Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Oliver's eyes bore into Tommy's face, a face of no indication of what emotions run current under his skin. Seconds passed. Minutes, even. And yet still nothing.

Tommy was completely awestricken. Did he hear his best friend correctly? What kind of a fucking drug did he inhale to contrive such a plan? He understood seeking answers so that all the questions could be put to rest— a closure. But this? Ludicrous.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing could have prepared him for that.

Oliver cleared his throat, the growing stone faced reaction and silence making him uncomfortable. He just unraveled a plan worth two years of his life and yet, nothing.

"Tommy?" Oliver questioned, trying to bring his best friend back to earth. Shaking his head in disbelief Tommy could barely formulate a 'what' with his mouth.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you," Oliver tipped his head back, whispering in the air. A confession. A plea.

A few more seconds passed before Tommy could find his voice.

"I'm sorry. I thought I— Did I just hear what I thought I heard? You're going to get my father out of prison?"

"And Felicity's," Oliver said matter-of-factly.

"Yes well of course but, are you serious? Absolutely serious? Are you messing with me? Because if you are, this is not—"

"No, I'm not messing with you. Yes, I'm serious about all of this."

All Tommy could do is gawk at Oliver. Speechless.

"There has to be a reason why out of all the fraudulent claims, illegal trading, offshore accounts, and the still unsolicited money my dad was never brought up, or that he wasn't a part of a single transaction. Your father, Felicity's father, and my father were with each other every step of the way from the moment they started their little corporation to each their separate businesses, they were each other's brother through it all. So, how in the hell was my father not a part in any of it?!" Oliver's raged creeped up on him. If his father double crossed two of his closest friends that in turn hurt two of the most important people in Oliver's life, he had to take him down— exploit him.

Tommy scoffed. "Yeah I always thought about that," he confessed.

Oliver's eyes caught Tommy's, an apology seeping out his irises.

"We'll catch whoever this is Tommy, I promise. Even if it's the last thing I'll do."

"Yeah well let's hope it's not the last thing you do. Just… just take care Oliver. Okay?"

Oliver crossed the distance between him and Tommy, offering a pat on the other man's shoulder. "Always do."

"But," Tommy interjected as Oliver was going to step away. "What about Felicity?"

At the sound of her name, it's as if a ball was shoved and kicked into Oliver's throat. Oliver skimmed his tongue on the undersides of his teeth, as if it were the same as rubbing a genie's lamp to magically find an answer.

"I love her. I never stopped loving her. That's easy." Oliver offered. "Being with her? That's a little bit harder."

Tommy nodded.

"And Laurel?" Oliver asked right back.

"I can't just walk right back in her life after how I just… left her. Especially now knowing about this." Guilt pumped through Tommy's veins. "God. I fucked up." Tommy buried is face in his hands.

"Pain and love, two emotions on different sides of the spectrum, the one thing they have in common? They make you do things without rationality." All Tommy could do was was scoff in agreement. "And I'm gonna need you to do one thing for me." Oliver added.

*5 years ago*

They just kissed. Kiss. As in her lips were on his or his lips were on hers. Does it matter which way? The point is that her lips touched his and it was marvelous.

That is until they separated and the reality swarmed into their ears and right to their brain.

They just kissed.

Oh fuck.

Neither Felicity or Oliver said a word or even glanced at the other throughout the remainder of the movie. And since Tommy and Laurel came in a separate vehicles, she was forced to ride back with Oliver. How great.

After the movie finished Felicity could barely find the nerve to move up and out of her seat. Not until Tommy kicked her out of trance.

"Coming Smoak?" Tommy smirked.

Felicity wasn't sure if he saw what had happened, not that she wanted to ask with Oliver right there, but hell if he did, she wouldn't hear the end of this.

"Right. The movie is done. That means were leaving."

"Yeah." Tommy and Laurel stared at the nervous Felicity still sitting in her seat, Oliver looking everywhere but. "Any day Smoak," Tommy reminded.

"Right." Felicity scurried out of her seat, tripping right into Oliver's space.

His hands reacted faster his brain could think, his mind reprimanding his hands when he caught Felicity by the waist. Not that he didn't want to catch Felicity, he'd hope to catch her in a different circumstance, in a different situation.

Their goodbyes to Tommy and Laurel were stiff, succinct, and plain out awkward. Oliver moved to say goodbye to Tommy just as Felicity was moving in to hug him, hoping to find some comfort in her best friend. They all just got stuck in an awkward 3 men tango.

Oliver and Felicity made their way back to the car, Oliver hurrying his pace. He unlocked the doors and turned the engine onto life while Felicity struggled to get to the car with Oliver's hastiness. The drive was painful. Silence hung in the car as they drove through the equally silent streets of Starling City.

Oliver rounded the corner onto Felicity's street and she breathed a sigh of a relief. Oliver couldn't help but notice the tension leaving Felicity's body the closer they neared her house. He was losing time to apologize, to talk to her, to figure things out. He couldn't end the night like this. No. He pulled over to the curb 2 houses away from hers and cut the engine.

"Ol— Wh— Oliver what are you doing?" Her heart hammered in her chest. So close yet so far. Should she make a run for it? No. That's stupid. Oliver's not going to do anything.

"Felicity…" Her name died on his lips. God, get her out of here. "We need to talk about what happened."

"We kissed. That happened. Accidentally, I might add. Your face was close. Mine as well. It was awkward. It is awkward. End of story. Can I go home now?" Her voice little at the request.

Oliver grumbled. "We both know that, that wasn't what happened."

This was the moment people make choices and live the rest of their life according to those choices. Does she offer another excuse to just go right on home or does she want to talk about it?

Heartbeats passed before she opened her mouth to reply, her voice little. "So what did happen Oliver?"

He was finally able to look her in the eye. Blue on blue, like the ocean that held a vast amount of life, of freedom, of possibilities.

"I'm sorry. I was out of line. You face was right there. I mean, I was the one to inch closer so yeah, it is my doing. So um. I'm sorry I didn't mean to like, to make you uncomfortable. Like right now."

"Usually it's me talking in sentence fragments."

They both lightly chuckled.

"I am sorry, Felicity."

She just stared at him. Choices. Summer. College. The past, the present, and the future swirled in her head. She wasn't sorry. But does she say that? Won't it change everything?

She bit her lips, not believing what she was about to say. "Well I'm not," Oliver narrowed his eyes at he response. "For kissing you, I mean."

If waiting could kill, she'd be dead. Waiting for what Oliver was going to say was agonizing. She was debating to just make a run for it. He was too stunned to go after anyways.

But then the corners of his lips started to pinch upwards. His teeth peaked through his lips revealing the teeth that she wanted to run her tongue against, his smile obliterating all the worry that started to bubble in her stomach.

"I wasn't sorry for that either," he grinned. Above them up in the sky the stars and planet aligned. "I've been waiting to do that for a very long time actually."

"And I was wondering if it will ever happen."

"It did."

"It did," Felicity solidified.

And just like that, their story began.

Felicity collapsed on her couch. She was on her feet a lot, supervising the other IT techs on their latest projects. Being the head of the IT division at Queen Consolidated wasn't a bad job, it just wasn't her dream job. When she was younger she had plans of opening her own IT company that ranged from cybersecurity to game programming. But all of her dreams had been crushed when her father was sent to prison. Her family practically lost all of their money with exceptions to the money that was actually obtained legally, and above all, their name was tainted. No one would dare do business with her once she finished college. So this job at Queen Consolidated wasn't all too bad. Plus she owned a share of stock and was part of the board. She was well off for someone who lost everything she had.

A knock on her door elicited a groan from her lips. "Who is it?" She called out, not wanting to get up from the couch.

"The best friend, ever. Don't worry, I'm not drunk this time."

Willing herself up off the couch she opened her door to find a smiling Tommy. She all but grumbled.

"What do you want?"

"Is that how you greet everyone nowadays? That's rude Smoak."

She moved from the doorway to let Tommy in and he collapsed on her couch just as he had the night before.

"Just a long day at work." It was a long day at work, but that wasn't what had her in such an… off mood. At her meeting with Oliver he revealed to her how he was going to throw a QC fundraiser gala. Apart from making sure that the security on the IT aspect of things were solid, she had one more thing to worry about: a date.

"Funny you mention work, though I knew you were going to anyways." Felicity mocked laugh. "I come here to save you from you impeding hell."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my sources say that QC is going to have a gala." Not really sources, plural. More like source and from who? Well, he got the information at the highest level that it could leak from, Oliver. Oliver had ask Tommy to take Felicity, a little overboard but then again who else would she go with? Who else would he go with? Now that Tommy knew Oliver's plan he intends to help him all that he can. This was one way. "Be my date."

"Was that even a question?"

"No."

"Then, no."

"What?!"

"No."

Tommy chuckled. "Let it sink in."

Felicity just glared at Tommy. This would take care of her 'no date' situation and she doesn't have to go through the hassle of trying to look for a date. Or worse, showing up alone. At the very least she knew that Tommy and her were just friends and she wouldn't have to explain to the poor guy, if she would have taken someone else, that he was her date for the sole purpose of having a date.

"Fine." Felicity grumbled. If she rolled her eyes any harder, they would have fallen out of her socket.

"Told ya." Tommy laughed. Felicity forced a tight smile.

Neither Tommy and Felicity said a word but the same thought crossed their minds: this will be interesting.