Disclaimer: I own nothing, and am just borrowing these characters for a while.

I found this chapter very hard to write, my muse went walkabouts until I heard the following song 'Control' by Matrix and Futurebound. It really hits home about how I think Oliver feels about Felicity.

I don't want to lose control

but the minute I feel you next to me your fire takes hold

falling like a burning stone

but it feels like your my gravity, gonna let myself go

Chapter 3

Twenty three minutes, that is how long Oliver took to regroup after Felicity left. Acutely aware she was mere metres away, the longer she stirred upstairs, the harder it was to stay away. Every sinew screamed get up there! The urge to act in a very non-platonic way utterly overwhelming. Visions of helping her undress tormented his senses - fingers lightly tracing the dip in her back as she stepped out of her dress, the way her pert breasts sat within the black lace bra... A strangled groan resonated around the room - he had seen her bra...couldn't look away...a furtive flash of lace when she slid off him. Distracted, he thumbed his bottom lip, it was tender. Had she bit him? Head tilted back against the chair; a memory refused to be tamed. The urgent way her kisses demanded his submission, a tug, then shock of pain...the lascivious swirl of her tongue against his. Yes, she had bit him, and he had luxuriated in the pain.

Jolted from his stupor by screeching from a nearby fox, sluggishly he stood and shuffled out of his jeans. Keys, wallet and cell phone haphazardly landed on the coffee table. A flashing light drew his attention to a waiting message.

Dig left some clothes when he crashed here. Check the closet. F x

The message was fairly innocuous and typically Felicity, but like so many things between them held multiple meanings. Least he would have a fresh set of clothes for the morning, however he drew the line at wearing Dig's underwear.

Bed prepared, lamp turned off; he crawled onto the roll out and collapsed onto his back. One arm weaved under the cushion come pillow, the other rubbed grittiness from his eyes. His thoughts drifted back to her words...I need the world to be about me for a while... It was a fair demand. Who wouldn't want to be the deciding factor in their lives? Having spent five years of his life dictated by other people, rationally he understood her plea. However, that did not stop the selfish part of him thinking maybe, just maybe, she might change her mind. Rolling onto his side, the blanket pooled around his waist. Now faced with the pulsing red glow of Felicity's security system, he soon drifted to sleep.

The smell of coffee and daylight streaming into the living room woke Oliver. Groggily he stretched for his cell phone. A split second later he bolted upright, it had been a long time since he slept past 9am. Momentarily disoriented at the unfamiliar surroundings, a few seconds passed before he remembered where he was.

'Felicity…?' Sleep affecting his timbre. Pulling on his jeans, he padded barefoot into the kitchen.

Shielding his eyes from the influx of bright light; several testing blinks later he noticed to his immediate right, a white island with a grey marble top, and four baby blue stools. Sunflowers proudly took centre of place. To his left, an expanse of modern white units lined up against the wall. Interspaced around the kitchen, a cooker, fridge and dishwasher in the same baby blue colour as the stools. In the far right corner, a cosy circular oak dining table, on that yellow place settings.

Nails idly drumming against porcelain drew his attention. Leaning against the countertop Felicity stared out into the garden, completely unaware of his presence. Blond hair loosely fell over her shoulders, a white strappy tank top revealed a hint of that black bra, bare legs flowed from lilac cotton sleep shorts. Gently he rested against the door frame, hands tucked into his pockets, captivated by the vision in front of him.

'Hey...' he softly exhaled.

Surprised she pivoted around, 'hey...' mimicking his tone with a contented smile. 'So, uh…coffee's up...', pointing to a freshly brewed pot near him., whilst shuffling onto a stool.

Opting to bypass the caffeine boost, he gingerly slid into the seat opposite her. Sweaty palms swept over his jeans. He had battled Malcolm Merlyn, Mirakuru enhanced super soldiers, Slade. Yet this small blond intimidated him more at this very moment, than any of those death defying situations.

'Oliver...'

Her tone, it was wasn't the excited Oliver's back safe, or the breathy Oliver's shirtless again, or even the weary Oliver's being an ass. No, this tone was no nonsense Felicity. The one she used to cut to the chase.

'Yeah...' he resignedly croaked.

'Last night, you said some things. Lots of things, some of them well overdue...'

Wearily he nodded. His smile felt strained, even more so than when he had to face board members during the excruciatingly dull progress meetings.

'Anyway, one thing...you know...you said...' she cocked her head inviting him to remember. 'You said something that really shocked me, and I've seen and heard a lot ofthings...' Fixing her gaze on him.

'Felicity...' he softly whispered. Stretching his palm out towards hers, his index finger mere centimetres away from hers. The frisson of anticipation skittered down his spine.

'You said I'm your endgame. What does that mean?' Scepticism coloured her question halting his movement.

Brow furrowed in concentration, cautiously he began, 'on the island after Shado died, and I thought I had lost Sara for the second time, the part of me that felt anything shut down...It was too painful to keep grieving...I needed that energy to survive...' he faltered. The oily sensation of fear squirming inside. Just like that, back on Lian Yu, all alone, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

The warmth of a hand over his own brought him back. Felicity the demon slayer, the only one who could anchor him to the here and now. Deliberately turning her palm upwards, he lazily traced the heart line, pressed his palm to hers, watching in fascination as their fingers intertwined. This was where he wanted to be, the wake up call he needed so earnestly continued, 'you make me want to feel. You make me a better person. I want to be with you. That is why you are my endgame.'

Filled with a renewed sense of purpose, sanguinely he stood and approached her. Master of controlling his emotions to the outside world, on the inside he was a nervous wreck. The myriad of emotions flickering across her features reflecting how he felt right at that moment. Jaw clenched, his absolute focus was on Felicity even though she studiously avoided eye contact.

'Oliver-'

'Stand up', he gently commanded.

Instinctively he tightened his grasp, already anticipating her reaction; felt her pulling away. Little by little, her stance relaxed into his, and soon her body moulded against his solid frame. Afraid she would bolt out of reach, his arms held her securely in place. Tentatively, Oliver's chin rested atop her head, he was under no illusion she could hear the rapid thud thud thud as he tried to steady himself. Inhaling deeply, the tantalizing scent that was uniquely Felicity enthralled and eventually calmed him. Usually Oliver's internal chronometer resolutely kept him aware of the passing of time. But in that instance, right where he wanted to be, time held no meaning. If anyone were to ask, he would say they stood there for seconds or hours or days. So at peace he welcomed the loss of control, contentedly enjoying the stillness all around them.

'You definitely have a way with words...' Felicity finally broke the silence, her breath tickling his chest. 'Where was that Oliver when we had to get QC back?' Lightly slapping him in mock indignation.

Oliver didn't fight the uptick of a growing smile, but that soon changed as he sensed a shift within her. Seriously she asked, 'what am I meant to say when you declare you want to spend the rest of your life with me?' Peering upwards, 'that's what you meant? I don't want to be presumptuous, usually -'

Impulsively he kissed her. Urgently, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. Clamouring to close the height difference, Felicity balanced on her tip toes, swaying into him. Swiftly, he lifted her onto the countertop, her yelp of surprise shifting into incoherent sounds, as he settled between her legs. Something primal erupted within him, frantically laying kisses wherever he dared - her mouth, her neck, trailing seductively down to the tops of the breasts.

Oliver's amorous attentions were demanded elsewhere, happily he acquiesced finding himself engaged in heated open mouthed kisses. She arched into his embrace, slipping both hands under his t-shirt. When her nails scraped across his abdomen, he nearly buckled. Her legs indeed acting like an anchor kept him upright. She frantically pulled at his t-shirt, understanding what she wanted, his arms stretched aloft as Felicity fiercely yanked it off whilst peppering him with kisses.

One hand splayed against her back, he inched towards the hooks holding Felicity's bra in place, the other firmly gripped her thigh to allow her the space she needed to unbuckled his belt. If she didn't hurry, he would rip the belt off himself.

'Oliver...' she moaned.

As far as he was concerned the bedroom was too far away. Maybe, they could make it to the sofa. Focusing on her clavicle, in his position she sensually grazed his scalp with her nails, he shuddered with delight.

'Oliver...' this time more wanton. 'However you're doing that, don't ever stop...'

'Mmmmm?' Having turned his attentions to extracting her from her shorts.

'Ohhhh...that...that vibrating...'

'S'not me...your cell...ignore it', capturing her lips once again. Trying to work out if the counter was conducive to mind blowing sex.

'Oh...ohhh…' she happily sighed.

Then the house phone rang, loudly enough to briefly break their momentum. Felicity's head turned towards the shrill sound.

'Ignore it!' he growled, hastily making her face him once again. He jerked her forward, smugly grinning into their kiss when she buckled into him. As intimate as they could be semi-clothed, his body no longer under his control, her every caress sent tendrils of fire skittering across his flesh. Once again engaged in oral battle, neither willing to concede.

Still the phone continued to ring. If Oliver thought he would get away with smashing the damn thing, he might carry her over and do it.

'...What if it's Dig?...' murmuring into his embrace. It took several firm shoves before he relented and loosened his hold. Escaping from his clutches, she firmly cupped his face. 'Oliver! Focus! It could be an emergency,' bouncing off the countertop, Felicity sprinted into the living room.

Alone in the kitchen, with nothing other than his scattered thoughts he slouched heavily against the counter, resting against his forearms. What the hell had just happened? It was one thing to want Felicity, it was another to throw caution to the wind and consummate their undefined relationship. Thrown, he flopped his head down onto the cool marble, and groaned, before refocusing on the cause of the interruption. In the background muffled speaking, then silence. A few minutes passed; Felicity bashfully hovered around the doorway.

'Diggle okay?' he nonchalantly enquired. T-shirt back on, jeans made presentable, he reached out towards her. Whatever that was, the moment had passed but that didn't mean he still didn't want to hold her.

Firmly rooted to her position, sheepishly she replied, 'um, not Diggle. Nope, he's fine. I guess...maybe you should call and check. Yes! that would be a great idea. Go call Diggle...' authoritatively pointing towards the phone.

'Felicity?-' he stalked towards her, eyebrows knitted in suspicion.

Taking a step back, she stuttered whilst adjusting her glasses, 'It was Ray...Palmer. Ray Palmer...my boss', abruptly adding, 'my other boss. Uh, he was checking that I got home okay last night...'

Mentally counting to 10 before speaking again. 'Why did he need to check you got home ok last night?' Oliver sincerely hoped he sounded calmer than he felt. The atmosphere in the room felt heavier, no doubt a manifestation the possessiveness he now struggled to keep in check. When it came to Felicity, it was harder and harder to reign in his need to claim her, have the world know she was Oliver Queen's.

Reacting to his inquisitorial tone, 'oh no! You do not get to be that guy!' storming off into the living room.

Rushing after her, he grabbed her arm to spin her back to him. 'Yes, I do!', he ground out between clenched teeth.

Yanking herself free. 'No! No you do not! What does it matter if Ray calls me? You made it crystal clear that there could never be anything between us...' putting on a poor imitation of him, '...because of the life I lead...blah...blah...blah...'

'Felicity-' he intimidated in his best Arrow voice, pissed off that his words had come back to haunt him yet again. Would she ever forgive him for being so short sighted?

Pointing at him, 'see! There it is, the grrrr voice and face. If you really must know, my team, all of us went out for drinks...not drinks, with Ray. One arrogant, handsome, too smart for his own good, billionaire is enough!' waving her arms around angrily.

'Former billionaire' he calmly corrected her. Backhanded compliment or not, he was still seething. 'Doesn't explain why he's calling you?'

'Again, I repeat my earlier statement. Why does it matter?' she challenged.

'Because...' his voice trailed off. Hands shoved roughly through his hair. He needed a second to think.

'Oh my God! You sound like a petulant child. Because what?!' exasperated by Oliver illusive response.

'Because it matters...' he quietly whispered.

'Tell me why Oliver, or so help me...' she was so furious. 'Why can't you ever just say what you mean!' Now yelling, 'why do we always have to go through this song and-'

'IT MATTERS BECAUSE YOU ARE MY GIRL!' Explosively shooting her down.

'Oh', she mouthed silently.

'Yes. Oh', mimicking her. Oliver gravitated towards her, softening his tone, 'so I do get to be that guy. Jesus Christ, not 10 minutes ago we almost...' flustered and unsure how to broach the subject '...had sex in your kitchen'.

'Yeah, we did.' She sighed. Oliver's gaze followed as she walked towards the armchair she had sat in the night before. Rooted to the spot, suddenly there was nothing more he could say.

Elbows propped on her knees, head resting on her palms. Felicity carefully considered him, 'you and your pretty words sexmatised me', barely suppressing the uptick of a sphinx like smile.

Cocking his head, Oliver grinned, 'is sexmatised even a word?'

'It should be. With your pretty face, awesome body and amazing lips. You befuddle my brain'. Pointing to her head, 'you're all up in here, all the time'. Then solemnly, 'sometimes its so overwhelming I feel like I can't breathe, can't move. Like I don't know where I begin and you end. It's why I need time to myself...'

'I thought...' Forlornly, he perched on the chair opposite her. It took all his energy not to collapse as the world seemingly tipped on its side.

'You know how I feel about you Oliver.' Fully upright in the chair, she faced him crossed legged. Either arm resting on the armrests.

Apprehensively, he brought up their kiss last night. Answering his own enquiry, 'you were drunk', voice trailing off, he failed miserably to hide his disappointment.

'Alcohol may have influenced my boldness, but I knew exactly what I was doing'. Poised she held his gaze, 'I needed to know if what I feel for you is grounded in true emotions or if it's because of your aesthetic appeal. Lets face it, you are blessed in the looks department, and you're always parading around shirtless and a girl can only fantasise for so long...' She looked directly at him with an intensity that made him shrink slightly. 'I want you, I want to be with you, apparently that's blatant to everyone else, apart from you...until recently. But...I just need-'

'...time...I know...', finally finding his voice. 'You were right, last night. I do...did...expect you to blindly follow my lead...be there for me...waiting. I never considered just how much that affected you. I'm sorry. You need time, take time...just...just don't completely disappear out of my life...'

'I'm not going anywhere Oliver', scooting over to sit next to him on the sofa. 'I just need to balance my night time activities, against, oh I don't know getting back to my kickass bed before 11pm. You should try it, it's freaking amazing...' seconds passed, he waited for her to realise she had propositioned him, albeit unintentionally. 'Crapsicles...I meant your own bed, not mine, going to bed, separately, at a decent time...'

He wistfully grinned, 'I knew that Felicity'. Quietly, he let slip, 'You got back last night at 1am -'

'How do you know that?' Dismissively, she muttered, 'never mind, I should have known you were there'. She rubbed up and down her exposed legs. 'I feel like I owe you an apology...'

Curiously, he asked 'what for?' If anyone owed anyone an apology it was him, for being so blind, so resistant, so foolish...

'I tell you we can't be together, then we almost end up...you know, having S E X. And when you did that thing...wow...' hiding behind her hands, she groaned in embarrassment.

Oliver grinned, a genuine grin in what felt like ages. Well aware of the thing, shyly he replied, 'glad you enjoyed it'.

She dropped her hands, and looked serious once again. 'You've not asked how much time I need...'

'I told you, we're endgame...I'm not going anywhere', Oliver never so sure of anything in his life. 'We both know where we stand'. Clasping her hands, he grazed her knuckles with a kiss. Briefly caressing his cheek against the warmth of her flesh. It was time to accept that what he wanted was not a priority right now, and for once he was going to put aside his needs and wants. The old adage, if you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were never so true. He was going to give her space, and she was hopefully going to come back to him.

'I think it's time for me to go...and that's the hardest thing I've ever had to say.'

After gathering his belonging, he pulled her upright ensuring she followed as he headed towards the door. Oliver peeked through the window, it was going to be a nice day. The sun peering down from the sky. Finally a little wiser for opening up to her, quietly they stood toe to toe. Tenderly resting his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, he focused on keeping his breathing in time with hers.

'You are remarkable...' he whispered reverentially. 'When you're ready, I'll be here...I'll always be here', hoping her super smart brain would process the words he'd never been able to say to her before.

Felicity mutely nodded, eyes also closed. 'Yep, my choice', half-heartedly agreeing with him. 'Oliver, I'm-'

'...always going to be the girl I love...' Oliver finishing her sentence. He didn't need to hear anything else.

He opened his eyes just in time to register the awe in her expression. There and then he knew she had finally understood. Initiating a final kiss, one hand now tangled in her hair, the other holding her impossibly close. He needed to have as much contact with her as possible. At some point her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him even closer.

Then just as quick, he let her go and walked out the front door. Giving her the space she so desperately needed.

The ride back to the lair was slow and comfortable. Oliver felt lighter than he had done in ages. He may not have the girl, but he would, and he was in it for the long haul. He meant it, she was his endgame. Back at the lair, showered and changed, he tended to the fern she had given him. For once, at peace with their relationship he resolved to make up with the other woman in his life, picking up his cell, 'Thea, want to do something today?'.