The following morning Felicity was humming softly to herself while dropping a report on Oliver's desk. She felt happy. She'd had a wonderful time with Adam the night before and she was really looking forward to seeing him again.

"Katy Perry? Really?"

Startled, she gave a little shriek and spun around clutching her heart. "Oliver! Do not sneak up on me like that!"

He walked deeper into the room, a cautious smile on his face. "Sorry. I'm practiced at stealth. It tends to come naturally."

Felicity stared at him. "Wait a minute. How did you know that was Katy Perry?" she asked, suspiciously.

Oliver rolled his eyes at her. "Felicity, I may have been on an island for five years, but I've been back for a while now."

She looked at him dubiously. "Considering how far behind you are in terms of pop culture references, not to mention that your taste in music is still stuck in the nineties, you can't blame me for being a little…" She brought her thumb and forefinger close together, "skeptical."

Felicity could tell that he wanted to laugh. "Have you been speaking to Thea?"

She grinned. "Maybe. But then again, you didn't know what punk'd meant when Roy mentioned it the other day. As a result I've taken the liberty of judging you and lowering my expectations."

"There is this invention found in most homes and vehicles called a radio. Mine still works," he told her, amused.

Felicity gave him a mocking smile. "A pity you haven't ventured near the internet yet. Imagine the world that awaits."

They stood grinning at one another and Felicity was struck by how much she'd missed their banter. With things between them being so tense lately, they'd hardly exchanged any words that weren't spoken in hurt or anger.

Hesitating, not sure if she should leave, she pointed to the document she'd dropped onto his desk. "Err…your Management report. Isabel sent it via the internal mail."

He briefly glanced at the thick volume before looking back at her. "Thank you." Silence filled the room.

This is awkward. "So, where is Dig? I haven't seen him this morning."

Oliver seemed relieved that she'd spoken and took the lead. "He's dropping Thea off at Verdant. Her car went in for a service."

Felicity nodded, wringing her hands. "Well, if you don't need anything else, I'll just-"

"Wait. Please," he added, softly.

Oliver seemed different. He looked the same as he always did, gorgeous, in a ridiculously expensive suit with an appealing smattering of stubble across his jaw and cheeks. But his eyes, there was something she couldn't quite define evident in their depths. That anomaly is what made her waver.

He gestured to a chair and waited until she sat down before seating himself behind his desk.

"I've been doing some thinking." He spoke carefully, an indication that he was searching for the right words. "I want to offer you your old job back."

Felicity couldn't have been more astonished. "W-What do you mean?"

Tugging at his tie as though it was uncomfortable, he explained. "You were right. I was wrong to just assume that I could move you here without first talking to you about it. I'm really sorry that you've had a tough time with the rest of the staff." She knew that he was sincere. "If you'd like to go back to working downstairs, then we can work something out that still enables an open line of communication between us in the event of an emergency."

She pushed her spectacles up, pleased. She hadn't expected anything like this. "Oliver, I never meant that I wanted to go back downstairs."

He leaned his forearms onto the desk. "But you said-"

"I said that I wanted you to consult me before you moved me. It's a little too late for that now."

He sighed heavily and she couldn't help feeling sorry for him. Oliver messed up a lot, but he was by no means a bad person. She knew that what she'd said to him must have weighed heavily if he'd made the decision to talk to her about it and offer some form of amends.

"Then what can I do?" He looked so helpless that she couldn't stop the rush of desire to comfort him. Don't be absurd.

Steeling herself against the instinct, she replied, "You don't have to do anything, other than promise me that something like this won't ever happen again. Besides, moving back downstairs would only make things worse."

"You have my word," he said softly before enquiring, "Worse?"

Felicity gestured with her hands, a little self consciously. "You know, they'll all assume that you've dumped me and was attempting to get rid of me in the simplest way."

Oliver looked at her, so serious. "If you want me to address the rumours, I will."

She knew that he would, but she shook her head, her ponytail brushing against the back of her neck. "Thanks, but no. The less attention we give this situation, the sooner it's likely to blow over."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said as she heard her phone ringing at her desk. Peering at his handset, she jerked her head toward it. "Do you mind?"

Oliver pushed his chair back as she hurried around to his side. "Hello?"

Oliver watched as her cheeks flooded with colour and his gut clenched at the sight. "H-Hi Adam. Yeah, I'm just with Oliver."

She was wearing a bright yellow shirt with a black and white print skirt. Strange how he'd never noticed what great legs she had. Troubled by the wayward thought, he focused on her face.

Felicity went silent and then smiled. She really likes this guy. Disturbed by feelings he didn't want to investigate, he cleared his throat. She met his eyes. "Um, could you hold on a second? I'll transfer your call to my desk." She waited a moment and then pressed a series of keys before hanging up. The phone at her desk started ringing again.

As she withdrew from his desk, he moved forward to wheel his chair back into position. Distracted, he didn't see it coming until it was too late. They collided, with Felicity falling backward into his lap. With a yelp she threw her arms around his neck to maintain her balance. Instinctively, he reached for her, grasping her at the waist and pinning her against him.

Their faces were inches apart. Oliver found himself staring past the lenses of her spectacles into her pretty blue eyes. She swallowed and his eyes followed the direction of the movement, stopping to focus on her bright pink lips. He knew that he should let her go, but his hands clung to her hips, reluctant to do its master's bidding.

"Hey, Olive-"

They jumped apart like two teenagers caught in a compromising position. Diggle looked from one to the other, his eyes razor-sharp, missing nothing.

Uncomfortable, Felicity fidgeted with her hair and addressed Diggle. "I err…fell into Oliver's lap." When Diggle scoffed, she clarified, "Unintentionally. I-I…sort of tripped…" Her voice rose slightly before trailing off.

Oliver noticed that she was unable to meet his gaze. Mumbling a hasty thanks, she ran for her phone. He'd forgotten that it was ringing.

Diggle closed the door behind her. "Well now, aren't you a sly one?"

Oliver pretended to shuffle some papers across his desk in the hope that Diggle would take the hint and drop it.

"You going to tell me why you were eye humping the DA's new girlfriend?"

Oliver gave him a quelling look. "She stumbled, we collided." He ignored the girlfriend part entirely.

Diggle looked unconvinced. "Oh, that I can believe. I'm referring, specifically, to the part where you didn't seem to want to let her go."

I didn't. Perplexed, Oliver stood and closed the button of his suit jacket. He needed to get out there. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Moving around his desk, he walked toward the door. "Oliver?"

He stopped, turning his head to look at his friend. "Yes?" he asked patiently.

Diggle regarded him strangely, the penetrating nature of his stare making him feel uncomfortable. "Look, I don't know exactly what's been going on between you and Felicity lately, but what I saw earlier makes me a little worried."

Oliver frowned. "Worried?"

"Don't mess with her, Oliver," he warned.

Oliver strode up to him. "What," he asked, offended, "is that supposed to mean?"

Diggle held his ground. "You know. For some reason you've finally decided to notice that Felicity is actually an attractive woman." He overlooked Oliver's bafflement. "I have eyes. I saw the way you looked at her."

He gnashed his teeth together. "I don't know what you think you saw, but I would never deliberately hurt her."

With a nod, Diggle acknowledged his words. "Maybe not. But you could do much worse by unintentionally giving her the idea that you feel more than you actually do just because you don't like the thought of having to share her with someone else."

The words, said without malice, struck a chord. "That's not what I'm doing."

The other man placed a hand on his shoulder. "For her sake, I hope not."

"Dig, it's just…" He didn't know how to express the crazed emotions he'd been experiencing lately.

"What?"

Exhaling harshly, he mentally shook himself. "Nothing. It's nothing. We should get going. My meeting is across town."

Leading the way, he tried to disregard the sound of Felicity's laughter as they passed by her desk, and the how the knowledge that someone else was at the receiving end of it, pierced straight through his detached façade.