Oliver doesn't remember calling her. All he knows is one moment he's sitting on the bench across from the police station alone and the next she's slipping his ice cold hands between her warm ones. She rubs his frozen fingers between hers before raising them to her lips to blow warm air one them.

"You forgot your gloves," she murmurs. "How's Thea?"

"I don't know," he replies softly. "They took her away in handcuffs Felicity. They wouldn't let me see her."

"Oliver…"

"Mom is in there with the lawyer. She'll have to go in front of a judge on Monday." He doesn't know what to do with himself. He always thought it would be him getting arrested. He would be found out and led away from his family in handcuffs. He was ready for that but Thea? He never imagined it.

"Everything is going to be okay," she says, resting her head on his shoulder. "She's going to be okay and you are going to be okay."

"I'm glad you came."

"I'm glad you called." He rests his head against hers and relaxes. He can hear the journalists arriving across the street to catch Thea leaving the station. He should care but for a moment no one recognizes him and he can just be. Felicity slips away before the cameras are turned on him. He knows it will happen eventually but he would rather her avoid the unwanted publicity for as long as she can.


Over the weekend Oliver tries to keep his head. He doesn't go to see Felicity because of his family. She understands and asks him to call her and tell how things are going. He knows she would be with him at home in a heartbeat but he doesn't ask and she doesn't mention it. For now he plays the role of being with Thea while he's really out chasing down drug dealers.

It takes him two days to get the name. The Count. The Count is peddling Vertigo in Starling City and he's the one who is responsible for Thea having to stand in front of a judge. He's the one spreading terrible drugs that in many cases are resulting in death. It is so easy to OD on Vertigo according to Diggle. Too many people have died.

"You are not going back out there!" Diggle steps in front of him to block Oliver from leaving. "You need to go home."

"I'm not done for the night. The Count has a lot of blood on his hands and it is long past time he started paying."

"You need to slow down. You're sister is about to go in front of a judge. You think she cares more about some drug lord getting his just desserts or her brother being by her side when she needs you the most?"

Thea is worried and Oliver pulls her into his arms. She looks fragile and so young. He just wants to sweep her away and protect her from the world but he knows he can't fix this. She took the drugs and she drove her car.

"Judges don't appreciate the value in being fashionably late Speedy. Are you ready?"

"Got any other tips?" she asks softly.

"Let the lawyer do all the talking. They'll give you a pad and paper but do not play tic-tac-toe. You're going to be okay Thea."

"I know. I wish Dad were here."

"I'm here Speedy. I'm always here."

"I know." She hugs him again as Moira comes into the room. She looks at the two of them and can't help but smile. They are facing a terrible situation but for a moment Thea and Oliver are together again.

Oliver is prepared for the media. They press in on him and Thea and Thea slides as close as she can to him. He shoves a cameraman out of the way and he can hear Diggle pushing back others. His mother's security detail surrounds her but Oliver presses on with Thea. He won't leave her side until he has to do so.

Oliver can't believe it when the judge decides to make Thea the poster child for Vertigo. She looks to him with fear in her eyes and he tries to reassure her. He knows it doesn't but the second he can he pulls her into his arms. He won't let this happen to her. He'll fix it someway.

She stays plastered to his side in the car while Moira stews. He doesn't say a word, just tugs his phone out and texts Felicity the results. Her answer comes quickly. He smiles at the text for a second before turning his attention back to his terrified sister.

In the living room, Oliver sits by Thea while their mother dresses down the criminal defense attorney. Neither says anything but Thea's hand is limp in his hand. He keeps holding her trying to make all of this go away.

"Thea we will handle this I promise," Moira says suddenly.

"Like you promised Walter you'd always stay faithful to him? I feel better already."

"Thea that is enough!" Moira demands.

"Don't worry. Sounds like you won't have to put up with me for much longer."

Thea storms out of the room and Oliver watches after her. He slips her shoes under the couch and leans back to look at his mother.

"Does she not realize how serious this is?" His mother asks. "She took drugs. She drove. She could have killed someone, or herself."

"I know."

"All that judge is looking for is someone to make an example of. Why does it have to be her?"

"Maybe it doesn't," Oliver says suddenly. "I have to go do something. Will you be okay?"

"I'm not the one facing prison Oliver."


There are a bunch of cops who watch him wearily as he walks into the station. They follow his movements past where Detective Lance usually sits and lose sight of him in the hallway.

"Excuse me I'm looking for Detective Hall."

"Oliver Queen." The female cop is a surprise.

"McKenna Hall. Here I was expecting a middled aged guy in a bad suit and instead I got you."

"I live to surprise."

"What was the club that you got us kicked out of? Club Deville?"

"In my defense there was no sign that specifically said you had to keep your clothes on." They laugh for a second before Oliver turns serious.

"I'm here about vertigo."

"Right I saw your sister on TV. I'm sorry."

"The judge wants to make an example of her. I was thinking if you caught the person making the drugs then maybe Thea would get off a bit easier. The Count?"

"Oliver we've known about the Count for months. We just don't have anything on him. The file only has two pages in it."

Oliver pages through the two pages and grimaces. It's not enough. He has three options available to him and decides to use them all.


"Hey." Tommy looks surprised to see him but covers it quickly. Oliver steps into the room and looks to Laurel who is eyeing him wearily.

"Laurel I need your help. I...need you to talk to your father. Maybe he can cash in a chip for Thea and get him to back down a little."

"Oliver that is highly unlikely."

He takes her hand in his knowing he's making a play he doesn't like. If Felicity is right Laurel will do this for him because she's in love with him and not because it is the right thing to do. He need Laurel on his side in this and he'll do anything to get her to help.

"Please Laurel. I'm working on something on my end but if it doesn't work out then you are my best chance."

"I'll see what I can do but no promises."

"I understand."

He says his goodbyes and heads off to the next stop on his list. He doesn't call or make sure she's there. She's not in her office when he arrives but he sits in her chair and waits. He's never been to her office when she's not around and he takes the few moments to look at her desk. It's still organized chaos but now there are two new additions.

There is a framed picture of the two of them from one of their dates. They're just smiling at each other. He has the exact same photo sitting on his desk. The second item is the plastic bracelet from their pier date. She has it hanging from a push pin. He reaches out and tweaks it before sighing. Leaning back he closes his eyes and waits.

"Oliver?" She shakes him awake gently and he stares at her surprised. "Are you okay? My office mate said you've been here for two hours."

"Two? I fell asleep," he says straightening. "I needed to talk to you."

"Weird research again?"

"Something like that. It's for Thea." She sits down in another chair and pulls it close to him. He hands her the file from the police and she scans it quickly.

"You want me to try and find the Count?"

"The police are not making progress nearly as fast as I need them to. This is my sister and I can't let them send her to jail because the police have not managed to do their jobs."

She looks over the details and sighs. He knows it's not enough information. He's not even sure how to proceed with the little information provided. He can reach out to the Bratva, his last stop of the day, but he knows that might not pan out either. His best hope is getting as many people as possible on this.

"I'll do what I can," she says firmly. "You need to go home and sleep Oliver. You look like you're barely awake."

"I have to keep going. Thea doesn't have much time."

"When or if I find the Count, what should I do?"

"Call me. I'll pass it on to my contact in the police department."

"You promise you won't do anything reckless?"

"I promise." She copies the file and hands the original back to him before leaning up to hug him. He melts against her, enjoying the comfort for a few moments. She rubs her face against his neck, breathing softly against him. Her arms are under his jacket and she rubs his back gently.

"When you do whatever it is you are planning to do even though you are currently promising me you won't do it, will you at least try to be careful."

"Yes. I'll try to be careful."


Diggle helps him gather the money required for the Bratva but doesn't understand the purpose. Oliver knows if he tells him about the Bratva then Diggle will either try to stop him from going or refuse to go. He needs Dig to look like a bodyguard.

"Is this Russian owned?" Diggle asks as they walk in the door. He's looking at everything and Oliver has to stop him.

"Diggle. Whatever I say, whatever goes down, you need to go with it."

"Ah...Captain. We were wondering when we would see you again."

"I was trying to decide where to put my interests. I am interested in Vertigo. The reports I've heard are promising," Oliver explains. Alexi looks surprised. He did not expect Oliver to be that in the know. Vertigo is brand new for the most part.

"Tough option. There is only one seller."

"I was hoping you could do me a favor and arrange a meeting."

"Difficult man. He does not like new friends."

"Then a gift? Here is everything the police have on him."

"Very well. I will see what I can do. First, you will do a favor for me."

"Oliver," Diggle says quietly.

"It is unusual for an American to hold such a position of esteem in our organization Mr. Queen. Anatoli Knyazev speaks very highly of you."

Oliver can feel Diggle looking at him and waiting for his reaction. Oliver looks back to Alexi knowing any favor will not be pleasant. He can only hope he can get through it.

"Anatoli should. I saved his life."

The man is dragged out and placed in front of Oliver. Alexi gestures to him and Oliver realizes what he is meant to do. He grabs the man and Diggle starts to try and stop him but one glance shuts him down. The man's body goes limp and Oliver hefts him over his shoulder.

"You will arrange the meeting," Oliver says firmly. If Alexi has spoken to Anatoli then he knows Oliver has the ability to take over the Starling City operation. He will not push too hard against him.

"Mr. Queen…" Alexi turns and leaves and Oliver is left with the man's body. Diggle follows him outside and watches as Oliver pops the trunk.

"I can't believe you just killed that guy."

"You have a really low opinion of me." Oliver looks around and then taps the guy, hitting a pressure point.

"That's a neat trick. You going to teach me that one day?"

"No. You need to arrange a new identity for this guy."

"Right so that guy is going to draw out the Count and then the Hood will intervene?"

"No Diggle because then the Bratva would know I used them and that relationship is valuable. So I meet with him as Oliver Queen and then we follow him."

"Just that easy?"

"Well, I still need my trusty bodyguard."


At home Oliver sits in the kitchen eating lunch and talking to Raisa. She wants to talk about the girl that has Oliver so happy. So he tells her. He tells Raisa all about Felicity while he eats, sharing how much fun he has with her and how much he wants to be with her.

"Mr. Oliver, you need to tell this girl you love her."

"Raisa."

"Don't Raisa me Mr. Oliver. You love this girl. You need to tell her."

"Raisa we've only been together for a few months."

"Love does not work that way Mr. Oliver. There is no timetable," Raisa replies. She takes his hand and looks him in the eye. "Do not waste time with her. Life is too short. You know that better than anyone."

"She doesn't ask me about the island," he says softly. "She never asks me about what happened to me. She doesn't ask me to explain my scars."

"It sounds like she understands we all have scars."

"Raisa what if I tell her what happened to me and she can't handle it?"

"Mr. Oliver, it sounds to me she is worried about her own scars. Maybe she is worried you will not like hers so she is accepting yours."

"She's perfect."

"Oh no. Do not do that. Do not put the girl on a pedestal," Raisa slaps him upside the head playfully. "I taught you better. No one is perfect. She has flaws and scars like you. Maybe not on the outside but she has them. You would be wise to accept them. Now...you will bring her to meet me okay?"

"Okay."

She leaves him sitting there before heading off to answer the door. He tugs out his phone and texts her. He hasn't heard from her since he gave her the file.

O: Hi.

F: I'm not done yet.

O: I was thinking about you. Dinner tomorrow night?

F: What if I'm not done with the file?

O: Then you're not.

F: K. BBB?

O: Always. I ate those cookies you made..

F: Did you call the poison control center?

O: Funny.

F: …

O: I'm fine. I think you forgot an ingredient. Sugar maybe.

F: I knew they were terrible but you said you wanted them.

O: You made them for me. Raisa wants to meet you.

F: Freaking out.

O: R will love you.

F: FREAKING OUT!

O: She'll love you.

"Oliver?" He glances up to see Laurel standing beside Raisa. "I talked to my father."

He follows her into the living room and the two sit down. She opens the file and shows him the compromise. To him it looks good. Thea will avoid jail time.

"What?" Thea asks as Raisa pushes her into the room.

"My father was able to get Judge Brackett to back off a bit," Laurel says cheerily.

"Nobody asked you to get involved," Thea bites back.

"I did," Oliver says. He glares at her until she sits down, huffing.

"The judge has agreed to a sentence of 500 hours of community service and two years of probation. I'll act in loco parentis and take responsibility for you. You'll avoid jail time."

"No thanks."

"THEA!" Oliver stands up quickly. "You don't have a choice."

"Yes I do Ollie and I'm not taking it." Laurel makes her apologies as the argument starts to build between siblings. Oliver looms over Thea, until she flops back down to the couch.

"You are in serious trouble here Thea. You took drugs. You drove your car. You were beyond stupid and this is a great deal Laurel got you. Why aren't you taking it? Do you want to ruin your life?!"

"No. I want to ruin Mom's life. She's a liar and a cheat. I hate her. She betrayed dad."

"So what? You're just going to go to jail to spite her? Thea Mom didn't cheat on Dad. He cheated on her. On the night the Gambit went down he confessed he failed us. He wasn't the man we thought he was and he wished he could make it right."

"I don't believe you."

"Yes, you do. You remember dad too. I'm sorry Thea."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" If there had been a door to slam, he's sure he would have heard it. He does hear it when she reaches her room. His mother enters the room glaring at him but he has no patience for it.

"She's old enough to know. She needs to get over it."


The meet does not go okay. The police arrive and everyone scatters. He's seen the Count's face and he feels the puncture when the Count injects him with the Vertigo. He spins around wildly and runs. He can hear Diggle calling after him but he moves without thinking.

He nearly falls off the fire escape, plummeting to his death but grabs the railing at the last second. He falls onto her bed, shaking. The pain is intense, crawling up his insides. He feels like his brain is on fire and he's clawing at the sheets in agony.

He feels a scalding hand on his back. He hears muted words and he nearly screams. His hand wraps around a throat but he doesn't clench. Blue eyes meet his and he rips himself away, throwing himself against the window seat.


"Diggle there is something wrong with Oliver!" Felicity's voice wavers as she dials the number. Oliver is shaking and mumbling to himself but he's barricaded himself in her bathroom. He's scaring her and she doesn't know what to do.

"He's with you? Where?" Diggle's voice is panicked and Felicity doesn't know what to do.

"He's here...my apartment. He's...should I call 911?"

"NO! I'll be there in two minutes. He's on Vertigo."

"What?!"

"He tried to meet with the Count and got dosed. It wasn't voluntary." The phone clicks to dead air and she waits. She wants to go to him but she's read the stories. Vertigo can make people violent and she knows if he hurts her it will torture him. Instead she goes to the door and holds it open for Diggle. He rushes inside and closes her bedroom door to handle Oliver.

She's shaking, she realizes absently as she sits in her computer chair. The file on the Count is open on her monitors and she starts to work. It's relaxing and distracting as she starts working. Diggle had passed her the syringes upon entering her apartment and she's eyeing the contents. She can't do anything with them in her apartment.

She's back an hour later with food and watches her bedroom door hesitantly. There is no noise coming from there but the door is still shut. Instead she heads back to work, slipping in and out of cyberspace, looking for ways to help Oliver.

Her message to the Hood goes unanswered and she pauses. Hacking his computer again leads her nowhere. She knows he's in the Glades but she can't get an exact location. He doesn't answer after the third message and she has to assume he's out hunting bad guys. He's not waiting for her to message him each night. The last time must have been a fluke.

Diggle slides to the floor in the doorway of the computer room sometime around 4 in the morning. He eats the cold burger absently and watches Felicity type away. She's a mess. He can see it in her posture. She's barely holding it together but she's scared to ask him about Oliver.

Around 5 he can't take it any longer. He drags her from her computer and pushes her into the bedroom. Oliver is knocked out and handcuffed to her headboard. He helps her over to him and she collapses on the bed next to him, curling up against his sweating body.

"He'll be okay. He should be," Diggle murmurs.

"What happened?"

"He was trying to help Thea."

She doesn't answer him and he realizes she's asleep. He leans back against her door frame and sleeps, knowing he'll hear Oliver if he wakes up.


Oliver comes to slowly. His head is throbbing and his mind feels fuzzy. He hasn't had a hangover in years but that is what this feels like. His hands are handcuffed and he can feel a weight on his chest. It takes him a few minutes but he opens his eyes cautiously.

Across the room is Diggle, fast asleep and on top of him is Felicity. Her glasses are still on and they're lopsided but he can't fix them. He coughs and then groans at the pain.

"Hey." Diggle's next to him before he can make a sound. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I have the worst hangover ever. Can you uncuff me? I won't attack you again. Promise."

The cuffs are unlocked and Oliver reaches down to remove Felicity's glasses.

"What happened?"

"The Count got you with half a dose. You came here and scared her. She called me and I got you calmed down enough. I had to let her in man. She was working herself to exhaustion."

"Any chance our friends in SCPD took him down?"

"None. You need to take a few hours. You almost suffered a drug overdose. I read the reports. I don't know how you didn't kill her when you got in here. You were a mess."

"Did I…?"

"No. She said you didn't hurt her."

Oliver doesn't speak again for a long time. He just lays there, holding his girl and thinking. He kisses her forehead a while later and sits up, reaching for the spare clothes he keeps there. He feels horrible and can barely walk but he needs to head home and handle things.

"No." Felicity tugs him back to the bed. "You're staying here."

He sighs, dropping back to the bed. His feet are still on the floor as he sits on the edge of her bed. She hugs him to her.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"Oliver you promised you weren't going to do anything reckless."

"I know. I'm sorry. It was for Thea."

"You almost died!"

"I have to get home. I have to check on Thea."

"Fine. Come see me at work later okay? I sent the vertigo syringe for analysis."

"I don't know what I'd do without you." He rests his forehead against hers, turning his head slightly. "I know we haven't been together long but I don't know what I'd do."

"I didn't expect this when I met you," she whispers. "I'm kind of freaking out."

"I didn't either. I just know this is the best thing in my life right now."

"Mine too."

They don't say anything more. Diggle finds them that way, eyes closed pressed against each other. He doesn't say a word, watching the two of them. He knows what it is like to find solace in another person. He also knows how difficult the road will be for them when secrets start coming out.


Oliver doesn't have time to deal with the police. He feels terrible and all he cares about is checking on his family. He's barely able to stand but he holds himself still as Moira and Thea reunite. He smiles appropriately but it feels empty. He can't feel much of anything at the moment.

He passes out on the stairs and wakes up in his room. Diggle is sitting nearby glaring at him.

"We need to go to the hospital. It could be killing you."

"No. We need to go to QC and get the results from Felicity."

She's not there when he goes by. There's just a file folder and a note. She left early, not feeling well and Oliver can understand. His call goes to voicemail but he gets a text from her telling him she's just tired and she'll see him later.

"Looks like Felicity came through," Diggle says paging through the file. "The solvent used in the Vertigo sample was run off water originating within a ten block radius where the East Glades meet the bay. Nothing there except an old juvenile detention center abandoned 3 years ago."

"Then I should suit up."

"Oliver you're still suffering from Vertigo. Can you even aim your arrows?"

"I have to try."

He suits up anyway while Dig tries to talk him out of it. He's lucky. He takes down the Count like it's nothing, injecting him with Vertigo. He lets him go and rushes out of the building avoiding the police.

"I heard the Hood took down the Count. You must be happy." she says softly. She's sitting on the porch, out of the lighting waiting for him. He staggers over to her and sits on the cold railing, watching her.

"I am. Why didn't you ring the bell?"

"You weren't in there."

"You could have waited inside. Raisa would have made sure you were comfortable."

"That's not really the point Oliver."

She stands in front of him and he looks up at her. The light frames her body and she looks ethereal. His stomach is still revolting and he looks away just to keep from making this an even more embarassing moment.

"I can't do this," she says. He looks up at her sadly. "No...god I'm not breaking up with you calm down. I can't do this thing where I sit at home and my boyfriend goes out and puts himself in danger without telling me. I can't stand mysteries and I can't go home and worry and wonder where you are and if you're meeting with drug dealers for your sister. If you're going to do these reckless things then you need to tell me. You scared me last night Oliver."

"Felicity…"

"No. You promise me right now. You promise you will tell me when you are going to do something reckless. You promise to tell me if you might not come home. I can't do that. Please."

"I promise to tell you if something happens and I think I won't make it home."

"Okay." She collapses in his arms. "God."

"Are we okay?"

"Oliver I need to tell you something." She leans back from him suddenly and reaches into her coat pocket. "I've been debating telling you this for weeks. I can trust you, right? I mean of course I can trust you. Even though I know you've been lying to me and I hope you'll tell me why soon because your lies are fairly ridiculous. I...don't like it but we're new and you were alone for five years..."

"Felicity I want to tell you everything, I promise. You will see me differently if I tell you."

"I...I've been lying to you too. I need to show you something."

"What is it Felicity? You can trust me." She hands him a book, identical to his father's and he stares at it, paging through the list of names.

"Have you seen this before?"

"No. Where'd you get it?"

"From Walter. He said he found it in your house and it belongs to your mother. He thought she was hiding something...something more, and he wanted me to look into it. I think this book might be the reason."

He doesn't say anything. He just looks at the book and keeps her close. She watches him go over the list of names, saying a few of them out loud. She knows a lot of the names match the Hood's targets and wonders if he'll make the connection. If he does, he doesn't say anything. He just slips the book in his pocket and looks into the distance, thinking.


So if you follow me on Twitter (you should I tweet a lot of nonsensical ranty things about tv shows), you would have seen me say Chapter 12 took a turn. It did...in the first draft. I wrote an Olicity scene that took a sharp detour from what I intended and the two shared some stuff with each other. Then I edited.

That scene got bumped to chapter 14 (or at least some incarnation of it). Yes that chapter 14. The chapter where Felicity finds out. We're almost there and chapter 14 will be a bit of a divergence because Oliver spends the vast majority of the episode unconscious. How boring would that be?

Thanks for reading!