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Chapter 22

After taking a couple of days off because of the holiday, it felt good for Oliver to be back in the Foundry with his partners. They had headed over after dropping Thea off at the airport. She'd hugged Oliver tightly and promised to be home soon for winter break. Thea had even pulled Felicity into a goodbye hug and asked if she would still be around for Christmas. When Felicity said that she was Jewish, Thea waved her hand and declared that they could totally celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas together. Felicity had then looked to Oliver uncertainly, who stepped in and said they'd consider it. Felicity had a family of her own she might want to visit, after all.

As much as he loved spending time with his little sister, Oliver couldn't say he wasn't slightly relieved to see her leave. Starling City was dangerous-more so than usual lately. Oliver preferred that she wasn't around as they delved deeper into the cases they were investigating. His family and his duties as The Arrow had been the hardest things to balance when he returned home. Unlike on the island, Oliver had other people to answer to and who wondered where he disappeared to on so many occasions. He wasn't as restricted in his movements now, though he would gladly sacrifice such ease if it meant having his mother back.

There was a comfortable silence between Oliver, Diggle and Felicity in the Foundry as the trio concentrated on their individual tasks. Oliver sat at his work bench and proceeded to make his arrows. Diggle was reading over files on Ronsen and any other suspicious cases that seemed related. Felicity was on multiple computers as she scanned databases and attempted to break into Ronsen's phone. There was a sizeable message that was encrypted. Felicity hadn't said much about it, but Oliver got the feeling that she knew something that she wasn't willing to share yet. He trusted her judgment, however, and knew that she probably wanted to confirm whatever suspicions she had before reporting anything.

"Making non-lethal arrows," Diggle commented. Oliver hadn't even noticed him approaching. "It's not like you to play with kid gloves."

"It couldn't hurt to have them on hand," Oliver replied. "They can still do some damage."

Diggle quietly inquired, "Those for Cooper?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Because as badly as Felicity wants to take him down, she's too good of a person to want him dead. And it probably isn't the best idea to kill the ex-boyfriend of the woman you're dating, even if he is a jackass."

Oliver's head snapped up at that. "What?"

"Oh please, man," Diggle said with a smirk. "I know you, Oliver. With all the time we spend together, do you honestly think I couldn't tell something had changed between you and Felicity?"

"We were trying to be discrete," Oliver muttered dejectedly. He really should've known better. Diggle had always been too perceptive for his own good.

Diggle good-naturedly chided, "Try harder."

"You don't have to look so pleased with yourself. And don't you dare say 'I told you so,'" Oliver warned.

His partner, chuckling, innocently held his hands up. "Hey, I didn't say anything, man."

"But you were thinking it. I know you, too, Dig," Oliver countered as he arranged the set of arrows he'd made. He snuck a peek over at the computer station to make sure Felicity hadn't overheard them. "Before you jump to conclusions, Felicity and I aren't official or anything. We're still figuring things out."

"Nothing wrong with that," Diggle agreed. "Just as long as you don't blow it."

Oliver shook his head at his friend. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

"Sometimes you think too much."

"Just so you know, no one has ever accused me of that before."

"First time for everything. Speaking of, when are you going to take that girl out on an actual date?"

Rolling his eyes, Oliver huffed, "Now you sound like Thea."

"She's right."

"I told Thea I'd consider it, and I am. I just..." Oliver stared at Felicity. "There's a lot going on right now. I can't lose my focus."

"Is that how Felicity feels?" Diggle prodded, crossing his arms and assuming his typical all-knowing Yoda stance.

Oliver probably should talk to Diggle about how he was feeling. He had a tendency to keep his worries bottled up. If anyone could give him some perspective, it would be Diggle. At the same time, Oliver really couldn't have this conversation with Felicity so close by. Oliver motioned to the stairs, to which Diggle nodded.

"Felicity, Dig and I need to take care of some things upstairs," he called to her. "Let me know when you finally get in."

"Yeah, sure," Felicity said absently as she continued her work. It was best to leave her be when she was in hacker mode.

The guys left the Foundry and entered Verdant. A few staff members, Roy among them, bustled around as they stocked inventory and prepared for the opening in a couple of hours. Oliver led the way to his office and shut the door so that he and Diggle wouldn't be disturbed. They took a seat on the leather couch.

Diggle cut right to the chase. "So what's on your mind, Oliver?"

Oliver, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, wasn't sure where to start. His thoughts and emotions were constantly in a state of flux. "You know that I have feelings for Felicity," he began. "The pull has been there ever since the moment we met."

"You've been fighting it for awhile," Diggle acknowledged.

"I thought I could distance myself from her, especially after she got shot. I felt so guilty because I had promised to protect her, and I let her down." Diggle had that look that signaled he was about to call him out on his crap so Oliver added quickly, "Before you give me the lecture, Felicity already scolded me and said that it was her choice. Anyway, I tried on multiple occasions to pull back but it's been difficult holding to it. Then that night when she went out with Palmer happened and I..."

"You were jealous," Diggle said knowingly.

There was no use denying it. "Yeah. It was bad," Oliver admitted. "I've never felt that way before-even when I thought I still loved Laurel and found out she'd been with Tommy." Yes, it had bothered Oliver that his former love and best friend had been hooking up. But after he'd snuck off with Sara, in a stunt that ultimately cost Sara her life, Oliver knew he had no right to object to anything Laurel did.

Tommy had been concerned about the impact it would have on their friendship and tried to apologize. Oliver didn't hold it against him or stand in the way of Tommy pursing her further. There was a brief time when he thought Laurel might be feeling the spark between them again. It had been before she and Tommy officially started dating. At the time, Oliver had been accused of being The Arrow and Laurel was defending him. She admired The Arrow and knew that there was no way playboy Oliver Queen could be the vigilante responsible for taking on criminals and saving lives. That had worked to Oliver's advantage.

He'd been on house arrest and had decided to throw a big party at the mansion to show that he wasn't taking the accusations seriously. Laurel had stopped by, and they'd shared a moment in his room. Oliver had agreed to take a lie detector test earlier, and Detective Lance had asked about the scar tissue on his body. Oliver admitted that he wasn't alone on the island and that he'd been tortured. That night, Laurel had asked to see the scars. Oliver was hesitant at first but agreed, because he knew Laurel was trying to understand how much he'd suffered over the years. Overcome with emotion, Laurel had kissed him. He'd just started kissing her back when she abruptly pulled away.

The initial spark began to fade after that. Oliver found himself being drawn deeper into his mission as The Arrow while Laurel grew closer to Tommy. It had been awkward and a little painful at first seeing them together, but Oliver eventually realized that he was more in love with the idea of rewriting the past than actually being the guy that Laurel deserved. She could never know the real him and the more he thought about it, the more Oliver realized that she might not have ever seen him for who he really was.

When they were dating, Laurel was completely blind to his bad boy antics and cheating ways. She chose to only see the good in him and, although the potential was there, he didn't act on it. When Oliver returned, the opposite was true. Laurel struggled to see that he'd changed for the better and only saw him for the playboy he once was. Eventually she came around but still she didn't know how deeply transformed he was by the island. It was then that Oliver decided to move on. He started dating other women but failed to make it work with them either. It got to a point that he resigned himself to a life of solitude and the occasional one-night stand.

Then Felicity, quite literally, came out of nowhere and turned his entire life upside down. Oliver hadn't been the same since. It was the first time he'd felt that spark again. It went beyond a shared past like with Laurel or physical attraction like with Helena and McKenna. Felicity was something entirely different. Yes, she'd looked beautiful that night at Verdant but that wasn't what captured him. Felicity's innocent babbling and kind nature appealed to him on a deeper level. Felicity wasn't a target that could be used against him or a threat to his Arrow identity-at least he hadn't thought she'd be a threat at the time. She was simply a person that, for a few minutes, allowed Oliver to let his guard down and feel something genuine.

When he found out she was a part of Brother Eye, it had been much easier to fight their connection. To bury his feelings and focus on the partnership they'd forged. But the pull was always there and sometimes it couldn't be ignored. Cooper, The Hoods, Petrov, and The Dodger had all been physical threats to Felicity. Threats that Oliver could easily combat as The Arrow. Ironically, it was Ray Palmer that tipped the scales. He wasn't technically a threat or a bad guy. Aside from the social awkwardness, he was a normal man who had achieved great success. He was by no means a threat to Felicity, but he was a threat to Oliver Queen. He would be able to give Felicity everything that Oliver couldn't, and it tore him up inside.

Unlike with Laurel, the idea of Felicity moving on with someone else weighed on him heavily. For once the rational, strategic part of his brain was not in control. Oliver could tell himself he needed to distance himself from Felicity all he wanted, but it did nothing to quell the feeling that letting her go was inherently wrong. It was the same sense of fear that overwhelmed him when she'd been shot. He couldn't lose her. All the time they spent together at QC, the Foundry and the loft solidified their bond. Oliver had not only relied on her with his mission, but he had trusted Felicity to see the real him. She'd seen both the good and bad and didn't once turn away.

"We all have a great capacity to love," Diggle told him. "But sometimes, there is just that one person we love the most. One person that we'll do anything for."

Oliver hesitated for a second, not sure if he should reveal all of the details of that night. Diggle was the only other person that Oliver admired and trusted completely. If he didn't tell Dig, then who would he tell? Oliver couldn't keep his emotions bottled up like he would normally do. If anyone would understand, it would be Diggle. "Felicity told me she loved me that night," Oliver finally said.

Diggle didn't seem surprised at the admission. "What did you say?"

"I didn't directly say it back."

"What's holding you back?" Diggle inquired. "And don't say it's the mission. We've all been working together for months now, and it's the best progress we've ever made. Felicity's become a vital member of the team."

"That's just it. Yes, we need her, Dig. I need her. But that doesn't mean I have the right to take what she's offering. She may feel differently after we put Cooper away. You heard her when she first came to us. After Cooper and Merlyn were caught, Felicity wanted to have a normal life as an IT girl. The life she never got to have because some other dangerous, selfish jerk forced her into it. She will never have a normal life with me, John," Oliver declared, finally admitting all of his worst fears. "Felicity says she wants to be with me now, but how can either of us know that's the right decision when so much is hanging over our heads?"

"It's called 'falling' in love for a reason. Loving Felicity and allowing her to be a part of your life doesn't make you selfish, Oliver. It's not wrong to let yourself be happy." Diggle stated honestly, "Will things work out between you and Felicity? I don't know. But what I do know is you owe it to yourself and to her to try. Oliver, you may be effective in protecting the ones you love but the way you do it sometimes isn't always what they need. You can't dictate other people's choices. It sounds like Felicity isn't asking for 'normal.' All she's asking for is you."

Getting to the crux of the matter, Diggle asked, "Oliver, what are you really afraid of?"

"What if I can't be what she needs?" Oliver quietly replied, finally voicing the root of his fear. "Diggle, you know some of what I've been through on the island. The choices I had to make...they stay with me. I've told Felicity as much. What if I'm just too damaged and end up hurting her?"

Diggle was quiet for a moment. Then: "You know, Oliver, I'm no expert at this but I don't think love is about changing or saving a person. I think it's about finding the person who's already the right fit. Things don't always work out exactly the way we plan. The Oliver I knew a year ago, he wouldn't have been able to open up and take a risk with his heart."

"And now?" Oliver prodded.

"Now...I think you already know exactly what you want. The question is, will you let yourself have it?"

Oliver stared at his clenched hands and nodded. Once again, Diggle had saved him from himself. "Thanks, Dig."

"Any time."

Oliver's phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. "It's Felicity. She finally decrypted the message in the phone."

"I'm not surprised. She is a genius, after all." Diggle patted his friend's shoulder. "You chose well, Oliver." It was Diggle's way of letting Oliver know that he was okay with Felicity remaining a part of the team should she and Oliver decide to move forward. It meant a lot to Oliver to have Diggle's official seal of approval.

They left the office and made their way downstairs. "What did you find?" he asked.

Felicity's face looked a little paler than usual. She answered, "Brother Eye."

Diggle looked to Oliver, mirroring his shock. "What?"

After pulling up the message, Felicity pushed play. It was the same image of a fiery eye with a slit pupil. "There's no voiceover, which didn't make sense because the file was so big. So I scrubbed it layer by layer," she explained. "I found a series of symbols and words embedded into the image.

When Oliver saw them for himself, he nearly gasped. The words and pictures were all related to The Arrow. "What does it mean?"

"I think it's a form of visual subliminal messaging. There is a psychologist, Dr. Houston, who's been doing research on this topic for years. I found some of his research posted online, which included a way to decode certain types of hidden messaging." Felicity paused before continuing, "When I decoded this message, it roughly translated to a kill order. Ronsen was instructed to hunt down and kill The Arrow. Until the task was complete, he had to kill at least one person every few nights or so with a criminal background. I suspect this was done to draw you out."

"This doesn't make any sense," Diggle spoke up. "How does this tie in to Cooper? I thought you said Brother Eye only took money from the rich. He shouldn't know about Ronsen or the performance enhancers."

"Cooper was always a little suspicious of me, so he didn't tell me everything. I don't think he actually found out about the performance enhancers by hacking into QC's network himself. He would need me to breach that kind of complex system, and he never mentioned it to me." Felicity explained further, "However, when we lived in Central City all those months, Cooper did have an interest in S.T.A.R. Labs. It's a research facility where the best minds in the country work on the most cutting-edge science and technology."

"Our Applied Sciences division has worked with them a few times on certain projects," Oliver said. "We have a contract with them."

"Dr. Houston lives in Central City and has been conducting his psychological research there on superimposing visual subliminal messaging for the last several years." Felicity shook her head. "What a mouthful. Try saying that five times fast..."

"Felicity," Oliver muttered, getting her back on track.

"Right. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if Cooper spent his free time trying to access S.T.A.R. Labs. He did occasionally talk about taking Brother Eye to the 'next level,' but never exactly said what that was when I pushed him. He could've found Dr. Houston's research and decided to apply it to the Brother Eye messaging."

"But we still don't know how the performance enhancers and Ronsen come into play."

"I'll have to do more digging, but something caught my eye in Ray's investigative notes he sent over. The researchers were trying to find a way to curb the aggressive side effects and make the subjects follow orders."

Catching on to her line of thought, Oliver said, "You think they were considering some type of brainwashing based on Dr. Houston's research."

"Like you said, Unidac belonged to QC and QC works with S.T.A.R. Labs. Dr. Houston could've had research that referenced the experiment, which Cooper found."

"Which he's now using to target The Arrow," Diggle surmised.

"Cooper wouldn't stand a chance against you directly," Felicity pointed out to Oliver. "He knows that, and so he had to find another way. It also explains him seeking out The Count to get to The Cook. He would need someone who's got experience working with these substances. That's my theory for now, at least."

"So one subliminal message and Ronsen's an assassin?" Oliver questioned while leaning on the table. "I thought that type of psychological brainwashing took time."

"According to Dr. Houston, it does. Maybe The Cook fudged with the recipe. I don't know. But there is an upside to all of this," Felicity declared. "I was able to trace the origin of the message on Ronsen's phone, and I have a location."

"Where?" Oliver eagerly asked.

"10245 Wharf."

Oliver was already walking toward his suit and bow. He'd been waiting for months for this break. He wasn't going to let it go to waste. Cooper's time was up.

"Explains why you weren't able to locate Cooper for a while. Not many cameras down by the docks," Diggle commented. "It's the primary spot for the Triad to smuggle in their drug shipments and a whole bunch of other illegal activities."

Felicity nervously glanced toward Oliver's retreating form. "So it's dangerous."

Diggle placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Felicity. He's not going in alone."

The area near the docks was as dark and desolate as ever. With Oliver in the lead, he and Diggle made their way through the different warehouses until they found the correct address that Felicity had given them. It had rained earlier, so the ground was damp. Oliver treaded carefully in an effort to avoid any puddles that might make splashing noises. He wanted to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible.

"Ugh, this damn thing is itchy," Diggle quietly grumbled behind him. He was fidgeting with his ski mask. Diggle wasn't a big fan of costumes or masks. Usually, he could get away with not wearing anything but in certain circumstances, like tonight, showing his face out in the open was too dangerous. If Cooper was keeping tabs on Felicity, then he might recognize Diggle as Oliver's and, occasionally, Felicity's bodyguard.

"We'll make this quick," Oliver replied. Felicity was right that Cooper wouldn't stand a chance against Oliver in a straight fight. It probably wouldn't take much to subdue him. Also, Oliver really wanted to nab this guy once and for all.

Oliver slid the heavy, metal warehouse door open and peered inside. The only light came from the streetlamp outside and a few dirty windows. Oliver walked forward cautiously, on his guard. Diggle, with his gun raised, followed closely behind. The inside was huge and mostly empty except for a few work tables. A couple of computers were set up and seemed to be running some type of program.

"The room is clear," Diggle confirmed after taking a look around. "This must be where's he's been hiding out. There's a cot in the corner. Some takeout cartons and old newspapers, too."

Recognizing the unease in Diggle's voice, Oliver inquired, "What else?"

"The clippings all feature you and Felicity."

Oliver, suppressing the red hot fury coursing through him at this new information, activated his comm. "Felicity, this is the right place. Cooper isn't here, but I found his workstation."

"I'm picking up the signal," she responded. "It's got a pretty strong firewall. Put the bug on the computer. It should help me break through it faster."

Oliver did as instructed and waited for her confirmation that she'd gotten in. Whatever numbers and symbols were flying across the screen looked like gibberish to him.

"Okay, I'm in. Let's see what else you've been hiding, Coop...uh oh," Felicity muttered seconds later.

That was never a good sign. "What's the matter?"

Diggle's head snapped up at the metal door slamming shut. A device next to the top of the door blinked red. He raised his gun once more and scanned the room. "I think we got trouble."

"The security protocol has been activated remotely. Oliver, you and Dig need to get out of there right now. It's a trap!" Felicity warned, her voice firm but slightly panicked.

The workstation up against the farthest wall suddenly lit up. There was a big glass cylinder filled a quarter of the way with liquid. Three smaller cylinders filled with green liquid on one side and black on the other started pouring into the larger one. Above it was a tiny flame. It looked like something that would be in Frankenstein's lab. Oliver cursed when he realized that it was essentially a ticking time bomb.

"The door is locked," Diggle called to him. He'd been trying to wrench it open with no success.

"Stand back," Oliver instructed before shooting an explosive arrow. It barely put a dent in the metal. The door was too thick. He quickly discounted the windows as a viable escape when he saw the bars on them. "Felicity, there's an explosive device. We need you to override the system and get the door open. We don't have much time."

"On it."

The liquid was getting higher in the cylinder. "Felicity," Oliver stressed. He was trying to keep a level head as his adrenaline spiked. Felicity would save them. He trusted her.

"I know. I'm working on it," she bit back in frustration. It wasn't so much directed at him as it was with herself.

"Oliver, it's almost full," Diggle informed him.

"Felicity," Oliver repeated, his voice taking on a rough edge.

"I got it!" Felicity exclaimed.

Oliver heard the door unlocking. Immediately, he and Diggle grabbed for it. He was vaguely aware of the liquid hitting the flame behind them. They shoved the door aside and sprinted forward. There was an intense wave of heat as the flames licked their backs. Oliver and Diggle grunted as they hit the ground outside. A small flame caught on Diggle's sleeve. He rolled into a nearby puddle to put it out.

"Oliver, are you guys okay?" Felicity rushed out. "Oliver?"

It took a moment for him to catch his breath before replying, "It's okay. We're okay."

"Oh, thank God."

"We're on our way back now."

As soon as Felicity heard the footsteps on the Foundry stairs, she was out of her seat. Oliver had barely made it off the last step before Felicity had launched into his arms. She knew she probably shouldn't be so forward since they'd agreed to keep things professional in the Foundry, but she couldn't help it. The knowledge that he'd nearly been killed and the relief of his escape were too great.

"Are you okay?" she asked despite his earlier assurances. Without letting him go completely, Felicity drew back to look him over.

"I'm fine," Oliver said and gave her a little squeeze.

Felicity looked to Diggle and frowned at his burned sleeve. "John?"

"Slightly toasted but otherwise okay. Could've been a lot worse if you hadn't managed to get that door open."

"I don't know how he knew," Felicity said, removing herself from Oliver's hold. "When I hacked the phone and traced the message, there was no indication of another entity shadowing my movements." She'd even rechecked her work to be sure and found nothing out of the ordinary.

"It wasn't you, Felicity," Oliver reassured her.

"Ronsen's arrest was all over the news," Diggle explained. "Cooper probably figured he'd been compromised and that it was only a matter of time before he was found. He was expecting it."

"I'm just glad you're both okay." Felicity returned to her seat to pick up where she'd left off. The remote shadow signal that had activated the explosive was subtle but not untraceable. It would take some time, but Felicity would eventually be able to scoop up the breadcrumbs.

"What are you doing?"

"He slipped through our fingers again. That's strike two."

"No one's keeping score, Felicity."

"He is." Felicity knew Cooper all too well. This game of cat and mouse must be doing wonders for his ego. "I'm supposed to be smarter than him, but he's always a step ahead of me."

Oliver came to stand beside her. "Felicity, you are brilliant. You're the one who figured out the connection between Ronsen, S.T.A.R. Labs and Dr. Houston. You found Cooper's hideout, and he probably would've been there if the media hadn't given him a heads up. Cooper's bound to slip up and when he does, we'll catch him. It's just a matter of time."

Felicity kept typing away. "Oliver, I appreciate the pep talk but I have a lot of work to do."

"Okay," he replied, knowing not to push the issue any further. He could sense that Felicity needed some time to work through her frustration. If that meant leaving her alone in the Foundry to do what she did best, then so be it. "The night is still young. I'll do a patrol. Lots of illegal activity on a Saturday night."

Oliver was about to turn away when he paused, watching her. Felicity's brow was furrowed in determination as she bit her lip. Most of her day had been spent in that exact spot. She often worried about his well-being, and now it was his turn. He wondered how long it'd been since she'd taken a break or last eaten. His instinct to take care of her was overwhelming.

"Felicity, how about we grab some dinner when I get back?"

"I'm not hungry," she automatically answered.

"How about tomorrow night?"

Totally focused on the task in front of her, Felicity absently replied, "What?"

"Tomorrow's Sunday. Sundays are always slow. Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Oliver felt uncharacteristically nervous. This offer wasn't coming out at all like he intended. He didn't even know when it had shifted from simply feeding her to suddenly asking her out on a date. As it often was with Felicity, Oliver wasn't leading with his head. He was leading with his heart.

"I'm being serious here, Oliver."

"So am I." Something in his voice must've alerted her to his intentions, because Felicity abruptly stopped typing and actually looked at him.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Felicity blurted out and then quickly looked to see if Diggle had heard. He was nowhere in sight. He must've quietly left when they'd been talking before. Realizing that they could talk openly, Felicity babbled, "I don't want to read too much into this, but are you asking me out on a date? Like an actual date? Like a date date?"

"Sure-I mean, the implication with dinner being that-" Oliver stuttered and suddenly stopped.

Felicity stared at him in amazement, trying not to overreact. Oliver-I'm-Always-In-Control-Queen actually seemed nervous. It was both unnerving and completely adorable. "Usually I'm the one talking in sentence fragments."

Oliver smiled and let out a low, nervous breath. There was no turning back now. He was officially asking her out on a date. Oliver had to get this right. "Felicity," he said in a steady voice and meeting her eyes, "would you like to go to dinner with me?"

There was no choice to make as Felicity excitedly beamed back at him. "Yes."