Oliver
He paced and rubbed the back of his neck, his muscles tight, hating being here at yet another hospital, hating Adrian's life hanging in the balance while they operated on his brain over a damn text and hating this damn never ending waiting game he currently couldn't get out of playing.
And he especially hated that he'd flashed earlier and hurt Felicity. And he could have broken her wrist. He could have done worse than that. This lack of control set his teeth on edge and made his muscles tight.
Time crawled as he glanced again at his phone to see it'd only been three minutes since he looked the last time and only nine minutes since the time before.
He wished for his running gear or even his soccer ball, so he could go for a run on the beach and practice. Anything would be better than playing this waiting game while his brain ran through all the mistakes he'd made today.
And he wished Felicity would hurry up and get here. Driving in rush in Corpus was unpredictable and the longer he waited the more his chest tightened and the harder it became to breathe. She'd never driven Sharon's SUV, anything could happen on the road. And he wondered if her wrist still hurt?
His skin tingled and he jerked his head up his Felicity radar kicking in and his muscles loosened, his breathing eased, as he watched Felicity and Sharon walk together across the parking lot headed toward the gleaming sliding glass doors that led into the hospital.
Even through the glass and the distance, she found his eyes and smiled her smile, and he couldn't stop himself.
He smiled back, his heart lightening.
How she got to him, like no one else and always had. She pushed his buttons just by looking his way and all she had to do was breathe, and he hoped she always would. Unable to resist her pull, his slight grin teased the corners of his mouth wider as she smiled brighter and gave a cute wave.
No matter how much he denied it, no matter how hard he fought his attraction, her pull, Felicity always got to him.
And he loved it.
And her.
His phone pinged.
A text drew his eyes to the screen and he read the name Riley.
Felicity put the man's number in his phone, and sadly Riley's name possessed the power to wipe his smile straight off his face.
Damn it, so what if he'd ask him to bring Ned to Corpus that didn't mean he wanted to talk to the man.
Which meant he grimaced as he swiped and read, "Dumped ned down the street 2 smoke. Got stuff 2 do home. And yeah, I pulled over 2 text. Stupid 2 text & drive. Praying 4 adrian. Keep me in the loop."
"K," he texted the one letter, hit send and stuffed his phone back in his back pocket.
He braced and planted his feet as she rushed her smiling, gorgeous self toward him and hit him full body impact, giving him a solid hug and a short sweet kiss, which helped put the grin straight right back on his face as she whispered, "I thought I'd never get here. Missed you."
Jesus, he loved touching her skin, kissing her and he muttered in her ear, "Me too."
Would he ever get enough?
No, probably not, but he was beginning to think normal life with her was more than okay. And the very best time he'd had in a very long time, maybe in his entire life.
"Hey, you." She swept her hand down his face before she stepped back yet didn't release him completely.
No, instead, she wrapped her arm about his back, pressed close and stayed glued beside him.
He liked it so he didn't try to escape like he would have in the past. Instead, he inhaled her scent and wound his arm around her back, giving her a squeeze. "Hey, good trip? How's the wrist?" His hands moved gently over her skin searching for pain in her face.
"Oliver, stop. I told you didn't hurt me. And we hit a little traffic coming in but nothing big."
"I still think you should have it x-rayed."
She flipped her wrist around with the words, "It's good. See. No worries."
He lifted his eyes from her wrist to watch Sharon Herron step back from them and turned white.
"Ms. Herron, You alright? You don't look good. Do you need to sit down?" He took a step toward her, and she took another step back, so he stopped moving since he could smell the fear coming off her.
What the hell? He stepped back and placed Felicity between them and Sharon
"You can call me Sharon. I'm thinking we are way past the Ms. Thing. And I didn't know you hurt your wrist, Felicity. What happened?" Sharon voice turned ugly on the last part, and she narrowed her eyes at him.
And frowned.
Her frown deepening the wrinkles on her face. Releasing her lip, her age lines showed deeply in her face, and he wondered why she looked as old as she did. She had to be only ten or less years older than him.
What had caused all those lines on her face? And if looks could kill, he'd drop on the spot.
Felicity gave a little laugh before waving her hand around. "Oliver accidently grabbed me to tight. It's nothing."
"It's never nothing, is it Coach Queen?"
Yeah, the woman thought he'd hurt Felicity on purpose.
"It's not like that. And call me Oliver. Like you said, we're past titles." He kept his tone neutral.
Clutching her large pink hand bag like a life line, she looked between Felicity and him, her eyes darting like she was watching a tennis game, and he took in her eyes were dilated.
A clear sign the woman was afraid of him and his smart Felicity must have caught that too since she added, "No truly, Oliver would never hurt me on purpose. He loves me. He'd die for me. Now, any word on Adrian? I know Sharon's dying to hear an update. I didn't mean to say the word dying. I just meant. Well, you know what I meant."
He softened his face. "Yeah, I know what you meant, and he's still in surgery. Been there for over two hours. Waiting room's upstairs. Follow me." Waving his hand, he turned them toward the elevator and his phone pinged.
"Ned? Is it Ned?" Sharon asked, clearly hopeful.
He pulled out his phone and swiped. "No, it's Riley again."
"Yo man of few words k back u. C u 10 2morrow. Going 2 try something ne session. No worries. Will b easy. Great soccer practice. U have a way with them coach. A good way. Looking 4ward to ur 1st game. Win or lose doesn't matter. Good fun. Best of luck."
He rolled his eyes skyward, growling since the man worked to pain him, while, the warmth still crept into his chest over Riley's coach comment, and he grinned for a second before he shut his feelings down.
"What'd he say?" Felicity reached for his phone and he evaded her.
"He reminded me of our appointment and talked about how well soccer practice went. Told me I'm doing a good job as coach. Unsettles me."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Get over it. You are a good coach, and I knew you would be. But you don't want me to see his text? Why is that?"
Her hand swept his chest and again he found it hard to breathe.
"I promise I'll show you later. They're waiting for Ms. Herron, Sharon, to fill out paperwork. We need to move this along?"
"Which translates into you don't want me to read your text. Why is that? Share, Oliver. I feel like you're lying to me. Don't do that. We need to be truthful to each other. But you aren't being truthful are you?"
He had to look down before he said, "No, Felicity. Please, believe me, it's a text. Not important in the scheme of things. You need to let it go."
"Then don't be difficult. Show me the text." She looked over her glasses at him giving him her totally cute self and his chest warmed, but he didn't fall for it.
And for some reason, he didn't want her to see the text.
It was stupid, but still, he didn't want to talk about his session with Riley. He didn't want to discuss Riley trying something new in front of Sharon Herron. He didn't want anyone even knowing he was seeing Riley.
Hell, even going to see Riley hurt.
Discussing it even with her and in front of one of his team's mother, impossible.
"Later. Let it go."
"Oliver." She held out her hand.
He shook his head. "Felicity, you know he's not my favorite person. Believe me if he never texted me again it would be too soon. Even better he could lose my number."
"You don't mean that?"
"I do. But I also know you're friends with Anna, so this is me trying here to get along. Take what you're getting and don't push me. Okay."
"Okay." Sharon said hatefully. "I hate to interrupt this Hallmark moment but is my boy still in brain surgery or what? You two can work this out later. Hopefully, without me."
Sharon might be afraid of him, but she still had bite he noted.
Surprise.
Surprise.
Hmmm.
Felicity spoke first shaking her blonde head. "Sorry, you're right. Adrian's who's important right now. We'll revisit this later." She released him, but he didn't let her completely go. Instead, he snagged her soft hand and laced his fingers with hers as he led the way down the hall.
"Follow me," he growled.
She squeezed his hand as she kept pace behind him, her heels clicking, with Sharon power walking beside her.
How his woman could walk in those heels amazed him, but he loved the way they made her legs look longer and awesome.
And he wanted her to wear them for him later with nothing else.
Okay, he was still a guy after all, and her body constantly reminded him of that fact.
Arriving at the elevator, he pushed the up button and his phone buzzed. Pulling the phone from his back pocket, he glanced at the screen. "Now that's Ned."
Felicity nodded, and Sharon expression turned guarded.
"Ned. Hold on a minute. Yes, they're here." He waved his hand at her. "You two go on up. Sharon do what needs done. I'll wait for Ned. He's stopped to smoke before he hit campus."
"Of course, it's a nonsmoking campus, so, yeah, of course, he stopped to smoke." Felicity wrinkled her nose. "Fracking terrible habit. Tell Ned, he needs to quit. Give that up. Smoking and the cancer it causes sucks. Plus it stinks. A lot. It stinks like stinky feet. Or maybe worse."
She so cute, he thought as he grinned and waved his phone at her. "Pretty sure you just told him yourself."
"Oh, oh!" Her eyes went wide. "Can't help it." She shrugged and spoke up, so her voice would carry. "Well, it's true. Lung cancer's not a fun way to go out. And smoking still stinks. Not sorry, Ned. But it's true, smoking's a nasty habit. Kills people every day. And don't get me started on vaping." She wrinkled her tiny nose again.
Jesus, how could she be this cute and without trying?
And how did she make him this damn happy?
Without trying?
He pushed those thoughts aside and waved his hand. "Waiting room's on the second floor. Turn left when you get off the elevator, then go straight and there be a woman sitting at a desk. Sharon, they've been waiting for you to get here to do paperwork. I'll meet Ned and join you upstairs." Hating leaving her, he stepped back and nodded at Felicity. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Okay." She nodded back, winked, as her hand squeezed his before she let him go.
####OQ####
Felicity
Oliver winked back at her, being her totally sexy attractive man, before he turned and headed back toward the entrance talking to Ned as he walked away.
The elevator's doors slid open.
Stepping in, she pressed the second floor button.
The doors started to close, and she realized Sharon hadn't gotten in. Throwing out her arm, the doors slid slowly back open.
Sharon stood in front of the elevator, white faced, her hands clutching her large pink purse in a death grip.
"Problem?" She tilted her blonde head, pushed up her glasses and stared at the woman.
But Sharon bit her bottom lip and avoided her eyes.
"You okay?" She prompted again.
She shook her head, before she gave a half grin and shrugged. "No, I'm not. Not in years. Not joking either. You need to let this go." Yet, she giggled like she'd told a joke before she looked pained.
"Okay, so noted, but I'm not making any promises. I am the way I am. You coming or not?" The doors slid close again, and she stopped them with her hand.
The doors slid open again. And pure panic engulfed Sharon's face.
Sharon shook her head. "Not. . . I can do it . . . I'll use the stairs. See you upstairs." The woman promptly turned her back on her and pushed her way through the door that proclaimed, "Stairs."
Once more the woman used a strange choice of words.
What the frack?
She needed to look Sharon up, to run all her searches. Every search she could think of.
And then if she didn't find something she'd think up some new ones.
Search the dark net if needed and darn sure hack her way into Sharon's health records ASAP.
Frowning, she shook her head attempting to process why Sharon hated elevators, why beads instead of a doors, and why her thing about doors didn't include stairwells with lots of doors?
Exhaling, she watched the elevator doors slide shut and rode to the next floor looking at the small space while her brain wondered what could be wrong with it.
Clearly Sharon had problems. The woman freely admitted her messed up head. Maybe, she needed her meds adjusted.
The elevator doors slide open, and the woman had beaten her upstairs and now headed across the large lobby with purpose.
She stomped off the elevator, and moved after her on quick feet. "Okay, so, you don't do elevators? Or wait for people who are trying to help you? I'm just trying to help you."
"Don't brother. I didn't ask you to help me." Sharon walked faster away from her toward a woman who sat at a desk holding a laptop, a landline phone, a small pile of cards and a cup with several pens stuck in it, none of which she noted were the color red.
Only plain Jane pens, black or blue.
Not red like Oliver remembered from the first time they met.
The thought made her smile since she'd crushed on him even before the first time she'd laid eyes on him in person.
Hurrying to catch up before Sharon reached the hospital employee, she demanded, "Do small spaces bug you? Make you feel uncomfortable? What's the deal?"
Sharon's frame got straighter, and the woman walked faster away from her.
"Hey, it's no big deal, a lot of people live life being claustrophobic. Want to talk about it? I'll listen." She hurried after her.
She turned. "NO! And I'm not saying I am that. I don't talk about those days. So, stop asking. Look, I like to take the stairs. Can I help it?" She tilted her head. "No, not even if I tried. I'm like that. Now, would you please stop trying to psycho analyze me? I've been there and done that more than once and have the script for whatever it is they think I have."
"Alrighty then." Her voice came out strained.
Sharon added. "And I never talk about my marriage. Ever. Don't ask." She cut the air with her hand. "Ever"
"Your marriage to Grover?"
"I try to pretend it never happened. So, I'm not talking about it. Ever."
"Wait, what does not riding in an elevator have to do with your marriage? Or do you want to talk about beads for doors? Does Grover have anything to do with your problem with doors?"
The woman ducked her head and imploded.
Looking smaller and hugging her pink purse, she squeaked, "I promised." Before, she whispered, "And, for the record, I don't have a problem with doors."
"You don't?"
"No, I don't." She rolled her eyes. "It's what's behind them."
"Who did you promised? Gordon?" Sharon flinched and she pushed on. "Sorry, I'm just trying to help here. I know it's been a terrible day, and no one should go through a day like you've had today alone. I'm honestly not trying to upset you."
"Then don't say his name or ask me questions about my past or talk about DOORS because I already know what's behind them in the dark."
"What's behind them?"
"Monsters," she whispered hugging herself.
"Monsters?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then no doors, elevators, or ex's conversations. But did you mean you're scared of the monsters behind the doors?"
Sharon glared at her and her eyes brightened, tears clearly threatening. "If I answer you will promise you'll shut up about damn doors?"
This woman was seriously freaking her out, but she nodded.
"Then the answer is no, I'm not scared."
"You're not."
Her eyes found mine.
"No, I'm fucking terrified."
"But? What . . ."
"Do you not keep your promises? Stop talking."
"Ah . . . and this is me shutting up now. Sorry, I pressed you."
Okay, her voice came out sounding hurt, since the woman had done nothing but shove her offers to help her back at her all day.
Not to mention, Sharon's past equaled a huge puzzle, and she hated the not knowing part of any puzzle.
She liked her puzzles to click together and none of Sharon's puzzle pieces clicked nicely together.
Sharon shut her eyes for an instant and reopened them before she added. "Good, and now, I'm the sorry one. I thank you, since, you've been nothing but kind, but could you do me a favor and let it go?"
She must have had that look on her face for Sharon's shoulder's sagged. "You're not going to let it go are you?"
She shrugged. "Probably not since I'm hard wired to be nosey."
This earned her a small grin. "Look, I have quirks that's all. No big deal. One of them is about doors and, okay, small spaces. Everyone has things about them that's different. Has reasons for the way they act. And I don't want to talk about them. I've talked them to death in counseling. And I know it's okay to forgive myself."
"Of course it is." She encouraged her. "Probably caused by something in your past."
"Yeah, something I want to stay in the past. Now, I'm not looking for a new best friend. I don't share my past, and I don't get in elevators." Sharon frowned and nodded looking like she could shatter at any instant.
"Well maybe I am looking for new friends. I'm new here. Give me a chance."
Looking down, she murmured, "Well, then you have to understand that I can't share certain things. I . . . I promised. And if he found out . . ." The woman looked around like she was checking to see if someone could be listening before going on, "Well, it could be bad so please, just don't ask."
"Who are you talking about? Grover?"
Her head snapped down, like her shoes had become the most important thing on earth, as her face turned white. "See that right there. I . . . never mind. Don't worry about it. Now, you've done your good deed, and I need to check on my boy. We're not going to be friends anyway."
"You don't know that for sure. The two of us could really hit it off."
"Right, like that's going to happen since if you were my friend you'd back off when I ask you to back off. And you'd shut up about my past." Sharon clutched her pink purse to her chest and approached the woman at the desk, throwing the words over her shoulder.
"And this would be me really shutting up this time." Okay, maybe the woman had a point. They weren't going to friends, since she couldn't shut up most of the time. And there was no way she could leave Sharon's monsters, who lived behind closed doors, alone. She rolled her eyes and turned toward the woman at the desk.
"I'm Adrian Herron's mother. Halo Flights airlifted him here a few hours ago. How's he doing?" Sharon ask the woman.
The woman typed on her computer. "Yeah, there he is. He's currently in surgery, and they've been waiting for you downstairs to admit him since Halo airlifted him in." She grabbed one of the cards on the desk and a pen. Pointing toward the TV, she explained, "The board on the mulit-colored screen keeps families apprised of the person's current place in surgery or recovery. You need to watch the screen for updates."
The woman wrote a number on the card, and she looked over Sharon's shoulder and memorized the number before the woman handed the card to Sharon. "This is his patient number. It will stay with him the entire time he's here. You'll find his number on the TV and it will let you know when he's in recovery. Someone from the surgery team will also call and give you updates as they work. So if the phone rings and I say his last name someone from the family needs to come up and take the phone. Questions?"
She had lots but probably nothing this woman could answer, namely what had freaked Sharon out about her just saying her ex-husband's name and what scared her behind doors. But since she'd promised to "shut up," she didn't ask.
But she wanted to.
And she'd find out if it killed her.
Sharon nodded and murmured the word, "Thanks," and stuffed the card in her pocket.
"Admission's is on the first floor by the entrance. You need to sign paperwork to get him admitted."
"Okay." She turned and headed back toward the lobby and no doubt, the stair case again.
Scrambling to catch the woman, she offered. "Want me to come? We can both use the stairs."
Her words earned her a tiny grin, but Sharon shook her head. "No, I've got this. Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't you give me my keys, and go find your man? Thanks for driving me down. I won't take up any more of your time. You can go. I release you."
"Thanks but no thanks. Think I'll stay a while. And I don't think you're up for driving right now. Besides Oliver told me to give your keys to Ned."
Sharon froze in place and turned on her heel, eyes wild, her voice rising. "Oh, hell no. That's not happening. No man's ever holding my keys again or taking my car. It's my ride. I own it. And I want my keys right now."
"I never meant to keep them forever. Calm down. I'll give them to you. Don't freak out."
"I'm not. I swear I'm CALM as I can be right now, but if you don't give me my DAMN SUV keys right the hell now, you're going to have a major problem. Hand them over to me NOW!" She stuck out her hand.
"Okay, sure, not fighting you for them. Of course, you're right they're your keys. I'll give them to you. But just saying, if you don't want Ned to drive you home, then you two can work that out between you."
She dug the keys out of her purse and handed them over knowing Sharon had just flipped from needy, broken and sad to a total bitch who acted like she would beat her down for stealing her SUV in two point three seconds.
The woman clearly possessed major issues, but she'd let Ned deal with her. "I'll just wait here."
Sharon clutched the keys to her chest like they were a life line in a storm before she uttered, "You do that."
And left her standing there to go and check her son in.
Left alone, she entered a large waiting room with flat screen TVs that hung on the walls.
The closed captioning screen turned on, the sound low, the TV's hung proudly on each of the four walls each playing a different channel except for one that held different colored lines with numbers and names. She found Adrian's number and read the words "In Surgery."
Small and large groups of people sat around chatting, some drinking out of white cups, with what no doubt was coffee.
She could use a cup or a gallon of coffee right now. Dealing with Sharon required caffeine and lots of it. Her eyes scanned the room and voilà there on the counter sat a coffee machine with white cups in a holder beside it.
This hospital had it going on, she thought as she proceeded to pour herself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip, she found the drink too strong, so she doctored it with cream and sugar making it rather drinkable.
Taking the cup to the seating area, she pulled her tablet out of large purse and started up a few searches. As the machine worked its magic, she looked around the room, her eyes taking in the people. Some were old and others young men and women. All ages and social back grounds each here waiting for a loved one to have surgery, each here looking to get well or at least better. Some sat beside white bags that proclaimed "Patient" which clothes and shoes.
Outpatients, she thought. People expected to leave today, to go home.
Something that wasn't going to happen to Adrian.
A small play area in the corner held several cute children playing with blocks and a large wooden box with activities like beads that moved on metal runners and small doors that opened and closed. Mothers and fathers watched from seats nearby and her mind wondered to what Oliver and her child would look like.
She shut those thoughts down for now and noted that most eyes watched the spread sheet on the large TV screen, all of them looking for a loved one.
Watching those colored lines.
Some lines read, "In surgery."
Others proclaimed, "In recovery."
Others gave room numbers.
Finally, Oliver walked into the room with Ned beside him and her eyes took him in and her mind assured her that Oliver Queen's children would be knockouts.
"Hey," he said and she pushed thoughts of his children away.
Ned said nothing but she didn't miss that his eyes were hungry as they swept the room, no doubt looking for Sharon.
"She's gone to admit him. She'll be back."
Ned nodded. "Any word?"
She pointed to the screen. "He's still in surgery." Quickly, she explained the system then added, "It could be hours yet."
"Alright then." Ned's voice grim, he flopped down beside her smelling like bad cigarette smoke. "How's she holding up?"
Oliver lowered his large frame into the couch on the other side of her and tented his fingers.
"She's stressed. She wants me to leave, and she insisted I give her keys back." Oliver stiffened beside her. "Which I did after she freaked out and acted like someone had taken her keys and kept them from her before. Also, I think she's afraid of her ex-husband. Grover's name amounts to blasphemy. She doesn't ride in elevators, and the fallout from her mood swings are giving me whiplash. And that's just the last ten minutes or so."
"Shit, and she hasn't heard the worse yet." Ned scrubbed his face with his hands. "Doesn't help that she's always been high-strung."
"Well, that's one way of putting it. I'll add that she's told me she's on meds for depression and anxiety, and since I've only spent this afternoon with her, and, even though I know it's been a horrible day for her, if I get a vote, I'm for contacting her doctor about upping her dosage. And I mean today."
"Felicity," Oliver admonished, "Cut her some slack. This has been a hard day for her, and if there's one thing I know about it's a hard day."
"You haven't spent the day with her. She's either crying, yelling or acting like she wants to kick my butt. And she clearly doesn't want me here. She's said it outright repeatedly. And she doesn't want to be friends. She's told me that repeatedly."
"Shh . . . here she comes."
Sharon froze in the entry.
Her eyes landed on Ned and he stood and went to her.
"We need to talk."
"What if I don't want to talk to you right now?" Sharon's voice sharp cut through the room. She frowned and her wrinkles around her mouth deepened. "What if I can't take any more today? What if I can't stand anymore? What if I wanted all of you to go and leave me to my son, who's having brain surgery, as I speak, and who Mae warned me may never be the same, maybe will be crippled, brain damaged, have a TBI, a traumatic fucking brain injury, or die because he texted and drove and didn't wear his damn seat belt. So, no, the last think I want to do right now is talk. I've taken everything I can for my nerves and have to wait two more hours to take another dose. I can't double up, so, no, I don't want to talk."
Sharon fisted her hands, and she wondered if the woman was about to take a swing at Ned.
"I told him he was going off halfcocked. I warned him." Her voice rose, people looked their way but Sharon didn't seem to care as she kept melting down. "Jesus, he is so like you. Hard headed, bull in a china shop, won't listen, would run into a burning building, so you."
"See." She hissed at Oliver, who raised an eyebrow.
Ned froze and held his hands palms up to her. "Okay, you're right, talking can wait. How about I give you that hug I owe you now, Shar?"
Thunder crossed Sharon's face. "Don't call me that. You don't get to leave me alone knocked up and come back and call me that."
"I didn't know."
"I wrote you. You ignored my letters."
"I never heard from you. Never saw a letter from you. I wrote you."
"That can't be. And beside you promised to come back, made promises you didn't keep."
"There are reasons if you'd let me talk to you, I'll explain."
"How are you going to explain that you came home and ignored me for three years."
"Shar, I need to talk to you in private. Let me explain."
"Damn you, don't call me that. That's not yours anymore not since you left me alone. You're almost twenty years too late to call me that."
Sharon's tears returned, running down her face, and Felicity found it hard to watch the pain roll off the woman and, normally she was strong, she could stand anything, but she turned her head.
Her own memories rushing at her.
She'd been alone in that awful place more than once with Oliver. The place where she'd thought she'd lost him forever, thought they were done, where he'd ignored her, dated other people and told her he couldn't do them and let her think he'd never love her back.
Then she stood alone in that place where she thought he was dead completely lost to her. Then she'd stood in that place where she'd given him up and he'd disappeared becoming another person.
All those times, in all those terrible places, she'd been alone, and Oliver had simply left her there.
Not chased her, not came for her, and just not been there for her.
Those times had broken her heart.
And yeah, she knew that sometimes, he'd felt he had no choice but to go, but that didn't make her any less alone when he left her.
Her own tears threatened, and he must have been thinking the same things for Oliver threw his arm over her shoulder and drug her close into his chest, and she pressed her cheek into this solid frame and he whispered, "I love you. And I'm here with you now. Put the past to rest and think about what we have now. I know that's what I'm doing."
She pressed in harder and nodded, but that didn't mean she couldn't still hear Ned's hard words.
"That name's always going to be mine. My name for you back when you dared me to eat glue in second grade, and I did it to prove I loved you."
"You puked on my black Mary Jane's afterwards."
"Shouldn't have dared me. Still my name for you when I kissed you under the slide in fourth grade." He held up his hand. "And yeah, I know you punched me and busted my lip more than once, but that didn't stop me from stealing a hell of a lot more kisses for a lot more years. Regardless, Shar was mine when be both lost our virginity together when we were . . ."
"Ned!"
"Well, it's true. And it's still mine today. So, yeah, we can wait to talk, to figure this out, for a little bit. But I've waited as long as I'm going to hold you again, so if could you stop stabbing larger holes in my already ripped up heart that has always belonged to you, and," Ned's voice lowered becoming rough, "come your beautiful ass over here where you belong, Shar, I'd deeply appreciate it."
She pulled her head out of Oliver's chest and looked up at the two of them.
Sharon, looking brittle, gave a large sob and stood frozen.
"Oh, fuck it, if that's what it takes, I'll come to you." Ned moved to wrap his big body around her and hugged a crying Sharon to him.
Oliver's arms tightened. Settling into him, she lay her head back on her man's chest and listened to his steady heart beat until she pulled herself back together, while he cupped the base of her skull, plunging his fingers in her hair to gently massage her scalp.
"Better? Fel . . ., I mean, Babe?" He asked softly.
And it struck her.
Hard like a lightning bolt.
"Oliver!" She lifted her head and looked into his awesome blue eyes.
"What?"
"I was wrong."
He raised an eyebrow. "You were wrong? But you're never wrong."
She looked deep his dreamy eyes. "Yeah, but I was this time. I don't need a pet name from you because I already have one."
"You do?" He looked puzzled.
"Absolutely."
She nodded and he waited then growled. "Focus, Felicity, and tell me what it is."
"See and there it is."
He rolled his eyes. "What?"
"It's my name, Oliver. The way you say my name. I love the many ways you say my real name, how you break up the syllables like it's a song, how you make it sound special, and I miss it. So no nicknames, okay?"
His face softened, and he gave her a small wink, drawing out her name soft and gentle. "Felicity, okay, then anything you want. I love you and your name. And I love the way you say my name too so I don't need a nickname either."
And she rested her head on his chest for a few more minutes.
Some stupid game show came on, and she ignored it, instead she laced her fingers with Oliver's other hand and looked up one more time into his dreamy blue eyes before she grinned and pulled away from him.
He nodded, released her hand and her head, and she settled on the couch beside him and took out her tablet. She checked her search on Sharon, started searches on Ned and ran through a list of anyone related to them both.
Meanwhile, Ned pulled Sharon over to a small couch in the corner settled her in his lap, curled his arms around her and whispered to her, while they all waited for Adrian to come out of surgery.
She noted more tears and distress from Sharon, so she knew Ned was still having his talk.
#####OQ#####
Felicity
Time drug. She and Oliver had gone and gotten food from the cafeteria. Sharon had not eaten, refused coffee, drank nothing or gotten far from Ned's side, or his lap with her head in his chest, his arms wrapped around her.
The woman also hadn't talked much especially after Ned had shared.
Herself, she'd drank too much coffee and got up in search of the restroom. When she returned she turned to Oliver. "I have to say that I love this hospital. Not only do they have free, almost taste good, coffee, but you don't have to touch a door to go in or out of the bathroom. So, no figuring how to get out the door and not touch the door handle thing."
Oliver grinned at her. "Guys hate that too. Worse thing ever to have to pull the door open after you just washed your hands and have no trashcan to throw your paper towel."
Picking up her tablet, she swiped. "I'm happy to hear your mother trained you well."
"That would be Raisa."
"Of course, your housekeeper. And I agree since I always wonder who touched the door before me without washing their hands. Or the last time someone cleaned . . ."
"You're telling me the bathroom has no doors." Sharon interrupted as she stood.
"No, it's awesome, small hallway, instead."
"Where?"
"Down the hall to the left."
In a flash, Sharon disappeared down.
Ned looked at her. "What just happened?"
She frowned. "Unsure except I'd say she just went to the bathroom."
"No, the no door thing. You've mentioned it a couple times now."
"All I know is Sharon has a phobia thing about doors."
Ned stood and paced. "What kind of phobia thing?"
"Well, for one thing she has beads for her bedroom door. And she told me that there are monsters behind the doors. And come to think about it she hasn't ate or drank anything all day that I've noticed. Oh, wait, do you think she didn't want to go to the bathroom because of the door? So she's not been drinking? That's not a good thing. She'll get dehydrated."
Ned looked away and no one said a word when Sharon came back.
But Ned asked, "Shar, I'm going to get some coffee. You want a soda? Maybe eat a bite?" He reached out his hand for her.
"That would be nice. I'll come with you."
And she exchanged a "told you so" look with Oliver and he nodded.
The receptionist packed up as time pasted and soon everyone had gone home along with the rest of room.
Ned and Sharon returned and they continued to wait.
The sun set and night settled in. They became the last ones waiting, sharing an empty room with empty chairs, useless TV shows and only Adrian's line left on the spread sheet. He had been in surgery over six hours when she glanced up at the empty screen and tapped Oliver's arm. "Look, he's finally in recovery."
The phone rang echoing in the empty room, and Sharon squealed and jumped straight off of Ned's lap.
"I've got it." Ned stood and placed her on her feet and rushed to answer the phone.
She moved to stand by Sharon, not touching her but staying close as Ned stared at Sharon while he took the call. "Yes. Okay. Of course, we'll be waiting."
He hung up the phone. "He's in recovery, did well, and the surgeon's coming to talk to us. Said someone will come and get us and take us to a room."
Sharon stiffened and she figured she wasn't the only one who noticed.
"It has to have windows or I can't." Sharon asserted as she worried her hands in the middle of her chest, pulling them in tight.
"But you can do stairwells."
She couldn't stop the words, and Sharon surprised her by answering, "Stairwells have stairs."
"Like that makes sense?" The words popped out of her mouth.
"Stairs go somewhere. I need my pills." Sharon jerked her pink bag off the couch and started rummaging through it, her voice fanatic now. "I know I brought them. Where are they?"
"Easy, Love, just take deep breaths and try to calm down." Ned moved toward her.
A nurse entered the room and waved.
Sharon looked like a deer in the headlights but she took Ned's hand and followed.
"You two coming?"
"We'll wait here." Oliver replied.
"Okay."
She picked up her tablet and settled back in to wait.
Barely, a few seconds later, the door to the back flew open, and Sharon crashed into the room.
Both her and Oliver jumped to their feet.
Running like the hounds of hell snapped at her heels. Sharon flew past them and hit the stairs door, slamming it against the wall.
Ned crashed through the door right behind her with the words, "Which way?"
"That way." Oliver pointed toward the staircase. "What happened to her?"
"I don't fucking know. We went in the room to wait and she freaked and ran. I need to catch her." Ned ran toward the staircase door.
The nurse, who came to get them earlier, and a tired bald man wearing scrubs rush through the door in Ned's wake and the man pulled his cap off and frowned as he demanded. "What's going on here? They were supposed to meet me in the waiting room. That's the way things are done."
"Not today." She couldn't stop the words.
"His mother's . . . has some problems." Oliver offered.
"That's an understatement. Spend a little time with her." She breathed the words under her breath.
"Felicity."
"Well it's true."
"And you are?" The doctor frowned even deeper.
She watched him straighten, grow taller. "Oliver Queen. How is Adrian?"
"And you are related to the patient how?" The doctor asked, glaring at Oliver.
"I'm his . . ." Oliver lifted his chin, before adding, "his uncle."
Still a terrible liar, she felt compelled to add, "And he's Adrian court appointed soccer coach."
The doctor looked skyward before saying, "Fine, it's late and you're both still here so clearly he means something to you. He came through the surgery fine. I've stop the brain bled and now we wait to see how he progresses."
"How long?" She prompted.
He shrugged. "As long as it takes. Each patient is different. At least he's young and strong so he has a chance. If his parents have questions, I do rounds about 7 a.m. Tell them to be there. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Of course, thank you, doctor."
"You're welcome. Lisa, here will give you the info on what room he'll be in."
Oliver shook his hand and the man turned and walked away.
Lisa handed Oliver paperwork as she packed up.
"Felicity, I think we should stay the night. It's late."
"Works for me. Strange how sitting and waiting can be this exhausting." She shouldered her bag and frowned when his face tightened, even though her heart sped up.
"I've noted that myself." Then he seemed to shake it off as he reached for her hand and winked at her. "Hey, I'm thinking hot tub." He grinned again. "You up for it?"
Jesus, he just turned her on with a wink and that grin so she grinned back.
"You're such a guy sometimes."
"I am a guy."
"I've noticed, and Oliver, I haven't forgotten about that text by the way. Just saying."
"FELICITY!"
"Love the way you say my name, forever and ever. Hey let's take the stairs."
#####OQ#####
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