So I'm honestly still fuming from last night's episode. I sort of get why Oliver lied, but the absurdity of Oliver being dishonest to the love of his life to appease a one-night stand who's lied to him for nine years has me seeing red. Really hoping the writers fix that epic mistake ASAP.

Anyway, thank you all so much for your comments last chapter! I know many of you wanted to smack Oliver upside the head. Lol! Here's the next one for you. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 12

Felicity watched as the sun set over the horizon from the balcony. The clear, crystal blue sky was now a blazing pink and orange. It was one of the most beautiful views Felicity had ever seen. Too bad she couldn't fully enjoy it. Her mind had been a chaotic mess ever since last night.

A few weeks ago, if someone had told Felicity she'd end up on an exotic beach having a heart-to-heart with Oliver Queen before sharing a mind-blowing kiss, she would've called them crazy. It wasn't in the cards for her. Not just because Oliver Queen was supposedly out of her league-the billionaire playboy and the IT girl? Unthinkable!-but because it wasn't like Felicity to let someone get so close to her. She'd spent five years guarding her heart. Protecting herself from yet another disappointment. Apparently, all it took was one kiss from Oliver to make her defenses come crashing down. It was unnerving.

She and Oliver had returned to the hotel room last night in absolute silence and gone their separate ways. This morning, Felicity wasn't sure what to expect. There was a twinge of awkwardness when she and Oliver first laid eyes on each other at breakfast. Diggle must've noticed it, but he didn't dare say anything. It was in that moment that Felicity decided she wouldn't let what happened the night before affect their work. They were a team first and foremost and with Oliver planning to infiltrate Merlyn's compound tonight, they had much bigger things to worry about than a kiss. Oliver seemed to silently agree, because it was business as usual as they discussed their plans.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur as they took care of some last-minute details. Felicity couldn't have been more grateful for the distraction. Unfortunately, her work was now done. Oliver would be leaving soon to face Merlyn, and all Felicity was left with were nervous knots in her stomach. The uncertainty of where she and Oliver stood with each other was quickly being overshadowed by worry for his safety. This wasn't one of their usual nightly patrols to hunt down common criminals. There was so much more at stake.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes in an effort to pull herself together. They snapped back open moments later when she felt a presence behind her. Felicity didn't have to turn around to know it was Oliver. She also didn't need to ask what was going on. "You're leaving now."

"Yes."

Felicity glanced over her shoulder. "Where's Dig?"

"Finishing packing up the car."

"Do you need anything else from me?" It felt like such a loaded question.

Oliver paused before answering, "No."

"Okay. Well, good luck." Felicity tried to keep her voice light. It was the only appropriate response she could come up with. Her hands gripped the railings, she was so on edge.

"Felicity," Oliver quietly said, coming to stand next to her. "About last night..."

"You don't need to say anything, Oliver. I get it. What happens in Corto Maltese stays in Corto Maltese."

"We're still in Corto Maltese," he pointed out.

"A mere technicality," she dismissed, still unable to look at him.

"You'll be okay here by yourself?"

She frowned at him. "Oliver, I'm not a five-year-old."

"I know." There was an undertone of frustration. "That's not what I meant."

"I'll be fine."

Oliver sighed, knowing that any time a woman used the word "fine" it meant that she was anything but. He'd been wrestling with how to approach Felicity all day. This was the first moment they'd actually had alone. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

Felicity hadn't planned on saying anything else. She really hadn't. She was going to let Oliver leave and focus on his mission, because that was the priority. Her mouth, though, had other plans. "Why did you do it?" she blurted out, finally turning to face him.

Oliver stopped in the doorway. No further explanation was needed. He knew exactly what Felicity was asking him. "It wasn't planned. It just sort of happened."

"It was a mistake," Felicity stated. Her voice held a certain level of acceptance. If it weren't for the slight tremble at the end, he might've thought she believed what she said.

Oliver stood, mesmerized, at the way the fading sun behind her reflected off of the golden strands in her hair. Felicity looked bright and beautiful in her flowered sundress. It was almost as if she was glowing. The rush of emotion Oliver felt last night threatened to take hold of him once more. There were so many "ifs." If they didn't live in such a dangerous world. If there was no Malcolm Merlyn. If there was no Brother Eye. If he weren't The Arrow. If he didn't have to constantly worry about her safety. If she didn't make him want to blur the lines of his two selves. If they were just a normal man and a normal woman who happened to like each other, with no consequences whatsoever...then maybe he could've told her the truth in that moment. But that wasn't Oliver's life, and it never would be.

"Because of the life that I lead, I just think that it's better to not...be with someone that I could really care about."

Felicity, nodding, let go of the balcony and walked past him into the living room. "Well, I think..." She paused and took a second to glimpse back at him. "I think you deserve better than that." With a meaningful look, she retreated to her room and shut the door softly behind her.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Diggle offered. They were sitting in the car, not too far from Merlyn's compound. The pitch darkness kept them obscured from any prying eyes.

Oliver shook his head. "I have to do this myself."

"All right." He placed the comm in his ear. "Let me know if anything changes. Good luck, Oliver."

With a brief nod, Oliver got out of the car and walked toward the water tower. He was in his full Arrow gear. After surveying Merlyn's compound for a couple of days, they'd noted how all access points had two guards on duty. The best way to infiltrate the compound would be from the roof. The water tower provided the perfect jumping off point. When he was high enough, Oliver shot his cable arrow into the darkest corner of the compound. The guards would never see him coming.

Grabbing onto the cable pulley, Oliver slid down to the roof. There was a passing guard crossing in front of the roof entrance. Oliver took him out quickly and quietly before waiting for the second man to circle back. He disarmed him the same way. Entering the compound, Oliver descended a flight of stairs. They led down to a hallway.

Oliver treaded carefully, searching for any movement in the darkness. He needed to head toward the east wing. That's where Merlyn was most likely located. The surveillance cameras showed that he liked to spend time on the balcony attached to his study most nights. At the end of the hallway, a guard was stationed. Oliver took him down, but not without another guard nearby noticing. He'd just started speaking into his radio when Oliver shot an arrow at him. It must've been enough to sound the alarm, because he heard footsteps running in his direction.

Three more men engaged him. They looked a lot tougher than they fought. The first two went down easily. The last man came at Oliver with a knife. Oliver caught his arm and twisted it. The loud crack was followed by a scream of pain. He flipped him onto the other two men and punched him in the head. The man was out in seconds.

Oliver continued on, recalling the blueprint of the compound he'd memorized. The closer he got to the east wing the more guards he had to take out. A few shots were fired, but he'd managed to dodge them. Raising his bow, Oliver took out the last gunman before he could fire another round. Malcolm must definitely know by now that someone was coming for him. Oliver had to be fast or he'd lose his chance. He looked behind him at the trail of unmoving bodies. There had to be at least fifteen men. Confident that none of them would be regaining consciousness soon, Oliver pressed forward.

"I'm heading to the east wing," he murmured into his comm to Diggle, letting him know that he'd made it inside.

"The men guarding the perimeter are down," Diggle informed him. Even though Oliver wanted to take on Merlyn alone, his partner insisted that he cover the outside. Oliver couldn't argue with that. There was only one man that he needed to worry about at this point.

Oliver found the door to the study. It was locked. Merlyn would need more than that to keep him out. He forcefully kicked it open, splintering the frame to pieces. Oliver stepped inside, his bow at the ready, and stopped short. The study was dark with only the faint light from the moon to illuminate the figure standing before him. The Dark Archer stood across the room with his own loaded bow. He was dressed in all black with the majority of his face covered. Only his cold eyes were visible.

"At last we meet," he said. "You're a long way from Starling."

"Where's Merlyn?" Oliver demanded.

"What do you want with him?"

"He murdered thousands of innocent lives in the Undertaking. Among them was Moira Queen. He deserves to face justice."

"Why do you care about Moira Queen?"

"I care about everyone in my city. Now where is he?"

"You should be more concerned with me." He leveled his bow. "All it takes is one shot, and you're dead."

Oliver's eyes narrowed, focusing on his target. "Likewise." On instinct, they both released their arrows at the same time. Oliver's lightening fast reflexes kicked in as he expertly dodged the shot and dove behind a couch. The Dark Archer did the same and landed behind Merlyn's desk.

Within seconds, Oliver had another arrow at the ready. He peered into the darkness. The reflection of the Dark Archer's form in the glass balcony doors gave him an idea of where he was situated. Seeing him move to look over the desk, Oliver released his arrow. The Dark Archer shifted, so it only just grazed his arm. He shot back and forced Oliver to duck behind the couch again.

There was a loud thump and the sound of something opening. Oliver peered around the couch and saw the Dark Archer disappear into the dark opening in the bookcase. Cursing, Oliver made a split-second decision. He would follow the other archer in hopes that it would lead him to Merlyn. Even if he didn't, he could capture him and torture the location out of him. Oliver didn't have time to search the entire compound, especially since Merlyn could probably have already gotten away.

Oliver was on his guard as he stepped through the bookcase and descended the winding stairs. They led to what looked like a basement that was turned into a training facility. He walked slowly and deliberately. Out of the corner of his eye, he detected movement from the rafters. He lifted his bow and shot at the skulking figure. It looked like he might've jumped onto another beam, but it was difficult to tell in the shadows. Seconds later an arrow flew at Oliver, hitting him in the shoulder blade. The next arrow knocked the bow from his hands. Growling in pain, Oliver swiftly moved to find cover.

Breathing heavily, he yanked the arrow from his arm. His muscles burned with pain, and he clenched his jaw to keep from crying out. To make matters worse, a string of expletives were on the tip of his tongue when he saw how far away his bow had slid. The Dark Archer grabbed onto a hanging beam and swung himself down to the ground. Oliver took the opportunity to sling one of his small tranq arrows. It caught the other archer in the right arm. The man cursed and quickly pulled it out. He wouldn't retain the use of his shooting arm for long. Seeing an opportunity, Oliver stood and charged at the other man. He took him down and landed a few punches. The Dark Archer struggled but was unable to push Oliver back with his only good remaining arm.

"Where is Malcolm Merlyn?" Oliver shouted, pulling him forward and slamming him back down on the concrete. "Where is he?" The laugh that came from the other man was maniacal and only fueled the rage in Oliver's veins.

Having had enough of this wacko's games, Oliver reached to yank off the man's mask. He was not prepared for what he found. "Merlyn? You're the Dark Archer?" The shock was enough to make Oliver pause, and that's all it took.

Merlyn lashed out at Oliver's wound. The blinding pain made Oliver crumple to the side, allowing Merlyn to get away from him. While he was down, Oliver felt a kick to his back. He didn't understand how the man was able to get up. The tranq dart should've had him unconscious by now. Merlyn landed a few more kicks before turning Oliver over to punch him in the face. Oliver, in defense, kicked out at Merlyn's legs and caused him to stagger back.

Afterward, Oliver dragged himself up and faced the man who'd torn his entire world apart. "You snake." Suddenly, everything made sense. The list. The Dark Archer's role in covering up the evidence. Merlyn's uncanny ability to escape from him the first time.

"This is about more than just the Undertaking," Merlyn panted, eyeing him. "For you to come all this way, this must be personal."

"And I will personally see to it that you are dead and buried in the ground," Oliver threatened.

"You going to put me next to Moira?" he taunted, delighting in his pain. Oliver's bow was mere inches from Merlyn's feet. Following Oliver's line of sight, he walked over and slammed his foot down on top of it, snapping it in half. "Good luck avenging her now."

Oliver couldn't hold himself back after that. He couldn't let that monster go on one more second breathing. He could see it in Merlyn's eyes. He was evil and had to be stopped. Oliver engaged him a second time, and the two fought for the upper hand. Merlyn got in a couple of blows before Oliver knocked him down to the ground. He beat him until blood dripped from Merlyn's nose and mouth. Reeling his arm back, Oliver was about to land another punch when he felt something slice through his gut. He looked down to find the small tranq arrow he'd shot at Merlyn.

Smiling through a mouthful of blood, Merlyn twisted the arrow for good measure. The pain was fierce but that wasn't what Oliver feared most. He blinked as his vision started to blur. There were remnants of the powerful sedative he used still in the arrow, and they were starting to take effect.

"Not too fun, is it?" Merlyn laughed and hauled a dazed Oliver up to his feet with surprising strength. He hit him so hard that Oliver went flying backward into an unfinished wooden frame that was most likely the construction for another room. Oliver struggled to get up and found himself pushed through another set of frames. Merlyn stood over him, looking triumphant.

"Looks like it'll be you who's joining Moira tonight. But first, let's finally see who's behind the mask, shall we?" Merlyn reached down to pull back Oliver's hood. With a final burst of energy, Oliver grabbed a plank of broken wood and slammed it against Merlyn's head. The man bowled over and didn't get up.

Merlyn's crumpled form spun, making it extremely difficult for Oliver to focus on him. Oliver could feel himself starting to slip away, and there was no telling how long Merlyn would be out. Pushing through the dizziness, pain and nausea, Oliver crawled toward the basement entrance. He saw a mirage of faces in his blurred vision. Faces that had come to mean everything to him.

Oliver couldn't die down there. Most importantly, he didn't want to die as one face, bathed in light, stood out among the rest. He had to get out of there, but he wouldn't get far. Oliver pushed the button for his comm. "Dig. Diggle. Help!"

He missed whatever Diggle said back. Oliver was past the point of comprehension. He'd only made it a few feet up the stairs before he collapsed and the darkness consumed him.

Felicity opened her eyes, startled and gasping for breath. That was the second nightmare tonight she'd had about kangaroos. The first one had involved Felicity being stranded in some field in Australia. Neither her cell phone nor her tablet would work. The only piece of technology she had was a pager, and it started beeping. She couldn't read the message as it was in another language. Felicity was completely confused, because who even used a pager anymore besides maybe doctors? It was so 1994. She thought that was the worst of her problems until the stampede of scary kangaroos came. Felicity tried to outrun them, but it felt like her feet were made of lead. She woke up just as they were about to trample her.

That was bad enough until she'd had her second nightmare. It was about the night she'd met Oliver as The Arrow. Instead of Oliver going up against Brother Eye, it had been Felicity. The guys had also not been humans but kangaroos. Felicity held the bow and arrow in her hand, unable to set it up properly. The guys had hopped closer and closer. When she did finally take a shot, Felicity had accidentally hit Oliver. She cried out and tried to run and see if he was okay. It looked like he was lying on the ground, lifeless. That was when Kangaroo Cooper cut her off and swatted her with his humongous tail. Felicity never did get to check on Oliver before she awakened.

Running a hand through her hair, Felicity slumped back down on the mattress in frustration. It was going to be one of those restless nights. Staring at the clock, she noted that it was two in the morning. She wondered if Oliver and Diggle were back yet. Felicity hadn't heard anyone enter, but it wasn't like she'd been awake all this time. Maybe she should get up and check. She'd just slipped on her bathrobe when her cell phone rang. The unexpectedly loud ring made her jump before she scrambled to answer it. It was Diggle.

"I was just going to check if you guys were back yet. Guess not," Felicity said, yawning. "How'd it go?" She was suddenly nervous, not knowing what Oliver ultimately planned to do with Merlyn. Not knowing either how she would feel about the choice he made.

"Not so good," Diggle replied, an odd tone to his voice. "Felicity, I'm at the hospital."

Felicity felt like her heart was in her throat and stood up. "Oh my God, is Oliver with you? Is he okay? Are you okay?" she rushed out, already envisioning a slew of terrible scenarios. Oliver and Diggle never went to the hospital when they were injured. They actively avoided it at all costs, which was why they usually had a thorough stock of medical supplies. Something had to have gone very wrong.

"I'm okay. He's alive, but he's in rough shape. I had no other choice."

"I'll be right there." As soon as Diggle gave her the name of the hospital, Felicity hung up and rushed to get dressed. She grabbed her purse and went down to the hotel lobby. It was the middle of the night, so she had to wait while concierge called her a taxi. Every minute felt like an hour.

When the taxi did finally arrive, she barely waited for it to come to a complete stop before jumping inside. She gave the name of the hospital and told the driver to hurry. Every red light they got, which was quite a few, made her want to scream. She didn't have time for this. Oliver was hurt, and she needed to know what the hell was going on.

Again, Felicity barely waited for the vehicle to stop before getting out. She practically threw the money at the driver and sprinted through the double doors. Felicity must've looked like a crazy person, all wild-eyed and panicked, when she approached the front desk. "I'm looking for Oliv-Jonas King," she corrected herself. "Where can I find him?"

The woman spoke in a heavy accent, but Felicity understood her well enough. She rushed to the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor. Felicity had started to enter another set of doors when another woman called to her in Spanish. It had been a while since she'd taken Spanish in school, but it didn't take a translator to understand that she wanted to know where Felicity was going.

"Jonas King," Felicity impatiently stated.

The woman shook her head. "Familia sólo está permitida."

They would only allow family in. Felicity searched the dusty corners of her brain for the correct response. "Soy...su esposa." She hoped that translated to "wife." It must have because the woman came around the desk and led her to the room without protest.

"Lo siento," the older woman sympathetically muttered before letting her enter the room.

"John," Felicity said when she spotted him. He was sitting in a chair by Oliver's bed.

"Hey," he greeted and stood up to meet her.

Felicity threw her arms around him and asked if he was all right. When he assured her that he was fine, she focused her attention on Oliver. He was unconscious. The only visible injuries were some bruising on his face and knuckles. Felicity looked at Diggle, silently asking how bad it really was.

"He's got two stab wounds, three broken ribs and a concussion," Diggle explained. "He's also got a strong sedative in his system. When I found him, he'd been stuck with one of his own tranq arrows. He might be out of it for a while, but the doctor said he'll be fine. They're doing their best to flush it out of his system."

"Where was he? Did Merlyn do this to him?" She lifted her glasses and wiped at her eyes. Felicity didn't know when she'd started crying.

"I don't know if it was Merlyn. All I know is Oliver called for help on the comm, and I had to back-trace his signal. He was in some hidden basement in the compound. I got him out of there and cleaned him up before bringing him here."

"What did you tell the doctor?"

"I said he was my client and that he'd slipped away from me. When I found him, it looked like he'd been mugged."

"That was smart." Felicity put her purse on a side table and slid an empty chair next to Oliver's bed. Her hand reached out and hesitated for a second. To hell with it, she thought and took his hand between her own. There may have been a lot of tension and awkwardness between them earlier, but that didn't matter now. Felicity simply needed to touch him and know that he was all right.

Diggle retook his chair on the other side of Oliver's bed. Sighing, he sat back and rubbed his eyes. It was the most strained Felicity had ever seen him. Even in the worst situations, Diggle was usually so composed and logical. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Diggle to find Oliver in such a beaten and bloodied state. In the weeks that she'd known them, Felicity could tell that Oliver and Diggle were more than just friends and partners. They were almost like brothers. It would take a lot to leave Diggle so shaken.

"I'm sorry," Felicity mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Diggle looked away from Oliver and to her, confused. "Sorry for what?"

"I was so worried about Oliver killing Merlyn that I neglected to think about how the tables could turn." Felicity said sadly, "I told you guys that I didn't want to help after you got the information you needed. Maybe if I'd seen it through and been involved, stayed connected to Oliver while he was there, I could've helped in some way. You could've found him a lot sooner."

"There was nothing else you could've done, Felicity. Trust me," Diggle assured her. "Oliver is a great fighter, but somehow he was outmatched. Now if I hadn't let him so stubbornly refuse my help, then things could be different. A good soldier isn't supposed to let a brother in arms face battle alone."

Felicity gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's not your fault either. As you said, he's stubborn. When Oliver makes up his mind about something, there's no talking him out of it. You did everything you could for him, and he's here and safe now because of you. You did your job. You protected him."

Oliver quietly groaned, and his eyes fluttered. Both Felicity and Diggle stood up. "Do you think he's coming out of it?" she hopefully questioned Diggle.

"I don't know. I don't think so. The sedative is still in his system. He might just be fading in and out."

Oliver opened his heavy-lidded eyes slowly and let out another painful groan. "What...?" he croaked.

"Hey, relax. You're safe, Oliver," Diggle told him. "You're in the hospital. You're going to be all right."

Oliver's breathing was deep and heavy as he struggled to fight the drug in his system. Felicity shushed him soothingly and patted his hand. "Don't talk," she advised. "Rest."

"Merlyn," he managed to get out.

"We can talk about him later," Diggle promised.

"He's...alive," Oliver persisted. His eyes closed but he kept talking. "He's more dangerous...than I thought." Diggle and Felicity exchanged concerned looks. "He's the Dark Archer."

Felicity heard Diggle curse under his breath. She didn't know that much about the Dark Archer, but she knew that he was bad news. Despite all their careful research and planning, Oliver had gone to face Merlyn with the odds already stacked against him. And now he was paying the price. That knowledge in retrospect made her sick.

"Felicity," Oliver murmured. He rolled his head in her direction like it was heavy.

"Oliver, seriously. You need to rest," the blonde gently scolded. Felicity was half tempted to call the doctor in there to give him another dose of sedative. Even when he was injured he was infuriatingly obstinate.

"Felicity," he repeated.

She sighed, relenting. "What?" Oliver probably wouldn't stop until he got whatever it was out.

"Stay."

That one, simple word made her heart melt. If his eyes were still open, he would've seen the tender smile it brought to her face. Felicity ran one of her hands lightly through his hair before resting it on his cheek. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."