I don't know about you guys, but I'm still battling my emotions after last night's episode! It's tough when you really feel bad for Oliver while also cheering on Felicity for walking (literally!) away. This next chapter came just in time, I think. Lots of Olicity for you guys. Please read and review. Thanks!
Chapter 23
It took a concerted effort for Felicity to keep her hand steady as she applied the bright pink lipstick to her lips. She'd started getting ready for her date with Oliver two hours ago and still felt like she wasn't nearly finished. It was ridiculous the more she thought about it. This wouldn't be the first time she'd had to get all dolled up to go out with Oliver. It also wouldn't be the first dinner that they'd shared. And yet, Felicity felt as if this was all happening for the first time.
Truthfully, tonight would mark another first for them. It had been a little over a week since the night they'd finally acknowledged that their feelings ran deeper than an evolving partnership and friendship. Felicity and Oliver had agreed to take things slow and not make any decisions. Though that was still true, Oliver officially asking her out on a date was a significant step. It meant they were continuing to move forward. It was both exciting and utterly nerve-racking.
Felicity rechecked her makeup and ran a hand through her wavy hair. After leaving the bathroom, she went into the bedroom to put on her dress. She'd kept her bathrobe on while she got ready. With her jittery hands, she'd probably have dropped the mascara on her dress and stained it. More difficult than picking out the actual dress was choosing what to wear under it. Felicity had never considered herself the type of girl to sleep with a guy on the first date-not that she was sure that would happen tonight. Her experience was somewhat limited. She'd only ever been with Cooper, and any other relationship she'd tried to have since then had been a bust. Her secret life in Brother Eye practically made it impossible for Felicity to get close enough to a guy to feel comfortable taking that next step.
With Oliver, it was different. From the start, nothing had been what she'd expected. It was all in a good way, of course. The night she'd reached out to him was supposed to be a one-time thing. Felicity would've been free of Cooper and finally been able to start living again. Cooper getting away definitely hadn't been the plan but in a strange way, she was thankful that it had happened.
Otherwise, Felicity never would've had a reason to stay with Oliver and get to know him. She wouldn't have been part of his team with Diggle and actually used her skills to do some real good in this world. Most importantly, she never would've known that it was possible to open her heart to someone again. Her father leaving and Cooper's betrayal had hurt Felicity deeply. Oliver, who was no stranger to hardship, knew what it was like and dedicated his life to helping others because of it-Felicity being one of them.
Felicity knew the exact moment she'd truly started to trust Oliver. Allowing her to stay at the loft to ensure her safety and covering for her with Detective Lance had started to crack the wall around her heart. But it was the moment Oliver looked her in the eye and told her that she had a choice to join him that encouraged her to take that leap of faith. Oliver didn't try to hide the fact that what he did was dangerous. He wanted her to know exactly what she'd be getting into. Then, he'd made a promise to protect her from both their enemies no matter what. The sincerity in his eyes had made her heart flutter in her chest and, for the first time in five years, Felicity didn't feel so alone.
Searching through her garments, Felicity decided that black lace could never be a wrong choice. She put on her sleeveless pink dress, heels and jewelry afterward. With one last look in the mirror, she decided that she was as ready as she'd ever be. Felicity grabbed her purse and left her bedroom. Oliver was already in the living room. He immediately stood at her presence, his eyes following her all the way down the stairs.
"Hi," she said, smiling shyly, once he was standing in front of her.
"Hi," he repeated, unable to take his eyes off of her.
The awkwardness was almost comical considering that they'd seen each other and talked only hours before. Not to mention all the weeks they'd been living and working together. They paused for a moment before coming to their senses and hugging.
"What?" Felicity asked, pulling back, when Oliver let out a low chuckle.
With their hands still touching, Oliver replied, "Nothing. I'm just..."
"Nervous," Felicity supplied.
"Yeah."
She nodded in understanding. "Line forms behind me."
"You look beautiful."
"You, too," she replied automatically and immediately blushed. "Sorry, I meant handsome." Whether Oliver was in a suit or a hood, he always managed to look good. The suit he wore tonight was a light gray. It highlighted the vivid blue of his eyes.
Grinning, Oliver said, "Should we go? I made our reservation for seven o'clock."
"Yes. I'm ready."
He offered her his arm before ushering her out of the apartment. As they passed through the lobby, Oliver noticed the appreciative stares Felicity was getting from the male staff and other residents. He tried not to let it irk him. Felicity was beautiful; it was only natural that other men would notice.
"Good evening, Mr. Queen, Miss Smoak," Diggle greeted, playing his part. While Brad stood off to the side with a straight face, the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Diggle's mouth. As much as Oliver would've liked for it to be just him and Felicity tonight, they couldn't not take precautions. The newspaper clippings they'd seen in Cooper's hideout was proof enough that safety needed to take precedent over privacy.
Oliver allowed Felicity to get in first before sliding next to her. Diggle and Brad took their seats in the front of the town car. The limo would've allowed them more privacy, but it also was too conspicuous. When they weren't attending some fancy event, they liked to keep a low profile.
"So where are we going?" Felicity whispered. She felt awkward talking in a normal voice when they had an audience. The instinct to hide the true nature of their relationship was still strong but, according to Oliver, Diggle had already known what was going on. Felicity wasn't that surprised. Nothing got by Diggle.
"There's this little Italian restaurant I've heard is great. I figure everyone loves Italian, and I know your obsession with pasta."
"It's true. You can never have enough pasta," Felicity agreed. "Or cheese."
Looking between Diggle and Brad, Oliver couldn't help feeling like a teenager again-he and Felicity sitting in the back, whispering and sharing flirty glances, while the adults sat up front supervising. One of the best aspects of being with Felicity was that, despite her tendency to babble, they could have moments when words weren't needed at all. Considering the circumstances, Oliver was fine with the silence that followed. He took Felicity's hand in his, maintaining their connection until they could get to the restaurant and talk more freely.
They arrived minutes later. Brad stayed with the car while Diggle accompanied them inside. He took a seat in the waiting area-where he would stay-while Oliver and Felicity checked in with the host. "Queen, party of two," Oliver said to him.
"Welcome, Mr. Queen. We've got your table all ready for you," the man informed him. "Follow me, please."
"Wow, that's the shortest wait I've ever had," Felicity mumbled.
Oliver placed his hand on her lower back as they walked to their table. It was in the center of the room, as he'd requested. Normally, Oliver would try to get a seat by the window but it was too dangerous with Cooper roaming around.
"Enjoy," the man said and handed them their menus.
"You didn't happen to learn Italian during the five years that you were away, did you?" Felicity questioned as she reviewed the menu, which was written in Italian.
"Only Chinese and Russian. Sorry."
Their waiter approached. "Can I get you something to drink to start off with?"
"I'll have a scotch. Neat."
"Just a water for me thanks."
Oliver halted the waiter before he had a chance to leave. He said to Felicity, "Are you sure? Because the booze sort of might help with the whole-"
"It's probably not going to mix well with the three Benzos I took," Felicity interrupted. She refused to let her nerves get the better of her tonight.
Once the waiter left, Oliver laughed. "Am I being crazy? I mean, what do we have to be nervous about?"
"Well, we've already eaten plenty of meals together. Not to mention we've exhausted every topic one would normally talk about on a first date and a second date and a third date and I've already seen you shirtless." She paused and bit her lip in an effort not to blush. "Multiple times. Shirtless all the time..."
The waiter brought their drinks and said he'd give them a few more minutes to look at the menu. Felicity quickly grabbed her water and took a sip. She needed to calm down and stop babbling.
Oliver picked up his menu and said casually, "There are quite a few things you still don't know about me."
"Such as?"
"I eat really spicy foods when I'm upset. Up until the island, I used to drink soda with almost every meal I could because my mom was always on a health food kick and wouldn't let us have it. On very rare occasions when we were kids, I would play with Thea and let her make me over like one of her dolls-makeup and all," Oliver listed off. "And I have a serious fear of ladybugs."
Felicity almost spit out her water at that last bit. "Um, what?" she giggled. "How can you of all people be afraid of an insect? One of the least disgusting insects, might I add."
"You know how there are certain times of the year when ladybugs start to breed and just seem to be everywhere?" Felicity nodded and he continued, "Well, I left my bedroom window open once when I was five. A ton of ladybugs got in, and they were crawling and flying everywhere. I was so freaked out that they would land on me in the middle of the night and crawl in my mouth and ears that I ended up sleeping in my parents' room that night. It wasn't until the maids came the next day and got rid of them all that I even dared to step back in my room. I've hated them ever since."
"Wow," Felicity murmured, smiling. "Criminals and psychopaths? Totally fine. Ladybugs? Call the exterminator. How exactly did you survive out in the wilderness for five years? Were there ladybugs on Lian Yu?"
Oliver cracked a smile of his own. "Thankfully, no. Then it really would've been hell."
Felicity watched him for a moment longer. It was very rare that Oliver talked about his time on the island and even rarer that he could make a joke about it. She opened her mouth to say something when their waiter interrupted. They gave him their orders before turning back to each other.
"What about you?" Oliver questioned. "Anything else I should know?"
"'Um..." Felicity wracked her brain for some things to share with Oliver. "I hate heights, as you know. I refuse to wear sneakers unless it's absolutely necessary. I once got into a fight with a girl in my class whose idea of getting a computer to load faster was to bang it on the side with her shoe. And when my dad was around, I would occasionally steal his electronics collection to build a super computer."
"You got into a fight?" Oliver replied, surprised. "How old were you?"
"I was seven. It actually wasn't long after my dad left," Felicity added. She didn't know why she'd even brought up the topic of her father, but she could feel a nervous babble coming on. "I'm not sure you can even really call it a fight. Not only was Angie Pinkerton the most popular girl in school, but she totally kicked my butt. My mom was so mad when she found out I'd broken my glasses. They weren't cheap and for a while I had to wear them taped together until she could afford to buy me new ones. As you can imagine, that really added to my social status."
Curious, Oliver inquired, "Why were you so upset about Angie and the computer?"
Felicity shrugged as she drew patterns on the tablecloth with her finger. It gave her something to focus on as she relived the painful memory. "It might've been a piece of stupid, old equipment to her, but it meant so much more to me. I had a really hard time relating to kids my age. I was always five steps ahead of everyone else, and there wasn't really a program for gifted kids at my school. Everyone thought I was a nerd, and so I didn't have many friends." She glanced up at Oliver briefly before she drew another set of invisible objects. "I spent a lot of time with my dad, and he showed me how to take apart my first computer and put it back together. He was the only other person who understood what computers meant to me, and he never made me feel ashamed. In fact, he encouraged me to keep learning and experimenting. He always said knowledge is power.
"Then he left. To this day, my mom won't tell me what happened. All I knew back then was that my family was broken, and the one person who could fix anything had abandoned us. My only way of coping was to keep fixing anything and everything I could get my hands on. So when I saw Angie trashing that computer, which still had a possibility of being fixed, it sort of felt like she was attacking my best friend in a way."
Felicity's hand stilled at Oliver's gentle touch. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "Have you always felt like that?"
"No. It got better when I was at MIT. It was hard being younger than almost everyone else, but it was the one place where I didn't have to hide who I was. People admired my intelligence and my abilities. It really was freeing. But then everything with Cooper happened and...I sort of fell back into old habits. Suddenly, I was back to depending on my computer because I couldn't trust anyone else. In a way, it was good. It kept me focused on getting away from him." Felicity finally met his eyes. "And it led me to you."
"I'm glad it did," Oliver said meaningfully. "I know a little bit about not trusting people."
"I sort of got that impression when you revealed that you weren't alone on the island."
"I know I've only told you a little bit about my time away."
"If by a little you mean hardly anything," Felicity said gently. Not wanting to make him to feel like she was pressuring him, Felicity added, "It's okay, Oliver. I understand why you don't want to talk about it."
"I don't want to, but I need to," Oliver stated, taking a breath to center himself. Usually he could bury his emotions, but with Felicity it was almost impossible. Because she was so attentive and patient, willing to take whatever he was ready to offer, it made him want to open up that much more. "During those five years that I was away, I wasn't always on Lian Yu."
"Where were you?" she tentatively asked.
"Hong Kong, for one. And Russia."
"That explains the Bratva connection."
"It doesn't matter how long I've been home. Every day I'm reminded of the people I met and the choices I had to make."
Sensing his anguish, Felicity rubbed her thumb soothingly across his knuckles. "It sounds like those years were filled with a whole lot of suck."
Oliver looked away from her for a moment and brushed his hand across his mouth. The wave of raw emotion that hit him was unexpected. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little out of my element." He cleared his throat quietly and looked at her. "The entire time I was gone, I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long, you stop seeing people for people. You see threats or targets. And when I decided to come home, I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. It doesn't matter how long I've been home. I'm always on my guard. Even with Diggle, it took me some time to assess whether I should tell him my secret."
"Why did you decide to trust me?" Felicity inquired. "I was a total stranger and technically a criminal. Wasn't I a threat?"
"You probably would've been if our first meeting had been that night that Brother Eye attacked. But it wasn't. You turned around and spilled your wine on me and just started babbling. I could tell that you were nervous and flustered-"
"Don't forget mortified," Felicity mumbled.
"So staining my suit wasn't actually part of the plan?" Oliver had wondered about that but never had the nerve to actually ask Felicity.
"No," she emphasized. "The wine was supposed to help me work up the courage to talk to you. I'll admit that you were kind of intimidating with all of those seemingly important people surrounding you. Plus, Carrie was glued to your side. I thought she might've been your date, which really would've made it hard to get your attention."
Oliver smiled and went on, "Well, it all worked out. You seemed so naturally...human in that moment we met. You were the first person I could see as a person, and I hadn't had that in a long time. Even when I learned the truth, there was just something about you that made it impossible for me to let you go."
A shy smile formed on her face. "It's ironic. The reason I went to Verdant that night was so that you would give me a chance when the time came."
"It also helped that you were the most stunning woman there that night," he teased.
There was no hiding her blush this time. Felicity felt her face get hot at the compliment and nodded, not trusting her voice.
Oliver, tightening his grip on her hand, revealed, "I was going to ask you out before we were interrupted."
"So I wasn't imagining that."
"Nope," he confirmed before asking, "Would you have said yes?"
"Probably not, but I would've wanted to," she declared. "I came to Starling so focused on escaping Brother Eye that I didn't anticipate being so drawn to you. I'm not sure I was ready then. But I am now."
"I know what you mean."
Just then, the waiter arrived with their food. Their dishes looked and smelled delicious. As they began to eat, they settled into lighter conversation-a nice reprieve from the heavier topics they'd tackled early on.
"How's your lasagna?" Oliver questioned.
"Oh my God, it's amazing. You were so right about this place. Want to try some?" She offered him her plate. Oliver took a bite and let her try some of his veal Parmesan in return.
"I figured it's about time someone else made you dinner. I'm not exactly sure I'd be great in the kitchen."
"I've seen you toast a bagel like nobody's business," Felicity teased.
"Yes, I'm just like Emeril Lagasse. Is Emeril still popular?"
"Huh, I don't know," Felicity mused.
"I think that's answer enough. But yes, I'm skilled. I can toast bagels and make the occasional omelet."
"That's it?"
"I can also hunt and roast woodland creatures, but I don't think you'd be interested in eating them." At her frown, Oliver elaborated, "The island had a limited menu."
Felicity was already shaking her head. "I don't think I could eat a chipmunk."
They continued to talk and joke as they finished their meals. Felicity had almost gotten through dinner unscathed when her last bite resulted in getting a bit of sauce on her dress. It was typical. No matter how ladylike she tried to be when eating, somehow she ended up making a mess anyway. Stains-wine, blood, food-seemed to be a constant occurrence when it came to their relationship. Felicity excused herself to go to the ladies room while Oliver promised to peruse the dessert menu.
It was a small bathroom with only a couple of stalls. Thankfully, it was empty. Felicity grabbed a paper towel and wet it with soap and water. Catching the stain quickly was the key. Luckily, the sauce came right out. The only downside was the wet spot now on her chest. It made her look like she'd lactated, Felicity thought glumly. She'd give it a minute to dry before going back out. Fixing her hair and reapplying her lipstick, Felicity vaguely heard the door open behind her. She moved more toward the sink to let whoever had come in have more room to get to the stalls. Felicity heard the door lock and looked up to see the other reflection in the mirror. Her entire body froze.
"Cooper," Felicity breathed. He didn't look much different from the last time she'd seen him. Cooper's skin was still pale and his hair, though slightly longer, was slicked back. He wore all black, which almost concealed the gun in his hand hanging by his side.
"Hello, Felicity."
"How did you get in here?" she demanded, looking toward the door and expecting either Oliver or Diggle to come barreling in. They'd been annoyingly over-cautious all these months. There was no way Cooper would've been able to get by them on his own. Suddenly, she was filled with panic. Did Cooper do something to them?
"You mean how did I dodge your vigilante boyfriend and his brute of a bodyguard?
"What?" There was a loud crash outside. Felicity heard shouting and felt her blood run cold. Something was happening, and her first thought was of Oliver.
"Don't play dumb with me," Cooper snapped, recapturing her attention. "The Arrow attacks us and then not long after you're suddenly living with Oliver Queen. The more I thought about it, the more it all fell into place. He's the reason you wanted to target Queen Consolidated so badly. I had my suspicions afterward, but I still didn't want to believe it. Then I heard about him saving you at the charity event, and I couldn't deny it anymore. Myron was right. You were setting us up. You betrayed us. You betrayed me."
"You're far from being the victim, Cooper," Felicity angrily retorted. "You betrayed me the day you blackmailed me into being a part of Brother Eye. You betrayed me every day since then when you forced me to use my abilities to steal."
"You created the virus that made it possible."
"I didn't intend for it to be used like that!"
"And now you're dating a murderer," Cooper spit out. "Obviously, your taste in men is only getting worse."
"Oliver is not a murderer," she defended. "He's trying to save this city and the people in it. He's a hero."
"He's a basket case in a costume. No one would fear The Arrow if they knew he was really some spoiled trust-fund brat," he countered. "They would lock him up in the psych ward next to The Count."
"Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think? You're the one who murdered him."
"I didn't kill The Count."
Felicity persisted, "But you had someone else do it. Can't say I'm surprised by that. You always were a spineless coward, using other people to do your dirty work-me included."
Cooper quickly closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the neck. His grip was constricting but not so much so that she couldn't breathe. He wanted to scare her and, unfortunately, it was working. "My associate is very thorough."
"Who is it?"
"That I can't tell you. Not yet, at least."
"Just tell me what you want, Cooper," Felicity ordered as another loud crash sounded from the main part of the restaurant. "Why did you come here? Why now after all of these months?"
The fury she'd seen in his stare moments before lessened as his eyes roamed her face. They eventually settled on her lips. Felicity tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but it was no use. His voice became very soft-tender even. "Because I needed to see you. I loved you, Felicity. I knew you wanted more out of life than just Brother Eye. With the plans I had in place, I would've been able to give you everything you ever wanted. We could've been happy."
"All I ever wanted was my freedom," Felicity replied. "And I have that now-with Oliver."
Her words jarred Cooper out of his trance and his gaze hardened. "All this time I've wondered how long were you sneaking around with him behind my back."
"I never belonged to you, despite your delusions. But that night I went to Verdant was the first time we met. He didn't know that I knew the truth."
"So how exactly did you get him to come after us?"
"I asked for his help, and he took a chance on me. He had every right to refuse me, but he didn't. Because that's the kind of honorable man he is," Felicity said, not without a hint of pride.
"Well look at that...you're actually in love with him," Cooper scoffed, his petulance doing little to mask his jealousy. "So that's how he deluded you into his crusade."
Felicity firmly declared, "He gave me an honest choice, unlike you. I'm his partner, not his property."
"He really does have you wrapped around his finger," Cooper sneered. "It's going to make destroying him all the more satisfying."
Her confidence wavered at his threat. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm not going to reveal his secret, if that's what you're thinking in that pretty little head of yours. That'd be too easy. I'm going to make him suffer, which includes burning his precious city to the ground."
Felicity struggled against him once more. "And me?"
"It's obvious the best way to hurt you is through him. I'm going to break your heart just like you did mine, and I'm going to enjoy every second of it," he said, reveling in her anguish.
"Over my dead body."
"You see, that's the idea," Cooper said and raised the gun to her head.
Felicity inhaled sharply, choking back the unshed tears threatening to spill. She was terrified by the feeling of the cold, hard barrel against her skin. It took every last ounce of strength to hold herself together, not wanting to give Cooper the satisfaction of seeing her fall apart. Despite what he thought, she wasn't the same girl he'd known three months ago. She'd grown a lot since then.
"By the way, Petrov sends his regards." Before his comment could fully register in her mind, Cooper lowered the gun and slammed his mouth on hers.
Felicity's shrieks of protest were muffled by his rough, demanding lips. Pushing at him wasn't getting her anywhere, so she decided to put some of her newfound training to good use. Raising her right leg, she managed to jam her heel into the side of his knee. As intended, it was both painful and threw Cooper off balance. He pulled away with a yelp but not fast enough to avoid her hand connecting with his face, leaving behind scratch marks.
Cooper raised his hand to his cheek and stared in shock at the blood on his fingers.
Felicity couldn't help but smirk. "By the way, my partner taught me that."
The resentment in his eyes looked like it was about to boil over, but the loud commotion outside caught his attention. Glancing back at Felicity, Cooper said menacingly, "See you soon, babe."
Then he was gone.
Oliver watched as Felicity made her way to the back of the restaurant. Through the archway was a separate hall that led to the kitchen and restrooms. Despite her annoyance at getting sauce on her dress, she moved with grace and elegance. It seemed that their nerves from earlier had finally settled. By the time their meals arrived, they were much more at ease with each other. Oliver suspected that would last until it was time to leave. Normally, he'd drop his date off at her home. Maybe they'd kiss or, depending on the woman, she'd invite him inside. Oliver had always been up for anything.
For the first time in a long time, Oliver didn't know what to expect. Felicity was different from the other women he'd dated. Not only because she was already living with him, but because she already meant so much to him. Their physical attraction had always been beneath the surface, but it in no way overpowered Oliver's deep respect for Felicity. He didn't want to push her or make Felicity think that all he wanted was to get her in bed-which would've probably been his initial intent had it been six years earlier. Of course Oliver desired her-he was human, after all-but what he really wanted was for this night to be worthy of her. Whether that meant a simple kiss at the end of the night or possibly more, he'd let Felicity decide.
But that uncertainty could be left for later. They still had to get through dessert. Oliver perused the menu, focusing on anything that was made mostly of chocolate. Felicity had somewhat of a sweet tooth. It was while trying to decided between the chocolate layer cake and brownie gelato sundae that Oliver noticed strange movement in his peripheral vision. Seconds later the front window of the restaurant shattered as Brad came flying through the glass. Oliver was on his feet instantly and already looking to Diggle. The rest of the customers looked on in a mixture of shock and alarm.
His partner rushed forward and bent down to touch his fingers to Brad's neck. "He's knocked out." Looking to the window, they both noticed the tall, bulging man walking forward. He jumped through the opening and stared at them menacingly.
There was only one reason why he could be here. "Felicity," Oliver breathed, the panic suddenly flooding him.
"Go. I'll handle him," Diggle said.
Oliver tried to rush toward the back of the restaurant when a waiter, another huge man, intercepted his path. Oliver was about to push him out of the way without a second thought when the waiter's hands shot out and shoved him back. The force of the impact was much more intense than Oliver anticipated, and he went flying back into another table. People started screaming and running toward the exit as Diggle attempted to fight off the other attacker.
"Oliver, you okay?" Diggle shouted to him.
Oliver recovered quickly and got into his fighting stance. "I'm fine," he called back, never taking his eyes off of the threat. The waiter-turned-attacker was currently blocking Oliver's way to Felicity, and he was not having that at all. Most of the restaurant had cleared out, so there was no one around to question why Oliver Queen would even attempt to fight someone so dangerous. The waiter advanced on him and attempted to throw a punch. Oliver quickly dodged him and landed a punch of his own. It did little to stop the other man. His foe's freakish strength and channeled aggression immediately reminded Oliver of Ronsen-though the look in the man's eyes seemed more robotic than filled with genuine rage.
After avoiding a few more blows, Oliver managed to get his arms around the waiter in a headlock. He bent the man back at just the right angle to snap his neck, since clearly his typical knockout punch wouldn't do the trick in stopping him. Unfortunately, snapping the man's neck wasn't an actual option either. With incredible force, the man pushed off of his legs and sent them both flying into a cart of food.
Oliver ended up on the bottom, and seconds later felt strong hands grip his neck. He vaguely heard the sound of a gunshot but couldn't dwell on it much further. Oliver couldn't match the brute strength of his assailant to fend him off and instead settled for grabbing a nearby plate. It was still hot and full of some kind of sauce. Oliver slammed it against the waiter's face and rubbed the broken ceramics into his eyes for good measure. The man howled in pain and loosened his grip enough for Oliver to take a much-needed breath. Another gunshot sounded and the man above him flew to the side. Seconds later, blood was pooling out of the wound in his head. Coughing, Oliver sat up and stared at Diggle. The look they shared was a silent agreement that taking the attackers out was the only viable option, especially when their lives and Felicity's were in danger.
At the thought of Felicity, Oliver sprang up and sprinted to the restrooms. He didn't know whether to be relieved or anxious that the door was unlocked. At least he didn't have to waste time kicking it open. Oliver found Felicity standing by the sink and rushed to her while Diggle checked the stalls.
"Felicity, are you okay?" Oliver demanded, pulling her toward him and checking her over. Aside from the fact that she was shaking, she didn't appear to have any injuries. "Felicity, talk to me."
His strong voice seemed to snap her out of it. Her eyes refocused on him. "I'm okay," she assured him. "He didn't hurt me. Not really." Taking in his messy and disheveled appearance, she asked, "What happened? Are you hurt? I heard-"
"I'm fine," Oliver reassured her and looked to Diggle. His partner nodded that it was all clear. "Who was in here with you, Felicity?" Oliver demanded despite already knowing the answer.
"Cooper. He threatened me-or us, rather. He's planning something horrible, Oliver. He knows you're The Arrow and said he's going to hurt you to spite me. He's going to target the city, and I don't know what he's planning but he..."
"He what?" Oliver pressed.
"He said that Petrov sends his regards."
Oliver frowned and stored that piece of information for later. For right now, his main concern was Felicity. She was still coherent, which was good, but her shaking told him that the shock was setting in. Police sirens and loud voices could be heard from the front of the restaurant.
"Don't worry about that now," Oliver said and placed a comforting hand on her cheek. "All that matters is you're safe." He pulled her completely into his arms and held her tightly. He met Diggle's eyes over the top of her head.
"The police will want a statement," Diggle informed him. "I'll go out front and talk to them while you take a minute."
Oliver silently thanked him. When they were finally alone, he placed a kiss on her head and closed his eyes briefly in relief. Anything could've happened in those few minutes. Felicity could've been seriously hurt or taken. Oliver didn't even want to contemplate the third option. One hand ran along her back while the other gently stroked her hair. The gesture was as much a comfort to him as it was to her. "You're fine, Felicity. You're safe. I've got you."
"Oliver, you're hurt," Felicity mumbled, noticing the red tear in the arm of his suit.
"It's nothing," he dismissed. "What did you mean when you said he didn't really hurt you?"
Felicity looked up at him and was about to answer when they were interrupted by a pair of armed police officers. They were checking the rest of the restaurant for threats and to make sure no one else had been seriously hurt. They ushered Oliver and Felicity back to the front where Diggle was talking with Detective Lance. They caught the tail end of the conversation, in which Diggle admitted to having to shoot the attackers in defense of himself and Oliver.
Felicity gasped softly next to Oliver. At first, he thought it was because of the dead bodies on the ground. Instead, she was watching as Brad was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled toward the ambulance. He was alive but looked to be in pretty rough shape. There were lots of cuts and bruises on him.
"Is he going to be okay?" Felicity questioned, concerned.
"He'll need some time to heal, but the paramedics don't think his condition is fatal," Detective Lance explained. "Unfortunately, we find ourselves all together at yet another crime scene. Care to tell me what happened this time?"
"It was Cooper," Felicity answered. "I think those men were working for him as a distraction, so he'd have time to talk to me."
At the mention of Cooper's name, Lance's head shot up. He obviously hadn't been expecting that answer. "What did he say to you?"
Glossing over any details about The Arrow and Petrov, Felicity relayed the basics of what Cooper had told her. He was jealous of her relationship with Oliver and out for revenge, with plans to target the city in some way. It helped that Oliver kept her tucked into his side the entire time. His silent strength kept her grounded. A couple of times she felt him tense, especially when she'd mentioned that Cooper had forced himself on her and kissed her. Felicity debated whether or not to reveal that tidbit but felt it added more credibility to the story they'd crafted.
"I don't think he'll be back tonight, but I'll have some of my officers stationed outside your apartment," Lance declared after she was finished. He'd lost some of his harshness from their initial meetings. Even he could seem to sympathize with Felicity's precarious situation.
Oliver didn't argue against police protection this time. With Brad injured, he'd have to find a replacement and reconfigure their security detail. "Thank you, Detective. If we're done here, I'd like to take her home." They couldn't go to the Foundry if they were going to be followed. That would have to wait until tomorrow.
Lance nodded. "I'll be in touch if we need any more information."
Oliver and Felicity followed Diggle to the car. Once they were safely inside and on their way to the loft, Felicity told them what really happened. It was better to tell them when it was fresh in her mind. Felicity knew that she was barely keeping herself together. At some point, the severity of what had happened tonight would fully hit her, and she didn't know how rational she'd be. Both Diggle and Oliver listened quietly.
They arrived at the loft minutes later. Diggle offered to stay the night, but Oliver insisted that he go home and rest. The police would take over for tonight, and they could deal with their next move tomorrow.
"Don't beat yourself up too much, Oliver," Diggle knowingly murmured, sensing the barely concealed tension in his body. Oliver was like a caged animal when his loved ones were threatened. If he actually knew where Cooper was, he probably would've suited up already and exacted his own brand of justice. "They got the jump on us all. What matters is Felicity is fine."
Oliver looked at the closed door to her room. "I wish that were true. Thanks for having my back, Diggle."
With a nod, Diggle replied, "Always."
The door shut quietly, and Oliver locked it behind him. He made his way upstairs and contemplated knocking on Felicity's door. He wanted to make sure that she was okay for the night but also figured she might need some time to herself to process. Oliver decided to leave her be for now. He washed and bandaged the cut on his arm and got ready for bed. He'd just left the bathroom and threw on a pair of sweats when there was a quiet knock on his door.
Felicity bit her lip as she waited for Oliver to answer. Her body had been on autopilot as she got undressed and ready for bed. When it finally came time to climb into her large, soft bed, she just couldn't do it. Oliver answered seconds later, not looking at all surprised by the disturbance. Of course the first thing she noticed was that he was shirtless. "Hey," she mumbled, nervously tugging at the tank top that matched her flannel bottoms.
"Hey, are you all right?"
"Um, yeah. I just wanted to...could I..." Felicity abruptly shut her mouth, not used to having her words completely fail her. If anything, there was usually a verbal overflow battling to get out. Whatever driving force that had led her to his room suddenly vanished as she realized how truly awkward and presumptuous this was. She took a breath. "You know what, nevermind."
"Felicity." Oliver reached out for her arm before she could leave. His voice low and gentle, he asked seriously, "What do you need?"
"I was going to ask if I could sleep with you tonight." She instantly regretted how that came out. "I mean, not sleep with you sleep with you. I meant actually sleeping as in shutting our eyes and getting rest. But now that I'm thinking about it, it's a stupid idea."
"Felicity."
She continued to babble, "It's silly, really. I mean, yes, the thought of being alone after tonight totally freaks me out but I'm safe here. Seriously, what's the difference between you being down the hall and me being in your bed? Being in your bed just to sleep, like I said. There really isn't. I'm a grown woman. I should just suck it up and stay in my own room."
"Felicity," he tried again.
"Okay, so I feel safest when I'm actually with you. But that's probably all in my head. I'm sorry for bothering you. I'm being ridiculous, and now I'm rambling so I'm just going to-"
"Felicity," Oliver firmly interjected, finally getting her attention. "Come on." He motioned for her to come inside.
"Are you sure?"
The hand that was on her arm slid up to her cheek. He confessed in a quiet, deep voice, "Having you with me would make me feel better, too."
A small, shy smile formed on her lips before she let him guide her into his room. He shut the door behind her while she stared at the bed, unsure of what to do next. "Um, which side should I...?'
His protective instincts taking over, he said, "I'd prefer to be near the door."
"Right. Makes sense." She walked around to the right side of the bed and pulled the covers back.
Oliver, on his side, did the same before turning off the small lamp on the nightstand. They both laid down on their separate sides, in the dark, and stared silently up at the ceiling. Felicity couldn't help but think that this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind when she'd envisioned ending up in Oliver's bed at the end of the night. Should she actually wish him a good night or keep her mouth shut and close her eyes? Despite being exhausted, Felicity could feel that her body wasn't actually ready to go to sleep. Her stomach was still in knots from what happened with Cooper earlier.
"I'm sorry."
Oliver's words were so quiet, Felicity thought she'd imagined him speaking. "For what?"
"Cooper shouldn't have been able to get to you."
Felicity turned on her side to face him and was glad when he did the same. The moonlight streaming in from the windows was enough to let her see the expression of guilt on his face. "Oliver, don't you dare start blaming yourself. Tonight was not your fault. Cooper literally had to wait until I was away from you before he could make his move. It's not like you could've followed me into the ladies room. Although after him and The Dodger, I'm seriously going to avoid going to the public bathroom alone ever again," she added as an afterthought.
"When I think about all the different ways tonight could've ended, I-"
"Don't. I'm here with you, and that's all that matters," she assured him and moved closer. "Besides, I got a couple of good hits in when he...after he kissed me." Oliver immediately tensed, and she was quick to reassure him, "He was completely stunned that I fought back. That was because of you and Dig."
Knowing Cooper had dared to put his hands on Felicity made Oliver want to bury one of his arrows in Cooper's chest all the more. But Felicity didn't need to know just how deep that rage ran. She was working through her own emotions right now. "Good," was all Oliver said, letting a hint of pride shine through.
Felicity took one of his hands in hers. "I'll admit that Cooper's sudden appearance scared me, but I was more worried about you. I knew something was going on in the restaurant, and I was terrified that the only reason he was able to see me was because something happened to you and Dig."
"Felicity, you don't have to worry about me," he stressed. "Or Diggle. We can handle ourselves."
"That's easier said than done-especially when Cooper is gunning for you."
"When all of these games are over and we're face-to-face, you know he won't stand a chance against me."
"He's got those men on the crazy pills, and he's working with someone else. Someone besides Petrov. I'm sure of it. Which, by the way, doesn't make any sense."
"We'll figure it out. But it's been a long night. Right now, you need to rest." He ran a hand through her blond locks.
Felicity snuggled closer to him, so she was right up against his chest. "For the record, I really was enjoying our first date. I've had worse, believe it or not."
"Not," Oliver replied, unable to hold back a grin. "But I enjoyed it, too."
Leaning forward, Felicity met his lips in a soft kiss. Oliver, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her more flush against him, deepened the kiss. Felicity sighed in contentment. This was how their first date was originally supposed to end-in each other's arms and sealed with a kiss. The hand that wasn't pressed against the hard muscles of his chest ran down his bicep.
Oliver's skin was naturally hot and did wonders to chase away the remaining chills she'd experienced from their earlier ordeal. It was amazing how mere minutes of being in his presence served to put her at ease. Despite everything, she'd never felt more cherished or safe. She didn't know where she'd be if she hadn't met Oliver, and the thought of him not being in her life made her cling to him all the more.
Oliver felt Felicity's hold on him tighten as her leg hitched over his hip. He groaned at the contact before gripping her thigh and leaving open-mouthed kisses along her neck. Her fingers glided through his hair, massaging and keeping him close. When he sucked on her pulse point, Felicity's breath hitched. The taste of her sweet skin combined with the feeling of her soft curves bending to his every touch was intoxicating. As Oliver made his way back up to her lips, the sweetness was replaced by a saltiness that made him pause. He touched his fingers to her face and felt the wet streak from her tears.
Felicity didn't know when she'd started crying. One minute she was full of desire, desperate for Oliver to keep exploring every part of her, and the next the intense love she'd felt had morphed into a sort of overwhelming anguish. It was like being close to the one thing she wanted most-and was most afraid to lose-had unleashed the dam of emotions she'd been trying so hard to contain. She'd been so focused on trying to stay strong and move forward these past months that she hadn't actually let herself stop and take a minute to truly deal with her repressed grief. It was five years in the making, and it all came to a head tonight when Cooper had directly threatened to destroy the new life she was trying to build for herself.
Oliver's heated kisses turned tender as he wiped at her cheeks. Despite the passion that had exploded between them moments ago, he sensed that that wasn't what Felicity needed. She was vulnerable and seeking comfort. Oliver wasn't going to take advantage of that. When they did finally make love, it would be on their terms and not the result of some traumatic event. With one last gentle kiss to her forehead, Oliver laid back and pulled Felicity into his side. She buried her face into his neck and continued to cry. It was one of the most gut-wrenching things he had to endure, because there was nothing else to do but hold her and let her work through it.
Oliver didn't know how much time had passed. It could've been ten minutes or over an hour, but eventually Felicity's tears finally subsided. He felt her soft, even breaths against his neck and knew she'd fallen asleep. His arms stayed firmly around Felicity as he shut his eyes, feeling just as spent. For the rest of the night, and regardless of what tomorrow might bring, Oliver was sure of one thing-he would never let her go.