"Um, is this a bad time?" a familiar voice asked from just feet behind Thea. The Queen siblings broke apart, Thea turning around, to find a person that neither of them expected.

"Felicity?" they whispered in unison. Felicity licked her lips and motioned to the house.

"C-can I come in? Inside? Please." She asked, her voice shaking.

"Yeah, absolutely, come in." Oliver said, as Thea crossed the threshold into the manor.

"Thanks." Felicity murmured, stepping inside before Oliver shut and locked the door.

"Um, why don't we all head to the living room, Felicity, let me take your bag." He offered, grabbing the small duffel from her shoulder, and hoisting it onto his own. The three trotted into said living room, Thea leading the way.

Thea sat her purse on the coffee table, pulled of her jacket, and tossed it in the armchair, before sitting in it. Oliver placed the duffel next to Thea's, then sat on the sofa near his sister, but leaving space, to offer Felicity a choice. She could sit between them, or if she wanted space, she could sit on the opposite sofa.

He was just about to speak, when he noticed that Felicity was still standing. "Have a seat, Lis, make yourself at home." He offered. The short, shivering blonde, quickly made her way to the opposite sofa, her head down and hands entwined.

Oliver got a good look at her. He didn't miss the way she was shaking, or the thin sheen of sweat that adorned her forehead. Nor was he oblivious to her grinding her teeth, or how her pupils were blown wide.

She was undoubtedly high at the moment, and Oliver suddenly heard her words in his head. Cooper was the one who introduced herself to it, and he was getting a first-hand look at what's it's doing to her.

Felicity sat quietly, doing everything in her power to avoid their eyes, though having a hard time avoiding Thea's baby bump. She cleared her throat gently before merely whispering, "Congratulations." Her hands were shaking dramatically, though she did her best to control it. She'd been using coke long enough for her subconscious to be intact during a trip, but that didn't mean she didn't feel the high.

Feeling the adrenaline and blood racing through her veins, in a frenzy.

God, she really needed to be moving right now.

"Thank you!" Thea said brightly, in an attempt to lighten the sullen mood. "We're in the home stretch. One more month."

"Yeah? Boy or girl?" Oliver asked, ensuring that he was dividing his attention between the two women in his living room.

"A niece and nephew." Thea beamed, earning a breathless chuckle from Felicity.

"That must be exciting, huh?" the blonde replied, her words flying out of her mouth in a hurry. "You know, the best of both worlds. You wouldn't even need to have another kid. I mean, you could have another kid if you wanted, I'm not saying you should only have two kids, it's just like the dream to a lot of people. One little girl, one boy, white picket fence and a dog. Sorry I'm talking to much, I'll be stopping now." Felicity quickly cast her eyes downwards, lacing her shaking fingers together.

"I am… impressed that you can still do that." Oliver smirked lightly, trying not to show how irritated he was that she was high right now. No, he wasn't irritated with her, he was irritated with Cooper. That irritation only heightened with the next thing Oliver noticed. "Um… Felicity, your nose is bleeding."


Tommy Merlyn stood in front of the precinct, a steaming caramel macchiato in one hand and a paper bag full of banana nut muffins in the other. He asked Jessica to speak to her sister for him, and while she agreed that her sister would surely help, she ordered that he stop being afraid, and talk to his soon to be sister-in-law himself.

Dinah Drake was a very bad ass, and certifiably scary woman in Tommy's eyes. He'd once watched her break a man's hand with a simple flick of her wrist, and he'd never looked at her the same.

Tommy sighed, and walked up the short set of stairs, entering the building, he head straight for the front desk.

"Hi, McKenna. They have you on desk duty?" he she'd in surprise.

"I'm four months prego, I'm on desk duty until further notice." She chuckled, her eyes lighting up.

"What? Congratulations! I know Slade has to be over the moon." Tommy replied, the idea of having a kid with Jessica going through his mind. He lived her more than anything. He was so happy to have found one woman to settle down with.

"Yeah, he is. A little too excited, and definitely a bit too much Papa Bear." She joked. "So, what can I do for you, Merlyn? Who are you here to butter up?" she asked, gesturing to the coffee and paper bag.

"Well, Jess told me that Dinah is stuck on overnighters all week." Tommy shrugged, as McKenna scribbled his name on a visitor sticker, and handed it to him. "Thanks for the souvenir."

"You better actually put that shit on, Merlyn. You are not getting me in trouble for roaming around without a visible pass!" she called after him as he head to the office of one Lieutenant Dinah Drake.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked, not looking up from the file she was reading, her door already open.

"Hey," Tommy began, as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him, and finally gaining her attention. "A friend of mine is in trouble and she needs help. And also Jess, told me that you were going to be pulling all-nighters, so I figured you could use a pick-me-up." He finished, lifting the gifts. The brunette woman's eyes lit up in gratitude.

"Oh, Merlyn, I may actually like having you around." Dinah joked, accepting the gifts with a large gulp of the caffeine.

"Thanks, I think." He chuckled, as he sat across from her.

"So, your friend?" Dinah asked, setting the bag of muffins to the side, and sipping more of the hot macchiato.

"Her boyfriend beats her!" He blurted out, before taking a deep breath. "He beats her so badly, and Dinah, I saw some of the bruises myself. I'm pretty sure he tried to kill her. She almost fucking died from smoke inhalation! How the fuck is he not in jail?!" Tommy yelled, all of his anger finally rising to the surface.

When had he stood and began pacing? He placed his hands on his hips, sighing again. "I'm sorry, it's just… I went to high school with this girl. I knew her. She was the nicest person ever and she reminded me so much of my mom." Tommy slowly sat back down, placing his elbows on the desk, and his hands on his temples. "God, it's like watching my father beat my mother all over again."

"I'm so sorry, Tommy." Dinah sighed, sympathetically. "We'll get your friend out of this if it's the last thing I do. I promise. Besides, the D.A. owes my a favor. I should be able to get a warrant, no problem."

"Thank you, Dinah." Tommy whispered, offering a broken smile. "I'm really lucky to be gaining you as a sister-in-law."

"Are you kidding?" Dinah smiled. "You're already my brother."


"Oliver, why is he doing this to me? Why does he hate me so much?" Felicity whispered, as fresh tears crawled down her slightly sunken cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was currently in the crashing phase of her high. She was feeling depressed. She looked so childlike sitting on Oliver's marble bathroom floor. Her knees were pulled to her chest and her back was against the bathtub. Oliver was sitting across from her, trying to be there for her as much as he could. He was hating that he wasn't able to be there for her before this.

"Felicity, you need to let me help you, honey." He whispered, grateful that after having some leftovers, Thea had fallen asleep in her old bedroom. "I can make sure that he never hurts you again, baby, you just have to let me." Oliver reached over, wiping a tear from her face.

"You can't help me." She whispered solemnly, with a slow shake of her head.

"Yes I can." Oliver replied seriously, moving closer, and taking her small, cold hands in his.

"Oliver. You can't." Felicity stated, decidedly. "You don't understand how much power he has."

"So help me understand, Felicity." He pleaded. What the hell kind of power could Cooper Seldon have that allowed him to treat her this? For her to be too afraid to leave?

"You can't tell anyone I told you." She whispered, glancing around the bathroom as if to ensure no one was watching them.

"You have my word." He promised.

"Two years ago… he set up a car accident. My mom and I… my mom… almost didn't make it." The blonde took a deep shuddering breath before continuing. "While we were getting surgeries, he had a kill chip implanted. In both of us. She still doesn't know… she thinks I'm dead. She went to a funeral for me and everything."

Oliver swallowed his shock, and remained silent as he waited for her to continue.

"He made me dye my hair and change my wardrobe, and here I am, back in Starling."

"Felicity. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take this to the police."

"Because ninety percent of the SCPD is on his payroll. Not to mention the commissioner, and a shit ton of government officials and judges."

"You're not going back there tomorrow." Oliver decided as he stood and held his hand out to her. She accepted the help as he easily pulled her up.

Once Felicity was standing, she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaned up, and quickly pressed her lips to his. Oliver easily allowed his lower lip to be sucked into her mouth, kissing her back for just a moment before pulling back.

"I… I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be." Oliver replied quickly. "One day, I'm going to kiss you. And it will be everything we need and want it to be. But not like this, not while you're so vulnerable."

"I love you." She slurred slightly. "I've always loved you. I loved you since I was in the seventh grade." Oliver's heart warmed with her confession.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He murmured, leading her towards the guest room next door to his.

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Umm…"

"Please?" she asked again, pouting.

"Yeah… yeah okay." He replied, reluctantly. Of course he wanted Felicity close. He just didnt want to ruin things before they had a chance to begin.

"You know… I always wanted to call you, Oliver. If… if I could've gotten in contact with you over the years—"

"I know, honey. What matters is that you're here now. I'm not letting you go." Oliver replied. "Never again."