Felicity can't help but be pleased by the sight in front of her. Oliver and Tommy are talking again and they seem to be getting along. They're laughing and joking and she can't help but pause at the top of the steps and watch them. Tommy's anger has been weighing on Oliver and even though his focus is on her, her focus is on him. Between the two of them someone is always being worried about.
It's Oliver who sees her first and gestures her over to him. She smiles and heads over unsure of her welcome with Tommy. Tommy takes her hand and apologizes. He tries to laugh off what they argued about before but she knows it's somewhat empty. Something between Oliver and Tommy is broken and even now she's not sure it can be repaired. They have a lot of history but maybe they've grown too far apart.
She sits down next to Oliver and watches him joke with Tommy. She's never really had that and it bothers her suddenly. She never really wanted friends or felt she needed them. She was always on a path to get out of Vegas, help people, and be stable. Now she's out of Vegas, stable, and helping people and she wonders what is next.
"Are you okay?" Oliver asks seriously, turning from Tommy. "You have that crinkly thing happening right here." He smoothes his finger between her eyebrows and she smiles at him. He always knows when to do that.
"Thinking about friendship," she admits. "I've never really had that."
"You do now," he says gently.
"Yeah but we're...it's not what I mean," she says.
"I didn't mean me. I meant Dig."
"Dig?"
"What do you think the two of you have? You two have lunch together and do things together. You two talk all the time about your day and you give each other advice. That sounds like friendship to me."
"I...you're right."
"Don't sound so surprised. I'm good for a few things."
Oliver turns back to Tommy and Felicity snuggles in closer to Oliver. It's been a long day and right now she can relax. Even through the pumping music she lets her eyes drift shut. Oliver is always there holding her up and even in the haze of her tired mind she can feel his arm keeping her against him and safe.
Oliver feels Felicity drift into the quiet space between awake and asleep. Things have been weighing on her recently. He loves her babbling at home but recently she hasn't been doing that. She's been quiet and subdued. He doesn't like that. He doesn't like that she's not being herself. He worries.
He's brought a lot of turmoil into her life and he can't help but worry about the toll it is taking on her. She's strong...stronger than him sometimes but it's still a lot to ask of her. Within seven months she's entered a serious relationship, been rejected by his mother, lost a boss, joined a vigilante crew, seen people die, and gained friends. It's been a lot of change for her in a short amount of time. Maybe he's pushing too hard.
"How is she doing?" Tommy asks.
"Okay," Oliver replies. He doesn't want to say too much when Felicity might still be awake.
"I heard about what happened between her and your mom," Tommy says. "Thea told me. I guess Felicity confided in her."
"Felicity doesn't really talk about it. I think she's trying to put it behind her for now. Mom knows where I stand."
"Do you think the fact you hid Felicity from her might have something to do with her over the top reaction? You lied to her for months."
"She never once asked me where I was or what I was doing once Walter disappeared. I never lied to her. I just never spent hours tracking her down to tell her I have a girlfriend."
"Tell yourself whatever makes you feel better," Tommy says before getting up and walking away. Oliver sighs. They had been making progress he thought but apparently not. It hurts their friendship has been somewhat broken. He's not sure if he'll ever manage to fix it. He's not really sure if he can. He's changed so much since he came back. He's a different person.
"Shh...loud thinking," Felicity says sleepily. "Long day."
"I've got you," he says. "Do you want to go to the Foundry and sleep?"
"Let's go to your office instead," she says quietly. "You can still pretend you're working."
"I am working."
"Uh huh."
He likes having her in his space. For some reason it bothers him, he moved into to her space. He knows it is semantics and it is their space. Either way he likes it when she's in his space, when he can look up from his desk and see her. That's why he loves having her in the Foundry. He looks up and he can see her. She makes him feel calmer and hopeful. It's one of the only good things in his life and he's eager to hold onto it.
Felicity slumps onto the couch he has in the office and slips her shoes off. She's exhausted and he knows it is mostly his fault. They were out tracking down leads on the Undertaking after they discovered the symbol in his father's book was the subway map in the Glades. She's been getting only a few hours of sleep each night as she looks for connections and clues related to the Dark Archer and the subway system and the Undertaking. This mission is taking it's toll on her.
He waits for a while until her breathing slows and then he slips over to her, covering her with his jacket. Sometimes he just watches her sleep and he knows she would find it creepy. He can't help himself. He's loved before. He loves now. Family and friends. People long gone. He knows those feelings. He's never felt this before. He's never felt so overwhelmed by love.
He knows he changed on the island. He knows he changed in Hong Kong and in Russia. He knows the Oliver Queen who left no longer exists. He had expected all aspects of that life to be over. Oliver Queen is the mask. The Hood is him now. Except Felicity came into his life. She fights for Oliver Queen. She makes him want it again. She makes him want to put down the hood, get a job, get married, have babies. She makes him want Oliver Queen to be the person he is.
He's asked her about it, about his two halves. She always seems confused by the conversation. She looks at him and sees one person, not two. She looks at him and accepts him. She accepts the light and the dark and helps him find a balance. He didn't know he could feel the way she makes him feel.
He's sitting there, watching her when the knock on the door comes. Spinning he sees his mother in the doorway. Glancing back to Felicity and seeing her sleeping, he rises. It was not something he wants to deal with tonight. He stands up and adjusts his jacket over Felicity's shoulders before leaving the office and closing the door behind him.
"Mom," he says. "Can I help you with something?"
"Oliver please let's talk about this," she begins.
"Have you fixed it with Felicity?" he asks. "Have you tried to get to know her."
"No."
"Then there is nothing to talk about Mom."
"Oliver please. I'm worried about Thea."
"What about her?" It's probably the only thing that will keep Oliver talking to her. He'll do anything for his sister.
"She's been spending a lot of time in the Glades...at night. I'm worried," she says. "She's on probation!"
"Thea made a new friend and she spends a lot of time here with Felicity," Oliver sighs. "She's been coming down here for weeks and you are just now noticing?"
"I'm the CEO of a company Oliver. I'm barely home at all."
"Maybe that's why Thea is spending so much time in the Glades then," Oliver replies. "You're down here because you're lonely. It has nothing to do with our well being. You're lonely in that big house and after months you expect us to be waiting for you. Well we're here Mom. We're right here. You're making the decision we have to do this on your terms. Well that's not going to happen right now."
"Why are you so angry right now Oliver?"
"The fact that you are even asking that shows you haven't been paying attention," Oliver says. "I came home angry. I struggle with that every single day. You want company Mom? Then you need to figure out how to fix things with both of us. You can start by meeting Thea's friend or trying to get to know Felicity. We're not chasing after you Mom. You accused me of shutting you out when I came home but you've been shutting both of us out for months."
He leaves her standing in the hallway. He pulls the door to his office shut and walks over to Felicity. Picking her up, he slides onto the couch, helping her settle against him. He's tired and he'll take these few minutes to relax and let the anger fall away. He only opens one eye when Diggle enters the room, slumping down in an arm chair. The three of them are together and rest comes easy for all of them.
Tommy bursts in on them followed by Detective Lance. Both Diggle and Oliver react protectively placing themselves in front of Felicity. At the realization there is no threat, the two remain standing but relax. Oliver can feel Felicity's hand on his lower back as she boosts herself up next to him. Even in relaxation she is firmly between Oliver and Diggle, protected and ready to be defended. It's an interesting place to be.
"Can I help you detective?" Oliver asks.
"A girl just got mowed down a couple blocks from here...on Starling bridge. Ring any bells?"
"Should it detective?" Oliver asks.
"She was in your club tonight."
"A lot of people were," Tommy remarks. "You think someone killed her?"
"Not someone. Something," Lance sneers. "Vertigo. You got a problem with that in this club?"
"Not that I'm aware of," Oliver replies. "We don't allow drugs in here Detective."
"Well control your clientele before anyone else wanders into traffic!" Lance storms out and the room goes silent.
"Could she have scored the drugs in here Tommy?" Oliver asks quietly.
"I try not to hire too many drug dealers," Tommy bites back.
"I can cross reference your employee list," Felicity offers. Tommy barely spares her a glance before storming off. "Well he's a bit irritated."
"Mmm…" Oliver says, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll need to go investigate the Count. Dig can take you home?"
"Don't be too late okay? See you at home," she says kissing him gently. "Dig? Can we stop for Chinese?"
"Where do you put the food?" Dig asks as he escorts her into the hall. "You're tiny."
"Oliver helps keep me fit," she says laughing at Dig's discomfort.
Oliver rushes to the basement, ignoring Tommy's glare from the bar. He suits up and slips the tracker into his boot. He knows Felicity will be keeping tabs on him from their apartment. He wishes she would just get into bed and sleep but she won't while he's out in the city. Instead she'll be in her computer room, monitoring his tracker and aiding him in any way she can. Sure enough three lights change from red to green the instant he gets within range, allowing him to not slow down.
The Count is a mess, crazy and drooling all over his room. He's clearly terrified of the Hood and he screeches things at the top of his lungs. Oliver stands outside the window and listens as Detective Lance questions the crazy count. It's a dead end. Someone is distributing Vertigo and it's not the count.
He finds her in her chair, cross referencing the employees at Verdant. Her shoulders are strong and even under the incredible weight of trying to protect this city. They are warrior shoulders. He slips his fingers under the dress and leans down to kiss her cheek gently.
"I'm trying to get through this," she says with a bit of reproach. "I have all day meetings tomorrow. I won't have time to help you."
"I can run them tomorrow," he says. "You just do it faster."
"Well yes but...mmm," she says when he catches her mouth with his. He lifts her in his arms and carries her away, smiling against her mouth when he hears her shoes thud to the floor. Her fingers are fitfully unbuttoning his shirt as he pauses against the hallway wall. Her nails rake down his chest. Her eyes meet his and he kisses her again and again until her eyes drift shut once more. Her legs are tight around his waist and he can feel the heel of each foot against the back of his thighs.
On the island he had wondered what could distract him from the darkness, the pain and somehow he's found it here. She knows when things are difficult for him he seeks solace. He has asked her how she feels about it. She looked at him and simply replied she gets the same from him.
"Where?" he murmurs against her. "Where tonight?"
"Oh…" she breathes in surprise. "I...you choose."
Smiling, he takes her on the kitchen counter. The day's mail flutters to the floor in their fevered movements. He enjoys the way she holds his gaze during these intimate moments. He's never met a woman to hold him as an equal, a partner.
"What will we do when we run out of places," she asks shakily. "We're running out…"
"We'll buy a house," he says. She laughs then and he snuggles her closer as they lay on the kitchen floor. "When we run out there, I'll buy a vacation house. We'll go on vacation. I don't see us getting bored any time soon."
"The Count?"
"Crazy," he replies. "I'm at a loss."
"We'll get him," she says. "I'm worried about John."
"John?"
"Deadshot Oliver. He's getting a little obsessed and I think we need to start focusing on that case once we get the vertigo thing handled."
"He's had you researching."
"Yes. He's reaching out to army contacts and the government. I've been tracking him," she admits. "I'm worried."
"Okay," he says. "After the Count…"
Diggle successfully buys vertigo and the three look over the combination after the Count's escape from the institution. It's more refined and slightly 'improved' from the previous version. Diggle leaves and Felicity casually mentions he's meeting with a Lyla Michaels. Oliver pauses and remembers the name. A.R.G.U.S. He pushes the information aside. He doesn't have time for it. Not now.
The aquarium attack is unsurprising but Oliver rushes off to stop the man high on Vertigo. He knows the man was either a willing addict or an unwilling patsy. Either way he'll do what he can to save the man. He fails and in that moment he feels the anger rushing through him. John should have been there but instead...instead he's off chasing a ghost.
Oliver comes back to the Foundry and finds Felicity drinking a glass of red wine while Tommy sits and works on the books. Neither are talking. Oliver slips his arms around her and she leans back. She offers him the glass and he takes a sip.
"So I'm sitting in our favorite Sushi restaurant, a bottle of sake, and the only thing that's missing is my boyfriend," a voice says. Oliver and Felicity swivel to see Laurel standing there. Tommy jumps up and comes around the bar offering apologies.
"Laurel I have a lot going on," he says.
"Will you just tell me what's going on?" she asks him.
"Maybe we should leave the room," Felicity whispers.
"Oh Ollie?" Laurel says. "I...and Felicity."
"Hey Laurel," Felicity offers. "We just enjoying a glass of wine."
Oliver doesn't like the way Laurel looks at Felicity. He doesn't like the way her eyes flash or the anger he sees there. Felicity has done absolutely nothing to her and it's getting tiresome. Felicity doesn't even react. She just leans back against Oliver and tugs her phone out of her pocket. She starts running casual searches on Vertigo and reads through some police files, pausing on relevant passages for Oliver.
"Mr. Merlyn, as requested, a search warrant," Detective Lance says upon entering the club. He's followed by a small army of cops and looks happy. Oliver and Felicity stand watching him warily. Laurel grabs the warrant and mentions its validity.
"What do you want?" Oliver asks.
"Mr. Merlyn has been selling Vertigo out of this club and most likely out of an unlisted sub-level. It's on the original plans and I intend to have a look. Open the door Mr. Queen."
Oliver and Felicity follow him to the door that leads to their space. Oliver tries to refuse to open it but with Laurel pushing him on the validity, he does. The basement is filled with boxes and club overflow. Felicity watches the surprise dawn on Oliver's face. Felicity pushes an arrow behind a box covertly and meets Tommy's eyes. A little subterfuge…
Lance storms off and Felicity watches as Oliver and Tommy follow him. Laurel is left standing there next to Felicity and sighs. Laurel watches as Felicity absently fixes her hair and walks over to pick up a jacket. Laurel recognizes it as Oliver's. Felicity lovingly drapes it over her arm before walking towards the stairs.
"Your father really doesn't like Tommy," she says. "Particular reason or just...not good enough for you?"
"He's never liked anyone I've dated," Laurel admits.
"Oliver?"
"Hated him."
"Figures. Moira's not exactly thrilled with me…" Felicity admits. "My mother would love Oliver. Absolutely love him."
"That's nice," Laurel says.
"I know Moira likes you and I think is holding out hope you two will get back together," Felicity says.
"Oh well Ollie and I have a very long history," Laurel says.
"And Tommy?"
"Him too."
"I don't want to insert myself into this argument that is coming at some point but I want to be clear about something," Felicity begins, "I'm not sure if Oliver and I are forever. No one can know that. Maybe you and Tommy aren't forever either. Regardless, you need to figure out if you and Tommy are right now. Stop hoping Oliver and I are going to break up so you can get back with him. Figure out your own relationship before someone gets hurt."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Yes you do," Felicity replies.
She leaves Laurel standing there in the basement. Tommy and Oliver have had a fight and Felicity stands beside Oliver. Laurel sees them standing in solidarity when she slips out the side door frowning. Heading home she can't help but wonder if she's doing to Tommy what Oliver did to her years ago.
Felicity listens as Oliver and Diggle fight. Accusations are thrown and Felicity tries to continue her work. In the oddest moments she feels like a disapproving mother and children are not in her plans right now. She itches to throw down her tablet and grab each of their ears until they behave.
"That's enough!" she roars, giving in to her frustrations. "I'm trying to find the damn Count and you two are behaving like children!"
"Felicity," Oliver says trying to placate her.
"I believe I told you what I would do if you tried to placate me," she remarks reminding him of when she confirmed his secret. "Now, you two can go down into the Foundry and fight it out or you can both grow up and have a conversation. I don't care which you choose but if you interrupt me one more time, you will find out just how scary I can be."
She doesn't look back but instead sits down to look over the information she's been compiling. She finds the surprise in the autopsy report from the aquarium but is unsure of it's meaning. Instead she starts going through any recent Vertigo deaths.
"Can I come in or are you planning to hurt me?" Oliver asks.
"Are you going to act like a five year-old?" she asks.
"No," he promises. "What are you working on?"
"Chlorpromazine."
"Hmm…?"
"The cause of death for the guy at the aquarium was not Vertigo. It was chlorpromazine. The girl from the club? It was in her system," Felicity explains. "How would he get enough of it to market the drug?"
"What if he never left?" Oliver mumbles. Felicity turns to look at him questioningly. "We've all assumed the Count escaped but what if he's still there? What if he never left the institution?"
"How is that even possible? Wouldn't someone have found him?"
"Maybe he's not working alone…"
Oliver heads to the institution. He realizes his mistake when the doctor takes him down. Waking up he realizes his hood is off and his ear piece is gone. The doctor takes momentary delight in destroying it in front of him. The doctor does his usual, revealing the entire plan, before forcibly causing Oliver to be given a large dose of Vertigo.
Oliver is distracted by the narrowing of his vision as a fight breaks out around him. He grabs an arrow from his quiver which reacts to the Vertigo causing him to vomit up the drugs...or at least enough of them. He runs after the doctor knowing he has to stop him. Notching three arrows he takes him out and falls to the ground in the hallway. It's Diggle who finds him there.
"You okay?"
"Why'd you come?"
"Because we might have problems but we're still partners," Diggle explains. "Should we go back for the Count?"
"No...he's gone. Crazy," Oliver croaks. "Get me back to Felicity. She'll be worried."
"Who do you think called me?"
The two limp back to the Foundry to change. Dig helps him out of his suit and helps him back up the stairs. He finds Tommy's note on the bar. Tommy has quit over Oliver not trusting him and Oliver can't blame him. He'll worry about it later. Right now he just wants to get home to his girl and deal with what has happened.
He can feel the vertigo in his system. He can feel it in the fringes waiting to move in and take over. Vertigo is like being hit by a truck and pumped full of endorphins so you don't know you've been hit by a truck. He just sits there and shivers. This time he knows a little bit about what to expect so he doesn't attack anyone. He just sits on the couch and watches Felicity make tea and gather sandwiches for a late dinner.
Diggle looks worn out too and practically jumps Felicity for the plate. He's halfway through his first sandwich in two bites. Oliver can't even look at the food yet. Instead he opens the blankets covering him and lets Felicity slide under them. She doesn't need them. He doesn't need them but he's shivering all while sweating profusely. It's a mess but she seems to realize he needs her.
"So that happened," Felicity says.
"Are you okay man?" Diggle asks while wolfing down another sandwich. "The doctor…?"
"I'm a killer remember," Oliver shivers through his response.
"I've killed Oliver. It's just been a while. If you such a killer then why isn't the Count down? It had to be tempting."
"People change, I guess."
"Like the Count?" Diggle looks genuinely interested in this conversation.
"No me. A few months ago I would have put that guy down for good but looking at him today...there didn't seem to be any point."
"Mercy?" Felicity asks.
"Not everyone deserves mercy," Oliver responds. "Deadshot for example."
"I thought he wasn't a priority to you," Dig says quietly.
"He's a priority to you. You two have unfinished business," Oliver replies. "So we should get started."
"We all should get started," Felicity says. "Team Hood vs. Deadshot!"
"We're not calling ourselves that," Oliver says.
"We'll see."
