Felicity marvels at the brilliance of the script. The action. The intrigue. The romance. The emotion so evident in the pages, pouring out and rooting deeply in her heart. Everything jumps out at her and sends her reeling. She imagines herself in the scenes, portraying a woman who starts out violated and alone and then becomes the strongest character in the story. She imagines Oliver portraying the male lead, a leader in a foreign mob who lets his morals get in the way of his duty when he meets her.

It doesn't take her long to read the script through once, and by the end she is bawling, her hands shaking and nose running and heart thudding against her chest. She's never felt so strongly about a story before, and yet she's sobbing amongst the plush blankets and pillows of her hotel room bed, hoping for some form of comfort. He could have warned me it was gonna be devastating.

Without hesitation, she pulls out her phone, ignoring the late hour and how she'll most likely wake him up. She types the message quickly, trying to blink away the onrush of tears that keeps coming.

Me: You could have at least warned me!

-2:23am

She picks up the script once more and grabs a red pen and starts underlining dialogue and cues and directions, all of them inciting a desperate need to be part of the production. To portray Ana. For Oliver to portray Peter. For them to fall away as the characters take control in each scene.

As she finishes underlining one of the most intense lines of dialogue in the script, his message comes through.

Oliver Queen: It's amazing, right?

-2:27am

She smiles at his clear love for the story. She types her message and sends it, then takes her bottle of water and gulps down nearly half.

Me: I didn't expect to cry.

-2:28am

She caps the bottle just as his response comes through.

Oliver Queen: If it makes you feel any better, the ending made me cry too.

-2:29am

Me: Uber-masculine Oliver Queen cried while reading a script? I'm shocked.

-2:29am

She jumps out of bed and stretches, her legs stiff from staying in one position reading for so long. She goes to the bathroom, then washes her hands before running back to the bed, finding Oliver's latest text completely ignoring her teasing.

Oliver Queen: So are you in?

-2:31am

She eyes the message, her heart starting to pound. Something about his intensity for the project and his adamance about her being part of it touches a part of her anxiety. Pull it together, Smoak. Seriously. You're a professional! But her heart isn't listening to her head. She types her message with trembling thumbs.

Me: I'm gonna tell me agent yes in the morning. :)

-2:38am

She collapses back onto her pillows and covers her face with her hands, the excitement and anxiety of her decision sinking in. Dozens of thoughts swirl through her head, but one keeps bombarding her, making her wonder what he's thinking.

"He's gonna think I want this part so I can be in all those love scenes with him," she blurts out, feeling her cheeks burning with a horrific blush as she thinks about their kiss. She recalls his assurance that they would not have sex on the first date, that he was much more respectful than that. But his lips told a different story. His lips said that he would easily have broken that rule, right there in that elevator. "Can I film a love scene with him without it getting out of hand?" she asks herself, shaking her head. "Well, too late to back out now. I already told him yes."

As she buries herself under the covers and turns out the lights, her phone goes off again. She checks the message and smiles, then turns onto her side and attempts to fall asleep with his words lingering behind her eyelids.

Oliver Queen: You have no idea how happy this makes me.

-2:42am

She wakes up feeling groggy and regrets binge-reading the script so late. She has a busy day ahead of her and she hasn't even picked out her outfit. She slowly leaves the bed, her eyes sliding over the script and she feels that anxiety again, reminding her of the date and his words and everything else that has happened over the last few days. She grabs her phone and dials her agent's number. He answers on the first ring.

"I'm assuming you've read the script then?" he asks, his voice full of excitement.

"I have, Cisco," she answers, her voice still scratchy and hoarse from sleep. She clears her throat as Cisco chuckles.

"And…?"

"And I have to take it."

"I knew you'd say yes," he exclaims. "And it is clear from your panels together that you and Oliver Queen have some major chemistry. I'm really feeling it."

She keeps her lips tight and sealed, knowing he can't know they went on a date.

"And with the photos that have been going around of the two of you, it is clear you think you have chemistry too."

Her mouth drops open. "Photos? What photos?"

"You don't know?"

"Cisco, please," she groans. "I just woke up. What photos?"

"Photos of the two of you holding hands in the lobby of your hotel and then getting into the elevator. It's clear nothing happened, since he was back in the lobby about ten minutes later, but the internet is losing its shit right now over it."

She closes her eyes and sees Oliver's face and his lips, so perfect and soft and tasty. She shakes her head. Snap out of it!

"The internet is already trying to come up with a name for the two of you. I personally think you should be called Foliver."

She laughs, unable to help it. "Seriously, Cisco, you need to get better with the name creations." She listens to him ramble on about the script and all the logistics as she attempts to wake up. Finally she finds a way to interrupt. "I have a lot to do today, Cisco. I gotta go."

"Tell Chris Hardwick I say hi!"

She nods, then rolls her eyes. He can't see you. "Will do," she says, then hangs up. She tosses the phone onto the bed and then rushes to her clothes, digging through the multitude of options until she finds the perfect pairing: mint green jeans and a black and white patterned top. She already knows the sandals she wants to pair with them. Then she grabs one of her favorite watches, which she wore to the Nerd HQ panel and then she searches for a necklace. As she rummages through her collection, one keeps popping out at her, demanding to be chosen.

She eyes the little handmade creation, one of her favorite Etsy buys and nods. "That is… accurate." She grabs it and then goes to change. When she hangs it around her neck, she knows it all works perfectly. She rubs the pendant, reciting the words like a mantra. "I can't even."

She can't believe she's in the private bowling alley to film Chris Hardwick's All-Star Celebrity Bowling. She's standing beside Roy and the producer of her show, greeting all of Team Nerdist. She's met Chris Hardwick numerous times at numerous cons, but she can't believe she's standing in front of Felicia Day, Jonah Ray and Wil Wheaton. They are all joking, as if they've been friends for years. Duh… because they havebeen friends for years. She looks down at her hands to find them trembling.

Felicia smiles and pats her on the shoulder, noticing her nervousness. "Don't worry about anything. Just be yourself."

Felicity laughs. "That'd be easier if there were someone on your team that sucks at bowling as much as I do. What happened to Matt Mira?"

Everyone joins in her laughter and Chris Hardwick grins. "There's only so much fail this team can handle. And we've hit the max."

Roy looks around, brows raised in confusion. "What happened to Iris?"

Felicity nods. "Yeah, I thought she was gonna be on our team?"

Their producer shakes his head. "Well, she decided she didn't want to deal with bowling. She said that every time she goes bowling, it reminds her of Eddie."

Felicity frowns. Iris had been in such a dark place throughout filming of season two. Her fiancé had passed away at the beginning of the filming schedule. She never spoke about how he died, but all she ever let slip was that he was a hero. Her hero. But she always talked about how one of their first dates had been cosmic bowling and how she was always so much better than him, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed it because she did. "Well, if Iris isn't part of the team, who is?"

Their producer grins like a fool. "Well… It will be somewhat of a shock."

"It's me."

The voice behind her sends waves of excitement, anxiety and complete happiness roiling through her veins, tingling into her toes. She turns to see Oliver and he winks, that wink she fears might kill her if he continues to use it with such ease and abandon.

"How do you keep worming your way into all of my appearances?" she asks, fidgeting with the zippers on her pants' pockets.

"If I recall," Oliver begins, smirking like he owns the world. He might as well… "You crashed my Nerd HQ conversation."

"What about my panel?" She glances over at Roy and he nods, clearly enjoying the back and forth banter and flirtation as much as Team Nerdist. Chris Hardwick is smiling and Wil Wheaton is trying not to laugh. Felicia Day is casting glances between her and Oliver while Jonah Ray just rolls his eyes.

Oliver chuckles. "I simply attended as part of the audience and decided to ask a question. Nothing wrong with that, as far as I'm concerned."

She nods slightly, hating to admit that she has no comebacks or further accusations. Everyone stands in silence for a few moments until Wil Wheaton clears his throat. "Let's get this over with. Just know that Team Nerdist is totally gonna kick your team's ass!"

In a shocking turn of events, Team Nerdist loses by two points, sending Chris Hardwick into an uproar and Wil Wheaton into uncharacteristic humbleness. The single game they had played took three hours to end thanks to constant filming necessities; interviews and jokes being almost as important as the game itself. And the whole time, Oliver remained close to Felicity's side, rooting her on and antagonizing Wil Wheaton with a familiarity that Felicity wished she had.

As they leave, Chris Hardwick pulls Felicity aside with a bright grin on his face. "I think this episode will be the best yet. You guys clearly need to be on screen together more often," he whispers, wagging his eyebrows like a fool.

She chuckles. "Well, I can say that my agent is definitely working on that."

"Awesome. Would you be willing to join us on the podcast soon?"

She's always wanted to be on the Nerdist Podcast, and Chris Hardwick always says how much he wants her on, but nothing ever comes of the comments. She nods. "Of course! You know I want to!"

"We'll be in touch!"

As Felicity leaves the bowling alley, she rolls her eyes. Which basically means 'see you at the next con!'

The bright San Diego afternoon greets her and she waits for her lenses to transition with the sunlight. Once they shield her eyes, she begins walking along, admiring the shops and cafes in this part of downtown.

"Felicity, wait!"

She turns to see Oliver chasing after her, his green and purple button up shirt fanning out with his pace, showing off his muscles beneath the tightness of his white v-neck. She forces herself to look up to his smiling face. "What's up?" she asks as he comes to a stop in front of her.

"Would you like to get some coffee and discuss the script?"

The question doesn't surprise her. After a few moments of feigned contemplation, she nods. "Sure."

"Fantastic!" Oliver exclaims, and she can't help but laugh. His enthusiasm for the project is so palpable that she can't deny her own growing excitement.

They walk for a while, hand-in-hand, enjoying the warm summer afternoon and one another's company. She tries not to think too much, for fear of blurting out her inner thoughts, but she fails miserably. Innuendos flood out, assaulting the easy way they interact and making everything awkward. But Oliver clearly doesn't mind.

"I find it adorable, actually," he admits after she speaks thoughts involuntarily for the hundredth time. "It makes things interesting."

"And incredibly awkward," she says, her cheeks getting warm. She wishes she could blame the summer heat but she's used to high temperatures.

They turn into a small coffee shop, the A/C unit blasting them with frigid air the moment the doors open. Oliver insists on ordering for them, admitting that there's only one thing worth ordering and she has to try it. When he orders, she chuckles at his request for plain cups of coffee and chocolate chip muffins. Safest options, clearly. "You could have asked me what I like, you know," she teases, nudging him playfully as they walk to a table in the corner, away from the windows.

"I could have, but I want our conversation to be the most important part of this date, not the food or drinks."

"This is a date?"

"Well… I mean, I figured it could double as a work meeting and a date." He leaned forward, over the table, his eyes closing as his lips near hers. She follows, crossing the small distance to allow their mouths to meet. The contact sends her body reeling. She wants so much more but nothing else all at once. She wants his hands all over her and yet she wants his hands simply to trace the line of her jaw… only her jaw. Everything is so jumbled.

When they break apart, it is only for the barista to bring their order. Two coffees. One chocolate chip muffin. "Oh… So we're sharing this muffin?"

He grins. "Is that a problem?" he asks as he pulls a small chunk apart and holds it to her lips. She lets him drop it into her mouth, his thumb grazing her bottom lip lightly, sending tingles up and down her spine.

"No," she murmurs once she swallows the bite. "Not a problem."

They drink their coffee and nibble on bits of muffin, silence resting between them. They glance up at one another on occasion, each moment of eye contact speaking volumes. She's lost all of her nervousness and she feels completely normal, as if his star status doesn't exist and they are just ordinary human beings enjoying a light snack.

"Don't you have appearances to make at Comic-Con?" she finally asks, reaching out and taking his hand.

He rubs his thumb over her hand and smiles. "Not until later," he says. "I wanted to talk to you about the script. How did you like it, really?"

She takes a deep breath and then lets the words spill out. "It was amazing. I don't remember the last time I read anything that made me feel so much. I'm a huge bookworm and I haven't read a book, even, that made me feel the emotions I felt while reading that script." She catches her breath and continues. "I don't wanna seem crazy or anything, but I really have to play that part. I have to play Ana."

His smile widens at this proclamation and Felicity's heart leaps. How can one smile from one man make me feel like this?

"Felicity," he says, and her tummy flutters at the sound of her name on his lips. "There's no one else I want to play Ana except you. The writers and director know this."

"Really?"

He nods. "Oh yes. I was very adamant about this. I read the script on the plane here and I loved it. Then I sat next to you at that panel and, I don't know. I just knew you had to be Ana. I called the director right away and told him. He seemed a little skeptical, but I had him send me a copy of the script to give to you."

"It happened that fast?"

He laughs. "Like I said, I don't know. It just seemed right." He watches her for a few minutes and then squeezes her hand. "What was your favorite scene?"

Her eyes widen at the question. She turns it over in her head, pairing it with all the scenes she felt so strongly about. She tosses aside the love scenes, knowing that mentioning those would make her seem creepy and needy and possessive. Maybe he likes that…? She frowns slightly and glances up at him, checking to be sure she hadn't said anything out loud. He shows no emotions besides interest in her looming answer. She lets the rest of the scenes rush through, scanning each one and pulling out lines that show everything in just a few words. Finally, the scenes hit her and she smiles.

"I have two favorites," she begins, looking into his eyes to find them bright with anticipation. "The first would be the moment Peter decides to save Ana. He sees her lying in that shipping crate, half-naked and starving, the bruises all over her body. Her begging him and him deciding to forfeit everything he's built to save her. So powerful. And him carrying her out while also kicking major mob ass… so sexy."

As she takes a breath, Oliver chuckles and nods. "That's the moment the script had me hooked."

She moves on. "My absolute favorite scene, though, would have to be when Ana is tending to Peter's wounds. He's just saved her life for the umpteenth time and he's critically injured and delirious and speaking total nonsense. She talks him through it and keeps him alive. Then they kiss for the first time. Initiated by her. That's the moment they realize they are in love and it is so beautiful."

He stares at her, his mouth slightly ajar in surprise. He shakes his head a little and then lets out a breathy chuckle. "That's… that's the scene that came to mind when we were at that panel together."

Felicity looks up, her turn to feel surprised. "What?"

"That's the scene that I imagined when we were sitting together at that panel. It's probably one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever read in a script."

Silences falls between them, both clearly imagining themselves in the roles. After a few moments, Oliver looks at his watch and frowns. "We should probably get going."

"Stardom beckons?" she asks, sadly. Without any hesitation, she would stay in this coffee shop with Oliver for an eternity, talking scripts and life and anything else worth talking about. But the world they live in moves too fast, catapulted by interviews and publicity and filming schedules so arduous that some people lose their minds in the process. She looks into Oliver's eyes to see all of this mirrored there in those gorgeous blue depths.

"Yes, unfortunately."