I am homesick for a place I am not sure even exists.

One where my heart is full.

My body loved.

And my soul understood.

- unknown

The Foundry was a cold place, even with everyone who helped keeping Starling City save present and accounted for. But tonight, when Oliver walked down the metal stairs into the open space in the basement below the nightclub, it seemed even colder.

There was no one in sight.

The computers Felicity set up for them were running on their own, something he didn't like. He preferred having the cheerful blonde sitting in front of the screens, wearing a dress in some bold color that never failed to bring life into this drab place. Her babbling filling the silence, making everyone smile due to the fact she made an innuendo and then tried to fix it but instead made everything even worse.

But Felicity wasn't in the Foundry tonight. She was out there, in the city, having dinner with someone. She was vague when she talked about it and Oliver had a feeling she was uncomfortable for some reason. But he didn't press the matter.

He had no right to.

He was her friend, her partner, nothing more. For her safety that is all they could be.

It took Oliver several moments to realize the quiet hum of the computers wasn't the only noise he could hear. It wasn't like him to be so distracted and not aware of his surroundings, not since the island where he literally had to fight for his life.

But after a while he recognized the unmistakable sound of a shower.

There was a small bathroom in the back of the Foundry that was put in good use after the training or particularly difficult mission of saving the city from the worst of their population. And right now someone was using it.

It wasn't difficult for Oliver to realize who it is, seeing as only four people know about this place and have access to it. So the process of elimination was a really short one.

And a small smile appeared on his face.

Suddenly the computer beeped and Oliver looked around before sighing. His first instinct was to look for Felicity, let her take the lead when it comes to technology. She was their expert after all. But she wasn't there.

And Oliver had to find out what was going on by himself.

It was easier said than done, because Felicity was a genius and she set up a search algorithm to look for any connections in a series of disappearing that plagued Starling City in the last week. So far the police had no luck finding any evidence or connections between men that were taken. That was when detective Lance let it slip to his daughter they could use some help. Some green help.

So here he was, looking at the screen in hope of figuring out what all those information meant, and coming up empty-handed.

Which left Oliver with only one option.

Felicity was in the restaurant, enjoying a delicious meal and good company, when her phone chimed. Usually she would let it go to voicemail during evenings like these, but she suspected the search she set up found something. Or she hoped anyway. Because the other option would just be plain cruelty.

He said there can never be anything more between them than friendship. He said because of the things he does be can't be with someone he cares about.

That happened just days after she caught the woman in charge of the company's branch in Russia exiting Oliver's hotel room that she had no business being in. The woman that took one look at Felicity and came to a conclusion she earned her position on her back. It's more likely that it happened the other way around, and Miss Rochev deluded herself into thinking all women got their promotions the way she had. Possibly to make herself feel better.

As much as it hurt Felicity tried her best to accept Oliver's choice and faulty logic behind it. Hence why she started to consent to these dinner invitations.

But it seemed she couldn't even have that.

Because the moment she answered the call she heard him briefly say, "Need you at the Foundry. I'm calling Diggle to pick you up." before he disconnected.

And Felicity sighed. And excused herself from dinner with a weak excuse. Cause frankly she was running out of good one.

Diggle arrived just minutes later and watched as the forlorn woman that always had a smile ready for her friends walked towards his car. She wore a bold red dress and high heels and was obviously in a middle of something when Oliver called.

A quick glance at the man she was with and his eyes widened. He recognized him instantly. How could he not?

But he remained quiet about it when Felicity sat in the passenger seat and buckled up. He waited for her to bring up the subject first.

She didn't.

Oliver was still leaning on the desk that housed the computer screens when the door at the back of the Foundry opened and Sara walked out of the bathroom, followed closely by a cloud of steam. Instantly he smiled at her before moving away from the machines and towards the woman.

Her still damp hair smelled like some sort of berries, an unusual choice that he never remembered her making before. Not that it mattered really, but it smelled really good.

"Got anything new?" Sara asked, watching Oliver approach her with a small smile on his face.

"We'll know more soon." He answered briefly, before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her deeply.

Only when the need for air couldn't be ignored anymore did they part, but still remained closely wrapped in each others arms.

"I hope not soon enough." She muttered before pulling him back for another kiss. And another. And another.

"You smell really good." Oliver eventually whispered before he nuzzled her damp hair, and then attacked the spot behind her ear with his lips.

Sara arched into his arms, her back rising from the mats they were lying on. Oliver knew her body well, knew what she liked and didn't like. And he knew exactly where to find that spot on her neck that would drove her crazy when he kissed it.

"Thank you." She moaned breathlessly, "But I prefer vanilla. This is just something Felicity left in the bathroom."

"Doesn't matter. Smells good." Oliver's voice was hoarse with passion that surged through him. The smell drove him crazy.

Neither Oliver nor Sara noticed the sound of Foundry door opening or the two pairs of footsteps coming down the metal staircase, despite one of them being high heels that always made a lot of noise. They were simply too caught up in themselves.

They completely missed the gasp that escaped Felicity's lips when she saw them half-dressed at the black mats. They missed the moment when her already broken heart shattered completely.

Diggle who stood next to her didn't.

But before he managed to say her name, to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, the blonde woman turned on her heel and marched right back up the stairs and into the nightclub upstairs.

"Not much of an emergency, it seems!" the older man snapped at the couple who managed to untangle themselves just in time to see Diggle leaving the Foundry.

"Damn it." Oliver muttered and looked around for his clothes.

He needed to get dressed and go upstairs. He needed to clear things up. Because if Diggle is here that means Felicity is here. And she didn't suppose to see him and Sara together, not like this. Not in the Foundry that has been their home away from home for months.

"Oliver…" Sara called him softly, noticing his frantic movements as he tried his best to get dressed as fast as possible.

He didn't respond. Just pulled on a shirt and rushed for the stairs.

And the he froze in the backroom, just outside of the entrance into the basement. Because her voice, the words that escaped her lips in between sobs, hurt more than all the wounds he received since getting stranded on the island.

That was Purgatory.

Hearing the pain in Felicity's voice was Hell.

"…how long it's been since I had a dinner with someone that didn't include talking about criminals, crime fighting and hacking into government servers?" Felicity's voice cracked as another sob escaped, "I had that tonight… and then I left because this second life I lead… I am tired Dig."

"Your dinner partner." Oliver could hear something in Diggle's voice, something he couldn't properly name, "It was Lucius Fox."

Blue eyes widened as he heard who it was that took Felicity to a nice dinner at a probably really fancy restaurant. After all the CEO of Wayne Enterprise would pick only the best. And there is no one better than Felicity Smoak.

"I have these dinner meetings at least once a month Diggle. Large corporations are sending people to try and sway me to quit QC and join them; they have been doing it since I started working in the IT department." Felecity's words surprised Oliver, he didn't know that. And he wondered if Walter knew.

"So why do you go?"

A sigh escaped Felicity's lips, sad blue eyes rimmed with red looked at her friend, before she responded in desolated tone, "Because that is as close as I'm going to get to a nice dinner with a great guy that is interested in me. I try not to think about actually them being interested in my skills and what I can do for their companies. And it's always in a fancy restaurant too."

When uncomfortable silence surrounded the steel and concrete of Verdant Oliver was ready to step out of the backroom and talk to Felicity, to explain, to apologize. To do anything and everything she deemed necessary to fix things.

Because he knew he managed to break this thing between them that he feared to give a name to. It was more than friendship, more than partnership.

And that worried him.

But not as much as the thought of her choosing not to return downstairs in the Foundry.

Oliver knew he was selfish, he always knew. And that he selfishly wanted Felicity in his life without giving her a good enough reason to stay.

"You never accepted any offers." Diggle finally spoke and from his spot at the doorway Oliver could see Felicity's face.

She wasn't looking in his direction, or in Diggle's. Instead she was focused on her red high heel shoes, her bottom lip between her teeth like many times when she was worried.

"So many things changed recently, and I failed to adapt." He could barely hear her voice but he didn't want to move closer, he didn't want to interrupt her, "Perhaps it's time I do."

"Adapt?" Diggle asked with a frown.

Felicity finally looked up at the older man and calmly said the words that caused a burning pain sensation in Oliver's heart, "Accept an offer."

"Felicity…" her name escaped his lips before he managed to stop himself. Instantly her eyes focused on him before she closed then and took a deep breath.

Diggle sensed the change in the air; it's been there for weeks but every time it was ignored. Although no more. And the former soldier knew that once they reached the crossroad it could make or break them; their team.

"We should all go back downstairs and focus. Felicity we need you-" he tried to act as a middleman between Oliver and Felicity, but his attempt was trumped when Sara walked in the club already dressed as the Canary and ready to go.

It was her voice that interrupted him and sealed the deal, "I checked the search results and have a possible location."

Three pairs of eyes looked at her but no one said anything. They all thought the same thing though. The computers were Felicity's area, her babies, and she didn't like anyone else touching them. Considering the amount of sensitive programs she 'borrowed' it was understandable. One wrong click and some law enforcement agency could figure out someone is in their system and the trail would lead them straight to the lair of a wanted vigilante.

The sound of heels clicking on the concrete made the focus on the blonde in a red dress instead. Felicity wasn't walking towards the basement; she was walking away, walking towards the exit.

"Felicity?" Diggle called her name before Oliver could.

"As you can see you do not need me. So I'm leaving."

"We have to go if we want to catch these guys." Sara pressed, "This thing will have to wait."

Oliver looked at Diggle, "Make sure she gets home safe."

There was something in Oliver's voice that made the older man frown before he shook his head. The kid was such an idiot sometimes and he deserved a swift kick in the ass.

"You're going out without backup so don't do anything stupid and get injured."

"I'm his backup." Sara pointed out, "He's not alone."

Oliver was already leaving the club dressed in green leather with a hood covering his face when Diggle caught up with Felicity who was walking in the direction of her home. He saw her trying to flag down a cab without success and saw her wave off some kid who slowed down and offered her a ride.

And the battle weary man sighed.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Oliver instantly knew something was wrong the moment he stepped out of the elevator at the executive floor of QC, but it was only after he entered his office did he noticed the difference. The files for today's meetings were on top of his desk in a neat pile and a steaming cup of coffee in a simple green mug was next to it.

Coffee. Felicity never brought him coffee. In fact she made it quite clear she never will.

Loudly.

He turned towards Diggle who observed the ceramic cup with interest too, but instead of amusement he saw worry in older man's eyes. Their eyes locked before Diggle turned towards the desk on the other side of the glass wall.

Oliver's face fell when he noticed it lacked it's usual decorations that never failed to make him smile. And by that he didn't mean the woman who usually sat behind it. Because Felicity wasn't a decoration for the office, no matter what some people thought.

She was his partner.

And today she wasn't there, and neither were the little knickknacks she kept on her desk or her personal tablet.

"Diggle…"

"Maybe you should try calling her." the older man said seriously, seeing his boss was close to freaking out.

Taking out his phone out of the suit pocket Oliver dialed Felicity's number but the call instantly got transferred to the voicemail. He tried again with the same result.

"She's not answering. She's always answering." He muttered, "Her phone is never more then five feet away."

"Maybe she's busy."

"Doing what? She's supposed to be here today, we have several meetings with investors throughout the day." Oliver snapped before marching to his desk and sitting down in the comfortable leather chair.

And only then did he notice a white envelope placed innocently by the computer keyboard.

Oliver wasn't sure what he was expecting to find in it, but this wasn't it. Written in simple legal terms was one thing he never thought he would have to read.

Felicity's resignation letter.

A curse escaped Oliver's lips before he stood up, ready to storm out of his office and go directly to her house demanding answers. But annoying beeping made him turn towards the computer screen that showed his calendar for today.

Felicity set up the reminders for today's meetings, meetings that were vital for the company and could not be postponed. Even his lunch break was booked, a possible investor wanted to speak to him about the new thing they were working on at the Applied Science Division. It was a meeting he expected Felicity to be present at, because she knew about it way more than he did.

"Oliver." Diggle called him when the persistent beeping stopped.

Blue eyes met brown and a simple two word sentence made the older man realize his feeling of impending doom was right, "She quit."

The hours never passed as slow, the time was like molasses that day, and Oliver was struggling with each passing minute not to just drop everything and drive to a small house just outside of Glades. But he knew that kind of lack of professionalism would be bad for the company. Instead he glanced at his watch too many times, looking rather rude in the presence of men that were ready to invest in his company, and hoped that a miracle would happen and Felicity would walk in the conference room, apologize for being late and sit on his left like she always did during meetings.

But today her seat remained empty.

The sun already started to set when he finally walked out of the building and entered the town car that was waiting for him.

"Where to?" Diggle asked seriously.

Oliver sighed, "Foundry. Just because she quit QC it does not necessarily mean she also quit Team Arrow."

Diggle remained quiet, not pointing out Oliver usually corrected people, mostly Felicity, when that particular name for their team was used. He also didn't voice his concern that it was all wishful thinking.

The babbling blonde won't be there.

Felicity left them for good.

The older man felt no satisfaction when he saw he was right. When only one blonde welcomed them when they entered the basement.

The wrong one.

"What's going on? I thought-" Sara started to speak but Oliver ignored her and instead dropped his suit on the metal gurney that sometimes served as an operating table for them before he grabbed a leather jacket off the back of a chair.

Sara looked at Diggle but he was focused on Oliver, watching the younger man move towards the back exit of the Foundry that led to the lot where his motorcycle was parked.

"Don't wait up." Was the last thing they heard from Oliver before the heavy metal doors closed with a bang.

"What's going on?" Sara repeated the question.

"Hopefully nothing that can't be fixed." Diggle answered with a sigh. It was going to be a long night.

The house was dark, no light coming from the living room window. Usually Felicity kept at least a small lamp on a side table next to the sofa on. She always claimed it was to prevent her from tripping over something and breaking a leg when she returned home from work.

When his knocks on the front door remained unanswered Oliver reached for his phone only to remember he left it in the suit jacket back at the Foundry.

"Damn it." He muttered and knocked again. He wanted to call her name, he wanted to shout it in hope she would hear him and open the door.

Instead he went around the house and pried open the bathroom window she promised would be fixed.

The easy silence chilled him to the bone. He half expected to find her in the middle of the living room, unconscious, bleeding. Maybe killed by one of his numerous enemies who somehow learned Arrow's identity and went against him by harming one of his closest friends.

But Felicity wasn't there.

Still Oliver stood frozen, watching the large room, unable to accept what he was seeing.

Yet, there was no denying it.

The sofa, sidebar with the tv, comfortable chair in the corner… they were all covered with sheets. One of them even had a small floral pattern.

Oliver managed to drag his feet to the sofa in the center of the room before they gave up and he slumped down, the sheet shifting slightly under his weight.

Felicity covered her things to protect them from dust before she left.

And she was not coming back.

A whisper interrupted the heavy silence, broken voice muttered the only words his mouth could form, "I'm sorry."