Five weeks after Team Arrow's failed mission to a pimp-drug-dealer's mansion, Felicity Smoak returned to her day job as Oliver Queen's EA. She had been ordered to take a further two weeks holiday from her night job as The Vigilante's IT Hacker, much to her displeasure, but everyone had ganged up on her. Oliver was still holding off on any important missions, he and Roy were simply patrolling and training instead. Engrossed in some work, Felicity jumped in surprise and shock as she noticed Oliver standing directly in front of her.
"Jesus, Oliver, don't do that to me! And where did you come from, anyway?"
"Where did I…? I came from my office, you know that room right there." He pointed to the glass wall. "Is everything okay?"
"Just… engrossed. I've had five weeks of boredom really." Oliver shifted nervously around on his feet for a few moments as she went back to her work and then looked back up at him. "Back atcha."
"Huh?"
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Yes. I was just wondering. You're going to the Annual Queen Autumnal Ball next week, right?"
"Yes, as an employee of Queen Consolidated, I have been invited. Don't go planning a mission on that night, Oliver."
"No, no, not what I was thinking. I don't have a date for it."
"Okay," she nodded, smiled and began thumbing through an address book. "Let me see who I can find." Normally she would protest at being his Public Relations Pimp, but she really had been bored at home.
"No." His hand covered hers as he leaned forward slightly over the desk. "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."
"Like a work date? Sure, okay. Shall we meet there or go straight from here?"
"How about I pick you up at yours?"
She paused and then stuttered. "Okay." He smiled and walked back into his office. "Is it a date date?" She asked into the empty room.
ARROW-HOOD-QUEEN
A week later and on the night of the Annual Queen Autumnal Ball, Felicity was huffing her way up the stairs in her apartment block. With her stomach wound still playing on her whole body health, Felicity had never before hated not having a working elevator before. She had never been so glad to only be on the fifth floor however. Pausing as she reached her floor, Felicity had to catch her breath and for a moment she wondered if it was the lack of oxygen that was causing her to see things. There was a large box sitting in front of her door and she had not ordered anything. Approaching it carefully, Felicity took the label from it and smiled: For Cinderella and the Ball, Prince Oliver. She was never going to live down the fact that he had been the Prince in her death dream. She was sure there was nothing to it, because Laurel and Thea made no sense in their roles either.
Felicity took the box into her small apartment and started opening it immediately, pulling out a long, a-line white-blue dress. It was the same colour as the Disney Cinderella ball dress, but far less ball-gownish, which was perfect for her. Her eyes opened wide when she saw the designer label and she immediately got her cell phone out and typed: Thank you for the dress, Oliver, but my building's not safe enough to leave designer goods in the hall!
Removing the dress fully from the box and holding it up to admire it, Felicity carefully lowered it when her cell beeped.
Then it isn't safe for you to live in! See you soon, O x.
Ignoring the kiss at the end, Felicity laughed at his over-protectiveness and then stepped towards her bedroom to start getting ready.
"Felicity Smoak?" An imposing male voice said from her open front door. She spun around and saw a very large man standing inside of her apartment.
"Y-yes?"
"You need to come with me. My boss wants a word. You can make it easy." He grinned at her. "Or hard. I prefer a bit of a fight."
ARROW-HOOD-QUEEN
Effortlessly taking two steps a time up to Felicity's floor, Oliver considered his surroundings and decided that perhaps this apartment block really was not safe enough for Felicity to live in. He had walked straight in off of the street. There was no off-road, safe parking and the neighbourhood really was not the best. Would she be really offended if he rented her an apartment somewhere safer? It really would get everyone gossiping at work, Oliver considered, but that was going to happen after they went to the ball together and he really did not care what other people thought.
As soon as his foot hit the top step he knew that there was something wrong before he saw it. There was something amiss to his senses. With slow, precise steps he approached her apartment and realised that the door was open. Without knocking or even considering her privacy, Oliver walked straight into Felicity's apartment quietly to assess the situation. The dress he had bought her was lying crumpled on the floor, her cell phone lying next to it with the screen smashed. It was silent.
"Felicity?" he called, making his way around the few rooms. There were no signs of struggle and no signs of Felicity. Where was she?