A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I always appreciate your comments. Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy the first half of Olicity's evening out. Happy reading, and let me know what you think!

Chapter 6

The creep actually thought he could get away. Minutes before Oliver had caught the lowlife gang member trying to sell drugs to a couple of minors. He'd shot the pills right out of the man's hands. Now he was scaling a fire escape in hot pursuit. The guy reached the top and hoisted himself onto the roof. Oliver was right behind him. He'd just raised his bow when his comm beeped.

"What?" he answered, keeping an eye on his target.

"Oliver, where are you?" Diggle asked.

"I'm still in the Glades, near Thurber and Henson. Why?"

"Felicity wanted me to remind you that Tommy and Laurel will be at the loft in an hour to pick you guys up."

The mayor's charity event was tonight. It had been Tommy's idea that they share a limo. Normally, Oliver would suggest taking his own car-that way he and Felicity could leave whenever they wanted-but Tommy had been insistent. Oliver got the feeling he didn't want to be completely alone with Laurel. Despite Tommy asking her to be his date, the two had yet to fully work out their issues.

"I'm tying up a few loose ends." The gang member, a quick bastard, was almost to the other side of the roof when Oliver released his arrow. The cables wrapped around the guy, and he fell to the ground. The man swore colorfully.

"You should head home soon to get ready."

"It'll take me ten minutes tops to take a shower and put on my tux." Felicity, like any other woman, needed more prep time. It's why Diggle was working the computers tonight instead of being out in the field with him.

"Don't want you to be late for your big date."

Oliver groaned. "Diggle, it's not a date." The truth was, he'd been waiting for Diggle to say something to that effect. When Oliver initially told him about taking Felicity to the charity event, Diggle barely said a word. There was, however, no mistaking his satisfied smile. He'd been questioning Oliver's single status more than usual lately. It's why Oliver had been adamant that Diggle take tonight off as his bodyguard. He didn't need the extra pressure, especially since he and Felicity had agreed this outing would be purely platonic.

"Whatever you say, man," he replied, not buying it.

"Why do I sense a lecture coming on?" He walked over to the swearing gang member and punched him in the face for good measure. That would keep him stationary until the cops came.

"You've been spending a lot of time underneath that hood the last three months."

"Keeps my ears warm," he said while making his way off of the roof.

"And you made this decision to, uh, avoid entanglements?"

"For their protection. The people who get close to me get hurt." Oliver could hear Diggle's long sigh on the other end. "What's the problem? Do you think I'm losing my grip?"

"No, it's just the opposite really. You seem calm. Scary calm. I get that things haven't ended well with certain people in your life-"

"Sara's dead. Laurel and I are over. Helena's still got a vendetta against her crime-boss father. McKenna couldn't leave Starling fast enough. Not to mention that my mother was murdered mere months ago, Diggle. I'd say that's an understatement."

"Your mother made her own decisions, Oliver. That wasn't your fault. The rest is in the past. I'm talking about you now," he stated, not backing down. "You hood up. You go home or to QC and then you repeat. That's not much of a life."

"That's because the life I'm leading for myself right now doesn't leave much room for an actual life. And I don't need one."

"Wow. That's a pretty bleak future you plan on spending with no one."

"I'm used to isolation."

"And that is exactly what worries me. You've been home for over a year, Oliver, and I don't think you've left that island yet."

Oliver mounted his motorcycle and revved the engine in frustration. "What do you want from me, Dig?"

"Nothing. You don't owe me anything, Oliver, but you do owe it to yourself. Felicity isn't the only one who deserves a break. You need this as much as she does," Diggle advised. "So, please, at least try to have some fun tonight. Don't be afraid to live in the moment."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Oliver pulled off his hood and mask before throwing on his leather jacket and helmet. Despite shutting off his comm, Diggle's words continued to echo in Oliver's mind on the way home. It wasn't like he'd been dreading tonight.

Well, that wasn't totally true. Oliver hadn't been too keen on attending even before Tommy had invited Felicity. He would've needed to find a date, adding another thing to juggle in his already chaotic life. There was no lack of admirers that frequented Verdant to choose from, but Oliver couldn't take just anyone. The opposite of the club scene, the charity event would be the height of sophistication. Carrie had been dropping hints for weeks about wanting to attend, but she was a last resort. As her boss, Oliver didn't want to blur the professional lines.

Felicity, on the other hand, was already becoming rooted in his life. They'd only known each other for a couple of weeks, but he had revealed more of himself to her than any other woman. Despite having to pretend they have a history, it would be a nice change to be out with someone who shared in his secret. They'd be wearing masks to the public, but not necessarily with each other. It was a partnership in every sense of the word.

After parking his bike and using the balcony entrance, Oliver returned to the loft with a half hour to spare. Felicity's bedroom door was shut, which probably meant she wasn't done getting ready. As he'd told Diggle, Oliver managed to shower and dress in record time. He went downstairs to collect the tickets and wait for Felicity.

Finally, Oliver heard her bedroom door open. He'd just finished replying to Tommy's text-they were on their way over-when he looked up. His heart skipped a beat as he took in Felicity, a graceful vision in pink at the top of the stairs. Oliver's eyes followed her the entire way down. The long gown accentuated her flat stomach and the curve of her hips. The neckline plunged, baring a hint of cleavage while still leaving something to the imagination.

Felicity smiled as she met him at the bottom. Up close, he noticed that her hair was curled and pinned to the side over her shoulder. She was obviously wearing makeup but not so much that it distracted from her natural beauty. His eyes, of their own accord, traveled to her lips. She was wearing her signature pink lipstick. Oliver didn't know how it was possible, but she looked even more stunning than the first night they'd met.

"I'm sorry I took so long. My hair was being temperamental."

It took a second for him to find his voice. "You're right on time."

Felicity gestured to the dress. "Is this okay?" She spun around for good measure, revealing an open back.

Oliver's heart gave another stutter. Diggle had been wrong in his warning. If Oliver wasn't careful tonight, he'd be living too much in the moment. Just partners. Platonic partners, he reminded himself. Clearing his throat, Oliver responded, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, shyly glancing away. "You clean up nicely yourself, Mr. Queen."

Remembering the last piece of the puzzle, Oliver reached into his tux jacket. He pulled out a black velvet box. "I see you're already wearing jewelry, but perhaps you'd like to try these instead." He opened the box to reveal a platinum diamond necklace and matching earrings.

Felicity's eyes widened as they sparkled in the light. "Oh my God. They're gorgeous."

"Now don't get too excited," he lightly cautioned. "They're on loan from the jewelers."

"I can really wear these?" She was having a difficult time accepting it.

"Yes, that is why I got them," Oliver teased.

"How much are they worth?" Felicity then quickly interjected, "Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Oliver handed her the box. "Put them on."

The blonde walked over to the mirror by the door and swapped her earrings for the ones Oliver had given her. When she struggled with the necklace, Oliver approached her. "May I?" Felicity nodded as he took the necklace from her. There was no avoiding the way his fingers grazed her skin. He thought he noticed a shiver run through her and met her gaze in the mirror.

They looked like quite the pair. Oliver was every bit the dashing billionaire playboy and CEO in his crisp, designer tux. Felicity's head barely reached Oliver's chin, but she held her own next to him. The elegant way she carried herself, along with the glamorous gown and glistening diamonds against her porcelain skin, would make anyone believe that she belonged by his side. Neither was able to look away until a knock sounded on the door.

Felicity took a moment to collect herself while Oliver went to greet Tommy and Laurel. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but it left her heart racing. It was silly, but all day she'd felt like a teenager counting down to prom. Actually, the last time she'd dressed up like this was her senior prom. Her date hadn't been half as handsome as Oliver. And Felicity definitely hadn't worn millions of dollars worth of jewelry. The way Oliver had looked at her when she first came down had been surreal enough. She hadn't been expecting the earrings or the necklace and appreciated his thoughtfulness.

Getting a grip, Felicity reminded herself that all these details were ultimately for show. She needed to stop focusing on the blazing trail Oliver's fingers had left on her skin. This was supposed to be a friendly outing, and there was no room for confusion.

"Laurel," Oliver said, breaking Felicity out of her trance, "I'd like you to meet my friend, Felicity Smoak. Felicity, this is Laurel Lance."

The two women shook hands. Though their smiles were friendly, they were discretely sizing each other up. Felicity was curious to meet the woman who once held Oliver's heart. She wasn't surprised that he'd fallen for her. Laurel had that gorgeous model look with her bright, grayish-green eyes, pronounced cheekbones and slender figure. Her long brown hair was down and curled, and she wore a dark blue dress.

Laurel stared back at her inquisitively, no doubt trying to figure out exactly what role Felicity had played in Oliver's life. She imagined Laurel had many of the same questions as Tommy. Sure enough, the brunette asked, "So, Tommy told me you guys met on a business trip years ago."

"Yeah, we met through our parents. Oliver's dad mentioned he was flunking his math elective, and my mom volunteered my services as a tutor."

"Felicity was actually a sophomore in high school at the time." Oliver felt it was important to mention. He, technically, didn't owe Laurel an explanation since they were no longer a couple. But Oliver also didn't want Laurel thinking badly of Felicity and assuming they'd been sneaking around while he and Laurel were together. He could sense that she was trying to piece together the timeline.

"She was helping you with college math?" Laurel replied, surprised.

Felicity answered, "Yes. I was going to attend MIT in the fall."

"That means you graduated when you were..." Tommy trailed off, trying to figure it out.

"I was nineteen."

"She also graduated with her master's degree," Oliver couldn't help but add. He'd done his homework on Felicity after they'd met. Learning how much she'd accomplished at such a young age had pretty much solidified his decision to have her join his team.

"Okay, wow. I'm a CEO, and I officially feel inferior," Tommy jokingly declared.

"Now you know why I practically begged her to help out at QC." There was a hint of pride in Oliver's voice. Regardless of the circumstances that had led Felicity to him, he was lucky to have her.

"When you're done at QC, feel free to stop by Merlyn Global. We've got a great corner office overlooking the park that I think you'd like."

"That sounds suspiciously like you're trying to bribe my consultant into working for you."

"'Bribe' is such an ugly word," Tommy innocently replied. "Recruit is more like it."

"Yeah right." Oliver rolled his eyes, muttering that the gloves were really coming off. Tommy laughed in response.

Feeling a blush coming on, Felicity turned to Laurel. She looked a bit out of place and wanted to bring her back into the conversation. "Laurel, I understand you're an assistant district attorney?"

"Yes. I was just promoted recently."

"Cool. I took a law class once, although it really wasn't my thing," Felicity mused. "I'm a terrible liar. Not to say that lawyers lie. Well, some do. But I hear you're really good at your job, so lying is probably not necessary."

"Uh, thanks."

Oliver bit back a grin. In true Felicity fashion, her mouth had run away with her. "We should probably go," he suggested.

Tommy and Laurel went to get the elevator while Felicity grabbed her shawl and purse. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, she whispered to Oliver, "She totally thinks we had a thing while you guys were dating, doesn't she? And then I went and said lawyers are liars...she probably hates me."

"Laurel doesn't hate you, Felicity," Oliver assured her. "She barely even knows you. That'll all change by the end of the night. I promise." He motioned for her to go ahead of him while he locked the door.

Felicity gave him a half-hearted smile and walked to join Tommy and Laurel. "Or it could get worse," she murmured to herself.

The limo ride to the convention center took a little longer than expected due to traffic. Oliver, Tommy and Laurel, in the meantime, were talking about one of the buildings they'd passed. Laurel was prosecuting the owner, who failed to keep the conditions to code. One of the floors collapsed, resulting in many employee injuries and a few deaths. Felicity listened quietly, both not knowing much about the inner workings of Starling and trying to avoid another awkward exchange with Laurel.

Tommy was shaking his head in disbelief. "You've got to put that guy away, Laurel."

"Oh, I fully intend to. The evidence is mounting against him. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Any other interesting cases?" Oliver inquired. Laurel had unknowingly given him some leads a few times before. When Starling's biggest criminals thought they had their defense in the bag, Oliver tried to step in to reveal their dirty little secrets.

"There is one that the district attorney has asked me to help him with. You'll be very familiar with it, Oliver," Laurel said. "Brother Eye."

Almost instantly, Oliver felt Felicity tense beside him. "Yes, they targeted QC."

"The DA is eager to bring them down. It's a very long list of charges with lots of high-profile victims. It's the type of case that could make his career."

"Well, I hope he puts them away for a very long time."

"I was looking over the files today. Felicity, I saw your name in there," Laurel commented. "My father talked to you. You know the suspects."

"They were also at MIT, but I wouldn't say I 'know' them. Not anymore," she said evenly, not expecting this sudden turn in conversation. Was there no escape?

"You gave my father another name. Cooper Seldon. We're having difficulty tracking him down. It's like his records have just disappeared."

Oliver was beginning to think that Felicity was right about Laurel being suspicious, but for an entirely different reason.

"You used to date him," Laurel persisted, "and had contact with him recently. Clearly, you know your way inside a computer. Any suggestions as to where we should look?"

Definitely suspicious, Oliver thought. He placed his hand on Felicity's arm, halting her before she could say anything. "If you've read the file, then you know her ex-boyfriend was targeting her as well."

"All the more reason why we should talk."

"She told your father everything she knows." An interrogation was the last thing Felicity needed tonight. He'd agreed to take her to this event so that she could forget Brother Eye for a little while. Felicity was doing a good job of keeping it together, but underneath the calm exterior he knew Laurel was upsetting her.

"Doesn't mean-"

"Laurel, she's not on trial," Oliver curtly interrupted. "Let's not ruin the evening before it starts."

The tension in the limo could be cut with a knife. Laurel, staring between him and Felicity, looked like she wanted to say something else. Oliver returned her determined gaze, not backing down. Felicity was grateful that Oliver was defending her, but also felt bad that she was the reason he and Laurel were suddenly at odds. They were supposed to be friends.

Tommy seemed equally confused by the exchange. Always the moderator, though, he pointed to the Rockets stadium as they passed by. "They rebuilt that a year before you came home," he stated, changing the subject. "Have you seen it yet, Oliver?"

"No, not yet." Oliver was thankful for the distraction, but the mere mention of the Rockets automatically made him think of Felicity in his t-shirt. That image was seared into his mind and didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. Realizing he still had his hand on Felicity's arm, Oliver discreetly pulled away.

"We'll have to get tickets. Felicity, do you like baseball?" Tommy inquired.

"Um, I'm not opposed it. The only time I really watched was in college. My friends and I would place bets on who could correctly calculate the probability of the batter scoring a certain hit," she explained. "I won a lot of money and chocolate that weekend."

"Nice. I should have you with me the next time I place my bets," he joked. "Oliver, do you remember the last game we went to?"

"You mean the one where you choked on your hot dog and my dad had to give you the Heimlich?" It had been equal parts scary and hilarious. Robert Queen, the strong and decisive man that he was, hadn't hesitated. He sprung into action and saved Tommy's life. Since their seats were so close to the dugout, the chunk of hot dog came shooting out of Tommy's mouth and onto the field. It barely missed a cameraman. Oliver remembered feeling proud of his father that day. He'd been a hero.

"That's the one. Of course the girl I had a crush on at the time was sitting a few rows behind us. My face was red the entire game."

"It was better than blue," Oliver pointed out, feeling more at ease.

"That's true." Tommy turned to Laurel. "What about you?"

"The last game I went to was in high school. I was with my dad..." she trailed off, an underlying sadness in her voice. "...and Sara."

Another awkward silence followed. The limo couldn't have stopped at a better time. Tommy and Laurel were closer to the door, so they got out first. The press was lined up by the entrance. Their cameras flashed wildly at Tommy's appearance.

Oliver held Felicity back for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she would come at you like that. Sometimes Laurel can be like a dog with a bone."

Felicity wasn't entirely sure that's all that exchange was but let it slide. "Oliver, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."

"Regardless, I don't want you worrying about that anymore tonight."

"I won't. I promise I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly.

"Okay. You ready?" Felicity nodded. "Good. Just smile, keep your head up and act as if you go to these things all the time."

Felicity touched the diamond necklace, still unable to comprehend that she was wearing something so exquisite. "Channel my inner Kate Middleton. Got it."

Oliver smirked and got out first. Felicity took his outstretched hand and stood by his side. The press was worked up into another frenzy within seconds. Oliver held out his arm for her to take and guided them to the entrance. The whole way reporters were shouting his name and asking about his date.

"This is insane," Felicity said under her breath. "How do you put up with it all the time?"

"Kind of used to it by now."

Oliver showed their tickets to the man by the door. They joined Tommy and Laurel at the top of the staircase and made their way to the large ballroom. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings. The dance floor was in the center of the room, surrounded by white-covered tables with elaborate centerpieces and name cards. Most guests were situated by the long bar to the left. An orchestra playing soft, classical music was positioned in front of the stage.

"Drinks?" Tommy suggested.

The perks of being two of the richest men in the room meant they didn't have to wait long at the bar. Oliver took his cue from Felicity and decided he'd go with red wine tonight. "Now I have just as much a chance as staining your dress as you do my suit," Oliver teased.

Felicity laughed despite the embarrassed blush she felt creeping onto her face. "I am never going to live that down, am I?"

"Definitely not."

Tommy raised his glass. "Let the ass kissing begin."

"Which one is the mayor?" Felicity questioned as she eyed the room. Everyone blended together in their expensive suits and gowns.

"The tall, older man over there talking to the woman in the long, poufy dress," Laurel politely pointed out. The tension she'd exhibited earlier in the limo seemed to be gone. Felicity wondered if Tommy had done the same as Oliver and pulled her aside for a talk.

"That's his wife." Taking a sip of his drink and smirking, Tommy added, "The woman in the red dress sitting a couple of tables over looking annoyed, that's his mistress."

Felicity's eyes widened at that. "Ooh, scandal."

Oliver shook his head. "It's the worst-kept secret in Starling, actually."

"Only half as bad as the fact that his wife is having an affair with a city councilman, who also has ties to the Italian mob," Laurel spoke up. "He'll probably launder some of the money that is raised tonight." The disgust in her voice was evident.

Felicity took another sip of her wine. Oliver and Diggle weren't kidding when they said this city was dark. It made Central City seem like Disneyland.

"Glad you came?" Oliver whispered in her ear after Tommy and Laurel went to chat with someone they knew.

"No wonder you favor the hood," she said so softly only Oliver could hear. "It would drive me crazy knowing how much these people are getting away with. Stealing from charity?" It was enough to make her blood boil.

"It has its perks," Oliver acknowledged. "You're a part of holding them accountable, too, now, Felicity."

"Yes, I am." She grinned and held up her glass. "Partners?"

He clinked their glasses in solidarity. "Partners."