Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to CW and the Arrow writers, not me.

WARNING: Strong language and adult themes, but nothing too graphic. For now.

All Roads Since You Are Wrong Directions (I'll Never Get Home)

~An Olicity Story~

Part IV

-Recovery-

(n.) a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength; action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost

Felicity switched to the front facing camera on her tablet so that she could properly talk to Tommy. She was in the third and last apartment on their list of possible places and she was still reeling from the fact that people actually lived alone in places this big. Seriously, what is Tommy going to do with two spare bedrooms? "So what do you think of this place? Personally I think you should take it. I mean did you see that view?"

"What view Felicity? You've been sitting in the bathtub for the last hour." Felicity rolled her eyes at his statement.

"First of all, it's only been around ten minutes. And secondly, this tub is ginormous. Think of the therapeutic capabilities." She closed her eyes and adjusted herself into a more relaxed position. Yup. She could definitely get used to this.

"Therapeutic capabilities?" She didn't have to look at the screen to see the incredulity that she could hear in his voice.

"You know. After a long day you can just sit in the tub and think about life and let the jets do their work." It would be amazing to have something like this in her home. Sadly she'd probably have to gut her guest room and turn that whole thing into a bathroom just for it to fit.

"Okay. But why are you in it now?"

"Because it's comfortable. You'll have to buy this place Tommy because I'm not leaving. At all. Nope."

"Yeah I think you just want to spend some more time with Jack."

Felicity only stared at his smirking face in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"You should go for it. I think he likes you." How he could manage to make such a lascivious wink work is a mystery to her, but what he was trying to say finally hit home and her eyes widened.

It wasn't that there was something wrong with Jack to make her so opposed to even thinking about going there with him. In fact he seemed like a decent human being. He even joined in with her bantering with Tommy after her repeated assurances that they were not together. In the bed squeaking romantic way. Which in hindsight, was a good thing, because she felt that she was starting to give Tommy a complex about his apparent lack of desirability.

Apparently he and Tommy had a few classes together back in college. They didn't run in the same circles, i.e. he wasn't the party frat boy that Tommy was, but they had managed to build a casual friendship through their classes. He was actually really sweet and anyone with eyes could see that he was stunningly handsome (Seriously where were all these good looking men when she was still single and in the game?) and if she wasn't already hung up on somebody else she would definitely go for it. But she was. "He doesn't even know me, Tommy. And you know I'm not...yeah"

"I'm not saying 'marry him'. You've got a right to live your life instead of just sitting there and waiting. Besides, you two have been flirting since the first viewing"

"No we haven't." Felicity thought back to the afternoon. No, she was pretty sure there wasn't any flirting going on.

Tommy just looked at her like she just grew a second head. "You have got to be kidding me. I'm the one who's had to sit here and listen the whole afternoon. I felt like that friend you had to take with you on a date because I can't be left alone."

Felicity just chuckled at his analogy. "It's because it's just heartless to leave a reprobate like you alone. And I'm not really the girl that guys siddle up and flirt with."

"You're selling yourself short again Smoak. He's got eyes. Four of them, in fact. Anyone can see you're a smokin piece of ass." She couldn't help but let herself be drawn completely out of the mood they've fallen into with the veiled mention of her situation with Oliver by his cheeky grin.

"Classy Tommy." Felicity jumped at the sudden echoing voice. She had completely missed the Jack's return.

"Why thank you. Don't you agree with my assessment?" She glared at Tommy's statement. She didn't need him forcing something that wasn't there.

"Of course I think that Ms. Smoak here is a very beautiful woman. Although I wouldn't have said it so crassly." Felicity felt her face burn from embarrassment but there was nothing in Jack's tone or face that indicated that he was simply humoring Tommy. Before she could fully wrap her head around the fact that they were not making fun of her and that a really good looking person just gave her a compliment Tommy had to go open his mouth again.

Tommy snorted. "That's because you'd be trying to hit that." That's it!

"I am right here Merlyn. See if I still get you some Big Belly Burger on the way back." Felicity stuck her tongue out and ended the call through Tommy's hurried and panicked apologies. At this point her face was as red as the cherry floors in the first apartment that they had gone to tour and she prayed to every search engine out there that she could somehow just please manage to melt into a puddle and disappear down the drain.

She was brought out of her wishing by Jack's voice. "I never thought I'd see the day that a woman would have such a hold on Tommy."

"We're not-"

"Dating. " He finished as he held out a hand to help her up from the tub. "I know. And frankly I never really saw him as a relationship type anyway. But then again we haven't seen much of each other after college and even then we weren't exactly close. My point is that if there's ever a woman that Tommy would fully trust himself with it would be to a friend and not someone he was in a relationship with. I just could never see him trusting a person so much with the potential to break his heart. He was always guarded."

"I guess I can see what you're saying." Felicity didn't voice out the fact that he did take that chance. With Laurel. But then again it seemed that Laurel was the exception to every rule.

"Besides I fully intend to take advantage of the fact that Tommy was stupid enough not to keep you for himself." He gave her a grin that was all teeth and dimples. "And I wasn't joking when I said that you are truly a very beautiful woman, Felicity."

Tommy stretched on his bed as the call ended. He wondered briefly if he had pushed Felicity too far and that she really wouldn't bring him back any food. Hospitals were not exactly known for their cuisine. He's only been in there for two days and he's already sick of it. (Pun unintended).

He picked up the tablet from the lap desk in front of him and was about to go check out the apps that Felicity had downloaded into the thing when he realized that he wasn't alone anymore.

"Laurel." Suddenly the air in the room shifted. "How long have you been there?"

Laurel Lance has always been a picture of grace and beauty. No matter the situation she always made sure that no one can see the cracks in her defenses. But not Tommy. Never Tommy. Tommy always saw. And just like always he could see how her eyes were slightly drooping with weariness and lingering anxiety. Her blazer had a few wrinkles along it's lining and her lips look like she's been biting them again.

There was a barrage of emotions running through him, anger, betrayal, heartbreak, worry. He didn't know which to hold on to. "Not that long. I was about to knock but you were in the middle of a call. I- I just wanted to check in on how you're doing."

"Oh. Yeah. I'm fine." He watched as she shifted on her feet by the door of his room. She looked uncomfortable, something he rarely ever saw with her. "Come in. Take a seat."

"It's been a while." Her words fell flat. It looked like she didn't know what to say anymore than he did.

"Yeah it has." They sat in awkward silence for a moment as Tommy tried to get a grasp on his feelings. But it was hard. Over the last month he had caught glimpses of Laurel but he never approached her. He didn't know what to say, how to react. He wasn't ready. He still wasn't. But now he was confined to a room and he couldn't very well make an escape.

"Look Tommy. I made a mistake-" She began, but Tommy cut her off with a dark laugh.

Oh. Betrayal it is then. "What mistake? We were broken up. And it wasn't like I was wrong."

"Wait. Oliver-?" The guilt that was in her eyes vanished and hope sprung from her eyes at the mere thought that Oliver has done something. He felt bile rise up to his throat but he bit it down.

"No. He didn't tell me Laurel." He let venom drip with every word. "In fact. What he told me was that I was being an idiot and that I should give us a chance again. So imagine my surprise when I go to do just that and I see you wrapped around him."

He watched her flinch at his tone and a part of him cheered that he could hurt her. Even if it's only barely a fraction of how she'd hurt him. "I can explain, Tommy. It was a mistake! Oliver…" Laurel paused and looked at him with wide teary eyes. "He won't even talk to me anymore."

Indignation if he had to put a name to what he was feeling at the moment. Maybe righteous disbelief. "Oh so that's it? Oliver is ignoring you so you're going to me? He's not an option anymore so you're choosing me?" His voice kept rising as he kept speaking to the point where he was nearly shouting.

Laurel jumped up to her feet. She looked panicked and hurt and Tommy felt a simmer of guilt within him. "That's not what I meant!"

"I'll always be second to Oliver in your eyes Laurel. Just go. Please." He closed his eyes and tried to center himself. It has always been this way. Oliver would do something stupid and Laurel would come running to Tommy and he would make everything better. But he couldn't. Not anymore.

"Tommy, just listen to me." She started to cry and every tear that fell from her blue eyes was a stab in the gut for him. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold it together.

Tommy hit the call button, sending a nurse rushing into his room. "I'm tired, Laurel. Please. Just leave." He turned toward the wall. To a degree it was his fault. All of a sudden he was turning the tables on her, taking out the person she always went to for help or a shoulder to cry on. But he had to get out of this carousel. He couldn't let himself get caught in Laurel and Oliver's vicious cycle again.

"Ma'am." He heard the nurse call for Laurel's attention as she started to lead her out of the room.

"Tommy." He could hear the desperation in her voice and he knew that if he looked at her his resolve would break and he would take her back in his arms and comfort her. Erase all of her pain.

He had to stand firm and not waver. It was time he put himself before her for once. He had to. Or he'll lose himself forever.

"Goodbye Laurel." He whispered before the door shut. He heard her pause before the click of the door echoed in the empty space.

All of a sudden the room felt suffocating. He had just let Laurel go. Laurel who was his everything for nearly all of his life. And now…what now?

He tried to take some deep breaths to uncoil all of the muscles that he hadn't even realized had tensed during his confrontation with Laurel. In and out. Again and again. It was for the best. He deserved to not have to fall back for Oliver. He deserved to be someone's first choice. He reassured himself again and again. He had to let her go.

He still loved Laurel. After decades, it's not an emotion that he would be able to shake easily and maybe some part of him will never be able to shake it. But he could move on. He could try to move on. He could get a fresh start.

And now he sounds like one of those crazy people in denial.

"Knock knock." Felicity whispered as she opened the door. Apart from the lights above his bed the spacious room was dark. She tiptoed across the room to her usual spot in case Tommy was asleep only to find him staring blankly at window over the Starling City skyline.

She tapped his hand to get his attention and kept her voice down not wanting to jarr the atmosphere. "You okay?"

"Laurel came by." His eyes were closed off and his expression was schooled perfectly. Felicity could tell that something had happened and that it may not entirely be good.

"Oh. That's nice." Felicity's voice rose in pitch towards the end of her statement making it sound more like a question.

Tommy's answering snort told her that it was anything but. "Do you want to talk about it?"

In the month that she's known him she's seen the different polar sides of Tommy and she's always hated seeing him down. It just never seemed to fit with his personality. "No. Not really. Anyway it's nothing I didn't already know." He sighed.

Felicity just nodded as she sat down beside him and took out the bag of Big Belly Burger she had stashed inside of her purse and placed it on the lap desk in front of him in exchange for the tablet that stood there. "I actually considered not getting you anything on the way back but after the afternoon that you've had I guess you've earned it."

He gave her a small smile which she returned and only looked up from the tablet when he asked her a question. "No shake?"

"Just be glad I got you anything at all." She leaned over and kissed his cheek before she settled on her usual seat next to the bed.

She brought up the real estate websites for pictures of the apartments she visited today and proceeded to fill the room's silence with very vivid descriptions of all of the apartments and the little things that apparently wouldn't translate well through a video chat like the amazing views and the way the light hit the rooms.

And the tub, the tub, from the last apartment.

"So Jack said that if there weren't too many offers on any of the places he could close it pretty quickly. Considering your pull with many companies you can probably get it inspected whenever you want so that's not going to be much of a problem." Felicity still couldn't wrap her head around how much he could speed up the process because of who he was. "Basically all you have to do is to pick a place, call up Jack, and you're good to go in a week or two."

Tommy raised an eyebrow from behind the last of his burger. "Speaking of Jack…" He trailed off suggestively.

"No." Felicity nudged his leg with her foot. "I just…"

"You deserve a good guy Felicity. Someone who will put you first."

"So do you." Tommy choked a little on his final bite as he tried to laugh urging Felicity to continue. "I mean not that you need a good man. I mean I don't know your preferences. For all I know you went through all of those women for compensation or to prove something to yourself. And not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Hey!" Tommy sputtered. "I'm not- compensation?! Damnit Smoak!"

His exclamation made her jump, nearly throwing off her balance. She sat up straight and put her feet down trying to figure out how she could make her way back from this mess.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to impugn on your masculinity. Or gender preference." Felicity raised her hands in surrender. "God how did we end up here?"

In any other occasion she would have laughed out loud at the annoyed, angry, appalled, and overall look that he gave her. All wide blue eyes and flaring nostrils against the bright red of his face from embarrassment. If it were a cartoon his hair would be moving on its own and there'd be bits of static running up them. But at the moment she was trying really hard to backtrack before he got really mad.

"I don't know. You tell me! I was trying to be nice and then you go and...what was that word you used? Impugn?" Tommy grumbled as he angrily fisted at his blanket, throwing Felicity little glares every now and then.

Felicity leaned forward on her chair and rolled the lap desk away from them. "All I meant to say was that you deserve someone good who will put you first too."

"Yeah I got that. At first." Tommy refused to meet her eyes but his face was still red as a tomato.

"I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean too." Felicity crossed her arms on Tommy's legs and leaned her chin on it. She tried her best puppy pout, knowing that she probably looked like a crazed person on crack with her eyes wide open because she never could work out how to do it properly.

Tommy cracked a small smile at her attempt. "I know."

She stayed in her position but moved her head to lay on his legs, just resting her weight on his legs as he slowly began to relax beneath her again. "You're really warm you know."

"I'm still a little pissed at you, you know." She felt him shift under her and raise his knee slightly as an attempt to nudge her up. "Are you going to get up or not?"

She didn't even bother to raise her head. "I know. But I'll wear you down eventually. And on the other thing…no. I'm going to take a nap. I've been walking around all day."

"Well give me the damn tablet then. It's not like you're using it." Felicity reached out beside her blindly until her hands met with the smooth, cool surface of the tablet. She grabbed it and turned it towards the direction of Tommy's face. "Thanks. You nearly hit my face by the way."

"Oh nooo. Not your perfect face." Fingers crossed she manage to make that come off as sarcastic as she wanted.

"Damn right not my perfect face."

Upcoming: [Part V - Repercussions Redux ]

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