A/N: So this isn't my favorite chapter. But I wanted to cover the time in the middle. Lots of thinking going on in this chapter that will set up some of what happens next, so while it's not epic, it's necessary. PS..I love Oliver's POV! But will continue to inject bits of Dig because I love his perspective J.

I currently have this outlined at 10 chapters, but I tend to let these run their own course so we will see what happens!

Thanks again for reading and reviewing. You all rock. The reviews really do keep me going on this.

If I don't say this now I will surely break

As I'm leaving the one I want to take

Forget the urgency but hurry up and wait

My heart has started to separate

A long, hot shower was exactly what she had needed, and gave her the time to compose herself a bit. The fact that there were two wonderful men, the two people she trusted most in the world, standing in her kitchen waiting to take her home meant more to her than she could express. While her original plan had been to take care of this alone, she was immensely grateful that Oliver had pushed.

The tenderness he had shown her was a bit unsettling though. It wasn't the Oliver she was used to, especially after what had happened in Russia. She knew she should shut it down. Keep her distance. Ensure the professional boundary stayed up between them.

Climbing out of the shower, she rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding. She needed him more than she could ever admit to herself. And at the point of her life when she felt the most alone, he was there, stepping in to make sure she wasn't. She would have to be crazy to turn that down.

Eyeing herself in the steam-covered window, she considered the fact that she probably already was certifiable. She frowned, seeing the tiredness that layered the blue of her eyes, surrounded by the redness earned from crying into Oliver's chest.

Now sweetheart, any man worth his salt won't leave a woman crying without a shoulder. Mimi's words rang so true in her mind, causing those same eyes to tear up again as the ache in her heart intensified.

With a resolute nod, she straightened the loose braid she had put her hair into earlier, and grabbed her yoga pants and hoodie. One last fortifying glance in the mirror and it was time.

Glancing into the rearview mirror, Dig caught Oliver's eye, pulling it from where it had been fixed on the quiet blonde tucked against the door. He could tell Oliver wanted to talk to her. He was practically vibrating with restless energy. But one hard look from Dig and Oliver relaxed back into the seat with a nod. It wasn't the time.

The ride to the airstrip was short, and honestly, abnormally quiet for the trio. He had to admit that his concern kept growing the longer Felicity stayed silent. He tried to smile reassuringly when he opened the door and held his hand out to help her out. She looked up at him with grateful eyes, but still said nothing, following him back around to the trunk to get her bags.

"I got 'em Felicity," he said softly, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. She nodded, biting her lip as she turned to walk towards the jet. He sighed, grabbing her bags and nodding to Oliver to take his before following her to the plane. He was grateful that she hadn't balked at Oliver's suggestion to use the company plane. He knew the younger man was grasping for ways to do something – anything – to help her, and a free, private flight was honestly a good suggestion considering her emotional state. That and it saved them from any unnecessary press attention. A tabloid cover about Oliver Queen and his assistant jetting off from a public airport in the middle of the night was not exactly what Felicity needed right now.

Climbing aboard, his gaze fell on his two partners in concern. Oliver had directed her to the seat right next to his, and was handing her a blanket. The look on his face betrayed his attempt to hide his concern as she took it limply, offering a slight smile at him. She turned her head to look out the window and Dig watched as Oliver scrubbed an anxious hand through his hair, shuffling his feet as if he didn't know what he needed to do next.

Dig had to smirk at that, considering how composed Oliver was the majority of the time. He knew that Felicity had the ability to get under the hero's skin, but this was different. Oliver was out of his element, yes, but Dig had never seen him want so badly to make her feel better. He looked helpless – a feeling Oliver Queen didn't wear well.

The object of his thoughts turned to him then, the mask falling back over his eyes as he caught Dig's smirk. Casting him a knowing look, Dig shuffled to his seat across from Felicity, grabbing her a bottle of water on the way.

She took it from him with a grateful smile, setting it in her lap on top of the blanket before casting her gaze out the window yet again.

Something told him this was going to be a quiet flight.

Oliver had endured torture. Horrendous, excruciating, mind-numbing torture.

And somehow, it didn't hold a candle to a quiet, withdrawn Felicity.

He honestly didn't know what to do with himself. His hands were restless in his lap, wanting to reach out and hold hers, yet nervous to at the same time. The easy comfort that had flowed in her bedroom was lost now as Dig eyed him.

She must have sensed his discomfort, wordlessly covering his hand with her own and squeezing. He turned to her quickly, only to find her eyes still fixed outside the window. He held his breath for a moment, waiting to see if she would withdraw her hand, but when she didn't, he cradled it between both of his, stroking the back with a gentle thumb. It was a small gesture but he could see from the tension in her shoulders gradually loosening that it soothed her somehow. At this point, he would fly her to Paris if that made it better.

That thought made him smile, imagining the fight she would put up over that. All the other women in his life would have jumped at the idea, enjoying the perks of his wealth and connections. Felicity, on the other hand, was content with him holding her hand. Somehow, that filled him with a sense of peace. She was in pain, and he knew that there would be low moments ahead, but right now, it was enough, he was enough.

By the time they reached Coast City, Felicity had dozed off, head resting against the window she was leaning out of. Oliver hated to wake her, knowing how grief could tax the body, but they hadn't asked her where they were going beforehand and Dig couldn't recall the exact street her grandmother had lived on.

Dig took on the task of carrying their stuff down to the car he had requested while Oliver leaned closer to the his sleeping IT girl. Squeezing her hand gently, he brushed one hand up and down her arm, "Felicity, we're here."

Bleary eyes opened and slowly focused on him. His heart ached a bit seeing how bloodshot and red they still were, but he smiled at the inherent beauty in them in spite of the sadness. "Hey," he whispered, grateful for the quiet of the plane that allowed him to speak gently to her.

"Hey," she breathed, giving him a soft smile in return, before leaning up to stretch her stiff neck.

"Dig already got the bags and is waiting with the car."

She nodded resolutely, accepting his proffered hand to rise from the seat, shrugging the blanket off into the seat behind her. He stood close by as she stepped in front of him and walked towards the door, wanting to be nearby in case…in case she just needed him nearby. Something about her this vulnerable called to his primal, possessive side in a way he had never experienced before. He had been a protector for several years now, but being possessive of a woman? Never. The urge surprised him even more because Felicity wasn't essentially his.

Yet as he guided her towards the car with a surreptitious hand at her elbow, his heart argued with that little fact just a bit.

She slid into the backseat, and he sat next to her, close enough to brush arms with her. She didn't look at him, but he felt her body rest a bit against him, seeming to accept the comfort his presence brought her. The thought sent a spark through him – the fact that he brought her strength and comfort warmed him from the inside out.

Dig interrupted his thoughts by asking Felicity where she wanted to go. Oliver turned to look at her as her brow furrowed, her teeth coming out to worry her bottom lip.

"I guess there isn't much point in going to the apartment tonight, and I can't get into the family home…I can't believe I didn't think about this. I don't have anywhere for us to stay." Her voice tapered off in embarrassment as her eyes slid closed. Oliver shared a look with Dig and the older man began to drive.

Oliver nudged her shoulder with his own until she raised her eyes to his, "Hey, we'll get a hotel for the night. I'm familiar with one here and can get us a suite." She started to protest and he covered her hand with his own, squeezing lightly as he went on, "Let me do this. Let's get settled, get some rest and something to eat. Then we can plan what to do from there in the morning." He kept his voice soft but firm enough to hopefully compel her to listen, to let him take care of this.

She still looked ready to argue, but the tiredness in her eyes won out. He watched her visibly deflate, leaning heavily against him again. "Okay."

Oliver favored her with a small smile, leaning forward to tell Dig the name of the hotel.

Felicity came fully awake at that, grabbing his arm and tugging sharply, "Oliver, no. That's too much! And how is it going to look when the CEO of QC is checking in there with his assistant at 3 a.m.? You don't need to give Isabel any ammo and I don't want to give her another reason to…" she trailed off then, cutting off the line of thought that she didn't want to touch with Oliver. He inwardly winced, watching the hint of pain and disappointment flash across her face before she schooled the emotions.

"Felicity, let me deal with Isabel. I am here as your friend, helping you in a difficult time. If Ms. Rochev has an issue with that, I am more than happy to put her in her place." His tone was kind but brooked no argument. The stalemate lasted for a few moments before he rubbed a soothing hand up and down her arm. "It's okay."

She tugged on her lip with her teeth again, eyeing him with a mix of frustration, tiredness, grief, and something else he couldn't name, before slumping back into the seat, knowing that she didn't have the energy to fight him on this.

By the time they reached the suite Oliver had gotten for them, the fight was completely gone from her, allowing him to lead her and bear some of her weight down the hallway.

Thankfully, it was the middle of the week so he had had no problem securing a comfortable and private suite with enough rooms for the three of them to be comfortable. He understood and appreciated Felicity's concern about how things would look, and he had picked the most secure and private suite, but what was more paramount in his mind was her comfort. He knew she felt out of place in the opulence that he was so accustomed to, so this warm and tastefully decorated suite was a little more her speed. The living room was warm and large, with several cozy couches, a piano, and a beautiful view of the ocean. Two of the bedrooms were side by side on one side of the living room while the master was on the opposite. He guided her with a steady hand on the small of her back towards the master, a beautifully appointed room with a large king size bed and a fireplace. All in all, it felt very homey and less like what he was used to, which of course made it perfect for Felicity.

She silently moved towards the restroom, closing the door softly behind her, as Oliver watched after her. Dig came in behind him then with Felicity's bag, and the two made quick work of hanging her garment bag and organizing her things just a bit.

When she emerged, her hair was falling around her shoulders in gentle waves, a sight which caused an odd sensation in Oliver's chest. She gave them both a grateful look as she eyed the bags and then shifted her feet nervously by the bed. Dig caught the cue and stepped forward to kiss the top of her head.

"Get some rest girl. We can tackle everything else tomorrow," he said, before turning to leave the room. Oliver watched a frown cross her face as she reached out to grasp Dig's bicep, turning him back towards her before wrapping both hands around his neck in a warm hug. Oliver felt almost like an intruder seeing his bodyguard and partner wrap tight arms around her, murmuring something softly against her hair and waiting for Felicity to nod before releasing her and turning to leave with a smile.

Worrying her lower lip again, Felicity turned to him with a trust and vulnerability combination that he wasn't sure she was aware he could see. He moved forward quietly, lifting back the duvet on the plush bed and guiding her between the sheets with a hand. As she settled back into the pillows, he felt a small pang of disappointment that affection did not flow as easily between the two of them as it did between she and Diggle.

She sighed deeply, eyes shut, turning to her side to face him. Drawn by the softness he saw in her expression, he sat on the side of the bed, hip fitting into the natural curve made by her hips and abdomen, just close enough to feel the warmth of her without touching. Her eyes fluttered open as the mattress dipped and regarded him curiously. He was sure that his actions had thrown her for a loop, especially after Russia. Truthfully, he was surprised by his own actions, even as he lifted his hand to brush an errant curl back from her face.

She leaned just a bit into his touch and suddenly he was pulling away, for a reason he couldn't explain. There was a flash of hurt and something else in her eyes, before she snuggled down into the sheets.

"Goodnight Oliver."

The dismissal wasn't unkind, but firm. He nodded and pulled the duvet up over her shoulder.

"I'll be right out there if you need me. Goodnight Felicity."

After years of only sitting on a bed for a single purpose with a woman, he was surprised at his desire to linger. To watch her face relax. To watch over her as she rested.

Shaking his head, he rose from the bed and turned off the bedside lamp before softly shutting the door behind him.

For a moment, he stood by the door, trying to bring his unorganized thoughts into some sort of order in his mind.

"She resting?" Dig's voice was the perfect distraction from his own introspection apparently. His head jerked up to see his partner pinning him with a knowing look.

Oliver nodded, moving into the living room to crash on the couch. He didn't want to take one of the bedrooms and be that far from Felicity. Just in case she needed something.

Dig watched him for a moment before shaking his head and turning into one of the bedrooms himself.

Settling down onto the couch, Oliver couldn't make his body relax. He was wound tight as a rope, but not with the usual tensions and stress he felt on a normal day. No, today, the string holding him taut had big blue eyes and a stunning smile. The grief he had seen in her eyes tore something deep inside. She shouldn't have to deal with that. She shouldn't ever have to feel sad or alone. Logic told him how erroneous that was, but the newly possessive streak in him wanted nothing more than to wrap his IT girl in bubble wrap and shelter her from all the evil and bad in the world.

It wasn't because she was weak. She had proven repeatedly the inner strength she possessed. Honestly, he admired that about her. She carried herself with such inherent strength and consistent joy. That was Felicity. Light. Warmth. She was, in his life, the sun itself.

To see that snuffed by grief and loss was affecting him more than he knew how to process. All he wanted was to put a smile back on her face, to lift the veil of sadness that had fallen over her normally bright blue eyes. He wanted to hear a nonsensical babble, preferably one that ended in a blatant innuendo. He hadn't realized how much those little things brought life to him the same way she brought light into the darkness of his life.

He needed that light back. But right now, she needed him more.

Thinking back over the sheer amount of time they spend working together, he could think of less than five instances when she actually asked for something from him. She was an anomaly in his world in that regard. He was accustomed to everyone expecting more from him. And as a result, he had grown up throwing money and a coy smile at the world.

What Felicity expected from him was to be the best version of himself. And not the old him without scars, but the best version of Oliver. She didn't ask that for herself though, it was for his own sake and for the sake of those he loved, for his family's company.

She never asked for vacation, or even a day off. He remembered having to physically carry her out of the lair when she had the flu because she refused to leave to go home and rest.

On a deeper level, she never asked him for more than he was ready to give. While the rest of the world pushed him for answers about his time on the island, she let him give details as the situation required, or as he felt comfortable. She just accepted him where he was and accepted each piece he gave her along the way as a piece of his larger puzzle, one she had already committed to play a role in solving.

She was remarkable, in every way.

The sudden urge to do something for her, something that would mean the world to her and show her an inkling of just how much she meant to him swept over him. The thought was followed by the reality that he honestly had no idea what he could give to her that would even begin to express all that she has given to him.

Making a mental note to find something for his friend, his partner, his beautiful IT girl, he let his eyes slide closed.