When we last left our fun couple, they were arriving at their Arubic destination. Perhaps this chapter will help us understand a little more about Aruba as 'their' spot and why it means so much to them.

Thanks for reading & KTOSS! -adcg

Aruba – Chapter 2 – Us

"So here we are," Oliver held Felicity's hand between his palms as they sat together on a blanket on the beach.

The blue waters lapped against the sand creating one of the most tranquil sounds that Oliver could imagine. Pushing aside the idea that this was an island and looking at it through Felicity's eyes made the sounds and air practically therapeutic.

As adult as their airport transfer had become, Oliver had been pleasantly surprised and distracted by Felicity's almost childlike reactions when they reached their destination.

She stepped out of the limo and simply looked, in awe, toward the beach house attached to the driveway and then stared at the native palm trees and a lemon tree growing in the front yard. Two other houses were in the cul-de-sac but the three buildings sat far enough apart to ensure privacy. The six foot privacy fences between each of the properties also addressed that factor.

Oliver did as Felicity had instructed, giving their driver a generous tip, apologizing for any inconvenience he might have endured during the last part of their ride, and assuring him that they would request him by name whenever they decided to venture into the outside world once again.

And once the kind gentleman left the driveway, with their lone suitcase sitting just off the curb, Oliver walked to Felicity, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and smiled as he placed a soft yet firm kiss to the top of her head.

"Oliver," Felicity spoke just above a whisper, her hands grasping his wrists as confirmation of his presence, "Aruba," she breathed in a slightly shaky breath and leaned her head back against his chest.

"This is just the front of the house, Sweetheart," Oliver grinned, realizing that he had done something that pleased the love of his life. "Let's go inside, get changed and go to the beach."

"I don't want to go anywhere else," Felicity turned in his arms to face Oliver, looking up to him in complete seriousness.

"It's…" Oliver looked at her in pure wonder. It took him a second to realize she was simply trying to soak in every moment. "Come here."

He loosened his hold around her just to take her hand in his before grabbing the suitcase and going to the front door of the house. He punched the code on the security latch and retrieved the key that was hidden inside. As Felicity held the suitcase handle, momentarily, Oliver unlocked the door and then held it open as she stepped inside.

It was no Queen mansion. It was no luxurious loft. But it was far more than a hotel room like she had envisioned when they talked about visiting Aruba.

The décor was simple, beachy, as one would expect, and practically homey.

Felicity bypassed the stairs leading up to the second level. Oliver left their luggage at the foot of the stairs and followed his love down the hallway that opened into a combined living room/dining room area with a full kitchen attached around the corner.

Felicity took a deep breath before leaning against the small bar that separated the kitchen from the other area. "What is all this?" She asked with a purely innocent voice, now wanting to know some of that information that Oliver was supposed to share with her over the past couple of hours.

Oliver stepped toward her and sat the house key down on the counter. He watched his fingers tap against the key ring as he thought about what he wanted to tell her.

"Do you like it?" His voice mirrored her innocence with a touch of insecurity laced in it. Before she could even nod, he continued a bit hurriedly, apparently scared of what her answer might be.

"When you told me why you chose Aruba…that it was something you've thought about since you were little," he looked back down at his fingers on the key knowing she was watching him intently, "I wanted to make this dream come true for you, because, Felicity," he looked back into her eyes with a hint of tears in his own. "You are my dream come true. This is the least I can do for you."

Felicity melted. The boyish voice, the honest sincerity written in his eyes and his face, the nervousness of his demeanor – all were far more than she could've imagined from the man standing in front of her.

"Oliver," she attempted with no idea of what else to say.

"Do you remember the moment you told me that you loved me?" Oliver asked, his voice still soft and a little unsure.

Felicity nodded.

"I was so overwhelmed by those words, from you, in that moment… I felt like I had laid my heart wide open to you a couple of times and when you didn't share my feelings… I – I dreamed that you would love me too, but I had just about given up hope. I figured you knew more about me than anyone else in this world and if you couldn't bring yourself to love me, Felicity," he closed his eyes and swallowed his emotions.

"I should've told you sooner," Felicity interrupted. Her voice deepened slightly with Oliver's emotions seeping into her heart. "I should've never waited until Nanda Parbat to tell you. I've loved you for years, Oliver. I guess, I guess I assumed you knew that. And I assumed if I actually told you that…" she nervously shrugged one shoulder showing him her insecurity. "I believed you when you said you loved me, but… you're Oliver Queen. I assumed you'd break my heart. And why would you want some geeky computer nerd for more than your personal internet guru? I couldn't let myself believe that you could…that we…could really fall in love."

Oliver smiled and forced a fake laugh through his nose. "So…where does that leave us now?"

Felicity grinned and stepped toward him, placing her hand over his on the counter. "In Aruba, together."

"Do you really love me?" Oliver wondered before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up on tiptoes to kiss his lips.

"Do you really love me?" Felicity returned his question and gladly accepted the kiss that he placed on her lips.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted Felicity to sit on the bar. She giggled as he sat her down, broke their kiss and smiled at her.

That was the point when she noticed the back door and the ocean view that apparently made up the majority of their back yard.

"Oliver," her mouth dropped open slightly, her eyes glued to the glass panes that separated them from the salty air

His smile widened as he, too, looked around at the outside view. "That's what I was trying to get to," he teased but had to quickly change his focus when Felicity put her hands on his shoulders wanting help to get off of the countertop.

She left one hand on his shoulder as she reached down to slip off her sandals and tossed them next to one of the barstools. Felicity practically skipped to the door and pressed her nose against it like a puppy.

"Would you like to go out?" Oliver continued smiling at her widely. He reached for the doorknob and then stopped momentarily when she grasped his wrist once more.

"Why?" She wondered truthfully.

Oliver took his hand from the doorknob, took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes as sincerely as he possibly could. "I love you, Felicity. I want this to be the beginning of the rest of our lives together. You've dreamed of Aruba. I've dreamed of us. I want to prove to both of us, that our dreams can come true. Yeah?"

He felt the smile growing on her lips and the way her body went practically spineless, with him holding her up by her cheeks. Oliver smiled too and lowered his lips to hers.

In that moment they both realized they would cherish Aruba and their time in this tropical location – because it's where some of their dreams would come true.

It had only taken a few steps into the warm sand and Oliver too-easily removing his shirt before Felicity began pouting. She walked to the edge of the water where the fences ended and let the water lap over her toes. She didn't want to admit feeling like a 3-year-old 26-year-old but her mind said that was exactly where she was.

Oliver stood with his arms crossed loosely over his now-bare chest as he watched her flowing blonde hair blow in the breeze as Felicity stood looking out on the ocean. He admired how beautiful she looked in her short sleeve blouse, capri jeans and bare feet but there was something about her stance that didn't look quite happy and relaxed.

"Felicity?" He called to her just a few yards away. "What's wrong?"

She turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "You're too far away," she called.

Oliver jogged the few steps that it took to reach her enjoying the feel of the sand between his toes – if he wanted to admit it.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down enough to give her a teasing kiss along the shell of her ear. When she shivered he attempted to turn her around in order give her a more inviting and sharable kiss.

Instead he encountered a Felicity with lower lip protruding slightly and eyes looking up at him from under batting eyelashes.

"What?" He wondered with a slight smile.

"I'm overdressed," she stated.

"Mmm-hmmm, and I offered to let you change into your bikini before we even came through the front door," Oliver reminded her.

"I didn't realize we didn't have to leave the house to go to the beach," she admitted.

"So let's go back inside and change," Oliver offered.

Felicity pressed her lips together and Oliver sighed.

"What?" he wondered again.

"If we go in I don't know if I'll want to come back outside," she dipped her chin, batted her eyelashes and Oliver caught sight of the darker blue in her irises that he felt sure he would appreciate as their relationship continued to develop.

"I see," Oliver nodded his chin and flared his nostrils, which was Felicity's signal that he was trying not to smile at the thoughts going through his own mind.

"I could go get your bikini and bring it out to you," Oliver suggested.

"Are you suggesting I strip down out here where the neighbors can see me?" Felicity's eyes widened at her own insinuation.

"Well, you are the one who tried to seduce me in the back of the limo…"

"Touché," Felicity deadpanned. She tilted her head to the side and rotated her body enough to stand chest to chest with Oliver. "I tell ya what," she placed one hand on his chest and the other on his belt buckle.

"Hmmm," Oliver watched her face closely, intrigued by the many paths her mind seemed to travel at once.

"Kiss me," she raised herself up enough to reach his lips and pressed herself against him to gain as much leverage as she could.

"Felici…" her name became muffled by lips pressing together leaving Oliver no choice but to follow her instructions.

He could feel her hands fumbling with his belt but he could also tell she was trying to gain an upper hand, with his back turned to the water.

Before he realized what he was doing, his fingers were unbuttoning her blouse and feeling for the silky material of her camisole that she had shared with him along their ride.

"What exactly…" Oliver's breath hitched as she began kissing along his throat and he felt his belt buckle become lax, "are we trying to do here?"

Felicity stalled as she noted that they were ankle deep in the water, beyond their fenced barriers, and both were dangerously close to actually undressing the other right there in the shallow end of the deep blue sea.

Felicity moved her hands back to his chest, tiptoed once more and placed a light kiss on his lips. "I love you," she lightly touched his lips again with hers. "I want you," she stated a bit shyly. "I'm overwhelmed that you've brought me here and you want to make my dreams come true."

She pressed her lips together and Oliver waited for her to gather her thoughts. "I already don't know how to…I don't know…how to pay you back, how to thank you…Oliver, I've never been loved – like this – before. I never dreamed of a man whisking me away on a vacation and loving me. I don't even know what to say or how to act… I just…I don't know what to do."

Oliver smiled at her. "Well, be happy you aren't on a boat with me. Those trips don't end well. And, for the record, you know how my relationship ended with the last girl that I took on a vacation." He rolled his eyes at the reference to Sarah, as did Felicity.

"I'm not joking here, Oliver," Felicity tried to pull out of his hold but she was happy he wouldn't relinquish his arms wrapped around her.

Instead Oliver dipped her backwards, cradling her in his arms, holding her head in one of his hands as he bent with her and sensuously placed his lips on hers.

"I just want you…" he moved his lips against hers, "to be you. Just be Felicity, my Felicity. Be my computer geek. Be my gorgeous genius. Tell me all the facts you learned about Aruba. And show me how much you love me…right after I show you how much I love you."

He pressed another kiss to her lips, avoiding French kisses simply because Felicity was on the verge of laughing and he was having far too much fun in their present position.

"Deal?" Oliver raised her back up and watched her eyes flicker with happiness.

She licked her lips, giggled and nodded, "Deal."

"Should we go change now before we both end up in the water, soaking wet?" Oliver offered as they continued standing, staring into the other's eyes.

Felicity shook her head.

"No?" Oliver smiled a closed lip grin at her answer.

"Kiss me again," she whispered in a girlish voice that would keep her wrapped around Oliver's pinky finger.

"Like this?" Oliver proceeded to dip her with the cradling hold he had used minutes before.

Felicity's smile was one of the widest and happiest Oliver had ever seen. He took just a few seconds to relish the happiness he could see in her face before bending to take her lips with his once more.

And when they separated again he memorized the perfectly content, closed-eyes look on her face.

"What are you thinking about?" Oliver whispered, his mouth still close enough for Felicity to feel his breath on her kiss-swollen lips.

"Aruba," she kept her eyes closed as she spoke the word and then pulled her bottom lip into her mouth with her teeth.

To rest his bent back, Oliver pulled the two of them back to a standing position but kept his arms around her. Felicity blinked her eyes open and wound her arms around his neck.

"Thank you," she started, keeping her eyes focused on his. "Aruba's our spot now, you know that, right?"

"We haven't even been here an hour yet," Oliver smiled.

"I've seen you smile more in this last 45 minutes than I've seen in all the time I've known you. It's Aruba," Felicity insisted.

"It's you," Oliver corrected her.

"Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to," she rolled her eyes playfully.

"Swim suits?" Oliver offered yet again.

"Sure," Felicity finally conceded.

They walked toward the house hand in hand, enjoying again the sound of the water, the clarity they were sharing, and the fact that they were simply together.

Aruba - Chapter 2 - Us