Hey, I have a new strategy. Every time I finish writing a chapter, currently starting chapter 11, I post one on FF-how's that? Therefore we're all happy! Anyway, personally, I feel this chapter hasn't exactly got much of a plot but I feel it's quiet important on introducing some of the characters a little better. Thankyou so, so much for the reviews they make me want to continue posting these chapters despite how unimportant they are.

Last chapter I said that it would be about 20 chapters long. Well, I had an idea while writing a chapter a few days ago and changed my mind completely. It may be a little longer than 20 chapters, sorry!

Anyway, thanks for sticking round those of you have been keeping up with this and welcome to those who have only just found this story. I really hope you enjoy this chapter let me know what you think in the comments. Love y'all.

Maisie :)

Chapter 3

The next few says are spent similar to her first in the computer room waiting for Oliver to get home but when Sunday rolls by filled with lots of Disney and pancakes she begins to panic.

The next day rolls by quickly unfortunately for Felicity and the night is spent panicking and sleepless despite knowing she's going to need her energy. She finds herself at the breakfast bar again with Oliver producing her with her meal and a drink she thanks him with a smile which he returns.

"You look nice" he comments when he first sees her in the hallway. She has her blond hair in slight curls around her shoulders clipped back with a few hair clips. She is wearing black skinny jeans with a plain navy T-shirt and leather ankle boots. In her hand is a plain paint splattered Vans rucksack and she has a black leather jacket on the stool next to her. She picks some plain studs and a bracelet as accessories, and the computer circuit board that she's had since her mother first dropped her off all those years ago is securely in her pocket.

After swallowing her last mouth full she mutters a quiet thankyou before pulling on her coat and heading to the door "you ready?" he asks and she sighs looking at the floor before nodding slowly under his interrogating gaze. "Let's go then" he leads her to a garage where a black BMW and plain white Maserati is "which?" she shrugs and he heads to the Maserati "My baby" he caresses the hood and then looks up as if he forgot she was there.

"You went here right?" she asks while they're driving smoothly the radio playing softly in the background, he nods his head in time to the beat in answer "Are the people there… nice?" she asks quietly.

He looks over at her quickly "Of course they are, you obviously have the mean girls but what school doesn't. Steer clear from them" he warns. She nods playing with something in her pocket "What's in your pocket?" he asks.

She blushes deep red and pulls the thin rectangle from her pocket, he smiles adoringly at her "That's cute. Have you had it since you were sent to the other place?" he asks her only reddening her cheeks he not only finds this interesting but funny too. She nods shyly "Ahh, take it everywhere with you?" he prods and she scowls but nods again. "Really? It's been there during the good and bad times has it?" She pouts and turns to look out the window.

"I wish I declined your offer now" she mutters and he frowns. "I'm joking-well, I'm not but you're being mean!" he smiles boyishly and pulls to a stop-they're here "I don't want to go" she frowns and he looks at her sadly

"I know but get through the first week and it won't be that bad anymore. Text me if you need anything someone to talk to or a body guard I'll be there quicker than… I'll be there quick, okay?"

Felicity nods slowly and opens the car door surprised when Oliver joins her. He pulls her in for a quick hug and then gets back in the car to drive away. So, taking a deep breath she walks along to group of students until she comes to a stop outside a small brick building.

When she enters its empty and cold. There's a plump looking women behind the window smiling at her with a soft gentle expression. "Hello, I'm Miss Peak, how can I help you?" Felicity can't speak, she can barely breathe but manages to pull the letter from her bag. "Ahh, you're Felicity our new student. I've been wondering when I'd be seeing you. Here's your schedule and a map of the school, get this signed by all your teachers and bring it back at the end of the day. Have a good first day Miss Smoak" with that she turns back to her computer leaving her staring blankly at the pieces of paper in her hands.

Luckily as soon as she walks out side she bumps into a girl with a soft face and warm chocolate eyes with bouncy curls.

"I'm so sorry!" the girl is quick to apologise and then double takes, taking a look at Felicity's face. "I haven't seen you before, are you new?" Felicity nods shy and the girl nods. "I'm a junior, you?" the girl askes and Felicity nods in reply. "C'mon you can sit me and my friends" the girls turns and begins to walk away leaving Felicity no other option than to follow her.

It's a fairly small friendship group but they all look very comfortable with each other which calms Felicity slightly. "Hey guys, I found…" she turns to Felicity "What's your name?"

"Felicity" she replies quietly.

The girl turns to her friends and starts again "Hey guys, I found Felicity near the office looking lonely and decided we could be of use?" They all smile at her and nod, a noticeable weight has been lifted off of Felicity's chest and it makes it just that little bit easier to breath. "This is Cisco" she points to a fairly small boy with long black hair and dark bright eyes. His smile is wide and he holds out his hand which she takes loosely "Iris," the girl has dark hair in tight curls and is smiling warmly at her also holding out a soft hand "Eddie" the boy with blond hair grins wonkily at her and his sparkling blue eyes shine as he holds out his hand "Finally, Barry" this boy is tall and has light brown messy hair with kaleidoscopic eyes he holds out a hand which she shakes.

"And this my new friend is Caitlin" Barry whispers pointing to the original girl. She laughs and holds out a hand to shake taking it Felicity smiles slightly.

How's your first day? – O

The ping of her phone disrupts there introduction but she smiles when she reads the text before sending a short reply back: Not bad- F.

"Who's O?" Iris asks leaning over her shoulder, Felicity looks up with wide eyes receiving laughs on everyone's behalf.

Caitlin looks at her before saying "I apologise for Iris' nosiness but now we're on the subject?" She stumbles over an answer while the group watches on curiously.

She fingers the circuit board in her pocket "H-he is my adoptive brother" They all nod and before they ask any more questions she adds "He's 19 and called Oliver Queen" Their reactions are all slightly different . Caitlin looks shocked but is still smiling, Cisco looks in wonder, Iris is surprise, Eddie confused and Barry just looks happy.

Felicity likes Barry he never seems to judge people but it's too early to start making judgments on people.

Her day passed quietly and without a hitch, she spent most her time with Caitlin and her friends and at least one of them was in every class which proved exceptionally helpful. Felicity was actually surprised when the final bell of the day rang signalling the end of the day because it had gone so smoothly.

As promised Oliver was waiting outside for her when she came out and raised an eyebrow when he saw her surrounded by Caitlin and everyone. Iris leant over to her and whispered "He's hot" in her ear when Oliver got into view making her blush. He walked up to her and pulled her in for a hug,

"You did it!" he whispered into her hair, she nodded against his chest. "Who're your friends?" he asked once they pulled apart.

"Caitlin"

"Iris"

"Eddie"

"Cisco"

"Barry"

Felicity didn't have to speak as they went round each giving their name.

"I'm Oliver, nice to meet you all" He replied with an easy smile.

Cisco looked at Felicity who stood in front of Oliver almost touching his chest "I thought you didn't do touching?" Felicity blushed and went to take a step away from Oliver but he caught her easily pulling her back with a side smile.

"She doesn't" he replied for her and they all shared a look "Only with me, right 'lisity?" he added in a teasing voice. She elbowed him lightly and Oliver smiled before he feigned a cry of pain clutching his side in mock agony. She took this the wrong way and froze thinking she had actually hurt him thus brining back bad memories.

It had been about a week since the police found her at the door all bloody, bruised and scared and the horror hadn't left her eyes.

The bruises had only just begun to fade and her head was still tender but she was physically healing, psychologically though it was only getting worse. The police had interrogated her asking questions they shouldn't have which left her thinking.

"Did you or did you not kill Stephan Rochev?" the police man grumbled, tears built in her eyes as she sobbed into her arms.

Her hair had been braided in tight plaits so she had nothing to play with "I didn't! I swear, he killed his wife and then himself" The policeman raised an eyebrow at the women stood at the door and she sighed coming to bend down so she was the same height as Felicity.

"Look, there's no doubting us being mad but it'll be better if you tell us the truth first time" Felicity couldn't understand why they thought she killed him which brought on another round of tears "I didn't… please believe me" her voice got smaller the more she spoke and the police woman shook her head at the Police man across from her.

"C'mon sweetheart we'll get you a hot chocolate while Officer Harrison gets his notes right" the woman lead her from the room with a final glare thrown behind her. When she had a cup of boiling hot cocoa they sat at a table while she drank. "I'm sorry about my friend. He's just very confused and frustrated which results in him wrongly accusing you" They sat in silence as Felicity dried her eyes.

"Why does he think it's me?" Felicity asks after a moment of silence.

The women shrugs at her and stares at the empty wall behind Felicity's head. "Who knows, maybe you got angry at him" Then her head snapped up "Felicity I'm going to ask you a very serious question and I need you to answer it as descripted as you can, okay?" felicity nods. "Did he… Did he ever hurt you?" she asks quietly avoiding Felicity's face at all costs.

"Hmm" Felicity answered nodding her head sadly. Her hands folded around the other repeatedly her dislike for the questions shown through hr twisting hands.

The police woman looked angry but managed to keep her stony composer. She asked in a soft but curious voice "You know when he was hurting you had he been drinking or doing anything abnormal beforehand?"

Felicity thought back to all the times he'd smashed beer bottles at the walls near her head often clipping her skin. She remembered the powder that often lay on a plate in the middle of the two of them when they thought she wasn't looking. Felicity thought back to her first hours there, the way her eyes constantly watered and her chest painfully contracted from all the smoke in the air. Then finally she remembered the packets upon packets of empty pills, they said it was for their back pain but Felicity was smart, smart enough to know they were lying.

"He drank things and then threw the bottles at my head, he wasn't a very good thrower and often only caught the side of my head. They also always had this white powdery thing which made their eyes red, skin white and noses red. It was hard to breathe and blink in their apartment due to all the smoke in the air. That's about it" Then she paused "They were also taking lots of pills for their "back pain" but I don't think it really was…"

The women nodded thoughtfully and stood up "stay here" she came back moments later with a sad smile on her face "It's done, you can go home" Felicity smiled and nodded. When she did get back to the orphanage she was greeted with panic attacks and sleepless nights.

The word abuse was thrown around carelessly but every time it was said it brought her back to a beer bottle smashing next to her head or his nightly visits. He tormented her visions and stalked every thought and she couldn't get away.

Felicity just wanted to make it go away.

"Hey, hey, hey. Felicity come back to me. Come on, I was joking you couldn't hurt a fly. Felicity" His voice was a calming constant. Always bringing her out of her mental prison.

His hand reached up and wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. Her new friends looked on in panic and worry as she collapsed in Oliver's arms. He calmed her gently and put her in the car before walking back round to the driver's side "She gets panic attacks, no one hears about this and don't bring it up. and for the love of god if she has one at school and none of you ring, I will not be happy" he warns and they nod before he gets in the car and drives away one hand clasped tightly between both of Felicity's.

They get back home with a quiet silence neither of them knowing what to say. Felicity, was having a mental argument about haw bad she's messed up and Oliver drove with a clenched jaw murmuring how annoyed at himself he was.

They pulled into the drive and they walked in the house hanging their coats on the rack with silence hanging heavily in the air around them. Oliver walked her to the couch, bent down in front of her and wiped away the few tears that has escaped her scrunched up eyes.

"Hey, it's not your fault. It's mine, I should've thought about what it might've triggered. I'm really sorry and I'll go and make us some drinks so we can err… yeah, I'm really sorry Felicity" He walks out the door into the kitchen leaving her in more of state than she was before.

Felicity hadn't actually heard what he has aid but all she noticed was that when she looked up from where her head was in her hands he was gone. Of course he's gone part of her whispered you always drive them away. He's going to go and tell his parents how messed up you really are and you're going back to the orphanage. He's leaving the one person you thought actually got you is leaving you alone. You always push everyone away, scare them into never returning. When will you learn, Felicity that people can only take so much.

She cried some more and then seconds later the door to the kitchen swung open revealing a rather flustered Oliver. More tears appeared but these were of relief that he didn't leave. He placed a glass of icy water on the table, passing the other to her before sitting next to her.

You should stay away, keep him at arm's length so when he finally decides to leave you don't get hurt so much. The voice in her head whispered as he shuffled close putting an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer.

Felicity painfully pulled away, the look of hurt in his eyes made her want to jump in his arms and never leave but she held firm and whispered something about homework before practically running up the stairs. He sat there in silence listening to her move about upstairs and his arm stung from where she'd pulled away but he gave her space.

She sat on the bed with her headphones on their top volume blocking out everything but everywhere she looked there was something to remind her of the look on his face. She pulled a pillow over her face and closed her eyes. Felicity wasn't sure how long she lead there but she only moved when there was a soft knock on the door in a pattern Oliver didn't use. Thea stood in the door, her lip pulled between her teeth in nervousness.

"C'mon in Thea" she muttered and the little girl danced into the room sitting silently on the bed next to Felicity "What's up?" she asked and the girl said nothing but laid her head on Felicity's exposed stomach.

"I should be asking you the same question" She looked up at Felicity with big blue eyes then added "I wasn't sure what happened, still not really, but when I came home from school Oliver was sat on the sofa silently and his face was one that storms compete with… Something happened and I want to know what?"

Felicity stayed silent as the perspective child stared at her through eyes much wiser than her age "It-Oliver didn't do anything. I did. I decided to let him go before he could leave too" Thea rolled her eyes and stared at Felicity in disbelief.

"Really?"

She nodded quietly "why?"

"Because people always leave and the closer they are the more it hurts, I decided to look out for myself for once and left before he could hurt me, plus he barely knew me, he'll get over it" Felicity muttered. Her anger had quickly disappeared and was now replaced with sadness.

"Okay, I'll let you think that through but if you're not with Oliver tonight we could do something-just the two of us?" Thea suggested and Felicity silently thanked the girl for letting it go.

She nodded in earnest "Sure! I'd love that" Thea grinned her infectious smile before prancing out the room only to return moments later with a lot of metal boxes "Err, Thea, what's all that?" the thirteen year old grinned in reply before covering every mirror in her room. "What are you doing?!"

Thea laughed and opened the box revealing loads of eyeshadows and lip glosses and everything Felicity had never even heard of. However, being the good friend she was Felicity allowed Thea to ambush her with random chemicals before curling her brown locks into something tamer. "You have to do me before we can look" Thea informed her when she was finished.

Felicity looked dejectedly into the box before straightening her shoulders and plunging into the box putting Thea into a round of uncontrollable giggles "Your face!" she cried wiping tears of laughter of her face as her giggles quietened. Felicity pouted but continued searching through the box.

She applied a fair amount of silver eyeshadow before turning it into a smoky eye-that in her defence didn't look that bad. She placed some bronzer and concealer on the younger girls face then finished with a touch of nude lip gloss. Then felicity oved onto Thea's hair which, fortunately, she could do and know it was actually decent. She placed a simple Waterfall braid in her hair before curling it in loose curls. "Done" Felicity sighed then almost cried when Thea turned to her with a dress for her and one of her own. "No" she cried but eventually obliged pulling the high dress a little lower. It was an orange high thigh dress with simple cut outs at the hip-nothing she'd go for various reasons. Thea held a dress which was turquoise colour with a plain off shoulder look. It was perfect for her and not too old for her age either.

They both put the dresses on after Thea's demanding insistence. Felicity got changed in the bathroom in hope of avoiding Thea's wandering eyes and it worked, kind of. Thea's eyes travelled down her dress before clapping quickly and jumping on the spot all the while squealing in a rather high pitched voice. "Erm, ow?" Felicity offered but Thea ran over and hugged her leaving her tense but panic free.

"C'mon we have to go show mom" Thea grinned pulling her by the hand out the door and down the stairs "Mommy! We made ourselves look PRETTY!" Thea squealed when she saw Moira standing in the middle of the living room a stern look on her face. She had been talking to someone and when Felicity let herself look down she noticed it was Oliver. He was now staring at her with an open mouth when he noticed her looking at him he turned his head away angling away from her which tore her up a bit inside.

Moira smiled and grabbed her camera off the side "Oliver get in" she ordered and after a few seconds of protesting Oliver was stood beside her arm wrapped firmly around her waist and Thea's shoulders. She poked him the side knowing he was ticklish just as Moira snapped the photo.

They all gathered round to see the picture and she gasped when she saw it. Thea was grinning her face staring at the camera but she was the only one. Oliver was staring down at Felicity a small smile on his face while she grinned up at him in silent laughter "I'll print you all a copy" Moira muttered and then waltzed from the room.

"Pizza?" Thea asked Felicity and she nodded softly.

"Oooh! I want some" Oliver grinned and went to stand up "Ok-"Felicity was interrupted by Thea who glared at her brother.

With a swish of her hair "This is a girls night and although you are a little… feminine you aren't welcome to this party. Go hang out with Tommy or something he's been asking about you" He nodded dejectedly and walked to the stairs.

"Thea! That was mean" Felicity admonished the younger queen but she shrugged and walked upstairs behind Oliver. Not minutes later Oliver walked out of his room in jeans and a collared dress shirt making Felicity short of breath. "You look nice" she questioned when he walked passed her in the hallway.

He nodded at her "Thanks" before walking to the bathroom and not coming out again. Felicity walked into Thea's room and questioned Thea about what she just saw.

"Before you came he was a party animal. I mean completely an utter, out every night, hooking up with girls every night and not remembering their name, ass. He'd come in a stupid times in the morning bumping into everything and wake up passed out on the sofa." She explained and Felicity nodded silently. "Then you came and I haven't heard of any plans until of tonight and that was when I insinuated it" Felicity nods in wonder. "Anyway this night isn't about Oliver is it?"

They watch loads of films that night and soon Thea falls asleep. Felicity tucks her in and turns out the light before moving to her window seat and watching the street below. It's silent for hours and then a stumbling figure makes its way into the house.

She watches interested as Oliver climbs the steps to his house and stagger inside true to Thea's word falling into everything. Felicity climbs the stairs quietly and makes sure the door is locked before sliding to help Oliver. He blinks up at her with innocent hazy eyes before turning his gaze to the floor.

She lifts him up with his help and half carries-half drags him to his room. When they get there he strips down to his boxers leaving Felicity blushing wildly. "Felicity?" He asks when he's lead on the bed.

"Hmm" she whispers into the darkness where she's shutting his curtains.

"Why are you mad at me?" he asks and it semi breaks her heart because her he is drunk and out of his mind yet he's still thinking about their friendship.

She runs a hand through her hair and sits edgily on the bed "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at me for letting you in, understand?" he shakes his head but wraps his arms around her waist pulling her further onto the bed "I… I can't have you leave. If I leave you then logically you won't leave me later on where I care about you more thus it hurting less" He nods sadly.

"B-but why would I leave you" he asks his intoxicated state making it harder and harder to let him go. She strokes his hair absentmindedly and thinks of an answer.

"I don't know." She finally mutters. His eyes are closed and his breathing has become shallow but she knows he hasn't fallen asleep so when he mutters "I'd never leave you willingly" she's not all surprised.

She continues threading her fingers through his hair and he hums in appreciation before slowly drifting off to sleep. Still Felicity continues unable to bring herself to leave, she can't remember falling asleep but she remembers the way her back hurts when she wakes up with her face close to his and his alarm clock blaring.

Oliver moves closer to her subconsciously turning into her so that he could reach the alarm clock. He switched it off and rolled back over but Felicity remembered quickly she had school and nudged his shoulder with her own "Oliver, I need you to take me to school!" He moaned into the pillow and looked up at her blearily his face an off white. "We'll get you some paracetamol and you can get changed while I get ready but we only have an hour" Oliver's eyes widened.

"An hour! That's ages away but if you want go and get dressed come for me when you're ready to go" He mumbled and she sighed before nodding exiting his room slowly. Felicity bumps into Thea in the hallway who gives her a knowing smile.

Her hair is in a ponytail and she's combing her fingers through it when she says "You put him into bed didn't you?" Felicity looks at the floor sheepishly before nodding "About what you said yesterday, it's not going to work. Especially if you're looking after him. If you truly want to push him away you're going to have to stop completely. No midnight chats or anything. He's not one to give up on people he cares about unless they stop trying" Thea informed her and Felicity nodded knowing all this already. "I'm here if you want to talk..." she adds before walking downstairs.

Felicity stands there in silence before nodding to herself and moving to her bedroom where an outfit is laid on her bed. She smiles to herself and gets changed braiding her hair quickly and going to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She grabs her bag and walks back to Oliver's room "Have you had breakfast?" he asks when he notices her. She shakes her head "Then I have a few more minutes" Felicity shakes her head in silent laughter before walking downstairs to grab an apple and glass of juice. She walks back upstairs with a glass of water and two pills for Oliver who groans when he sees her.

"Right, fine. I'll get up." Felicity grins in satisfaction before going downstairs to wait for him. She's halfway through a book when he walks downstairs in new clothes and thankfully some deodorant on. "C'mon you. School time" she half glares at him but follows him into the garage where the car awaits. He drops her off at the gate but doesn't get out "Have fun" he whispers before driving away.