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Stepfather

Chapter 2

Felicity hated doing anything more than necessary on weekends. If there weren't any Arrow activities or any hacking needed to be done, she enjoyed one night of the week as a 'nothing' day. As hard working as she was, she always felt better that weekends were there to sit on the couch catch up on some Doctor Who with hot cocoa.

However because of last Saturday, she wasn't going to sit around, do nothing. Since 6am she had been driving around, thanks to numerous coffee stops, buying everything she could think of. Shopping had never been more than a need for her. That day was a different story though. She had bought dresses, shoes, jeans, shirts and underwear.

She walked in to the lair with only some of her days' achievements in hand, as most of it was left in the car.

"Look who's here, Oliver" Digg teased "it's Starling City's very own queen of shopping. No pun intended."

Felicity smiled at the wordplay on Queen, which Oliver noticed but he knew the smile didn't reach her eyes. So he knew she was still lying when she said she was feeling better.

"Yup, I'm back!" Felicity exclaimed with faked enthusiasm while thinking she deserved an Oscar for this act despite still feeling bad about pretending with Oliver and Digg. Yeah but lying right now is much better than telling them the truth.

"What are you doing tonight? Since there isn't much Arrow can do for the city tonight, Digg and I were thinking to hit a bar maybe?" Oliver asked. Out of character, yes but not an unlikely suggestion a team that works quite hard, in and out of 'work', he thought.

She paused for a second, thinking it odd that Oliver would come up with this out of the blue. "That'd be great," Felicity said, deciding to go with it "I'll get dressed and we can leave."

"You've certainly got enough to dress-" Digg began but stopped when Felicity gave him a look, and turned away to the other side of the lair where the restroom was.

"I think she may be OK now, Oliver." He said as soon as she was out of earshot.

Oliver shook his head while still had his eyes on her retreating form. "I don't know Digg, I still think she's hiding something."

In the toilet, Felicity was changing into one of the new dresses she bought today, forcing herself to push her out of the darkness of her own thoughts. He has found me, after all these years, he's found me again. Shaking her head, she tried to think positive. She knew if something was to happen to her Oliver and Digg would be there to prevent it from happening.

The bar Digg suggested turned out to be great, in Felicity's opinion. She almost felt she was in a movie from the 1920's, her and the boys unusually sharing a good laugh in public like this while the pianist in the corner lively played a song from Casablanca.

"…and then, finally my mom found me in the rooftop of our apple tree with her bra, after hours!" Diggle finished his childhood story, making the trio laugh harder.

In the midst of that, Oliver felt Felicity was still holding back. "Never took you as the obvious bra man, Digg." He averted his full attention on Felicity, hoping to get something out of her. "What about you, Felicity? Have any funny stories from your childhood?"

"Nope." Felicity answered with her lips in a tight line. "I am the boring IT girl remember, I have been boring… since as long as I can remember." She finished, drinking back another glass of wine.

She was getting nervous, as Oliver was getting more agitated. Her comment made his eyebrows draw in confusion, and another glance of concern was shared with Digg.

"Okay, so tell us about your annoying new neighbours" he cautiously said, knowing this was the last chance she's got to open up before he practically resorts to begging her to tell him.

"Oh" Felicity looked up between them "yeah, they are new and loud and annoying. Heavy metal every night!" she mumbled something further about no one in her apartment building probably not getting enough sleep.

Gotcha, Felicity, he thought as he rode her home. He had checked with her building manager and records today, no one had moved in to the building since four years ago. He couldn't be more sure of something being majorly wrong, but couldn't imagine for the life of him what was so bad that she couldn't even confide with him or Diggle.

Felicity was slightly shaking in the car. Hard to determine whether that made her more nervous or Oliver. He could sense it, and she knew he thought something was up. Her apartment building would have normally been a good sign of escape from tension with Oliver in the car, but normally it's a different kind of tension. One that she would gladly welcome back in her life.

She opened her door before she said, "Thanks for the nice evening, Oliver. I'm glad we did this." She half smiled and got out of the car. Oliver put the window down as she leaned in to add, "And I'm still sorry for being a jerk last week. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Felicity, don't apologise. I care about you, and so does Diggle, so if something is bothering you know you can come to us for anything, right?" he said softly.

She tried her best to hold back her tears at his words. "I know, but sometimes you have to deal with your problems by yourself, Oliver. Just as you did, and keep having to do. Like with the island… not that I had something to deal with but then we… okay so I started babbling again, sorry."

By the time she stopped, Oliver had turned off the engine and was getting to ready to get out the car. "I'll walk you in, and maybe get a chance to talk to your neighbours."

Felicity held a hand out to him to stop him. "Er… that's a good idea, but I don't think they're in at the moment. Probably some concert." She lied again. There. I'm getting better at it.

Felicity said goodbye again, this time more successfully as a sighing Oliver reluctantly conceded. Letting go once again, in fear of pushing her too hard.

He watched her until she was out of view and inside the elevator.

Felicity unlocked her door and hesitantly walked into her apartment. Fear coursing through her veins, she switched on the lights. With her heart thumping louder than she thought possible, she nervously looked around the place as if sensing the note she found on the floor.

'I saw you with those two. You looked so sexy in your black dress.'

No. He was there. He had been there, in her apartment, at the bar. No. She had to leave. As fast as limbs would allow her, she called a cab. She had to get out of there, she had to get to her safe place.