The humid air was wretchedly stiff, the tang of alcohol and blood made his nostrils flare in groggy confusion. A light ghostly breeze, deliciously cool compared to the scorching heat of the moisture-less landscape, rustled a lonely wind chime. It's delicate melody filled his ears, making him doubt that he was in fact dead...were there wind chimes in hell?

he didn't think so.

His eyes moved languidly under his eyelids, chest heaving unevenly with slow shallow breaths that echoed in the otherwise silent cottage as he slowly regained cautiousness. His whiskered cheek rubbed up on the rugged wooden surface of a makeshift operating table as he stirred from his facedown position.

Completely disoriented, he couldn't help but wince at the dull pain raging through his apparently suffering shoulder. Oliver shut his eyes firmly, Concentration creasing his features in his attempt to remember something- anything at all.

He couldn't make sense of the situation, how could he could possibly go from being at a luxurious gala to finding himself in a stuffy cottage that reeked of the coppery stench of blood?

Blood he highly suspected was his own.

The sharp pain of a metal utensil digging into the tender flesh of his back made his blue eyes snap wide open in alarm. Vivid memories of the past month flashed before his eyes like an electrifying photoplay of memories- blonde, bright, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Felicity

Memories of her blonde hair flowing with the wind of the open window as they drove for miles, memories the smiles that seemed to chase away every inch of darkness that threatened to encompass them with every step the took...

The clink of a bullet landing inside a glass made him aware of the man excavating the foreign metal out of his back. When he finally spoke, his voice was distorted...distant to Oliver's ears. Unable to look away from the equally horrible and dazzling movie playing in his thoughts, he barley caught the man's words.

"You're lucky son, had it not been for a group of workers doin' some maintenance, you would've bled to death on that train"

The man's southern accented tone was consoling as he swirled the bloodied utensil around in a glass of alcohol. A particularly deep bullet made him recoil in discomfort, the instrument digging far into his wounded back.

When his feature reached the ghastly end it struck him that she needed him...she wasn't safe...

"I-I need" his voice was horse, thick with the need of knowing she was unharmed

"Yes, I'm sure whatever you're after is important, but you'll have to wait until these injuries have healed. Looks like they roughed you up pretty bad" he shook his head in disapproval at the tarnished skin of his back.

"Felicity"

The four syllables came out in a raspy, broken whisper. A pained shutter escaped his lips at the sound of her name...

I'm going, Im sorry. Please Forget me

Her words, like a jagged dagger piercing his heart, inflicted more pain than any bullet could ever manage. The six words, printed in the simple black font of his phone, more than his flesh, penetrated something deep inside him, stirring a wave of all consuming sadness. He had stared at the brightly lit screen until the phone had gone black- black like his world without her. His gut twisted in unrestricted agony- she can't be gone.

"I need to find her"

he started to shift off the table, a stab of throbbing pain shot through his shoulder halting his advances. The cry of torture that escaped his lips pierced the silence as he was gently lowered back onto the table.

"you need rest son, I'm sure it can wait" his reassuring expression attempted to soothe his worries

but the memory of her bright blue eyes clouded with horror-with uncertainty, propelled him forward- pain be damned. As soon as the man moved away, he dismounted the table with pure resolve. The silver haired man looked at him with deep searching eyes, and whatever he saw there- determination, desperation, or both, made him sigh and reach for a bundle of clean clothing that he tossed over to Oliver.

"I hope she's worth it son- I hope you find her" his eyes were sincere, the corners crinkling with empathy

Oliver nodded and mumbled his sincere thanks on his way to the screen door. His first few steps were stumbles, the sore muscles making it impossible to walk at the speed he wanted- at the speed he needed- he needed to find her.

His lips were painfully dry, his eyes a lifeless tired blue, blazing in contrast to the dark overgrown beard. He looked out at the vast arid terrain...

and he walked, his feet dragging on the barren lifeless soil, his progress unmarked as he tugged forward on the cracked land.

he didn't know for how long - hours, days, weeks, and he didn't care. He put one foot in front of the other, the thought of seeing her again his only motivation.

~Weeks earlier~

Oliver Queen absentmindedly stared at his reflection as he straightened his forest green tie in front of his lavishly ornate mirror. His fingers struggled to bend the silky material into Raisa's characteristic elegant knot. Being Saturday, her day off, Oliver's somewhat clumsy tie would have to do. Adjusting his suspenders around his shoulders, he looked down at his platinum watch and sighed, he was already late for the gala.

Tonight, the new candidate for mayor of Starling City would officially announce his campaign. He ran through his advocative speech one more time in his head,

Queen consolidated is proud to support Sebastian Blood for mayor of Starling city... he looked down at the speech his assistant wrote for the gala. He repeated it in his head as he smoothed the lapels of his suit

I know Mr. Blood personally, and I can tell you he is the best choice for our city

just as he was sliding into the waiting black town car, he chuckled under his breath.

"What's so funny, sir?" John looked at him from the rearview mirror, questioning eyebrows raised in half amusement.

"Nothing" he sighed and rubbed his hands over his face

after a few moments he gave in to John Diggle's expecting look and confessed the cause of his dull laughter

"It's just the hypocrisy of it all... endorsing a man I've never met to run the city" he half laughed and half exhaled, after his dad's death he was kind of forced into straightening up to become the CEO of Queen Consolidated. Although more mature, the hypocrisy of being a Queen, he realized, would never fade, just shift from clubs and parties to board meetings and galas.

"You are one messed up dude" Dig shook his head in mild laughter and Oliver could have sworn he heard him mumble something about not getting paid enough to deal with psycho billionaires.

He smiled fondly at his driver as they pulled up at the gala.

Walking through the door, the usual scents and sounds swirled around him, expensive furnishings, fancy food and champagne, and the unmistakable overall scent of upscale people.

Before he even set foot into the venue, Walter was heading towards him with a friendly greeting and an outstretched hand.

"Hello Oliver, are you ready?" the heavy accented man shook his hand firmly

"Walter" Oliver took his hand and nodded in acknowledgement

"Maybe I should meet Mr. Blood before I confess my unrelenting support to his cause, don't you think?"

Walter let out a posh laugh, "Of corse! yes, you are quite right Oliver, I believe Mr. Blood is by the dance floor"

Walter pointed him in the right direction, he nodded and made his way over, smiling politely at people as he passed. He was deep into the formally attired crowd when he sighed, realizing he had no idea what Sebastian Blood looked like.

Not exactly eager to begin an evening of fake strained smiles that made his face cramp, Oliver stood in a secluded corner by a set of tall windows. With his hands in his pockets he stared carelessly out onto the grassy estate.

He knew he needed to go out there, to put on the CEO facade and recite the speech that was written for him, but he couldn't find resignation in himself. There was always a part of him that yearned to be free. Not the freedom he had thought he possessed as a stupidly reckless teenager... a freedom he didn't quite understand... a freedom he couldn't begin to describe...a freedom his essence hungrily craved.

It was dumb right? he had everything people dreamed of... money, power, prestige... and all he wanted was an escape

Maybe Diggle was right...

He was partially lost in his thoughts when it happened- a movement of bright pink caught his eye, his attention was drawn to her glassy reflection. The sound of her heals marked her progress towards a window to the left of him, her pink dress mingling in with the flimsy white curtains blowing with the light breeze of the open window.

Beautiful.

His eyes were fused to her every movement, his spirit completely captivated by the flow of her hair with the gentle wafts of air, a beautiful golden dance of sweet temptation.

Her bright pink gown stood out in the mass of seemingly black and white, her honeyed locks framed a deeply pensive face as she looked out at the starry night. The blowing curtains periodically revealing her profile, Oliver could make out her radiant skin, dainty nose, and the delicate curve of her chin.

He turned and without thinking- was taking a step towards her when a heavy hand gripped his shoulder. A rough voice whispered words of warning in his ear

"She's a stunner isn't she? hot, blonde, hmm?, One of a kind right?" the brusque hand tightened its grip

"well I'd better not catch you staring at her again" the voice was low and threatening in his ear

Oliver's eyes narrowed, glaring at the offensive hand on his shoulder that he was getting ready to break

A heartbeat passed before the swarthy man broke out into a smile, blue eyes shining with humor at having startled him.

"Wow you're tough! I'm kidding man, Im Sebastian... Blood" chuckling at his own joke he stuck out his hand, Oliver took it, not very amused by the man's demented sense of humor.

"That's my fiancee, Megan" he tilted his head towards the blonde Oliver had been liberally admiring

"Megan come here, this is Oliver Queen" he waved a hand in a crude gesture signaling her to approach.

Oliver watched as she turned her face from the window to look at them,

under the soft lighting of the gala, the air around her seemed to glow with a vivid beauty that all but knocked the air out of Oliver's lungs. With every step she took towards them he could make out more of her features- eyes as luminescent and blue as the clearest of seas, lusciously enticing pink lips- with every step that she took, Oliver fell deeper into her enchanting spell.

She was even more beautiful up close, her bright pink lips curved into a friendly smile as Blood introduced them- though not for the first time.

"Meg, this is Oliver Queen, Mr Queen this is Megan Smoak"

Megan Smoak, the name struck him as oddly familiar. He tilted his head questioningly as he scrutinized her features, she even looked familiar. She smiled at him knowingly while Blood entertained himself speaking to a benefactor.

"It's a pleasure to meet you"

that look

Then it struck him exactly where he knew her from

Ah, of corse. How to forget Felicity Megan Smoak...

His speech went by in a rehearsed blur. The rest of the gala was spent watching Felicity from a discreet distance. Megan he had called her. He watched as the couple moved about the crowd, Blood soaking in the attention and Felicity smiling warmly at anyone who addressed her. Blood's claiming palm on the small of her back made Oliver think that his earlier threats weren't necessarily empty.

He needed to leave before he did something he would regret.

But of corse fate doesn't work that way

on his way to the door, he heard Sebastian Blood calling his name

"Mr Queen!"

He could always pretend he didn't hear him and continue walking...

he sighed and turned towards the wanna-be mayor, his best CEO smile in place.

"I wanted to thank you for your kind words"

it was a script he wanted to say, not having taken a very fond liking to the man's arrogant demeanor.

"I'm happy to help"

"Yes, well I also want to invite you to my engagement dinner tomorrow. It would be nice if you could join us- Megan over there has no family and well, few friends so we have some seats to fill"

Oliver gave him a strained smile, No family? he momentarily wondered what had happened to the full of life Felicity he had known, what had made her marry a sleazy politician? What had taken the spirit from her bright blue eyes?... he tried to tactfully decline Bloods invitation, fully knowing there was no way humanly possible he wouldn't approach her- that he wouldn't do something stupid like kiss her- god he really wanted to kiss her.

"I don't know Mr Blood-"

"Sebastian, please call me Sebastian"

Oliver nodded "Well Sebastian, I'm sure I wouldn't want to intrude on such an intimate dinner"

"Nonsense! I insist Oliver" Blood grabbed his shoulders and shook him in a domineering action, he winced at the mans out of bounds use of his first name and with resignation, accepted his invitation.

He had a feeling Sebastian Blood wasn't use to taking no for an answer...

The engagement dinner was overly extravagant, but after meeting Sebastian Blood he couldn't find it in himself to be surprised.

Felicity looked beautiful, in a black floor length gown that had Oliver staring like a complete idiot

Snap out of it, you're at her engagement dinner for goodness sake

half listening to the congressman who was actively talking his ear off, he analyzed how much she had changed. The babbling Felicity he had known now replaced by a quiet submissive Megan.

His thoughts were interrupted by a boisterous Blood addressing him from across the table

"You want to know how we met, Oliver?" Not waiting for an affirmative answer, Blood continued, now addressing the whole table

"I was walking into my campaign office one day when I accidentally slam into someone" he described the blow by bringing his hands together in a loud slap

"I was about to fire whichever moron wasn't watching where they were going, but instead of the geeky intern I expected, you know what I saw? " his words were partially slurred from the multiple glasses of wine he had drowned throughout the dinner.

"Two, hot, sexy legs" he groped Felicity's legs under the table and Oliver couldn't help but notice the flash of disgust that overwhelmed her features as she slapped his hand away. She looked away in mortification, her eyes swirling with impotence.

not seeming to notice, blood continued with his story

"Luckily she wasn't badly injured, and when she opened her eyes and looked into mine, I just knew I had to make her my wife."

The table erupted in a chorus of "aww's" and "how sweet's", obviously missing that Blood was an insensitive ass.

Oliver nodded politely but cringed internally at the thought of his endorsement the night before.

From across the table, time seemed to slow when Felicity's searching eyes rose to meet his. The rest of the world blurred when their gazes locked, she looked up at him with soft eyes twinkling with a lighthearted expression...so severely different than the look that had marred her blue eyes a moment ago.

when her dark red lips curved into a shy smile he did what he had feared he would- what he knew was inevitable with seeing her again- he hit send.

Maybe you should divorce me before you marry another.