"You okay?" Diggle asked once Oliver left the Foundry and left him and Felicity alone in the basement. Thea was upstairs, she waived at the camera in the corner of the club a few moments ago, making the blonde that manned the computers smile. It was the first real smile on her face that day.

"What?" she turned to look at him before nodding, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Really, I am, Dig."

"Right." he said with a frown before grabbing a folding chair that was leaned on the wall behind the medical table and placed it next to Felicity's fancy office chair that she insisted on when they were renovating the lair.

"Diggle, I really am fine." she repeated, more slowly this time. She was convincing in her claim, but he was her friend. He knew her.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's linked to the damn tabloid and the story they published. It's not the way you wanted the truth to come out, I know, but-"

"No, Dig, you don't understand. I didn't want the story to come out in any way. Not in a tabloid, not in more respectful newspaper, not in a perfectly written statement by Queen Consolidated PR department. I didn't want anyone to know." Felicity said it all in one breath, and then paused to calm herself down. All the while he was observing her closely, silently asking for an explanation, "The moment the truth came out I stopped being Felicity Smoak, and became Oliver Queen's soulmate. The girl he cheated on, the girl that felt it every time he cheated."

He had a feeling that might be what was bothering her, but Dig felt no satisfaction for being right, "Do not let being Oliver's soulmate defines you."

"Didn't you hear what I just said, Diggle?!" Felicity snapped as the newly familiar feeling of rage bubbled inside of her, "I am already defined as such! It doesn't matter what I accomplished, it doesn't matter how smart I am, or what I am capable of! I an now nothing more than girl that 'bagged the billionaire', as the Scandal nicely put it! It doesn't matter that I am last on his list of importance, or that all the other before me got at least some of his attention! I-"

"Felicity." Dig called her name, and placed a hand on her forearm, and in a heartbeat she was blinking at him in confusion. Like she didn't understand what just happened.

"I'm sorry. I..."

The older man just shrug it off, like it wasn't of importance that her bloodlust just spiked, "Do you really think that you are least important to Oliver? Because I know for a fact that isn't true. After he witnessed your death-"

"And before that, Dig?" Felicity cut him off, her usually warm blue eyes now ice cold, "Before, when he took my presence in his life for granted? Expecting that I'll just be there, in the background, while he continued going from one woman to another, all the while knowing the mark he saw on my shoulder is also on his own. I told him I had forgiven him, but I don't think I did. I don't think I can."

Diggle didn't wait for the first tears roll down her cheeks before he moved and pulled her into a tight hug. And when she gripped his shirt tightly, and started to sob, his heart broke for her. Someone as bright as Felicity Smoak deserved nothing less than someone who would cherish and adore her. Instead she got someone who was far too selfish to know how and who still had a lot to learn.

Yes, Oliver was changing. The burning pain, and the knowledge of how his life without her would be like, finally made him admit what he refused before. That he did care for Felicity, maybe even love her. But just admitting it wasn't enough. Not after everything.

"I have not, and will never, justified Oliver's actions. He acted like he was still Ollie Queen, the dumb kid that didn't care about anything but instant gratification. And that guy doesn't deserve your forgiveness." Diggle spoke gently, and felt Felicity nod her hear in agreement. He kissed a top of her head and she pulled back, wiping away the tears from her face.

"Do you think there is any hope for him? That he'll change." she asked meekly, like she was afraid to voice her fears out of fear they might come true, "Or am I just wasting my time."

That was the first time John Diggle was at lost, not really knowing how to answer that one. A part of him wouldn't care who she was with, as long as she was happy. He didn't care if Oliver got hurt, if he felt the burn in his mark, if it meant Felicity got someone by her side who treated her like she was precious.

At the same time he remembered Oliver's words from earlier today. The fact that Oliver thought that same thing he did. It wouldn't matter to him that she found that happiness with someone else, as long as she found it.

That kind of thinking showed Diggle Oliver was finally maturing. And it was giving him hope that the two will eventually find their way to each other.

"He was wrong not to tell you the moment he realized you shared a mark. I will defend him only this once and remind you that at the time he was still the Hood, the killer that only cared about the list. And I have my suspicion he didn't expect to survive this mission he was on, based on some thing he said back then. So maybe-"

"What? He didn't want to tell me in case he dies?" Felicity asked with a frown, "Just leave me to hope I'll find my soulmate someday, not knowing he was right there and didn't say anything? That is completely idiotic, and rather selfish."

"I'm sorry." was all Diggle could say.


A few blocks away, on the roof of a crumbling apartment building, stood a man. If someone was to pass by and look up they could easily spot the Starling's vigilante who appeared to be standing guard over his city.

But looks could be deceiving.

After just a few words Oliver realized that the conversation he could hear over the comm wasn't directed at him. He could hear worry in Diggle's voice, and apprehension if Felicity's. And then came the painful truth.

The gloved hand clenched the bow tightly, and at the same time it felt like Oliver's heart was clenching too. Because over the comm in his ear he heard something he never wished to hear.

It took all of his power not to return to the Foundry right away and pull Felicity into a tight hug. Because the sound of her crying, of her sobbing, broke his heart more than anything ever before. He wasn't a fool though, he knew his presence wasn't wanted right now, and he didn't have any right to console her when he is the reason for her tears.

When he heard Felicity asking Diggle if he believed she was wasting her time waiting for Oliver he wanted to speak up, promise her time and time again that she wasn't making a mistake. That he will become a man worthy of her affection. Yet again he remained silent, just listening to her pain.

When Diggle mentioned the Undertaking Oliver was brought back to the time before the earthquake destroyed not just houses, but lives. He knew what his friend was talking about, he did mentioned in a conversation that he doubted his skill to defeat the Dark archer and that he expected to possibly die from the wounds received in any of the future battles against the man in black.

"What? He didn't want to tell me in case he dies?" Felicity's anger was clearly heard in her voice, "Just leave me to hope I'll find my soulmate someday, not knowing he was right there and didn't say anything?"

"I'm sorry." Diggle responded, and Oliver knew he was the one who should be saying those words, over and over again. But he could repeat them a million times and still it wouldn't be enough.

It might never be enough.

Felicity mumbled something Oliver didn't understand, and Diggle snorted. They became great friends while he was on Lian Yu, and Oliver couldn't help but feel envy. His friend had what he desired, what he once had, what he lost.

"Do you know what hurts the most Oliver?" Felicity saying his name startled Oliver, and he realized he was wrong. She knew the comm line was active, she knew he was listening.

"What?" he asked, apprehensive of her answer, but needing to hear it nevertheless.

"Is the possibility that you won't survive an altercation against Merlyn, and what he was planning, that drove you into Laurel's bed? A thought that you might die so why not have one last hurrah with the love of your life?"

Oliver wiped his face, not feeling the wetness of the tears due to his gloved hand, "She isn't the love of my life." he responded finally.

"Could have fooled me." he heard her mutter.

"I'm coming back to the Foundry." Oliver finally said, before turning towards the fire escape that would take him down in the alley where his bike was stashed, "We'll take face to face then."

"No." the way she spoke made him pause. Finally Felicity sighed, "It's easier this way, not looking at you. Last night was a fluke, Oliver. Thea said it was a partial family dinner, but I know she planed it to be a date with her as a buffer. It won't happen again soon, maybe never. I can be your friend, I was your friend from the moment you welcomed me into the team... maybe even longer. But I don't know how we can be anything more than that. Not after everything."

Silence followed Felicity's words until Diggle finally informed him he would be manning the computers for the rest of the patrol. It wasn't a surprise, Oliver expected it. And the wrongness of having Dig in his ear didn't escape his notice.

And the thought that this might be his future, this lack of Felicity, was terrifying.


Moira Queen was still awake, and looking over some documents for QC that her son left in the office, when she heard the distinctive sound of the front doors slamming shut. Since Thea returned home at a normal time for a change, and left the task of closing the club to her main bartender, she knew only one person could be coming back at midnight. She closed the file regarding some new invention by a particularly bright young man that worked in Research and Development department, and moved to intercept Oliver before he hunkered down in his room until tomorrow.

The visit she had today was surprising, but Moira knew she should have expected it.

"Mom?" Oliver paused just as he reached the stairway and saw Moira approach him.

Knowing eyes looked him up and down and the older woman could see something was wrong with the way he was holding himself. At first she suspected it was linked to a physical injury, but since she knew the truth Oliver promised not to hide from her any serious injury he might receive from whichever criminal faced the vigilante. So if it wasn't physical, it must be...

"Is everything alright with Felicity?" she asked. She actually worried for the young blonde, not only because she was linked to her son in the most unusual way, but because she started to admire the strong-willed woman.

"She's fine... just... disappointed I suppose... with me. With who I was, and the choices I made." he admitted slowly, and Moira sighed when she saw tears welling up in his eyes. He was her son, and she adored him, but she understood Felicity's reluctance. Oliver had made so many questionable choices in his youth, but also since his return.

Today was the first time since she was employed in the Queen mansion that Raisa bought a tabloid, and the cover photo told her why. It wasn't yet another story about Oliver's drunk escapade, but one that involved his soulmate, and dragged out the names of several of her son's former paramours and painted them in a truly bad way.

"There you are!" Thea's voice echoed through the foyer, and Moira sighed. She has long ago stopped trying to prevent her daughter from shouting inside the mansion.

"Speedy, what...?" Oliver tried to ask, but his sister just grabbed his arm and pulled him to follow her up the stairs.

"I need to put the gel on your shoulder, come on. I want to go to bed before 1 so I can meet with Roy early tomorrow. We have big plans."

"One second, Thea. I need to talk to your brother." Moira stopped her children from leaving, and they both turned to look at her.

Instantly Thea frowned, "Is this about the visit this morning?"

"I thought you already left by then." Moira said, and her daughter shook her head in response.

"Visit?" Oliver asked with a frown that matched his sister's. He was already running possible scenarios in his head, making plans if that 'visit' was actually someone threatening his family.

"Laurel came to see me." Moira told him and his eyes widened. That he hadn't been expecting, "She wanted to talk to you."

"Why did she come here? I leave for QC at eight. If she came to the office I would have made time to talk to her."

Thea snorted, but made a straight face when her mother scowled at her. Still, the young heiress couldn't keep her opinion for herself, "Maybe because she is pissed of at being portrayed as the 'other woman', but at the same time doesn't want to face Felicity."

"Thea." Moira scowled her again.

"Mom, I was just leaving when she arrived so I decided to stick round and you know... eavesdrop. Anyway..." Thea turned towards her brother, "Laurel said she was going to Iron Heights on DA business, but decided to come to the mansion first cause it was on it's way, you know." the sarcasm in his sister's voice made Oliver snort. The prison was on the other side of the city from their home, so that excuse wasn't fooling anyone, "Apart from asking about your whereabouts, she chose to remind mom that she was once a main supporter of you and Laurel as a couple, and that she once thought Laurel was your perfect match, despite the fact your marks don't match."

When Oliver tensed and looked at Moira his mother sighed, and took over from Thea, "She didn't ask for my assistance to win you over again, and I never would have helped her even if she did. She did however asked for my public support of her because the article might influence her career."

"You skipped the part where she said the only reason she took Ollie back after he cheated was the fact you said she should." Thea pointed out.

Moira sighed yet again, this conversation didn't go the way she planed it, "I once told her to have patience with Oliver."

"So, what exactly does she expect then?" Oliver finally asked.

"It doesn't really matter." Moira responded, "Everything I felt before became irrelevant after you vanished, and Laurel started to date Tommy. And it became even more irrelevant when your soulmate was found. I do not care what was before, only what comes in the future. But it seems Felicity cares, and that is understandable."

"Okay, no more talk. I need to get that gel on you Oliver." Thea said and pulled her brother's hand, and this time Moira didn't try and stop them. This time the siblings went upstairs into Oliver's bedroom. And while Thea chatted the whole time about things, she was unaware her brother's mind was elsewhere.

He was processing things, the info he got from his mother, and more importantly the words Felicity said earlier that evening.

Thea pushed her brother to sit down on the edge of the bed, and without being told he removed his shirt. He didn't hear his sister rummage through the bathroom cabinet to find the gel, or reentering the bedroom. He didn't noticed when she climbed on the bed behind him, or heard when she mentioned how the tattoo looked paler and his mark was becoming visible under the lines that created the dragon.

Only when did the cold gel landed on his skin did he showed any signs of actually being aware of his surrounding. At that moment Thea sighed, like her mother did just a few minutes ago. There was something going on, and while her brother became more open with her about things, particularly matters concerning his soulmate mark, he still tended to shut himself from the world. And she suspected this might be one of the times she had to drag the information out of him.

Oliver turned his head slightly after she called his name, acknowledging that he did in fact heard her, but he remained silent. He mind was far away, and she wasn't having any of that. He was her big brother, and it was her task to look out after him just as he looked out after her.

So, resolved, she said the only thing that she was certain would get some sort of reaction from him, "I told Roy you are the Arrow."

Oliver instantly froze, as her words registered, before turning slightly to send her a glare, "That is not your secret to share, Thea. I don't want your boyfriend to get a dumb idea that I will trying him as my sidekick or something."

Thea shrugged, "Well, he would probably look good in leather. I'm thinking red, since he prefers that color. His handle could be Red Arrow."

"That just means he can't make a right turn."

Thea snorted, "You're right. I'll have to come up with a better one."

"I know what you are doing, and it isn't working." Oliver interrupted before she managed to suggest another codename.

"And what am I doing, brother dear?" Thea asked sweetly.

"You are fishing for information. But I'm not in the mood to share right now. And I'm also not in the mood of you spilling the beans to your boyfriend."

Thea sighed and leaned her head on his right shoulder, "You know I was only joking about telling Roy. Was it really that bad? I really thought the dinner in Big Belly was a good idea, that it might help you to move in a right direction."

"I don't think there is a right direction for Felicity and me." Oliver admitted out loud his biggest fear, "I don't think we can move past everything that happened and be more than friends. And maybe it's better that way."

Thea hated when her brother got this way. When he couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. His situation may seem helpless at times, but she honestly believed things could get resolved, and the estranged soulmates could find happiness together.

"Tell me your worst fear." Thea suddenly said, and Oliver tensed.

"To lose her." he whispered, like he was afraid to say it any louder because then it might happen, "But at the same time I would prefer that to... I don't want her to be like all the previous girls, she deserves more. So much more. That's why losing her wouldn't be the worst punishment."

"Ollie..." Thea whispered her brother's name in shock.

"I want to be with her. I want a happy future, I want it all. But it feels like being with Felicity would taint her." Oliver recalled his words from earlier that day, when Felicity said she would sleep with Max Fuller if he ever cheated on her again. She was innocent, and Max was just as bad as he was, sleeping around with numerous girls. His former friend was even engaged to a woman who wasn't his soulmate, but a wedding fell through because Oliver was with the future bride the night before the ceremony.

He described Max as tainted, and a voice in his head screamed that those exact words described him as well.

Thea moved slightly, and Oliver looked down to see her hands wrapping around him. The hug was strong, his sister giving him her support and strength.

"There is a simple solution to that, Ollie. If you want for her to be different from the other women, than give her more then you gave them. Don't jump in a bed with her like you did with Laurel, and Sara, and Mckenna, and... all those others."

"Thea..."

"Marry her, Oliver." the seriousness in her voice was unlike he ever heard before from his sister, "Wait until she is ready, and then become hers, and only hers."

"She might never be ready." he pointed out sadly.

"Just keep waiting."


Oliver flinched then the thunder rolled in the distance. Before the island he didn't mind the stormy weather. He didn't mind many things, but Lian Yu changed him in so many ways. He grew up, became more serious and aware, became resilient. Time there taught him to pick his priorities carefully, to rely on his instincts.

Ollie Queen didn't have any instincts though, unless knowing which girl will fall for his charm easiest counts as such. Because those were his priorities before.

And now he was paying a really high price for the kind of life he was leading, and the choices he made.

Lighting flashed, illuminating his large room for a moment, before the thunder followed moments later. By then Oliver was already sitting, the thick cover pooled on his lap. He knew there won't be any rest that night, so it would be useless to even try. Not when the background noise might cause nightmares to plague him, cause the memories, he would have gladly suppressed, resurface.

But then there were those walking nightmares. And he was currently living in one.

Ever since Thea mentioned marriage to him Oliver couldn't push the idea out of his mind. The vision of Felicity in white walking towards him. Them exchanging vows and kissing for the first time as husband and wife.

A shaky breath escaped Oliver's lips before he pushed the cover off himself and standing up. He unknowingly repeated the same process he made that first night after Felicity's death and walked to the tall window that showed him the view of the gardens behind the mansion. But the clear sky from that night was now obscured by clouds, the beauty of the night sky completely hidden.

It didn't matter anyway. He still saw the only true beauty in the woman that carried his mark.

Oliver swallowed the limp that formed in his throat.

The happy ending was just as far away now as it was when Felicity was gone. The dinner Thea orchestrated just might be the closest to a date they will ever have. It will take a miracle for him to taste her lips. There will be no home and a family. The children that were nothing but a distant dream that night were still a wishful thinking of a fool.

Oh, he will try, he will desperately try to become worthy of her.


Diggle knew something was going on. Not exactly going on, but something was happening in Oliver's head and he was curious what it was this time. Cause it can't possibly be worse than his dumb decision to stay away from Felicity. That idea is what got him in this mess in the first place.

No. This was different. And if he was honest with himself he would say Oliver was sending some serious heart eyes towards his soulmate. And it was making the retired soldier queasy. It was just so... sickening sweet.

And a bit weird when taken in consideration Oliver spend his nights putting a fear of God into criminals. That guy clashed so bad with this image in front of him.

Dark eyes moved towards the blonde sitting behind her desk, and he sighed. She was either unaware of the whole thing, or she was intentionally ignoring Oliver. Honestly, both options were possible. Especially after everything that was said last night.

Diggle sighed again. These two will send him to an early grave.

"Everything alright, Dig?" Oliver asked.

"You tell me." he responded, and Oliver frowned in his direction.

His words also caused Felicity to look up from her computer scree. Her blue eyes landed at him for a moment, before moving to Oliver, and then back. And since she was more focused on him she didn't notice the small head shake that signaled to Dig that whatever it was Oliver wasn't going to talk about it right now.

Probably due to audience that didn't suppose to be privy of the things that needed to be said.

That chance for a private conversation came when just the two of them entered the Foundry that evening. Felicity ended up taking the car keys right out of Diggle's hand, with a short mumble that she needed to get something from the pharmacy, and driving off in the Queen town car.

Neither man said a thing to her about it, not wanting to cause her to say exactly what she needed to buy just to explain her actions. They just didn't want to know.

"What I'm about to tell you can not reach Felicity." Oliver said seriously.

Instantly Diggle wondered if he should get the eskrima stick off the wall and beat some sense into his friend. But considering everything Oliver went through Dig was willing to give him a benefit of the doubt. But... if he had some dumbass idea hidden behind an excuse it was for Felicity's well being, then someone will get hurt this evening.

"I'm listening." Diggle said as he crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to look as menacing as possible. Just to make a point.

Oliver sighed and ran a hand over his face, "I talked to Thea last night. And I would like to point out it was entirely her idea... it's her opinion that I should marry Felicity."

Diggle waited for a moment to see if Oliver would add something, but it seemed that was it. So he just sighed, something that was happening more and more often since he started dealing with Oliver and Felicity and their soap-opera of a life.

"I need more information, man. Thea is a smart kid, she didn't just said it out of the blue. What was the conversation about?"

Instantly his friend looked at the floor. That gave him the impression that whatever it wasn't it wasn't necessarily good. Cause that would be too much to expect.

Oliver took a deep breath and started to clarify, "That thing I told Felicity yesterday, that Max Fuller is tainted. I know that I am too. And I... I want to be with her, but I don't want to taint her. She deserves more than me. So after explaining that to my sister Thea suggested..."

"I agree with her." Diggle said calmly. It wasn't as bad as expected, quite the opposite. It was necessary for Oliver to make some tough choices, and decide what he wants from his life, and from the bond he shared with Felicity.

"I thought you might consider it the worst idea possible." Oliver said honestly.

Dig shook his head, "Nah, man. Felicity is different, in every way. I was right here when she revealed she was still a virgin, something I do not wish to know about a woman who is like my little sister... anyway... my previous advice stands. Wait until she is ready and don't pressure her."

"Her life would be so much better if she didn't have me as her soulmate." Oliver mumbled under his breath, but he was still heard.

"Possibly." his friend responded, "But I honestly think the two of you are perfect for each other. You just need to earn her respect and love again. You have it, but you need to earn it."

"What she said yesterday... about maybe never being ready..."

Diggle wondered for the thousandth time how different their lives might have been if Oliver didn't grow up believing he was entitled to everything, which is what caused him to jump from bed to bed. If he was raised like Felicity was, to respect the mark on his body and the person it was linking him to.

"You have to decide what is more important to you. You can decide that waiting for something that might never happen is a complete waste of time and continue hooking up, or-"

"No!" Oliver snapped at him, "Waiting for Felicity will never be a waste of time!"

"Then be her friend, and someday she might be ready to be more."

The sound of the code being punched in and the doors opening stopped Oliver from saying anything else on the matter. Nothing more was needed to be said anyway. He wasn't an idiot, he knew what he needed to do. But having Diggle confirm it helped.

Felicity stopped as she reached the bottom of the staircase and noticed the both men standing just a few feet away, in the middle of the foundry, and looking at her. She blinked a few times, wondering what was going on and if she had a stain on her shirt or something. But a quick check told her her shirt was spotless, which left a question unanswered.

So she came to an only possible conclusion, "Were you two just gossiping about me?" she asked with a small grin.

"No." they answered together and way too quick.

Felicity just snorted. Yeah, they weren't fooling anyone. But secretly she was pleased. Oliver was used to keep things to himself, if he was talking to Diggle about personal matter that meant he was ready to go out of his comfort zone and ask for assistance or an advice. And that was a step in a right direction.

The computer dinged with a new alert, and Felicity marched to the desk that housed her babies. Something was going on in the city and she couldn't figure out what it was. Someone out there was covering his or hers footsteps surprisingly well. But she was Felicity Smoak, IT extraordinaire, and she had had a guy with some very pointy arrows on her side. Whomever this someone was, they were going down.

"Frack!" she snapped when the trail suddenly vanished.

"Felicity?" Oliver said her name, and she turned to look at him.

"The algorithm found a suspicious transaction. And it just vanished. Poof, right into thin air." she turned back towards the computers and glared at the screen like it personally insulted her. These were her babies, how can they let her down.

A hand on her shoulder made Felicity jump slightly and look up. The look Oliver was giving her, a smile that silently said he was believing in her and her abilities, that was everything she needed in that moment.

Last night she told him never was a good possibility for them. Now she had her doubts about that.


A coffee waited for Felicity when she entered the executive floor. It was on her desk, right next to her keyboard. She considered pointing out that it was potentially dangerous to leave a hot beverage so close to electronics, maybe remind Oliver what happened to that laptop he spilled latte on, but in the last moment she refrained. It felt like teasing him like that could easily be seen like she was leading him on, or something. And that was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

So she just smiled at him when noticing he was looking in her direction. And then Felicity paused when her brain registered that Oliver Queen arrived to work before she did. For a moment she wondered if she should pinch herself just to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but she had a feeling if she was he would have been shirtless and there would be a salmon ladder installed in the office.

Diggle, who stood in front of Oliver's desk, and was discussing the security details for the upcoming gala, had to roll his eyes when he realized Oliver didn't hear a single word he said after Felicity entered his field of vision.

Oliver's blue eyes finally snapped back at him after Dig cleared his throat, and if the older man wasn't such a professional he would have pointed out a blush that formed on his friend's face.

And possibly call him adorable for staring at his soulmate like a lovesick puppy. One that is currently in the doghouse for the unforeseen future.

A ding signaled the arrival of the elevator, which wasn't strange.

A shrill scream that followed was.