Oliver and Felicity slipped into the booth sitting across from each other. Big Belly Burger was only half full, as the normal dinner crowd had already begun to thin. The waitress took their order and disappeared. Felicity's hands were clasped in front of her on the table and she and Oliver seemed apprehensive to make eye contact, both looking at everything but each other. Oliver cleared his throat and said, "When Thea and I were growing up we never ate at places like this. Dinner out always meant something with multiple courses, nice clothes and usually a client or coworker Dad was entertaining." Felicity was surprised to hear Oliver talk about his childhood and it made her smile. Oliver shifted in his seat trying to get comfortable talking about his childhood, "When I turned 16 and got my first car one of the things I did was take Thea out to McDonald's. It was such a normal thing for every other kid but for us it was the most amazing meal we had ever had." Oliver snickered at the silliness of the story but Felicity loved it.

Felicity looked at Oliver and fidgeted with her napkin, "When I was little my Mom worked – all the time – I was on my own for most meals. Fast food was sort of staples – well, that and leftovers from the all you can eat buffet at the casino." Awkward silence fell between them, neither one really knowing how to talk to each other. The waitress sat down their baskets filled with cheeseburgers and fries. They ate in silence for several minutes.

Oliver swallowed hard, cleared his throat and said, "When I came back from the island I knew that my relationships would be different I just didn't realize how different. I guess part of me really held out hope that I could just fall back into my old life like nothing had changed. Instead I've managed to mess up or destroy every one of my previous relationships – Laurel, Tommy, Thea, my Mother." Oliver's voice trailed off, guilt and shame showing on his face.

Felicity's heart ached for him. She couldn't imagine what he went through or what it must have been like to come back. She reached out and grabbed his hand, "You have done the best you could Oliver, and all of those people knew or know that you love them. I never knew the Oliver from before the island, well besides what I read in the tabloids, but I know the post-island Oliver. And I know that he is a man who is honorable, and truthful, and brave and kind."

Oliver looked up at her and a big smile spread across his face and he squeezed her hand, "I know Felicity and that is why you mean so much to me."

After a short silence Felicity looked up with a mischievous smile on her face, "Okay, we each get to ask one question – one question we've both wanted to ask but too embarrassed. You go first."

Oliver's eyebrows arched up in surprise and he laughed. He wiped his face with his napkin, rested his elbows on the table and a bit of happiness played across his face, "Are you sure you want to play this game?"

She smiled, "Are you?"

"Okay then, what was your real opinion of me when I first came down to your office with a laptop full of bullets?"

"Of course I had already heard of you and your reputation. So when you first came into my office I was expecting billionaire playboy" Felicity stopped to eat some more fries, taking time to carefully select her words.

"Well, did I live up to that reputation?" Oliver smirked.

"No and yes. I mean, you were much better looking in person than what I saw in the tabloids or papers." Felicity diverted her eyes, feeling a warm flush warm her cheeks, "But you weren't as much of an ass as I expected. You were polite, kind and I could instantly tell you were covering for the dark things that happened."

Oliver smirked and stirred his shake, "I think people saw in me what they wanted to – you were the first person to really see me for who I had become after the island."

"Well, the lies were pretty horrific and I had my suspicions about your secret life way before you fell into the back seat of my car. The bank heist flash drive? Yeah, that was a major tip off and then the syringe?" and Felicity just raised her eyebrows as if questioning Oliver's judgment.

"In my defense I was still recovering from my own experience with Vertigo and couldn't really muster a very good cover story."

Felicity shifted in her seat and looked him steady in the eyes, "Okay, my turn."

Oliver rested his chin on his hands, "Okay, hit me with your best shot"

A smile crept slowly across Felicity's face, "I want to know your number?"

Oliver was confused, "My number? Do you mean like the number of women I've…" and his voice trailed off.

Felicity sat up tall in the booth, "uh-huh. That's exactly what I'm asking"

Oliver's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe what she was asking. For all the things that he and Felicity had shared – some of them very personal, near death experiences, utter fear, darkest moments – this was a personal question he had not seen coming. "We're not 16 Felicity. Do you really want to know that?"

"Oliver Queen, are you dodging the question? There is no dodging the question. I know were not 16 but you have a reputation and I want to know how true it is. I don't want to be a number and if I am, I want to know which number I am. I'll tell you mine – 4." And she arched her eyebrows as if throwing him a challenge.

"4? You've slept with 4 different men?" Oliver sounded patronizing like he was talking to a child.

"Yes, do you want their names?" Felicity held her head high. Maybe she wasn't as "experienced" as him but she wasn't ashamed of her sexual past.

"Um, no, I don't want their names. Unless you want me to put arrows into them." And Oliver met her stare with no smile indicating that he was being deadly serious about the threat.

"The number please. I'm waiting." And Felicity started tapping her fingers to show her impatience.

Oliver let out a big sigh, and tried to hide his smile, "For the record, I think this is a ridiculous question. The truth is I don't know. It's large - maybe 50."

Felicity's mouth hung open in surprise and her eyes became large, "Are you serious? You don't even know? Wow. Yeah, you earned that reputation."

Suddenly for the first time in his life Oliver was embarrassed about his behavior. He never had to defend that particular life choice and now facing Felicity he felt shame and wished he hadn't told her.

Felicity could tell she had made him feel uncomfortable and felt bad, that hadn't been her intention. "Well, I guess I have some catching up to do." And she started sucking on the straw of her shake flirtatiously looking at Oliver.

He snickered, "Um, no you don't. Four is plenty." He cast a look at her and added, "well, you might be able to increase that to five." And he arched his eyebrows.

Felicity choked on her shake and quickly looked away. Her whole face felt like it was on fire with embarrassment.

He tossed his napkin on the table and said, "C'mon, it's late. Lets get out of here." And he stood up holding his hand out to help her out of her seat. Felicity reached up and grabbed his hand and smiled.