Chapter Text
Oliver was making his way back to Verdant. He needed to change, and then go see his Mom who was arrested for her part in the Undertaking. Oliver had found Digg and gotten him to the hospital.
Oliver swerves to miss another large debris field. He stops to help people here and there, but for the most part none have noticed him. He turns his bike onto the parking lot of Verdant. It was hit hard. It looks like the place caved in.
"NOOO!" He screams as he drops his bike and runs for the secret entrance.
Oliver punches in the code for the door. He runs into the basement to find it destroyed. "Felicity!" He moves some stuff out of his way.
"FELICITY!" He finds her desk. He moves the chair, pieces of the ceiling and insulation. He finds her under the desk. Her leg is contorted in a scary way, he sees blood but not the source for it, she isn’t moving and is quiet. So, eerily quiet he loses his breath for a moment. He falls to his knees, "Talk to me, Felicity..." He takes her in his arms.
"Please, no...don't leave me...please don't leave me...." He pleads. He looks up at the ceiling, "Not you, too…I can’t lose someone else I love…” He looks down at her face as he wipes away some dirt and pushes a curl back from her face. As tears fall from his eyes he admits the truth. It comes out like a prayer and maybe it is, “I love you. I came back for you. I saw you and...I “ He pauses to wipes his own tears, “I smiled...you made me smile and I felt human and I don’t deserve you, but I swear if you don’t leave me I will do everything I can to make you happy, to love you...please….don’t go.” He begs.
He can’t save her. He carefully lifts her and carries her out of Verdant. He keeps going. He walks quietly while silently pleading with any deity who might be listening to not lose her, too.
He finally walks into the hospital. A nurse sees him and then Felicity. She grabs a wheelchair, "Put her in the chair...and go....if your friend cares at all about you, she won't want you arrested."
Oliver nods. Through the voice modulator, "Do not let anything happen to her....please." He turns and leaves.
Oliver runs back to the lair. He sheds his leathers not caring where they fall. He changes into his sweater and jeans. He grabs his bike this time. He doesn't stop for anyone or anything even when his phone rings and he knows it's Tommy.
Oliver knows Tommy and Laurel are safe. Thea is safe with her boyfriend and his mom is in jail. Felicity needs him. He will not let her down. He pulls into the parking lot of the hospital and parks the bike.
Oliver enters the emergency room and runs for the desk. "I'm Oliver Queen...I am here for Felicity Smoak..."
The exasperated nurse looks up at him with pure hatred on her face. "I doubt any friend of a Queen would dare come into this hospital."
Normally, Oliver would turn on the charm. Today his girl needs him. He leans on the desk and in his arrow voice tells her, "My family still practically owns this hospital. We've given more money than the whole city combined and you will find my friend, she will have the best care, and you will treat her with respect or you will be looking for a new job."
The nurse swallows before turning back to her computer. She types. "Miss Smoak is in radiology. She will probably be there a while. You should go home and wait for someone to call you."
Oliver is about to argue when he's grabbed from behind, "Oliver...calm down. There is a long line. We will go have a drink and wait.."
Oliver follows Digg out of the hospital.
"I saw Felicity. I was leaving after my x-rays. She is awake now. She has no idea how she got here...she asked if you were okay. I told her yes."
They walk over to a bench. There are very few people on this side of the hospital. Oliver looks out and sees the fires still burning. The people have stopped screaming and the shaking has stopped.
"I found her. I've never seen her so quiet. I was so scared I had lost her." Oliver confesses.
Digg looks at him expectantly. "Really?"
Oliver nods, "I can't lose her, too.."
"You won't. She will be fine." Digg assures him.
Oliver waits. He doesn't know if he is ready to say, what he needs to do is think. He doesn't know why he says what comes out of his mouth next.
"I came back to die...and to watch over her." Oliver says the words quickly.
"What?" Digg looks over at him.
Oliver faces him, "I saw her one night...I didn't spend all that time on the island...I came home one night. I had to break into my mom's office...this girl came in, Felicity." He smiles remembering, "She was beautiful and funny...she told my picture I was cute...too bad I was dead." He laughs and Digg joins in.
"I hadn't smiled in so long. I smiled at her. She didn't see me, of course. I couldn't let anyone see me. I never forgot her...I would sit up and think about her every night. I wondered what her name was, and if she had found someone to love her...then I came home and asked my mom to take me to QC. I looked for her. Thought I found her once." He smiles.
"And you did."
"No, not that day. I didn't find her until Walter told me where to take the bullet ridden laptop. I couldn't believe it. I had decided to die here and then there she was, and like an obsessed man, I couldn't stop going back to see her."
Oliver pauses. The guilt eating at him, "What if she died tonight?"
"But she didn't. It was her choice to stay and you cannot take that away from her." Digg tells him.
They sit in silence for a few minutes when Digg breaks the silence between them, “She thinks she had a dream about you….”
Oliver lifts a brow at his friend, “And the salmon ladder?” He teases.
Digg shakes his head, “Of you confessing you love her…she told the docs she must have a head injury of epic proportions..” Digg looks at him expectantly.
Oliver looks away. He did confess that to her. He meant every word. He realized he loved her a thousand different times in the last few months. When he went to her to save his life when his mom shot him, when she locked him in the basement, when she would look at him like a man, not some wounded animal, and when she refused to leave.
The moment he realized he was done with anyone else was when he knew Tommy and Laurel had broken up. He could have gone to her and he knew Laurel would take him back. It would gut Tommy to lose Laurel and it would mean nothing to Oliver. The thought of Felicity seeing him or knowing what he had done with Laurel made him lose his lunch, literally.
Oliver has thought a lot about Laurel and how he treated her. He is ashamed of that kid, but he isn’t that kid anymore. Oliver wanted absolution from Laurel for his past sins and he thought being a good boyfriend to her would earn that from her.
That was Oliver being selfish again. He can’t ask her for that and she can’t give it to him. The absolution he needs is from himself. He needs to live a better life and be a better man, not one holding on to his past life.
Oliver also knows Felicity is his future. When he thought his mission might already be over and he would live, she was his first thought. He thought of all the things they could do together. They could travel, he could show her the world and give her the world. He can see marrying her one day and having kids with her. Except he failed her and the city tonight. He didn’t stop Malcolm and he wasn’t there for her when Verdant was falling down around her.
Oliver stands and starts to pace before turning back to Digg. He sits back down and buries his head in his hands, “I did confess that to her when I was begging her not to die, not leave me…I love her, Digg.”
Digg claps him on the back, “I knew you were at least half in love with her….shocked you know it.”
Oliver looks over at his friend, “I am not completely unaware.”
Digg shrugs, “Maybe not.” He pauses, “What about Laurel?”
Oliver sighs, “I was being stupid. I was so wrapped up in making things right that I forgot that I’ve changed and I can’t hold onto the past…not anymore. She moved on and I am happy for her.”
“I think Felicity would call this personal growth.” Digg teases.
Oliver chuckles, “Yeah…” Oliver looks around the new day dawning. Seems appropriate, “Am I crazy for thinking about trying with her? My past, my name and well, everything about me isn’t good enough for her.”
Digg gives him a stern look, “If she heard you say that she would use her loud voice.”
Both men shudder.
“Oliver, man…none of us are perfect. We all have our battle scars, even Felicity…I told you once it is about finding the right person and I think you have…now, don’t fuck it up.” Digg stands up, “I need to check on my family. You keep an eye on our girl.”
Oliver smiles, “I will.”
====================================
Felicity wakes up with a pounding headache. She opens her eyes and all she sees are flowers everywhere. “Did I die?” She looks around to see Oliver Queen asleep in a chair beside her bed.
“Yep. I’m dead….”
“You are not dead, Felicity.” Oliver mumbles as he sits up straight, “But you did scare me half to death.” He smiles at her.
She shrugs, “Oops?”
Oliver chuckles, “Is there anything I can get you before I call the nurse?”
She shakes her head, “You can go...you don’t have to be here, Oliver.”
He shakes his head, “There is no place else...” He trails off.
Oh, Felicity’s heart breaks for him.The whole city is probably angry at the Queen family and he has no place to go. She nods with tears in her eyes. He is such a good man he doesn’t deserve this.
He walks out of her room to get the nurse. Felicity soothes her hair and looks around. Who could all these flowers and oh, balloons be from? She doesn’t know that many people and has no special man in her life. Well, she does, only he doesn’t know it and it isn’t mutual.
The nurse comes in followed by Oliver.
"I'm Colleen I'll be your nurse this morning..." She turns to Oliver, "We need some time alone to look her over."
Oliver looks ready to fight the nurse.
"Oliver, I will be fine...maybe you could get me some coffee?" She smiles at him then pouts.
Oliver smiles at her, "I will be back in twenty minutes." He tells the nurse with a threatening tone to his voice.
When he leaves the nurse turns to her, "That is one handsome man you got there."
"Oh, he isn't mine. We're just friends."
The nurse is typing away on a tablet then looks up at her, "He demanded the best and threatened a nurse's job for you..."
Felicity shrugs, "Oliver is protective of his friends."
The nurse, "Uh huh...how hard did you hit your head?"
Felicity wrinkles her nose, "Enough to think he declared he loved me...so it might be bad."
"According to your files it is a mild concussion..." The nurse assures her.
"Ok...maybe a dream?"
The nurse laughs, "Yeah men who are just friends threaten nurses, get you the best private room in the hospital and grab you a coffee since ours isn't good...."
Felicity gulps, "He probably feels guilty...he has a HUGE guilt complex. Like epically big..."
Colleen laughs, "I'll let it go, but invite me to the wedding?"
Felicity giggles, "IF there is a wedding, I promise to invite you."
"Deal!" They shake hands. "Now, your head feeling okay?"
"Yes."
"Your left wrist is sprained, but should be okay in a couple of weeks." Colleen tells her.
"Can I type?"
"If you wear your brace and stop when it hurts you should be fine." Colleen assures her, "Your leg is our big concern. Your femur is broken, he reset it in surgery and you will need to wear this cast for several weeks."
Oliver enters the room and hands her the coffee.
"Felicity, are you okay with Oliver hearing your health concerns?"
Felicity shrugs, "Sure, why not? I've repaired him enough...I mean, yes." She blushes at Colleen's knowing look.
Colleen hands her the tablet to sign a release form. She hands the tablet back to Colleen then takes a sip of the coffee Oliver hands her.
"Mmmm...this is heaven." Felicity declares with her eyes closed. They fly open when Colleen laughs.
"What?"
"Nothing...back to your injuries...you will need to have someone stay with you for a few weeks or stay with someone until you can move around more easily..."
Felicity's face falls, "And if I don't, I have to stay here?"
Colleen looks to Oliver then back to her, "We have a rehab facility...you can stay there for a couple of weeks..."
"She will go home with me."
"WHAT? No, Oliver I cannot possibly impose on you."
Oliver takes her hand. She looks down at them, "You are not an imposition. I want to take care of you."
"Oliver...you don't need to feel guilty about this..." Felicity tries to talk sense into him.
"I don't." He tells Felicity then turns to Colleen, "She's going home with me. When can she leave?"
Colleen looks down at her tablet, "Normally it would be tomorrow, but with the influx of patients we need the bed ASAP."
"Great. I will make a few calls and get things together and we can head out by lunch."
Colleen smiles and nods, "That will work perfectly. I can start her release papers." Colleen heads for the door, "Oh, Felicity?"
"Yes?"
"I will be waiting for my invite." She laughs, opens the door and walks out.
"Invite?" Oliver asks.
"A joke...nothing really."
"You okay here?"
"Yep...but Oliv-"
"Don't start, Felicity. You are coming home with me. I need to make some calls and I will be back to pick you up by lunch."
Oliver leans down then pulls back. She swears he almost kissed her cheek. He turns and practically runs out of the room.
"It is going to be a looong two weeks."
=================================
Oliver is calling Digg on his way out of the hospital. He makes it to his bike when the voicemail message plays, "Felicity is going home with me this afternoon. If you need us we will be at the mansion."
He disconnects the call. He hops on his bike and starts it. He thinks of all the things he needs to have done and get in order to make Felicity comfortable in the manor.
There are protestors outside the big gate at the end of the driveway. His security team makes a path for him. He nods his thanks as he passes by. He drives to the back of the house.
He parks his bike in the garage and walks into the kitchen. "Raisa!" He kisses her cheek.
"Mister Oliver...I was worried about you." She says over her shoulder as she stirs a pot of something that smells delicious. She wipes her hands on a towel and waits for an explanation.
He smiles as he takes a handful of grapes,"I'm fine. But...my friend isn't, so she is going to be staying with us for a while."
Raisa raises an eyebrow, "Miss Laurel?"
He shakes his head, "No. Her name is Felicity Smoak. I need a room set up for her and a physical therapist."
"In the guest wing?"
"No...uh...put her in the room next to mine."
Raisa gives him a knowing look. Oliver looks away. Raisa will know he has feelings for Felicity.
"What foods should I get for her stay?"
Oliver has no idea what she likes aside from Big Belly Burger, "We can ask her when she gets here."
"Will she have luggage?"
Oliver realizes he will need to go pack her things, "Can I hire someone to pack her stuff?"
"I doubt anyone is working right now." Raisa tells him.
"Then I need to go pack her stuff up for her."
Thea walks in, "I am just here to get some clothes and then Roy and I are going back to his place."
"You would be safer here, Miss Thea."
Oliver is suddenly worried. She would be safer here, but would he? He swallows and looks away.
"No orders from you big brother?"
Oliver rocks back on his heels, "Nope."
Thea squints, "What is going on?"
"Nothing."
Thea looks between them, "Raisa is my brother keeping a secret from me?"
Oliver knows Raisa will answer so Oliver has to act fast, "Roy, are you taking care of my sister?"
"Uh, yeah. The Glades are a mess but we are doing alright."
Oliver walked right into that one, "Maybe you two should stay here?"
"Not happening, Ollie." Thea says as she leaves the room with Roy on her heels.
Raisa laughs and shakes her head.
"Bye Raisa." Oliver says as he exits the kitchen. He needs to get to Felicity's place.
======================================
Felicity is freaking out. She is going to Oliver's house to stay with him. How did this happen? Why is this happening?
Felicity's dream of Oliver begging her not to die and leave him replays in her head. Could that be real? She shakes her head. Nope. No way.
The door to her room opens and Colleen comes in, "I have your paperwork. I need to take your vitals then have you sign a few things then you're free to go home with your friend." She teases Felicity.
Felicity rolls her eyes, "He is just my friend. Trust me. He dates models not nerds."
Colleen puts the papers on the table tray, "I saw how that man looks at you. I heard the story of him bringing you in and how he almost went nuts when he couldn't get to you...I think you need new glasses."
Colleen takes her vitals as Felicity thinks about how Oliver looks at her. A couple of times he has looked at her intently. Surely, he would have said something and not dated every other woman in his vicinity, right? Then again, he was on an island for five years.
"Everything checks out." She puts away the pressure cuff, "We need to go over your care with you and Oliver."
As if on cue, Oliver walks in. He smiles and looks between the women, "What?"
"I was about to go over Felicity's care." Colleen tells him while looking at Felicity. "She will need help doing things like bathing and should limit her time on her feet since she does not have a walking cast yet."
Felicity's eyes bug out. She looks around hoping this is some sort of sick joke."She's joking."
"No, I'm not. You should limit your movement for at least a week, then start physical therapy for your wrist, then in six weeks a walking cast and you can begin your physical therapy on your leg."
"I already have someone coming to the mansion to help her with her physical therapy." Oliver tells Colleen.
"Good, good...I assume since every nurse in the city is working at the hospital you will be assisting her with her daily life activities."
"Of course."
Felicity spurts out, "Uh ummm...Oliver. Really you don't have to do that."
"Yes, I do. I want to help you and she's right, the city needs the nurses."
Colleen looks at Felicity with a cheshire grin on her face, "He wants to help...let him help you. Don't be so stubborn, Felicity." She turns to Oliver, "Are you ready to get your girl home?"
"I am NOT his girl..."
Oliver smiles, "We are ready."
Felicity is not ready....