Disclaimer: None of the Characters are mine, they all belong to DC Comics/The CW. Alone the suffering and pain they experience is mine. Well not exactly, I guess, the show is full of angst enough without fanfic authors adding to it.

A/N: After The Climb I went quite Sherlock on the scene, formulated a theory, started writing...just to revise it in the morning with a better theory. Here's the story anyway. The title is a SPN episode, I know, but I like it. Anyways, enjoy.

Felicity knew something was wrong when the assassin came down the steps alone. She had been waiting up with Diggle and Roy when they heard him, his boots a mere whisper on the steps. They had barely spoken in the last four hours (she had kept a close watch of the clock) and the Foundry was as quiet as it had ever been. That was until the assassin came.

The man was of Asian heritage, clad in the traditional garb of the League. Something about his face was sad, although he tried not to show it. He pulled something out of the bag that was slung over his shoulder.

"No," she whispered. A hiccuping sob escaped her and her eyes were tearing. She could barely identify the piece of clothing the assassin held up. It was a thick brown jacket. Olivers jacket.

"No," she said again, louder. "No, no, no, no, no." She hardly registered Diggle's arm around her shoulders, pressing her into his shirt. Somewhere the assassin said something but she didn't want to hear it. Wished she hadn't heard it.

Oliver Queen is dead.

The words made the room spin and her knees give in. They were the only thing that existed for a while. They made time lose it's meaning and drove a knife into her heart.

Oliver Queen is dead.

Later Diggle drove her home. The tears had ceased a while ago, but she still felt like she was going to puke. Sitting in the passenger seat of his car she stared outside.

Starling City bustled in the night like it always did, huge and oblivious. She tried to figure out how long it would take the citizens to figure out their vigilante was gone. How long it would take the police to realize that the city was at their mercy completely.

As they drove past Palmer Technologies another hiccuping sob made it's way past her lips. She let her head fall against the window, ignoring the thousands of mini earthquakes that vibrated through her skull. She could feel Diggle's worried eyes on her and wondered how he could be so calm. Then again he had been in the military and Oliver not the first friend he lost. Another unfairness of life.

"Want me to stay over?," he asked when he halted in front of the apartment.

She shook her head. Taking a deep breath she said: "I'll be alright." Her voice sounded only minimally shaken.

When she closed the door behind her she saw him still sitting by the curb. He would probably be there all night, in case she needed him.

She smiled regardless of the situation and tears started to slip down her cheeks again. Somehow she managed to change before she collapsed on the bed, to exhausted to even crawl under the covers. Felicity closed her eyes. No sleep came and she turned to her side, staring at the empty bed. She imagined Oliver lying next to her, smiling, adoring her. She reached out to touch him, but her hand passed through air before hitting the mattress. Another sob shook her body and she rolled over to where her phone was. She went to recent calls, considering to ring Diggle up, but she never got there. The last number she called pranged on top of the list, ugly and mean, twisting the knife that was already buried in her heart.

For some reason she called him. Of course no one answered so after a minute that felt like forever she was redirected to the mailbox.

"Hi, this is Oliver Queen," the familiar voice answered. "I am currently very busy, so leave a message after the beep." She could hear the smile in his voice.

The beep came and then silence.

"Oliver," she said reluctantly. "I know this is senseless because you are dead, but…." She broke down again. "You are dead," she sobbed into the phone. "You are dead and I….and I already miss you. This just isn't fair. Diggle is outside my apartment in case I need him and it isn't fair because he should be home with Lyla and Sara getting comfort from them." She sobbed more, staring at her phone. She should hang up and go to bed. But she couldn't. "Why are you dead?," she asked the silence. "Why are you dead, Oliver? You said I wouldn't lose you, said I never would. You said you loved me. How can you be dead?"

She listened to the silence, hoping that he would take her call, laugh, say it was all some mistake. The only laughter was that in her head as she remembered his laugh. He laughed so seldom and she missed it already. Finally she hung up.

She went to her gallery, only to realize she had never taken any pictures of him. Curling up with her phone pressed to her chest she fell asleep.

She woke up with her alarm clock, rolled out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still a little red and puffy. Dark rings and messy hair complimented the look. She went to the bathroom to shower but before that came the task of getting out of her new pajamas. The dark green pajamas. The pajamas she had bought because they, more or less subconsciously, reminded her of the Arrow. The knife twisted again and not before long she was a wailing mess on the floor.

She arrived at Palmer Tech only one and a half hours late, her ponytail messy and was promptly ordered into Rays office. Felicity expected him to be furious but one look at her had probably told him all he needed to know because he said: "Please, have a seat."

She did as she was told, giving him an expectant look.

"Felicity, are you okay?"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Lest she started crying in front of her boss.

"Did something happen? Is your mother alright?"

She nodded and felt the tears welling up. Since it was already too late she said: "There….there has been a death in the family. My...my..," she stuttered, the lie not wanting to come.

Ray shook his head. "Felicity, you could've called off. It's okay. I want you to stay home as long as you need to. Do you need a flight home? I can arrange-"

"It's okay," she cut him off, suddenly annoyed. "I'm sorry. I just...I'll go crazy if I stay at home."

He nodded, clearly not satisfied, and dismissed her. She shuffled out of his office, dimly remembering how he had revealed A.T.O.M to her last night. Why did all her bosses turn out to be wanting to save the world in their free time? Why did she attract those damned playboy vigilantes like a magnet? She had half a mind to refuse him. At least that way she wouldn't get hurt again. She stifled another sob.