Waiting for You

by Estelle Stafford

One Shot

Summary: It's a year after the destruction of the Glades and Oliver has chosen Felicity to go with him at a Benefit but it is just supposed to be a reward for hard work, but Oliver does not know that. Fluff mostly.

She was the most beautiful thing in the world and she did not know it. She was so polite, and so well-spoken. The woman was dressed up in a long purple gown that draped in the front in layers, the bottom part was long, graceful revealing a sliver of her long legs. It was like she belong in this world of shiny lights hanging above, over priced food, and music by people that the observer could only dream of hearing if she had never knew Oliver. The elegant woman's long wavy brown hair, her soft eyes, her lips. What was worse she could not hate her. If Felicity did not know any better she would say she was in love with Laurel.

How on Earth could she compete with that? Quit looking! Felicity told herself, you already feel awkward enough.

She was fidgeting in her short red dress that barely was long enough to cover her panties when she sat down. It was very simple with imprinted roses all over the fabric and two straps around her neck, holding it together. She knew she should of wore something longer, but she listened to her friend Bethany that said she looked really sexy and Oliver would not be able to keep his eyes off her.

Except he had...

She was standing there pulling her dress while he was talking to-Miss Perfect, I can't help it that I'm super amazing and I am nice though I should be a snob since I am so super but I am not-Laurel who was on the new D.A.'s arm. It was easy to see the chemistry between the two of them, Oliver –not the D.A.-and her—not Felicity but damn she wished it was her. Though she never wish to be like Laurel she liked herself as she was but she wanted to be in her position. Bejeezbees, she even rambled in her head.

She took a glass wine from the waiter, she tried sipping it casually but the more she saw Oliver smile like that, the more she drank. He never smiled like that at her. She took another sip at that thought.

She wondered why he even invited her here. It was held by Queen Consolidated, a fundraiser for the Glades-which they were still trying to put back together. She was under the pretext that he brought her as an reward for completing the list and moving onto the next one—They had devised a new list of people that needed a wake up call that had not been on been on Oliver's father list. Felicity liked to call it the Black Mark List, she watched Pirates of Caribbean one too many times-

He reserved a fancy restaurant for Carly and Diggle and then he brought her here. Only she was not sure it was rewarding, It did not feel like that...well the food and wine was nice...the wine was very nice. And it was good because it was for a good cause, finally fixing something that happened a year ago.

A year...

Since she almost died, since John was seriously injured and had to go months of physical therapy, since Tommy died, since thousands more died and worse of all since Oliver Queen almost fell apart. After the incident, he seemed even colder than he had ever been before.

Detaching himself from everyone, even Laurel who he had loved more than anything. Felicity had been in shock when she heard about that one. Oliver simply said, "The mission is not over." As if that explained it all, as if it was a good enough excuse to let go of the one thing that kept him going on those years on the island. Of course, he never told her Laurel was his reason. Trying to get her Oliver to express feelings especially about the island well...she would have more luck trying to shut him with an arrow—not that she would-but she knew by the way he looked at the Lawyer when she caught them that day in the foundry, he had smile like that, too. So forgive the IT girl if she thought that excuse was complete bull hockey.

That was not all.

He had barely spoke with his sister, who seemed to suffer the most because she had lost both her parents. Oliver, she knew must have been grieving too, but he seemed like all he cared about was the mission. At least his sister was getting better because she had Roy and Walter-who had taken custody of her. But Thea had needed her big brother but just like when he first came back he barely spent time with her at all.

And he shut everyone out, by working all the time. He helped at Queen Consolidated with Walter everyday, though his former-step father rarely saw him. The only person that saw the executive consistently at all at work was his assistant and that was long enough for the guy to drop off paperwork and messages.

Then he did his vigilant thing and went to sleep-if he slept at all. He never had lunch with anyone, sure he made appearances at parties but that was a few minutes here and there enough to make people think he was still the partying type despite the reality that was not him at all, and she knew he was hardly ever home—she often caught him sleeping in his office at Verdant and the only people he socialized with was her and Diggle...barely.

He was shutting down she saw it coming like a password that took her little longer to crack than usual but she knew she would break. She was not sure this time he be able to pick up the pieces. The worse part was that he would not let anyone else either. And that horrible idea of him becom so broken and even more loss than before. She just knew it would probably shut her system down. She did not know how much longer, she could watch him like this. The idea put a major dent in her heart. She could not stand the idea of it.

So one day...

They were in the foundry doing their normal thing. She clacked at the computers, Diggle and Oliver went at each other.

When the boys took a break Oliver peered over her shoulder, "Have you found him yet?"

"Working on it, the guy's not stupid, he has been living off the grid for awhile, but I'm thinking one of his buddies might not be so smart."

"Well, keep at it."

"Yeah, I always do. That's what I do...you know day in and day out..." One would think seeing him everyday, would make it harder to drool but alas she still got her breath taking away by the indention in his stomach that made the perfect six pack. She quickly regain her senses and went back to hitting keys.

"So Oliver that Mariah is pretty nice," Diggle took a swig of Water.

"She's fine." Quick, short, straight to the point that was her Oliver.

"Just fine! Oliver she's gorgeous, sometimes I wonder if you are still fully operational."

The Vigilant grabbed his arrow and shot at a bag pass Diggle's head. "Don't you have a girlfriend?" The bodyguard was about to speak up, "and don't say I should date her." A fist slammed into the bag.

Felicity cringed as she felt the tension in the room, but she also was fidgeting because as usual there was something on her tongue. Lately, though she had been trying to keep it to herself knowing it might evoke his wrath, "Oliver, you're even worse than you were before. You can't keep this up."

"I'm fine," He growled.

Felicity's tongue slipped out, "You're not fine, stop keeping it all in! You are not alone on an island anymore." She now stood up and turned to face him. It was more unsettling than she expected. " You have people who need you. So quit being such a...wimp and let it out...and not on the punching bags, they suffer enough as it is, they did nothing to you. Though bags don't really suffer." She realized the ridiculousness of her statement once she said it.

Diggle stared at her in disbelief.

There was an intense moment of silence and she fidgeted with her glasses. Took a deep sigh and stared at him with her eyes that probably resemble something like a mad doe. She waited for him to say something, ready to hold her ground. She cared too much not to, somebody needed to get through to him.

Then Oliver broke into a big long laugh. One she had never heard before and she smiled at him. Diggs also began to laugh along. For a moment they felt relaxed and like they have not been in a long time.

"Felicity you say the most ridiculous things, suffering punching bags, really?" And then after a moment he returned to serious. "And I wasn't alone on the island, I think honestly sometimes that was what made it worse. Now I'm afraid of losing anyone again...I have a hard time talking about the island. How would I talk about how I failed this city? And how can I let somebody in, knowing I can't always protect them?" He stared right at his IT girl, briefly wondering when she became his maybe when she came under his care, "I didn't always protect you." There it was, the tears did not come but his voice sounded so broken. Felicity threw herself on him and he did not stop her, she wrapped her arms around him.

"You never failed me not once," She looked up at him, "If you ever need somebody to talk about your day, past, present, and future, well I suppose I can not include future will I guess ambitions...ah I'm babbling...I'm right here, Diggs is too. It doesn't matter what it is, you don't have to be The Hood, the playboy, you can be just sexy Oliver Queen...um I mean um plain Oliver." She let him go, feeling a bit awkward as she adjusted her blouse.

Diggle gave Oliver a manly hug, which meant it was quick and only half a hug. "Well, Oliver you really do got to start letting people in. We are all afraid of losing someone, but you can't live life alone."

"I know, but I can't talk about it today," He replied with a half smile directed at Felicity, "But I will."

And a few weeks later after he been shot and was being sewed up; he slowly began to talk about the horrors of the island. "I watched the man who saved my life numerous times shot down in front of me with his daughter watching. It was unbelievable, despite all that I been through. I failed then too..."Both Diggle and Felicity listened not judging or even saying poor Oliver.

They just listened.

And it got better, their friendship grew stronger. So did Felicity's little wittle crush, she believed in him so much. She knew though she would always been his IT girl, his friend. She knew that. Really she did, but her heart was dumb, and like an idiot when he asked her to this thing she thought for a mega-bit, okay maybe a giga-bite that he saw something more.

She was not thinking that now, as his eyes were on Laurel. She barely was standing when they glanced back at her. "Are they talking about me?" Boy, she wished she had the com in her ears so she could understand what they were saying-not that she would remember in the morning. Huh...The ground seemed a bit shaky.

She took another glass of wine, two too many now. Now she was sure the ground was flying.

"Hey you wanna dance?" Some random guy asked.

"Uh," he was alright looking so she believed; but maybe it was the alcohol. "Suuuure."

This was probably the worse idea she could have, but even a genius could not be brilliant when she was drunk. Everything felt like it was spinning faster than a tornado. She suddenly felt something rising in her throat. The guy stepped back as she began to make weird noses.

"I think I need to use the restroom." The guy made the quickest exit she ever seen. Surly the guy could have gave The Flash a run for his money. She would have taken another moment to even feel more sorry for herself. But instead she thought maybe the bathroom was an amazing idea as the smell hit her nose.

She stumbled into the restrooms, not even bothering too look up, she let the cool air hit her as that urge came back. Conveniently...there was a trashcan by the door. So she puked in it.

"Felicity?" She heard her date's voice from behind. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, just didn't like that uh...everything," She threw up again, and he gently pulled her blond strands away from her face.

"Little too much to drink, huh," She gazed up with her dazed eyes to see him giving her a halfhearted smile or maybe he was laughing at her. She will go with smiling because...it was nicer.

"What are you doing in the girls room?" She wondered immediately, of all the things she could ask this was thing currently bothering her the most. "Men don't belong in the bathroom with ladiesss, it isn't proper. I bet that was an early lesson. Not that you sneaked into women's bathrooms when you were little."

"Actually, it's the men's."

"Oh," her face felled and then it rose back into angry as she realized something, "So that guy just ditched me!" She was about to go give him a piece of her mind even though she had no idea who he was when... she miss-stepped. Oliver caught her by her waist, steadying her.

She looked down at the now heelless shoe, "I broke a heel," She whined, "and normally I wouldn't care but I just bought these...especially for you, along with this dress you probably didn't notice." She tugged at it again. He held her there for a moment.

"Oh I noticed." Despite her being completely intoxicated, she was still intoxicating...She showed off her curvy legs, among everything else because that dress hugged her so well, it left so little to imagination. He had to glare at so many men that Laurel thought something was seriously wrong. There was...Felicity was his damn-it, but not the kind of serious the lawyer was thinking about.

"You have," She lit up, "good cause Bethany said I look sextapalur. That's not a real word is it?"

"No," He tried to hold back his laughter instead of giving her a face of being slightly amused.

"It should be, I like it. It's fun to say, Sex-ta-uuular, sex—ta-cular, sex—ta," She was rather dizzy and leaned even more on the toned abs of her boss.

Oliver could feel his whole body tense. Hearing her saying things like that was making it hard for his brain to work properly, "Uh I think I should take you home," He said as he ushered her out the door.

"What? Don't want people see me drunk and uh...acting stupid. Yeah," She tried poking him though it came out more like a light tap that was off aim every time. "I bet Laurel could hold her liquor better! Why didn't you ask her? Huh, why did you ask me? I think I wasted money on this dress, you probably didn't even noticed."

"I said I did," He escorted her outside. He got his keys to his BMV from a young man who had just returned from parking another car. "Thank you," and he handed the guy a tip.

"Not that..." She waved her hand wildly, "Oh okay that...so you noticed?" she got right in his face and he had to hold her by the waist to keep her from falling backwards on the steps. "Mmm," She giggled a bit, "I like being in your arms." Her voice sounded like a shy teenager.

"Felicity let's just get in the car." His voice was firm as he guided her into the car.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?" She stuck her bottom lip out as she moped when he turned the ignition on.

"No," he replied slightly irritated because he wanted to do something with her lips.

"Yes, you are you got your doom look."

"My what?" He was a little surprised and amused at the same time.

"Doom look, you know, 'You have fail this city'" She mimicked. He smiled a bit, though really he should be annoyed with her awful impression of him. He could not help but think it was cute. "That's what I call it, the look of doom. You got it right now."

"No, I don't, let me just get you home."

It was a few minutes later...

He had one arm under her legs and another on her back as he took it step at a time not wanting to drop her. "Here comes the bride, here comes the bride," She sung out loud.

He managed to get her to the apartment without waking the neighbors. He still thought that was a miracle even for the hood. "Where is your key?" He focused his attention at the squirmy blond beauty in his arms.

"Uh, I think...um," She squinted her face to look like she was thinking but nothing was coming to the surface.

"Is it in your purse?" He began to reach for the purse that was currently smashed against his chest.

"No, no," She swatted him. Well...more like tried to, her arms had completely missed him, despite him being right there. "You never go through a woman's purse." He rolled his eyes as she tried looking in it but she was having trouble with the zipper. "Oliver." She gazed up at him with a pleading look.

"Yeah,"

"Could you find my keys," She shoved the bag toward him.

He had to suppress the urge to laugh. A drunk Felicity was so adorable; he have to see it again one day. He found the keys a minute later and he stealthy made his way through her apartment, he was The Hood after all. As he reached her room, he heard a "Merow,"

Felicity this time managed to hit him, though it did no damage whatsoever, "Don't kill my baby!"

He raised a brow but look down to see glowing yellow eyes. He forgot she had a cat, he believed she named it Mr. Spock after Star Trek, something he was somewhat familiar with.

"Sorry," he whispered.
"You're lucky that your so hot."

"Thank you," he replied, "Let's get you into bed."

When he entered the bedroom he immediately went to her bed and pulled back a very plush cover. Then laid her down, "There you go," He brought the cover over her, "Comfy?"

"You know it be so much better if you were in here. That's what I always wanted you know well not just that...Oliver I love you." Her head rolled to the side, "Oh I shouldn't have said that..."

As she passed out he said, "I love you, too."

Blond curls were spiraled in a tangled mess before she jerked up out of bed that morning with a throbbing headache. She barely manage to walk to her bathroom, still not mastering the balance thing.

She-without hesitation-grabbed a bottle of 'all day' aspirin, and the cup by the sink so she could immediately wash it down. The mirror greeted her and she was not too happy with it, "Uh Felicity what did you get yourself into girl? You probably don't want to know." As on cue flashes of last night came to her, the words 'I love you' lingered on the forefront of her mind. "Oh no, no, I really did not want to know. Did I really say that? Did I have to tell him about the dress. He must think I'm pathetic, he would never say that, but I am...well not really...I'm a computer genius...okay no I'm pretty depressing right now. I'm giving myself a pep-talk and I suck at it." She shook her head in disbelief.

"This is interesting," She turned around to see him standingthere still in his attire from last night, his tie loose from his neck, his shirt pulled out, he looked totally amazing in that 'I just rocked some chick's world' way and Felicity so wished it had been her, but she knew better. It may not have been in her memory bank-not that she would need to know that to know it had not happen. Ugh, she was making herself depressed again.

"Uh?" Could this be any worse she wondered. "Mmm what are you doing here?"

"I heard you babbling and came to see if you were alright."

"Uh huh," She nodded her head. "I mean what are you doing here? We didn't..." Some part of her was keenly aware that she might not have remembered every little thing, and though it was completely unbelievable for such an occurrence, she searched for it none the less, but it started to hurt her brain. She was grateful when he shook his head so she didn't have to think anymore, but... "Of course not," She could not avoid the slight twinge of bitterness in her voice. "Uh so what are you doing here? I didn't take you hostage under my drunken stupor. Though I suppose," She took in his broad frame, "Yeah even with Diggle training me that's waaay impossible."

He stepped closer to her, she was taken away by those...eyes...how would she like to be naked...okay not a good thought at the moment. File away later Felicity. She told herself.

"Like I said interesting," He grinned like he knew something she did not.

"What's interesting?" Maybe it was not such a good idea to ask, but she was not in her optimum to be thinking straight.

"The fact that you babble all the time, even when you are alone."

"Oh well...it is kind of defense mechanism. I think I developed back in Junior High when my best friend ended up stealing the guy I like. Or maybe it was when I took that Kit-Kat and had not realized I was stealing until mom pointed it out or maybe..."

"Felicity," his voice was serious, "You are doing it again."

"Oh...so again what are you doing here?"

"I was your date."

She brought a hand to her head, "How is that supposed to explain anything."

He grinned, "I was your date, so of course I brought you home like any gentlemen would."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you are here right now. I mean I didn't hear a knock at the door and I'm sure in this condition I would have, throbbing headaches are so sensitive to noise."

"Well, I was not here all night, if that's what you are wondering. I did do some surveillance but I came back a couple hours ago to make sure you were alright."

"So you broke into my apartment, twice?"

"Not technically," He handed her keys back.

"I guess that explains it, but why are you still wearing your clothes from last night? You look like you should be doing the walk of shame." She thought about it for a second but not long enough for Oliver to stop another round of her run-on sentences. "But I suppose guys don't do the walk of shame do they? Not that I'm thinking about you and sex, not that you aren't handsome enough...not that I think that's ever going to happen." She waved her hands in his face.

"Felicity," His deep tone stopped her from saying anything else. "I think it is my turn for questioning now."

She blinked a couple of times trying to register in the pain what he said, "Okay...?"

You know... I was wondering what exactly happened last night. You were my date why weren't you dancing with me?" She dashed passed him, not really wanting to have this conversation. She was easily emotionally stimulated right now.

"I can't believe I'm still in this dress."

"Felicity, I want to know what happened. At the beginning you seem to be having a good time. You were going crazy over the cheese bites. Then Laurel pulls me over to talk and next thing I know your tipsy."

"Uh duh I like cheese that's why I was all over the bites. Oh my feet feel so much better and..."

"Felicity!" His voice was firm, "You know that's not what I want to know about."

She sighed opening her closet. "Oliver...Why didn't you ask Laurel to dance? I'm sure she would have been more than happy to oblige." She tried not grumble too much but she was sure he heard her, "Ah let's see, I wore the pink one last week," She threw that blouse on the bed, "Oh how about this skirt, I love this skirt." She grabbed a beige skirt, "Can go with almost anything, yay!"

"You do know I brought you as my date and are you jealous?"

"Yeah of that dress, I didn't think purple would be her color but I bet everything is her color. So maybe I'm jealous of her skin tone."

"Okay enough playing around," He leaned in from behind, his breath caress the edge of her neck. She let out a slight gasp, "I want to know what happened because for future reference I don't really like my date dancing with somebody else."

She turned around and tried to push him away, "Yeah and I don't like my date talking his ex-girlfriend but its a free country...Oh you really do work out." She felt his abs for a second.

"Felicity," his voice was a gentle but serious tone. Now that he was starting to figure out what this had been about. He thought she knew how he felt but he guess he have to make it more clear. "Laurel and I are over, it was a polite conversation, and she approached me."

"That's how it started last time, then you told her that you weren't over her yet and another time you ended up in bed together."

He sat down on her bed, noting the bright purple, green, and blue. Everything in the room was so colorful, it just seemed to fit her. "You know on that island, all I thought about was her."

"Look Oliver," She did not want to hear this! She could not bare it. Of course she knew how he felt but still...it was worse than when her first computer broke and she could not fix it. It would tear her apart, it already started to, but she sucked it in. "I know your still in love with her because you never smile that way with anyone else. So I don't see what the problem is, if your still in love with her go to her. Don't bring me under the pretext of a reward when you know you are going home with her. At least respect me...if you are not going to..." She bit her lip.

"What? I thought you knew why I brought you and if I'm not going to do what?"

"Nothing," She replied crossing her arms.

"Felicity being silent, that's one for the record books." She glared at him. He shook his head, " Yes, I thought Laurel was the love of my life. The key word was, but that's because the world was so small to me, survival was the only thing on my mind and I needed a reason to keep going on. The thing was...," She watched intensely holding back the tears that already began to form as a veil in her eyes. "I'm not explaining this right. She is river, you see, she's beautiful ever flowing, but you are an ocean."

"So I'm salty?" She was thrown by that remark. Was he insulting her?

"No, you are all consuming, I get lost in you. I could never let Laurel in, but I didn't have a choice but to let you in."

"Yeah because you were bleeding and by the way you never did payback for the blood in my car I had to clean out."

"No," He grabbed her arms and brought her closer, both of them falling onto the bed. Felicity's face probably would have given Cardinal birds a run for their money. She could not escape him now, that look could devour you, destroy you or build you up. It was overwhelming. She wanted to fight but she could not stop looking into his eyes. "You got to understand it was not just that. You, I knew I could trust you. And you believed in me, I had no choice because you were the thing I was living for. I just did not know it. If I had..." He shook his head in disbelief, "known you exist that there was such a beautiful funny, sweet, intelligent woman, if I had really known you then the way I know you now..."

She stared at him in disbelief unable to move. Her jaw started to drop but she did not want to look like an idiot so she managed to keep it at a small O.

The words he was saying. Was she dreaming? if she was, put her in a coma and don't wake her up! It was so much better than any of her late night fantasies, even the one where her and Oliver were at the foundry and she was bent over a desk. Okay don't go there right now, she had to reminded herself, being on top of Oliver, probably could make any sensible girl's mind go to the gutter. But then... she thought of something else, "You still never smile like that in front of me." She bit her lip and adjusted her glasses so she could hide her face. She did not want him to see her cry.

"Did it ever occur to you, the reason I don't smile like that in front of you because I don't have to. I can be myself in front of you and Diggle, there are no secrets between us, because I trust you so much. The thing is that I know its been two years but I'm still recovering from the island, so that amazing smile you saw was fake. I don't have to be fake around you. You have to know I would not have been thinking of her, if I had known, I would have been thinking of you. I would have being trying to come back to you." He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back some more. Then he rolled on top of her. He then brought a hand to the back of her neck bringing her lips closer and took advantage of the tiny gasp she made diving in to caress her mouth.

He let her breath for a moment. She covered her mouth, she felt the tears coming.

"Felicity? Did I do something wrong?" He was confused, did she not say she loved him last night? Maybe she had thought he was someone else. No she said 'Oliver'.

"No, no, no, in fact you can do that a million times over...If I can ever recover." She started taking deep breaths. "Oliver Queen loves me. Oliver Queen loves me, one more time...Oliver Queen loves me. Nope," She shook her head, "still not believing."

"Well we can work on that," He went for another kiss.

"Hold on still recovering..." She held her hand up against his chest, "I loved you for so long and...when did you realized you loved me?" She stared at him anticipating an answer also afraid this was some elaborate joke or she wake up to find that she been a victim of a drug induce dream.

"The night I practically cried on your shoulder." The night he finally let both her and Diggle know about the Island.

"Oh," She said. "Well...just so you know, I knew when you asked me to stay and I didn't say no. But...I'm not elegant or anything like Laurel so I can't see why you are..."

He put a finger on her lips, "It is all the things you don't have in common with her is why I love you more than I could love her."

"Oooo, okay recovered." Then he leaned in for another kiss and she let herself go, tasting all of him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought him closer to her, his body against hers. A wave of lustful pent up yearning took over them both and needless to say Diggle had come pounding on her door to see if she seen Oliver Queen because they had stayed in bed so long and both had ignore the phone.

When Oliver answered the door, Diggle just shook his head, "So...I see you are here and fine, and now I know why you didn't answer your phone. Take care of her, because I won't be held responsible for what Carly might do to you."

The hood just grinned, "I will."

"Ollie," He heard his new girlfriend call, "ooo, that makes me think of Ollie-ollie oxen free or something like that."

Oliver chuckled, "Gotta go, you know take your advice and live my life." He shut the door and Diggle did not even both to protest because it was the first time he had ever seen Oliver smile like that, plus he had to go tell Carly the good news.

When they announced their relationship a couple days later. There was a small amount of money that may or may not have passed from Roy and Diggle to Thea. Who did indeed smiled and shrugged, "told you it would be this week." she looked over at the couple. "They do look so cute together."

THE END

Author's Commentary: Oh I know somebody probably thinks Oliver is out of character, but mix in the fact that it has been two years and he has really gotten to know Felicity, and that he probably is a little more open and expressive. He at this time probably has started to heal. Also consider this is supposed to be fluffy, though you can't avoid angst when talking about Arrow.

Yes, I'm sure there is error here somewhere but I did go over it like ten times, grammar is not my thing, creativity is.

So this piece is just a one-shot to get me started. A may have a few one-shots later, but I'll be picking at a long-term soon. Oh and you are welcome to leave out ideas or requests, I can't guarantee I fulfill them, but I might, it doesn't hurt to ask and sometimes its just the thing I need for inspiration.