Merry Christmas Eve! Just wanted to get this chapter up before I dig into some Christmas goodies. This chapter killed me guys. I went back and forth on it for days, but finally settled on something I am semi happy with. Hope you enjoy it!

Felicity groaned as Thea pulled her into another store. Never in a million years would she have thought she'd be shopping with Ms. Thea Queen herself, and now she wished she never would have volunteered. The young woman was a damn Tasmanian devil on a mission. They had only been shopping for half an hour and had already breezed through the top half of the mall. If they kept up this pace, Felicity wasn't going to need her nightly spin class.

Felicity breathed a sigh of relief when Thea let go of her hand so that she could tear through the racks at a quicker pace. Stepping back slightly, Felicity watched from the corner of her eye as Oliver wandered around the store, looking but not really seeing much of anything. He was, in truth, the only reason Felicity had agreed to this adventure. It was the first Christmas without Tommy, and Felicity had recognized the change in Oliver's mood weeks ago. It wasn't that he was more testy or short with her or Dig, it was the way he would stare off sometimes. Felicity could only hope that in those moments he was replaying the good times with Tommy, instead of remembering the way his best friend's body had fallen limp in his arms the night the Glades fell.

"What about this, Ollie?" Thea said, holding up a light beige cashmere sweater.

Oliver blinked, as if planting himself back in the present, and cocked his head to the side. "Doesn't mom have that?"

Thea rolled her eyes. "She has a pink one Ollie, not beige!" Turning to Felicity, Thea smiled wide, "And this is why I brought you. What do you think?"

"Well, it would look great with her complexion." Felicity said as she reached out and rubbed the soft sweater between her fingers. "Plus, you can never have too much cashmere."

Thea squealed. "You are so right! Ok, I'm going to pay for this and then we can start looking for Roy's gift."

Felicity shook her head as she watched Thea prance to the cash register before turning her attention to Oliver. A small smile crossed his face as he ushered her out of the store to wait for Thea.

"I wanted to thank you for coming. You know you didn't have to."

Felicity shrugged. "This is fun. I may not celebrate Christmas, but that doesn't mean that I don't like seeing other people celebrate it. I actually had a roommate at MIT who drug me to the mall each year to go Christmas shopping. I always had a good time."

Felicity flicked her gaze back to the store to see Thea still at the register and cleared her throat slightly, "Plus, I know this is a hard time for you, with it being the first Christmas without Tommy"

Oliver's eyes snapped to hers and Felicity wandered if she had crossed the line. As far as topics went, Tommy was pretty much off the table when it came to conversations. She didn't want Oliver to pour out his heart to her or cry on her shoulder though. All she really wanted was for him to know that she was there for him, whether he needed her or not.

"It always amazes me at how well you seem to know me," Oliver said as he reached out to take Felicity's hand. He gave it a squeeze before he let it fall back to her side and Felicity instantly squeezed her hand together, hoping to retain the warmth of Oliver's hand against hers.

"Alright!" Thea said as she marched out of the store. "Mom was the hardest so the rest should be quick and easy."

"Quick and easy, just how I like it," Felicity said, before smacking a palm to her forward. "Oh God…"

Thea fell forward into a fit of laughter as Felicity's face grew red. Oliver shook his head with a small smile, "Good to know."

"Why don't you and Felicity get us a table at the food court, Ollie. I'm just going to head a few stores down to that little boutique to see if I can grab something I saw earlier. I'll meet you both in a few." Thea turned on her heel and strode away before Oliver or Felicity could get a word in.

"I guess we're going to the food court."

"You know, she's pretty bossy for someone who is so little." Oliver laughed as he placed his hand on Felicity's back to lead her through the mall crowds. She tried not to notice the way his thumb was making small circles against her back or the way his hand slipped from her back to around her waist when the crowds became thick. She held back a shudder when the hand around her waist slipped down to her hip to pull her closer, Oliver's thumb rubbing slightly over her hip bone.

Felicity stopped short when she saw the crowds at the food court. "We are so never going to find a seat," she said with a groan. Time had slipped away from her and she realized just how hungry she was. Her hand pressed against her stomach to hold back the growl that was fast approaching.

"Let me walk around to see if I can snag a table."

Felicity took in the scenery as Oliver left. The entire mall was humming with people, most walking briskly with bags loaded on each arm. The line to sit on Santa's lap was 50 parents and children long and Felicity watched as child after child left the big man's lap in tears. That was one Christmas tradition she was glad she never had to be a part of. Felicity's gaze rose upwards to the second floor that they had been on earlier in the morning, but she stopped when she saw a rustling under the giant Christmas tree. She squinted to get a better look, but couldn't find anything among the lights and ornaments.

Felicity caught Oliver waving at her from the corner of her eye and began weaving her way towards him. She was almost to Oliver when a glint caught her eye. She looked back towards the tree, her eyes widening on the man with the rifle hidden beneath the foliage. She froze as the recognition of the weapon set in, then threw herself at Oliver, knocking him to the ground just as the first round of gunshots rang out.

Felicity clung to Oliver, finding that somehow he had flipped them over so that he was now covering her. Felicity tried to focus on her breathing, but she was finding it harder with each passing moment. When all that could be heard were the screams of the other shoppers, Oliver hauled Felicity to her feet and pushed her into the nearest store. Felicity stumbled into the store, clumsily falling to the ground and curling into a ball under a rack of clothes. A shot of pain in her right side made her whimper, and her hand instinctively slipped to the offending area. The slick wetness against her fingers made her vision tunnel, but she bit down on her lip to keep quiet.

"The shooting has stopped. He's either reloading or trying to get out of the mall." Oliver said as he peered out the front of the store. "Are you alright?" Oliver said as he ducked under the clothing rack to look at her.

Felicity nodded her head. "You need to get to Thea." She bit down harder on her lip to control the trembling that was threatening to take over her body.

Oliver's gaze ran over her body and Felicity held her breath, hoping her position had hidden her wound from him. The last thing she wanted was Oliver having to choose between her and Thea. She was safe now, but Thea might not be. "Stay here."

Before Felicity could respond Oliver was out the door. She waited to her the ring of a gunshot and thanked God when it never came. Trembling, she pulled her coat tighter around her, grimacing at the pull against her side. She didn't dare look at it, but knew without seeing it that she had been shot. Clutching her coat tighter against her, Felicity drew in a deep breath and waited.

Oliver flew through the mall towards the boutique where Thea had been. The mall was frantic by this point, filled with screams and shoppers running for their lives, their shopping bags forgotten behind on the floor.

"Thea!" Oliver yelled as he barreled into the store. Several women screamed as he stormed in, cowering further into their corners. "Thea!" he yelled again as he moved farther into the store.

"Ollie?" Oliver breathed a sigh of relief as Thea untangled herself from an older lady's embrace. She flew into his open arms.

"Are you alright?" he asked, peeling her off of him to give her a once over. She nodded, and he pulled her close to him as the tears filled her eyes. "It's ok," he murmured into her ear as sobs shook her body.

"Sir?" Oliver turned to see the older woman that Thea had been hiding with.

"Thank you for keeping her safe," Oliver said as he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. Her wide eyes made him pull his hand back immediately.

"Sir, you're hurt." She said, pointing to his side. Oliver looked down to see the blood stain on his shirt and his entire body instantly went numb.

"Oh my God, Ollie!" Thea screamed as she pressed her hands to his side but Oliver was already backing away from her. "Ollie?"

Oliver just shook his head. How could he have missed it? Why hadn't she said anything? The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"It's not me. It's Felicity."

"Oh my God…"

Oliver grabbed Thea's hand and sprinted out of the store before she could say anything else. Somewhere in the back of his mind it registered to him that the shooter might still be around, waiting to pick off those who thought the shooting was over, but all rational thought had left him by this point. He pulled Thea into the store he had left Felicity and ran straight towards her slumped form.

"Felicity?" Oliver hands flew to her face, trying to ignore the pale color of her skin and how cold it felt to his touch.

"Oliver?"

"I'm here." He said as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He threw it to Thea, who was looking down at Felicity with tears streaming down her cheeks. "By now the police are probably here, but tell them we need an ambulance. Right now."

Thea didn't move. Her gaze was frozen on Felicity's pale form. "Thea!" Oliver shouted, snapping Thea into action.

"Just hang on Felicity. I'm going to get you out of here." Felicity whimpered as his hand trailed down to her injured side. "Let me look." Oliver slowly peeled back the coat revealing the wound. He cursed under his breath as he realized it was more than a simple graze.

Felicity's hand found his cheek somehow and he turned his head into it. "I didn't want to make you have to choose."

Oliver's eyes fell shut at her words. How much more selfless could this woman be? She had given up her way of life to be a part of his team. She spent countless hours under ground in a dark basement. She defended him against all odds. Not once had Felicity ever asked him to do anything for her, other than to believe in himself, and yet here she was once again sacrificing herself for his own good.

Ignoring her cry, Oliver hauled Felicity into his arms as gently as he could. "Stay with me ok?" he said, brushing his lips against her forehead. She trembled violently in his arms and Oliver held her tighter to his chest, willing his own warmth upon her. "Stay with me."

Felicity blinked against the bright light. Stay away from the light Felicity, she told herself, but a warm voice was begging her to stay. She blinked again, trying to find the source, when suddenly the light was blocked out by a figure.

"Oliver," she breathed.

"Hey," he said, a shaky hand coming to rest against her cheek.

"Is Christmas shopping in Starling City always this exciting?" Oliver's worried eyes told her that her lighthearted babble wouldn't help much right now. She winced as she shifted, grimacing against the pull in her side.

"Try not to move too much. You only needed a few stitches, but it was a through and through, so you've got them on your back as well."

"Right," Felicity said as she let out a breath. "Moving is bad, got it."

She watched as Oliver drew his brows together, the all too familiar furrow appearing across his forehead. Gingerly, Felicity brought her fingers to his forehead. "So serious," she said as her fingers tried to stroke away his worry.

"You took a bullet for me today, Felicity." Oliver pulled her hand away from his face, holding it in both of his hands tightly.

"You take bullets for people all the time. And knife wounds." She countered.

"It's not the same," he whispered.

"Why?"

Oliver blew out a breath, his gaze falling to the hand still clutched between his. "Tell me why Oliver."

"I'm living on borrowed time. I was never supposed to survive the Gambit. I never should have made it off the island. I don't need anyone risking their life for mine. My life isn't worth it."

Felicity pulled her hand from his grasp. "Get out."

"Wh-what?" Oliver stammered, clearly confused.

"If that's how you feel, if that's the way you think, after everything…then you need to get out." Felicity fought against the tears that were filling her eyes. She fought against the ache in her chest, pushing back against the emotions that were threatening to reveal themselves.

"Felicity…"

"How dare you," she said as the tears began to tumble down her cheeks. "Do you even realize what you're saying? Do you even care what you're death would do to your family? To me?"

"I'm sorry, I…"

"You really don't get it do you? You don't see the way your mother smiles at you. Or how Thea's face lights up when you walk in. You are so blinded by your past that you refuse to see what is standing right in front of you." Felicity bit her lip as the last words tumbled out of her mouth. There was no denying the hidden meaning behind those words, but she couldn't hold them back any longer.

Oliver's hand found hers and tugged it into his chest. He held it tight until Felicity finally turned her gaze to him. She didn't care how she looked anymore. She didn't care if he saw the pain in her eyes and the hurt in her tears.

"And how do you think I'd feel if I lost you?"

Felicity blinked against the tears that had blurred her vision. That was not the response she was expecting.

"I'm sorry that I'm not better with my words. I know I don't convey myself well, but I didn't mean to say that I didn't care about the effect my death would have on my family. Or on you." Felicity's breath hitched as Oliver's lips grazed over her knuckles. "But do you have any idea what it would do to me if you were killed because of me?"

Felicity's head hurt, and she wasn't sure if it was from the pain medication or the words coming out of Oliver's mouth. They were friends, partners even, so of course he would be upset if something happened to her. Oliver's words made it all sound different though. She balked at the thought of Oliver Queen caring for her in any other way than a friend.

"I don't understand," she said, still trying to wrap her head around his words. The feel of Oliver's lips against hers chased away any and all confusion.