A/N: Thanks for the amazing responses guys.

Chapter 2

It went pretty much like Felicity expected.

Tommy was awake, no serious complications, though he was still being tested for every known neurological issue associated with time in a coma. Asides from that he had already started some physical therapy to build up the muscles in his body.

The police had spent some time with him before anyone else, asking him about his father's role in the destruction of the Glades. They had also given him the bad news about his father's demise. Tommy wasn't stupid and immediately realised that Oliver had lied, that he had killed him. Oliver only visited once and that was it. No one had any idea what had been said, but they all noticed Oliver was brooding more than usual. Laurel visited a few times, but she said Tommy wouldn't talk about anything serious and asked her to leave because he was tired after a while. Thea was asked to wait until he was feeling more energetic to visit again.

So it was with trepidation that Felicity entered the hospital the Sunday night a week after Tommy had woken. She was there to offer simplicity, just like before except now he was awake.

She knocked gently on the door and entered when she got a weary response.

"It's you again," Tommy said with a curious smile upon seeing her. "No one knew who you really were, asides from the fact you were not my fake-amnesia-wife."

Felicity gave an unladylike snort that made him laugh. "I think I'd remember getting married, though I suppose a vast amount of alcohol would do it, or if you were in a coma for that matter," she shrugged. "Hmm, I wonder about the legal ramifications of trying to marry someone in a coma." She saw the look of panic on Tommy's face. "Not that I would, mind you," she rushed to say. "Just that it would be an interesting standpoint with lots of lawyers and yeah…I'll stop now. I'm Felicity Smoak, by the way."

"That sounds familiar."

"I, uh, work for Oliver and the IT department at Queen consolidated. We never officially met, but I did some work at Verdant while you were there."

Tommy's face hardened. "Oliver sent you."

"No. He has no idea that I'm here. I'm kind of sneaking around behind his back, not that it's really any of his business, or that I have to sneak, but I digress." She gestured at the seat, "May I?"

He nodded slowly.

"Oliver once said that he liked to spend time with me because I was simple. Simple as in not complicated, not simple as in I'm an idiot, because I'm really not, don't let the blonde hair fool you." She coughed and continued. "I know most of the secrets Oliver is protecting, so he doesn't have to pretend or avoid or lie to me any more than your average person would do in a day."

"And you are telling me this why?"

"Because I know all about Oliver's nights and how you came to know. I know the real reason why you left Verdant. I know why you and Oliver really aren't friends anymore. I know about your father and how he…died. So I am here to offer you a simple friendship, someone you can speak to in confidence, who won't judge, who won't lie and who will keep your secrets. You have a lot to work through physically and emotionally. So I'm offering you someone to lean on who knows what you can't tell others."

"Oliver really didn't put you up to this?"

"No. He'd hate the idea, but I think that's just because he's trying to ignore you. If he doesn't acknowledge it, it doesn't exist or something like that."

"And this is the guy that is supposed to be my best friend."

Felicity offered a quiet smile. "As someone who knows what really happened, let me be the first to tell you that Oliver loves you like a brother no matter what has happened between you two. He was the one that first found you when you were…injured."

"I remember that. That was when he lied to my face about my father," Tommy laughed hollowly.

"Yes he did," Felicity said calmly.

"I thought you were his friend?" Tommy accused.

"Like I said, I'm here to state the facts. You want to know about Oliver's reasons you are going to have to ask him yourself." She offered a pleasant smile. "On saying that, he did kind of save your life. With the help of Laurel, Detective Lance and Mr Diggle. It was a group effort really."

"Are you sure Oliver didn't send you?" Tommy grumbled.

"I'm just stating facts."

"Look, Felicity, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I'm not interested."

"Okay, I'll leave now, but I'll be back. Here," she passed him a computer tablet she had bought the day before. "Hospitals are boring and so is daytime TV. I've loaded it with a few games that I thought you'd like, as well as the best movies and TV shows you've missed in the last two months. There is also an archive of the Starling City newspaper if you want to read about everything that has happened, but just a warning – it isn't very nice to the Merlyn name."

"I have no doubt. But this isn't necessary, Felicity."

She shrugged. "If the situation was reversed I'd want my tablet. Think of it as a kind of late 'get better soon' present. Bye, Tommy."

She left the young man staring at the gift with a look of wonder.

Felicity jumped in her seat at the unexpected noise of Oliver throwing whatever he was training with at the wall. It was followed by an angry shout.

They were in the basement of Verdant, Felicity updating the computers while Oliver was taking a break from paperwork. It was all he saw lately, with the work from Verdant which was close to reopening as well as all the work he had to put into Queen Consolidated with its uneasy investors. Felicity helped where she could, but Oliver was under a lot of pressure. And then his best friend woke up and learned that Oliver had killed his father. Oliver wasn't really handling it so well.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked hesitantly as Oliver stalked past.

"Does it look like I want to talk about it?" he growled.

"Not really," Felicity mumbled.

Felicity jumped again as more sounds of crashing came from the end of the basement.

"What's got him in a mood?" Roy asked, coming through the outside door and walking up to her. Roy had only been a part of the team for a month, not yet mission ready, but he was a hard worker and seeing him, Diggle and Oliver spar was something else.

"Don't ask," Felicity sighed. Roy dropped into a seat next to her, throwing his jacket onto a table. "You too?" No one could brood like Oliver, but Roy has the same air about him.

"Thea wants me to go with her to some charity ball thing in a few weeks."

"What, you can face down hostile criminals but not a tuxedo?"

Roy glared. "It's a whole other world. Clothes more expensive than what I earn in a year, fancy manners, weird dancing and all those little forks."

Felicity smothered a laugh.

"Hey, it's not funny."

"No, no, I agree with you. I've had to go to one or two with Queen Consolidated. As long as you stay away from the people that look like they have a stick up their butt it's kind of fun. Plus, once you're in the food is free." Roy looked at her with hope in his eyes. "No, no way. Wipe that look off your face, mister."

"Oh, come on, Felicity. I don't know where to get a tux or how to dance. You can help me!"

"What about Thea?"

Roy shrugged shyly. "I'd like to surprise her."

"How can I say no to that? Fine, I'll help you."

"Help with what?" Oliver asked, walking up to them. He seemed to have finally worked off some steam.

"Roy here needs to learn some sophistication."

"Oh?" Oliver asked.

"Thea wants to take him somewhere other than Verdant," Felicity answered ignoring the glaring that followed between the two men.

She was used to it after a month of dealing with them both. She was pretty sure Oliver had softened his attitude to Roy and was now just doing it to mess with his head.

She blinked, realising what she had just said. "Wait, Oliver, you were saying that you needed a new manager for the nightclub, right?"

"Yeah…"

"What about Thea?"

"What?"

"Thea knows everything about Verdant, she knows how the nightclub circuit works and whatever she doesn't know she'll pick up really quickly."

"She was saying how with CNRI still recovering that they couldn't take her on at the moment," Roy added, "and that she was looking for something else to do."

"It's a nightclub," Oliver said flatly, "she's too young."

"Running a nightclub and going to a nightclub are two very different things," Felicity said, going back to her computers. "Just think about it, Oliver."

"Fine," he sighed, going back to training.

Felicity poked her head through the door of Tommy's hospital room. "Knock, knock. You decent?"

"More than usual," Tommy laughed. Felicity walked in and took a seat next to the bed. Tommy was still pale, but he was sitting up and at least half of the machines that had crowded the room were gone.

"You said you'd be back," Tommy said, half surprised, half resigned.

"I seem to make a habit of helping people whether they like it or not. Not that you need help, well asides from the whole hospital thing, but I'm sure you are capable of you know doing things yourself." She saw the confused look on his face, "And yes, I do tend to ramble, so please stop me when I do." She took a breath. "How was your week?"

"Boring. Doctors, tests, physical therapy and repeat. Though the tablet did help, so thank you for that."

"Happy to help."

"So. How was your week?"

"I have to teach someone how to dance," she burst out. "Sorry, but a friend asked, and I said yes because he wants it to be a surprise for his girlfriend, but the last time I danced formally with a guy it kind of ended badly with one of my shoes stuck in the bridesmaid's hair. Not that it was my fault, but I don't think that I'd make a very good teacher and I know you just asked about my week, but I couldn't talk about this to my girlfriends because they'd ask about the guy and think we were together."

"Whoa, take a breath, Felicity."

"Sorry, I warned you about the babbling, right?"

"Yes, you did. But, seriously, I'd really like to know how you got your shoe in someone else's hair."

She looked at the genuine smile on his face and folded. "Fine, but this stays between the two of us and I expect an equally as embarrassing story from you. Deal?"

"You drive a hard bargain, Smoak, but yes, deal."

They shook on it, and Felicity proceeded to tell him about her cousin's eventful wedding. She was only halfway through when the nurses came around to signal the end of visiting hours. Tommy made her promise to come in the next day and finish the story and she agreed. A while later and she found herself at her home, whistling merrily as she hung up her coat and she realised that she had been at the hospital for nearly an hour, just talking. She had gone to Tommy to offer a no strings friendship but she hadn't realised that it was something she might need as well.