A/N: Thank you for all the support and reviews - I love seeing all your thoughts! So this chapter is inspired by smiles (guest) - I hope you like how it turns out (I know it's a bit different than you requested) =).

Also, I have received a couple other ideas for future chapters and I promise that they are on the way.

This situation was completely absurd.

It had started like all the other times she had been used as bait (against Oliver's wishes) - she had been walking down a dark alley; their target had been chasing her just like they had planned; she was terrified. Everything had been going perfectly.

Then, there had been a flash of light. Blinding light, so bright that Felicity had been forced to close her eyes against the brilliant glow.

Then she had woken up here, in someone's kitchen, tied to a chair. It was a cheery kitchen, well-decorated, with family photos on the wall. Not at all what Felicity had expected for this kidnapping.

"I'd offer you breakfast," a male voice said lightly with a hint of hysteria, "but you're, well, a little tied up right now!" He laughed at his own attempt at a joke.

Rolling her eyes, Felicity wished that the man would just leave her alone. She was pretty sure that he was completely insane and possibly at the mental age of a ten year old. Since she had woken up about two minutes ago, he had had a full conversation with the wall, beat up an innocent trash can, and alternated between threatening her and treating her like a guest.

Staying silent, she strained against her ropes, trying to reach the watch on her left hand while her kidnapper puttered around the kitchen.

...

"I'm really sick of you getting kidnapped."

Felicity had been working on her computer, but she had looked up when she had heard Oliver's familiar deep voice. She had laughed lightly. "Do you think I enjoy various maniacs capturing me?"

He had laughed too, but she had seen the serious light in his eyes. "I can't lose you, Felicity," he had said, his eyes intent on hers. Without breaking his gaze, he had pulled a delicate silver watch out of his pocket. "This has a tracking device. You activate it by flipping this switch on the side - it connects to my phone, so that I can always find you if you need me." He had showed her how to use the distress switch, then had taken her hand in his and had fastened the watch around her left wrist.

She hadn't known what to say. "Thank you," hadn't seemed to suffice, but she had said it anyway.

Oliver's hand had remained on hers. "Promise me that you will always wear it?"

"Of course."

...

Now, Felicity was glad that she had promised Oliver to wear the watch. She wasn't particularly scared of this man, but she would rather not be his captive any longer than strictly necessary. Besides, she was sure that Oliver was scouring the city, looking for her and hoping that she would activate the watch soon.

The man turned back to look at her, so she froze in her efforts. "Will the Arrow come for you?" he asked, suddenly sounding very afraid.

"Yes," she replied immediately, without any doubt.

The man suddenly looked like he was about to throw up. Sitting down on the floor, he curled his knees up to his chest and rocked back and forth. "No. No, he won't kill me. I can't die. But what if he's mad…?" The man kept babbling and rocking.

Seriously? Felicity thought, resuming her efforts to get to her watch. She was almost there. Just a little more time.

"He really likes to shoot people," she suddenly said, seizing the opportunity to feed his fear before he noticed what she was doing. "And break people's bones."

"Nononono," the man mumbled, his eyes widening. "No."

"You know," Felicity continued in a softer, conversational, just as her right thumb finally reached her left hand and flicked the switch, activating the tracker, "You could just leave now, and then the Arrow couldn't find you."

For a second, it looked like he was tempted. However, the moment passed and his face hardened. "No. I have to find the Arrow."

"Why?"

"I...I don't know," he replied haltingly. "I just have to. He's the Arrow." He said the last sentence like it was explanation enough for his reasoning.

Sighing again, Felicity just closed her eyes and waited, realizing that she couldn't reason with him - he didn't have the mental capacity to see reason. Anyways, she judged that it wouldn't be long now.

Her eyes had only been closed for about a minute before she heard the distinctive sound of breaking glass.

She opened her eyes to the welcome sight of Oliver and Diggle, both disguised and armed, both wearing matching determined and concerned expressions.

"He's over there," Felicity said, pointing with her chin and trying to keep from laughing at the sight of the two of them, armed to the teeth, ready to fight a virtual army, when the kidnapper was essentially a child. A crazy child, but a child.

Diggle went after the kidnapper, who was whimpering in the corner, but watching the Arrow with worshipful eyes.

"Are you okay?" Oliver's disguised voice distracted her from Diggle, and she looked at him as he cut her ropes. He was obviously seething with indignation at her kidnapping.

She couldn't help herself - she started laughing with relief, and at the sheer absurdity of the situation. "I'm fine," she managed in between giggles, "I just...it's just...so ridiculous…"

At first, Oliver and Diggle just stared at her like she was crazy. Then, finally, the corners of Oliver's mouth rose just slightly. "You need to go home," he smiled at her.

His concern about her sanity just made her laugh harder. Later, she would realize that laughter was her coping mechanism, but at that point, it just felt good.

"You're sure that you're okay?" he asked again, helping her up.
"I'm sure," she replied, gaining control of herself, but not letting go of the hand he had used to help her up.

They walked out, hand-in-hand.

She would never admit it, but the one good thing about being constantly in danger was that Oliver would hold her, or be concerned about her, or look at her with his beautiful eyes… And Felicity took advantage of those opportunities every time.

Please review - also, I will get back to the idea of Oliver trying to win her heart. If anyone has ideas along that vein, let me know!