A/N: Just so you know this is my favourite. No warnings apply.

I've included a few responses here, but feel free to skip to the story.

A few people asked 'What about Moira?' - Moira isn't included because I couldn't get a good read on her, she has after all been hiding her true intentions for most of the first season. Isabel Rochev falls into a similar category, but mostly she hasn't appeared enough to know what she's like. I kind of like her though. Tommy, well I just couldn't...I'm still in mourning.

A few people were like 'I hate Laurel, woo Olicity!' - an opinion is an opinion, so here's mine...Laurel is an amazing character, she's smart, beautiful, stands up for what she believes in and takes action. Not to mention she is bad*ss (anyone who can take down a gunman in a floor length dress qualifies for this). So I don't believe she deserves the hate, but I also think she really needs to find the right man, because she's a total mess with Oliver and/or Tommy. So, woo Olicity, but still respect the other fictional characters, because they have fictional feelings too.

In answer to the amazing reviews, thank you all. Totally made my day.


JOHN DIGGLE

Felicity had been at her computers for hours now. Oliver had been sulking for longer. Not that he would call it sulking, he called it training.

They were in Verdant's basement after a night of Oliver patrolling the Glades. On the way he had run into Laurel and had tried, unsuccessfully, to have a conversation with her as the masked arrow guy. Along with the fact that Oliver and Laurel were currently getting over yet another disagreement in their friendship and were not currently talking, Oliver was taking it badly.

At first Felicity had said nothing as Oliver stalked in and immediately went to the sparing dummies and started to pulverise them.

After twenty minutes she had tried to initiate a conversation. He had broken the sparring dummy he was currently working on.

An hour later when Oliver was calming down – nowhere near calm, just calmer – Diggle offered himself as a sparring partner. He survived, but would be bruised tomorrow. He begged off after an intense half hour and limped past Felicity as he headed for his towel and drink bottle.

"This is ridiculous," Felicity muttered, pushing herself away from her desk with a frustrated growl. "He's acting like a two year old who lost his favourite toy," she said in response to Diggle's warning look.

She stomped over to the training mats on the other side of her computers where Oliver was steadily throwing punches at one of the dummies. He was as usual shirtless and wearing a look of deep concentration. Felicity knew though that it was a mask for his feelings. Whenever Laurel was involved the seemingly invincible Oliver Queen got hurt. At this thought some of Felicity's frustration at him disappeared, but none of her resolve; enough to know Oliver was like a caged animal right now and would lash out if provoked.

She kicked off her heels and walked over the mats until she was level with the sparring dummy and in clear view of Oliver. His eyes flicked to her once so she knew he knew she was there, but he didn't stop his movements. If anything his punches got faster and more brutal.

So it was a waiting game, Felicity thought grimly. She would win.

It took a while but eventually Oliver's punches started to lose their rhythm and strength as whatever thoughts that had kept him going were starting to weaken him instead of motivating him.

"Oliver," she said gently and he faltered. "Don't beat yourself up over this. And I mean that literally." She grimaced and looked down pointedly at his raw and bleeding knuckles.

Oliver went to argue but lost his steam before he could utter a word. With a groan he stepped away from her and sat down on the mats before falling backwards so he was on his back and looking up at the ceiling apathetically.

Felicity rolled her eyes; he really was like a two year old having a temper tantrum, and went to get the first aid kit.

Oliver didn't acknowledge her as she sat down next to him, gracefully tucking her legs under her skirt as she made herself comfortable. Taking one of his hands she started to clean and bandage his knuckles.

Once done she stood, replaced the first aid kit and returned to Oliver's side. He was still lying on his back staring at the ceiling. With nothing else left to do Felicity sat down beside him and stretched out until she was lying next to him, feet crossed and her hands gently resting on her stomach.

"I…" Oliver said and then stopped.

"Laurel is important to you, Oliver, we all know that," Felicity said looking up at the ceiling like he was. "We can all see how much of a toll it takes on you when you are both on the outs."

"I just don't understand why it can't be easier," Oliver said quietly.

"Well you did sleep with her sister…"

"I'm aware," he growled.

"…and I was going to say, she forgave you. If she can get over a betrayal that big then as long as you two keep talking and don't give up, you can get through everything else."

Oliver was silent as he processed her words.

Felicity watched out of the corner of her eye as he finally relaxed like a weight was taken off his shoulders. He turned his head so he was facing her and she mirrored the movement.

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

She turned her head so she was back facing the ceiling. "You know I used to love doing this as a kid. Not lying on gross training mats and looking at a dark ceiling, I mean, but lying down outside and looking up at the sky. I used to make shapes out of the clouds and loved it when my family went out of the city for vacation because without the city lights you can see all the stars at night. My dad even got those glow-in-the-dark star stickers and put them all over my bedroom ceiling so before I went to sleep it was like I had my own little night sky." She smiled fondly at the memories. She had been a lonely child, with only a few close friends and often had to amuse herself, but she never really minded.

She remembered where she was and who she was talking to though and cursed the blush that was rising on her cheeks. Turning slightly she faced Oliver who had a puzzled expression on his face.

"You don't usually talk about yourself," he said.

Felicity snorted. "You of all people should know what I can do with my mouth." She covered her face with her hands. "Oh my God. Like that there was a perfect example."

She heard Oliver chuckle and then he was tugging her hands down and away from her face. "I just meant," he explained, "while you do occasionally let some things slip, you don't ever talk about yourself on purpose. It's usually just work orientated."

"There isn't much to say," she shrugged. "And it's not like you're one to talk about yourself either."

"Felicity," he deadpanned, "you know my entire life story."

"Well, yes, but not because you told me. It is kind of common knowledge."

Oliver laughed at that. "Fine, you win. How about we go find some breakfast and you, me and Diggle can share a conversation that is not just about arrows and boardrooms?"

"I'd like that," Felicity smiled glad to see Oliver had gotten over his demons, at least for now.

Oliver sprung to his feet in one lithe move. "Come on then," he said reaching down for her hands to haul her up to her feet. "Let's go get Diggle."


Diggle laughed to himself as he left to bring to car around, amazed at how oblivious Oliver could be sometimes.

Hours earlier Oliver had been in a dark, dark mood, bad enough so that even he had known not to approach. He let Oliver work out his frustrations on the expendable equipment before offering himself up, because sometimes you just needed to hit something that would hit back. Even that hadn't worked and Oliver looked like he would keep going until he dropped.

And then steps up Felicity Smoak. She waited him out, patched him up and then burst the bubble of emotions that had been crushing him since he arrived back with just a few sentences. If you didn't know Felicity you would have been surprised at her mastery of words. But Diggle knew her, and he knew Oliver, and he knew it wasn't just the young woman's unique way of saying things.

Felicity had a way of knocking down the walls Oliver built up by just being herself. She was like a bright light in the darkness of the basement with her ambitious attitude and unintentional witticisms. If she had approached Oliver at the start of the night Diggle was sure Oliver would have calmed down almost straight away. But she knew Oliver and Oliver feeling something was a good thing, he too often locked out his emotions for the greater good and the war he was waging. It was one of the reasons Diggle had joined him in the first place, to keep him tied to the real world, remind him that he wasn't just the hooded man running around the city.

Diggle laughed again.

He may tie Oliver to the real world, but Felicity grounded him.