Happy early Turkey Day. Enjoy!

#####OQ#####

Of course, Riley owned a huge red pickup truck. One that had tinted windows and a king cab. A real guy's truck.

And the man wasn't a fool for when he pulled up and rolled the window down, he said, "You have two flats? Now, why do I have a feeling somebody really doesn't like you?"

"More than one, after I threatened to make them all run the entire practice if even one of them forgets their soccer ball again."

"Someone conveniently forget their soccer ball today?"

"Try all of them."

Riley laughed and said, "Well, then I guess you earned those flats. Let me back into that ditch over there. I think we would better off rolling your bike into the back of the truck then trying to lift it."

He couldn't help himself, "What? My bike's only about four hundred pounds. I thought you said you had strong arms? Put up or shut up kind of thing."

Frowning, Riley said, "Guess I'm going to shut up. My back will thank me. So I'll just going to pass, since there's an easier way. I'm going to back into that ditch now."

He almost felt bad as he admitted. "Riley, I do joke sometimes, though I admit, normally, no one gets it."

A small smile passed over the man's face. A smile that meant he understood.

"Totally understand. No one gets my jokes either. Remember the leg and Halloween? Not even Anna gets me sometimes, and she gets me more than most."

Okay, he had to smile a little to himself, then he slowly pulled the metal pipes out of his jacket pocket.

"Oh, and here Riley, could you take these? I'm not leaving them here, so they can try to use them again," he said, handing Riley the three metal pipes.

"And, where did you get these?"

"Use your imagination."

Frowning deeply, Riley said, "And I don't like what I'm imagining."

Then Riley put the truck in reverse and backed his back wheels into the ditch across the road. Oliver rolled his disabled bike across the road, as Riley got out of the truck and opened the tailgate. Okay, that was smart, the man was a definitely a problem solver, he thought, as he pushed his disabled motorcycle easily into the back of the truck, using the slope of the ditch and the open tailgate.

Opening the toolbox on the back of the truck, Riley said, "I think I have tie down straps."

"Good deal."

Riley handed him the straps, and he quickly strapped the motorcycle down using the handlebars and the seat as braces and running the straps to the holes in the truck bed. Giving the bike a strong shake and finding it soundly strapped down, he got out of the truck bed, and Riley shut the tailgate.

Getting in the passenger side of the truck and shutting the door, he ask, "Where can I get tires in this town?"

Riley thought for a second as he cranked the truck and put it in gear. "I would take it to O'Riley's Garage, but I would bet he is going to have to order them, since that's not a Harley you're driving."

Oliver reached and checked his phone for the time. "And since it's after five, I would bet they're closed for the day."

"Yeah, I would say so."

Sighing, he frowned, as he thought that this day just kept getting better. A headache was coming on, and he rubbed his forehead.

"Hey, if you want I can drop it off on my way to work tomorrow, and I'll pull the truck into the garage tonight, so it will be safe."

"Thanks, that will save me a tow and could you pull over to that dumpster over there."

Riley lifted an eyebrow at him but he pulled over.

Opening the truck door, he grabbed the metal pipes off the seat, then he stepped out and got rid of the pipes, chunking them into the dumpster with a loud clank and a clatter before he got back into the truck.

"You don't plan to tell Felicity about the metal pipes do you? How can you hide that from her?"

No, he hadn't been planning to mention the pipes to Felicity. It would just upset her. It would upset her that three players from his team intended to take him out, intended to hurt him. So, instead, he said with, "Sure, I'm going to discuss it with her."

"Why don't I believe you?" He looked hard at thim before he said, "And that's not an answer. That's a PTSD answer, vague, avoiding and annoying. You wouldn't have gotten rid of the evidence if you planned to discuss it with her. So why don't you just admit that you never intended to tell her about it?"

Guilt filled him so he answered him with silence.

"And, of course, now you go quiet. PTSD is so predicable that sometimes it pisses me off." Riley tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel, before he said, "So, do you keep a lot of things from Felicity or just the things that could endanger her?"

"How dare you say that?" The words just came out, though he knew he'd endangered her repeatedly. But he couldn't tell Riley that three teens with medal pipes didn't compared to the things he and Felicity had been though together.

But Riley's words struck a chord and he found himself trying to force down his anger, trying to force down the rage rising inside him, the very anger that made his tone sharp.

"That's none of your business, and I hear you keep things from Anna too. Felicity's told me."

"Not important things. Not metal pipes and slashed tires kind of things. Do you know what this looks like to me?" His face intense, Riley frowned at him.

Frankly, he didn't care. Sometimes it seemed that it had been easier when he was single. But he wanted this relationship with her and he knew Felicity wanted to be friends with Anna, so he had to at least try to get along with Riley.

"Look, Riley, Felicity already knows that something happened. Believe me, she understands, and I don't see a reason to worry her. She knows I can handle myself. And I was never in any real danger. They were lucky I didn't really hurt them."

Riley exploded. "They were lucky? My imagination is telling me that at least three of your soccer team tried to attack you with metal pipes and you just shrug it off, like this is no big deal? It's okay because you were never in any REAL danger? You've got a really big ego thing going on here don't you?"

The rage wanted to engulf him. But he forced it back.

"Now, that's the pot calling the kettle black." And he looked hard at Riley, before he said, "You've been having a pissing contest with me since we met."

"Maybe I have. I'll admit that something about you makes me competitive. But just who the hell are you, Oliver? I thought you had a flat not gotten your tires slashed. Don't you get that those teenagers," he slammed his hand against the steering wheel, "premeditated putting you out of commission."

"I never said it was teenagers."

Riley said forcefully, as he turned left and then changed lanes, "No, you've said just as little as possible. I've told you before that PTSD is dependable. We evade the question. We misdirect the question. We ignore the question. And you're the one that told me to use my imagination. Well, let me tell you it's working overtime here."

"And your," he had to pause and shut his eyes before he said, "PTSD is showing too."

Riley pressed his lips together, then stopped at a red light and turned his head and looked him straight in the eye before he said, "Okay, maybe it is, but those teenagers clearly planned to beat you with metal pipes and then leave you stranded."

"You're right they did. But they didn't get the job done. I took care of it."

"And just makes it all okay, huh? Well, let me tell you that it takes a certain amount of darkness to plan something like that. One or more of your soccer players are dangerous. Now, our problems aside, what I'm worried about right now is my wife is working with these very same teenagers and that she's going in a room alone with these very same teenagers."

"I see your point, but I doubt they would go after Anna since she's not forcing them play soccer, like I am."

"Not funny, Oliver, and neither is the fact that on your third day of soccer practice, three of your players attack you with metal pipes. Or where there more of them?"

"No, just three and they never hit me, Riley. Look, Warren warned me that these teens don't want to play soccer and that the last coach quit. Really, Felicity and I expected this attack."

The light changed and he snorted then said, "You expected them to attack you with metal pipes? But, of course you did. And who the hell are you, Oliver because you're not Special Forces."

His eyes narrowed. "Why couldn't I be Special Forces?"

"Because I am. And you're just not." The look Riley gave him was candid. "No, you're something else. Something a lot darker. You're someone that has seen so much that something like three teens attacking you with metal pipes barely raises a blip on your radar. You're way too calm about this."

Oliver knew he was quite dark, and yes, he'd seen and experienced a lot, so not knowing what to say, he kept quiet.

"I don't know what happened to you on that island or how you got all those scars, Oliver, but it had to be life altering."

Again, he didn't answer. No instead, his hand reached into his pocket to find her hair tie, to finger her hair tie, as he tried to keep the memories at bay, as he tried to stop the memories from the island that wanted to flood him mind. He had to kept control here.

"Hey, Oliver, are you all right? Listen to me. You're breathing is getting too shallow. I'm going to roll the window down. I want you to put your hand out the window. I'm sorry. But you need to come back now."

The memories wanted to suck him down. He could see Sara dying. He could see Slade torturing him. He could see him killing Slade.

"Oliver, listen to me. I want you to stick your hand out the window into the cool air, try to ground yourself to here. Listen to me. You're in my truck. Look at the dash."

"I'm here." He was struggling to make it the truth, but he put his hand out the window and felt the cooler air, rushing past his hand, helping him ground himself to here.

"No, really, I want you look around and see now, see the inside of the truck, see the radio, see the clock. You're here, Oliver, not there."

He scrubbed his face. "I'm fine. I'm here."

Riley continued. "Good, I apologize, Oliver. I should have known that talking about the island would be a trigger for you. I should've have mentioned it."

"No, really it's fine."

"Stop lying to me. I know better. I recognize the signs. You were flashing."

"Flashing?"

"Yes, that's what I call it. You were having a flashback, going back to a traumatic time in your life. I understand that things, a word, a sound, a smell or a memory can trigger your flashbacks and suddenly you're there."

Riley looked hard at him and then looked away before he said, "I have them too, Oliver. I fight them everyday. I hate the 4th of July. But it gets better. If you just keep trying, it gets better."

"Really?" He wanted to believe that. He so wanted to believe that he could get better, that things could change.

"Yes, really but you have to work for it to get better. But now I really think you should tell Felicity about those kids attacking you with metal pipes. She has the right to know."

"I never said she didn't."

"What if these same kids decided to get to you by going after Felicity, and she had no warning she was even in danger? You would never forgive yourself if something happened to her and you didn't warn her."

Now the man had his attention.

"I can keep her safe." But his mind wasn't so sure. He knew the house they were living in was too open, and he needed to beef up security at the house. Biting his lip for an instant, he knew he needed to add some trip wires, some cameras, and put a better lock on the door. He just hoped that this was the end of his team trying to get out of playing soccer. One thing, he knew for sure was that he still intended to punish the two he knew for sure had attacked him.

"You're not superman, Oliver, though I'm beginning to wonder if you really realize that. And guess what, you can't always be there."

"I know that."

"Well you're not acting like you know it. And if you don't tell Felicity that's your decision. But I'm warning my wife, Oliver. I love Anna dearly, and I need her to be safe. I really don't know if I could live without her anymore."

He pulled into a driveway. Putting the truck into park, he shut the engine off . Turning in his seat, he said, "So, you do what you want, but I'm telling my WIFE about these bad teenagers. Anna's my woman, my special woman who is more than willing to lay down with me, a man with no legs and touch not just my body but my heart. It takes a special woman to love people like us, Oliver. People with scars inside and out are hard to love you know? You should see the statistics of PTSD and divorce rates."

"I know that, Riley. You don't have to tell me Felicity's special or that I'm damaged. I'm well aware of it."

Unbuckling his seat belt, he said quietly, "You're missing the point, Oliver. I maybe damaged but I'm coping. And from where I'm sitting it looks like you could use some help coping. But you do what you want. Me, I'm going to warn Anna that three of those little juvenile delinquents she's been counseling, ganged up on their new soccer coach, trying to beat him with METAL PIPES the first week of practice. And I'm going to tell her that those kids slashed your tires beforehand, which means they fully intended to leave you bleeding and helpless. I'm not going to keep her in the dark like you're doing to Felicity. I'm going to warn her so she can take extra precautions."

Riley looked him hard in the eye before he said, "I can't afford to take a chance with my wife, Oliver. I can't because, even if it took me a long time, a really long time to allow her to love me, I've finally figured out that I need her in my life."

Then Riley opened the door and got out.

"Wait."

He stepped out of the truck and felt the weight on his shoulders. Knowing that Riley was going to tell on him, he straightened his spine. This man made him terribly angry.

Riley turned and frowned at him.

"Okay, you're right, not telling Felicity would put her at risk. So, I'll tell her, but just not in front of Anna. I don't want to answer the questions. You tell your wife whatever you want. And you're right I'm not Special Forces."

"Then what are you?"

Damaged, he thought but he said, "If you told you what I was I would have to kill you."

"Joke right?"

"Right." But he wasn't sure he was joking. Riley was causing him a lot of grief lately.

"And, Oliver, that's the most honest you've been with me yet. There may be hope for you yet."

Stopping at the mailbox, Riley growled a little as pulled a couple envelopes out and said, "I don't think we're ever going to get Anna's student loans paid off. Do you have school loans?"

"No." Oliver didn't elaborate, as he took in the nice house in the nice neighborhood. Following Riley up the steps, he was surprised that the man didn't lock his door, when Riley swung his unlocked front door open, yelling, "Honey, I'm home. Mission accomplished."

"My hero," Anna yelled back at him. "We're back here, outside on the patio."

"Oliver, straight through. I'm going to change and if you don't mind, take my legs off and use the chair. It's something I do in the evenings, like taking my shoes off kind of thing, and if we're going to hang out you're going to see me without them, so let's just get it over with."

He understood, and he thought about having your leg legs being blown off. His mind thought about all the adjustments and how much Riley had been through, as he said, "I think I'll be okay with it, but I'll just warn you that Felicity will probably make some truthful comment about you not having legs. She's just like that. Her babble just comes out sometimes. She just can't control it."

Riley gave a short laugh and said, "I noticed that at lunch, and I think I can handle whatever she says. It's just part of my life now. And my stumps aren't always happy, and if I get off them at night it helps keep my legs from bothering me the next day. I hate it, but after a while I have to give them a break."

"Okay."

And Riley turned and disappeared down a hall. Taking a minute, he looked about to get a feel of Riley's and Anna's house. Recon started in his head. Bright splashes of modern art on the wall, worn couch, low countertops in the kitchen, no doubt so Riley could reach them from the chair. He noted several scruffs on the walls, also probably caused by the chair. Some clutter here and there, newspapers piled up on the corner end table. Psychology text books in the bookcase. Also there was poetry and some fiction books. One spot at the end of the kitchen table with no chair, probably Riley's spot when he used the chair.

A few dishes in the sink and the pictures of both of them stuck on the refrigerator with magnets. He glanced for a minute and took in their happy faces, then he turned away with a thought that maybe he could also continue to have happy, then he turned toward the voices on the patio, toward his happy, his Felicity.

As soon, as he stepped out the door, Felicity's eyes swept him and he nodded slightly, knowing she was looking for injuries that she was checking for blood. He raised his hand to wave and said, "Hi, Anna."

"Oliver." She gave a slight wave and gestured for him to sit. "Well what happened?"

"Vandalism happened. It's nothing that some new tires won't fix. How did the two of you spend the day?"

Felicity, thankfully, began talking of shopping and the moment passed.

Riley wheeled up in his wheelchair, and Felicity couldn't help it, he knew she couldn't help it but she so made him smile, as she said, "Riley, you've not as tall as you were before. For the first time, I'M TALLER than a big guy."

Then she threw her hand over her mouth and crinkled her nose before she said, "And I said that out loud didn't I?"

And everyone laughed.

#####OQ#####

They had stayed a couple of hours and were driving home when she reached and laid her hand on top of his hand on the shifter. Yes, she laced her fingers between his, rubbing his hand, bringing a small smile to his face.

"Thanks for coming to Riley and Anna's tonight. I know you're struggling with being around Riley. I know he's pushing you. I guess I'm pushing you too."

And he thought and yeah, maybe he was struggling around Anna too. It was so odd, he had never cared if his girlfriends had friends but now when Felicity was around Anna, he felt very alone again. But he knew he was being selfish, wanting to be the center of her world, so he said "You're right and everyone is pushing me right now. But you're welcome. I'm glad you've made a friend. I understand you need friends, and Anna seems nice."

"Yeah, Anna's smart and very amazing. She's not into computers but she has a great sense of humor, and we just seemed to click. Which is totally weird since I normally don't get along with women most of the time, but this time just seems right."

"I'm glad." He forced himself to say.

"I'm not sure you are, but, okay, thanks for trying for me. Now tell me what's really bothering you? You've been a little off all night and way too quiet. I mean you're normally quiet but you've been past quiet, even for you. What are you brooding about? The bike? The team attacking you? What?"

She gave his hand a slight squeeze, and he downshifted and pulled into their driveway. Setting the parking break, he put the car in neutral and carefully pulled his hand from under hers, so he could kill the engine.

He put his hands on the steering wheel before he said, "Felicity, we both know some of my team members are already headed down a dark path."

"Yes, not nice kids, some of them are really not nice, not nice at all. What really happened today, Oliver?"

"Someone slashed both of the tires on my bike and then when I came out of the gym, three of them in ski masks and hoodies tried to take me out."

Frowning, she said, "Well that wasn't very bright of them was it?"

That was his girl, his woman. And pride filled him. Riley just didn't understand the history between them. "No, you're right. I disarmed them pretty quickly."

"What were they armed with?"

"Metal pipes. And Riley knows now."

"And he's concerned about Anna working with them no doubt."

"And he's concerned that they might go after you, Felicity, as a way to get to me."

"You know I'm not helpless. So, what do you want to do about this threat?"

"We need to either move to a safer location or make this one safer. This house is too out in the open and too hard to defend."

"I like this house, it's special since it's our first real home, and of course, I drown here, which sucked, but I try not to think about that, so let's get some tech and set up a perimeter. You should call John and get his input."

He had to smile before he said, "I guess I can. He talks to me some now."

"Okay, and I will just be really careful." She gave him one of her light filled smiles then said, "Now do you want to eat some ice cream and watch a movie with me?" She reached and touched his face before she said, "I know we can't have sex, but I still want to spend time with you. I love you, Oliver."

"I'd like that." And he pulled her to him and kissed her softly then released her before he took it to a place that Mae hadn't okayed.

"I need you," she said as breathed softly against his skin, still clinging to him.

"I need you too. I'm really past wanting you. How about we forget Mae's orders?"

"How did I go without you so long? And no."

"I have no idea. But you're torturing me so let's go watch that movie."

Entering the house, he washed his hands and then scooped up the ice cream. She disappeared into the bedroom and then she went and changed into her cute pjs, the ones he really wanted to take them off of her. But she just grinned at him, then found something to stream on her tablet, as she magically made the movie appear on the large screen TV in the living room.

Sinking into the couch, he handed her a bowl of ice cream, and she snuggled close, as he ate a few bites and tried to pay attention to the movie. Setting the bowl down on the coffee table, he stretched out and drifted away for a moment content.

He was back in the water, back looking for her, diving repeatedly. The tide had taken her away. He was searching for her. Diving and diving and there was only the black water, only the tide. Screaming her name, he kept looking for her.

"Oliver," she was shaking him. "I'm right here. Wake up. It's okay."

Jerking straight up, he almost dumped her on to the floor in his haste. Not in the water, he told himself.

The movie was still playing. She was talking to him. He could smell her and his heart pumped hard. His ice cream had melted into a brown puddle in the bowl, which meant he had been out for a little while.

"Shh, it's okay," she was assuring him. "Go back to sleep. I'm right here." And he wrapped his arms around her and just held his special woman close, but he didn't sleep.

#####OQ#####

"Could you leave the door open?" He was at the doctor's office and this room seemed too close, too tiny. And he could feel his anxiety rising.

"Mae should be in soon." Said the nurse, who had just taken his blood pressure and frowned. The woman just shook her head as she left the door open.

Felicity was sitting in a chair in the corner, playing on her tablet, and he was pacing the small space, so ready to get out of here.

"Oliver, you're driving me crazy. Could you just stop pacing?"

"I can't."

"You can. Just have a seat."

He knew he was irritating her, so he forced himself to lean against the examination table, forced himself to stop.

Finally, Mae swept into the room, and she frowned too.

"Oliver, you have white coat hypertension today. And your log numbers still suck. I'm upping your dosage."

"White coat hypertension?"

Felicity looked up from her tablet and said, "It mean's your blood pressure goes up in the doctor's office. Mae, please don't stress him. Just being in this room has been hard enough."

Trust Felicity to know what that meant. And how did he get so lucky that she would want someone like him?

"Point taken, Felicity. Okay, Oliver would you get up on the examination table?"

He forced himself to sit and allowed Mae to listen to his chest.

"Breath deeply for me. How much are you sleeping?"

"About the same."

"Which means what? Remember, don't lie to me."

He didn't want Felicity to know that he was only sleeping a few hours a day, and he noted that she was looking at him intently, waiting on him to answer.

"Felicity," Mae said, "Leave the room. He's not going to honest with you here."

"No, she can stay." Panic filled him for some absurd reason at the thought of her leaving him alone in this room. No, he felt better having her there.

"Then tell the truth. I'm overbooked this morning and you're the work in, so I don't have time for lies."

"Okay, three or four hours. You want me to sleep more than okay me to have sex."

Felicity reddened and looked at the floor, and Mae gave a slight grin before she ask, "Are the nightmares any better yet?"

"No. When can I go back to exercising?"

"I'm going to up your dosage to five milligrams, every morning and night. I can't see where the one is helping at all, and you're a big guy. You can just go ahead and take five pills and use up the prescription you already have. How's the fatigue been?"

"I'm dragging and you haven't answered the question."

"Well, expect to really tired the first couple of days with the higher dosage. And I want you back in here on early next week for another follow up. Make the appointment for Tuesday."

"Stop toying with me, Mae."

"I'm not. I'm helping you live to have sex into your sixties instead of having sex now and dying in your thirties. Now, keep your log, keep taking it easy, and Felicity make sure he tells the truth about his blood pressure readings."

And Oliver groaned as Mae quit the room and it was all he could do to stop himself from punching the wall in frustration.

Felicity gathered her things and stood and gave him a slight smile. Then she walked over to him and stepped into his personal space, as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm being punished here too you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"You're going to get better, Oliver. You just have to give the medicine time to work."

"I love how calm you're being about the no sex thing." He couldn't stop the dark tone that came into his voice.

"Calm is hardly the word for the way I'm feeling right now. And just think I left my panties home for nothing. Darn, Mae for saying no."

His mouth went dry, as he ran his hands down her back and over her ass to find that what she said was true. She wasn't wearing any panties.

"Are you sure you're not trying to kill me off? Cause right now it's working." He gave her ass a squeeze, knowing he was teasing her back.

And of course, she said, "If I wanted to kill you off, we'd be having sex right now. We're just going to have to pretend that we're teenagers that can't have sex yet."

"You keep teasing me and you're to go wake up with me inside you."

She raised up on her toes and nipped his ear, as she said, "Promises, promises." Then she laughed the way he loved, as she pulled away from him and headed out the door.

And with a slight grin, he followed her sexy butt out of the room.

#####OQ#####

Later that afternoon, he watched the team file into practice. Scott was almost late and walked straight up to him and as he handed over his phone, he said, "Jordan's sick, and Malone has a doctor's appointment, so they're out today."

Scott eyes were filled with contempt, clearly this wasn't over yet. Well that's what he got for hoping for he knew better. And, he could tell Scott had just drawn a line in the sand here, which answered the question of who had attacked him, since they where skipping practice to avoid him.

"Tell Malone his wrist isn't broken this time. Next time, he won't be so lucky. The same for Jordan. And Scott, if you try me again, you're going to jail, but for now, you get to run laps for practice. Kicking the ball is a privilege. So take off."

The look Scott gave him was filled with pure hate. "And if I don't."

"You will address me as coach." He said the words loudly, intending to get the other's attention. He needed to nip this foolishness in the bud now. Heads were turning. His team was watching the exchange.

"Then I keep your phone." He paused for affect. "And you go to jail, real jail. Push me and I'll file charges, and you rich little life will be over. Think I'll also have that fancy car impounded too."

Scott's face turned red, and he could tell the young man wanted to attack him, but the teen must have decided his phone, his car and his freedom were better than jail, for he turned and walked toward the track.

Yet, he said nothing to the team about the attack. No, instead, he started practice as usual by stretching the team out, and then he split them into small groups and had them pass the ball back and forth for a while and practice trapping. Some of them were getting better. And he kept an eye on Scott running slow laps knowing the teen was running, but he ran slowly clearly still defying him.

Phil wasn't on top of his game today. He was clumsy and kept missing the ball. Finally he pulled him to the side.

"Are you drinking today?"

"No, but I don't feel well."

"Hold out your hands."

Phil's hands clearly had the shakes.

"Coach, I'm going to be sick. I need to go to the bathroom."

"Go on then."

Practice continued, but Phil didn't come back. He called Russell over. "Phil went to the bathroom. He didn't feel well, so go and check on him."

"Coach, he's probably just passed out. It's Phil."

Irritation filled him that everyone just accepted that Phil was a fifteen-year-old drunk.

"Did I tell you do something?" His tone was dark.

"Yes, coach. I'm going right now."

A few minutes later, Russell returned, running, with panic in his voice, as he said, "Coach, Phil's on the floor of the bathroom. I think he's having a seizure."

"Tyler, take over the team. Keep them working the ball!"

He ran to the locker room where Phil was indeed having a seizure. Knowing there was nothing he could do but wait the seizure out, he reached for his phone. Going to his call list, he flipped back to that unknown number from a couple days ago and pressed connect.

"Hello, Oliver. What can I do for you today?"

Okay, she'd put his number in her phone. But of course, she had, probably so she could call and harass him again. So she could tell him he was going to stay another week celibate.

"Mae, I've got a fifteen-year-old male having a seizure at practice."

"Is he epileptic?" Mae's voice was intense.

"I don't think so. What he is a drunk. And I told him to stop drinking a couple of days ago, or I'd send him to rehab. So I guess he took me to heart."

"You're thinking alcohol withdraw?"

"Yeah, I am. He had the shakes and was sick to his stomach."

"How much does he normally drink?"

"Too much from the looks of it. He looked bad when he came to practice. I think he's been drinking too much for a while. All the kids know he's a drunk. Call him one"

"Does he have fever?"

He reached and touched his forehead. "Yes, he's hot."

"I'm dispatching an ambulance. Any idea where one of his parents are?"

Okay, he knew this. Felicity had drilled him on this, repeatedly.

"Mother's dead. Father works the . . . the shrimp boats." Yeah, that was right. "Has an older brother. Wait, I have his phone. I would bet there is a contact number for one of them."

"Okay, you try to find the father, but we're going to treat without a signature. This kid could die from alcohol withdrawal. His brain doesn't know what to do without the liquor."

"The seizure seems to be about over now."

"Then roll him on his side to keep his airway clear."

"I'm going to put you on speaker phone."

"Okay."

Phil suddenly cried out, "Mom, is that you? Mom."

"Phil, you're sick. It's Coach Queen. Look, Mae he's really not all here."

"Get them off of me." Phil was panicked now and was slapping at himself. Rolling around on the floor, he was twisting and moving.

Mae sad, "He's having DT's, and he thinks bugs or spiders are on him. It's a sign of alcohol withdraw. He must have been drinking a lot, a very lot and for a long time. Restrain him if you can, Oliver. He could hurt himself."

Oliver pulled the thin young man easily into his arms and sat on the floor and held him, restrained him, rocked him, as Phil twisted and screamed and yelled for his dead mother to save him, as he pleaded to get the bugs off him.

The paramedics had arrived now, and Mae barked orders. "Get an IV in his arm. Joe, how much do you think he weights?"

"About 150 from the looks of him."

"Okay, let's hit him with 15 mg of liquid midazolam and see if that helps. Mark the time, Wayne. If he's not better in five minutes, I'll up the dose. Call me back if needed, if not I'll meet you in the ER. Oliver, find me the father."

"Can you keep holding him?" asked Joe.

"I've got him." Though Phil was fighting him, he held him easily.

"What's his name?"

"Phil."

"Phil, I need to put an IV in your arm."

But Phil was fighting them, screaming.

"Wayne, help me. You hold his arm."

Between the two men, they managed to get his arm stationary, and Joe said, "Okay, Phil. You're going to feel a small stick."

Phil screamed and cursed but he held him, as Phil raged, clearly out of his head.

"Shh," he found himself saying gently. He couldn't help himself. He was rocking the boy like a child, as he said, "It's going to be okay. I've got you. Come on calm down. You're strong, Phil. You're going to beat this and get better."

The minutes crawled, as the teen twisted and fought. But as the fifth minute arrived, like magic, Phil calmed beneath his hands, as the drug put him down. And he could release him.

"Let's get him loaded while the drug's working. Oh, and nice to see you're feeling well today, Oliver. But seriously, you're good for business but we've got to stop meeting like this."

"Wayne, you've got a point."

You know you and I should get together and have a beer sometime?"

"Yeah, we'll have to do that." And he couldn't stop the small smile, as he nodded his head at the man.

He stood slowly and sighed. Picking up his phone, he checked the time, then pocketed his phone. Heading to the locker room, he found Ned killing time playing on his phone.

"I need Phil's phone. He's had a seizure and the paramedics just loaded him up. He's headed to the ER right now, and I need to contact his dad."

"Eli's boat might be back in maybe."

"You know him?"

"We went to school together. Was a real shame when he crawled in a bottle after Nancy died. I wasn't surprised when Phil got in trouble." Ned was searching through the bags that held the cell phones until he came up with the bag that held Phil's phone, and he handed it to him.

Flipping through the contact numbers, he found the one that said Dad the Jerk, and he had to grin a little as he hit connect.

The phone rang four times before a gruff angry voice answered. "You better not be in trouble again, Phil. And I told you I'm broke until Friday."

"It this Eli Rice?"

"Who wants to know and what are you doing with my kid's phone?"

"Mr. Rice, my name is Oliver Queen. I'm Phil's soccer coach."

"What's he done now?" He heard the complete disgust in the man's voice.

"Phil is headed to the ER. He's had a seizure and seems to be in alcohol withdraw. Have you made dock yet? You need to come to the hospital as soon as you can."

"We're coming into dock now. And what do you mean he in alcohol withdraw? Why would he be in alcohol withdraw? Phil's not been drinking, not since the last time he got in trouble."

He couldn't stop the small laugh before he said, "How can you not be aware of how much your son has been drinking?"

"My son's habits are none of your business."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm his soccer coach now, and he's part of my team, and he's not playing drunk. I warned him yesterday that he either sobers up, or I'm having the judge send him to rehab."

"My kid doesn't need rehab. I tell you he's not drinking."

He could hear the pure anger in the man's voice. "Look, I understand that no parent would want to believe their fifteen-year-old is drinking. Not just drinking but drinking so much that when he tried to stop it threw him into withdraw. Your son's life is in danger, you may not want to believe that but it's true."

"If it true then he had to be getting the booze from one of those no good friends of his."

Oliver, shut his eyes, remembering what a war zone Phil's house was. "Mr. Rice, Phil admitted to me yesterday that he was stealing the liquor from you."

Silence answered him then the man said in a small voice, "I'll be there as soon as I can get there." Then the man broke the connection.

And, Oliver went back to the rest of his team and sent Trevor to go and get Scott. He waited while Trevor went and got Scott and then called the team together. He was glad to see Scott's face was red and he was gasping some. It served him right.

And his sentence wasn't over. Scott didn't know it, but he fully intended to make him and his two partners in crime run for several days, maybe all next week. Yeah, he was going to run them into the ground. Those three were going to find out that it was a privilege to kick the ball. Hmm, he liked that a lot.

"Quiet up now. I have an announcement. Phil's sick and he's going to be in the hospital for a few days. He's stopped drinking and needs some help with it."

"Yeah, right. He'll be back drunk at school tomorrow." Came a voice from the back of the group.

"Can that attitude. We're a team here, a unit, and what Phil needs right now is your support not your sarcasm. And if he does go back to drinking, he's headed to rehab. I warning all of you don't come to practice high or drunk. I will catch you, and I'll have you court ordered into rehab for months."

The look he gave them was hard.

"And I know all of know that three of you tried to jump me yesterday and how well that worked out for Jordan and Malone. One more of you ran and is standing here right now."

The look he gave Scott let nothing to the imagination. And, yeah, he could tell from their body language that they all knew who had tried him.

"So, let me make this clear. Yesterday was the one and only freebie, and if any of you come after me or anyone I love, or my house, or my car, or my bike again, you'll more than regret it."

Then he ran them all hard, pushed them and yes, probably himself too, and they were quiet as they finished practice. And he found hismself glad it was almost Friday, for this week had become exhausting. He eyed each of them hard, as they collected their phones and jewelry after practice.

Finally, the locker room was empty. Looking at the full laundry hamper, he sighed deeply and thought that this coaching thing was turning into a real job. He wanted to go and check on Phil, so he would have to leave the team's laundry until tomorrow.

Walking out of the building, he noted that no one was attacking him today and the car was just as he had left it. His bike would be out of commission for a couple of days. Then he found himself hoping that this was the end of his team trying to get out of playing soccer, and shook his head. What was it with him and hoping lately? He really needed to get over that.

Putting his phone out, he texted the news to Felicity. She was at the hospital working on the network today and he had to pick her up anyway. But he wanted to check on Phil first.

His phone pinged and he read. "C u in ICU. I know u know the way."

Thumbs flying he wrote. "Not funny."

Of course, she texted back, "At least it's not me or u!" with little hearts and smiley faces and made him smile, for she was so right.

When he reached the car, he was glad to see all four tires were up and no one had keyed the side of it. At least, not today, he thought.

Arriving at the hospital, he was surprised when he walked into the intensive care waiting room and eight of his team where there.

"Hey, coach, we just thought we'd check on him," said Adrian.

"Yeah, me too. Can I wait with you guys?"

Dean stood and offered him his seat, and Oliver thought just maybe there was some hope for these teens after all, just as Felicity entered the room in a smoking hot red sundress and took his arm. Flashing him one of those great smiles, she graced each of the young men in the room with that light that was her.

Then demanded, "Oliver, and who are these handsome gentlemen who have with you?"

And as he watched, right before his eyes, every one of them just fell in love or more like probably in lust with his girl.

But who could blame them? But still that strange feeling of possessiveness filled him, and he reached and put his arm around her and said, "Guys, let me introduce you to my fiancée, Felicity Smoak."

#####OQ#####

Okay, my readers thanks for the read. Again you know the drill. Hope to hear from at least a few of you. And I love it when you take the time to talk to me. So do it. Review! So many read and so few talk. No one could accuse this forum of being a "Chatty Kathy" LOL