A/N: I don't own Arrow or its characters.
Felicity falls asleep in the car on the drive to the mansion. Oliver turns the radio down low, driving through Starling City on autopilot. When they get to the house it's almost seven.
He winces. He's an hour late and he's showing up with a mystery blonde. His mother is going to kill him.
"Felicity," he says softly. When she doesn't wake up he reaches over and shakes her lightly. "Felicity, we're here."
She wakes abruptly, jerking back and slamming her head into the window.
"Shit," Oliver mutters. "You okay?"
Her hand goes to the back of her head. "Yeah," she murmurs sleepily. "Ow. I think so."
"Can I look?"
"Um..." Felicity shifts awkwardly in her seat. "Okay."
He leans over and cups the back of her head, fingers digging through her hair until he finds a small swelling knot.
"Ouch," she murmurs, pulling away from him. "Don't."
Oliver frowns, looking out at the house looming in front of them. "Maybe this was a bad idea."
"It's okay," she says, but she sounds like she's trying to reassure herself more than him. "We're already here."
She looks out her window and for the first time seems to realize where they are.
"Oliver," she whispers, "where are we?"
Or maybe not.
"My house," he says, getting out of the car and jogging around to open the door for her.
She stares up at the Queen Mansion in awe. "This is your house?"
"Well, my mother's."
Felicity's jaw drops. "This is where you grew up?"
"Yeah," he says, feeling a wave of rich white boy guilt coming on, and then the door opens.
"Oliver, for heaven's sake, come inside, you're an hour late," his mother snaps.
"Sorry," he says, walking into the foyer. "Traffic was hell."
"Hmm," his mother sighs. "I'm sure."
She notices Felicity hiding behind him and gives him an icy look. "And who's this?"
"Mom, this is Felicity-"
"Smoak," Felicity says quickly. "Felicity Smoak."
Moira ignores her and fixes Oliver with a look. "What have I told you about bringing uninvited friends over to the house?"
"I'm not his friend," Felicity blurts out.
"Excuse me?" his mother says coolly.
"I mean, we just met actually. I'm friends with Sara. Sara Lance? Anyway I was supposed to be staying with her, I'm visiting from out of town, but she had to...do something and Oliver got stuck playing tour guide, which is why we're late, so please don't be mad at him, because it's totally my fault. Oh god, I'm babbling. I'm sorry, I talk a lot when I get nervous."
Oliver stares at her in shock. Not only did Felicity just put several consecutive sentences together, she took all of the blame for him.
This girl is kind of incredible.
"That's quite all right dear," his mother says, giving Felicity an amused little smile.
"Thea, your brother's here, time for dinner," she calls out, leading them to the dining room.
Thea pops out of the den, dressed inexplicably in a beaded crop top and pale pink ball skirt.
"No fair!" she cries when she sees Felicity. "You said Roy couldn't come, why does Ollie get to bring a guest?"
"Because your brother has no sense of propriety," his mother says calmly, sitting down at the head of table.
Thea and Oliver slide into chairs on either side of their mother and Felicity sits on Oliver's left.
"Where's Walter?" Oliver asks.
"Beijing," his mother replies stiffly. "Some people have to travel for their work. Keeping up international relations is imperative-"
"That's why Dad went to Russia so much?" he sneers. "International relations?"
"Watch your tone, darling."
"So who are you?" Thea says bluntly to Felicity, swiftly detouring the conversation.
"Felicity," says Felicity, at the same time Oliver says, "She's Sara's friend."
"Sara's here?" Thea asks hopefully.
"Do you see Sara?" Oliver says.
Thea glares at him. "I was just asking."
She turns her sights on Felicity, and Oliver grips his napkin, praying Thea doesn't rake Felicity over the coals.
"Cool top," Thea says.
Felicity blushes and smiles shyly at Thea. "Your outfit is amazing."
"Thanks," Thea says happily. "If you're in town for a while we should go shopping."
Felicity's smile slips off her face. "Yeah," she says quietly. "Sounds fun."
"Are you in town for long?" Moira asks.
Felicity glances at Oliver and he shrugs.
"I'm not sure," Felicity says. "Indefinitely, I guess."
"So you're not in school?" his mother probes.
"Mom," he says sharply.
"I just graduated actually," Felicity says.
"Really? From where, dear?"
"M.I.T."
His mother gives Felicity a genuine smile. "Well that's quite impressive."
Felicity shrugs. "I like computers."
"You should interview at Queen Consolidated," his mother advises. "I know the IT department is always looking for fresh blood."
"Actually, I have an interview set up for a couple of weeks from now."
"That's wonderful!" Moira exclaims. "I'll be sure to mention you to Walter."
"Mom, I'm sure Felicity doesn't need you to talk her up."
"Don't be silly, dear," his mother says. "I'd be happy to."
"I want a drink," Oliver says loudly.
"Of course you do," Thea rolls her eyes.
"Felicity, would you like a drink?" Oliver asks, ignoring the glares his mother and sister are shooting him.
"Um..." Felicity shrinks a little under the scrutiny of his mother and sister. "Maybe a glass of wine?"
"Red or white?"
"Red, please."
Oliver smiles brilliantly at her and Felicity blushes. "One bottle of red coming up."
xxx
"How come you don't like your mom?" Felicity asks him when they're back in the car, the Queen Mansion shrinking in his review mirror.
"Hmm?"
"Your mom. Why don't you like her?"
"Why do you think I don't like her?" he asks curiously.
Felicity rolls her eyes. "'Cus you were jumping down each other's throats."
He sighs. "It's a long story."
"If you don't want to talk about you can just say so."
"I don't really want to talk about it," he says.
"Okay," she says easily.
A few minutes go by in comfortable silence.
"Hey Felicity?" Oliver asks.
"Yeah?"
"Why are you here?"
Felicity bites her lip, clearly her tell for when she's uncomfortable. "What did Sara tell you?"
"Just that you're in trouble."
"That about sums it up," she mumbles.
"Let me guess, you don't want to talk about it."
"Not really."
"Okay...it's just...how am I supposed to protect you if I don't know what I'm protecting you from?"
Felicity shrugs. "Sara would have told you if she thought you needed to know."
"I guess so."
"Does that bother you?" she asks quietly.
"No. It's just...I'm living with you and I don't know anything about you."
"You know my name."
He snorts.
"You know I went to MIT."
"You told my mother that, not me."
"Fine," she sighs. "What do you want to know?"
"You ever played twenty questions?"
"Contrary to what you seem to think Oliver, I have in fact socialized with other humans before."
"Want to play?"
Felicity hesitates slightly. "Can I pass?"
"Sure."
"Okay."
"Okay, let's start with something easy. Where are you from?"
"Las Vegas."
"It's your turn to ask now," he reminds her.
"Oh right. Okay, was Thea serious about taking me shopping?"
Oliver laughs. "Unfortunately, yes. Thea takes shopping very seriously. What do your parents do?"
"Pass," she says immediately.
"Wow, okay. Before, you told my mother you talk a lot when you're nervous."
"Is there a question in that sentence?"
"You barely talked to me all day. Does that mean I don't make you nervous?"
Felicity gives him a small affirmative head shake. "No, you don't make me nervous."
He grins. "That's good, I thought you were terrified of me."
"I'm not scared of you," she says softly.
"What are you scared of?"
"You don't get follow up questions, you have to wait your turn," she reprimands him. "Why did you let Sara talk you into doing this for me?"
"Because she's my best friend and I'd do anything for her. So what are you scared of?"
"Pass."
"How'd you meet Sara?"
"She tried to pick me up at a casino. How'd you meet Sara?"
"Wait, wait, I think there's a story here. She picked you up at a casino?"
"Yup. Slid into the booth where I was doing my homework, eyed me up and down, and said you're cute."
"Why were you doing homework at a casino?"
"No follow ups. Where'd you go to school?"
"Harvard, Princeton, Penn, and Yale."
Felicity's jaw drops. "How many degrees do you have?"
"Nuh-uh, you said no follow ups," Oliver says cheerfully. "Siblings?"
"No," she says shortly. "Seriously, how many degrees to you have?"
"Zero. Dropped out of all of them. Why computers?"
"Because when I was a kid they understood me better than the other kids did. Computers can't make fun of your glasses or your clothes. Not that you'd understand. I bet you have a billion friends, don't you?"
"Is that your question?"
"I guess so."
"No, I don't have a billion friends. On a scale of one to ten, how much does Nyssa hate you?"
"What?"
"Cus I think I'm at a twenty-five."
"Nyssa thinks I'm adorable," Felicity drawls. "Why doesn't she like you?"
"'Cus I have a dick," Oliver grumbles.
"Yeah I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you and Sara used to sleep together."
Oliver laughs awkwardly. "So she told you about that huh?"
"Yup. In gory detail, actually."
"My apologies," he chuckles.
"No need. From what I've heard I should be congratulating you."
"Please don't."
"Okay."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"It's not your turn. Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Not anymore."
"Anymore?"
"Again, not your turn. Can I ask a question you probably don't want to answer?"
"Sure,"
"How did your dad die?"
"What?" he stammers.
She blinks, her hands twisting in her lap. "I know something happened with the boat but no one ever said how it all happened, exactly. I mean, boats don't just sink for no reason right? Anyway you don't have to tell me, it's just something I was wondering about."
Oliver rubs his eyes with one hand. The thing with being a famous billionaire is that he doesn't usually have to answer questions about his life because everyone already knows the answer.
"You really don't know?" he asks her quietly.
Felicity frowns. "Why would I ask if I knew?"
"I thought Sara told you, I guess."
"Oh. She didn't. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, it's okay." Oliver's hands tighten on the wheel. "We made it to a lifeboat. There weren't enough supplies to keep two people alive. He shot himself."
Felicity's mouth falls open. "Oh my god, Oliver," she says softly. "I didn't know."
"It's okay."
"No," she says shakily. "It's not okay. I'm so sorry."
"Really, it's fine. It happened a long time ago."
Felicity curls up in her seat, hugging her knees to her chest. "Why is it fine because it happened a long time ago? He's still dead. You saw him die."
"It doesn't hurt as much anymore. I have some distance from it now, so it feels...I don't know, less senseless I guess."
Felicity nods at that. "Are you mad at him? For dying?"
He glances at her in surprise but she's staring out the window, her arms tightly wound around her legs.
"I was for awhile," he confesses. "Not anymore."
"Why?" she asks quietly. "What changed?"
"I guess I realized that it wasn't helping. Being mad at him didn't bring him back, and it just made me feel worse. What you resist persists, and all that."
Felicity sits up in her seat. "What does that mean? What you resist persists."
Oliver smiles sadly, remembering silky black hair and dark eyes that held an unshakable light. "It's just this thing that someone I knew used to say. It means that the more energy you put towards something the more power you give it. The more you resist what is, the more pain you're putting yourself through. Once you can accept that things are the way that they are, you stop fighting what is and start working with it to make things better."
Felicity stares at him in wonder. "Did you become a Zen master on that island?"
He can't meet her gaze. "I became a lot of things on the island."
xxx
A/N: Please leave a review, they keep me motivated!