Thank you for all the love for the last chapter! Things will be moving along pretty quickly over the next few chapters but hopefully they are still action packed!

Forgot to mention – any of the Russian that are in the previous and upcoming chapters are all from Google Translate so my apologies if anything isn't correct!

Chapter 7 – Disenchanted

An explosion echoed through the solid concrete room, the light flashing before Oliver's eyes as he watched the man pull the trigger, sending Jason crashing to the ground, the bullet lodging into his skull. "NO!" Oliver's cries echoed through the now silent room; the image of his friend being shot forever etched into his brain. Slumping against the chains, Oliver let his head hang, a deep sob shuttering his body knowing his life would never be the same.

Sucking in deep breaths, Oliver's eyes shot open, the sweat had started to poor down his forehead. His whole body was shaking at the memory of that moment, the moment he had seen his friend being killed. Oliver Queen had seen and done a lot of things in his life – seeing someone being shot was not one of them. But seeing someone being killed was definitely not something he ever thought he would see.

His mornings were the same over the last few weeks – thank you Anatoly for keeping track of how long they had been kept locked up in those cells, they were at 3 weeks already – waking up the from the same nightmare, the flash of light as the gun goes off, the fear over taking his body like someone had dumped a basket of ice water over his head.

Sitting up slowly, his body sore from weeks of beatings and questions he couldn't answer, it was nice to finally wake up to some form of quiet in the cells. Reaching under the side of his mattress, Oliver pulled out the small polaroid photo that he had hidden there the first chance he had gotten.

Oliver sat curled against the side concrete wall of the cells he had been thrown in, the cold against his side and bare legs helping to bring down his temperature. It had been a day after he had been strung up and cut with the knife, the wound had seeped blood, darkening his olive-green t-shirt. A day after he had seen Jason killed. After throwing him into the cell, Oliver had passed out from the pain and exhaustion, waking up only to be profusely sweating from the fever he was running, the wound on his side had clearly gotten infected.

Once realising that he was awake, the men had stripped Oliver down to his boxers, something he was thankful for, but he didn't know what they were looking for. He had been found lying on the sand after being washed ashore, it's not like he could have been carrying weapons or anything.

And that's how Oliver found himself curled into a tight ball against the concrete wall, his head hidden against his knees as he tried to block out the noises around him and the searing pain he was in. His basically naked body doing all it could to hid from the men. Because that's what he wanted to do, hide. He wanted to curl into a ball and just disappear so they wouldn't hurt him anymore.

He could hear snickering from outside the open cell door, they obviously didn't think he was going to try and get away…where would be go if he did escape anyway? One by one his very limited clothing was thrown back at him, landing in a small pile on the floor. But Oliver didn't move, he didn't flinch and didn't look up, even when a man stood in front of him, crouching to look over the clearly broken American. His sides, arms and legs and chest were covered in cuts and bruises, many already healing, some fresh, the dirt dusting over his usually olive skin. Oliver had received one hell of a beating.

Sensing the movement of the man in front of him, Oliver curled to curl further into the wall, bringing his kneels closer to his chest, whimpering when they pressed against the still open wound on his ribs. If he survived the infection, Oliver knew that it was going to scar and scar badly. The man only smirked, he clearly liked to see Oliver cowering from him, his thick Russian accent echoing through the empty rooms, the bad English barely understandable, but Oliver knew the words he was saying, "She's very pretty…I hope you said goodbye…"

And then the man was gone, the heavy sound of the cell door closing and locking echoing through Oliver's head. After a moment, he looked up slowly from his position, his eyes landing on the pile of clothing and the small square photo sitting atop the pile. Carefully, Oliver reached out for the photo, snapping his hand back to his chest once he had it in his fingers. Looking down, his eyes blinked back the tears that sprung to his eyes, holding the photo tightly in his hands, Oliver took in the smiling faces of his best friends, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Carefully, he placed the photo back against his bare chest, letting the shakes and fever take over once more.

"Every morning and every night you look at that photo." Anatoly spoke to Oliver for the first time in since the day before, he had decided to let Oliver just rest, his body needing it. But that didn't mean Anatoly didn't notice things about what Oliver did. Looking up from the photo of him and Tommy and Felicity, Oliver allowed a small smile to play on his lips, memories of his best friends the only thing he allowed himself to remember.

For the first time Oliver leaned over and handed Anatoly the photo, this man had become a friend to Oliver in this place, he felt it right in that moment to extend a bit of himself to him. "My best friends, Tommy and Felicity." Was all he needed to say, Anatoly nodding.

After a moment, Anatoly looked up at Oliver, "Tell me about them." Anatoly had been in this place long enough to know that you needed to hold onto something, something to keep you going and it was clear that these two people in the photo were Oliver's reason for holding on. After his fever had broken, Oliver had become a little stronger in himself, taking his not-death as a sign, he needed to hold on.

Oliver blinked for a moment, thinking about what he was going to say. What could you say about your two best friends? "Tommy…he had been my best friend since I was a kid, I think we were even spending time together when we were babies…" Oliver smiled, remembering the very young pair running around the Queen mansion. "He is my partner in crime. He was either following me into trouble or leading me there. But he was always by my side. I remember…we were about 8 and we'd been running around the house all day, my mother…oh man…"

Oliver laughed, he remembered how angry his mother would get when they would run around the house. "…My mother she got so angry because we were slamming the doors and bumping into people and Tommy, he just stood there and looked at my mother and ran screaming out the front door. I didn't see him for like 3 days after that." Oliver laughed, remembering Tommy telling him that his mother scared the crap out of him that day.

But Oliver's smile grew a little more, this time it was a more telling smile, "Felicity…I honestly have no idea how she is still friends with me. She knows me better than anyone else and she is still my friend. She had put up with so much. She had this light about her, this happiness that is just so infectious."

Anatoly looked up from the photo in his hands to really look at Oliver, he spoke so fondly of both the people in the photo. "Is this Felicity… любовники?" Oliver just blinked, his brow scrunching at the word he didn't understand. "How you say…lovers?" Anatoly tried again, finding the best word possible to get across his question.

Oliver laughed, shaking his head, "No. No. Felicity is just my best friend. That's all."

But Anatoly just raised his eyebrow at Oliver, "Are you sure about that?" Oliver stayed silent, not wanting to give any more about his friends. Felicity was his best friend, there wasn't anything else she could be.

Oliver and Tommy laughed as they headed down the hallway towards his room. He may have needed to stay home to baby sit Thea for the night but that didn't mean that Tommy couldn't come over and spend time with him. He and Laurel had been off again at the time so she wouldn't be spending the night at the mansion and he couldn't go out.

"Come on man! I bought some beer so at least we can get drunk!" Tommy clapped his hand against Oliver's back, drunk - that was something that Oliver was looking forward to. He needed to space out, ignore the world around him as it started to come a little too much for him. "I can't believe you agreed to look after your sister tonight! It's a Friday night!" Tommy was pissed when Oliver said he couldn't go out but still, being at Oliver's was better than being at his own home.

Oliver laughed, "Yeah I know man, I guess I just agreed to do it before I even thought about it." He shrugged; it was kind of true. When his mother had asked him to stay home to babysit, he had brushed it off as a "yeah sure" before realising what day she had asked him about. But on the other side of that was that he actually kind of wanted to stay home. But it had nothing to do with the fact that Felicity was in the mansion as well.

But she had already left for the night.

Music suddenly found the boys ears, the giggling and light laughter floating towards them as well. Glancing at each other, Tommy and Oliver turned towards the sound, pushing open the old playroom door to find Thea and Felicity lounging around on the couch, upbeat music loudly playing. "Oh! Party!" Tommy rushed into the room towards the girls, jumping onto the couch between them and snuggling close.

Oliver rolled his eyes, laughing to himself. "I thought you'd gone home..." he motioned towards Felicity who had tucked her legs under herself, brushing a dark piece of hair behind her ear.

"Oh yeah. Well I planned on it but we started listening to music and... well, figured I didn't have anything to do tomorrow so why not?" She shuffled to the side a little, giving Oliver space to sit between her and Tommy. Oliver's smile grew wider as he took his seat, happy that she was still there. "You got big plans tonight?" She blushed brightly as his hand was placed on her knee, squeezing it tightly.

"Nah, to be honest, I'm supposed to be babysitting Thea, mum and dad are at some party or something." Felicity nodded, surprised he had chosen to stay home on a Friday night but part of her was a little proud that he had chosen not to go out and get blind drunk and sleep with some woman he found. "How about you? Wanna hang around for some pizza or something?" He still hadn't taken his hand off her leg though, enjoying the warmth that he found there.

Felicity nodded, she really had no reason to head off too early and she would have just had to go and feed herself. "Yeah why not, I'd end up just getting take away anyway." She smiled at his beaming smile, his white teeth shining. She wanted to roll her eyes, that was the sort of smile he would use to get whatever he wanted out of anyone.

It didn't take long before pizza was ordered and the music was turned back up, even louder than it was before. Tommy had instantly pulled Thea off the couch, swinging her around to the music. "Come on Ollie! Come dance!" Her young voice calling to him but he shook his head.

"You know I don't dance Thea!" He was happy just to watch her and Tommy, enjoying the happiness that was coming from them both. Watching as Felicity rose from her seat before going over to Tommy's side, taking his hand and Thea's they danced around together.

A sudden overwhelming feeling took over Oliver, standing he went to Felicity's side, taking her hand from Tommy's, he pulled her into him causing her to squeal for a moment, not expecting him to do that. The upbeat music and laughter echoing through the room. Tommy and Thea were bouncing around the room together, sort of dancing along while Oliver held Felicity to him, rocking quickly to the music. "I thought you said you didn't dance," Felicity held on tight, on hand in his and the other gripping onto his shoulder.

But Oliver just shook his head, "I said I didn't dance, not that I couldn't."

Felicity threw her head back in laughter at Oliver's antics, she had never actually danced with someone - not that you could really call this dancing - but it was fun, Oliver's side to side swaying motion was exaggerated and fast paced. He spun her suddenly before bringing her back to him, her back to his chest but the movements didn't lose their speed, his laughter mixing with hers. He held her tightly as they moved, a part of him not wanting to let her go at all.

"Oliver! Stop!" Felicity was almost out of breath from laughing so much, Oliver the same and it wasn't until she pulled away from him toward the end of the song, tumbling back onto the couch with Oliver by her side did she realise how much her face was hurting from laughing and smiling. After a few moments, once her breathing had settled down a bit, Felicity looked down at Oliver who was almost curled into her side, slumped on the couch, he was sitting lower than she was. His smile just as wide. "Thank you, Oliver, that was a lovely dance."

Oliver beamed up at her, turning his face to hers, "You are a natural Felicity!" Both their smiles fell from their faces for a second, their eyes holding each other before they both broke away, laughing even more. Once the laughter settled down, Oliver snuggled further into Felicity's side, his head coming to rest against the side of her chest, her fingers playing with the long hair she hated. Sitting there, watching his best friend and sister dancing away, curled into Felicity, Oliver felt happy.

Oliver allowed the slightest of smile of his face at the question in Anatoly's voice. Felicity Smoak was just his best friend, right?


"And what can I do for Tommy Merlyn this morning? Why are you even up this early?" Felicity glanced down at her watch, finding that it was just after 10 - a time that very rarely saw Tommy Merlyn out of bed. Coming to his side, Felicity hugged him tightly, knowing that the last 4 weeks had been a nightmare for him. Tommy just held her tightly.

Shrugging was he pulled away, Tommy have her a sad smile. "I dunno. Just needed to get out of the house, I guess. Is it ok if I hang with you today?" He looked around the corridor, people had noticed him there - some were just staring at him, some whispering. He was stupid, they were either whispering because he was best friends with Oliver Queen who had died or because he was hugging Felicity. Either way he just wanted to move on from that place.

"Of course you can Tommy. As long as you don't mind my classes." She smiled back at him, still seeing the sadness that was no doubt mirrored in her own eyes. Motioning with her head, felicity lead Tommy down the hallway to her next class. He felt weird being back in a college lecture theatre, the last time he did that was with Oliver – both hung over to the ends of the earth, eyeing off who their next tick off the list would be in their class.

Felicity motioned for Tommy to make his way down the hallway towards her next class, glancing behind her for a moment, she locked eyes with another boy from her previous class, blinking back at him for a moment, she smiled shyly at him before turning back to Tommy and disappearing down the long hall.

Thinking back on his and Oliver's craziness, Tommy knew it wasn't a good life they had been living. Had they been having fun? Yeah of course, but Tommy could tell that Oliver had been trying to change, well that was before he slept with Laurels sister of course. Losing his best friend had made Tommy thinking back over the years. He didn't know if he wanted to change or if he even could change but he knew he needed to do something to honour his best friend. Something more than keep screwing his way through Starling City - although he was probably going to keep doing that anyway.

By the time lunch had come around, Tommy and Felicity had settled into a comfortable chatter. He asked he question about her school work, how she had been going over the last few weeks, how Thea was holding up. But they had settled into silence at the cafeteria table, Tommy barely touching his burger. "Hey, what's going on?" Felicity reached out and touched his hand, bringing his attention from his plate to her.

There was always one thing that Oliver and Tommy could never do and that was lie to Felicity, alright make that two things, they also could never hide the truth from her either. Sighing, Tommy turned his hand over to hold onto hers, finding some happiness in the anchor of having her around.

"I just...I guess I just need something ya know. Something to keep me going. Being at home - everything is just so quiet. I feel like I've lost so much losing Oliver. I don't know what I can do to keep a hold of any part of him anymore." Tommy dropped his head into his hands, his burger not even touched as he sat opposite Felicity.

Felicity sighed, she hated seeing Tommy like this, hated seeing him so lost and broken. She knew what it was like, losing Oliver had left a whole in her as well but she still her Thea and her job a QC, she had the small gifts he had given her over the past 18 months, there was still parts of Oliver that she could hold onto, like her industrial bar he had bought for her for her birthday. But Tommy had lost his other half, he had lost his brother. Thinking for a moment, Felicity had an idea. "I might have something for you..."

Tommy looked up at her, a sceptical look, unsure about what she was talking about. Clearing her throat, Felicity straightened in her seat, "Before Oliver…" she swallowed, still struggling to say those words, "…he asked me to hold onto his plans for the bar, Verdant. He thought maybe his dad would get rid of them or something. But why don't…why don't you do it. Take his plans and buy the old Foundry off Robert and do what you and Oliver wanted to do together. Honour him that way." She sat back in her chair, trying to gauge Tommy's reactions.

Tommy thought for a moment, could he really do it? Could he take Oliver's vision and make it into something he would have been proud of? His smile grew wide after a moment, "Only if you work with me on it. You can set up the electronics and whatever you want. Please…" he reached out to touch her hand, if he was going to do this, if Tommy was really going to try and take Oliver's dream and make it a reality, he would only do it with Felicity helping him out.

If Tommy was really honest with himself, the club was always Oliver's baby. It was his idea, his plans, his vision…Tommy was just there to go with it. But Oliver had always said they would be joint owners, Oliver would oversee the whole bar and Tommy would manage it. Something they had both found to good idea.

That shocked Felicity, could she really do it? She had always hoped that Oliver would ask her to help him out but now, doing it without him, it felt right to be joining Tommy. "Yeah, I would love to. But you gotta talk to Robert about the Foundry. I'm not getting involved with that." She laughed. "I'll send you what I've and then you can have a look at it. Honestly though Tommy, Oliver's ideas and plans…they are amazing. He has thought of everything, honestly it's impressive." Tommy just nodded; he was excited to work with Felicity on their best friends' idea.

"So tell me, why did Oliver want to call it Verdant?" Tommy hadn't known that Oliver had thought of a name for the bar, not that Tommy really minded, but he was curious now as to what it could possibly have meant for him.

Felicity just smiled, she knew this story, she had asked Oliver the same question months ago.

"So, you never actually told me - why do you want to name the bar Verdant? I mean, how did you even come up with that?" Felicity looked over at Oliver, finding him lounging comfortably on her couch. For once they had ended up at her place, he needed to get out of the mansion, needed to get away from his father and mother.

Oliver seemed comfortable in her apartment, it wasn't very big, the whole thing was probably not much bigger than Oliver's own bedroom, closet and en suite if she was being honest but it was hers and she loved it. He had settled in instantly, he looked at home next to her, the TV on in the background. She never thought that Oliver would find comfort in her small home and Oliver never thought that it would just feel so simple being there.

He had let his mind wander, zoning out from the TV and the show that was playing, he was comfortable sitting with Felicity, having her so close by that nothing else mattered. He let his mind wander to what he had planned for his life, well what he wanted from his life because what he had planned and wanted were two completely different things. But all he did know was that Felicity had been one of the only people who had supported him no matter what he wanted or what he thought.

She would challenge him when she needed to, yell at him and force him to think about his actions but she was also incredible kind and supportive no matter how crazy his ideas were. Like the bar for example. No one in their right mind would believe that Oliver Queen would be able to own, build and manage a bar. He couldn't even stay in a college long enough to graduate but she had smiled at him, encouraged his ideas and even helped with some of the planning. Her eyes lighting up at the idea of setting some cool looking IT system that he would have no idea how to run.

Felicity's voice had found its way into his ears, pulling his attention from the TV and back to her but it was clear that he hadn't heard her though. Leaning over, Felicity placed her hand against Oliver's shoulder, causing his head to jerk up to look at her. He took all of her in, the way she looked at him with her head to the side, love and caring the only thing shining in her eyes. He was happy here, content.

He blinked, trying to piece together what she had said but after a moment he hadn't even a clue, "I'm sorry, what?" Oliver rubbed his eyes; something was bothering him more than he was letting on. Felicity had noticed that he had been quieter than normal that day, they'd walked around Starling like they had on many other occasions but silence had replaced the usual laughter that came from him.

Shuffling closer to Oliver, Felicity moved her hand from his shoulder to wrap around his wrist, squeezing it tightly. "Hey what's going on?" Her voice was quiet, she wasn't going to push him more than he wanted to give.

Oliver sighed and looked down at the hand on his wrist, warmth seeping under his skin. Why did it feel so right to feel that warmth there? Another squeeze brought his eyes back up to hers, a concerned look filling the blue he found there. Deciding that he was just going to take the warmth she gave and not think anything of it, Oliver smiled and shook his head, "Nothing. I'm ok. Just tired I guess. Didn't sleep well last night." He shrugged, shifting in his seat to be closer to her, his hand resting on top of hers still on his wrist.

Felicity watched him sceptically, she didn't believe him in the slightest but Oliver was Oliver and he would always come to here when he was ready. It was clear that at the moment, he wasn't ready for whatever it was that was bothering him. "I asked how you go to Verdant. Why you want to name your bar that."

Oliver nodded and thought for a minute, "Honestly I'm not sure. Do you remember when you came over and Thea made us take her to see that Disney movie?" He waited; he had no idea what movie they had seen but it was the memory of him sitting next to Felicity that he remembered most. She nodded, "You were wearing a white top with the word Verdant across it." He shrugged, looking away from her. "I just remember looking at it and thinking that it would make a great name. Plus, green is my favourite colour."

Felicity just blinked at Oliver - the fact that he could remember that specific event shocked her a little. It was a shirt, nothing special but he has used the word. "Oh well then I'm glad I wore the shirt for you that day. Not that I wore it for you, I mean I do know green is your favourite colour but I didn't pick it out so you'd notice me - it..." Felicity placed her fingers to her lips, effectively shutting down the babbling.

She hated when she babbled, it was nervous habit, but why was she nervous? Did Oliver make her nervous? She seemed to only babble when she was around him. Why would be make her nervous? Oh god she was babbling inside her own head as well now.

But Oliver just laughed a little, turning his head back to the TV, settling into a comfortable silence.

Felicity smiled back at Tommy, wanting to keep that small secret to herself for as long as possible, the last thing she needed to was Tommy knowing that Oliver named his club after something she wore one day. Shrugging her shoulders, she went back eating what was left of her burger.

Any love? :D