An Unexpected Life

by gilesc3

Oliver Queen left more than he knew when he stepped foot on the Queen's Gambit. Follow as Felicity has to deal with the consequences of their night together and everything that comes with it. She had no idea just how much her life was going to change, all do to one tipsy night. Will be slow burn to Olicity.

13. Chapter 11

AN: Oh wow guys, please don't hate me! I'm so sorry! I moved cities and wasn't able to get internet access for a month. A MONTH! It was torture! I swear. And then this chapter was just a Bword to finish, so I apologize now if the ending seems rushed. But I got tired of typing. I hope you all enjoy and I'm sorry again!

Forest Gnome: Here's the update! I hope you like it.

Britany: Thanks for reading! I like that Felicity isn't overwhelmed with jealousy too. I just don't think it fits her character right now, you know. And even though she's attracted to Oliver, she's more concerned with how Oliver is changing and how his presence is affecting their family rather than if he's still in love with Laurel. I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I hope you like this one too.

Merci! Je suis si heureux vous avez aimé le chapitre. Je pense à mettre un homme dans l'histoire de Felicity, mais je dois planifier à l'donc il a une certaine profondeur au lieu d'être simplement jeté dans. Merci encore!

Guest: Thanks so much. I hope you like this chapter too.

Guest (Ch. 1): I'm so thrilled you gave my story a shot! I liked Felicity's parents too, and writing her in college was fun. It's nice to get to see the different parts of her life before she got involved with Oliver and the mission. Thank you so much for the compliment about my writing, it means a lot.

Guest (Ch. 2): I thought it made sense with the way I'm writing the story.

LittleMissLucky: You're very welcome! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Guest (Ch. 3): Thea was a little hard, since she's still so messed up about the loss of her dad and brother, so I'm glad you liked how I handled her. And I found that I like Tommy a lot more after writing him.

Guest (Ch. 3): I know it was sad about Felicity's sister, but it gave her character more depth and it allowed her to bond with Thea, which was the point.

Claudia: Hey! I cannot wait for season 3! I'm so glad you liked the last chapter and I'm sorry for the delay, it was unavoidable. I liked getting to see inside Oliver's head about Felicity too. I hope you like this chapter.

Guest (Ch. 4): Glad you liked the chapter.

Guest (Ch. 4): You're very welcome. I thought it was really important to incorporate those 5 years into the story instead of just skipping over it because I brought Marie into the family. I thought that her and Felicity's presence would have a drastic effect on the family, so it was definitely necessary to show those important moments. I'm so glad you liked it!

Guest (Ch. 7): Thanks so much! I'm thrilled you liked how I wrote this chapter! I love Felicity's and Tommy's friendship too! I didn't really connect with Tommy the first time I watched the show, but writing him has made me fall for him.

Guest (Ch. 8): I was happy Diggle was finally brought in too. I thought about pulling him in sooner, but it just didn't work with the way I was planning for the story to go. I really liked how protective Oliver got too; it was nice to see that he is aware of Felicity, you know. She's not just disappearing into the background and being brought in whenever he needs help, which I'm very happy about. And I also liked how Felicity is trying to make everyone understand that Oliver's been through a lot and to not just trying to get him to go back to the person he used to be. So glad you liked the chapter.

Guest (Ch. 10): Yeah, Laurel isn't my favorite character to write or watch.

Guest (Ch. 11): I'm glad you liked the chapter. And it was nice to write a lighter side of Oliver.

Guest (Ch. 12): I love badass Felicity too. I think they should definitely give her more training time on the show so we could get more of her.

Guest: Thanks for giving my story a shot and enjoying it! I hope you like this chapter as well!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow or DC Comics.

Chapter 11: The Beginning of Change

Felicity glanced at her alarm clock, groaning quietly when she saw the time. It was almost 3 in the morning and she still hadn't gotten any sleep, her mind too chaotic to give her peace. She was torn up about all the lying and secrets, wishing Oliver could come clean with his family and Tommy without having to fear they'd turn on him.

But, as much as she loved them, Felicity knew none of them were ready for that, especially Oliver. He was too consumed with his 'mission' and keeping his true self hidden to even contemplate such a bold and drastic move. No, he'd keep lying and hiding behind the old Ollie for as long as possible.

She wasn't sure how long his fabrications would be believed, especially seeing as both Tommy and Thea seemed to suspect him; and Moira was far from blind or stupid, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to figure it out. Oliver was putting a lot of stock in his lying abilities and the blonde thought they weren't as impressive as he believed, meaning he was going to get found out one day. And they might not react as well as she had.

Especially if he didn't truly start to change and make better choices. Felicity saw a light in him that told her he could be more than just a vigilante, that he could be a hero the city looked up to instead of feared. And yes, it was a small flame threatening to be snuffed forever, but she truly believed that it could grow into a raging fire, driving away the cold darkness he was all but consumed by.

Moments like this, when she couldn't quiet all her worries or easily solve the problems at hand, she felt a small nugget of regret. Not that Oliver was discovered and brought home, because she could never be anything but grateful, for her whole family's sake. But, regret at discovering his secret occasionally crept up on her, making her wish she was still in the dark and didn't have to keep this huge secret from those she loved.

These moments were fleeting and few between, but they did make her pause and really think about everything. And as hard as it was to lie to her family, she believed in her mission enough to silence that little nugget.

Felicity's mission wasn't to get the 1 presenter's to fix their mistakes and fess up to their crimes. No, her mission was to help keep Oliver from destroying himself and to show him there was another way. She was committed mostly for Marie and her family, but also because she was actually starting to like Oliver and she didn't want him to devolve into nothing more than a shadow crossing names off a list.

Not that he made liking him as a friend easy; not by any means. There were very rare occasions where he actually let his walls fall and showed her who he really was. But most of the time, he was closed off and wearing a mask; both his 'playboy' and 'vigilante' facades were masks he hid behind to keep from having to truly deal with himself. Meaning it was extremely difficult to see to the man who was behind it all.

But, Felicity thought he was beginning to trust her, as much as he was capable of, and that was progress. Add in the new no-killing rule he'd agreed to and his increased involvement with Marie, and the blonde thought he was already letting her in, letting her see him. She could only hope that that progression continued and he'd begin to truly heal instead of just burying all the pain and anger. Fingers crossed.

Sighing, Felicity rolled out of bed and grabbed her robe and headed quietly out of her room, checking on Marie before starting down the hallway. A cup of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows should help her insomnia; it was her mom's go-to trick for such nights. And if that failed, she'd have to hook up a caffeine drip and just endure a sleepless night.

A noise caught her attention, pulling her to Oliver's door as if by an invisible hand. She didn't normally creep outside people's bedrooms, but something compelled her forward, her hand already knocking before she could stop it. There was no response, just the continued muffled noises, so she slowly twisted the knob, not sure what lay beyond.

Thankfully Oliver wasn't in a compromising position; he was twisted in his sheets, body slick with sweat as he thrashed. He had to be deep in his nightmare for him to not have heard her knock, making her rush forward to wake him. Logic went out the window, the need to stop his suffering overpowering her until all she could think was that she needed to wake him; she needed to end his terror.

Oliver came awake with a vicious snarl when she shook his shoulder, leaping from the bed. Felicity barely got a gasp out before he slammed into her, rolling until she was under him, his impressive weight keeping her immobile. It didn't help that his hands were wrapped around her throat tightly, cutting her oxygen supply short.

"O-Oliver." She tried to pry his fingers loose, but they were like steel bands.

"Who are you?" He demanded, his eyes still crazed, not recognizing her. The darkness of the room made it difficult to see for a normal, not choking-you-to-death person, so it wasn't that surprising he couldn't see her.

Giving up on his hands, Felicity tried to breathe through her nose as her mind raced and her body went limp. She detested feeling vulnerable, but she was hoping her docile pose would convey she wasn't a threat. Oliver was clearly in full predator mode and she needed to snap him out of it before he killed her. It was a stark reminder just how far he'd been pushed that his first instinct was to attack, going straight for the kill.

"Oliver—it's Felicity." She coughed, her windpipe screaming and making it difficult to talk.

Sliding her hands up his bare arms, she felt her way until she reached his face. Cupping his cheeks in her palms, the blonde let her nails scrap his stubble.

Oliver's grip loosened at the warm touch, his mind beginning to clear. He slowly became aware of the body under his; the skin beneath his hands was soft and smooth.

Blinking, the castaway pulled his hands away when the dark figure became more recognizable. The sultry scent he'd come to know belonged to Felicity filled his nose and his body began to react to the feel of her under him.

"Felicity?" He questioned gruffly even though he already knew it was her. No one else smelled like her.

"Hi." She said quietly, eyes raking what she could see of his face, trying to ignore how much her throat hurt or the cough that demanded release. She didn't want to make him feel bad, but she really needed to cough. And drink something cold.

"Are you alright? I didn't—" He tried to move, but her hands still held his face and she refused to release him.

"Oliver—" She broke off to cough, feeling the way he stiffened above her. She could practically see the guilt and self-hatred consuming him, and she was having none of it.

Wrapping her legs around his, she rolled them until he was under her, her mind too focused on his face to realize her thighs didn't hit fabric of sleep pants, but bare skin. Leaning over him, she stared into his eyes, the minimal light from the window doing little to help.

"Oliver, I realized my mistake when I made it. I shouldn't have touched you, I know that; but, I wasn't thinking. It's not your fault." He shook his head, disgusted with himself.

"I choked you." He muttered darkly, hating himself and his inability to just be normal. Normal people didn't react in violence when someone wakes them.

"Yes, you did, and it wasn't pleasant by any stretch. But I don't blame you." Felicity replied, settling her weight against him, her knees pressing into his sides in case he tried to move; her hands settled against his chest.

"Why not? I could've killed you." Oliver's hands rested on her bent knees, his fingers unintentionally stroking her soft skin. He seemed unable to be around her without reaching out to touch her, like a moth to a flame.

"Because I know what it's like."

"How could you?" His question wasn't biting or belittling; he honestly wanted to know. The blonde chewed her lip, fingers stroking invisible designs across his pecs, not flinching when she felt the raised and rugged skin of scars.

"It's not anything like what you've been through, but after my kidnapping, I had horrible nightmares. I…I didn't feel safe. I mean, I knew that no one could grab me at the mansion, but that fear doesn't just go away, you know." She said quietly.

"I do." Their eyes met at his words, revealing both to be open and bare. Felicity had to swallow around the lump that'd formed in her throat at the pain she could just make out in his gaze, wishing she could take it all away from him. To free him of the demons that plagued him, refusing to relinquish their hold.

"I started sleeping with a knife. I hadn't even started my defense classes, but I thought I could take care of myself if anyone else came for me. I—I even started carrying a really sharp metal nail file with me to work."

"You—a nail file?" His face clouded in confusion, making her blush a little.

"I used the sharpener in the kitchen to refine the sides and point; I got it to where it'd slice through anything fleshy pretty easily."

"Why not carry a butterfly knife?"

"Hello, I work at QC, the place that has metal detectors and armed guards. The file was the only thing they'd allow me to keep and not call the cops. It wasn't much, but if anyone tried to grab me again, I wouldn't go quietly."

"I'm sorry that happened to you. A woman should be able to walk down the street without fearing for her safety." Oliver proclaimed gruffly, hands tightening on her knees reflexively.

"There's always going to be people who take advantage of others, who hurt people just because they can. All we can do is grow from our experiences, Oliver, instead of letting them control us."

"Some memories refuse to stay buried."

"That's why I said grow, not bury. Before I learned that, I pulled a knife on Raisa." She revealed.

"What?" He sat up, taking her with him until she was cradled in his lap, their fronts pressed together.

"She came in to wake me; she'd heard me thrashing around and had shaken me. I had the knife pressed to her throat before I even realized what was happening; she still has a scar from where the blade nicked her.

"That was the moment I realized I wasn't dealing with what had happened to me; I was just sweeping it under the rug. But doing that nearly cost Raisa her life and I swore I wouldn't let the memories control me anymore; I promised myself that I'd finally deal with the kidnapping so I could start to heal and to move on." Felicity explained, her brain slowly beginning to realize just what position they were in. She blushed but made no attempt to move, not wanting to break the moment when he was actually listening to her.

"How'd you heal?" His voice was barely above a whisper, as if afraid to speak the question aloud.

"I went to therapy and started going to self-defense classes." She felt the instant he began to withdraw from her, making her fingers dig into his arms.

"Therapy isn't for everyone; and I'm not saying you need to go. Well, okay, I think you really should, but that's just me. But you do need to talk to someone about what happened Oliver, or else you'll never be free."

"I don't deserve to be free. Not after the things I've done." He muttered, getting an eye roll in response. He was so melodramatic sometimes.

"Of course you do, Oliver, but you have to want to heal. It'll be pointless to go through the steps if you're just going to keep blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. For someone who doesn't see themselves as a hero, you sure do have one's martyr complex."

"Felicity—"

"You know, you can't just end a conversation or get your way just because you say my name all deep and growly like that. It's sexy and everything, but I'm not that easy." She poked him in the chest, brow crinkling at the amused expression that overtook his handsome face.

Going over what she'd said in her mind, the blonde groaned and rolled her eyes at herself.

"Just ignore that last sentence, even though it's true. – Not about the way you say my name being sexy! I'm not easy, that's what I meant. I—"

"Felicity." She clamped her mouth shut, her face hot. But he was in a better mood, so that was good; even if it came at her embarrassing herself. Something positive should come out of that, because she was always putting her foot in her mouth over one thing or another.

"Anyway, so you should really talk to someone. I'm sure John would be able to relate to some of it, being a former solder. I—well, I don't know anything about having to fight to stay alive, but I'm always willing to listen. And you should know by now that I won't judge you for your past, no matter what."

Oliver could scarcely believe he'd managed to find someone like Felicity Smoak. She was goodness and light personified, drawing those around her in and warming them, even those encased in ice. It wasn't that she was naïve or sheltered or innocent; she'd seen firsthand the horrors others were capable of inflicting. Yet, even with knowing the evil that always sought to infect everyone, she chose to see the good in people and the world.

"You're remarkable." Felicity's eyes widened a little, not expecting the compliment.

"Thank you for remarking on it." His lips stretched up into his rare, genuine smile that actually made her knees a little weak. Which was just ridiculous.

They stared at each other in silence for a few, long moments, neither wanting to break the moment, but also not knowing what to say. It was in this time that they became fully aware of just how they were seated.

Felicity was in Oliver's lap, her bent knees on either side of him, their pelvises pressed intimately together. Her robe had opened during their interactions, showing she was wearing a thin camisole and boy shorts, a large amount of silky skin left exposed. And Oliver was only wearing boxer briefs, giving very little protection against the feel of him.

Oliver tried to rein in the sudden desire that surged through him, but the feel of her was quickly driving him crazy. He didn't know how they'd been this close for so long and hadn't even noticed; because he was completely aware of her now. He couldn't stop his calloused fingers from trailing up her thighs, delighting in the goose bumps that broke out across her skin at the caress.

Felicity swallowed thickly as she let herself actually feel him; the solid feel of him under her and against her chest made it difficult to breathe. She shivered as his hands caressed her thighs, the roughness of his fingertips more erotic and enticing than she would have thought possible. She couldn't stop herself from leaning into him, her chest pressing tightly against his, the camisole doing little to conceal her response.

"Felicity." He murmured quietly, the invitation in his tone all she needed.

The blonde wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one hand going to the back of his head, fingers siding through his short hairs, her mouth crashing down onto his. His large hands moved up her ribs, just brushing the sides of her breasts before he was pushing her robe off, tossing it behind her when she helped shrug it off before her own hands were wondering down his back.

The taste of him was intoxicating; the way his stubble scratched against her skin a strange sensation she found remarkably enticing. They separated a few inches to catch their breath, their eyes locked, both too caught up in the moment to put the brakes on. Oliver's hands were like hot brands against her back; Felicity's hands traced the scars of his back without hesitation, the fire never lessening in her eyes.

He pulled her back to his mouth, needing to taste her again; even her kisses were full of the light and warmth he'd come to known only she possessed; her flavor making his head buzz and his groin harden beneath her. Felicity gasped against his lips when she felt the bulge against her, her hips moving without thought to create friction, making them both moan.

Needing to take charge, Oliver pulled back, fingers finding the hem of her camisole and lifting, her arms raising to allow him to pull the thin fabric up and off. She was bare beneath, his eyes just able to make out her breasts' shape in the dark, beckoning him. Felicity shivered and gave a breathy sound when his fingers found one of her mounds, little shocks traveling to her center, where her desire pooled.

Rolling her taunt peak between his fingers, Oliver claimed her mouth again, his tongue finding hers and continuing their earlier dance. Wanting to feel more of her, he rolled them again until she was under him, her hair splaying out across the floor; he wished it was brighter so he could see the golden strands shine against the wood floor. Her knees bent with her feet flat on the floor, keeping him cradled against her, his hips thrusting against her, the friction making his blood roar.

Feeling truly warm for the first time since he'd gotten on the Queen's Gambit, Oliver stared down at her as he leaned on his elbows, keeping most of his weight from squishing her. But Felicity wasn't a shrinking violet; she pulled him down on top of her, her back arching as his hips moved against hers, her breasts rubbing his chest, her nails biting just enough into his shoulders to heighten his arousal.

Felicity nipped at his lips, teeth gently tugging on the sensitive skin before her tongue soothed the sting. She gave him this wicked little smirk that he never would've thought she's be capable of, promising without words that what was about to go down would definitely be a night he never forgot.

/*/

Felicity's mind slowly became alert, the gods of sleep reluctant to release her. But her brain was already beginning to buzz, telling her more sleep wouldn't be possible; it sucked sometimes to have such an active and advanced brain. Her eyes blinked a few times against the morning light before her sight finally cleared, bringing her fully awake. It took her a second to realize she wasn't in her bed and someone was next to her, their body emitting immense heat.

A very naked someone. She blushed, feeling her skin slide against his as she shifted, the contrasting textures making her shiver. She was laying snuggled into his side, an arm over his stomach, a leg thrown over his and her foot tucked between his knees. She couldn't help it as she nestled closer for a moment, letting his scent fill her heard and the feel of his hot skin to sooth the nerves that were gearing up for a full on freak-out.

Sighing quietly, Felicity lifted her head off the very comfy pillow that was his arm so she could see his face. Oliver was still asleep, his face relaxed and boyish, his other arm thrown up above his head. It was a stark contrast to the intimidating, perpetually scowling vigilante and she had the fleeting thought that he was even more handsome than ever. Not that that was a good avenue to go down. Stupid hormones.

"Freck." Felicity mumbled as her mind finished reminding her of the night before. How she went from waking Oliver from a nightmare to having sex with him, she didn't know. She'd never believed the whole "it just happened" excuse, but now she could understand it, 100%.

Sitting up quietly, the blonde clutched the covers to her chest as she gazed around, trying to find her clothes. She could make out a couple of heaps on the floor, triggering her mind to remind her of the night before.

Oliver slid his hands under Felicity, palms moving against the lace until he was cupping her cheeks. Giving the globes an appreciative squeeze, he grinned at the little noise that escaped her mouth before his fingers were sliding under the elastic.

Felicity blushed crimson at the memory, her body flushing hot at the remembered caress. She nearly shrieked when there was suddenly fingers sliding along her upper ribs, bringing her head whipping around to see Oliver's eyes now open and studying her.

"You have a tattoo." His deep voice was husky from sleep, sliding along her nerve endings like an electric current. She blinked owlishly at him for a second before nodding.

"What is it?" Oliver sat up, leaning against the headboard as he tried to fully understand what he'd done. The thought of her having a tattoo was intriguing, sure, but he was really just trying to buy some time to assess the situation.

Felicity looked down, pulling the covers away from her side to see her inked skin. Turning until he could see her side while keeping her chest covered, her fingers trailing over the small black outlined flower. On her left ribs, bellow her breast, was a small tattoo made up of numbers and symbols and there was an outlined daffodil artfully placed next to the code.

"It's Marie's name and birthday. I wasn't sure if I could get through a more detailed tattoo, so I settled for this." She explained, her eyes raising to meet his, knowing he was just stalling.

"What does this mean?" The blonde questioned, leaning forward to skim over the strange star that was on his left pectoral. Oliver's muscles clenched at the feel of her hand against him, making his very defined form flex. It didn't help when she accidently brushed his nipple when she pulled away.

"It is a symbol to inform others of my ranking within the Bratva." He admitted, watching her eyes widen, her body relaxing as she forgot their current state of undress.

"Like the Russian mob?" Felicity asked in surprise, not expecting that at all.

"Yeah." He nodded, using the time she was thinking to take her in.

Felicity's blonde hair was in a tangled, curly mess from his fingers constantly moving through the strands, enjoying the way the silk felt wrapped around his fingertips. She had stubble burn along her neck and around her mouth, the skin slightly red and irritated, though she'd made no protest before. And he'd seen a few places along her back that were bruised, most likely from being pushed roughly against the hardwood floor.

She looked delectable and unbelievably sexy, making him want to do it all over again. No, don't think that Queen. You've made a mess of things now and you have to fix it.

"What's your rank? How in the world did you get involved with the Bratva?" Oliver shifted, uncomfortable with the questions and his body's undeniable response to the inquisitive blond.

"Does it matter?" Felicity's eyes narrowed, her arms crossing over her chest, which made the comforter slide down accidently.

"Eek!" She snatched the blanket back up, but not before he got a quick glance at her exposed breasts. They were cream white, topped with light pink nipples he remembered suckling with abandon.

"On god…how could I forget—" She blew out a breath, her shoulders hunching as she turned away.

"Clothes. Need clothes." Oliver watched as she slid off the bed, trying to keep herself covered. Sighing, he swung his legs off the bed and stood.

"Holy Moses." He looked up to see Felicity staring at him, one hand clutching the blanket and the other holding her lacy boy shorts. Dark purple, very nice.

"I mean, I knew…well obviously I knew, what with it being inside me. And that time before, but we were really drunk, so I didn't—oh wow. I'm just gonna stop talking and embarrassing myself even more." Felicity spun around, her cheeks, neck and chest hot with mortification. But she hadn't been expecting to see him standing there naked in all his tanned glory. And she didn't need her glasses to be able to make out every line of his body.

"We should probably talk." Oliver muttered, turning away to give her some privacy and to grab the towel that was laying nearby.

Felicity couldn't stop peeking over her shoulder, her mouth slightly parted as she got an amazing view of his back. The man was too ripped for her own good; his muscles flexed and relaxed as he moved, giving voice to the strength he wielded. And he must do squats, because his backside was perfection. She'd never been an ass woman, but now she was forever a convert.

"Yeah, like about how'd we end up in bed? Together? I guess I am that easy." She mumbled, sliding on her underwear.

"Felicity, you're not easy." Oliver wrapped the towel around his hips and turned back to face her, his lips pulled down into a frown.

"Considering I claimed not to be easy and spent the next several hours nibbling on you like you were a rib-eye steak, I would say that definitely makes me easy." The blonde retorted, not looking at him. Oliver walked around the bed as she talked, bending to scoop up the camisole that matched her boyshorts and came to stand in front of her.

"Felicity." Her eyes closed, her breath hitching before she met his gaze, her head tipping back so he could see him.

"You have to stop saying my name like that Oliver." He couldn't stop his hand from reaching up, his fingertips feather light against her cheek.

"Sorry." Her arched brow told him she didn't buy that for a second, making his lips stretch up into a crooked smile.

"About last night—" He was interrupted when his bedroom door slammed open loudly, his body automatically falling into a defensive pose.

"Ollie! I can't find—" Thea trailed off when she got a clear view of the two. Oliver was crouched in front of Felicity, a towel fighting valiantly to keep him covered; Felicity was behind him, part of the comforter pulled from the bed and clutched against her chest. Her obviously bare chest.

"—Felicity." She finished, eyes just a wide as the blonde's. She might be young, but Thea knew what a well satisfied woman looked like, and it was Felicity Smoak.

"Speedy get out!" Oliver growled, standing in one fluid motion, his body blocking the older woman from sight.

"Yeah, right. Sorry." She tore her eyes away from his scarred chest and hurried from the room, completely embarrassed. This was by no means the first time she'd seen Oliver with a lady friend, but this wasn't just some ditz he picked up in a club. This was Felicity, their Felicity, and she was terrified of what this might do to their family.

"Sorry." Oliver muttered once the door was shut, turning to hand her the camisole.

"I—I need to go shower and see to Marie." Felicity quickly pulled on the shirt, too worried about getting out of there to care about her modesty.

"Shouldn't we talk?" He asked quietly, eyes watching her as she grabbed her robe and slid it on while heading towards the door. She paused, hand on the doorknob, and glanced over her shoulder.

"Let's just be adults about this and not let it mess anything up. Okay?" He studied her, looking for any hurt feelings, but she seemed fine, if a bit flustered.

"Okay." Giving a curt nod, Felicity left, heading straight for her room and her shower. She just wanted to put last night behind her and forget it ever happened. Yeah, fat chance Smoak.

Felicity avoided the mirror when she got to the bathroom, instead quickly brushing her hair out and stripping. Stepping into the shower, she adjusted the taps until it was a little too warm, her muscles sore and in need of the soothing pressure of the hot spray. Grabbing her loofa, she loaded it with shower gel before soaping her body, coming to a prolonged stop when she saw the small, fingertip sized bruises along her hips and the same red splotches dotting her inner thighs.

Felicity's hips jerked at the first swipe of his tongue, her head tilting back with a moan. Oliver smirked against her folds before refocusing, his hands holding her hips tightly to keep her from moving as he explored her cleft. Her nails scrapped against the floor, trying to find purchase as his tongue circled her clit, her back arching and a loud mewl coming from her throat.

Jerking her hand away from her thighs, Felicity swallowed, her throat tight as arousal pumped through her. Shaking her head, she focused on getting clean, trying desperately to keep her mind from thinking. She was in enough trouble already; she doesn't need to add to it by letting her brain go into very bad thoughts. Nope, she was going to shower and forget last night ever happened.

When Felicity made it downstairs, all signs of her night with Oliver were hidden under carefully applied make-up. She wore a cashmere sweater with jeans and flats, wanting to look casual and like she wasn't freaking out, at least on the outside. Truthfully, she was confused about how they hadn't stopped and used their brains and she was worried this was going to make things awkward, especially with Thea knowing. So she definitely wanted to appear unfazed and at ease.

Felicity found Oliver already in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast table with Thea, the atmosphere thick with tension as the siblings ignored each other.

"Where are Marie and Moira?" The blonde questioned, drawing their attention. She flushed when Oliver's eyes skimmed her figure, not wanting to touch that with a 10 foot pole. They'd already gotten into plenty trouble already, thank you very much.

"Mom took her to her doctor's appointment. You know, since you weren't up." Thea replied sharply, her words like a slap in the face. Felicity's eyes widened, her mouth parting in astonishment, not believing she'd forgotten.

"Oh my god, I completely—I'm a horrible mother." She mumbled, stomach churning with nausea.

"Is Marie sick?" Oliver asked, both because he hadn't known about the appointment and because he wanted to steer the conversation onto calmer waters.

"What? Oh—uh, no. It's just a check-up. Shots." Felicity explained, declining the plate Frederic offered. She'd been famished upon waking, but now she feared she'd get sick if she tried to eat anything.

"Yeah, and neither of her parents are there because they were too tired from screwing all night. Great job, really." Thea said snidely, glaring at them both. Felicity flinched at the animosity in the teen's voice, stepping backwards, not used to the girl being so hateful.

"Um—I'm just gonna—bye." The older woman quickly ducked out of the room, nearly running to be away from the oppressive space.

"Thea." Oliver growled, irritated the teen had made this worse, whatever this was.

"What? It's true." The brunette said unrepentantly, not backing down, even with the severe scowl he sent her.

"What happened is between Felicity and me. It doesn't concern you; and you have no reason to be angry and spiteful." She glared back, her arms crossing stubbornly.

"Doesn't concern me? Felicity is family Ollie, and you screwing her is definitely my concern! What's going to happen now? Are you a couple or just fun buddies? What's that mean for the rest of us?" Oliver sat up straight at her words, but he continued before he could interrupt.

"Do you even like her is she just convenient? Does she have real feelings for you? Are things gonna get so messed up she moves out? Is Marie gonna have to be split between you if they do leave? Will she still be my sister and friend?" Thea demanded angrily, her worries pouring forth, her nerves getting the better of her.

"Thea—"

"I don't want my family torn apart because you couldn't keep it in your pants." Oliver leaned forward, capturing one of her flailing hands and clasping it in his. The brunette stilled, the touch initiated by Oliver surprising, as he was still very guarded about physical contact. Well, evidently not with Felicity.

"I'm sorry Thea, I didn't think about how this might change things. But even if it does, you and I both know Felicity would never turn away from you. She loves you." The teen's shoulders slumped, the fight going out of her. He hesitated a second before pushing her hair behind an ear, his hand smoothing down the soft strands, being granted a water smile.

"I can't lose anyone else, Ollie. I won't survive it." She mumbled, leaning into him, tears slipping down her cheeks when his large arm wrapped around her and pulled her into his broad chest.

"You're not gonna lose anyone, Speedy." He replied quietly, eyes closing at the comfort he found with her. He hadn't allowed himself to get close to anyone since his return, but Felicity had shown him he didn't have to be cold and distant anymore. As long as it didn't get in the way of the mission, of course.

"There wasn't a day I didn't think of you." The siblings remained like that for a few moments before pulling away.

"I should probably go apologize to Lissy." Thea muttered when they separated, wiping at her cheeks.

"Might be a good idea." Oliver nodded, receiving a tongue childishly stuck out before she flounced from the kitchen, leaving him to finish his coffee.

Thea was headed towards the stairs when she heard Felicity's voice coming faintly from the parlor. Poking her head inside, she felt a rush of shame when she saw the blonde seated at a couch, Kleenex dabbing at her eyes while she spoke on the phone.

"Thank you so much Moira, and I'm sorry again. I never—"

"It was a pleasure, Felicity, no need to keep apologizing. I wanted to spend some time with just the two of us, so this worked out perfectly. Now I promised shopping and ice cream, so I have to go before the princess gets anxious."

"Okay. I have some errands to run, but I can be back later if you get tired of her." Felicity said, eyes rising to see Thea peeking around the doorframe like a naughty child.

"We'll be perfectly find, Felicity, go handle your business. Have a good day sweetheart."

"You too. Bye." The blonde ended the call and swiped at her eyes, still feeling ashamed that she'd actually forgotten about Marie's doctor's appointment. But with everything going on, and with what happened during the early hours of the morning, she had good reason for being absentminded. Plus, it was only one doctor's appointment and she'd been doing most of the parenting stuff on her own for the last four years, even with the family being so close, that it was nice to hand off the reins for a few hours.

"Thea?" She called out when the girl didn't enter the room, brow furrowing in confusion. She'd made her opinion quite clear, so Felicity didn't understand why she was being shy now.

Thea fidgeted for a second, consumed with guilt and shame, not believing the hurtful words she'd spat at the blonde. She'd been too consumed with fear of losing Felicity to think rationally or clearly. But she was a Queen and they didn't shrink from their mistakes; at least, not since the boat sank.

"I—I'm so sorry, Lissy." Thea mumbled when she stepped into the room, eyes downcast and hands twisting behind her, a habit she'd picked up from the woman in front of her.

"Come here." Felicity patted the cushion next to her, watching the teen silently debate with herself before walking over and sitting down.

"I know what you saw must've been alarming and I understand your anger. I'm sorry—"

"No, no Lissy, I'm the one who should be sorry, and I am. I'm not angry, not really." Thea interrupted her, confusing the blonde even more.

"Then why—"

"I'm scared of losing you." She admitted quietly, face slanted down. Felicity used a finger to tilt her face back up so their eyes could meet.

"Thea, you would never lose me, no matter what."

"I know! I mean, I know that deep down, but seeing you with Oliver…it scared me."

"Why?" The mother questioned, linking their hands and keeping the eye contact.

"He's ruined every relationship he's ever been in and I don't want you to be one of those casualties."

"Oh, sweetie. You're brother and I aren't…what happened was just a onetime thing, Thea. We got caught up in the moment. It won't happen again." The girl arched a brow, getting an eye roll in response.

"The first time doesn't really count, being drunk and all." Felicity waved it off, not wanting to even entertain the idea that two hook-ups might mean anything. Or that it'd happen again, because it wouldn't. No sir.

"What if things get so awkward that you can't stand living here anymore?"

"Honey, I'm not going anywhere. Oliver and I will have to just move past this, because you're all my family and I won't give that up, no matter how awkward it gets." She reassured the brunette, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Really?" Thea's lips trembled slightly, making Felicity pull her into a hug.

"Really, I promise."

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch." The words made the blonde snort, which then made Thea giggle.

"Try to get more information before going all Queen B on someone, okay." Felicity said, pulling back.

"Yeah, I will." Thea nodded, wiping at her face to remove any stray tears.

"Good. I have to go now. Will you be alright here alone?" Thea waved her hand as they both stood.

"I'm meeting up with Adriana in a little while to go to the spa."

"Great. I'll see you later." Felicity squeezed the girl's shoulder before grabbing her phone and leaving the parlor, running into Oliver in the entryway.

His hand shot out to steady her before she could fall, his fingertips catching around her wrist, which had become exposed from the long sleeve in the movement. The feel of her skin under his hand sent a tingle straight through him.

Felicity moved under him, moaning into his ear as he thrust into her, their bodies slamming together roughly. Leaning back on his knees until he was upright, Oliver pulled her hips off the floor, her back arching to accommodate the new position while her shoulders remained against the floor. The feel of them coming together, of him filling her and her wet heat surrounding him, was pure bliss.

Oliver jerked his hand back, his stony mask wavering with the memories and the almost overwhelming desire to do it all again. He knew they really shouldn't have crossed that line, especially considering how chaotic their lives were, but he couldn't deny the desire was there. But it was more for the warmth and sense of ease he'd felt upon waking after a sleep free of nightmares that he yearned for, not just the physical satisfaction. He hadn't slept so deeply since he'd been stranded on Lian Yu.

"T-Thanks." Felicity stepped back, fidgeting with her glasses.

"No problem." He said gruffly, trying to shake the unhelpful train of thought.

"Uh—anyway, are you going to the foundry? I have a shipment coming in this morning and I could use the help getting everything downstairs." She rushed to say, not wanting to get into a conversation about their actions. She knew they'd have to talk eventually, but she was still recovering from Thea, so she was all for ignoring the awkwardness.

"Yeah, Digg'll be here in a few minutes." He nodded, thankful for the out she was giving him. It was bad enough he kept remembering the past night, he really didn't want to talk about it. Getting back to the business, back to the mission, was the best course of action.

"Great. I gotta grab my laptop and jacket and then I'll be back. We need to stop by the drugstore on the way too." Felicity said before dashing upstairs, her mind already going through everything that had to be done to get the system up and running. Work was good; work kept her brain too busy for idle thoughts. Yay brain!

/*/

Felicity tried to ignore the clanking coming from where Oliver and Diggle were sparing with metal batons, but her eyes kept peeking over her shoulder against her will, unable to not look. It wasn't just the very delicious sight of a shirtless Oliver that kept drawing her attention either, although that was magnificent and kept reminding her what it'd felt like under her fingers; but she was also insanely curious about the training the two men had had over the years.

"Anchor the rear hand, Diggle. Come on." Oliver instructed when they paused, keeping his entire focus on the fight. He couldn't afford to be distracted, no matter if he was in the foundry or out hunting targets.

"Hey." Diggle nodded and tapped his batons together, moving back into position. They started off slow, quickly picking up speed, the metal thunking loudly. It wasn't more than a few seconds before Oliver had caught the older man again.

"Uhh! Uhh!" Diggle groaned, hand going to his face, where the baton had struck him. Felicity winced, turning back to face the computers she was programming, not wanting to see them hurt each other.

"Variable acceleration. Most fighters work at the same pace. So you switch it up, you throw your opponent off his game." Oliver circled, waiting for Diggle to wipe his mouth.

"That was nice. Where'd you learn that?" He questioned.

"His name was Yao Fei." Felicity's ears perked up at the revelation, glancing over her shoulder to see the two men moving around each other again.

"He give you those scars too?"

"One of them." She didn't know if she was irritated Diggle was able to get some answers out of him so easily or thankful that he was. But even though it'd sometimes felt like pulling teeth with Oliver when she was trying, she was just glad that he was opening up some. He was becoming less guarded, which was nice. And hey, at least Oliver and Diggle could talk about the past without ripping each other's clothes off, so that was good.

"And the others? You know, one day you're gonna be straight with me about what really happened on that island." Diggle announced.

"Absolutely." Oliver agreed, their batons once more meeting loudly. He managed to get a strike into Diggle's kidney that had the man dropping with a groan.

"But not today." Oliver said as he moved away, coming to stand near Felicity, who's heart started pounding in her ears. She was a grown woman, dammit, and shouldn't react to just his presence so much. Jeez, it's not like she was in love with the man or anything, because that would just be so much worse; she just wished her body would calm down and stop betraying her so often.

"Have you finished researching Scott Morgan?" He asked, standing a little too close, his hand brushing her arm. Neither commented, choosing instead to just act like nothing had ever happened, at least until they worked up the courage to actually talk about it.

"Uh—yeah. Right here." She stumbled a moment before pulling up a screen on her laptop that sat in front of the large computer screens, which showed they were still downloading.

"Scott Morgan runs an electric company that operates in both Starling City and Central City. He raises the prices even higher when people can't pay and then shuts them down, no matter what time of year. He's a real catch." Felicity muttered, getting a sideways look from the shirtless man. She blushed a little but shrugged.

"What about the bank robbery?" Diggle spoke up, stepping to the other side of the blonde.

"Robbery?" Oliver's brow furrowed as he pulled a grey shirt off the table and shrugged it on.

"I saw the report on that!" Felicity said excitedly, typing on her computer and bringing up another window.

"These guys started at Keystone 3 years ago, then began moving west, hitting banks along the way." The larger man explained while she pulled up the page for the Starling City Sentinel, which explained how a cop had been shot during the bank heist.

"They hit Starling City Trust this morning. Shot a cop." The blonde supplied as she skimmed the article.

"He's in a coma now and the doctors are saying it's a coin toss whether he'll make it." He finished explaining. Felicity turned in her chair so she could see both men, arms crossing as she waited to see what would happen.

"If he's a cop, SCPD will be all over it." Oliver said dismissively, making her eyes narrow.

"Overwhelmed? Underfunded? Listen, these guys don't hit one time. They hit 2 or 3 banks per city, which means right now they're planning their next job." Diggle continued, not prepared to drop this. Felicity stood when he moved closer to confront Oliver, not wanting to miss any of the conversation.

"I think you have the wrong impression about what it is I do."

"You take out bad guys with a bow and arrow." The taller man retorted, making her have to swallow a giggle at the way he said it.

"I don't fight street crime. That's a symptom of what's wrong with this city. I'm trying to cure the disease." Oliver moved back towards the bank of monitors, picking up the list to skim through it again.

"Oliver—" He spun around to face her, his mouth pulled down in a fierce frown.

"My father died so that I could live. Live and make a difference by fixing the city that he and the people in this book ruined. Every name I cross off this list honors that sacrifice. So I don't have time for bank robbers."

"You told me you wanted to be someone Marie could be proud of, right?" She stepped forward, invading his personal space until they were nearly chest to chest.

"What does that have to do—"

"Oliver, the people who've wronged this city do deserve to reap the justice they've earned, but what about everyone else? There will always be another crooked CEO to take over and to ruin people's lives, the same with any criminal. But being a man Marie can look up to means being more than just a vigilante. It means being a hero." She said quietly, staring up into his eyes. He shook his head, wishing he had room to move, but she was blocking his way and the table was behind him, caging him. He didn't like to be caged.

"I'm not a hero."

"No, maybe not right now, but you could be. You have to start thinking about the people who you could help beyond their stock portfolios. That man wasn't even on duty, but he tried to help those people and he was shot because of it. With the bank not having the money they stole, that means people can't withdraw money and they can't pay their bills or go grocery shopping."

"That's what the cops are for." His voice was deep and conveyed his irritation, but she didn't pay it any mind, only stepping closer, their bodies brushing so she could see his face clearly.

"And what's to stop those robbers from shooting more, huh? They've already shown they don't care about hurting people, so why would they stop? You have a chance to save people's lives and the money they've worked hard to obtain. I know it's a strange concept for a billionaire, but the normal person doesn't have access to unlimited funds, so when what little they do have is taken away, it's a hard blow to them and their families."

"There's more than one way to save this city." Diggle spoke up, watching the two. There was a heavier tension between them than normal, but he didn't need to know what it was as long as it didn't interfere. And, if she could get Oliver to listen, then he was all for the tension remaining.

"You decide Oliver. You can either take that step to become the man you told me you want to be or you can stay down in this cave and mark names off a list." Felicity said before stepping away, moving around Oliver's large frame to see the screens.

"I've set the computers to link with this one so that I can access our system from home. I've downloaded all the programs, so they're running now and will going to sleep mode when they're finished." She explained as she shut her laptop and put it into her tote before grabbing her coat.

"Felicity—"

"I need to go see Robin, so I'll see you guys later. Call me when you decide what to do." She ignored him and started for the stairs.

"I'll drive you." Diggle said, grabbing his over shirt and hurrying after the blonde, leaving Oliver by himself.

Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face in frustration, not knowing why she got to him so much. He couldn't blame it on sleeping with her, because it'd been happening since he'd returned and he hadn't even remembered their first time together. But whatever the reason, that woman got under his skin and made him look at his life and his choices and to question everything he believed in. She was frustrating as hell.

Facing the computers, his mind is on overdrive when a glint catches his eye. Looking closer, he sees a picture frame sitting on the corner of the table, reflecting the overhead light. Picking it up, he was surprised to see a picture of him and Marie that'd been taken only a few days ago. They'd been playing in the backyard when she'd asked for a piggyback ride, which he couldn't refuse. She was hanging onto his back like a monkey and they were both laughing, the moment captured by a delighted Thea.

Sitting in the chair, he sighed heavily, finger tracing the picture as he tried to figure out what to do. He wanted to be someone Marie would never be ashamed of, but could he give up his father's mission? Did being a father himself change things? Could he be her hero and honor his father's memory at the same time? He had no answers.

/*/

"What's up Lissy? Shouldn't you be working?" Robin asked when she came out of the sound booth, plopping down on the couch her friend was seated at. She was surprised at the unexpected visit, as Felicity rarely came to her work, so her interest was definitely piqued.

"Oh Robin, I've been very, very bad." Felicity mumbled into the pillow she had pressed against her face, making Robin have to strain to hear her.

"What'd you do? Finally give into the sexual tension and rip Oliver's clothes off?" She joked with a laugh, which got caught in her throat at the look on the blonde's face when she pulled it away from the pillow.

"No!" The blonde winced at the high pitched remark, glancing around to see if there was anyone in the lounge with them. They were getting some interested looks from the people behind the window, but everyone seemed to be doing their jobs, so she took a breath before meeting Robin's incredulous gaze.

"How? What? Why? When? Tell me everything!" Her friend said excitedly, nearly jumping on the cushion.

"I…god I don't even know, really. One minute we were talking and the next we were kissing and…I'm so confused." Felicity moaned, laying her head back down on the pillow in self-pity.

"Start at the beginning, and don't leave anything out. Then we'll figure this all out." She squeezed the blonde's shoulder before making herself more comfortable on the couch, prepared for a long story. Felicity sighed against the pillow before sitting back up, her fingers picking at the threads as she recounted the story of how she'd originally gone in to wake him from a nightmare and wound up in his bed.

"You did it on the floor? With no rug or blanket?" She blushed and shrugged.

"I didn't really think about that stuff. And we moved to the bed after the first time."

"How many times did you sex-up your baby daddy?" Felicity thought her face was going to burst into flames any minute. And Robin wasn't being very quiet, meaning they kept getting curious glances, adding to her mortification. Why had she come to spill her guts to her nosey friend again?

"That's not important Robin! What am I going to do? How do we act now?" She threw her hands up in exacerbation, making the other woman sober.

"Right, sorry. Okay, so do you have feelings for him? Like more than he's your baby daddy feelings? Does he like you?" Blowing out air, the blonde rubbed at her temples.

"I don't know! I mean, I don't think I like Oliver, not really. He's…really not in the right place to be dating anyone, you know. He's still got a lot of work to get better and I don't want to get involved with someone with so many issues. Plus, I don't even really know what I feel for him. It's all very complicated, especially with Marie. And Oliver still thinks he loves Laurel, so there's that too." She sighed, wondering how her life had gotten so convoluted. Oh yeah, she'd slept with Oliver Queen and had his child and now was helping him be a masked vigilante that took out criminals. Duh.

"So just chalk it up to sexual tension and move on, Lissy. This only has to complicate things if the two of you let it. You've both known you're attracted to each other since he'd returned, so you just have to make sure you don't cross that line again until you're ready. Plus, do you really want to make things even harder? I mean, you're already dealing with him being the vigilante." Robin whispered the last word, not wanting anyone to overhear. Felicity's eyes shot to hers, her shoulders tightening.

"He's not! I've told you!" She refuted, gaze moving around, trying to make sure they weren't being listened too. You could never be too careful in a radio station.

"Ha. You can fool Carly and Sabrina, but not me girlie. I've seen the man in the flesh, well, not as much as you of course; but I can totally see him running around the city with a bow and arrow." Robin retorted with a snort.

Felicity fiddled with her nails, biting her lip in uncertainty. She hated lying to Robin; well to everyone really, but especially Robin, as they'd been friends since they were children. She'd always been there for her when she needed her and it felt wrong that she was keeping such a huge secret from her closest friend, from her sister.

What if Robin told the police? Or gods forbid, Carly? She might be mighty confused, but that didn't mean she wanted Oliver to spend the rest of his life in prison, especially when they'd just saved him from that fate.

But keeping the secret was eating at her, and she'd only known for a little while; what would happen the next time she decided to go out for drinks? Was she just supposed to never have a life now that she was keeping Oliver's secret; to never trust the one person she knew always had her back and would support her no matter what?

"Lissy…" Robin sat forward, her eyes widening slightly when she saw Felicity's eyes dart down and away, the tell that she was thinking about lying. She'd be untruthful if she said the thought that Felicity would actually fib to her didn't hurt.

"Robin—I—"

"He really is the man under the hood, isn't he?" She questioned, able to read between the lines. Her bestie never had been very good at keeping secrets, at least from her. They knew each other too well for that.

"He's—he's not like the police think, Robin."

"Oh my god. Oh my god." The brunette shot up off the couch, pacing a short ways before spinning to look at the blonde, her eyes wide in shock.

"Robin, shh!" Felicity glanced at the window, fearful someone had heard her exclamation. The last thing she needed was someone to overhear their conversation. But they were back on the air, the booth soundproofed, giving them privacy.

"How can you be so calm about his? He's a killer, Lissy! How can you let him be around Marie? You slept with him!"

"Do you really think I'd put Marie in danger?" Felicity asked quietly, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood, so they were on equal footing. Robin huffed and spun away, walking a few paces before turning back.

"I don't know! I mean—the Vigilante's killed people!"

"He—he's not this menace the media is making him out to be, Robin! I would never allow him to be around Marie if he was, you know that. And I certainly never would've—I wouldn't put my trust in him." The two friends stood staring at each other for a few tense minutes before Robin gave a large sigh and slumped onto the couch.

"Are you sure about him, Lissy? I mean, he did spend 5 years on an island by himself. He might be a 10, but that doesn't mean he's not a few screws short." Felicity couldn't help the small smile that spread over her face as she sat down next to Robin.

"He does have some issues he needs to work on, like PTSD I think, but he's a good man, Robin. Dark, yes, but there's still light inside him that can grow if he lets it."

"And the killing?" Felicity shifted, a little uncomfortable with acknowledging that Oliver had actually killed people, both on the island and in the city.

"He's changing, trying a new way. When I found out, I made him swear he wouldn't just keep dropping bodies; if he wants anything to do with Marie and for me to keep quiet, he has to find another way."

"You really think he'll do it?"

"Yeah, I do. I—I don't know why I believe him, but I do. I feel like I can trust him." Robin shook her head, her arm wrapping around the blonde's shoulders.

"The blinding orgasms he gave you are making you delirious." Felicity elbowed her in the ribs, making Robin laugh before sobering.

"No, it's because you always see the best in everyone, even when they don't deserve it. Don't let him ruin you, Lissy. Don't let him pull you into the dark with him."

"I won't, I promise. Besides, I think he can some real good in the city, if he just tries."

"Hmm. So…how tight are his leather pants anyway?" Felicity laughed at Robin, who wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, her own lips pulling into a smile.

"I've only seen him in his…uniform once, and I wasn't paying that much attention." Robin gave her a disbelieving look, not buying that for a minute. If Oliver Queen is prancing around in green leather, you took notice; at least, if you were a straight, hot-blooded female.

"Liar. Although, I guess you like him out of his uniform more." Felicity shook her head, face red.

"Robin…you can't tell anyone. You can't even pretend to know anything; I don't want you getting in trouble or becoming targeted if they find out you know something. And he can't know that you know."

"Do I look stupid to you?" Robin demanded with an arched look.

"Well, you did wear that lime green—"

"Hey! We weren't ever going to talk about that again! Jeez, I won't tell anyone, I promise. Well, as long as he doesn't put you or Marie in danger. The gloves'll come off if that changes."

"Yeah, you're terrifying." Felicity rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse, both of the standing.

"Oh you know I am girlie! Just wait until I tell Sabrina and Carly that you slept with your baby daddy again. Multiple times." Robin smirked, laughing evilly when Felicity's eyes widened in fear.

"You wouldn't!"

"Of course I would! I never promised to keep that a secret! Love you!" Robin grinned and dashed back into the sound booth before the blonde could stop her, waving cheekily at her through the glass.

"Oh man." Felicity mumbled to herself, already imagining the shrieking and demands for more information. It was bad enough she'd told Robin, and then confirmed that Oliver was the Vigilante; now she had to retell the story to her two very nosey, very loud friends. Goody.

We have got to do something about Oliver's secret, as it's the worst kept secret in the world. Robin knows, Tommy still suspects, and Thea has been convinced, but how long will that really last. If they weren't careful, all of Starling City would know before Hanukah.

/*/

"Nice view." Tommy turned to see Oliver standing at the door to his office, hand tucked in his pockets. He was still trying to figure out how to act around the man he was still certain was the city's masked vigilante, so he wasn't sure what to do.

"Yeah, the only perk to this gig." He said with a shrug, swiveling out of his chair to come around the desk. Oliver stepped into the room, gaze taking in everything.

"Your father finally talked you into coming to the company?" Tommy shook his head, leaning against the front of his desk as he watched his best friend, for the first time really looking at him.

The Oliver in front of him carried himself much differently than the man he remembered; this one was confident and self-assured, not needing anyone's attention to know who he was or what his worth was. He seemed to glide around the room, feet silent against the floor and eyes raking every square inch while still seeming to look at him. He was a predator and Tommy wasn't sure if he should even believe anything he says anymore.

"We don't know what happened to him, or what he's had to overcome just to survive. Have you seen his scars? I have. And they're not just on his chest. He has brutal scars all over his body, from what I've seen. I'm not making excuses for him, if he is the hood guy, but we don't know that he is, so we shouldn't pass judgment on him when we clearly don't understand him."

"You always see the good in people, Lissy. What if there isn't any left in Oliver?"

"I don't believe that, not for a second. He still cares for his family and friends, and if you can care, than you're not completely gone; you can be saved. Oliver just needs us to believe in him, Tommy."

"Are you really saying you'd help him? A killer?" He asked in shock.

"I'm saying that if Oliver is the Vigilante, than I don't want him to just be thrown in a prison cell and forgotten. He's not unredeemable and I think with a little help from those that love him, he could be pulled back from the brink. If he is the guy under the hood."

With his conversation with Felicity in his mind, Tommy squared his shoulders and pushed down his unease. He didn't know Oliver anymore, that was clear, but he was willing to learn who he was now and give him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't want to be the one who pushed him off the cliff when he could still be changed.

"Not exactly. Felicity convinced me that it was time for me to start being responsible and to make my own way in the world. Unfortunately, I don't have many job skills, so I'm stuck here until I find something else." He shrugged, moving to stand next to Oliver, who was at the windows, staring out at their city.

"What if I said I had a job for you?" Tommy's brows arched in surprise.

"Really?"

"It's not as nice as this and it won't pay well for a while. But, I could use your help with the club if you wanted a change." Oliver said casually, though he was anything but. His body was full of tension, both from the uncertainty he faced with Tommy and with the argument he'd had with Felicity and Diggle. He was still thinking about what to do and had thought this would be a nice distraction, but it only added to the strain.

"You want me to…manage your bar?" The other man asked in surprise, not expecting that at all.

"I mean…I don't really know how this works, but yeah. You're better at numbers and managing people than I am, Tommy, and I could really use the help."

"Why me? Why not hire someone to do that?" Oliver shrugged.

"I thought it might be nice to do it together, the two of us. I know...I know I haven't really been here since I've been back, and I'm trying to make it better. Plus, I don't trust anyone more than you to be my business partner."

"Partner? Would I have half?" He asked with interest, the possibilities filling his head. To be away from his father and the company; to be his own man again.

"Yeah. I mean, I wasn't going to buy the factory, but Felicity drew up these charts and PowerPoints and stuff and it showed that once we start making money, it'd be better if I owned the building outright, so Queen Consolidated didn't get any of the profits, meaning the employees would get more money. I didn't understand a lot of what she figured out, but if you want to go in with me, we'd be equal partners." Oliver explained, turning to regard his friend.

"How're you gonna afford it?"

"If we buy it now, before too much work is done, it'll be a lot cheaper than if we waited. We can use our trusts to buy it outright, so we won't owe anything and the companies won't be able to touch it with our names on the deed. It'll be completely ours, with nothing to do with either of our families."

"My father would have a heart attack." Oliver waited, seeing Tommy was turning the idea over in his head.

"So I'd be the manager and co-owner?"

"If you want to be. I'm still not very good with people, so I don't think I can do it and I don't know how long it'll take for the club to start making money."

"Hmm…the manager of a nightclub. I'd get to be my own boss and to not have to see my father's disapproving face every day. I'm sold."

"You'll do it?" Tommy gave a large smile, clapping Oliver's shoulder and walking towards the decanter, pouring scotch into two tumblers.

"Oh yeah. I hate this place." He handed Oliver the second glace, clicking his against it before taking a sip.

"We should keep this quite until the sell goes through. We wouldn't want my father cutting me off before we actually owned the place." He continued, leaning once more against his desk.

"I'll get Felicity to find a realtor or whatever." Oliver said, not sure why his friend was giving him the smirk that was stretched over face.

"Felicity this, Felicity that. Girl's definitely made an impression." Tommy laughed, which turned into a snort at the look that flashed over Oliver's face before he concealed it.

"She's a good friend."

"Hmm. And the mother of your child. And pretty. Very pretty."

"What? Do you like her?" Oliver demanded, not sure why he got so defensive. He ignored the image of her bare back taunting him in the sunlight, her golden hair curling across her shoulders as she looked for her clothes.

"Ooo, you like her!" Tommy chuckled, delighted. He didn't trust Oliver to be with Felicity for obvious reasons, but it was run to see Oliver so worked up over her.

"I do not. She's…just a friend. I have to go." Oliver shook his head, not wanting to think about Felicity and the strange emotions she was making him feel. He wasn't ready to be with anyone and even if he was, he loved Laurel. He'd loved her for so long now, he didn't know how not to, and that wasn't fair to Felicity, if she did have feelings for him. Then again, he didn't know if she did or if she didn't; they really did need to talk, no matter how awkward.

"Whatever you say, Oliver. I'll move some money around to keep my dad from noticing, but get me the estimates soon. The sooner I'm out of this place, the better."

"Sure. Thanks, Tommy, for giving the club a chance." Tommy met his eyes, hearing what he didn't say. For giving him a chance.

"You're my best friend; I couldn't imagine going into business with anyone else." The two men shared a look of understanding before Oliver nodded, setting the untouched tumbler down and heading towards the door.

"And now that we have Felicity helping, I'm sure it'll be great." He couldn't help but teasing, finding it fascinating how flustered the man who was always calm and in control could get. It was the most he'd seen his friend react to anything since he'd been rescued. Like he said, fascinating.

Oliver just shot him an unamused look before leaving, making the brunette chuckle again as he sat back in his chair and enjoyed his drink. Who knew all it took to get the stone statue that was Oliver Queen to crumble was a quirky blonde woman who always said the wrong things at the worst times. It was definitely going to be an interesting development to watch.

/*/

"So I take it you were convinced to changed your mind." Felicity commented as she pulled broke into the bank's camera footage, eyes quickly moving over the coding screen until the footage came up on the screen.

"Diggle made a compelling argument." Oliver's voice grumbled in her ear, allowing them to talk through her Bluetooth as she worked from her room. The images she pulled up on her laptop were also being brought up on the computers in the foundry, allowing the two men to see what she was doing.

"Good."

"Hey, that guy with his hand raised is the one who shot the cop." Diggle's voice broke through, making her jump a little before nodding, even though they couldn't see her. Pausing the screen, she scrolled back until the hand was lifted towards the camera, trying to make out the ring on his finger.

"What is that? A college ring?"

"Or high school, more likely."

"That ring will get us an I.D."

"Okay, let me see what I can do." Felicity switched to her large computer, pulling the image from her laptop through the connection and manipulating the image.

"Even with photo enhancement, you're gonna have a problem getting a clear shot of that ring." Diggle commented, trying to zoom onto the picture.

"Pah-lease, that's just insulting, John." Felicity said after a second, a now clearer picture of said ring popping up on their screen. It was a little distorted, but the 'L' was still recognizable.

"Damn." Felicity smirked in self-satisfaction as she ran the symbol through her database.

"Larchmont High School." She revealed.

"High school." Oliver scoffed, getting an eye roll from the blonde as she brought up the school's records.

"We can both cross reference height and age and try and narrow the list down. But we can do that here if you wanna come back and let Diggle have the rest of the night off." Why did you say that? You don't want to be alone with Oliver!

"I mean…if you want. You can stay there too, that's fine. You know, I'm just gonna concentrate on this list and call you when I find anything." She quickly turned the Bluetooth off, shaking her head at herself. Why had she ever gone into his room in the first place? Everything would be so much simpler if last night had never happened.

Grumbling to herself, she refocused on the list of students and alumni the search parameters gave, determined not to think about bad thoughts anymore. She was going to help put these bank robbers behind bars and she wasn't going to think about Oliver as anything but her friend and Marie's father ever again. No matter how appealing he looked without a shirt on.

/*/

It took a few hours, but she finally found something when Oliver called to tell her he'd discovered there were actually four people who robbed the bank, not just three. Apparently there was an extra woman on the surveillance tape who hadn't appeared with the crowd, so he was thinking three men and a woman. This gave her another limit to put on her search, and voila.

Kyle Reston. Dropped out of school and off the grid before his senior year, along with his entire family.

They were looking for a family and when they found them, it wasn't going to have a happy ending for any of them. It was little sad, but they shouldn't be robbing banks either.

/*/

The brunch with the Bowens was…awkward, to say the least. Felicity didn't feel like she needed to be there, but Moira had insisted on the whole family being there, including her and Marie. The younger mom thought she was trying to make herself feel better after Walter's sudden disappearance, so she was willing to go along with it if it made Moira feel better.

But man was Carter Bowen a conceited man; he was brilliant, no question, but he was also full of himself. Moira hadn't been very subtle in her hints that Felicity and Carter would make a good couple, both being so smart and unattached, but the blonde had shied away from that concept, not interested in someone so self-important.

Don't get her wrong, she understood what being smarter than everyone around you was like, as she was usually that person. But she'd learned how to be humble and how to appreciate other people's views and opinions; Carter didn't seem to see anything but his own reflections. The next Dr. Oz indeed. Sheesh.

At least the boringness had been interrupted by a bank robbery. Moira had been none too happy with him, but Felicity had tried to calm her down, reminding her how uncomfortable he still was around people. She also noted that he couldn't be feeling very good about himself with everyone commenting on all of Carter's success while he'd been stuck in hell, to which Moira had been mollified. Oliver was going to have to start coming up with better excuses for his sudden disappearances.

The Vigilante had managed to get the money, but the robbers had escaped, so it wasn't a complete failure. And with the cash gone, they would have to make another attempt if they were that determined to get the money. Hopefully none, including Oliver, got hurt in these people's quest for wealth.

/*/

Turns out the Restons were one of the families Robert Queen screwed over when he shut down the steel plant and moved it overseas. The financial people worked a loophole so the company didn't have to pay severance packages to the 1,500 people that lost their jobs, so a lot of them lost even more, like their homes. The Restons were one of those families, thrusting them into a tailspin, trying to make sure they never lost another home.

Oliver met with Derek Reston to see if he could convince him to come back to work for Queen Consolidated, but the bug he'd dropped in his coat proved that the family wouldn't stop until they'd done one more hit, despite the father's pleas.

/*/

On a brighter note, Tommy through a successful fundraiser for Laurel, to show her he really did want to date her. Felicity thought it was cute, even if it made things a little weird when Oliver joined them. But he'd had to leave soon enough afterwards, so it wasn't all bad.

Well, except that she knew he was on his way to confront the Restons, so she was very worried. What she wouldn't give to be in front of her computer with live footage to look at, to make sure he was safe. Thea kept her distracted, thankfully, sharing her gossip of the wealthy donors, not bothered at all that she was also in their category. The blonde didn't mind, as it kept her from calling Diggle every two seconds, which they were all grateful for. And she kept Carter Bowen away from her, so that was a big plus.

Felicity finally found her exit, claiming a stomach ache, before she quickly ducked out of the event. She headed towards the factory, figuring that's where they'd go when they were done. By the time she arrived, Diggle and Oliver were already there.

She came down the stairs as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb them, as she could hear Diggle's low voice. She could see Oliver was sitting on a wooden chair still in his leathers, a look of uncertainty on his face.

"You say going after the bad guys on that list is the way you honor your dad?" Oliver nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"Well, if your dad could have seen you this week, the way you cared about the people he had hurt, the way you stepped up to try and help them, I'd say he'd be pretty damn honored." Diggle said, not glancing her way as she came to stand next to him, his focus on Oliver.

"I know I am." She said quietly, bringing the green-clad man's eyes up to meet her.

"So maybe there is more than one way to save this city?" The soldier continued.

"Maybe." Felicity smiled and moved past the large man, setting her bag on the table next to Oliver, pulling her shawl tighter around her. Why she'd gone that route instead of an actual coat for the fundraiser, she didn't know. It was warmer in the basement than it was outside, but it was still pretty cool and made goose bumps spread over her arms.

"I told your mom that you got overwhelmed, so she's not mad anymore. But we can't use that excuse again, because I also used it for the brunch you ditched. You have to come up with something new." Felicity said, staring down her his troubled face, wanting to reach out and smooth the frown lines. But she kept her hands to herself, not wanting to risk touching him.

"I'm gonna head out. By the way, Stan Washington woke up and is gonna be fine." Diggle said with a wave, heading up the stairs, ready to just relax in front of his TV with a cold beer. Being a partner to the Vigilante was a lot of work.

"I think you did well tonight, Oliver. I'm sorry you couldn't save Derek, but you tried, and that's what matters." The woman said quietly, bringing his attention back to her. He had to lean back in the chair to see her fully, ignoring the way the dress clung to her curves, enticing the eye.

"It wasn't enough."

"Maybe not, but it's a start. You can't just go from zero to a hundred instantly, Oliver, so it'll take some time. Maybe you could help the other families that lost their jobs too, try to make things right that way."

"How?"

"I dunno, give them the severance packages they were denied? Find job openings for them? Just let them know that you're willing to help."

"My mission—"

"Is to right the wrongs done by those on the list. What about the wrongs your father did? You tried to help the Restons, but what about the rest of them? Who's going to look out for them the way you did for those Adam Hunt stole from?" She asked, pulling a stool in front of him so she could sit down, their knees bumping. She tried not to think about Robin's words, about how good he looked in his leather, because those thoughts led nowhere good.

"The company would never agree to it." Oliver shook his head, making her arch her brow as she leaned forward, her hands going to his clasped ones without thinking.

"So don't ask them. I don't tend to approve of stealing, but the executives at QC got large bonuses while these people were laid off without a dime, so I say go for it. And if you can't do it that way, then I'll help. I'll put up half the money from the trust your mom gave me." He looked at her in surprise, also leaning forward until they were staring directly at each other.

"You would do that? For strangers?" She shrugged, swallowing.

"I don't care about money, Oliver, and I've only used it to buy electronics. It's the right thing to do, so yes, I would do it." She nodded, sitting back a little when his eyes got that sparkle in them they had that night.

"You're unlike anyone I've ever met, Felicity. I don't know anyone less selfish. Not even L—" He cut himself off, not wanting to bring the drama that was Laurel into the foundry and their conversation.

"That's not surprising, really, considering who you used to be." She retorted, making his lips stretch into a smile. But the levity quickly died.

"We should probably talk." He said seriously, sighing a heavy breath, his shoulders tense.

"I thought we were doing pretty well at the whole avoidance-thing." She said, getting a stern look before shrugging.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Did…have I ruined things?" He asked quietly, his voice so low she had to strain to hear it.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I destroy everything I touch." Felicity winced at his words, which were full of conviction, making it abundantly clear he whole heartedly believed that. Clutching the hands she was still holding, she shook her head.

"You can't think like that Oliver, it won't do you any good. You haven't ruined me or broken anything. We…we were two consenting adults who decided to spend a few hours together."

"Can we just move past it so easily?" He wasn't used to such casualness. Eve Shado had had feelings for him.

"If we both agree to, then I don't see why not. Someone told me that it's only awkward because we're making it that way. If we just acknowledged what we did and agreed it's too complicated to do it again, than I think we should be able to get back to normal."

"Okay." He said it so simply, but she could see the weight lifting from his already heavy shoulders, the light returning to his eyes.

"Okay." She smiled, glad to be back on solid ground. She'd keep any bad thoughts to herself like she had been doing, so it wouldn't be that hard.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Oliver started talking, his voice low and filled with emotion.

"It's the sign of Captain. My Bratva tattoo." He admitted, not sure why he was bringing this back up. She'd obviously forgotten or had decided it wasn't important, so it didn't make any sense to reveal another secret. But he wanted to let someone in, to heal from his demons.

"Captain?"

"Yeah—I wasn't alone on the island. One of the men I helped there was part of the organization and he made me a Captain."

"I knew you weren't alone, but you didn't stay on the island, did you? There's no way he would've made you Captain for just saving him. You were in Russia sometime, weren't you?" She asked, although she was already certain she knew the answer. And by the way he shifted his shoulders, she knew she was right.

"I wasn't always on the island, no."

Questions filled her head, overwhelming her. Why hadn't he come back home? Did he ever try to contact anyone? Was he being kept away from his family by someone? Who had he rescued on the island? He said 'one of' which implies there were more, so who were they?

"Oliver—"

"I'm going to change." He said, standing suddenly, making her have to jump up to avoid being toppled over.

"Thank you. For telling me something." She said quietly, making him pause to look over his shoulder. Blue eyes met blue eyes, an understanding now between them.

"Thank you for listening."

"Always."

AN: HOLY COW! 31 pages guys! That's just crazy!

Okay, so I'm so very very very sorry for the delay, like I mentioned above. But I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please don't kill me for the twist I put in there. And NO, there will not be tons of sexy scenes now, so don't get your hopes up! Sorry. Thanks again for reading and I hope you review!

Sorry for any errors! My eyes went cross-eyed at the end. And sorry if I missed any reviews, I haven't gone back to look them over, so hit me up and I'll respond, I promise! Thanks again!