Disclaimer: I own nothing of Arrow or it's characters.

Chapter 11: So you know my name

I was on cloud nine. She wanted more than just our coffee shop meetings and nighttime interludes. She wanted to spend more time with me; this should have been enough of a reason to back away but it wasn't. Hell I called her as the Hood because she hadn't picked up when I tried an hour before I suited up. Digg had been in the background and he was pissed. He knew what I was doing and he knew I was crossing the line. Problem was I didn't care I wanted to be around her, to hear her voice and to touch her skin. I wanted to see the way her eyes lit up when she was talking about some new development at work. I wanted to see her gentle smile when I talked about my little sister or my past with Tommy. Fact was I wanted her. I wanted to know what her lips felt like when they brushed up against my own. I had spent the last two weeks imagining what it would be like to drag her into that damn office and slowly peel away every piece of clothing and watch her come apart beneath me. Needless to say my growing desire to be with Felicity was starting to become a bit of a distraction.

I was headed back to the Foundry to work off my now residual sexual tension with some time on the salmon ladder when I saw her. I had spotted a car about two hours ago underneath the underpass but really thought nothing of it. The Glades were notorious for having late night drug deals and other less savory meetings occurring at all hours of the night. However when I saw that familiar ponytail and that flash of blonde hair I knew it was her. I had spent the last two weeks memorizing every line of her face, every curve of her body and how her hair was always in that perfect ponytail. I knew every square inch of her by memory alone so when she started to run so did I. I had caught up to her when I saw that vile creature touching her, defiling her, and thus marking himself for death. With every touch he placed upon her smooth unblemished skin I felt the anger in blood began to boil. My entire body was on edge as he proceeded to harm what I was beginning to view as mine. I had my bow ready the arrow was notched and ready to fly when she shoved her knee into his groin. I lowered my weapon and watched with pride as she escaped. Once she was far enough out of sight I moved in dispatching the man who had dared to touch Felicity with ease. I tracked the other four like a lion hunting its prey. I watched their movements to see if they had any signals or any kind of language to indicate how they were going to proceed.

This little hunt went on for another 10 minutes that's when I heard her cry. It was muffled and short indicating that she indeed had stopped running and she wasn't getting up anytime soon. I knew the time to act had come. Waiting till they were closer to her location I then made my move. Releasing the first arrow was easy it founds its mark as it landed straight through the first man's heart. The other three arrows each found a new home inside each mans' chest. I exhaled a sigh of relief the threat was gone and those motherfucker's were dead. Now came the hard part I had to get her home without revealing who I was. The papers had been painting me as a heartless killer, as a psychopath with an arrow. Getting this woman who I had begun to care for greatly to trust me was going to be hard enough but looking into her eyes and seeing fear was going to be my undoing. Laurel looking at me with hate and distrust had been bad enough but if Felicity were to see me that way I honestly didn't know how I would handle that. None the less I had to get her to safety so I walked towards her hiding spot behind the three trashcans that had been placed together and used as a heat source for the homeless population that dwelled in this area.

Moving closer I assessed her body other than what looked like a possible sprained ankle she was physically unharmed, her mental status however remained to be seen. I leaned down and cradled her cheek in my gloved hand, with my voice modifier on I spoke. "Felicity can you hear me? Felicity are you alright? Come on Felicity, come on baby talk to me." She just kept looking at me with those big beautiful eyes that I often found I could get lost in. I knew I was being stupid by saying her name and when I slipped and called her baby I knew I had screwed up. However since she was apparently going into shock I figured I might be in the clear until I heard her voice. I heard her softly whisper my name before she finally blacked out. I bent down placing my arms underneath her neck and her knees and lifted her body up towards mine. Cradling her small frame in my arms I carried her back to her car. I had to lean her up against the car frame to search for her keys. I searched her pockets and finally found them in her back pocket along with a now empty can of pepper spray. I pulled her body against mine and unlocking the car I eased her still unconscious form into the passenger seat. Once she was buckled in I went around the other side and shoved myself into the driver's seat.

It took me ten minutes to reach the foundry, it took me five minutes to carry her down the stairs and lay her still form on the cool medical table. Thankfully Digg had gone home for the evening so we were alone with no one to distract us when she finally woke up. I just pulled down my hood and slumped into the nearest chair finally allowing my body to relax from the adrenaline high that had been coursing through me only an hour before. My muscles were tired and I was emotional bare. She was in danger, she could have been hurt, and she knew who I was. I just kept going over those moments in my head she looked up at me as if she already knew it was me. She looked sure and unafraid of my hooded presence. That was what really took me by surprise she didn't have any trace of fear in her eyes none. She looked grateful, and relieved. So I moved the chair closer to the table where she slept. Moving her hand down into mine I tangled my fingers into her ice cold ones and used my hand to softly rub her skin back and forth as if she could feel my presence attempting to erase the cold and memories of that night. Before long my eyes began to feel heavy and my head started to slump down to my chest. I don't know when my body gave in but soon my hands were holding hers and my head was resting gently atop her chest with my ear position above her beating heart.

My head hurt and not oh damn I have a hangover kind of hurt it really hurt like someone had taken a steel shovel to my head. My mouth was dry and my throat was scratchy; and there was the little issue of the massive weight I felt above my chest. Opening my eyes and blinking rapidly adjusting to the thankfully low lights of the room that I was currently in I noticed the weight on my chest was Oliver's head and part of his neck. I attempted to move my head down to see what brand new position I had just gotten myself into. My heart seized in my chest when I saw our entangled hands resting above my abdomen, it seized even more when I realized that his ear was positioned over my now rapidly beating heart. This man, this beautiful man had just fallen asleep with his head on my chest listening to my heart beat. I could feel all the emotions from the past few hours boiling up inside of me, all the fear, and anger, the resentment, and the unadulterated joy when I saw Oliver appear as the Hood. He had saved my life; he had shot and killed those men to protect me. I vaguely recall what it felt like to fall in love with Cooper. It started with the butterflies in the stomach whenever he touched my hand or kissed my cheek. Those feelings over the months intensified until it felt like my heart was going to burst from all the conflicting emotions that I didn't dare feel. Then one day as if by magic I knew I was in love and it was wonderful. I felt complete, beautiful, and adored as I looked at Oliver asleep on my chest I realized with a moment of blinding clarity that I was feeling it again. I was falling in love with Oliver Queen and there was nothing I could do about it.

I remained still on the medical table just gazing at his sleeping face. His features were more relaxed, more innocent. The years of pain and torture seemed to fade away in his sleep. The lines around his eyes almost disappeared as did the small indents in his forehead. I felt my thumb starting to rub small circles into his palm as I felt his hands tighten down around mine. He was coming to and that meant he was going to want answers to many things that I still couldn't tell him. I couldn't tell him who I really was or how I knew who he really was. I had to lie it was the only way to protect him until I could find a way to get us both out of this ARGUS mess. I had come here with every intention of making him help me; but then he saved my life. Now he's holding my hands in a vice grip and sleeping on my chest. Now I know that I'm falling in love with him and the last thing I will ever do is hurt someone that I love.

As enjoyable as this position was I realized that I needed to pee and now that my life was no longer in danger I felt the urge to do so come back quite strongly. However I still had the matter of the sleeping vigilante on my chest. Attempting to move I started to shift my body out from under his hold without waking him. However since he had like ninja senses the moment he felt me shift beneath him he awoke quite rapidly and with some alarm on his beautiful face. My eyes remained on his as he fully came too. I expected his hands to release mine and for him to create distance between our bodies. He did the exact opposite. He released his hold on my hands but only so he could move then up to the sides of my face. He used his thumbs to create small soothing gestures into my face as his breath was released with a gasp from his chest I smiled and moved my hands to cover his. "I'm alright Oliver, you saved me. I'm alright." His breathing was slightly calmer now but his touch was more frenzied his hands remained near my face for another few seconds than he used thumbs to trail down my face passing over my lips and down to my neck. His continued down my body checking as he went for any missed signs of injury from earlier in the evening. Finding none his hands returned once again to my face and his face came down as well to kiss my forehead, my cheeks, and then my lips.

The kiss was quick and fast, I didn't even have a chance to respond it was so fast as he removed his lips and positioned his forehead against mine. He exhaled once again finally conveying his emotions in words. "Felicity, oh thank god." His voice was filled with so much relief and another emotion that I couldn't quite identify. With his eyes closed he spoke again but this time his voice was harder, and filled with another emotion and much rawer emotion. "Felicity baby you scared me to death. I thought… I… I just don't know what I would have done if they had hurt you." His feelings were coming out of him in waves now I could almost feel the relief, the anger, the conflict that was battling in his very soul. Attempting to soothe him I put my hand against his face with my fingers resting above his ears. I lifted my lips towards his and placed a very tentative very quick kiss to his lips as he had done to mine. His eyes opened in shock and again were tinged with an emotion I was unable to name. "Oliver I'm fine, you stopped them before they could harm me. I'm alright baby you saved me I'm right here, I'm in your arms, I'm safe." I just kept repeating that against his lips as my fingers continued to rub soothing circles into his hair. We stayed in that position with me lying on the table my forehead to his and my hands against his head; with him sitting in that chair his forehead pressed to mine with his hand against my skin just breathing each other in. Finally after about 20 minutes later the urge that had woken me before had returned and I had to break the moment to find relief. Looking into his still stormy guilt ridden eyes I asked very softly "Oliver not that I don't love feeling your hands on my skin but if I don't find the bathroom soon this moment is going change drastically." Laughing he released me and I him as he gently pulled me up and into a sitting position. Once he was sure I could stand on my own he took my hand in his and once again interlocked our fingers and led me up the stairs the where the bathroom was located.

Once I had my personal needs taken care of I returned to the now unlocked door and walked back down the stairs to the underground level where I had awakened. The foundry as he called it was like a steam room but with better lighting. He had his gear on one side of the room, the tech equipment which appeared to be from the 80s and not the good part mind you was in the center in front of what looks like a giant wind turbine. The other wall was lined with various weapons, wooden sticks, vials and a med kit, along with what looked like a storage unit for blood. The lighting was bluish in its hue but still dark and muted. This was where he spent his time when he was away from me. This was where he could be his true self and that thought sent little stabs of pain through my body. This man, this beautiful tortured man who saved my life felt that he had to hide away in an underground cave. This man who could do so much good for this city hid himself from everything and everyone because he was afraid. If it were even possible I felt myself falling even more in love with him by the passing second.

I had reached the landing when he looked up and walked toward me. His gaze was unreadable. I couldn't tell if he was mad or upset or just plain pissed off by my act of stupidity. I kept moving towards him keeping my pace even so he wouldn't sense my fear at the impending lecture. He reached me first pulling me towards his chest by banding his arms around my waist. His nose was pressed against my hair and my arms had already banded around him seeking his warmth and comfort. "Felicity we really need to talk. I would love to ignore this night but I know you can't and I know you won't so we need to discuss what happened and than what's happening between us." I froze in his arms he wanted to discuss everything including us well that was going to go well. I just nodded my agreement against his chest and huffed out a slight "Hmm" Releasing his comforting hold on my body he led me to a workstation with two chairs and a wooden table with what appeared to be arrow shaping equipment on top of it. With both of us seated and our bodies no longer touching he spoke.

"Alright well first off what the hell were you doing in the Glades and secondly how did you know it was me?" His tone was calm but cool and very unlike the man from not even 30 minutes ago.

"Well I…" I froze this was it the moment I could just tell him everything now and let fate decide. Or I could do my job, my new job which was protect this man that I loved from any further harm that ARGUS could cause. I chose to protect him and I lied. "Well Oliver no offense but your cover stories suck. I mean I'm blonde but not that blonde. Now I didn't know you were the Hood till I saw you but it really made a few things rather clear. Also you may have noticed but I'm really good with a computer and I wanted to see you. I wasn't lying when I texted you that I missed you I did. So when we were on the phone I pinged your location and I drove out to surprise you. I just wanted to see you so I made it happen." I hoped my voice didn't give me away.

His gaze was still unreadable. And my anxiety was now reaching new levels. "Felicity… god I'm sorry… I didn't even think…this, this is all my fault. I never should have called from that line but I just I wanted to hear your voice, your laugh and I just… I was stupid and careless and I almost got you raped and killed. God I'm so sorry." His body was once again attached to mine hugging me close to his chest and whispering I'm sorry into my hair. I snuggled my face into his chest and breathed in deeply. This place his chest was becoming my second home.

Not breaking our contact or moving an inch I responded "It's not your fault I was stupid, I knew you were in the Glades and I knew what the danger was. This was my fault and not yours. Don't you dare blame yourself for my mistakes. You saved me and I couldn't be more grateful."

His grip on me relaxed and then we parted each going back to our own seats and once again I felt a wall come up that hadn't been there before. "Oliver look at me." He didn't so I said it again but this time I added our new term of endearment. "Oliver baby look at me" That got him and his eyes drifted up to mine. "That's better now let's finish this conversation so you can take me home and put me to bed." I flushed as I realized how that sounded and started to look away when his hand on mine stopped me.

"Don't look away when you say things like that. I like watching you blush, I like listening to you as you make those innuendo's so don't be ashamed and look away." I blushed again but I didn't look away. He wrapped his hand around mine and we continued to talk.

"Felicity I care about you. Given my reaction I'm guessing you are aware of that fact now." I nodded slightly and once again my very flushed skin gave me away.

My voice now slightly unsteady replied back in agreement " I care about you too. I do believe that was made quite clear when I kissed you and called you baby. Although just to be clear you did both of those things first."

His eyes sparked with humor and this time the other emotion was clear that emotion was lust. He actually wanted me and the blush that happened now was covering my entire body. "Yes I did kiss you first and yes I did call you baby. Both of which I intend to keep doing." His voice was sure and steady with that last statement and my head shot up with what would be described as absolute and utter shock.

"You what now?" My voice was laced with confusion, my eyebrows had scrunched up as had my nose to further convey my confusion.

"You heard me I intend to keep doing both kissing you and calling you baby. I care about you and I want to spend more time with you. I do however have some conditions." His voice had shifted into a man who was making a business arrangement. I could play that game.

"Alright so conditions what kind of conditions?" My voice was suggestive and slightly sultry which was a shock even to me. God what this man was doing to me; first my stomach, than my hands and now my voice, he truly was going to cause me to combust from the pure sexual tension alone.

"Well for one you know what I do and I frankly could use some help and as you might have guessed by my little visits to your office they were Hood related. So I want you to join the team so to speak and serve as my computer genius." His eyes settled on me and he waited with an eerie calm.

"I'll accept your first condition with one of my own. That computer system has to be updated and I will be overseeing that upgrade as well as any others that I see fit." I waited for condition two.

"Deal that is your department I trust you to do as you see fit. Now condition two I have now made my feelings towards you quite clear. I do however have some reservations about being involved with anybody. The last woman I was involved with ended quite badly. Then there's Laurel and my odd relationship or unfinished issues with her. I want to see where this goes but it has to be slowly and not in public places. I don't want anyone to know about our personal relationship. I want it to remain private." He must have thought that was going to be a deal breaker however given my ARGUS problem his condition suited me just fine.

"I agree to that as well. I know of your history and the last thing I want is to be another in a long list of women whose hearts were broken by you Mr. Queen." I laced the last part with humor to let him know I was kidding and to hide the reason I was really ok with this arrangement.

"I want to make this clear. I have feelings for you, quite strong ones actually I just need time to figure them out. I have a lot of baggage that comes with me and I need time to sort it all out. I do however enjoy our relationship and well I wouldn't mind getting to kiss you with a little more frequency." I smiled and nodded "Understood."

He smiled and continued on. "Condition three and my last term you can't ever put yourself into danger like that again. I never want to experience that type of panic ever again when it comes to you."

"Deal. I never want to be in that position again." I breathed out a sigh of relief and moved to stand up. I was getting ready to walk past him when he grabbed my arm and pulled me onto his lap. I proceeded to wrap my arms around his neck and gazed into his eyes. "Well this is new. I thought we were done." With his arms wrapped around my waist and his eyes gazing into mine he replied with a smile and a wink. "We are I just wanted to make sure we were still on for tomorrow morning at Luca's?" I just smiled and laughed. "Yes Oliver we are. That would be a good time to discuss our new nightly routine and to discuss how this all came to be, who Diggle really is to you and your…" my hands waved around the foundry "mission and to discuss how whatever this is between us is really going to work."

" I agree. Speaking of you must have loads of questions about all of this. Afterall you wouldn't be you if you didn't." He smiled with that last statement and waited for my reply. "Oh I do but it's already 2 in the morning and I have a coffee date with this really hot guy at 8 so I really need to get some sleep." His eyes crinkled in amusement with my last line. Standing up with me still hanging onto him he started moving us towards the stairs. "Well than Ms. Smoak I better get you home we wouldn't want you to miss that date." Still smiling at him "I completely agree Mr. Queen. He changed into his street clothes and managed to shove himself into my mini to drive me home. Once there he came around and helped me out of my car and then walked me to my apartment door. He then kissed my forehead as he always did before leaving me and walked out of the building without another word. The smile on my face would most likely still be there in a week from now but I didn't care. He said he cared about me, he wanted to see what our relationship was, he wanted me to join his crusade. Then it hit with a horrifying thud. I had done it; I did what ARGUS wanted I got him to trust me. I collapsed on my bed in exhaustion. I now had three problems. First being I was in love with a man who was still unsure of how he felt about me. Second I had just accomplished my mission for ARGUS I was in and he fully trusted me. Third I now needed a new plan to protect both Oliver the man and Oliver as the Hood. That meant I had to tell Rose the truth and that meant I had to play her game. Oh yeah tomorrow was going to be great.