"THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CALL YOU BY YOUR NAME. BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN MAKE IT SOUND SO DAMN SPECIAL."

Iris West

The first time Iris met Oliver and Felicity, she was too busy staring at Starling and even Central's City's celebrity. No one could blame her for it. She had always harboured the tiniest of crushes on Oliver Queen, and while it must have been worse than anything ever possible, Iris thought that the island did wonders for his appearance.

So yes, the first time she met the couple, she was too busy staring at the man, to even notice the woman he was with, despite her hitting it off very well with Felicity the last time they met. And yes, she does feel ashamed to admit it.

It was only after she gave Oliver coffee and chastised Barry, that she fully allowed herself to observe Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak.

She was an aspiring reporter, and unlike most people, understood the extent of the integrity most publishing companies anticipate to achieve; little to none. She knew that the rumours and news on Oliver Queen only highlighted the man and the boy at his worse, because she knew, through Felicity and other sources, that the man had changed heavily, and was turning over a new leaf, trying to do and be better than his parents.

She also knew that his playboy days and reputation no longer mattered to him. While women were a constant feature in most of his previous pictures, a different one in every photo, they were all absent now, and Iris West wonders what changed.

But then she stares at Oliver and Felicity, and finds herself unable to stop.

They were wrapped in their own bubble, leaning across the table to whisper to each other, paying bystanders no attention as they converse. Only Felicity's mouth moves, and while that notation isn't a surprise, Oliver Queen's complete attention and adoration are. He smiles at her as if she's the only thing that matters, and Iris can't remember the last time she's seen that look in anyone's eyes, not even Eddie.

She wonders if they notice it, the way they stare at each other. The way they look so much like a couple that Iris would have thought that they were married and on their honeymoon if she hadn't known otherwise. Barry's never told her about knowing Oliver Queen, but she tries and racks her brain to think if there was a time when he ever talked about Felicity's boyfriend. She can't.

The first time Iris West meets Oliver and Felicity is the first time she is left wondering if there will ever be a day when someone would look at her like that. Wonders if anyone would smile at her as if she was the sun, the moon and the stars.

The first time Iris meets Oliver and Felicity she knows they have the potential to be something great.

I try to avoid the pounding in my head as I finish typing up the article on my laptop. The chatter around the office today is unbearable, and I'm pretty sure it has much to do with the fact that I'm running on little to no sleep for the past few days, ever since Eddie took on another Meta case and has been working himself tirelessly through the week.

Barry and my dad joined him, and made it so that I have not one, but three people to worry about.

Instead, I put all my focus and attention into the article, the latest article on the Flash, who is also helping on this meta case. It takes some of the stress off my shoulders, knowing that he'll (I'm pretty sure he is a he) protect them if necessary.

Cursing myself for letting the three men invade my thoughts and distract me once more, I fully extinguish my dad, boyfriend, and best friend from my mind.

I continue typing, despite the clicking of the keyboard doing nothing to soothe my head, and pour everything I need to say into the document, wondering if the space I'm allotted will fit my thoughts.

The sky has darkened when I finish, and almost everyone has left the building, it being a Sunday and the Christmas holidays nearing. I finish my last sentence, and move my mouse towards the submit button, but before I can click it, my phone rings.

Not thinking that it could be anyone else but Barry, Dad or Eddie, I pick up after the first ring, holding the device to my ear.

"Hello," I take a calm breath in after I hear the desperate urgency in my voice, forcing myself to calm down.

I'm heavily disappointed when the answering voice is not one of a man's but of a woman's, the voice familiar and easy to pinpoint despite us only communicating a couple of times.

"Hey Iris, its Felicity,"

I smile, not upset that she's calling but trying to keep the worry and disappointment to myself, "Hey Felicity, how are you?"

"I'm good. Very good. I'm also here. Like here, here. As in Central City here." She babbles, not too much so that I don't understand what she attempts to tell me.

"That's great Felicity," I tell her, genuinely pleased but at the same time wondering why she's calling me.

"Right so, um...I came to see Barry, but he just so happens to be busy, like super busy and I really don't know anyone else here except for an ex-boyfriend and that would just be so awkward since we parted on not so amazing ways, and I was wondering if you were busy?"

There is a moment of silence, that I hope Felicity is used to, because it takes me a moment to break apart her sentence and comprehend what she is asking of me.

"Oh no, I'm not busy at all. I'm at CCPN, the office is empty, and you're welcome to pop by until Barry's done." I say, staring at the laptop screen with the finished entry, the wheels on my head spinning.

I hear her beam through the phone, "Great, thank you so much. I'll be there in ten minutes."

The line clicks, indicating that she's ended the call, and once I've finally pressed the submit button, I take a moment to concoct my plan.

Making the list of all the reasons Felicity and Barry should be together was relatively simple; the list is quite long, and filled with numerous validations. Figuring out why they're not, well that proved to be the difficult task. I know they tried for a date (sort of) the last time she came here, but I don't know what happened after that, and whenever I ask Barry, he shrugs it off, telling me that it wouldn't have worked out.

So, since I have nothing else to do, I've made it my personal mission to figure out what other reason apart from distance Barry and Felicity have against pursuing a relationship.

A cool gust of air blows through the office, causing me to shiver and indicating Felicity's arrival. She spots me immediately and smiles, her face as happy and as bright as ever, and I wave to her, happy to see her again.

"It's so good to see you again," she tells me as we hug, and I return the sentiment.

"So," I say, clapping my hands together and gesturing her towards a seat, "What happened to you?"

She smiles cheerfully, "Not as much as what happened with you," she looks around the office, blonde ponytail swishing around her, "You were defiantly not here the last time we saw each other."

I nod, "Got a job, my dream job. It's amazing. But you would happen to know something about that, wouldn't you? Especially since you're the Head of Applied Science in Queen Consolidated."

She finally takes a seat, "Ya, it's amazing but I think I've underestimated how much work it is. Not that I don't like doing what I'm doing, but it's a huge jump. IT department, EA and now Head of Applied Sciences. It's all so...crazy."

She gives me the perfect opportunity to ask her what I've been wanting to for a long time, "Does that mean that you don't have time to date?"

I don't miss the blush that coats Felicity's cheeks, as she answers, "No, no one in my life right now." As if the blush doesn't make me suspicious, her rambling does, "Not that I don't have anyone, I have you, Dig, Barry...Oliver, but I'm not, dating anyone at the movement."

I tip my head to the side, "Why not,"

She shrugs, "I don't know. Work, too busy, there's a lot of things going on right now."

I don't believe the excuse, but I let it go, especially since the door opens once more, and while I was hoping that Eddie would pick me up, the man that walked through turned out to be most convenient.

Barry spots me first when he takes his eyes off his phone, "Hey, Iris I..." He trails off when he sees his blonde friend and I smirk at the smile on his face.

"Felicity?" He questions her presence, but walks up to hug her anyway, and she returns it.

I feel my smile dying and I confuse myself with my reaction. Why don't I feel elated? This is what I wanted.

"Hey," She whispers into his shoulder and the answer comes out muffled, and I look away from the two of them, busying myself with packing up my stuff, trying to shake off this feeling in my chest.

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, I really am." I can hear the smile in his voice even though I'm not looking at him. Being friends with him for so long allowed me that capability.

"Had to meet someone here for a Queen Consolidated thing, decided to catch up with you after. But you were busy with CCPD stuff and so I hung out with Iris until you were finished. We were just about to make our way to Jitters,"

I look at her confusedly, "We were?"

She smiles and nods at me, "Yep,"

Barry shrugs at me in defeat, but I see that he has no problem going to Jitters, and while this should probably be the moment where I let them be and allow them some time to start their epic romance, something makes me do otherwise.

"Sure, let's go,"

We walk out the door, making a mad dash to Jitters; bringing our fists to our faces in an attempt to fight off the cold as we race across the streets to get to warmth. We stampede into the coffee shop, shivering and shaking, and I fight the urge to knock Barry's hands away when he wipes Felicity's snow-covered glasses and places it back on her face. It's not normal for me; to have the urge to be so rude and possessive, I don't know where these notions are coming from.

I smile at Felicity and link my arm through hers, steering her in the direction of the table I usually claim, the table we used last time for our double date, while Barry waits in line to order a drink.

I go for the jump as soon as we sit down, because as a reporter, my curiosity is killing me, "So, we were talking about dating before Barry so graciously interrupted us. An interruption I don't think you minded so much." I don't head straight to the point, but I beat closely around the bush so that she clearly understands what I'm enunciating.

She is also quick to protest and decline, "No! No! Barry and I, we...we're not a thing. We were never a thing. It's not like that between the two of us...He's...amazing! He really is great, but the two of us..." she stumbles over her words adorably, "We're friends and we're going to stay friends, because of many reasons excluding distance,"

I tilt my head, "Reasons such as,"

She gives me a small smile, indicating that she may be physically here, but she is mentally not, "It's complicated. But it's never going to be like that between the two of us." She says the words with no hint of disappointment, remorse or sadness. Just an acceptance with an undertone of relief.

Barry arrives with three steaming cups of coffee just as we close up that part of the conversation, and he takes a seat between me and Felicity, shrugging off his coat and wrapping it on the back of his chair.

We chat about mundane stuff; our jobs, favourite restaurants, eventually leading ourselves into a lengthy debate on the importance of high heels; Felicity and I versus Barry.

Conversation with Felicity was always easy. She had an easygoing attitude that made it simple to confidently state your opinion and values and not have a fear of having it revoked or being judged.

"Hey, I forgot to ask, how's Oliver?" Barry suddenly interrupts, changing the topic, and if I wasn't too focused on staring at the freshly baked pie that they just took out of the oven, then I would have seen the way Felicity's face immediately shone like a star at the mention of his name and the knowing smirk Barry was trying to hide.

"He's...busy," She says tentatively, and I don't think much of the question or the answer since Barry and Oliver Queen seemed pretty close the last time (the first time) I met him, even when Felicity glares at Barry.

"You guys work really close together right? Since you're Applied Sciences and he's CEO," And this time, while Felicity mentally tells Barry to shut up, I look at him suspiciously because he has his innocent, 'up to no good' face. The look that neither Felicity or I are buying.

Regardless, Felicity grits her teeth in an obvious show of irritation and replies, "Yes Barry, my boss and I see each other very often. Too bad the girl you have your sights set on doesn't work at CCPD"

After hearing that piece of information, my curiosity over why Barry was teasing Felicity about Oliver completely left my mind as I was handed a new mystery to solve. And by the look of betrayal on Barry's face directed towards Felicity, what she said wasn't a petty lie to put him on the spot.

"You have a girl in your sights?" I cringe after I say it too loudly, and I mentally berate myself for the tone I used towards him. It almost sounded accusatory, as if he liking someone was somehow a fault. It wasn't.

He's allowed to date whomever he chooses to Iris.

"No, Iris, no. Felicity's just being mean." He shakes his head vehemently, seemingly to have forgotten that I've grown up with him and capable of deciphering when he lies.

Some sort of silent conversation passes through the two friends, from the looks of it, a threatening conversation, and I decide to let the matter of Barry's girl drop for now, with all intentions to pursue it once Felicity has left.

The stare-off between Barry and Felicity is interrupted when the latter's phone lights up and rings the ringtone familiar and easy to pinpoint as the Whistle Stop song from Robin Hood; my favourite Disney film.

This time, I get a front row seat and an accurate look at the way Felicity just...lights up (no other way to describe it) when she hears the ringtone and sees the name on her phone.

And if I thought that the Felicity that I've been talking to so far was a ray of sunshine; with her bright purple dress, neon painted lips and shining smile, then this Felicity Smoak, the one staring at her boss' name on the phone screen, doesn't compare.

I wonder if I look the same when I'm fawning over Oliver Queen. Surely, I couldn't look that happy could I?

Felicity picks up the phone without hesitation as one usually does when receiving a phone call from their boss' boss and I remind myself that they were close friends long before they had any sort of business relationship. He probably greets her first and by her response, it isn't the usual 'hi'.

"I'm at Jitters with Barry and Iris. Everything okay?" She's surprisingly vague for someone who thrives on babbling, but her voice holds a tone of unsure concern.

Whatever he responds with on the other side of the line causes her to sigh in relief, and I notice for the first time that Barry, sitting beside me and also attentively listening to the conversation, does too, and I assume and brush it off as a concern for a friend.

Felicity is asked a question and it causes her to turn and look at the analog clock displayed above the door of the cafe and respond, "I'll take the eight-o-clock train, depending on how many stops, I'll be here before you guys go on pat..." her eyes widen considerably, and her gaze snaps towards me, panicked, before she corrects herself, "go on your limo to the Queen Mansion."

I turn to stare at Barry, knowing that he must have also heard the obvious slip up, but he determinedly avoids eye contact, avidly keeping them trained on Felicity, and while my suspicions don't die down (in the least bit), I refocus my attention on the blonde once again (this conversation is way too good to pass up), who is now debriefing her boss slash friend on the meeting she was here for.

"He said he's going to schedule a formal meeting with the entire board next month or maybe sooner, depending on..."

She's so engrossed in her retelling that she fails to notice the jingle that resonates throughout the small space that has gotten empty since we arrived almost half an hour ago, the jingle that indicates the entry of another person.

The person ends up being Oliver Queen, looking...indescribably hot in his suit, unbuttoned, tie pulled loose. He has his phone in one hand, and his eyes zero in on our table almost after he (weirdly) scans the entire shop when he enters.

Felicity, who's babbling has now taken a turn into ATM machines (I still don't know how she does it; jump from one topic to the next so quickly) fails to notice her boss enter the building, and continues rambling in that charming way of hers.

This time, I force myself to not be blinded by Oliver Queen's outwardly (godly) appearance and smile at him warmly when he makes eye contact with me. He smiles back and sends Barry a nod before returning his gaze to Felicity, who is yet to notice him since he is directly behind her.

Then he talks, or more accurately, says her name.

"Felicity,"

I see the exact moment when it registers to Felicity, and if I thought that she was a ray of sunshine before; then I would have to say that she is blinding right now.

The moment Oliver Queen says her name; she beams and turns around, almost falling off her chair in doing so, but the billionaire instinctively places his hand on the small of her back, steadying her and I don't need to see her face to picture the wide smile of joy and surprise she gives him.

"What are you..." For the first time, Felicity Smoak seems to be unable to figure out what to say.

Oliver shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets, "I'm picking you up. The subways are always empty at this time and..." He trails off, but each and every one of us can finish his sentence.

I don't want you to be alone.

She steps away from the billionaire and makes her way towards me, and I envelop her into a hug, kind of sad that our time together has to end; she and I have become very close despite only meeting a couple of times. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Barry and Oliver shaking hands and whispering quietly to each other, something that seems super private and confidential and something I will definitely ask Barry as soon as we're alone.

Felicity and I come to a silent agreement to allow the boys some time to bromance, but Felicity tenses up and shrieks five seconds into the agreement.

"Wait, did you just leave QC and come here?"

Oliver arches an eyebrow and walks up to her visibly confused.

"Oliver you can't just leave your company and come here. The last time you did that The Wicked Witch of the West stole it and you were neck deep in bankruptcy. You're supposed to be showing the board that you can handle this and running off to Central City to pick up some..." Unlike me and Barry, Oliver doesn't look overwhelmed even the slightest bit and I presume that he is used to her long rambles by now.

But then, he places both his hands on either shoulder and says her name, each syllable containing its own meaning, each letter holding such affection, "Felicity,"

And there is no other way to describe it, but to say that Felicity just melts. He says her name and she, who was fired up and chaotic, instantly calms down and melts; she melts into him.

His voice lowers to a whisper and he guides her out the door as he says, "Let's go home."

Barry's voice breaks my very obvious staring, "They're not dating."

I don't respond to him. I'm too busy watching the pair that walks out the door. I'm too busy looking at the matching expressions on their faces, trying to pinpoint why it looks so familiar.

The first time I met Oliver and Felicity. The first time I saw them together at Jitters.

It's love. It's the only conclusion I have. It's the only possible explanation as to why Oliver drives all the way here to pick her up, why he's the only one with the ability to quiet her frantic rambling, why he says her name with so much meaning. The only reason why Felicity just dazzles when Oliver's name is mentioned, gets flustered when talking about him, shines when she sees him, or becomes inexplicably happy when he's around.

The way she looks as if her heart grows three sizes and beats out of her chest when he says her name.

The first time Iris meets Oliver and Felicity she knows that they have the potential to be something great.

The next time Iris meets Oliver and Felicity, she knows they're in love.

"IF YOU CAN TOUCH HER HEART WITHOUT TOUCHING HER, THEN YOU CAN MELT HER HEART JUST BY SAYING HER NAME"

Iris West knows that no one other than Oliver Queen can make Felicity Smoak fall in love just by saying her name.