sorry I sent you the wrong way." Felicity told him slowly. Oliver jaw clenched and his whole body stiffened.
"It's fine. We all have bad days." Oliver said through gritted teeth.
It was obviously not fine.
"I don't think its fine and going by your body language, you don't either." Felicity said with a raised eyebrow. "So you must just be saying that because…"
Felicity trailed off, hoping Oliver would reveal himself, and her wish was granted when Oliver's eyes flickered to her stomach.
"Because of the baby?" Felicity accused. "I knew you were treated me differently."
"Felicity, you're pregnant. Of course I'm going to treat you different." Oliver said defensibly with his hands in the air like she was going to hit him. Maybe she was.
"No this isn't just because of that. Before Christmas when you knew you still treated me like an equal." Felicity crossed her arms. "This is because of your love confession."
Oliver sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. Felicity couldn't believe his nerve.
"You're acting on your best behavior and treating me like some delicate flower! Stop it!" Felicity yelled and stomped her foot.
"Felicity. I don't what you want from me."
"The truth!"
"Yes. I'm angry at you. I can't believe you sent me the wrong way." Oliver growled out. "But it doesn't matter because I love you. I want to be with you. I'm treating you differently because our relationship has changed!"
"It's the same as it was before, and it's never going to change. So stop acting like a child who hasn't gotten his way and deal with it!"
Felicity yelled at him. She gave him her best die-in-a-well glare and stomped out of the foundry.
Inside she was fuming.
Oliver had the audacity to whine to her about her rejection when less than two months ago he was doing the same thing. Did she bitch about it? No!
Plus if he was trying to get her to agree to a relationship, changing the dynamic of their friendship wasn't a great start.
Felicity's anger fed her energy and heartburn into the next day while she and Diggle worked in the foundry. She ignored Oliver's entrance, and he wisely did the same.
"Don't you think this Unity Rally is a bad idea when an antigovernment bomber is on the loose?" Dig asked.
Ah yes. Sebastian had announced a rally for this afternoon to bring 'unity' to the community. Felicity had to agree with Diggle.
"I tried to get him to back down." Oliver answered. The both of them were standing behind her, watching the news report.
"He's as stubborn as you are on fighting back." Dig joked.
"Or everything." Felicity mumbled.
The air was tense. Felicity could tell neither Dig nor Oliver knew what to say.
"Let's just head to the rally." Oliver suggested. Felicity computer pinged.
"You might not have to." She answered. "The bomb spec are identical as the ones from the antigovernment group called 'The Movement'."
Felicity pulled up their webpage.
"They have a very active message board, and one of the IP address is in Starling."
"Good. Dig you go to the Rally, and I'll go to the address. Talk me in Felicity."
Oliver followed Dig down the foundry stairs. The night had ended on a good note. The bomber was in police custody and no one was hurt besides a stray bullet that had went through Dig.
Felicity was ready with the medical kit as soon as they got there. As Oliver watched Felicity patch Dig up, he couldn't help but think of what Detective Lance had told The Hood.
The older man had told him that Oliver Queen was stringing Felicity along, and The Hood should watch over her a little closer.
Obviously Felicity was keeping in touch with the Detective outside their night job, which Oliver was surprised that Felicity hadn't told him about. Did Felicity really think he was just stringing her along?
Everyone had told him to just wait and silently prove himself, but it's been five weeks and the only development was that Felicity yelled at him more. Maybe this wasn't something he could expect to work out over time. Maybe he needed to talk to her.
Felicity had finished her work with Dig who made quick goodbyes before leaving. Felicity ignored him as she started to pack up her stuff.
"Felicity." Oliver quietly said. She turned to face him with a blank look. "I'm sorry."
She sighed and stepped closer.
"No. I'm sorry Oliver." Felicity said. "I know this whole thing with Mirakuru has got you spooked, and I shouldn't have yelled at you."
"You were right though." Oliver disagreed. "I have been treating you differently."
Oliver smiled and grabbed her hands, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
"I think we should revisit our discussion about our relationship." Oliver suggested. Before Felicity could protest, Oliver continued. "We love each other, and I think we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot."
Several seconds pass while Felicity just stares at their joined hands. Oliver couldn't breathe from the excitement. He just wanted to start their happily ever after.
"I don't" Felicity whispered with a teary voice. She looked up to him with tears in her eyes.
"Don't what?" Oliver asked, confused.
"I don't love you." Felicity shakenly said.
She pulled her hands from his and rushed out of the foundry. Oliver watched her leave, not sure about what had just happened.
She didn't love him?
Felicity didn't love him.