Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Please see my A/N below for further information.

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Chapter 8 – Arrival Reactions

The news that the vigilante known formerly as the Hood had returned to Starling City shot across the city almost as fast as one of his arrows. Almost as equally as fast as the news that Oliver Queen had returned and reclaimed his company back – and had a girlfriend, who was also his IT specialist and Executive Assistant.

Of course the fact that playboy billionaire Oliver Queen was actually in a genuinely real and clearly steady relationship was hitting the headlines and minds in ways that was completely unexpected. His board was happy that he seemed to be settling down into more of, in their opinion, a true CEO. (The fact that his choice of partner could talk circles around them when it came to the technological business of QC also had a lot to do with it!)

And it had to be said that not everyone was as happy with the news as some others - especially a certain new Assistant District Attorney Laurel Lance who couldn't decide whether she dislike the vigilante or her former boyfriend the most. (It was the beginning of a downward path that no-one was going to be very happy with.)

Let alone a certain mother currently undergoing a federal holiday as she felt her son moving away from her 'motherly' control even further. (The fact that her daughter was clearly happy with one of her brother's girlfriends and had gained a genuine friend for the first time in her life also seemed to miss the confined mother's notice.)

Then there were the imitators - the most important to Team Arrow being a certain reforming hoodlum who was dating a certain younger sister by the name of Roy Harper. It had actually required a visit in person to be 'gently' convinced that rather determined young man that he would be better off being the eyes and ears of the vigilante in the Glades, rather than trying to be him.

But in some way, what was more alarming was the news that there was a blonde woman in black leather wandering the roof-tops and streets of Starling City – in many ways Oliver's opposite number except her actions always seemed to occur in the vicinity of Quentin and Laurel Lance (A fact that only Felicity had quietly noted so far and not even consciously!)

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After placing the cup of coffee on the desk in front of him, Felicity moved round Oliver's desk and sat down in his lap, resting her arm on the top of his chair so that she could play with the short ends of his hair. "This has so not been a good week for us, has it?"

"It's almost as if everything that could go wrong, did." He replied as he rested his head on her shoulder, arms around her slender waist. "At least we got China White off the streets."

"And persuade Roy to be your eyes and ears rather than risk his life..." She tapped his head. "Although something tells me, he's not going to stop completely Oliver – I don't think it's in his nature not to help someone in trouble. I'm going to have to find a way of chipping him..." Her voice faded away as she delved into her mind, slipping down slightly so that her head was now on his shoulder.

Over her head Oliver looked at the frozen face of Alderman Sebastian Blood. There was something about the man that, although he was clearly genuine in his desire to regenerate the Glades, itched at his survival instincts.

"Stop thinking about the Alderman, Oliver..." He smiled to himself as she snuggled her face into the crook of his neck even as she ordered him around. "And don't think I haven't forgotten about the gorgeous Laurel either or your leg because I am telling you that she and I are going to be sharing some serious words soon."

He was not slow to notice the tension that ran through her as her thought processes turned to Laurel Lance and the trap she had laid for his alter-ego and he lifted her head to kiss her in quiet reassurance. "She blames me for Tommy's death, Felicity, I told you that."

"And I told you, if anyone had to be blamed for his death, it's his own father..." Before she continued under her breath something that not even his sharpened hearing could catch and he raised her eyes to his to silently ask what she had said. "And she should have done as she was told and stayed away from CNRI when her father warned her. Her stubborn refusal to listen to others is going to be a major problem, Oliver."

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Flashback

"Yes, yes, the gorgeous Laurel is perfection itself; she has her whole life planned out without a single care for anyone else around her as long as it fits in with her life plan. And quite frankly..." The Amazonian princess spun round to glare at the long-haired Oliver Queen, her knee-length leather skirt spinning out slightly and only just avoiding his head with the long staff she was carrying. "I am so beginning to get fed-up with hearing about her because let me tell you..."

"Something tells me I'm not going to be able to stop you." He muttered, making the long-haired brunette, sitting next to him as she cooked over the open fire; almost choke on her suppressed laughter and silently glad that their fourth companion was not around to hear the other girl.

"All I've heard where the gorgeous perfect Laurel Lance is concerned is I, I, I – where was the 'we', Oliver, where were your choices? Where were your dreams? It's no wonder you went off with Sara the way you did." Felicity threw her staff on the ground and knelt down in front of him, resting her hands on his knees as she pushed her blue-black plait back over her shoulder.

She fell silent as she looked up into his eyes, blue into blue and he found himself cupping her cheek even without realising what he was doing. "Go, get it all out. You know you want to."

"Oliver, she sounds like the most selfish, self-centred b*** I have never had the pleasure of meeting and I live on an island populated by women, for Zeus' sake. I know you want to apologise for doing what you did to her but as much as I hate to say this, Slade is right, you can't make her the be all reason for surviving. You need to want to survive for yourself."

He bent his head down and rested his forehead against hers, speaking so softly only she could hear him. "I don't think she's been the reason I want to survive this island since you arrived, Felicity of the Amazons."

And with that said, he kissed her.

End Flashback

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Now he looked into the eyes of his princess, remembering what she had said that time on the island, realising that once again she was correct. "No matter what, Felicity, even if she doesn't want it, she is still my friend. I need to help her."

She shook her head, snuggling back down on his shoulder. "And for that reason alone and because I am sure it is what Tommy would want us to do, and for Detective Lance, I won't employ my skills to give her the lesson she deserves. Something tells me she is going to do it to herself."

"That's nice to know but don't you think it's time you two left the office before someone comes up and finds you like this." Diggle actually made both of them jump and they turned to find him standing in the doorway of Oliver's office, an amused look on his face. "I thought that you were going to restrict the PDA's while in the QC building so that you weren't rubbing it into people's faces, for Felicity's sake..." At this he mocked bowed towards her, earning himself a very un-princess like gesture in return from his friend, "about your relationship."

"You better bring the car around then." Oliver replied even as he placed Felicity on her feet.

She started to walk away but stopped as he switched of his screen. "And we'll have to do something about Alderman Blood as well because I dislike him more than I dislike her."

Oliver could do nothing but laugh genuinely for the first time that day.

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Well that's S2 E2 covered - unless there's a lot of AAA to insert, chapters will cover an episode at a time - that's unless my fingers really get to work and the chapter begins to get a little unwieldy.

As always please review and if you haven't left a review for Wizard's View, please go back and leave one. The amount of reviews will help me decide whether to write the AU AAA Tommy version or not! Look forward to hearing from you ;op