The last thing Felicity expected on the morning of Penny and Brian's wedding was a call from the bride herself. Felicity tensed immediately, wondering if she was about to get called out for her lie. And then she would probably get kicked out of the wedding party, which frankly, didn't seem like that horrible of an outcome. Felicity realized that the phone rang a good three or four times as she was worrying about what it was for, and she quickly swiped into the call.

"Hi Penny."

"Thank God you answered," Penny said. "I need the biggest favor from you."

Well, that wasn't what Felicity had expected.

"A favor?" she asked with surprise.

"One of Brian's groomsman is in the hospital and can't stand up in the wedding."

"Oh my gosh, is he okay?" Felicity asked immediatey.

"He's fine," Penny said off-handedly. "He ate some bad shrimp or something. Which of course had to happen the night before my wedding."

"Yeah, that's really a shame," Felicity said slowly. "So, how can I help?"

"Do you think Oliver could take his place?" Penny asked, her voice taking on the gentle pitch that it always did when she was trying to get her way. "They look about the same size. And he'll already be there with you."

"You want Oliver to stand up in your wedding?"

"I really have no other choice," Penny said, her voice beginning to go hard. "It's either that or drop a bridesmaid, but you know I've always dreamed of having a party of ten in my wedding photos."

"Yes, I do," Felicity said. Penny had always been oddly specific about that. "I'll talk to him. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Penny said. "You are an absolutely life-saver. And Oliver, too. Both of you!"

"You're welcome. I'll see you later today."

Felicity hung up and paused for a second before calling Oliver. He picked up after a few rings and groggily mumbled, "Hello?"

"Did I catch you sleeping?" Felicity asked with a grin.

"No," he said unconvincingly.

"It's after 10. Did you go on some bender without me after we left Tommy?"

"No bender. Just your run-of-the-mill insomnia."

Felicity winced. "Sorry. Well, I don't know if what I'm about to say is going to make you feel better or worse, but Penny just called me."

"She did?" Oliver asked, sitting up in his bed. Maybe his talk with Brian hadn't worked after all.

"Uh huh, and apparently one of Brian's groomsman ended up in the hospital and she asked if you could sub in."

Oliver ran his fingers through his hair, scratching as his scalp as he thought about how weirdly things had turned in the last twenty-four hours.

"Is that what she really wants?" Oliver asked.

"I think it's less a matter of want and more one of desperation. So, what do you say? Want to stand up in the wedding of people you barely know?"

"Sure, why not."

Felicity chewed at the edge of her thumb, a nervous habit she had since middle school, and said, "I'm guessing this means he didn't tell her."

"See, I told you that I'd take care of it."

"What exactly did you do?"

"Just talk to him," Oliver returned.

"And what exactly did you say?"

"It doesn't matter because it worked," Oliver said. "Now, I need to go shower because I am apparently standing up in a wedding today."

"More than you bargained for again, huh?"

"You do keep surprising," he said. "I'll see you at the church."

Oliver assumed he would be paired with Felicity for the wedding, but when he arrived at the church he was surprised to be told by the rather harried bride that he would be paired with her friend, Lydia, instead. When Penny saw the surprise register on his face, she said, "You are too tall to be paired with her. It will completely throw of the balance of photos!" Remembering that he had stepped in last minute to help, Penny turned on a saccharine grin and said, "But I'm really grateful you're here."

"Happy to help," Oliver said smoothly.

Felicity saw him and walked over, lightly grasping his arm as she said, "Thanks again for doing this."

"It's no problem."

"You're paired with Lydia."

"Yes, apparently, I am too tall for you," Oliver said.

Felicity bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, knowing Penny was within earshot, and she said, "Lydia's great, though. You'll love her."

"I remember her from the rehearsal," Oliver said.

"Oh right," Felicity said, rubbing at her arm. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little nervous."

He noticed her gaze shift over to Brian, who was uncharacteristically keeping his distance. It seemed that even someone with the most dubious values knew to stay away from his ex-girlfriend on his wedding day.

Felicity felt Oliver watching her and she quickly said in a low voice, "It's not what you think. Really. I'm afraid I'm going to trip."

"Oh sure," he said, not quite believing her. "That's a valid concern."

"What's a valid concern?" Lydia asked, joining them. She knocked her elbow against Oliver's and said, "Hiya, partner."

"Felicity's afraid she'll trip."

Lydia considered that and said, "She is pretty clumsy."

"Not really the vote of confidence I was looking for," Felicity said.

"I'm brutally honest," Lydia said with a shrug.

"Everyone, it's time!" Penny said shrilly, her face set into an almost manic grin. "It's time."

"I didn't think she could get more dramatic," Lydia said under her breath. "But here we are."

The wedding processional began and the bridal party began to make their way into the chapel, one couple at a time, the crowd watching with the sort of glazed smiles that everyone had at weddings. The pair before Oliver and Lydia began to walk and then three beats after, as they were strictly instructed, they began their part of the processional. Oliver took his place at the front of the chapel and clasped his hands in front of him, watching Felicity come down the aisle. When she had successfully made it down without a single trip, he gave her a covert thumbs up and she smiled just a bit, sending him a quick wink. Suddenly, he was brought back to another chapel.

"I want to walk down the aisle to you," Felicity slurred, eyes bleary but no less bright. "Like a real bride."

"That's not really how things are done here," the Elvis impersonator, who was going to marry them, said.

"But, it's my wedding day," Felicity said.

Oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He slid out a one hundred dollar bill and pressed it into Elvis' palm.

"If my fiancé wants to walk down the aisle, she is going to walk down the aisle."

"How many more of these do you have?" Elvis asked.

Oliver pulled out all the money in his wallet and said, "As much as it will take."

Elvis took the money, running his thumb along the edges of the bills as he grinned. "Looks like your little lady has a walk ahead of her."

Oliver was pulled out of his thoughts by the change in music, everyone in the chapel standing as they awaited the bride's entrance. For all of Penny's nerves, she looked positively radiant as she glided into the room, beatific smile in place and eyes gleaming behind her veil. Oliver glanced back at Brian and was surprised by the tender look on his face. His gaze shifted over just a few feet to the bridesmaids, and when he found Felicity she was looking squarely at him. She looked away quickly, cheeks staining red.

The vows went quickly and then Penny and Brian were husband and wife. They celebrated their new marital status with a round of photographs, Penny directing the shots with military precision. She only made a few comments about Oliver's height, punctuating each statement with, "But, I'm so grateful you're here."

After the photos, the bridal party dispersed as they got drinks and mingled before toasts. Oliver found Felicity by the bar, and she greeted him with a raise of her champagne toast before turning around and unearthing one for him behind her.

"I needed this," he said, accepting the flute from her and taking a sip. "I think I just developed a height complex."

Felicity laughed. "I'm sorry. If it means anything, I think you're a perfect height."

"Thank you. So, a funny thing happened during the wedding." She raised her eye brow in questioning and he said, "I remembered part of ours."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"I paid off the Elvis impersonator to let you walk down the aisle. And, I'm pretty sure I overpaid for it."

"I'm going to say it was worth it?" Felicity said slowly.

"You were very insistent."

After numerous speeches, dances and many more flutes of champagne, Felicity followed Oliver to their Uber, her head buzzing in a way that made her words looser and touch more liberal. She linked her arm with his, saying something she couldn't quite remember as he put her into the back seat and then walked around the car and climbed in next to her. His body was warm next to hers and she itched to move closer, but when she tried to move, the seatbelt stayed stubbornly in place.

Oliver felt her move and asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah, good. I'm good," she said, settling back into her seat. "Shouldn't you give him your address, too?"

"I want to make sure you get to your apartment okay. I'll order another there."

"Okay."

His words were innocuous, but her mind took them farther, and after he walked her up to her apartment, with him leaning against her couch as he called another Uber, she stood in front of him and took his phone from his hand.

"Felicity, what-"

She leaned forward, brushing her mouth gently against his. He didn't respond initially, but when she kissed him again, her mouth a bit more instant, he kissed her back, threading his fingers in her hair. She leaned into him and his hands travelled lower, finding purchase in in the curve of her neck and her back, until they trailed back up the slope of her shoulders and he pulled away suddenly.

"I can't do this," he said.

"What?"

"I can't do this," he repeated, stepping away from her. "I can't be your consolation prize."

"That's not what you are," Felicity said, but even the words rang partially false to her. That was how all of this started, wasn't it? When it came down to it, Brian was at the center of their entire relationship.

Oliver's phone pinged from where she dropped it on the couch and he reached down and grabbed it.

"My Uber is here."

"Oliver-"

"I have to go."

She nodded, gnawing at the inside of her cheek, and when he was at her door she said his name again and he looked back, jaw tense.

"I'm sorry," she said, voice cracking.

He nodded, and for a second she thought he was going to turn back, but then he opened the door and walked through, closing it soundly behind him.