Chapter 14: A Promise and a Vow
Her walk took her all the way down to a pier where a single boat was docked at the end. There were no other homes within her line of sight making Felicity wonder who the little dingy belonged to. It really didn't matter though. It was just nice to think about something aside from Oliver as she sat down on the edge of the wooden planks, letting her legs dangle just above the water as the tide rolled in.
She began to wonder how she'd reply to all her messages from work friends and relatives. After all, Felicity Smoak was the IT girl. Being without a phone for the last few days was completely out of character for her. But it allowed her to avoid thinking about the tragedy she'd witnessed firsthand. Just letting the thought to pop back into her mind made her shiver. Quickly pushing it back into the shadows where it belonged, she stood up. It was getting late and the sun was hanging low over the ocean.
As Felicity made her way back towards the house, another thought popped into her head. She hadn't checked in with Diggle since they'd arrived in Astoria to see how he was doing. In the past few days, she pondered why she didn't just call him to let him know how things were going. Then again, with what had happened, her mind had otherwise been preoccupied with all things Oliver instead. She resolved to call him as soon as she got back to the house.
Twilight was just approached when Felicity finally reached the back patio and slipped through the door into the warmth of the house. The temperature had dropped significantly since the sun dipped into the ocean and she was glad to be surrounded by heat again. She shook her boots out on the wooden deck before stepping inside to find Thea nearly jumping off the couch to greet her.
"I was wondering where you got off to," she said, taking the boots and placing them by the front door. "Oliver's been a crazy mess since he found your phone upstairs instead of you. He's searched the entire house at least twice and was about to take your car to go look for you when I told him to stop and leave you alone. I figured you needed some time to think."
"I did," Felicity replied just before hearing the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. She glanced to her right and found Oliver standing on the landing, his eyes wide and almost wild as he gazed at her. Relief suddenly rushed through them as he let out a sigh and his tense shoulders slumped forward.
For a moment they just stared at each other. Oliver appeared even more tired and haggard than he had been the night before, the dark circles now prominent beneath his eyes. But Felicity saw genuine relief cross those pale blue pools. He really had been worried about her. It was at that moment she knew she needed to talk to him about what had happened. She was ready; her heart was ready.
"See what I mean," Thea softly piped in with a half grin.
Felicity nodded, "Yeah."
"So, where did you go?" Thea asked, looping an arm around hers to lead her into the kitchen where there was a box of food from the diner on the counter.
"Down to the pier." Felicity grabbed a plate from the cabinet along with a fork and a knife before opening the box to reveal a fried chicken dinner complete with mashed potatoes, gravy and coleslaw. "So I'm guessing you picked up dinner?"
"Actually, no. Liv dropped it off on her way home from the diner," Thea answered. She leaned in close and added, "I think she just wanted to see Oliver." It put a smile on Felicity's face, knowing he had someone else who cared about him since his mother was currently in prison for her role in the Undertaking. "So, you feeling better? Because I know this morning was… weird," Thea continued, sliding into a chair beside her.
"Much," Felicity replied as she grabbed a chicken leg and took a bite. It was still warm and she couldn't help the tiny moan that escaped her throat from its delicious flavor.
"That's good." Thea didn't press the subject. Instead, she changed it to something else completely and through the rest of dinner, they sat together and talked about anything but Oliver even though Felicity could still feel his presence. He'd taken a seat on the couch in the living room and chose to ignore their conversation even though his eyes remained intently on her.
When Felicity had finished eating, she told Thea she was headed upstairs to change. Her clothes still smelled of ocean salt and she wanted a shower to gather up her courage before she tried to talk to Oliver again. There was also the phone call to Diggle she needed to make, which she did first upon entering the bedroom.
"Hey Dig," she said when the call connected.
"Felicity, it's so good to hear your voice," he replied and relief shot through her. She hadn't realized she'd been worried about him until that moment.
"You too," Felicity said, taking a seat on the bed. She tried to keep the conversation mostly focused on him, asking general questions about how he was doing, how Carly and AJ were doing, what was going on in the city… Diggle obliged her even though she sensed he knew she was avoiding talking about herself as much as possible. He'd throw in a few of his own questions, like what the weather was like in Astoria and when she'd gotten her new phone.
But they couldn't dance around the subject for much longer. Finally, he asked, "How are you doing? How's Oliver?"
"We're… okay." Felicity knew the slight hesitation in her voice was enough to tell him it was actually the opposite.
"Felicity, that doesn't sound like okay to me. Tell me what happened." Diggle sounded every bit like her father at that moment and a memory of the first time a boy had broken her heart in high school popped into her head. She'd come home sulking and her father had used that same tone of voice in order to get her to talk about it.
She was hesitant at first, knowing what might happen if she told Diggle everything. But Felicity couldn't keep anymore secrets, especially not from him because truthfully, nothing was okay and she was still wondering how to get Oliver to open up to her about what happened.
The silence must have lasted far too long because Diggle's voice startled her out of her musings. "Felicity, what happened between you and Oliver? And don't tell me it was nothing because I know how you feel about him."
Of course he knew. Diggle was like a mystic in that sense. He saw all and knew all, at least from Felicity's perspective. But it still made her uncomfortable talking about the most private aspect of her life. She really didn't want to tell him what they'd done fearing the unavoidable lecture that would follow. "A lot…" Felicity began. "Oliver and I… We…" No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to actually say it.
His deep sigh told her Diggle had already figured it out. "Damn it, Felicity! This is not the time or the place. You're going to get your heart broken because he's so far from being okay…" She expected the scolding, but it still stung to hear the disappointment in his voice.
"Too late," Felicity whispered, her voice cracking.
She heard Diggle take another long, deep sigh. "Do you need me to come up there?" His voice told her that if she said yes, he would be there in a heartbeat.
"No, we just need to talk," Felicity answered.
"Yes, you do because I don't have time to play relationship counselor to you two! The city is a disaster area. I'm here and you're there and I feel helpless. So fix this. Because this city is going to need all of us."
"I know, Dig… I know…" She didn't have the heart to fight him on that. When the three of them did finally return to Starling City, Felicity knew she and Oliver needed to be a united front because who knew what awaited them.
"Look, Felicity, I worry about you. You've never had to deal with anything of this nature before. I just want to make sure you'll be okay."
"I am. I will be," Felicity reassured him to the best of her ability at that moment.
"But, so help me god, if Oliver did hurt you, don't think I won't come up there and knock him around a little… maybe even put him on his ass."
Felicity snorted at the image it conjured up and the tension she'd felt earlier immediately dissipated. She'd seen enough training session between the two of them to know it probably wouldn't happen, but it was comforting to know Diggle was there for her as well. "I can handle him," she said.
"Alright, but the offer still stands," he said. "If you need anything, let me know and I'll be there as soon as I can."
Felicity was thoughtful for a moment before she answered, "There is something you can do for me."
"What's that?"
"Thea's been worried about Roy for the last couple of days. I know cell phone reception in the Glades is shot to hell, so is there any chance you can check up on him and make sure he's okay? If not, that's fine too, but it would really help her out because she hasn't been able to stop looking at her phone since he called her the other day."
Her request came out in a rush and she couldn't stop herself from rambling until Diggle replied, "You got it. I'll text you when I have eyes on him."
"Thanks, Dig."
"You guys stay safe, okay? And let me know if you need me to come and rough up Oliver for you."
Again, Felicity snorted, "I will. You be safe too and don't hesitate to call me. There really isn't much to do around here, especially when Oliver's got his Grumpy Cat on."
"Grumpy Cat?"
"Blame Thea. She started it. Although I think I like Butter Buns better."
"What?"
Felicity giggled. Although she'd promised Oliver she wouldn't tell Diggle about that, she knew sooner or later it would slip out anyway. "You should ask him how he got that nickname the next time you talk to him," she hinted.
"Oh, I will!"
"Alright, Dig. I'll talk to you soon. Bye."
"Bye."
The feeling of relief rushed through Felicity when she hung up. Everything was going to be okay. Diggle was doing well, and even though he'd chewed her out for what she'd done with Oliver, knowing he was still on her side was comforting. It gave her the confidence she needed to tackle their problems head on and work through whatever it was that nearly tore things apart.
After setting the phone back on the nightstand, Felicity picked up the shorts and hoodie from the previous night along with a new pair of panties from the closet then headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Her hair was put up in a tight ponytail when she finished and some form of normalcy had returned to her life even though her shoulder still hurt when she moved it a certain way.
Now that her body was healing, Felicity knew she needed to start healing her heart and mind, and the only way she could do that was to talk to Oliver first. The weight of all the things they'd said the night before in the heat of their argument still lay heavy on her shoulder. She needed to get a few things off her chest before she allowed him to apologize.
With steady resolve, Felicity made her way downstairs. Upon entering the living room, she found Oliver sitting alone on the couch, his gaze falling on the ocean beyond the windows. "Hey," she said softly hoping not to startle him. He was up off the couch almost immediately when he heard her voice.
"Hey," Oliver replied, his hands slipping into the pockets of his jeans. He wore something similar to the previous day, only this time his sweater was a rich chocolate brown color and his jeans were a little more faded. The slightly timid look he gave her made this far easier than she'd expected.
"I… I wanna talk about what happened," Felicity began. Her hands fell into the pockets of the hoodie as well, but she kept her head held high and her eyes focused on him.
It was at that moment Thea appeared from the door she assumed led into the garage. Her eyes cut to Felicity standing at the foot of the stairs. She was about to say something until Felicity held up her hand to stop her. They shared a quick look and a nod before Felicity turned to Oliver and asked, "Can we go upstairs?"
"Yeah, of course," he answered.
She didn't wait for him and headed up the steps back into the master bedroom. The room felt a little stuffy so Felicity crossed to the balcony door and opened it just as Oliver stepped in, shutting the other door behind him. Several long, silent moments passed between them as he leaned up against the wall while she remained standing, the cool wind licking at her bare legs.
"I was worried about you," Oliver broke the silence first as he watched her look out over the moonlit ocean.
"I know," Felicity sighed. "Thea told me."
"I honestly thought you'd left." It was nearly a whisper, the pain permeating his words just as much as his eyes when he looked at her.
"That's how I felt when you ran," she replied, her eyes dropping to the oversized sleeves that fell past her fingers as she fidgeted with the edges.
"I'm sorry I ever made you feel that way," Oliver said, his voice thick with emotions he struggled to keep hold of.
"I always worry about you," Felicity quietly admitted, afraid to look up because she knew if she did, her resolve would fade the moment their eyes met and he realized she was struggling with her emotions as well. Silence fell between them once more as she gathered the courage to say what she'd wanted to say all day. Her mind whirred and buzzed with a jumble of words she couldn't seem to put together in any coherent fashion. Maybe she wasn't ready for this like she thought she was.
"Felicity…" Oliver's shaky voice broke the spell.
Her eyes flicked up, meeting his, and instantly, the words came spilling out of Felicity's mouth in a rush. "I've been worrying about you ever since last night. I couldn't stop thinking about what you said then versus what you said the night before. How could you care about me one moment and then not care the next? Do you really feel that way? Am I only your friend? Or are you trying to keep me at an arm's length because you're afraid to hurt me? I need to know, Oliver. I don't know how much more of this roller coaster I can take anymore. I just…"
She sighed and her hand came to rest against her forehead trying to rub away the headache that had suddenly begun to form. Closing her eyes, Felicity let out a shaky breath. She was on the very edge of her sanity now, and she couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know.
"Why did you do it, Oliver?" she continued, her eyes pleading with him. "What happened last night? And please… be honest with me. I can't deal with anymore lies right now."
"Felicity... I... I fucked up." His voice cracked as he said the words and she could see it in his eyes, he was telling the truth. Her heart jumped into her throat as Oliver continued. "You were right. I let my fears get the best of me again. I let those worries seep into my head and I pushed you away. And I've never felt pain like that... never." The conviction in his voice was strong as he crossed the room to stand in front of her. His hands cupped her face, holding Felicity as if to make sure she wasn't going to leave again.
Oliver sighed as he pressed his forehead to hers and their eyes locked. The lump in her throat grew exponentially when she saw the indelible pain and regret running through those pale blue pools. "Even when I was on the island," he kept going, "it was all just physical stuff I could block out while they carved into me. But watching you now, I feel like my heart is being torn from my chest. It's similar to how I felt when I watched Tommy die... and I... I can't do that again. I can't lose another person I care about... I can't."
There was a pause and Oliver took a deep breath. She could see trepidation building in his eyes and began to wonder if what he was about to tell her would further crush her heart or begin to bring the pieces back together. She swallowed and waited. In a whisper, he said, "Felicity, I think I love you. And that scares me more than anything. Everyone I've ever loved with the exception of Thea has either betrayed me or died. I can't... I can't lose you too."
Felicity gasped, stunned as she took in the tears that suddenly streamed down his face. "I fucked up. Felicity… Please…" Oliver begged, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his admission.
"Yeah, you did…" she whispered and watched as his face fell. Felicity stepped into his arms before she knew it, pressing her lips to his. It was chaste and quick, but he inhaled sharply and couldn't hide how his body reacted to her. Oliver's hands fell to her hips, trying to pull her towards him just as she was backing away.
Her eyes glanced up into his, searching for the truth – searching for confirmation. "You think you love me?" Felicity whispered, unable to speak any louder for fear of her emotions overwhelming her voice. Her hand came up to stroke his cheek and his eyes fell shut. Oliver turned his head, his lips pressing into her palm, and her heart fluttered.
"That word doesn't seem strong enough, honestly," he replied, his fingers flexing against her hip. When Oliver opened his eyes, she was struck by the weight of the emotions running through them. Her breath caught as he added, "I need you, Felicity. I need you like I've never needed someone or something in my life."
His words flipped something deep inside her and suddenly she was in his arms again, her lips against his. He lifted her easily, a desperate growl torn from his throat as he pressed her against the door frame.
"Say it again. Say you mean it. Promise me you mean it," Felicity urgently murmured against his lips. And he did as she asked, pouring his heart out to her as he kissed her, his lips roaming from her mouth down her neck. Her hoodie was removed within seconds and she shivered as the night air hit her skin, but it was a delicious contrast to his heat.
"I need you. Always… Next to me… With me… I need you, Felicity Smoak. I promise. No more lies. No more running. Just you and me and us and this…" Oliver's words were punctuated with nips and flicks of his tongue and she tilted her head back, feeling the words rush over and through her. They were as much of a vow as she needed in that moment.
Her hands fisted in his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. His lips left hers for milliseconds before they returned to her skin, roaming against the sensitive flesh of her breasts. His hands trailed over her stomach, his body pinning her to the door frame as she arched into his touch.
"Just you and me and us," Felicity reiterated as she grabbed one of his hands and pulled it between them, placing it on her bare breast so he could feel the rapid beat of her heart beneath. His eyes locked onto hers and she leaned forward, words ghosting over his mouth as she gazed up at him. "It's yours. Always. Please… I'm trusting you with it. All of it."
She felt him break then, the shudder that passed through his body, the tears that made their way down his cheeks – the ones she kissed away with her lips. His head fell to her shoulder and he pressed his mouth just over her heart. "I promise," Oliver whispered.
And then his hands were moving again, roving all over her body as if he was afraid she would disappear. Felicity moaned into his mouth, splaying fingers against the planes of his shoulders. Heat coiled low within her as she felt the promise between them, the healing created by their words and actions. With each flick of his tongue and every sweep of his lips, the pieces were being put back together, stronger than they ever were before.
Oliver's hands dipped lower, his fingers sinking into her thighs as he pressed her harder against the door frame. They slipped beneath the elastic waistband of her shorts and underwear, tugging them off in one fell swoop. Felicity found herself once again naked before him. Her heart hammered in her chest, beating wildly as his lips trailed downward. It wasn't long before he was kneeling, hot breaths falling over the junction of her thighs.
Before he leaned forward, his eyes gazed up seeking permission. Felicity smiled down at him softly, her fingers ghosting over his temple as she nodded. When his lips made contact with the skin just below her navel, she gasped, her eyes falling closed as her head rolled back against the door frame. Oliver's kisses fell lower until he was at her apex. He gently nudged her legs open until his arm could slide beneath her left knee and lift it to his shoulder.
Her cry echoed through the night air as his tongue darted out and tasted her for the first time. The shudder that ran through her body at the contact nearly made Felicity lose her balance, but his other arm came up, fingers threading with hers making sure she didn't fall. Oliver pressed open mouth kisses all along her inner thighs and her grip on his hand tightened. Waves of pleasure rolled through her as his lips traveled down to her knee before climbing back up to taste her again.
"Oliver…" she moaned, her eyes slamming shut when his tongue slipped between her slick folds and found her clit. He rolled it around the sensitive little nub over and over as his name spilled from her lips. Felicity knew he was trying to make up for… everything. And this was most definitely helping. Her hips bucked as he tongue delved lower, pushing deep into her heat until she cried out in ecstasy.
As he moved back up to her clit, his fingers replaced his tongue, curling lazily against her walls until they found the spot that nearly sent her body into convulsions the second he touched it. "Hold on, baby. I'm not done yet," Oliver murmured against her skin and she shuddered when his gaze met hers. It held so much promise that Felicity gasped and squeezed his hand tighter.
For several long, beautiful minutes, his lips and tongue traced circles between her legs, sliding up and down her slick folds as his fingers stroked her to the very edge. Felicity knew she was close. It wouldn't take much to push her into oblivion. But Oliver slowed his strokes, prolonging her pleasure as she panted and raked her nails through his hair. "Please," she begged, her eyes falling to his.
"As you wish," he whispered, his breath sweeping across her skin as fingers began to move faster. They curled deeper and pressed harder, bringing Felicity back to the edge in moments before his lips sucked her clit into his mouth. Oliver lashed it with his tongue and her body went rigid. Muscles twitched in a symphony of pleasure as his name was torn from her lips once more. His fingers slowed and stilled until she finally came down from her high.
Oliver kissed his way back up to her lips, taking his time and stopping first at her navel then her breasts and finally the hollow of her neck. She moaned when his teeth nipped the sensitive flesh along her jaw and sighed as his mouth found hers again. Her leg dangled from the crook of his elbow as his jean clad hips pressed into her. Even through the rough denim Felicity could feel the hardness of his cock rubbing up against her. It was far more than she could take.
"These," she growled between kisses, her hands falling to the button of his jeans and quickly undoing it, "need to come off." Felicity's hands slipped into the waistband, tugging it down over his hips until his pants and boxers pooled at his feet. They were soon kicked to the side as her fingers traced along the hard lines of his abdomen until they stilled at the base of his cock. The low, almost feral growl that rumbled in Oliver's chest made her shiver as she continued to press kisses to his lips while her hands wrapped around his shaft and began to stroke.
"Felicity…" It was his turn to moan as he bit her bottom lip, his hips rocking in time with her hands. There was only so much Oliver could take before he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. One hand secured them there as the other looped beneath her leg, bringing it to rest against his hip. He teased her with the tip of his cock, sliding it against her slick folds until her hips arched forward, begging for more.
And then he thrust home. Felicity's body arched forward, the heel of her foot digging into his back as her head rolled forward to the crook of his neck. Sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of his collarbone kept her from screaming out. She shuddered as Oliver pulled away before thrusting back into her hot, wet core. The third time he did it she wrapped her other leg around his waist and was immediately rewarded with a groan.
This new position angled her hips slightly lower than they'd been. The effect had been almost immediate. With each thrust, the pleasure increased tenfold. Not only was his cock hitting her in just the right spot each time, the way it brushed against her clit added a second burst of bliss each time their hips met. As much as she wanted to stay in this position for longer than a few minutes, the sensory overload was too much for her body to handle. She came harder this time, her muscles seizing as a tremor ran from her toes to the top of her head.
Oliver released his grip on her hands and she brought them around his neck, holding onto him for dear life until her body finally relaxed. Before she knew it, Felicity was being pulled from the door frame and carried towards the bed, his cock still buried deep within her. He laid her out on the cool sheets, never breaking contact.
There was only a slight readjustment in their position. He pushed her legs up until her knees were nearly flush with her chest and her ankles rested against his shoulders. Felicity thanked her lucky stars that she'd been doing yoga since high school and was able to bend and flex so easily because the moment Oliver began to move, her eyes fluttered shut from the intensity of the pleasure that flowed through her.
His hands came up to cradle her face as she opened her eyes to find him staring down at her. A shudder ran through her body. Those pale blue pools were nearly black and so powerfully focused on her that her breath became caught in her throat. Felicity saw every emotion he'd struggled to express reflected back at her and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. There was pain and regret, but also relief and… love; love so strong and deep it overwhelmed her.
Oliver leaned forward to capture her lips and she moaned against them, her nails raking down his back as his tongue delved into her mouth to explore. Their hips continued to sway, slow and gentle, as one of his hands roamed down her body, settling on her breast to knead it in time with his strokes. She arched into his palm, desperate to feel his calloused fingers pinching and rolling her nipple until it was achingly hard.
An incoherent stream of sounds flowed from her lips as his kisses traveled away from her mouth. They found their way to her ear, nipping and sucking on the lobe before he whispered, "I love you." This was the second time Oliver had said it. The reaction it triggered sent her head swimming as she slammed her eyes shut and reveled in the words. She pulled his lips back to hers, kissing him fervently as her fingers sank into his hair. But a tiny voice in the back of Felicity's mind told her to be cautious. He'd broken her heart once already and even though he'd made up for it spectacularly with two incredibly intense orgasms and the most heartfelt apology she'd ever heard, he still had to prove himself worthy.
"I know," Felicity whispered back when their lips parted, her gaze locking with his once more. It earned her a sweet smile from the man above her as he brushed his fingers over her cheek.
"I love you so much." Watching his eyes as he said it, she knew Oliver told the truth. Her heart leapt into her throat and she pulled him in for another kiss, this time refusing to break it as her hands threaded through his hair.
Their bodies continued to sway, her back arching up the closer she got to her orgasm. He increased the pace, placing his hands at her hips and holding her to him as he rocked her harder. It wasn't long before Felicity felt the familiar twitch of her muscles. Just a few more powerful thrusts from Oliver's hips and she was sent over the edge yet again, crying out his name as her fingers dug crescents into his back.
But he didn't stop. Instead, Oliver rolled over so she lay sprawled across his chest. Felicity began to wonder how he still had the stamina to keep going, but she didn't have much time to reflect on it. The frenzied thrusts of his hips told her he was close. He sat up, hooking her legs around his back, and began thrusting into her hard and fast.
Their fevered breaths filled the room as Oliver relentlessly pounded into her. Muscles began to clench around his throbbing cock as he thrust it with increasing vigor between her hot, sweet walls. Pressure coiled deep in her core, tighter and tighter, until Felicity could barely stand it anymore.
"Come with me," Oliver whispered as his teeth scraped down her throat, coming to rest at her collarbone. Felicity tipped her head back, her hips lurching forward as she cried out in bliss, surrendering to the intense explosion between her legs for the fourth time that night. Her muscles pulsed hard and fast around her lover's cock and she melted into his arms.
This had been the most intense orgasm of the night, sapping Felicity of her energy. As Oliver fell back against the bed, she followed suit. Her head came to rest beneath his chin while she tucked her arms into his sides.
"I love you," he murmured into her hair before kissing her temple. Felicity smiled and sighed. She pressed her lips to the scar just above his heart then closed her eyes. Sleep came easily that night and her nightmares were blissfully silent again.
When Felicity awoke the next morning, her back was pressed to Oliver's chest. Sometime during the night they had switched positions and were now covered with the blanket. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist with the other pillowed beneath her head. His lips pressed soft kisses to her shoulder and when she sighed, they trailed up her neck until they reached the shell of her ear. She shuddered when he gently nibbled on her earlobe and whispered, "Good morning."
Craning her neck, her lips sought his for a kiss before she replied, "Good morning."
"I love you." The words were soft and sweet and made her heart quiver in her chest. Her only response was another soft kiss pressed to his lips as she turned to face him. His hand slid down her back until it cupped her bottom, pulling her close while the other splayed out between her shoulder blades.
"I hope Thea doesn't interrupt us again," Felicity mused as he trailed kisses down her neck until he was nipping at her collarbone.
"Don't jinx it," Oliver murmured against her skin.
But it wasn't Thea who interrupted them, it was Felicity's phone buzzing with a text message. They both groaned as she began to reach over, but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. "Later," Oliver whispered between her fingers as he kissed each digit.
"What if it's important?" she whined. "Last night I asked Dig to check on Roy. Maybe he's found him?"
Oliver nearly growled but let her hand go. "I swear, my sister has you wrapped around her finger," he muttered before rolling onto his back beside her.
Giving him her best withering glare, Felicity grabbed the phone and opened the text. It was from Diggle, but what she read made her face drop and her heart nearly stop. Oliver sat up and took notice as she glanced between him and her phone. "What is it?" he asked, his own features darkening.
"'We've got a problem. Roy's in trouble. Come back quick,'" Felicity read. Her eyes locked with Oliver's. She could see fear and trepidation swirling in those pale blue pools, reflecting what she felt as well.
He was about to say something when the door flew open and Thea ran into the room bawling. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook, her cell phone grasped tightly in her hand. "Something's happened," she cried. With unsteady fingers, she pulled up her voicemail and put it on speaker.
The voice on the other end was strained, but they could all clearly make out Roy's voice. There was a definite note of fear and panic as he spoke. "Thea… I need… I'm… in trouble… Stuck… building collapsed… Trying to help… Thea… Help me…"
(Patiently waits for rotten tomatoes to be thrown at her)