For a more explicit version go to AO3. Same user and story name.

When Oliver leaves Felicity for the second time that night she apologizes to him. He has to grit his teeth when she says it to keep himself from crushing her to him. He settles for taking her hand, feeling her warm skin against his own for the first time that day. He does not regret what he has done, never will, and he assures her of that. He walks away, knowing she will be okay.

Thea calls him on his way home and tells him to pick up a cake; they will be having a small welcome home celebration for their mother tonight. It is rather late and the only thing he can find is a premade white sheet cake adorned with pink frosting roses and pale green leaves. The woman working at the bakery tells him they cannot do any customizations today, but a little money goes a long way, and he gets a sprinkling of edible glitter and a simple We Love You written across the cake in golden cursive. He arrives home to a pacing sister who snatches the cake from his hands. Thea takes it out of the box and places it on their entry way table next to a small bunch of silver and gold balloons and a large bouquet of white roses and calla lilies. She gives a little disapproving twist of her mouth at the simplicity of the cake. It was a little last minute, Oliver tries to defend his choice. Thea shrugs, At least it's white.

Moira can barely walk through the threshold before Thea has her arms wrapped around her. Oliver smiles at seeing his family together again. He hugs his mother tightly when Thea finally lets her go. Moira smiles softly at her children and thanks them. Oliver feels that she is not thanking them only for their little welcoming. They split the cake, eating on the couch, close together. They are quiet and content, a family reunited after many hardships.

Plates on the coffee table, Moira connects all their hands together in her lap. She looks at her children carefully studying their features, memorizing every detail. She tells them how much she loves them, so so much. She tells them how much she appreciates them and how lucky she feels to be their mother. Thea's eyes well and she wraps her mother in another hug, breaking apart their hands. Oliver places a hand on his sister's back, but it is his mother's face that draws his attention. She looks sad and worried, very worried, almost scared. He wants to ask what is wrong, but she is pulling herself up, going back to holding Thea's hand. She smiles at them and tells them she is tired, has had a long day. She says goodnight, kissing Oliver on the cheek and then pressing her lips to Thea's head, she lingers there for a moment running a hand over her daughter's hair. Then she is away, gone to bed.

Once alone in his room after saying goodnight to Thea, Oliver feels suddenly very tired and his arm is throbbing. He showers, water scalding. His bullet wound feels like a white hot poker shoving its way through his arm and a trickle of blood leaks from between the stitches. He leaves the mind numbing deluge of water only when the skin around his wound turns an angry purpling red. After toweling off, he rolls into bed and falls asleep almost immediately.

His dreams are dark and dizzying. He wakes up short of breath, heart hammering, the ghosts of Felicity's cries in his mind. He scrambles out of bed, barely noticing that he has bled on his blankets since he forgot to wrap his arm back up. Before he is consciously aware of what he is doing he has grabbed his phone and is calling Felicity. He comes to his senses by the second ring and jerks the device away from his cheek to hang up. He sighs heavily and sits back down on his bed, phone fisted in his hand. He rubs his knuckles into his eyes trying to get rid of the last vestiges of his nightmare, or was it a memory? He is not very good at differentiating the two anymore. The phone rings in his fist, startling him. It is Felicity.

Oliver what's wrong? My phone rang, but it stopped before I could grab it. Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?

Oliver cannot help the small smile that her rambling brings, but he is not sure how to respond to her questions. He decides the partial truth is best.

I just wanted to check on you.

He can hear her gasp at that, it was obviously not what she had been expecting to hear. She collects herself and tells him that she is alright, a little paranoid, having trouble falling and staying asleep, and this phone call is not helping with that, but overall she is okay.

Okay, he says, goodnight. She says it back and he hangs up. It is good that she is okay; not many people would be okay after a day like Felicity had. But Felicity is strong, she is resilient, and she is okay. But she deserves more, he thinks. She deserves to be more than okay, to be great, amazing, spectacular. He is up and dressing before he can think. He should really stop doing this, it is becoming a nasty habit, this acting before thinking, but he can't help it when Felicity is involved.

Maybe this is stupid and spontaneous. Maybe he is being selfish. It doesn't matter. He takes his motorcycle to her apartment, he needs to get there before he comes to his senses. He is at her door almost impossibly fast. The first thing out of his mouth when she opens the door is Sorry, because it is true, he is sorry. He is sorry that he has complicated her life, puts her in danger, that she has to endure nights like the last one, and he is sorry that he will ask more of her in the future, that he will not let her go.

I needed to make sure you were okay, he tells her when she asks why he is here.

I told you I was okay on the phone, she says, hand on his arm, just below his wound, worried for him now. The touch ignites him, he cups his hands on either side of her neck.

I had to make sure, he repeats, trying to tell her what he can't say aloud. You are so important to me. I just needed to see you, because just the sight of you makes it feel like a weight has been lifted from my chest. I need you. Maybe she understands some of his unspoken word because she finally pulls him inside, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Well I'm glad you're here anyway. I'm usually fine with being alone, but it's a little scarier than normal tonight. Maybe I'll sleep better with you…I mean with you here. In my apartment. Seperately.

Normally, Oliver would mostly ignore, maybe smile, at that innuendo, but tonight it had him walking towards her and wrapping her in his arms. It was such a relief to finally have her full body pressed against his. Oliver had always kept the contact with Felicity to a minimum, a hand here or there, because even that small amount felt so charged he was not sure what he would do with more. He pulls her tighter to him, running a hand up and into her loose hair. Her arms are around him too now, hands fisted in the back of his shirt.

Oliver, she sighs and she sounds so content that he cannot help himself. He pulls away just enough to kiss her, moving the hand that is in her hair just a little higher to cradle her head. She jumps at his action, hands tugging his shirt back, and he moves away at once, sure he has made a mistake, but she follows him, kisses him back. There is no control after that, not that Oliver has ever had great control when it comes to pretty women, but when it comes to Felicity and this kiss that is quickly turning into the best of his life, he has no control at all.

She is insistent in her kisses, demanding, and Oliver is happy to give. Still kissing he lifts her easily and she wraps her legs around his waist. There is a buzzing in the back of his skull, a warning, he should stop, this isn't right, but she bites his bottom lip, pulls, lets go, and chastely pecks the swollen flesh. He grunts heavily, damn what's right. She is at his jaw, ear, neck, as Oliver walks them to her room. He stands at the edge of her sleep-mussed bed and kisses her gently, thoroughly. When they pull away, Felicity climbs off of him and onto her bed, scooting to make room for him. He divests himself of his shirt before joining her, looming over her, surrounding her. She leans up pressing a kiss to the underside of jaw, gently nipping the tender, thin skin there. His hands find the hem of her tank top and then the skin beneath. Clothes are tugged, thrown away until there is nothing but skin and blankets and breath.

Neither of them are being particularly gentle in their ministration. But it is so very good. The tension builds and breaks until nothing is left but shuddering limbs and heavy breaths. Yawning, they fall asleep together.

The morning light streaming through Felicity's thin curtains wakes Oliver who is used to the expensive heavy curtains of his bedroom. She is still fast asleep, facing away from him now. He lays his hand on her shoulder gently, wanting to feel her skin but not wake her. He doesn't know what will happen now to their relationship as friends, as teammates. He is not even sure if this can ever leave this room. Everything in his life is so complicated and the last thing he wants is for Felicity to get hurt in any way. He is bad for her, he knows he is. A life with him would be dangerous and messy. But none of that matters right now as he settles down behind her, cradling her body with his. He presses a kiss to her shoulder and closes his eyes intent on sleeping in. Right now, this bliss is all that matters.

Well that's it. Sorry I won't be continuing this, but I'm sure there will be more olicity fics in my future. I hope you enjoyed it. And let's hope for some olicity moments in tonight's episode.

Thanks for reading.