Hello, lovely readers! Thank you for your reviews and for being so patient in between updates. I'm thrilled to be posting again, and a shout-out to SassySnow1988 for assisting with editing. As promised, this chapter will continue to deal with the aftermath of Olicity telling their family the truth about them. Enjoy!


Chapter 54: Heart-to-Heart

Oliver chuckled watching his son squeal with delight as Thea bounced him on her lap. He resisted the urge to pinch himself several times today just to make sure this all was, in fact, real. Most of the day had been quite hectic after he and Felicity had told their family the truth about their lives these last couple of years. Donna, Thea, and Tommy were bursting with more questions about H.I.V.E. and A.R.G.U.S., which he and Felicity had tried to answer as best they could.

It was decided that everyone would stay overnight at the mansion, since there was still much to discuss. They'd all had dinner a short while ago before going their separate ways. Felicity had needed to talk to her mother, who was still reeling from the revelation that her marriage to Malcolm was perpetrated by her ex-husband. Tommy had shuffled off with Mei to discuss the status of their relationship, probably taking her to the guest room he'd used when sleeping over as a kid. Oliver had taken Connor—more like pried him out of Donna's hands, actually, since Felicity thought her mother incapable of any serious talk with an adorable baby around—and Thea to the solarium to watch the sunset.

Only a light hue of orange at the horizon remained in the mostly darkened sky. For the last hour, Oliver had asked Thea about her life. She briefly told him about school and Roy before asking about their parents and his time on Lian Yu. It was a struggle to reveal even a fraction of what he'd been through—his desire to bond with his sister warring with his need to protect her from the shame of his past.

Connor, thankfully, served as a buffer. In a moment of awkwardness, he would claim Thea's attention and give Oliver time to sort through his thoughts before answering. Connor was highly amused by his Auntie Thea, which came as no surprise to Oliver. Thea always had such a warm and loving soul, and his son ate the attention right up. Seeing them bond so easily made Oliver's heart ache in the best way.

"I think someone wants his dad," Thea said when Connor started squirming and reaching for him.

Oliver checked his watch before cradling his son in his arms. He handed him Sir Quackers and a pacifier to calm him. "He always gets antsy at this time, especially if Felicity isn't around. She usually feeds him before putting him down for bed."

"He's not used to you yet?" Thea questioned.

"Connor likes his routine. I put him down in the afternoon for his nap, and Felicity handles bedtime. Although I help out then, too."

"Well, he'd probably be used to you, too, if you'd been involved from the beginning," she grumbled, hardly masking her disapproval.

Oliver let out a low sigh. He'd hoped that after a few hours to absorb everything, Thea would have come to realize that what had happened over a year ago wasn't all Felicity's doing. It seemed she hadn't relinquished any of her anger at all. Then again, in addition to her kind heart, his sister had also inherited that signature Queen stubbornness.

"Thea," he gently admonished.

"Ollie," she defiantly retorted.

"I really wish you'd try to cut Felicity some slack."

"Why should I?"

"Because you know the truth of what happened. You know what I did, and what we were both up against. You should be just as angry with me for the part I played in delaying our reunion."

"Yeah, well, it's kind of hard to stay angry at my brother who up until a few hours ago I thought was dead," she muttered. "I never thought I'd see you again, and now here you are. You were in hell, so it makes sense that you weren't thinking straight. But Felicity…" The brunette shook her head and sighed.

"Thea, Felicity told me how close the two of you have become in my absence. I'd hate to see you at odds now because of me."

"Yes, we're close. We're practically sisters—which is why it cuts so much deeper. She's been here and saw what I went through when I lost you and Mom and Dad. Ollie, the last time Felicity visited your grave with Tommy and me on the anniversary of your death, she knew full well that you were alive at the time. When I was worried about my relationship with Roy and what Malcolm would think, she told me about you guys keeping your relationship a secret years ago. I appreciated her confiding in me and opening up, because I knew she truly understood how painful it was to lose you. I didn't feel so alone in my grief. But it was a lie, because she was still harboring secrets."

"It didn't mean she wasn't still hurting deeply, Thea. I remember that day. Felicity called me all upset. She hated lying to you guys. It was eating her up inside, and that was on me. I wasn't ready to come home, and she was respecting my wishes even though her instincts were saying the opposite," Oliver explained.

"If her instincts are so on point, then why not let you be a part of your son's life? Why not let any of us help her?" she retorted in frustration. "I thought I knew Felicity, just like I thought I knew our parents. What am I supposed to do with the knowledge that Mom and Dad joined an evil organization thinking that it was the right thing? It's insane! I've mourned them all these years, and yet they're the reason we're in this mess. I'm angry, but am I allowed to be since they're dead?"

Making sure Connor was secure in his arm, Oliver reached out to touch his sister's shoulder. "Speedy, you can feel however you want. I certainly have my fair share of unresolved anger where Mom and Dad are concerned." He took a deep breath to center himself as the tumult of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. "Minutes before the Gambit sank, Mom and I were fighting. She was being all cryptic and trying to convince me to not date Felicity. I didn't get why at the time."

Realization sparked in her eyes. "She knew Felicity was Darhk's daughter. She didn't want you to get involved."

"Yes, I think so. Dad seemed okay with it, because he could see how much Felicity meant to me. I assume he thought it would gain them favor with Darhk, too. Mom, on the other hand, probably worried that we'd break up, and Darhk would punish me or even them in retaliation. When I think back on it, I'm conflicted. I'm still furious that they lied to me, but I also know that Mom and I fought because she was protective. Mom would do anything for us, because she loved us. That I never doubted." He glanced down at Connor. "Having my own son, I understand why she was so scared for me and would do or say anything to keep me safe. Felicity was faced with a similar choice, and she chose to protect Connor. How she went about it might not have been the ideal choice and, believe me, it hurt.

"But she's owned up to her mistakes, and so have I. I lied to her and manipulated her, too, and convinced myself it was necessary because it was for her protection. She had no idea what was happening and neither of us was aware of her father pulling the strings. Mom and Dad never got the chance to fix things, and Felicity and I don't want history to repeat itself. We don't want to carry these secrets around anymore. We both love you, Speedy, and we're not perfect, but we're trying our best to fix this and be worthy of your trust again."

Thea was silent for a long time and glanced at Connor, who'd started squirming in his arms.

A soft knock cut through the heavy silence. Tommy stood in the doorway. "Hey, am I interrupting?"

Thea spoke first. "No, it's okay."

Connor pulled out his pacifier and let out a loud wail. Oliver rested him against his chest and patted his back.

"Is he all right?" Tommy questioned, concerned.

"He's just cranky because he's hungry. I need to find Felicity."

"Last I saw, she and Donna were in the living room. If it's a bad time, we can talk later," he said. "I can wait."

Oliver nodded and stood. "Just give me a few min—"

"I can take Connor to Felicity," Thea volunteered.

He stared at his sister in surprise. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I guess I can share you," she attempted to joke. "You two have a lot to catch up on."

"You're okay bringing him to Felicity?" he double checked. Despite their talk, Oliver wasn't quite sure where his sister's head was at now in regard to Felicity. And he didn't want to risk Thea unloading on Felicity after an already stressful day when he was too far away to moderate the damage.

The petite brunette nodded. "You trust me, I trust you. Right?"

Oliver felt some of the tension in his body ease. His sister didn't appear as stubborn as she'd been moments ago. He didn't think Thea's animosity toward the situation was completely wiped away, but at least she seemed more open. Oliver reluctantly—as his fatherly instincts told him to keep him close—handed over a crying Connor. Thea wrapped her nephew in her embrace and muttered soothing words on her way out the door.

"It's okay, little one, we're gonna find your mom," she cooed.

That brought a small smile to Oliver's face. When he finally glanced at Tommy, he noticed that his friend was already staring at him intently. He didn't look shocked or upset. The expression on his friend's face was pure awe and admiration.

"I still can't believe you're a father."

Oliver chuckled. "Me neither."

"It's pretty cool, though."

"It's the best feeling in the world—you know, when you're not scared out of your mind and worrying about every little thing."

Tommy laughed quietly. "Sounds about right. I imagine it's even more stressful, though, considering what's going on."

"How you holding up?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You did just come back from the dead, after all. Didn't I tell you I always hated yachts?"

"You did, and you were right—as much as I hate to admit it," Oliver jested.

"I usually am."

"Did you and Mei talk?"

"Yes." He paused. "It's complicated."

Oliver bobbed his head in understanding. He knew firsthand just how raw and messy emotions could get when the truth was revealed. As shocked as Oliver had been to learn Felicity worked for a secret government agency, it wasn't impossible to process considering what he was involved in. But for Tommy, who'd never knowingly been a part of such a dangerous and secretive life, it had to be turning his world upside down.

"You know, all these years I'd hoped that you were somehow still alive and trying to make it back home. There were a million things I promised myself I would say to you if you ever did come back."

"Me too."

"I don't know how much Felicity told you about what happened before or after the Gambit went down, but—"

"She told me a little." He elaborated, "Felicity said how much she regretted letting me sail off alone. She thought I'd died never knowing how she really felt about me and that she could've helped when the ship went down." He rubbed a hand over his face and stared out the wall of windows. The moon now glowed high in the sky like a beacon. "I told her I understood, and I'm glad she never came. Otherwise she could've suffered a similar fate or, worse, been killed. For so long I tried to protect her—all of you, really."

Tommy's eyes were downcast as he shook his head. "I'm so sorry you went through all of this alone. And I'm even sorrier for the part I played in making her have doubts about your relationship," he apologized. "I'm the reason Felicity never showed up to the Gambit."

"You saved her life."

"I didn't know that at the time. What I did was still pretty shitty, and I do regret what went down beforehand." Tommy took a deep breath and crossed his arms. "I was pissed when I found out that you and Felicity were sneaking around behind my back. I went to her that day and told her that you'd eventually hurt her. That it was only a matter of time before you went back to Laurel. I made her question your intentions and her ability to fit into our world, and it's been eating away at me ever since."

Any flare of anger Oliver might've felt at his best friend's interference in his relationship was immediately dashed in the face of Tommy's obvious guilt, and his own admittance that his track record back then when it came to relationships was hardly worthy of trust.

"I owe you an apology, too," Oliver spoke up. He met his best friend's gaze and held it. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I had feelings for Felicity. I was worried about your reaction and—"

"You weren't wrong about my reaction," Tommy pointed out with a smile that was more of a wince.

"But you're my best friend and if I'd been honest with you from the start, maybe all of this could've been avoided. If it had just been basic attraction between Felicity and me, I swear I wouldn't have pursued her. I wouldn't have put our friendship in jeopardy like that. I just…" His words faltered as he became overcome with emotion. "I loved her sooo much. Felicity changed everything. I honestly felt like I was becoming a better man just by being with her, and she still makes me feel that way now. She's the love of my life, Tommy."

His best friend reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "I appreciate that, man. Believe it or not, I never actually doubted your love for Felicity. I knew it was real before I ever found out she was your mystery girl. I saw the changes in you. You were secretive, but you were genuinely happy and also protective as hell when I'd try to bring her up. I'd never seen you act like that before. Honestly, I was a dick because I was jealous."

"Jealous?" Oliver repeated, brows furrowed.

"You weren't the only one keeping secrets. I'm assuming Felicity told you that Laurel and I were engaged."

"She did. I'm so sorry that you lost her, Tommy. When Felicity told me what happened, I was devastated. I loved her, too—maybe not in the way she wanted or deserved back then, but I never stopped caring for her. I wanted her to have the same happiness that I found."

"Thank you for bringing her killer to justice. You saved Sara's life, too. She was obsessed to the point of recklessness, and we were all worried she'd suffer the same fate taking on Brodeur."

"Felicity told me. Wearing the hood, I at least get to do some good. I was happy to help. I owed that to Laurel."

"You're a hero as far as I'm concerned," Tommy declared.

Oliver felt his throat tighten at the conviction in his friend's words. He wanted so badly to be worthy of that title. Even though he probably wasn't there yet, he accepted the sentiment.

His best friend continued, "Anyway, as I was saying before, I was jealous back then. I wasn't totally honest either about the woman I was seeing."

"You were with Laurel," Oliver surmised.

Tommy's brows rose. "How'd you—never mind. Of course you knew. After Felicity told you—"

"Felicity told me you guys were engaged, but Laurel was the one who told me originally."

"Laurel?" he replied, bewildered.

"She came to talk to me before I left on the Gambit. She said she was seeing someone—someone I knew. When Felicity told me about the two of you, it didn't take long for me to figure it out," Oliver explained. "In case it's not already obvious, I'm glad that you guys had each other."

"When her parents divorced and you guys broke up, she was in a pretty bad spot emotionally. I'd always had a crush on her but never made a move because you're my best friend. I wouldn't betray you like that. When you guys were officially over and she turned to me for comfort, we started hooking up and I realized that it was more than that. I truly loved her, but she wasn't ready then. When I said I wanted more, she was scared and conflicted. Laurel said she had to talk to you, and I realized I was an idiot thinking I could win her heart. You two always went back to each other. We got into this huge fight. Then learning that you'd moved on to Felicity and had been lying—when I was also still feeling guilty for going behind your back—just sent me into a tailspin. I was hurting, and that's why I said what I did to Felicity.

"Laurel never told me you guys had talked. Once news of the Gambit broke, I couldn't get through to her. It was all too much. She barely acknowledged me and went off to law school in California. It wasn't until she got back that she came to me and said she was sorry. She said she did love me and was ready for something real. I'd never stopped loving her, and it was like a dream come true. I felt like I'd finally gotten the girl."

"You did."

"And then I lost her yet again," he said in a tight voice. "I was in a really dark place for a while. If Felicity hadn't been there for me, I don't know what I would've done."

Oliver nodded. "Felicity always has a way of helping you see the light in the darkness."

"Laurel was the love of my life. I didn't think I'd ever be able to move on, or that it wouldn't somehow be disrespectful to her memory if I did," Tommy stated. "Then I met Mei, and she took me by complete surprise. I love her, but she's been keeping secrets, too. Now I don't know what to think. How am I supposed to believe she's with me for me and not for her mission?"

"Felicity and I have faced the same issue, so I get it. For what it's worth, I do believe Mei loves you. The work we do, it's dangerous and, at times, really lonely. Felicity noticed a difference in Mei after she met you, and I can say that I've seen her loyalty to you firsthand while working with her. It'll take time, but I think you can work it out. I hope you can," he added, resting a hand on Tommy's shoulder. "If she means that much to you, don't give up. In spite of all this crap going on with Malcolm and Darhk, I've never been as happy as I am with Felicity and Connor right now. Love is worth fighting for."

"Oliver Queen giving me useful relationship advice. From playboy to the playpen. Times have certainly changed," his best friend teased.

"Take advantage of my newfound and hard-won wisdom." He slapped Tommy on the shoulder. "I'm happy to help, buddy."

"I will. Although I must warn you, just because I support you and my sister and you could probably destroy me with your crazy ninja skills, doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you hurt her again."

Oliver took the warning in stride. "I want nothing more than to make her happy—but noted."

"And I remember how we used to tell each other everything about our past relationships, but I'd really appreciate it if you spared me the gory details with Felicity. There are some things I just never need to know about you and my sister. As far as I'm concerned, she got pregnant through immaculate conception."

"Actually, Connor was conceived in this very room, not too far from where you're standing," Oliver replied, fighting back a smile.

Tommy's eyes widened in horror, and he jumped from his spot.

"Now you're exactly where it happened."

His best friend cursed under his breath, causing Oliver to laugh outright. It felt good to joke around like old times. "Yes, that's exactly the kind of TMI I'm talking about. Also, I'm never coming in this room again."

"I can't make that promise."

Tommy shuddered. "That's it. I'm out."


Handing her mother another tissue, Felicity sat quietly and listened as her mother went on another rant about her ex-husband and Malcolm. One minute she was livid and the next her tirade would cause her to break down into tears. Felicity's heart broke for her mother. Not that long ago she'd been in a similar situation, having thought that the man she loved had used and betrayed her. She knew now that while Oliver's choices had been misguided, he'd never stopped loving her and had done everything he could to make amends. Her mother, however, did not get to experience the same peace of mind.

Donna's world had been utterly destroyed. It was bad enough that Darhk had fed her lies when they were first married, but to learn that he'd been keeping an eye on them all this time and even ordered one of his henchman to marry her, it was the biggest mind-fuck of all. Donna had thought she'd finally found her prince charming, and he'd been nothing but an evil dragon all along. To make matters worse, Malcolm had texted her a little while ago asking where she was. It took a lot of convincing on Felicity's part to prevent her mother from calling him back and unleashing her fury. After listening to reason—it was imperative that Malcolm and Darhk thought they still had all the power—Donna had lied and said she was having a girl's night with one of her friends.

With her mother's head on her shoulder, Felicity hugged her and rubbed her back. Despite their differences over the years, her mother had always been there for her when she truly needed a shoulder to cry on. Felicity eagerly and whole-heartedly returned the favor.

She glanced at the clock a while later and realized it was Connor's feeding time. When Donna quieted, she offered, "Mom, would you like Raisa to make you some tea? Or you could take a nice hot bath in one of the guest rooms." Her mother loved bubble baths when she was feeling down.

"A bath would be nice," she muttered. "Although I'd rather have wine than tea."

"I have to get Connor, but Raisa can help—" She was cut off by a baby's cry as Thea entered the living room.

"There you are. Oliver said he gets fed at this time." Thea was trying to comfort Connor, but he just cried harder.

Donna pouted. "Poor baby. Do you need me to stay and help?"

Felicity accepted him from Thea, and he clung to her. She placed a couple of kisses on his head and sat back down. "It's okay, Mom, I've got him. He just needs to nurse." She started lifting up her shirt and undoing her bra.

Thea immediately averted her eyes. "Oh, whoa. We'll give you some privacy."

"It's okay, Thea, it's just a breast," Donna replied. "We're all women here. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world."

Before becoming a mother, Felicity probably would've felt self-conscious casually whipping out her breast even in front of her mother or Thea. But with Connor so hungry and distressed, her entire focus was on meeting his needs. The baby latched on within seconds and quieted as he nursed. Once Connor settled, she repositioned her shirt to cover most of herself just in case Tommy or Dig walked in.

Donna dabbed at her eyes with the tissue. "Aw, my baby feeding her baby...I think I'm going to cry again."

"Are you all right?" Thea asked in concern.

"No," Donna blubbered and blew her nose. "I could use that wine and bubble bath right about now." She turned to her daughter. "Unless you need me?"

"We're good, Mom."

Excusing herself, Donna grabbed the entire tissue box and went in search of Raisa. Thea didn't move and, instead, stood awkwardly by the couch.

"How long has she been like that?"

"Most of the evening. Connor helped distract her for a while, but she's got a lot to think about."

"I know what that's like," the brunette mumbled. "She must want to kill Malcolm and Darhk as badly as I do right now."

"Line forms behind me," Felicity stated.

Thea shuffled her feet. "Well, um, I'll just leave and let you—"

"Where's Oliver?" she rushed out, not wanting Thea to go just yet.

"He's in the solarium talking to Tommy."

"Did you guys have a chance to catch up?" Felicity fought her natural instinct to blurt out and call attention to the rift between them. She sucked at small talk when there was so much obvious tension.

"He told me about our parents and some of what he went through." Thea glanced down at her feet. "And he asked me to cut you some slack."

"Oh." Another awkward silence descended. Felicity shifted her focus to Connor, not knowing what else to say. It was typical of Oliver to try and protect her—though it was hard to gauge Thea's current mood. She didn't want to say the wrong thing and anger her even more.

"Look, I get how complicated this all is," Thea began. "And I know this wasn't all your fault. It just…it hurts that you kept this stuff from me, you know? That you trusted Sara with the truth but not me. It's not just about Oliver. I would've wanted to be there for you, too, during your pregnancy."

"I'm sorry that I hurt you," Felicity apologized. "That wasn't my intention. I wanted to include you so badly. Keeping my baby a secret from all of you, it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. There was just so much at stake, and I couldn't risk you all getting involved and possibly hurt. Not before I had a plan to fix this. What I wanted and needed at the time…it had to come second to protecting Connor."

"I'll never agree with what you did—or my thick-headed brother for that matter. But thank you for keeping my nephew safe. It's going to take some time for me to work through all this." The brunette paused, seeming to gather her thoughts, and then said, "You're still my sister, and I love you. That won't ever change. Whatever you need now, I'm here and ready to help."

Felicity blinked back tears. "Thank you." They were all going to need time to heal, though it was difficult considering they weren't out of the woods yet. Their enemies continued to blackmail and conspire against them. But being able to at least come to an understanding and band together was a step in the right direction.

"Now that we're being honest, tell me the truth about Oliver and A.R.G.U.S. Will we really get him back after all of this is over? If we don't take that bitch Waller down, will he be stuck serving under our parents' killer?" Her voice shook with anger. This time, though, it wasn't directed at Felicity.

"I promise you that I'm doing everything I can to ensure that doesn't happen. We lost him once." Felicity looked down at her son, feeling her determination strengthen. No way in hell was she letting Connor repeat her past and grow up fatherless. "I won't let anyone take him away from us again," she vowed.

"Good to know where your loyalties lie," interrupted a deep, accented voice.

The two women whipped their heads toward the doorway. Anatoly stood barely ten feet away with a calculating look on his face. When his eyes drifted down to Connor, Felicity instinctively clutched her baby tighter. Her mind raced with questions, unable able to believe that the Russian Bratva leader was in their home. Did Darhk send him? How the hell had he gotten past the guards? Could she yell for Oliver before he turned his gun on them? What if Oliver and the others were already being held at gunpoint?

The older man smirked and said, "This just got very interesting."


November 19, 2007

Returning to Starling City was as painful as Felicity had thought it'd be—times a thousand. For months she'd been consumed by worry and grief over Oliver's disappearance. Ever since that fateful night when the Queen's yacht went missing, she'd prayed tirelessly for her love's safe return. The authorities claimed to be doing everything they could to search for the Queen's Gambit, yet they found nothing. With each new failed attempt, the hole in Felicity's heart widened and her hope faltered.

Not trusting their search efforts, she'd tried hacking a few government databases to learn if there was any information being withheld. A couple of times she'd almost been caught, and what she did find proved useless. Oliver couldn't be gone. He just couldn't. He was so strong and brave. How could he survive a gunman's attack and a bomb only to be lost at sea months later? It didn't seem right. It wasn't fair. In fact, it was downright cruel of the universe to allow such a tragedy to occur.

The only way Felicity had been able to go to Boston and continue with classes without completely falling apart was because she'd been sure Oliver would turn up. Thea said that the Gambit had life rafts with supplies, so there was a chance her family had escaped the sinking boat. They could be drifting aimlessly at sea waiting for rescue. Or perhaps they'd drifted ashore on an obscure island somewhere, but had no way of communicating their location. Thea wasn't ready to give up on them either.

Now, after only three months of searching, the authorities had sealed the Queen's fate and officially declared the Gambit lost and all those aboard deceased. Felicity had literally gotten sick to her stomach when she'd heard the news. Hours before she'd been awarded second place in the National Information Technology Competition. As her biggest supporter, she knew Oliver would be so proud and vowed to share it with him when he was found. However, she'd ended the night dry heaving in the toilet and crying in an empty bathtub.

Felicity thought the worst thing someone could do to her was leave by choice. It's what her father had done years ago. She quickly found out death was so much worse. There was no closure or hope for a future; death felt oddly unfinished and final. She didn't want to believe it, but the world continued to move forward whether she was ready or not.

Malcolm chose for the funeral to be held days before Thanksgiving. Although her mother said it was too morbid around the holidays, he insisted that his former friends would want their loved ones to be at peace sooner rather than later. It wasn't healthy for Thea, who'd fallen into a deep depression after the announcement. Felicity was originally supposed to return to Starling City the day before the holiday but arrived sooner to attend the funeral.

It was a massive service with many important people paying their respects. She'd mostly stayed beside Tommy, who with her mom and Malcolm were trying to be strong for Thea. Felicity cried along with everyone else, but still kept a tight lid on her emotions. Besides her mother and Tommy, no one else knew what she and Oliver had been to each other. It would look odd if she cried as hysterically as she felt inside, and she didn't want to invite any further scrutiny.

Laurel and Sara had shown up with their father, as well. Felicity swallowed the bile that rose in her throat when people consoled Laurel. Many still thought she was his girlfriend and that they'd been planning to marry someday. Tommy had watched Laurel from afar the entire time with a lovesick expression on his face. Tommy and Felicity clung to each other, seeking comfort for the pain they shared.

It wasn't until she was home and in the privacy of her own room that Felicity finally let her emotions overtake her. The tears wouldn't stop as she glanced at a picture she'd planned to give Oliver of them together. She'd signed it: "Forever and always. Love, Felicity" with an imprint of a kiss. Distracted and wrapped up in her grief, Felicity barely heard the knock on her bedroom door.

She rushed to hide the photo and tried, unsuccessfully, to wipe away the evidence of her tears. "Come in," she called.

The door opened and Sara walked in. "Hey."

"Hey," Felicity replied, somewhat surprised. They'd kept in touch and texted all the time since Felicity returned to MIT but hadn't really been able to reconnect in person during the commotion of the funeral.

"We didn't get to talk earlier, and I wanted to check on you. I hope that's all right." Her eyes searched Felicity's face, most likely taking in her smeared mascara and red, puffy eyes. Sara's face was somewhat red and splotchy, so she must've been crying, too, at some point.

"Sure. I'm glad to see you."

"Me too. Today was rough, to say the least."

"Are you okay? Of course you're not okay," Felicity rushed out. "One of your childhood friends just died. I just meant—"

Sara interrupted, "I know what you meant. I'm hanging in there. To be honest, though, I'm more concerned with how you're doing."

"I'm hanging in there," Felicity replied, borrowing her friend's phrase even though nothing could be further from the truth. "I didn't know Oliver as long as you, but we became really good friends."

"It doesn't matter how long you've known somebody. What matters is how you felt about that person." Sara paused before saying, "If you care about Oliver half as much as I think you do, then my guess is you're hurting pretty badly right now."

The brunette frowned, curious about her friend's cryptic phrasing. "What?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, the blonde replied, "I don't want to overwhelm you or anything, but you don't have to lie to me. I know you and Oliver were more than just friends."

Felicity continued to gawk at her friend in disbelief. "How do you know? Did Tommy tell you?"

"Tommy knows?"

"Um, yeah. You didn't find out from Tommy?" Now she was really confused.

"I figured it out that night we all went to that club in Cove City. You wore that sexy black dress, and Oliver couldn't take his eyes off of you. He was practically drooling," Sara explained with a small smile. "You seemed pretty aware of him, too."

"You could tell from a look?"

"Actually, I knew for sure after you both disappeared and I found you holding hands while basking in your post-sex afterglow." Felicity's mouth dropped open, and Sara laughed. "I have uncanny radar for that kind of thing. Plus, you both looked like a wild mess."

"Oh my God," Felicity groaned and covered her face with her hands.

"Honestly, though, I kind of thought you and Oliver had a connection the first time I met you at your mom and Malcolm's wedding reception. There was this vibe between you, but I dismissed it because you never mentioned anything and you acted like normal friends afterward."

With a nod, Felicity confirmed, "There was a spark from the beginning. We tried to stay friends, but everything changed after the crisis at QC. We just couldn't fight it anymore."

"So it was more than just sex."

"Yes. We loved each other very much," the brunette murmured. "Oliver was supposed to return with me to Boston. He had an apartment lined up and enrolled in Harvard to finish his degree. Everything was set."

"Okay, whoa. I thought you guys were casually dating and fooling around, but you were, like, serious serious." Sara's eyebrows were practically to her hairline. "You actually convinced Ollie to go to Harvard? Damn, he really did love you."

Felicity managed to crack a smile. "Oliver had been looking into a few universities near MIT, and his parents wanted Harvard. As long as he could come to Boston with me, he was willing to meet them halfway." She swallowed the lump in her throat as a fresh batch of unshed tears stung her eyes. "I was supposed to be on the Gambit with him. Oliver wanted his parents to get to know me on the trip before we headed off to Boston. We were going to tell you and everyone else when we got back."

"If you guys were that serious, I'd ask why you felt the need to keep it a secret for so long." Felicity opened her mouth to reply, but Sara pressed on, "You don't have to explain, because I can probably take a guess. My sister flipping out, Tommy freaking out, the media firestorm, Moira going mama bear"—she ticked each one off on her fingers—"did I leave anything out?"

"No, that about covers it. In fact, you're so accurate it's a little scary. Were you a fortune teller in a past life?"

The blonde shrugged. "Well, we've all been friends a long time. After a while, you learn the patterns. It's not that hard to predict how certain people will react. Although not gonna lie, my mind is still blown about you and Oliver—in a good way, though," she clarified.

Felicity shifted on the bed and met her friend's gaze. "I really wanted to tell you sooner, Sara, but I'll admit I was nervous. Laurel is your sister, and I would totally understand if you were pissed at me on her behalf."

"They were already broken up," Sara reminded her. "Laurel and Oliver were awful together anyway. So much drama. Whatever love they did have for each other, it wasn't enough to make them work as a couple. I tried to tell my sister that, but she never listened."

"She wanted to get back together with him, though."

"Then she shouldn't have slept with Tommy."

"You know about Laurel and Tommy?" she retorted, once again shocked by how in-the-know Sara seemed to be.

"Like I said, drama." The blonde smirked. "You all suck at keeping secrets."

Felicity still couldn't quite believe how cool Sara was being about everything. "So you're really not mad at me? Why didn't you call me out on it when you found out?"

Closing the distance between them, Sara threw her arm around Felicity's shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "No, I'm not mad. We all have secrets, and I figured you'd tell me when you were ready. And I wasn't going to push you after the news about the Gambit broke, because I figured you had enough to deal with. If you say you guys were in love and wanted to wait before telling everyone, I can respect that. Life's too short to sweat the small stuff, you know?"

"Yeah." Wiping away a few stray tears, Felicity muttered, "God, I miss him so much, Sara. There are times it hits me that he's gone and never coming back, and I swear I can't breathe. I wasn't even sure I could make it through the service today. I just had to keep it all inside and pretend that I lost a friend and not the actual love of my life."

Sara squeezed her gently. "I'm so sorry. If it's that important to you, you could still tell people that you and Oliver were dating."

She shook her head. "No, I can't."

"If you're keeping quiet just because of Laurel, you don't have to. She's hurting, but so are the rest of us."

"It's not just her. What Oliver and I had was so real and special, and I don't want to ruin that just to get needless recognition. The media will be all over me, and everyone will scrutinize what we were and pity me. They'll question why I'm coming forward now. I just want to remember and cherish the time we did have together. I knew and loved the real Oliver, and that's honestly enough for me."

"Well, if it helps, you don't have to pretend with me anymore. I loved Oliver, too, and I'm here for you whenever."

"Thanks. Me too." Felicity returned Sara's hug before reaching for her nightstand. "I'm actually glad you're here. I could use your help with something." She handed the small box over to her.

"Blond hair dye, huh? Is this your way of saying I need to touch up my roots?" she joked.

"No, it's not for you. It's for me." Sara gave her a questioning look. "Oliver brought so much light and color into my life. He taught me that I don't have to hide who I am, and that it's okay to take risks. Despite the pain of losing him, all this darkness"—she lifted up a black strand of hair and tugged at her dress—"doesn't feel like me anymore. It's time for a change. I owe it to him and myself."

"Blonde ambition," Sara responded with a beaming smile. "I like it. I can also confirm from years of experience that we blondes do, in fact, have more fun."

"Then let's do it." Felicity stood up, inhaled an invigorating breath of air, and held her head high. "I'm ready."