A/N: It's been a long time coming, but I've finally finished Felicity and Adam's alternate ending. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review this story and to those who loved Adam as much as I did.

LadyG

It had been two weeks since Felicity had last seen or heard from Adam. Two long weeks in which she'd tried to bury her head in work and pretend that he didn't exist. It was hard though, especially when she missed him so much at times that it was hard to breathe. But life had a way of forcing you to move forward, even when every step seemed to hurt more than the one before.

Intel on Judge Thompson's connection to Perez had been slow in coming, but she'd finally cracked it the day before. Thompson's penchant for gambling had resulted in the loss of his family's financial security. Hoping to regain some lost footing, the judge had agreed to turn a blind eye to one of Perez's drug operations and cashed in big time. He'd been naïve though, and once was all it took to ensure that he'd never escape the king pin's clutches. Perez owned him. There would be no escape.

Glancing at the clock, Felicity gathered her belongings and started the familiar routine of shutting down her computer and gathering her belongings. It was still early, but it would probably be better if she made her way to the foundry; there were still lots of preparation to be done. The plan was to catch Thompson and get him to give up Perez.

Reaching for her company access card, Felicity stood. She was about to grab her handbag when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she froze.

It was Adam. And he looked gorgeous. Impeccable as always in a navy blue suit, his shirt was a crisp white, his tie matching pinstripes of blue and grey. His beautiful blue eyes, a permanent fixture in her dreams of late, were focused intently on her.

Just seeing him caused all of the feelings and longing and loneliness she'd pushed aside to come rushing to the fore. She'd missed him. In truth, she hadn't thought she'd ever see him again and now here he was, right in front of her. She wasn't prepared for it. Her heart started pounding, her palms grew slightly clammy. What was he doing there?

"H-hi," she said uncertainly, running her hands nervously down the front of her short, black and white print dress.

"Hey," he replied, his gaze never leaving hers as he stopped a few paces from her.

He was close enough that she could see the laugh lines bracketing his eyes, smell the faint trace of his cologne. She itched to touch him, wanting to run her fingers through his light brown hair, smooth her hands over his broad shoulders. Since she obviously couldn't do that, she clenched her fists in order to quell the impulse.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes continuing to drink him in. He looked tired.

"How are you?" Adam deflected, his voice low.

Felicity swallowed. How was she supposed to answer that question? She'd convinced herself that they were over, that he probably hated her, that she'd never see him again. She was miserable. However, "okay," seemed like the safest response. "You?"

He grimaced. "Not too great, actually."

They stared at one another. "Why?"

Adam started to say something and then hesitated. "I know that you were the one who gathered all the Perez intel for me. I never thanked you."

Felicity frowned. That wasn't what he'd been about to say. "You came all this way to thank me?"

"Are you sorry that I did?" he asked softly.

She was confused. "Adam, you're not making any sense. The last time we spoke you broke up with me," her voice cracked slightly. "Now you're here, thanking me, and I can't figure out why. Nothing's changed."

His calm demeanour shifted for a second and his eyes filled with remorse. "I said some pretty bad things to you."

Felicity shook her head. "I get it. You don't have to explain." She turned away from him, picking up her access disc and placing it into her purse. It hurt to look at him.

"No, Felicity, I do." He'd moved closer. She could feel him behind her, the heat of his body permeating into hers. For a moment she closed her eyes, luxuriating in his nearness. "Oliver came to see me," he said.

Shocked and wide eyed, she whirled round to look at him, her ponytail brushing back and forth against her neck. "What?" she breathed. "Why?"

"I know," he said. Felicity reached for her desk, her knees suddenly a little unsteady. Oliver told him?

"He told you…" she hesitated, unable to finish her sentence. She held up a finger. "What exactly did he tell you?"

Adam looked her straight in the eye. "That he was the vigilante."

Glad to have her workstation behind her, Felicity sagged against it for support. Oliver guarded his secret heavily. The only reason he'd volunteer the information was if he felt that he had no other choice. Her mind was reeling. "When did this happen?"

"A couple of days after we broke up." Adam looked slightly bewildered. "I should have put it together myself. I don't know why I never did." When her mouth moved, but no sound was forthcoming, he smiled faintly. "You must really be surprised if you're rendered speechless."

Felicity felt her cheeks warm. "It was the last thing I expected you to say," she confessed. Why didn't Oliver tell me?

Adam's voice gentled. "I'm sorry about what I said to you. I now realise why you couldn't tell me. Loyalty is hard to come by these days and I admire yours."

His words weaved a path straight to her heart, a sprig of hope starting to bloom.

A thought struck and Felicity stood up straight. Even in heels, the top of her head only reached the underside of Adam's jaw. "Wait a minute. If you've known for more than week, why hasn't Oliver been arrested?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets and regarded her thoughtfully. "Believe me, that very nearly happened."

She swallowed. "What changed your mind?"

"You."

Her mouth dropped open. "Me?" she echoed in disbelief.

"Oliver knocked a few home truths into me and once I looked past my own anger, I realised that he was right."

Felicity gaped at him, unable to believe what he was saying. "You agree with Oliver?"

Adam's mouth curled into a smile and her heart lurched in her chest. How could one man be so handsome? "We had a long talk and he said some things that made me stop and think."

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him. "Such as?"

"The fact that I cannot view what he does in black and white terms, that there's a lot more to consider." He stepped closer, his voice dropping a few octaves. She could touch him so easily. All she had to do was lift her hand. "That you wouldn't align yourself to a cause you didn't believe was moral and just." Adam lifted a finger and trailed it down the side of her cheek. "Of all the things he said that night Felicity, those are the words that haunted me the most."

The sprig of hope started to bloom in her belly. "I wanted to tell you, Adam, so many times."

He cupped her cheeks and she lifted her hands, curling her fingers around his wrists. "I know."

"What are you saying?" she asked, desperately wanting to know what this all meant.

"That Oliver made me see a few things differently." He stepped away from her and walked towards the windows, staring out of it, his back to her. "All my life I believed in a system, a code. I thought that if I followed it to the letter, that the righteous side would always be victorious. I disliked what Oliver did because I believed that it gave others authorization to take the law into their own hands, for chaos to ensue." He turned back, his gaze unwavering. "It took what happened with Judge Thompson for me to realise that things aren't always that simple. That there are always exceptions to every rule. That just because I want things to be a certain way, won't necessarily make it so."

Felicity moved away from her desk and approached him. "I'm sorry about what happened at the hearing. If it makes you feel any better, I found out why Thompson did what he did." She gave him a run down.

Adam shook his head in disgust. "I thought I knew him."

"What happened was not your fault," Felicity insisted, touching his arm.

He stared down at her, his eyes softening. "I know. I just wish that things had turned out differently."

Adam looked down to where her hand rested on his arm and Felicity self-consciously removed it. "Well, we have enough to send Thompson away for a long time. Perez too." She paused. "That is if you'd be willing to prosecute them with Oliver's help."

Adam took a deep breath and then to her complete and utter surprise, he nodded. "I would."

Felicity was astonished. She hadn't known what to expect when she'd seen Adam, but this most certainly hadn't been it. "I think the two of you would make a surprisingly good team. You might even learn to like one another."

Adam laughed and Felicity was reminded about how much she'd missed the sound. "I don't know about that, but I think we could be effective, if nothing else."

"Then you'd be willing to try?" she asked, hopefully.

He smiled and she exhaled, not having realised she'd been holding her breath. "I'm glad." This, of course meant that she'd probably be seeing more of him. Or least she'd be in contact with him. Her heart squeezed tightly. Happy as she was to know that Adam was on their side, she was sad for herself. He'd be so close to her, but ultimately so far away. "So I guess I'll be seeing you around."

It was his turn to frown. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're going to be collaborating with Oliver," she explained. "I assume that means that we'll cross paths from time to time."

Unexpectedly, Adam reached out and tugged her against him. Felicity's eyes widened as her body collided with his. They were sandwiched together from navel to knees, her skin tingling everywhere they touched. His muscled arms were locked behind her back, holding her firmly. "I don't want to just cross paths with you, Felicity," he whispered, his mouth tantalisingly close to hers.

She couldn't breathe, hypnotised by the sound of his voice and the heat in his eyes. "You don't?" she squeaked.

He shook his head, staring at her earnestly. "I want to be with you, if you'll have me back."

Felicity trembled, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"You see," Adam said, brushing a strand hair gently behind her ear. "I've been a first class ass and the truth is that I don't deserve you. I should never have doubted who you are and what you believe in. All I can do is promise you is that it won't happen again and that if you give me another chance, I'll do my best to make it up to you."

"Adam-"

"Oliver told me something else," he said, interrupting.

"What?" There couldn't possibly be anything else.

He leaned down, brushing his lips lightly against hers and she shivered. "That you loved me," he said softly. "Was he right?"

Felicity stared at him, knowing that it was now or never. From the moment she'd met Adam in Big Belly she'd felt a connection to him. Then as they'd gotten to know one another, that connection had only grown stronger - deepening, solidifying, intensifying. He was everything she'd ever wanted and so much more. And he was a hairsbreadth away from being hers. "Yes he was," she replied sincerely. "I love you, Adam."

His eyes closed, as though he were savouring the words. She'd always imagined that saying it would be hard, but in the end, it had been the easiest part.

Adam's lips swooped down to meet hers, his hands cupping her cheeks, holding her head steady. The kiss was soft initially, then deepened by increments until they were both breathing raggedly, straining to get closer to one another.

Felicity whimpered in protest when he finally raised his lips from hers. "I love you," he said simply.

Felicity sagged against him, the sweetest relief coursing through her body. "I was so scared that I'd never see you again," she confessed, placing a soft kiss on his jaw.

He hugged her close. "When Oliver came to see me, the last thing I expected was for him to end up convincing me that we could actually work together. But he really blew me away when he told me how you felt about me. I'm sorry for being such a fool-"

Felicity placed a finger across his lips. "You don't have to apologise anymore. Your reaction was completely understandable. If I'd been in your position, I would probably have felt exactly the same way."

They kissed again, hands and mouths conveying what words no longer could.

When Felicity drew back, Adam cupped her cheeks in his palms, his eyes searching hers.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I just…I can't believe that Oliver told you. He doesn't tell anyone."

Adam smiled. "He did it for you, Felicity. Because he cares about you."

The thought made her emotional. She thought about all that she and Oliver been through, about the feelings she had for him, that she would always have for him. What he'd done for her meant everything to her. He'd risked so much so that she'd have a shot at happiness. Oliver had come such a long way from the man she'd met three years ago. She liked to believe that the positive changes he'd made in his life, was in part, as a result of their friendship.

"I want you to know something else," Adam said, holding her tightly against him, his tone suddenly serious. "Oliver's confession merely pre-empted things. I want you to know that while it may have taken me a little longer to figure things out, I would have come to my senses and made things right between us."

Relief made Felicity feel lighter than she had since they'd fallen out. "I'm glad to hear it, Donner."

Adam grinned. "So, Miss Smoak, what happens now?" he asked, his hands settling comfortably on her hips.

She wound her arms around his neck, cocking her head to the side playfully as she regarded him, eyes twinkling. "I'm not sure. Any ideas?"

"I have a few," he replied suggestively, his lips nuzzling the sensitive flesh behind her ear. "I'm thinking that you might like to see the…err…view from my lounge."

A little breathless, Felicity grinned, excitement pooling in her belly. "The view?"

Adam's lips twitched. "It is spectacular, isn't it?"

She leaned forward, bringing their lips into close proximity, a riot of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "You have such excellent ideas."

"I do try." Adam laughed before his head bent, his lips capturing hers in a lingering kiss.

Felicity sighed happily as she gave herself up to the wonderful sensation of loving and being loved in turn. Because of Oliver, she had everything she'd ever wanted. Adam was hers and more importantly, there were no more secrets between them. Considering the double life that Oliver led as playboy by day and Starling City's hero by night, choosing to give her a shot at love instead of protecting his own interests was the most selfless thing that anyone had ever done for her. There were no words she could think of that would adequately convey her gratitude.

They would have to talk, but not right now. Now, was all about her and Adam and the promise of a happy future together.

THE END