A/N: Umm… yeah rated M for a reason now.


The day was nice to say the least, but Oliver had barely noticed. He briskly walked back toward Ria's apartment. 'Retracing' her steps from the night she had been mugged. He was frustrated to say the least. He was currently dealing with two mysteries and both were bothering him. Apparently, it wasn't enough for Ria to have had to been mugged, but the brother of one of Laurel's friends had been 'accidentally' killed in a fire. And last night his alter ego had met the murderer.

The man, with no real training in fighting, had beaten him and escaped. It had put a huge dampener on Oliver's feelings as of late. With the female vigilante running around he had felt a bit easier about not going back to his own vigilante work. At least, not yet. With his mother and sister still feeling down about Walter he wanted to be there for them. But she hadn't even made the news yet. So, she was either keeping an extremely low profile, or something else was up. Either way, he very conflicted. It didn't help that while he was off fighting bad guys his girlfriend had gotten mugged, and had a black eye to show for it. He couldn't help but feel that it wouldn't have happened if he had been around.

Oliver clenched his fists. Stubborn woman. She had refused to go to the police saying it was 'useless' and that they wouldn't do anything about the attack. She even shot him down when he brought up the fact she could look at mug shots. She had told him that she hadn't seen the mugger. And once that had been said she had refused to say any more on the subject. Which got him thinking.

Although it had been a few days since the incident had happened, Oliver asked the attendant at the 7-Eleven about the night. Although the man hadn't worked that night he had revealed some interesting information. Muggings were extremely rare in that area. Mainly because the cops frequented the store and coffee shop that was right across the street. And, although not always a deterrent, the streets were nice and lit during the night with enough traffic passing by that anyone would have seen something and most-likely reported it. He would have to cruise by during the night. Daytime was generally good at deceiving how shady some areas in town really were.

Oliver sighed as he reached Ria's apartment building. It just didn't make sense. He didn't want to call her a liar. But he felt as if something was off about her story. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, causing him to stop mid-step and casually look around, feigning nonchalance. He had learned to trust his instincts long ago. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. There were a few pedestrians, but no one close to him save for one man: who was leaning against his car across the street smoking a cigarette.

The man was roughly his height and age, but that was where the similarities ended. He was a bigger build than Oliver, with massive muscles. He had long curly black hair that hung loosely around his head. Despite the fact it was a little chilly, the man wore a t-shirt and jeans. His car was black and Oliver recognized it as a new model, having recently come out a month or so ago. The man stared at Ria's apartment building, automatically smoking his cigarette. Oliver hadn't looked at the man long enough for him to notice. But suddenly, the man directed his attention to Oliver.

He smiled, dropping his cigarette on the pavement and squishing the remains with his boot. He slowly raised his hand up as if it were a gun and pretended to shoot Oliver before chuckling and getting into his car. The man couldn't have driven off fast enough for Oliver.

Oliver easily memorized the license plate and texted it to John with a quick note to find who owned the car. With a quick shrug of his shoulders he entered Ria's building. It was probably nothing. Just his brain overreacting due to his frustration.

Katie pulled the door open just as he got ready to knock and stared at him in surprise for a second before rolling her eyes. "I'm guessing I have you to thank for Ria gone crazy? Seriously, she's been at that job for less than a week dude. But whatever. I don't have time for this and we have a contract!" She yelled back. She didn't wait for a response and brushed past Oliver, clearly angry.

Ria peaked out from the couch and waved the moment she spotted Oliver. "Hey, Oliver," she said.

Oliver stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "What was that about?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders, walking toward him. "I just happened to be looking at single apartments around town." She rose on her toes and kissed him hello. He eagerly kissed her, expecting a deeper and much longer kiss. But she pulled away.

"You've been working for less than a week and already looking for a new place to live?" he couldn't help but tease, trying to lighten the mood.

"Can't stay here forever," she replied, rolling onto the couch from behind. She stretched out her limbs so she took up the entire length and held up a newspaper. He could see over various other papers on the coffee table with circles on them.

"Is that all I get for coming to see you?"

Ria didn't look up at him as she circled another potential apartment. "Um hmm," she said absent-mindedly.

He sighed and picked up one of the papers. "I could help you out with this. I do know this town a bit more than you do. And you definitely don't want to live here." He grabbed her pen and marked a giant X across one of the apartments she had circled. He knew the place. It was practically in the middle of the Glades.

She sat up as he sat on the edge of the couch, and looked at the one he had rejected. "It's a bit closer to my work," she pointed out.

"Yes, but it's in the Glades. It's not safe. Especially for a woman living alone," he stated. "What's wrong with staying here? Your roommates aren't too bad. Plus you can afford it. These apartments," he said, shaking his head as he glanced at the ones she had circled. "They aren't safe." He paused for a moment and frowned. Most of the apartments she had circled were deep in the Glades. But this one was just on the outskirts in a good part of town. It sounded perfect: single apartment, good neighborhood, no roommates, close to a grocery store and bus stop. He already liked it. There was only one problem. She'd barely be able to afford it with her salary. Not that he knew exactly what she was making. But he had a pretty decent guess.

His mind filled with ideas. He could buy the apartment building and rent it to her for a cheaper price.

"Oh! I liked that one too," she said excitedly, interrupting his thoughts. "I just wasn't sure. It's a year commitment to stay there. Most of these others are month to month or six months. I just…" She took a deep breath then let it out. "It's been a while since I've stayed in a city for that long. And I don't want to waste money in breaking a lease. Six months is good." She laid out the various pages, pointing toward the apartments that had six month lease on them.

He couldn't look at the papers just yet. Instead, he looked at her. It had dawned on him. She was staying for him. She had nothing to tie her down to the city. If they hadn't started dating then she probably would have been long gone. But she had stayed. And now she was looking into staying in an apartment on her own for at least another six months.

"Did I scare you?" she asked her eyes desperately searching his face for an answer.

He pulled her to him and kissed her, hoping that would reassure her. "No," he finally said.

She smiled but it was reserved. "Don't worry. Nothing's set in stone yet."

"As long as you aren't serious about living in the Glades. I don't care," he said. "I know the other apartments are a little expensive, but if you need help-"

Her glare cut him off. He sighed and waved his hand in the air, pretending to dismiss his comment. She was proud. But he was good at being sneaky. He would find a way to help her.

His phone vibrated. It was a text from Tommy, reminding him that it would be good if he showed up to the charity event that his unfinished club was hosting that night. As if Oliver would forget that. He wanted to confront the fire chief about the Noddel fire.

"Soo," Ria said, sounding very shy.

Oliver put his phone away and smiled at her. He leaned in to kiss her again, figuring there was time for a quickie, but she pulled away and stood up. He frowned. She was clearly nervous and unsure of herself again. He had assumed that her brief greeting had to do with the fact she had a fight with her roommate. It was clearly more than that now.

"Umm," she said. Finally, she fixed her eyes on his and took in a deep breath. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't go to this charity event that is at your club which you somehow forgot to invite me too?"

There it was. Relief filled inside of him and he knew it was clearly shown on his face. How could he have been so stupid? He hadn't even told her about the event. It was an honest overlook on his end. He stood up and moved closer to her. He wanted her to see his face and know he was telling her the truth.

"I… Ria. I'm sorry. I've had a few things on my mind the last couple of days. It completely slipped my mind to say anything," he said. "And it's just a silly charity event. I didn't think you'd want to go. And since it's in my club I would have to host a bit. We wouldn't have much time to spend together."

Her face was painfully free of any emotion that'd help him read how she felt. "You didn't think I'd want to go? Or you didn't think I could afford to go? Or you didn't want me to go for another reason?" Her voice hinted at something. That he was going with someone else maybe? But he wasn't like that anymore. She knew that. Despite what the media was still painting him as.

"No," he said, shaking his head and reaching out toward her. "None of those reason. I swear." He cupped her cheek and tried to smile reassuringly. "I honestly didn't think about it. It wasn't my idea anyway. Tommy actually thought of doing the charity event and I left everything up to him. I have to be there because it's my club."

"Yes, but you promised you would invite me to the grand opening," she teased. The lightness in her voice was welcoming.

He chuckled. "We're not technically opened," he said. "If you go you'll see an unfinished messed only covered by plastic sheets." He rubbed her cheek with his hand. She placed her hand on his and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to act jealous or anything. It's just. Laurel and Joanna were talking about the charity event and I know it was short notice and all. But I felt a little left out since I didn't know anything about it. So I couldn't help but wonder if you were done with me."

He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and kissed her. Their bodies fit perfectly together. Her hands found their way under his shirt, lightly scratching his back. He moved his lips from her mouth to kiss her cheekbones.

"Never," he whispered in her ear and playfully nibbled her cheek. He was rewarded with a delightful gasp. Her movements were quick after that. She pulled off his shirt then hers while he undid his belt and her bra. "Roommates?" he asked, pausing their quick attempts to undress.

Her room was only a few feet away, but it seemed like miles for him. He didn't want to wait, but he also didn't want anyone interrupting them.

"Not here," she muttered and dropped her pants. If that wasn't an invitation for sex then her hand going into his pants and caressing his cock was. She didn't need to wait too long for him to be ready and enter her. Fast and quick, but still passionate. They both needed the intimate contact with each other. She needed him to reassure her that he still wanted her. And he needed her to forget his worries and just be Oliver. He tried to give the rest of her body as much attention as he could.

He slowed down for a moment, looking at her face to make sure that she was enjoying herself. She returned his gaze, startled by his sudden change of pace. He couldn't say the words. It would be too much for him to admit now. But she wasn't just some plaything to him. But he could say it to her with his body language.

Her hands clasped his neck and they kissed. Their tongues tugged at each other as he increased his pace again. He squeezed her ass and gently rolled her onto her back. At some point in the short span of time, she had thrown the blanket that was on the couch on the floor.

"OH!" she cried out as she clamped down around him. He couldn't hold it in anymore.

He collapsed beside her completely spent. Both of them breathed deeply, trying to slow down their pulses. Oliver looked over at her and smiled. She gave him a playful angry look in return.

"Why did we not do that before?" she panted.

He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

Stretching her arms above her, she let out a big yawn and rubbed her eyes. "I think I'm ready for a nap," she muttered, snuggling her head against his arm. "But, I do have roommates." With those words, she tossed him his clothes and quickly put on her shirt and underwear.

"Guess we should get you into your own apartment soon then," he whispered, kissing her neck.

She moaned and he felt her body shiver with delight. "Stop it!" she said then giggled. "Your charity event starts soon. You can shower here if you want."

He nodded his head. "Why don't we shower and then get ready to go together?" He asked. He let his hands gently wander under her shirt and scratch her back.

"Because if we shower I doubt we'll make it to the event at all," she said firmly.

He let out a sigh of defeat and placed his head on her chest. He liked the way she massaged his scalp.

"Shower. You got to go," she finally said, pulling away from him.

He groaned in disappointment but then let out a sigh and nodded his head. "I guess that's what happens when you have responsibilities."

She laughed.

It didn't take him to long to shower and get dress again. He smiled cockily at her, utterly delighted to see her still in her underwear and shirt sans bra. He pulled her to him again, locking his hands behind her back and kissed her.

"Now now," she said, trying to pull away. "I've got to take a shower and get ready. Got plans for tonight. Thinking I might tease you and go commando. Just for you to know since I wasn't invited to your charity event."

He winced at the reminder. "Just get ready and come with me," he said.

"What? And ruin my plan to catch you unawares?" she asked. Suddenly, her voice changed as her body stiffened. "You wouldn't mind if I go?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. I have nothing to hide." Except him being the vigilante, but that was for another day.

"Good! Because I sort of bought my way into the charity. I was gonna be like, 'What what? Oliver? What are you doing here? Oh. This is your club. Say what? I just heard about this awesome charity thing and wanted to come.' You know. If you did have a problem or something."

He shook his head. "You are full of surprises."

"You have no idea. But I better shower. I can take a cab if you can't wait."

He let her go and sat down on her couch. The room smelled like cleaner. She had been busy when he was in the shower. "I can wait." He shooed her and smiled when she did a little hop before disappearing down the hall toward the bathroom.

She popped her head out of the hall and pointed to him. "But this doesn't count as the grand opening. Just FYI. I still get VIP status for that."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement.


The mood in the car, as John drove them to the club, changed quickly despite the short ride. Before leaving, Ria had teased him yet again about going commando, and he had a feeling that her tight black dress made it impossible for her to wear underwear without it showing. But the closer they got to the club, the more he thought about the recent deaths of the firemen. Luckily Ria seemed lost in her own thoughts before the ride was done.

"My lady," Oliver said, extending his arm out to her as soon as she stepped out of the car. She smiled and put her arm in his, letting him lead the way.

The club was packed. Clearly the event was a huge success.

"Congratulations," Oliver said the moment he and Ria were in front of Tommy.

His friend smiled with pride and relief. "Thanks," he replied.

Ria pulled away from Oliver and shook hands with Tommy. "I can't believe you were able to do this in such a short amount of time. I don't think I would ever be able to pull something like this off. Great job," Ria said.

Tommy shrugged. "Just wish the club could have been a little more finished."

"I barely noticed," Ria said, waving her hands at scaffolds that were covered in plastic.

He chuckled.

"I'm going to go see who's around," Oliver said. He held up his arm and Ria accept, smiling sweetly at him. Oliver kept his eyes peeled for Laurel. He spotted Fire Chief Raines standing near the refreshments alone. All he needed to do was confront the man about the Noddel fire with Laurel beside him. She'd figure out the truth on her own and he wouldn't have to do much else after that. She'd tell her father and her father would find Garfield and stop the crazed killer.

Oliver glanced around and realized he was alone. For the briefest moment he panicked. It was a silly feeling since they were in his club and he knew they were all safe. But he hadn't even felt her leave his side. She stood a good ten feet behind him, talking with a policeman. The young man wore his dress uniform and looked rather handsome. He said something to her and she laughed, making Oliver feel rather uncomfortable. Jealous?

He strode over to them and wrapped one hand around Ria's waist. She gave him a quick glance, clearly making sure she knew who was touching her. Her body melted next to his and suddenly he realized that she had been tense. He hadn't noticed because he had thought she was trying to make him jealous.

"Jacks, this is my boyfriend, Oliver. Oliver, Officer Jackson Green. His brother was a firefight," Ria said.

Jacks smiled, but it didn't even reach his eyes, shaking Oliver's hand. "I guess I have you to thank for this event. I do my best to help my brother's family. But it's hard."

"Actually, you can thank Tommy Merlyn," Oliver corrected.

"Right," Jacks said. "It was nice meeting you, Ria."

She nodded, but didn't move closer to him.

"Are you alright?" Oliver asked the second he was out of earshot.

Ria smiled and nodded. "Sorry. He kind of grabbed me. I think he wanted to get your attention, but got mine instead. He was apologizing before you came back. Hey look. Laurel."

Oliver spotted his ex at the same time that Ria had pointed her out. Holding onto Ria's hand, he pulled her behind him and made his way toward Tommy and Laurel. His two friends had clearly made up with each other. Their relationship back on track. That was good. Although part of him hated to admit it. Laurel and Tommy both seemed happier together.

"Excuse me. Can I borrow Laurel for a second?" Oliver asked Tommy not even greeting her.

"Absolutely," Tommy said without hesitation. He held onto Laurel's hand for a brief moment. He raised his eyebrows at Ria and beaconed her to join him with his head. "I see Oliver hasn't supplied you with a drink yet," he commented.

"Nope," Ria said, letting Oliver go and following Tommy. The two hadn't talked or interacted much since she had started seeing Oliver. But she had assumed that was because Oliver wasn't sure what their relationship was at the time.

"This is a wonderful idea and gathering you made," she said, nodding and pointing around them. "Oliver said you came up with the idea yourself."

Tommy smiled at her. "Well I'm glad he's not taking all the credit. Figured it'd be a great way to promote our club, even though we're not exactly open. Get everyone hyped up, but also help out the firefighters' families."

Ria nodded in agreement. "Smart planning. The club is coming along nicely by the looks of it."

Tommy shook his head and sighed. "I think our contractor was trying to milk us for as much money as he could."

She shook her head. "I hate people like that. My dad was afraid of that when he made his restaurant. He was too paranoid and ended up having only four of us working on it. It was a nice experience, but it'll be too soon if I sandpaper."

He chuckled. "Laurel says you're a hard worker. We were thinking of inviting you two over for dinner one of these nights. She was just afraid you'd find that weird. You know. You work for her and you're dating her ex-boyfriend."

She smiled and shook her head before shrugging. "I wouldn't mind. I wish I had friends to introduce Oliver to. I'm kind of a nomad to be honest. I haven't lived very long in one city since I was a child. The people I know," she trailed off then shrugged again. "Don't count as friends. I can't say I don't find his relationship with Laurel a little odd. But you both are dear to him. I can tell. I would love to get to know you two better. Maybe you could embarrass him with stories that he wouldn't tell me otherwise? You know, get a little even with him for wandering off like he does."

Tommy laughed and nodded his head. "Deal."

A loud explosion surprised everyone. Ria found Tommy's arms wrapped around her protectively as the two looked to see what had happened. Part of the club was engulfed in flames. The crowd around them pushed them toward the exit. For a brief moment Ria spotted Oliver standing protectively in front of Laurel, before too many people covered her view. Tommy forced her forward and kept her upright even though she wanted to push through the crowd and rescue Oliver. He wouldn't have to fear the flames. Not with her around.

The two barely reached the exit before Tommy turned and pushed his way back into the building. "Laurel? Oliver!" he cried out.

"Tommy wait," Ria yelled.

He turned and placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her back. "I'll get them I promise. But you have to stay where it's safe. For Oliver. I'll be right back."

She felt a hand grab hers and pull her away from Tommy. She easily slide out of whoever's grasp and quickly followed after Tommy. She couldn't let anything happen to him. She stepped out of her shoes and ran barefoot. It was easier that way. Turning a corner, she spotted Laurel rushing into Tommy's arms.

"Where's Oliver?" Tommy asked.

Laurel shook her head.

The sound of metal creaking caught Tommy's attention and he looked up. He quickly pulled Laurel down as some scaffolding fell down toward them. Ria automatically reached out and pulled the burning bits and metal back toward her. The pieces landed hard on the ground, missing the couple. It was a rather close call. Both of their eyes were wide with terror at what could have fallen on them.

"Are you guys okay?" Ria asked, dodging the ground that was on fire.

"What are you doing here?" Laurel said, grabbing Ria's arm. "We have to get out of here."

"Oliver?" Ria asked.

"I'm sure he's alright," Laurel said. "We got separated, but he will make it. I promise."

Tommy led the two women out of the burning building and toward one of the awaiting ambulances to get them checked out. Already the firefighters were entering the building with their hoses. The damage wouldn't be that bad he knew. How lucky were they that an arsonist attacked a benefit for firefighters?

He glanced over at Ria who watched the building's entrance intensely. Her arms were wrapped around her as she stood perfectly still. It was her fingers that gave her nerves away. She moved them up and down, sometimes using her thumb to stretch them.

"He'll be fine," he tried to reassure her, draping one of the ambulance blankets around her..

"Oliver," she whispered.

He glanced in the direction she was looking at and breathed a sigh of relief as his friend moved through the crowd.

"Where were you? We were all worried about you!" Laurel snapped in anger due to her relief.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said. "I had a stupid thought. I figured I'd be able to get to a fire extinguisher or something and save the chief. When I tried to get back the fire was too hot. Ended up having to go into the alley to get out."

Ria hugged him and let out a loud sigh of relief, the blanket falling to the ground. "I'm just glad you're safe," she said.

"That was a stupid thought," Tommy muttered. "Please don't try to be a hero again. You're really not cut out for it."

Oliver let out a chuckle and nodded. "I'll try. Ria? What happened to your shoes?"

She shrugged. "I think they're somewhere between here and your idea to use a fire extinguisher when there are perfectly good firetrucks and firefighters out here."

He picked her up, causing her to cry out in surprise.

"Oh my god. Pendejo! Put me down!" she commanded, pushing against his chest. He frowned in confusion but obeyed.

She quickly tugged at her dress. It wasn't close to being long enough to cover her legs. Her face turned scarlet from embarrassment. "Ai. Dios mio."

His eyes widened slightly and then he laughed, realizing why she was embarrassed. "I'm sorry, babe. If you want to wait in the car or I can have John take you home. Tommy, if you and Laurel want to leave too. I can take care of things here." He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.

"I don't see how considering what you just admitted to," Laurel teased.

Ria reached up and kissed Oliver. "I'll wait in the car."

Oliver kissed her back and nodded. John appeared out of nowhere with a pair of shoes and handed them to Ria. She put them on then followed him to the car.

Oliver gave Tommy a knowing glance. His friend let out a sigh. "Let's go Laurel. There's not much we can do now," he said, nudging Laurel in the direction of her car.

She nodded in agreement and walked in the direction of her car. "I'll meet you home," she told Tommy. "Be safe, Oliver."

Tommy waited for a moment, staring at the club. "What a disaster. And the charity event was going so well."

"I don't know what you are talking about. The event was on fire."

Tommy blinked a few times in surprise at Oliver joke. Then rolled his eyes, refusing to let his chuckle come out. "You're an ass. And your jokes are dumb."

Oliver chuckled. Even though she was in the car he missed Ria. He had a feeling she would have laughed rather hard at his joke. Oliver frowned for a brief moment. That was a Ria joke he had made. A small smile crossed his lips at the thought. How interesting.


A/N: Yikes! You know it's been a while since you're written when you start misspelling character names. Okay, now before anything else I have to say. I did NOT know what they were going to do this season on Arrow. So my drug (I know I haven't really gone over the effects yet. And won't for a while, but had to say this now) and the one on Arrow season 2 are similar in what they do, but different at the same time. Great minds think alike, right? lol. I just felt I had to point that out even though I haven't explained my drug yet. The drug, it's effects, and basic plot of this story was written long ago when I first started posting this story. SO big coincidence on some similarities. You'll see soon enough.

Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys keep surprising me. To those who favorited/alerted this story you guys are awesome to. I'm always surprised that even though it's been a little while(or long while) I'll get alerts to your interest with my story. Makes me want to write faster. Sadly, been working pretty hard lately. Making it really hard to think and concentrate on writing. Work should be dying down which is good and bad. Need money. Want more free time. XD Been a while since I've responded to my reviewers. Sorry about that. I tend to write late and post as soon as I finish writing. But I promise I read ALL of your reviews and save them.

narelcollie: There will be a lot more alter ego team ups. Which will be fun to write since they don't know each other. I wrote Katie that way because she's jealous. She doesn't understand why Oliver is with Ria so she tries to find a way to justify why Oliver would be with Ria and not her.

flazzy cullen: Glad you love my story! Hope I continue to make it enjoyable.

Kindleflame5: I know I replied to you, but I'll say this briefly. She may or may not get stronger as the story progresses (I can't spoil it). She has to grow as a character, you know? But whatever happens, she just won't become a dues ex machina. She has to have strengths and weaknesses. I hope my making weakness for her doesn't make her a bad character for you. I just kind of like making her powers also be a small curse for her. As for if she finds out Ollie's identity. We shall see.

Ladykoolaid: You said "thus far"! My brother always laughs at me when I say the words "hence" and "thus far". I'm glad I'm able to mold the episodes into my story. It's a fun challenge. I also find it annoying when I'm reading a fic and suddenly I see massive movie/tv show dialogue with an OC saying a line here and there or taking another character's line. I'm guilty of having done that before. Glad to have grown in my writing.

Guest: Yeah! Awesome you're enjoying my story.

lovinurbucks: She's been a hero. But kind of a reluctant one at the moment. She'll be returning to the streets again soon enough.

RougeReaper: You'll have to wait for Digs' reaction. I hadn't planned on one to be honest. But after your review the scene came to mind.

Moonlit Night199: Her past will be revealed little by little. I'll do my best to answer all the questions I put out there about her. But this story is far from over. There is much left to do. So many mysteries to slowly solve.

cas.92: I'm glad you didn't miss my story either! Yes, I know the trouble with Sues. Having written many starting out. I try my best to make sure that all my characters show emotion and do have weaknesses that can be exploited by others. I'm glad your skepticism didn't deter you from continuing to read my story. I hope I continue to keep her interesting and fresh. And don't hesitate to call me out if she starts skipping down the road of boring. There is lots in store.

Paulie: Glad you love the story. No worries. I will finish it. It just might take me a little bit longer.

Guest: Can't believe you almost skipped over my story too! lol. Glad you find it enjoyable. :)