Hey guys, sorry about the delay.

College life is very demanding :P Anyway, here's my version of 1x12 with more Felicity.

Thanks to everyone whose read, reviewed, followed and favourited.

And a special thank you to the lovely She-Who-Hides who is currently reviewing my pervious chapters for the grammatical errors and missed words.

Felicity:

Felicity was the at work taking care of a malfunction in the accounting system. She was deep into her task when she overheard her co-workers talking.

"Did you hear about Thea Queen?" Co-worker One asked Co-worker Two. "If you ask me those rich kids are all the same. Always taking drugs and drinking. I also heard that she's a sexual deviant. I hope the judge throws the book as her."

"I know, it's scandalous how much that family get away with. I mean the older brother, Oliver, back before he went missing was forever getting in trouble with the law. Did he ever spend longer then a night in jail? Nope, because money talks."

Felicity had heard enough. She wasn't about to sit here and listen to two people judge those they knew nothing about. "You know what I heard?" Felicity began drawing the two women's attention; like two greyhounds scenting a rabbit the cocked their heads in her direction. It was common knowledge around Queen Consolidated that Oliver Queen had sought out her help several times and so the two women thought they were in fora juicy piece of gossip. "I heard that people who gossip generally don't feel good about themselves and they temporarily feel better when they judge others people negatively. Is that what you two are doing? Trying to make yourselves feel better? Because if you aren't happy having a job in Queen Consolidated, Queen as in the people you were just gossiping about, I will happily inform Mrs. Queen about your unhappiness."

The two women gaped at Felicity as if she'd grown a second and third head. If there was one thing Felicity hated it was people who judged others based on the superficial appearances and gossip. Not wanting to spend any more time in the women's company, she quickly finished up what she was doing and hightailed it to her office.

It had been over two weeks since she'd last seen Oliver. They had exchanged a few text messages, because Felicity didn't feel comfortable ringing him unless it was business related. So far all had been quiet on the western front, but then she'd heard about Thea's accident and subsequent court hearing through the grapevine (after the telegraph was invented the term 'grapevine telegraph' was coined - first recorded in a US dictionary in 1852 - the allusion was to interactions amongst people who could be expected to be found amongst grapevines talking) at work.

Felicity: Is Thea ok? I heard about her accident.

Oliver: She's ok. She was lucky. Queen's and cars don't seem to be a good combination.

Felicity: I'm glad she's ok. Let me know if you guys need anything.

Oliver: Thanks Felicity. We should be fine. But I'll contact you if I need you.

Felicity had to squash the little butterflies fluttering around her stomach. That's it! I'm just going to have to admit I have a crush on him and nip it in the bud. Acknowledging it will just make it easier to deal with and I can get over it. So what if sometimes her mind acted outside of her control (it did that a lot actually) and she found herself daydreaming about doing things and having things done to her by one Oliver Queen? He was just good daydream material; that's all. But then, of course, Felicity mind kicked up about Freudian psychology interpreting daydreams as an expression of the repressed instincts and wishful thinking which similarly revealed themselves in nighttime dreams too. God damn it! Felicity had nighttime dreams about Oliver as well. In fact they were even more explicit then her daydreams because she really couldn't control what was in her head then. Oy vey (is Yiddish and an exclamation of dismay or exasperation meaning something like "woe is me"). She couldn't even rationalise her own thoughts without self-sabotaging.

As much as it pained Felicity to admit it, she was beginning to look forward to Oliver's random visits. She just wished they were more frequent. He'd turn up when he needed her help and then head back underground to continue his mysterious activities. Although it wasn't so mysterious for Felicity anymore. He was a vigilante after all and that meant fighting crime. Sometimes it also meant killing. It wasn't like Felicity hasn't realised that in order for Oliver to dish out justice he would have to hurt the bad guys or even kill, but it was hard for Felicity to reconcile the anti-social, vigilante, killer, with the Oliver she knew. Granted he wasn't any less of a killer or anti-social when he was out of the green, but he was more approachable. He seemed like the type of person who cared far more deeply then he let on, particularly when it came to the people he cared about the most. He would do anything and everything for those people; even if they didn't know about it. Felicity had a feeling that happened often and that Oliver preferred it that way. After all, he was putting out two very different personas. Both very public, both very different.

Felicity was heading home for a late lunch break. She'd been fine tuning a new computer programme and her eyes were sore from staring at the screen. It still needed some work, so she was planning on heading back to work as soon as she'd eaten. She let herself into the apartment and tapped in the alarm code. Felicity walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on her table.

"Felicity?" Felicity jumped about a foot in the air, whirled around hurled her apple at the... Two! Two men, standing in her kitchen. They both ducked reflexively, but Oliver was much more sluggish than Diggle.

"Seriously, your brining help now?" Felicity exclaimed, hands on hips. "I swear to God Oliver, you are the one whose going to find me a heart donor for when mine gives out! Also I need a new plate and a remote! And now my cup-broads are covered in smushed apple!"

Oliver chuckled at her tangent and held out his hands in surrender. "We come in peace."

"Sure you do," Felicity muttered, glaring at him. She did a bit of a double take. She'd been initially distracted by the almost-been-frightened-to-death-for-the-third-time-in-her-home thing, but now that she was more focused Oliver looked like he was about to keel over. "You look like something the cat dragged in."

"You would too if you were pumped up with enough Vertigo to kill you," Oliver countering, winching when the light from Felicity's kitchen window caught his eye. "Could you step away from the window?"

Felicity did, moving so that she was the one facing the window. This gave her the time she needed to come to terms with Oliver's apparent near-death experience. She was barely resisting throwing her arms around him and telling him she was glad he was alive. So in the world where Felicity Smoack tries to distract herself from doing something stupid, she says something stupid.

"I'm assuming it wasn't recreational." Felicity spoke before she fully comprehended how callous that sentence would sound. "Sorry, bad joke. Glad you're not dead. That would suck." Queen of understatement now are we Felicity (and no that isn't an allusion to me ever becoming a Queen... Right, I'm not even going there...)? She was getting tired of this idiotic crush. She had to resign herself to friendship. Oliver's tired smile showed his agreement and Felicity shot one back. She really was glad he wasn't dead. It helped her make a decision she'd been struggling with for a while.

A cough from Diggle reminded Felicity of his presence. He stood just to the side of Oliver, his highbrow raised, his expression that of a stern parent trying to round up the kids. Felicity had the sudden urge to snap to attention and salute him, but was able to keep herself in check. That would just look weird.

"Right," Oliver tone took on a business like air and the, dare she say friendly (or whatever it was) air from before was gone. "The reason we're here Felicity is because I managed to grab a sample of he drug while it was being injected into me and I need you to test it."

"This jackass shot me up with enough vertigo to almost make me overdose and I'm very particular about what I put into my body."

"I've noticed." Felicity shut her eyes as horror gripped her. "I said not noticed. Right?"

Oliver sudden bashful smile almost made up for her word vomit, but Felicity still felt herself blush. Of course I would blurt out that I've noticed his sinfully awesome body! Ugh! Diggle barely contained his eye roll and Felicity didn't blame him for the look of exasperation on his face. "I'll just..." Diggle was walking away even as he spoke.

"Ah... So what am I testing?" Felicity crossed her arms over her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Oliver handed her over a half full syringe. "I need this as soon as possible, Felicity."

Guess I'm grabbing lunch on the way back to work. "You can count on me."

"Uh, don't use the word Count," Oliver shook his head in disgust, his nostrils flaring in anger.

"Alrighty," Felicity agreed, eyebrows drawn together. She assumed there was a story behind that, but didn't want to pry. "So Diggle knows your secret then?" She already knew the answer, but she needed to say something to defuse the tension in her small kitchen. They both moved toward her front door and found Diggle waiting.

Oliver nodded slowly, a hint of an amused smile on his face. "His my bodyguard. Keeps me on the straight and narrow."

"His the Jiminy Cricket to your Pinocchio," Felicity observed, waving her hand between the two men and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. Diggle struck her as he type whose moral compass always pointed in the right direction. Oliver's moral compass, well, she had a feeling that was firmly planted in a grey area.

Diggle chuckled, while Oliver shot her a dirty look. "I think that analogy is pretty accurate."

"Well, Felicity we should be going," Oliver ignored Diggle's comment and turned his attention toward Felicity. "Call me when you get the results."

Diggle smiled at Felicity, before opening her door and stepping out into the hall. Oliver made to follow, but Felicity caught his wrist in her hand. He looked back at her, a questioning look on his face. "Oliver, I'm really glad you're alive."

Oliver smiled, almost sadly, an put his hand over her, squeezing gently. "Thank you, Felicity."

"Hi."

"Hi." Felicity walked towards Oliver her hands damp, her heart beating out a fast tempo. She was doing the right thing, but that didn't help her nerves. "You really helped us put today. Thank you."

"And thank you for meeting me here. I was afraid to to go to your house after the last time."

"Oh, you mean the time you beat me with flowers, even though I'd just suffered a terrible accident?" Oliver smiled playfully and Felicity resisted the urge to hide under a table.

"I am sorry about that, but you have to admit you did deserve it," she countered, "I was on the verge of having a nervous break down and all you say is 'I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner'. That really was not the way to handle it."

"Noted. If you're ever on the verge of a nervous breakdown, I'll make sure you don't have flowers in your hands."

Felicity laughed and then grew serious. "I've been debating whether to share this with you for weeks. Can I trust you?" Oliver's face scrunched up in confusion. She couldn't blame him. They'd been kind of trusting each other this far, but she needed to hear him say it. "You've dropped some fairly ridiculous lies on me Oliver, and yet I still feel like I can trust you. Why is that?"

"I have one of those faces," he quipped, smiling.

Felicity wasn't here for him to act flippant, she needed to know that she could trust him. Yes, she knew his secret, but she would never betray him. She thought she'd proven that over the last few weeks; she hadn't gone running to the media or the police. She'd helped whenever he asked and she hadn't complained (too much).

"Sorry," he said, growing serious. "Yes. You can trust me."

"Then I have something to show you." Felicity opened her bag and pulled out the small journal, offering it out to Oliver. He seemed reluctant to take it, but eventually reached out to take it. Felicity watched him suck his bottom lip in, his face the picture of disbelief. He opened the book and started flipping through the pages, his face betraying the torment that was taking place in his head. Felicity wanted to reach out and console him, but she didn't think he'd welcome it (and she was afraid he'd reject her comfort).

"Where'd you get it?" He quietly asked.

"From your stepfather." Oliver looked up at her, his eyes full of unexpressed emotions.

"From Walter? Uhm... Where did he get it?" Oliver wouldn't or couldn't look her in the eye and Felicity felt awful for being to one to cause him such pain.

"He said he found it in your house," Felicity began reluctantly. She was about to deliver news that could potentially change Oliver's life. It was not something she took lightly. "That it... belonged to your mother. Walter thought she was hiding something. Something more. He wanted me to look into it, but then he vanished. I think this list might have cost Walter his life."

Oliver shallowed the emotion threatening to overtake him, looking back down at the journal in his hands. "Why didn't you give it me sooner?"

"I wanted too, but I... When Walter disappeared my first thoughts were that this book, this list, was the cause. I didn't want people to know that he had shared it with anyone else. I didn't know who to trust. I've been trying to track down information on it, but so far all I've gotten is that some of the names on the list correspond with some of the people the vigilante, you, have taken out. And then today, when you told me you almost died, I realised that the only person that I could share this with, the only person I could trust would have been gone and I would have been on my own again." Oliver stared at her hard, making Felicity squirm. "I'm sorry, Oliver."

Her fight or flight response kicked in when Oliver just continued to stare at her. "I should go."

Felicity turned to do just that, but before she'd put one foot in front of the other, Oliver had grabbed her wrist, in much the same fashion as she had done earlier. Felicity reluctantly turned her head and got caught in his blue eyes. "I"m really glad you told me."