A/N: First, I want to say I hope everyone is well and Secondly, this is roughly edited. I'm sure there are still more mistakes but I want to post an update because I haven't posted in a while and I know it's been a long time since I updated this particular story. All mistakes are my own. And I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Felicity wrenched her window open. "Oliver! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"
"Of course not." he ducked his head down, contritely.
Felicity waved him inside. "Get in here, the last thing I need is for my neighbors to see is a man in a hood camping out on my fire escape."
"Sorry," Oliver apologized coming through the window, he looked around her apartment and his chest tightened. It looked exactly the same as when he was staying here after he lost her.
"What are you doing here?" Felicity questioned. "Is something wrong? Did an alert go off? I could have sworn I linked it to my phone?"
Oliver shook his head. "No, your searches are still going."
Felicity's nose scrunched up in confusion. "Then, why are you.."
"You left.." Oliver's voice was barely audible. "You didn't even tell me you were leaving."
"You were preoccupied," Felicity said. "I didn't think you would notice and come searching for me."
"I will always come for you."
The reply was instantaneous and Felicity's heart thudded in her chest. "Oh."
Oliver took a step closer to her, his fingers grazing her hand before taking it in his. "When I saw you were gone, I panicked. One moment you were there and then you weren't. I can't explain it but when I noticed you were gone, all I could see was that moment when you.." he trailed off, his eyes haunted.
Felicity swallowed. He looked so lost and hurt. "When I died."
Oliver nodded the movement jerky. "I just needed to see you, see you breathing. See you safe."
"Oh, Oliver." Felicity's heart went out to him more than ever. She reached for him, pulling him in and Oliver let her without hesitation, his arms banding tightly around her as he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent, feeling the beat of her heart against his chest.
"I'm still here and I'm okay." Felicity ran one hand up and down his back and the other through the short strands of his hair.
Felicity was so focused on comforting Oliver that she didn't even really take note of the fact that this was the most physical contact she ever had with Oliver in the two years that she had known him.
Oliver reluctantly pulled back. "I'm sorry. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You're not." Felicity shook her head. "I can't imagine what it was like for you. You lost so many people already."
"Too many." Oliver murmured. "But losing you was different."
Felicity moved to sit down on her couch and motion for Oliver to join her. "How so? You're only a month or so from the future, right? Things can't be that different between us."
"Felicity, things with you were always different from any relationship that I've had. From the day we met."
"I think your grief may have confused your perception about me," Felicity stated, doubtfully.
"Felicity," Oliver turned his body toward her, settling back on her couch. "I regret a lot of things and one of the many things I regret most is that you don't know the truth."
Felicity's brow furrowed. "The truth?"
"Of how I really felt about you, the moment we met, when you joined the team, how you have always been there with me, fighting alongside me in my mission to help our city."
"I'm not much of a fighter." Felicity protested.
"You may not fight physically but the things you can do with your brilliant mind, the things you're capable of with a keyboard, I couldn't protect this city without you. You're a fighter just as much as anyone on team Arrow, you just do your fighting behind a keyboard."
Felicity smiled slowly, she didn't really see herself like that but she liked Oliver's view of her. It warmed her heart how he saw her place on the team. "Thank you."
"Aren't you going to ask me how I really feel about you?"
Felicity's face flushed. "I was trying not to dwell on that." She really didn't need to get her hopes up that there was a chance that her feelings could be returned. This Oliver may feel differently about her but it didn't mean the other one did. As far as she knew they were friends and they were teammates but nothing more. Not from his side of things. "What's the point? I'm pretty sure you have very different feelings for me."
"No, I know exactly how he feels, what he thinks, I'm not a whole different version of him. He's me, just from two months ago, so if anyone knows what he feels, what he thinks that would be me. And I know how he feels about you and it's exactly how I feel."
Felicity looked at him tentatively. "How do you feel?"
"You are the strongest person I've ever met. You're gorgeous and the smartest person on the planet."
"Well, I wouldn't say I was the smartest person on the entire planet-"
"No, you are," Oliver interrupted her protest. "And you're so much more, you're caring and selfless and thoughtful. You always put everyone before your self. You have no idea how amazing you are."
"I have a hard time believing that's how my Oliver feels."
Oliver flinched and Felicity's brow furrowed.
"I'm your Oliver, too. Just like you're my Felicity."
Felicity bit her lip. He sounded so forlorn, it pulled at her heart. "I just meant that we're in the present and you're not from here."
"I know." Oliver nodded. "Still, I'm just as much as your Oliver as he is. The only difference is I have more memories than any of you, more knowledge of what the future holds because I've lived through it."
Felicity's eyes clouded over as she thought of just what he has lived through. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"That my death hurt you, that it caused you more pain. You have suffered so much. I hate the thought that I'm the reason for that."
"No," Oliver shook his head quickly, reaching out he took her hand in his. "Don't be sorry for that. If you are that means you're sorry for mattering, for being important and I never want you to be sorry for that. I would rather suffer all the pain in the world for knowing you than never having met you." Oliver smiled.
Felicity noted it was coated in a sense of sadness, she wasn't sure she could understand fully.
"I wouldn't be the man I am today if it weren't for you. I was lost before I met you and when you came into my life you helped me find my way."
Felicity's heart beat faster in her chest as his words. She turned her hand over in his and locked their fingers together. "Does it help with the pain? Being here with me?"
"More than you know," Oliver said, his voice lowering to a pitch that had her stomach fluttering.
"It's getting late. Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?"
"Honestly, I was gonna stay out on your fire escape in case you needed me," Oliver admitted.
Felicity snorted. "That would certainly give my neighbors and all of Starling to talk about."
"I didn't think about that," Oliver confessed.
"There's the foundry?" Felicity suggested.
"With my younger self?" Oliver's eyes darkened. "I don't see that ending well."
Not unless he got his head out of his ass and saw what was right in front of him before it was too late.
"You can stay here tonight if you want." The words were out before Felicity realized what she was saying but she didn't regret offering. If being around her eased Oliver's grief than she wanted to be there for him. After all, he came back here for her. To save her life.
"Are you sure?" Oliver didn't want to leave but he also didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't." Felicity offered a tentative smile. "You can stay here until you go back to your time. I know you're determined to keep me safe."
"I won't let anything happen to you again. I won't fail you this time. I promise." Oliver vowed.
The conviction in his voice pleasantly had her skin heating.
She watched entranced as he lifted their laced hands, and pressed his lips to her knuckles, reverently.
Felicity's eyes filled with tears as he lowered their hands to his heart and cradled it there. As if he could shield it with their joined hands from the cruelty and tragedy of the world.
A knock on her door had her jolting and Oliver was up to his feet moving protectively in front of her.
Ready to shield her. To fight for her. Kill to protect her if need be.
Felicity's brow furrowed as she looked at the clock. It was well after midnight. She had no idea who would be at her door this late.
She stood up to walk to the door but Oliver stopped her with his hand on her shoulder.
"Wait, just one moment, please." Oliver needed to make sure whoever was at her door wasn't a threat.
Felicity nodded at him, knowing this Oliver had a need to protect her at all costs.
Oliver looked through the peephole in the door, his shoulders bunching with slight annoyance.
Yes, the man on the other side of the door was a threat. Just not to Felicity. Oliver found his interruption unnecessary and unwelcome. On his part at least.
He stepped back, looking at Felicity. "You can answer it."
Felicity stepped past him and pulled the door open revealing her Oliver, standing there on her doorstep. "Oliver, what are you doing here?"
Oliver had been restless the moment he was alone in the foundry. His thoughts running rampant in his mind. Thoughts of Felicity and all his future self had revealed. The worry that Felicity was home alone and at any moment, her killer could find her and take her from them sooner than they were warned.
What if that was a consequence of his future self messing with time? What if that was why they couldn't find Miller? What if they sped up the time of her death?
The thought had him spiraling in a tailspin and he had to check up on Felicity. He needed to. He knew it was the only thing that could silence the thoughts in his head.
He however wasn't prepared to see his future self standing a few feet behind her. He chastised himself. He should have known that when he left it was to come here. It seemed his future self had a one-track mind and his only concern, his only priority was Felicity.
"I wanted to make sure that you were okay. A lot happened tonight and what we found out about the future was a hard pill to swallow."
"I'm okay." Felicity smiled, she looked behind her at the future Oliver. "I couldn't be safer right now."
Present Oliver's stomach twisted with a vague feeling that he could only ever associate with Felicity. The last time he felt it was when he saw her with Barry Allen.
"What are you doing here?" Oliver asked his future self.
"Protecting what's important," Oliver answered, he moved to step up behind Felicity. "You should take notes."
Felicity's eyes widened and she shot a reprimanding look his way before turning back to her Oliver. He looked like he wanted to knock his own teeth in. "What he means to say is you don't have to worry about me being safe. I am well protected for the moment."
"I don't think that's what he meant." present Oliver protested, glaring over her shoulder at himself.
"It wasn't," Oliver stated and Felicity elbowed him in the rib. He didn't so much as flinch.
"I appreciate you checking up on me," said Felicity effectively changing the subject. "But you don't need to worry. I'm going to be fine. I'm safe. I have you looking out for me. More than one of you apparently. I honestly, couldn't be safer."
"Is he staying here?"
"Yes," future Oliver answered from behind her. "I don't think us both staying in the foundry is a good idea."
Present Oliver was in agreement with that assessment. Who would have thought that his future self would be so unlikable to himself?
Oliver chose to ignore the fact that he just didn't like how close his other self was determined to stay with Felicity. The way he looked at her and the way Felicity seemed drawn to him in a way she wasn't with him. Which he knew was ridiculous since they were the same person just from different times.
"Don't worry. I will keep Felicity safe." his future self stated and he wanted to punch himself in the face. He should be the one looking out for Felicity, yet here his future self was swooping in. He felt like he was stealing from himself.
God, this was so frustrating and confusing.
Felicity looked back at Future Oliver. "Could you please give us a moment."
Future Oliver was loath to deny her anything. He nodded, he grabbed her hand squeezing it briefly before walking back to her living room.
Felicity stepped out of her apartment into the hallway with her Oliver. "Sorry about him." Felicity's brow furrowed. "How weird is it that I'm apologizing to you for your behavior?"
"Quite a bit," Oliver said. "Are you sure you're okay with him staying here?"
"Yes. It's you, Oliver, just from a few months in the future. I trust him like I trust you," Felicity paused. "I think we both know he is not going to let anything happen to me."
Oliver knew she was right but he wanted to be the one to protect her. It was a selfish want. However, the more logical side of him knew his future self was the smarter choice to keep her safe. He was the one with the future knowledge, not him. "If you need anything..."
"I know." Felicity smiled. "But you don't need to worry. You should go get some rest. I have a feeling everyone's going to need to do the same until this is all behind us."
"We'll keep you safe."
"I know."
Oliver wanted to pull her into his arms, hug her tightly to him. Keep her safe in the protection of his arms.
Instead, he forced a smile and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Felicity said, watching as Oliver turned to leave, his hand falling from her shoulder.
Felicity waited till he was gone before walking back inside her apartment and closing the door. Upon returning to the living room she found the other Oliver pacing the room but his head snapped up at the sound of her footsteps and his reaction was instantaneous. The way his shoulders drop, she could see the tension and anxiety drain right out of him at the mere sight of her.
"Everything okay?"
His voice was so soft and tender. Felicity wondered if he was aware that he had his own register in his voice for when he spoke to her? And if he did know, when did it start?
Did her Oliver speak to her in that same tone and she never picked up on it? Or was it something he started doing down the line in their friendship?
"Felicity?"
Felicity jerked, the way he said her name shaking her from her thoughts.
"Yeah, everything's fine." Felicity ran a hand over her hair. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day."
"You should get some rest," Oliver said, concerned. "Everything is going to be fine. I'm going to make sure of it. I promise."
Felicity smiled softly. "You deserve some rest, too." She looked at the couch. "Unfortunately I don't have a guest room."
"The couch is fine." It wouldn't be the first time he slept on her couch. Hell, her couch had become his bed over the last few weeks after her death.
"I'll get you some bedding and a pillow," Felicity said, wanting to make it as comfortable for him as she could.
Felicity found what she was looking for in the hallway closet. She returned and placed the bedspread on the arm of the couch. "Do you want a tour of the place? Like where the bathroom is?"
"I know where everything is," Oliver assured her.
"Right," said Felicity, realizing he must've been here before in his time. "Okay, then, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask."
"I will."
"Goodnight, Oliver," Felicity said smiling softly.
"Goodnight, Felicity," he said tenderly, watching as she walked out of the room and listening for the sound of her bedroom door closing.
He dropped down onto her couch, looking around the room. His chest tightening at the familiar room and his familiar spot on this very couch. The only difference being now that Felicity was in her room.
It left a bad feeling settling over him not having her in front of him, within reach. It was almost like he had imagined it all and he was back on her couch with her gone from the world.
And a world without Felicity wasn't one he wanted to live in.
Felicity jerked awake, hearing her name being shouted desperately.
"Felicity!"
"Oliver!" Felicity tossed her blanket off, scrambling from the bed in her comfy pajamas. Almost tripping in her haste to get to the door.
She burst into the living room and her heart ached at the scene.
Oliver was tossing and turning on her couch, sweating and screaming her name hoarsely.
Felicity knew that you shouldn't wake someone from a nightmare. Especially not someone with Oliver's history of PTSD.
But she couldn't stand seeing the way his face contorted in agony. It was like he was being tortured as he continued to scream for her in what she could only describe as real agony and terror.
She couldn't just do nothing.
She stood on the other side of the coffee table. "Oliver,"
His face twisted further. "Felicity!"
"Oliver!" Felicity tried again, moving around to sit on the edge of the coffee table.
She wanted to reach out and clasp his hand in hers but feared it would be a step too far.
"Please, don't go, Felicity! Don't leave me here without you!" Oliver cried, clawing at his own chest as if he could make the pain he was feeling stop.
"Oliver, please, wake up," she raised her voice hoping it would make him hear her and by some miracle, his thrashing slowed.
He said her name in a pained whimper. "Felicity?"
"Listen to the sound of my voice," Felicity said, raising her voice just enough to get through to him while trying to remain soothing. "Come back to me."
When his thrashing ceased, Felicity felt relief hit her until Oliver's eyes fluttered open. They were filled with such anguish, it was like her heart was fissuring from just seeing it there in his eyes.
His eyes locked on hers and she watched as a light shined through, he sat up abruptly, swinging his legs over the couch as he reached for her. "Felicity."
Felicity leaned into his hand as he cupped her cheek and placed her hand over his heart. It was pounding. "You're okay. It was a nightmare."
"No, I'm not. It was real." he looked at her so heartbroken that it made tears fill her eyes. "I can't..I can't go through it again. I won't survive it. I have survived through five years away from my family, torture, losing my dad, my mom, Tommy, God, you name it and somehow I manage to survive it all but not this. Not losing you. That is something I cannot live through. I don't want to survive any of this if you're not standing beside me at the end of it all."
Oliver pulled his hand from hers to cover his face as if it pained him for her to see him this vulnerable.
"Oliver." Felicity couldn't take anymore. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, drawing him into her.
Oliver wrapped his arms around her instinctively, hiding his face in her shirt, clinging to her as if he were a small child wanting a safe hand to hold.
Felicity stroked her hands over his shoulder, over his scalp, soothing him as best she could until his shaking stop and his arms wrapped around her loosened. Only then did she pull back, she pulled at his arms around her, locking their hands together.
Oliver looked up at her.
"C'mon, It's late. Let's get some rest." Felicity pulled him up and toward her room.
Oliver hesitated. "I'm fine on the couch."
"No, you're not." Felicity shook her head. "Right now, I think you need to be able to see me, to know I'm alive if you're going to get any kind of decent rest. Now C'mon."
Oliver tried one more time to protest when they reached her room. "You don't have to do this. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Felicity turned to Oliver. "I'm doing this cause I want to. Because I want to help you." she smiled softly. "I've never been uncomfortable around you." Nervous, yes but never uncomfortable. "Honestly, you being here makes me feel safe."
With those words, any further protest died on Oliver's lips. All he wanted was to keep Felicity safe and if she felt that way with him then he wouldn't argue anymore.
Oliver watched as Felicity drew back her covers and slid into her bed, patting the spot next to her.
He slowly slid in next to her, turning on his side to face her, he watched her get comfortable and reached out for her hand, tangling their fingers together. "Thank you."
Felicity smiled softly. "You don't have to thank me."
"Can you talk to me?" Oliver asked. "the sound of your voice, it soothes me."
Felicity felt a blush spread down her neck, the thought of her voice calming him, flattering. "What do you want me to talk about?"
"Tell me about your week before I showed up. Tell me about anything you want."
And Felicity did. Oliver fell asleep to the sound of her voice telling him about the weeks before he showed up, the sound of her voice lulling him into a peaceful sleep.
Felicity watched as Oliver slept, his body relaxed and face peaceful for once.
She reached down with her free hand and pulled the comforter over them before burrowing deeper into her side of the bed and allowing her own eyes to drift shut, feeling content knowing she had helped eased Oliver's pain in some way.
Oliver woke up slowly. Morning sunlight was shining into the room, through an open curtain, he tensed for a moment, feeling a body curled into him and a hand resting over his heart. With a start, he realized he was holding said hand to his chest
He looked down and his heart worked double time. Felicity was curled into him, looking like a golden angel as she slept.
He carefully untangled their hands and brushed her hair from her face, leaning down and pressed his lips to her forehead, lingering, her sweet floral scent surrounding him.
He wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her closer. The feel of her next to him like a healing balm on his soul.
He pulled back, taking in every little detail on her face, the curve of her brow, the curve of her jaw, the pink of her lips, the shape of her nose, the slope of her neck. Everything.
Oliver had never felt such peace before.
He hated when it was broken by the sound of her alarm.
Felicity reached out blindly, hitting the snooze button before her eyes opened slowly and widened as she stared into Oliver's cerulean blue eyes.
"Hi," Oliver murmured.
"Hi," Felicity said, breathlessly. "Am I dreaming? Because this wouldn't be the first time I've dreamt of being in a bed with you. Although, if I was dreaming, you would not be wearing a shirt right now." Felicity's eyes widened. "And I mean that in a platonic way. I'm not sure how it can be platonic but I'm going to pretend that it is and I need you to do the same."
"Anything for you," Oliver smiled affectionately, eyes shining brightly at her.
Felicity was tempted to move closer to him but then her second alarm went off and she rolled away from him with a groan. "I have to get ready for work."
Felicity hated working at Tech Village. It crushed her soul daily.
Oliver watched as she walked to her closet, throwing it open and rummaging through it for some clothes. "Are you sure you should be heading into work with Miller out there?"
"I'm not going to stop living my life no matter how much I hate my day job," Felicity responded.
Oliver climbed from her bed. In that case, he was going to head down and make her some breakfast before her job. "At least let me take you there then."
Felicity looked over her shoulder at him, she remembered the pain he was in last night and she would do anything not to see him hurting like that again. "Sure but unless you stole your younger self's bike, you'll have to drive my car."
Oliver grimaced, just thinking about squeezing his large frame into the driver seat of Felicity's small car. Yeah, he was definitely going to need to get his hands on another bike until he returned to his time. "Sounds like a plan."
Felicity heard the sound of her bedroom door opening and she poked her head out of the closet to see the door close behind Oliver.
Where is he going? Felicity wondered.
She finished finding what she was going to wear before heading straight for the shower, she needed to finish her morning routine before she had to leave.
Felicity followed the sounds of doors banging as they opened and closed and found Oliver searching through the cabinets above her kitchen counter. "What are you looking for?"
Oliver whirled around, his eyes narrowing. "You have no food. I was going to make pancakes but you have nothing but leftover takeout."
Felicity nodded, pressing her lips together and stepped forward. "I hoped to never tell you this but it can't be helped."
"What?" Oliver asked, alarmed by her grave tone and the serious look in her eye. "What is it?"
"I cannot cook to save my life. I am amazing at a lot of things but cooking is not one of them." Felicity gave a shrug. "I don't have anything in my cabinets because why tempt fate. I burn water."
Oliver's brow furrowed. "Are you serious?"
"A hundred percent. The only thing you will find in this kitchen is coffee which I would not say no to."
Oliver moved automatically to start a fresh pot. "Felicity, you can't survive on takeout alone."
"I have so far,"
Oliver shook his head. "I'll take care of it. Lucky for you, I know my way around the kitchen."
Felicity opened her mouth to tell him it's not necessary when the doorbell rang.
"Hold that thought," he told her, moving to answer the door.
Felicity followed Oliver to the door as he opened it.
Present Oliver, Digg, and Roy stood on the threshold, the latter carrying a brown bag and a Starbucks cup.
"What are you all doing here?" Felicity wondered.
"What is that Oliver doing here?" Digg nodded his head at their Time Traveler.
"Keeping her safe." The man in question answered without missing a beat.
"Good, we're all on the same page." Digg brushes by Future Oliver into Felicity's apartment, the others following.
Roy held out the cup and brown paper bag to Felicity. "I brought you coffee and breakfast."
"You didn't have to do that." But even as she said it Felicity took a sip of the coffee, it wasn't exactly how she liked it but it would do in a pinch. She opened the bag to find a chocolate chip muffin that smelled so good. It had her stomach rumbling immediately.
She moved back to the counter and tore into the muffin as all her boys started talking.
"What do you mean we are all on the same page?" Future Oliver asked Digg.
"Clearly we're all here to keep Felicity safe," John replied.
"And if I know Felicity like I know I do despite the threat on her life, she is going to head into work regardless of the potential danger," Roy stated. "Right?" He looked at the woman in question.
Felicity swallowed her bite of muffin. "Nothing gets past you, Scarecrow."
"If you insist on being out in the open then someone should be with you at all times." Present Oliver interjected.
"I am in agreement with that." Future Oliver stated. "Felicity needs to have someone watching her at any given moment."
"It's sweet that you all want to protect me but completely unnecessary. In case you all have forgotten I was not the intended target. Roy was. He's the one in immediate danger when you really consider it."
"I can take care of myself," Roy responded with more harshness than he intended but he definitely didn't want Felicity taking an Arrow for him.
"So can I," Felicity retorted.
"Of course you can," Digg responded. "However, this is different. We know for a fact that you die and we have to keep that from happening."
"We might be taking this a little overboard," present Oliver admitted. "But it's what we need to get through the day without locking you up in a bulletproof room wrapped in bubble wrap to keep you safe."
Felicity's nose scrunched up at the thought of being locked away like some damsel. "Yeah, that is not happening."
"Yeah, I figured which is why we need to work out a shift schedule since you'll be having a shadow at all times for the foreseeable future," Digg responded.
"I will be taking her to work," Future Oliver declared, brooking no room for argument as he stared his younger self down, getting into a battle of wills.
Felicity looked at her cup of coffee, suddenly wishing it was something alcoholic. Wine preferably.
It was becoming abundantly clear that today was going to be a long day as she listened to her boys argue about who would be protecting her while she was at work.
Felicity was more concerned with how she was going to explain to her co-workers why she had a service detail shadowing her every move like she was one of Starling's elite or something.
She felt the urge to rub at her temples as both past and present Oliver's argument over who would be protecting her escalated to raise voices and heated glares with Diggle keeping them far enough apart so no punches would be thrown.
Yes, today was indeed going to be a really long day. Felicity could only hope that by the days end her sanity would still be intact.
A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope everyone is being responsible and staying safe. Remember reviews are a writer's lifeblood.