I usually won't continue this sort of drabbles inspired by prompts, as they're meant to be stand-alone pieces, but inspiration struck with this one and, as it was requested a lot as well, thought of giving it a try and making it a multi-chapter story. I don't know how long it will be. Knowing me, it won't be that long, maybe five chapters or so.

Anyway, I have all you wonderful people who reviewed to thank for this! And also the ones that added this story to their favorites or alerts. This kind of support really means a lot and, as you can see, encourages me to write more.

So again, thank you thank youuu! And I hope you like it :)

LOVE YOUR MEMORY

I don't want to see you or feel you

I don't want to look into your eyes

I don't want to touch you or miss you

I just want to love your memory tonight

You were something else to look at

Your intentions they weren't' all bad

You tried to make me something I wasn't

Lord knows there ain't no future in all that

She should've seen it coming.

He had been back almost a month now. She could recall clearly the morning she found out he was alive, barely it seemed, or at least that's what the news were saying.

It had been over five years. Five years since she had last seen him that fateful night he came by to apologize, after she had found out about his fiancé. Five years since she had slammed the door behind him, drinking herself to oblivion, swearing never to think of him again. Five years since she had last felt his touch, felt the warmth that was Oliver in her life.

It had been over five years since he had sailed away with his father and his fiancé, only to get lost at sea. But now he had come back.

Felicity stood petrified by the door to the salon at Queen Manor, her eyes glued to his back, where he stood across the room. She didn't think he would've been there. After all this was a business event, one Walter had insisted upon her attendance, and he wasn't seen anywhere near Queen Consolidated now or even before, actually.

But there he was. As he turned around she studied him from the distance. He looked the same in many ways; same deep blue eyes, towering height that felt just right and a sly grin in place. Still he was different.

Hard lines marked his face now and the cockiness he once displayed in every move was now gone. He stood still, broad shoulders and ample back rigid under his well-tailored suit. He looked uncomfortable, tense and on guard. The Oliver Queen she once knew was his best with an audience, navigating the crowds with ease, being used and even craving the spotlight. This Oliver seemed anything but.

He seemed bothered by the proving eyes of the crowd in his house that was more than eager to figure him out. Though he was trying to play it off, nodding numbly at the men talking at him, she could see right through it. It was strange how easy she could read him.

It's not that Oliver hadn't been in her thoughts during his time away. There'd been many nights where she had lain awake pondering the what if's. What if she had asked him to stay? What if she hadn't met him at all? Would he still have gone away?

To this day she still had his voicemail on her phone. Though it was quite pointless, since she now knew it by heart.

"Felicity… please answer, I know you're there… Can you just… fuck! I tried to tell you. I wanted to. This thing with Laurel, it's complicated, but it's not like you think! You just… I knew you would be upset and I didn't want to stop seeing you. I can't. I get that you need some time so I'll back off for now, but just know I'm not gonna quit on you, ok? I'm going with my dad to China for a few weeks on our boat. Laurel is coming too, just so you know. I'm gonna sort this out, I promise. Just… don't close the door on us, please. Wait for me… Ok, I should go. Please don't hate me."

Not even a week later she was standing at his funeral. She had stayed by the back, grieving something that had barely started before falling to pieces. Though short, her relationship with Oliver had marked a before and after for her. She had replayed his voicemail, trying to etch to memory the sound of his voice, the way he said her name.

After that she had taken the offer to work at Queen Consolidated, and had devoted her life to it. Only Tommy knew of their affair; he had seen surprised at seeing her there at first, but hadn't said anything about it. After all he had been grieving his two best friends.

Over the years she had kept her head down, grateful that her time with Oliver had stayed between them and hadn't made the tabloids. What a field day they'd had unburying Oliver Queen's dirty secrets. After Walter had officially taken over the company he had taken a liking to Felicity, promoting her and even giving her an office of her own. On her spare time she had helped him uncover covert deals going on in the company, some even from his wife. Felicity had gradually found out there was more to Moira Queen that met the eye.

She had been with Walter, actually, when the news broke out. Billionaire cast-away had been found alive. His father and Laurel Lance hadn't been as lucky, Oliver being the only survivor.

As Felicity watched him in the normalcy of his home it felt strange. A champagne flute in his hand, QC executive talking him up, women everywhere eyeing him appreciatory. It seemed normal enough, except it wasn't.

As if sensing her eyes on him, Oliver turned around, piercing blue eyes meeting hers. Even across the room she saw the sharp breath he took, easily recognizing her. There went her theory he had forgotten about her, about them. She didn't know if she should feel flattered or scared. She had spent so long trying to forget him, his touch, the way he had made her feel and his words from that voicemail. And with one single look it all came crashing back.

Oliver excused himself from the conversation going around him and walked through the crowd, oblivious to the curious eyes on him, until he stood before her. She stood paralyzed by his gaze, mouth agape, trying to think what to say or do next. She could bolt out of there, but her feet were anchored to the spot, entranced by him.

At her silence a small smile stretched on his lips, one that unlike the ones she had seen on him before looked quite genuine, amused.

"I remember you talking much more" his gravelly voice instantly sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yeah well I'm not used to talking to the dead" she winced as the words replayed on her head. "I mean I just didn't think I would ever talk to you again, alive or not." It sounded harsh, even more that she intended it to be, but ultimately it was the truth.

She had spent five years replaying those two months with him. Hating, loving, missing, cursing, cherishing those memories. Finally Felicity had concluded that it was her fault as much as it was his. She had fallen for it, his whole charming act, even though she knew, from that first moment he had walked up to her at that club, that he was trouble.

Still she could swear there was more to him that the playboy persona it appeared at first glance. There was kindness and love in the way he talked about his little sister, worry when he talked about his troubled father and his parent's ever present fights; amusement and devotion when he told her of his adventures with Tommy. There was so much more to Oliver than simply lust and bravado, and those were the moments that made her miss him the most. The ones that made her stop hating him. The ones she remembered the most during the time he was gone.

But now he was back, standing in front of her, making jokes about how she used to be, and as wonderful as those memories were, the anger came bubbling back up. She was pissed for everything he had held from her; the lying, the cheating, Laurel. But most of all, she was mad at him for giving her hope. She wished he was a villain, that way it would be easier to hate him. But he was sorry, even for the immature guy he was back then, she could tell from him voice, from his hurt expression before the door shut before him that he was sorry.

"Felicity" he whispered, amusement gone from his tone. She snapped her eyes shut, trying to control the heat that took over her at the way he said her name, wishing away the memories from her head. She couldn't let him get to her again. She was stronger than that, she had to hold on to her dignity.

Blue eyes opened and met his inquiring ones. Felicity mustered all the strength she could, suppressing her anger and pain, and put her best poker face on.

"Oliver" she replied, sternly. "Welcome back. I'm glad you are safe". That was polite enough.

He seemed slightly taken aback by her coldness, remembering Felicity as nothing but warmth, the one he had held onto on his harshest time on the island. It dawned on him that her memories of him may not be as fond as his, knowing how they had ended. To her she was that same jerk who had cheated on her, or actually on his fiancé with her. If only she knew how he regretted it all, how many times he had replayed those moments and wished he had made it right. If only… but he couldn't. The only point of being seen in public, at events like this one, was playing the playboy Oliver Queen persona, pretending nothing had changed. That was the only way he could be the arrow at night without getting caught. Except everything had changed; everything but his feelings for her.

He was shaken from his thoughts by the static of the microphone; his mother's speech was beginning. When he turned around to face Felicity again she was gone, her retrieving form sliding through the main doors before he could call her out.

Turning back to the party Oliver downed the champagne left on his glass. He let her go this time, but not for long. The promise he had made himself on the island on constant replay on his mind. He would come back to her and make it right.

So this was part two. There will be more, that I'm currently working on. I hope you like the path this story is taking.

I'm experimenting writing Oliver thoughts as well as Felicity, because as neither of them does a lot of talking here, and they are both suppressing their thoughts and feelings, I feel is the best way to let you know what's going on.

As you can see, their feelings for each other aren't as shallow as they seemed in the first chapter. Now that we've found out what she has been up to in those years it's time to explore what happens next. FYI, Oliver's story in the island as well as what happens in his personal life at the begging of the show remains cannon, minus the Laurel factor since she died on the yatch.

Anyway, please review! Just some kind words or, even better, comments or constructive criticism make my day.