I'll Look After You

Rating: T

Pairing: Oliver & Felicity

Season/Episode: Season 2

Category: Hurt/Comfort, Romance

Synopsis: "Felicity!" He said her name a little more urgently this time, the hand on his chest clutching the wet fabric a little tighter as his eyes pleaded for her to shut up and listen. "I can't breathe."

AN: Harking back to when I had pneumonia, I figured I'd write this fic because, well, I just wanted to.

Special thanks to hopedreamlovepray, anthfan and girlwithsixsmiles for the beta.

Disclaimer: (the usual, don't own, idea was mine though)

The air outside was cold and crisp as the rain fell steadily like it had for the past several days. This storm system didn't seem to want to let up, just like the criminals of Starling City. Long nights spent in these cold, wet conditions were doing them no favors and Felicity Smoak could see it was starting to take hold on both her partners. They'd come into the lair, one dry but still weary while the other was soaked to the bone, wet leather sticking to toned muscle.

How John Diggle and Oliver Queen managed to remain stoic through their nights patrolling the city, she would never fully understand, but she was always glad to have them back in one piece, even if one was soaked. After the third night, though, she'd noticed something out of the ordinary. Oliver had developed a cough, one he just couldn't seem to shake.

Felicity tried to get him to bundle up and add extra layers under the green leather, but he'd convinced her that adding anymore under the already tight costume would hinder his movements in a fight. Wearily relenting, she'd left an extra towel and blanket on the chair beside the shower the following night, just in case he needed them before she headed home.

What she hadn't been expecting was the knock on her window just as she was snuggling beneath her covers ready to fall asleep after a long day at both her jobs. With caution, she threw the covers back and grabbed the baseball bat she kept at the ready beside her nightstand then stalked towards the glass using the shadows as cover. It was something Diggle had taught her not too long ago, after the Count nearly took her out. She hated having to put that knowledge to use now.

When the figure outside her window finally came into view, Felicity dropped the bat and ran straight towards it. The wooden frame was thrown open quickly as her hands went to grab the arm of the person standing outside in the rain, coughing and shivering.

"Oliver! What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling him into the warmth of her apartment before shutting the window behind him. He was still in his green leather, bow and quiver slung over his shoulder as a hand clutched his chest.

"Felicity…" Her name came out as a labored breath, one that sent warning bells off in her head. She wrapped an arm around his waist and led him towards her bed before helping take his gear off. It was laid against the wall as he took a seat on the soft mattress and winced.

Not waiting for him to say another word, Felicity grabbed his hood and threw it back to reveal the pale features of his face. Oliver looked exhausted and worn thin, as if he'd been fighting all night when in reality he'd only been out on patrol. He'd promised her that was all he'd do after a particularly rough coughing fit erupted in the lair that evening.

Her hands flew to his face, pulling off the mask he wore then pressing against his rain drenched skin. Oliver was warm to the touch, too warm. His fever worried Felicity as she turned and scurried into the bathroom searching for her thermometer. When she found it, she returned to his side and took his temperature.

"Shit, Oliver," she muttered under her breath while looking at the readout on the little screen. "Why didn't you tell me you were running a fever? You're temperature's at a hundred and three! You shouldn't have even gone out tonight! Ugh! I swear, sometimes you can be such a stubborn…"

"Felicity!" He said her name a little more urgently this time, the hand on his chest clutching the wet fabric a little tighter as his eyes pleaded for her to shut up and listen. "I can't breathe."

The color immediately drained from her face. "What?!" Felicity squeaked. She paused for a moment in order to get her bearings after hearing that bit of terrifying information and noticed the way Oliver had been sitting on her bed. He was slumped to the side, his body rigid as he gasped for air in a way that she wouldn't have noticed until she really looked at him.

"Oh, god… Okay," she stuttered, trying to think of what to do next. "Um… I really think I should get you to a hospital."

"No!" Oliver immediately went to protest, but was silenced when the obvious pain he was in forced him to clamp his mouth shut before a cry of agony escaped. Gritting his teeth, his eyes squeezed shut as he took several small, gasping breaths before the tension finally eased.

"You are not arguing with me about this," Felicity sternly replied, her hands falling to her hips as she glared down at him. "It's not something we're equipped to treat. It's not something I'm equipped to treat!" Her arms dropped to her sides as she made her way to her closet, disappearing underneath the rack of clothes in search of something he could change into.

Finding her old MIT hoodie and a very large pair of black sweats she suspected belonged to an ex, Felicity returned to his side. "Here," she said, holding the garments out to him. "You need to change before we go anywhere."

Oliver's eyes pleaded with her not to make him do this, but she couldn't let him sit there gasping for breath. There was only so much Felicity could do with her limited medical knowledge, so when he told her he couldn't breathe, it was time to call in the big guns. They were going to the hospital whether he liked it or not. This was one medical situation that most definitely called for professional help.

"Fine," Oliver ground out as he took the clothes she offered. She turned to go, but was halted in her tracks when from behind her, she heard him whimper, "Um, Felicity… A little help." Turning around, she found him still clutching his chest, only now the pain was quite evident on his face.

With a resigned sigh, Felicity made her way back to him. She helped Oliver slip off the jacket, but when it came to taking off his shirt, it was damn near impossible from the pain that seemed to rip through his chest as he tried to raise his arms above his head. Biting her lower lip, she took pity on him and let him leave the black tee on. The hoodie was slipped over the soaking wet cotton then zipped up and she hoped it would be enough to keep him warm on the drive to the hospital.

His pants came next, something Oliver was able to do by himself, thankfully. Felicity remained close, though, just in case he needed her for anything else. Once changed out of the leather, she took the saturated material and hung it from her curtain rod in the bathroom. At least that would keep her floors from getting any wetter than they already were. Soon after, she was ushering him out the door and towards her waiting car outside, a large black umbrella held over their heads.

The drive to the hospital didn't take long, neither did the wait in the lobby as soon as the nurse realized who her patient was. Oliver was whisked off into a more secluded part of the emergency room. Just as Felicity felt she'd be relegated to the waiting room, he grabbed her hand. "Stay with me." It was his eyes that spoke the words. She squeezed his hand and nodded as the nurse ushered them inside to a private room.

"Change into this," the nurse said as she held out a hospital gown.

"Uh, you know what? Maybe that's not such a great idea," Felicity replied, standing close to the nurse as Oliver eased himself into a sitting position on the bed. "He had a hard time changing earlier. I don't wanna have to put him through that again."

The nurse, an older woman who looked to be in her early to mid fifties with short brown hair and sharp brown eyes, looked Felicity up and down with a hardened face from years of dealing with patients. Glancing at Oliver, who now sat slumped over on the bed, his hand still clutched to his chest, her expression softened. "Fine," she relented, "but the sweatshirt needs to go. The doctor will be in to see you soon."

Felicity smiled warmly at the women before she disappeared through the door. As the nurse asked, she helped Oliver out of the hoodie, draping it over her arm before she said, "Lie down and get comfortable. If you need anything, let me know." She then set about busying herself with the little things, like where to sit and where to put her things.

Feeling a hand wrap around her elbow, she glanced down to find Oliver staring up at her from where he'd finally laid out on the hospital bed. "What's wrong?" Felicity immediately asked as she turned to face him.

"Relax," he said with a weak smile while his hand moved down her arm and he laced his fingers with hers. "I'll be fine." Oliver was trying to be reassuring as he squeezed her hand.

Felicity pulled a chair over with her free hand and sat down beside the bed. The touching, the hand holding, the silent moments their eyes would meet and they'd just smile at each other; they were becoming more commonplace ever since her brush with the Count and his near death encounter with Cyrus Gold. She tried not to read into them, but when the calloused pad of Oliver's thumb stroked back and forth over her knuckles, it was hard to deny the little pinpricks of longing and desire the gesture sent coursing through her body. She tried to tell herself that he was just looking to comfort her because, quite frankly, he'd scared her to death only a few weeks ago.

With a sigh, Felicity sat back in the uncomfortable plastic chair and pulled her phone out of her pocket. It was nearly one in the morning, so calling Queen Consolidated would be useless at this time of night to let anyone know they wouldn't be in the office tomorrow and probably for the next several days that followed. Instead, she pulled up Candy Crush and began to play the level she'd been stuck on for the last few days.

"What are you doing?" Oliver softly asked beside her, his hand tugging hers until she looked up at him. "Work?"

She gave him a relaxed smile and replied, "Contrary to popular belief, there are other things I can do with my phone that don't involve work." Felicity turned the screen towards him to show Oliver what she was doing. When he shot her a bewildered look, she added, "It's a game. Candy Crush. I like to play when I have some free time, or when, you know, you're not dying in front of me." As much as she tried to keep her tone light, the words still came out a little harsher than she'd intended.

"I have no intention of dying in front of you tonight." She could tell Oliver was going for reassuring, but the pain in his voice was evident. Felicity glanced back down at her phone, unable to figure out how to respond. "Hey," he said, squeezing her hand and making her gaze up at him again. Those bright blue eyes were comforting as he added, "I'll be okay. It's probably just a nasty cold or something."

"Pneumonia," Felicity muttered.

"Hmm?"

"I said pneumonia. That's what I think it is," she explained. "The cough, the fever, the shortness of breath, the chest pain… I had it during winter break of my sophomore year of college. Worst two weeks of my life. My friends had to take me to the ER because I could barely breathe one night."

Oliver squeezed her hand again. With his free hand, he reached up to cup her face. "Stop worrying," he whispered.

"I always worry about you," Felicity whispered back, leaning into his touch as she closed her eyes. He tried to pull her in a little closer, but the gasp that escaped his lips had her eyes flying open to look at him. "Hey, you need to lie down and relax," she said upon seeing him try to sit up.

"I don't like this," Oliver grumbled as he did what he was told.

"I know," she sighed. "But it'll just be for a couple of hours, then hopefully they'll let you go home so you can get some much needed rest." Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Felicity reached over and placed her hand against his (very) warm cheek. The stubble rasped under her thumb as she stroked it back and forth in a comforting motion.

Oliver took a deep breath and tried to let it out slowly, but was overtaken by a coughing fit. She slipped her hand beneath his back and tried ribbing soft circles into it until the cough abated. When he finally got it under control, he relaxed into the bed, his breathing short and shallow. "That sucked," Oliver mumbled.

"And it's going to continue to suck." The deep male voice from the door startled them both. Felicity stepped back, her hands falling away from Oliver as she eyed the doctor in blue scrubs that had stepped into the room carrying a clipboard. The man looked to be in his mid thirties which chiseled features much like Oliver's, only he had grey green eyes and sandy brown hair. The doctors from the soap operas her grandmother used to watch while she was a kid came to mind and she had a hard time hiding the giggle that threatened to erupt from her throat at the thought.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Andrew Stevens. What brings you in this evening, Mr. Queen?" the doctor asked as he glanced down at his clipboard to see what the triage nurse had written before he'd arrived.

"A cold," Oliver grumbled.

Felicity rolled her eyes and stepped towards the doctor. "He's been running a fever and hasn't been able to stop coughing. When he told me he was having a hard time breathing, I knew it was time I took him to see a doctor, because if Oliver's one thing, it's stubborn. I'm pretty sure it's pneumonia, but I'm not a doctor so just feel free to stop me anytime because I can't seem to shut up," she rambled before plopping down into her chair again and hiding her face in her hands.

"That's a pretty detailed description, Ms…?"

"Smoak… Felicity Smoak," she finished for him as her head came back up. She could see the wheels turning in his head, most likely pondering the reason why she knew so much. "And before you ask, I'm not his girlfriend, I'm just his friend. His very concerned friend."

"Good to know," Dr. Stevens replied with a smile directed at her.

Felicity felt the flush color her cheeks as she sheepishly grinned back at him before her attention turn to Oliver, who sat quietly watching the exchange with his eyes narrowed at both of them. That look was reminiscent of the one he'd given Barry Allen after she'd flirted with him when he came to town. Again, she rolled her eyes and chose to ignore it.

The doctor was scribbling something on his clipboard when she glanced up to look at him. A moment later, their eyes met and he said, "I've ordered a chest x-ray along with a CT scan to see if your assumptions are correct. It's been a quiet night here in the ER so the orderlies should be here in a few minutes. This shouldn't take more than half an hour, forty-five minutes tops. Your friend should be back in a jiffy."

Dr. Stevens gave them both a winning smile before turning on his heels and walking out the door. Oliver let out a huff and Felicity turned towards him to see his arms crossed over his chest, the look of complete contempt written all over his face. "What a douche," he muttered under his breath.

The laugh that burst from her lips couldn't be stopped. It echoed through the room, filling their ears with the joyous sound before Felicity turned to him and replied, "And you're one to talk!"

"What?" Oliver shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "The guy seemed like a tool."

"Because he was flirting with me?" She gave him an incredulous glare.

"No, because I hate people who use the world 'jiffy' to describe something," he said with a pout. "In my mind, 'jiffy' is a type of peanut butter my mom used to put on my sandwiches."

Felicity burst out laughing again, earning her a genuine smile from the man who lay in the hospital bed beside her. Although she highly doubted that was the real reason he didn't like Dr. Stevens, it did help lighten the mood. "I wouldn't know," Felicity replied. "I was never big on peanut butter to begin with, and after I found out about my peanut allergy, I stayed away from the stuff like it was the plague."

"That's sad," Oliver commented. "I love peanut butter."

"Then how come I've never seen you eat it?"

"Because I'd hate for you to have a reaction to it." His eyes conveyed the sincerity of his words and Felicity took a moment to figure out how to respond. Before she could utter a single word, two young men dressed in scrubs had entered the room.

"Mr. Queen?" the taller of the two said as he looked down at the clipboard in his hands. Oliver nodded. "We're here to take you for your x-ray and CT scan." There was a flurry of activity and all Felicity could do was step back as they rolled him out of the room. "We'll have your boyfriend back soon," he added before leaving the room.

"But he's not…" Her voice trailed off when she realized there was no point in trying to explain things to someone who wouldn't remember her in the morning.

With a sigh, Felicity plopped down in the plastic chair to wait. After playing Candy Crush for another ten minutes, she moving on to reading news feeds she monitored for any signs of problems that might need to be taken care of by the team. But everything was quiet that night, a rarity for them that only happened once in a blue moon. Maybe even the criminals were sick of this god awful weather, she thought to herself.

Standing up to stretch her legs, Felicity decided now would be a great time to get some fresh air and maybe something to drink. She wandered out of the empty room down the hall towards the nurses' station then asked the woman who was seated behind it where to get a cup of coffee. The woman politely pointed her towards the lobby before going back to work.

Nodding her thanks, Felicity started her walk down the corridor when a familiar voice hit her ears. As she stepped closer and peeked behind the curtain, her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped slightly.

"I told you, I'm fine!" Roy Harper was adamant as he spoke, gesturing to the hand that was wrapped in a bloody dish towel from what appeared to be Verdant. Beside him stood his girlfriend, one Thea Queen, whose brother happened to be Felicity's boss and the reason she was her tonight.

"You are not fine! I saw the bottle slice through your hand! You need stitches!" the younger Queen was arguing with her boyfriend as Felicity did her best to stealthily walk past their room.

But as fate would have it, tonight wouldn't be her lucky night. Quickly striding past the room only seemed to catch Roy's attention. He turned to Thea and said, "Hey, isn't that the chick who works for your brother?"

"What? Roy…" Thea's voice trailed off as she looked in Felicity's direction and the immediate recognition flashed through the brunette's eyes. She stepped away from Roy and said, "Felicity?"

"Damn." It was muttered low under her breath before she turned to face her boss's sister. Putting on a friendly smile, she replied, "Thea, hi!" Her voice sounded tinny and fake in her ears, though. They hadn't done much interacting outside work functions such as the party Oliver had put on for his mother, so she really didn't know how to respond when the younger woman began striding in her direction.

"What are you doing here?" Thea kept questioning as she came to stand beside her.

"What am I doing here?" Felicity knew she was stalling. She really didn't know what to tell the younger Queen. For a moment, she contemplated her options. Several lies formed in her mind, but it felt like today the truth would be okay considering Oliver wasn't in the hospital for anything Arrow related. "I'm here because of your brother," she stammered.

"What?" Thea yelped, her face falling in an instant. "What's wrong with Ollie? Is he okay? Did he get into another accident?"

"Whoa! No, he's fine!" Felicity was quick to reassure the younger woman who had suddenly grabbed her forearm and was squeezing it for dear life. She was just beginning to realize how deep of a bond the siblings shared if Thea reacted this way to hearing her brother was in the hospital. Then again, she couldn't blame her. Oliver had put his family through a lot in the time he'd returned from the island. He'd had one "accident" already. She'd be worried too if it was her brother. "He's just a little under the weather, that's all."

"Can I see him?" Thea replied as she let go of Felicity's arm and started marching down the hall towards where she'd come from, all thoughts of Roy completely forgotten for the moment.

Felicity gave him an apologetic look and got a shrug of his shoulders in return then had to run to catch up to the younger Queen. 'No wonder he calls her Speedy. She's quick!' Felicity thought to herself before she finally caught up. "They took him for x-rays and a CT scan. He won't be back for a little while."

"Why all the tests?" Thea asked as she whipped around to face her.

'Why all the questions?' Felicity was tempted to ask, but her mouth clamped shut before she could utter a word. Best not to piss off your boss's inquisitive younger sister, she reminded herself before finally answering, "We think he might have pneumonia."

"Who's 'we'?"

"The doctor and me. When Oliver stopped by my apartment, he was having trouble breathing so…" Too much, Smoak! Felicity wanted to slap her forehead with her hand. Her damn mouth seemed to enjoy sabotaging every important encounter she had with the Queen family. First it was Moira's return to the office after her acquittal, now it was Thea.

"Wait… He was at your apartment? What was he doing at your apartment?"

"We were… discussing business… related… things," Felicity stammered to get the words out, then realized they sounded even worse than the initial half truth she'd told. I can't lie for shit.

Thea snorted. "Business related things? Is that a euphemism for banging now?"

Felicity's hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. This was not happening. It was bad enough for the company to be making those assumptions, but Oliver's sister? Now it was just getting out of control. She was about to refute Thea's assessment when the orderly that had taken Oliver for the tests appeared at her side.

"We'll be bringing your boyfriend back to his room, ma'am. Just thought you'd like to know," he said with a gentle smile before heading off in the direction which he came.

"But he's not my boyfriend!" Felicity almost shouted in desperation.

Thea raised a skeptical eyebrow at her and replied, "Uh huh… Keep telling yourself that."

It was the last straw. Felicity turned to her and said, "I am not Oliver's girlfriend. I'm his executive assistant and his friend who just happens to be a girl. What's so hard to believe about that?"

"Uh, well, for one thing," Thea started, "Ollie's never had girls who were just friends. It's either been girlfriends or chicks he was screwing on the side."

"That's not the Oliver I know," Felicity vehemently denied. "He's so different from that person I read about in the tabloids when I was growing up. He's changed!"

Thea looked at her with skeptical blue eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest and replied, "How would you know?"

"Because I work with him on a daily basis. Oliver might put up a front for everyone else, because that's what they expect of him, but with me, he's not that guy. He's real and he cares so deeply about people, especially you and your mother. So stop assuming that just because I'm here right now making sure that he's okay and that he sees a doctor that I'm his girlfriend or I have some ulterior motive other than being a concerned friend. Because I know if the positions were switched, he'd do the same for me," Felicity huffed. She hadn't intended for it to turn into a full on speech, but there it was, all out in the open for Thea to see.

They stared at each other for several long moments, Felicity with her back stiff and her blue eyes shining with the fire of her admissions and Thea staring her down with an unreadable expression on her face that gave away nothing going on in her head. 'She's so much like Oliver,' Felicity thought to herself.

"You genuinely care about my brother, don't you?" Thea finally asked, her arms falling to her sides as her face softened.

"I do. I always have," Felicity honestly answered.

"And he cares about you?" Thea's questions was unexpected, but Felicity nodded in response. A slow smiled upturned the younger Queen's lips as her eyes wandered over her shoulder.

Felicity turned around to see the orderlies wheeling a dopey looking Oliver back to his room. Brushing past Thea, she sprinted back to see how he was doing. It might have looked like something a girlfriend would do, but somehow she'd managed to come to an understanding with the sharp, young brunette. Felicity was very much a concerned friend, and she'd do everything in her power to make sure Oliver was okay even at the expense of her reputation.

Reaching the room, she paused at the door for a moment watching the orderlies finish their job before stepping inside. "Hey," she whispered, sidling up to his bed and slipping her hand into his. "How are you feeling?"

A torpid smile crawled onto his lips as he gazed up at her, eyes glassy and unfocused. "Really good," Oliver finally mumbled. Even his voice sounded off.

Felicity immediately turned to the orderlies and asked, "What the hell happened to him?"

"He had an epic coughing fit after the x-ray so the CT tech had to give him a shot of Demerol for the pain," the one she'd spoken to several times already said.

With a nod and a sigh, she turned back to Oliver feeling awful that she'd had to leave him alone for so long. Felicity knew how much he hated pain medication because it screwed with his mind, but she could see how much more relaxed and comfortable he was now. Maybe that's what he'd needed to finally get the rest he deserved.

Turning towards the door, she saw Thea standing there looking uncertain about whether to come in or not. Felicity motioned for her to step inside. She turned back to Oliver and said, "Hey, look who I found down the hall."

"Thea!" He genuinely sounded happy to see her as she approached the bed slowly. Without much hesitation after that, she wrapped her arms around her brother, the look of relief spreading out across her face.

"Oh, Ollie, I'm so glad you're okay," she sighed before pulling away from his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Oliver asked. Even though he was drugged, he still had the presence of mind to be concerned for his family.

"Roy was trying to break up a fight when one of the guys sliced his hand open with a bottle. Which reminds me, I should really get back to him before the doctor does. He hates needles," Thea replied as she started to back out of the room. Glancing over at Felicity, she added, "Take care of my brother, Blondie."

She left before Felicity got a chance to argue with her about the nickname. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she turned back to Oliver. He was smiling at her, that goofy grin so out of place it was almost disorienting, but she smiled back, her free hand reaching over to cup his jaw. "Blondie," he mumbled, leaning into her touch as he closed his eyes. "It suits you. I like it."

"Don't even think about calling me that," Felicity sweetly warned, hoping he'd completely forget the nickname after the drug induced haze faded. Oliver nodded his response, exhaustion evident in the way his head sagged against her palm.

This was a side of him Felicity rarely got to see: the vulnerable, unburdened Oliver Queen of old. It wasn't so much in the way he acted, but how young he looked when he was truly relaxed. The lines of worry so frequently etched on his face were gone as was the almost constant heaviness of a life lived in guilt and regret. Her thumb brushed back and forth across his cheek as a smile slowly spread across her lips.

Felicity wished she could see him more like this and less like the man he'd become. Oliver deserved some carefree days filled with laughter and happiness, but the burdens he'd heaped upon himself while on the island had carried through all the way into the present. She wanted to shoulder some of those burdens with him, to give him the peace he so desperately needed every once in a while.

As much as she didn't like seeing him in pain, maybe getting sick was a blessing in disguise, Felicity thought. If it meant Oliver could take a few days off from his life and unwind, then so be it. She made a vow, come hell or high water, that she'd make sure he got the rest he needed. It didn't matter how or where or why; whatever he asked of her, she'd do it for him, no questions asked.

Movement out of the corner of her eye distracted Felicity from her thoughts. She turned her head to find Dr. Stevens standing in the doorway, his eyes on his clipboard going over the test results most likely. "Well, Ms. Smoak," he finally said, his head lifting so their eyes met, "looks like your assumption about the pneumonia was right. The chest x-ray showed a buildup of fluid in one of his lungs. I'm going to put him on a broad spectrum antibiotic to get rid of this as soon as possible. I'll also be putting him on some pain medication so he can breathe easier."

He scribbled a few more things onto his clipboard before adding, "I want you to make sure he gets plenty of rest and fluids these next two to three days at least. And if he gets worse, don't hesitate to come back. He should see his primary care physician in two weeks to make sure the infection is gone. Aside from that, you two are good to go."

"Thank you, doctor," Felicity said as she stood to shake his hand.

"I'll have one of the nurses stop by with the discharge papers and the prescriptions," Dr. Stevens replied before he gave her a smiled and turned to leave.

Felicity returned to Oliver's side a moment later. Looking down, she found his eyes closed and his breaths slow and even. As much as she didn't want to wake him, she knew she had to. The nurse would be there any minute with papers to sign. Ever so gently, she placed her hand against his cheek and whispered, "Oliver… Hey, you need to wake up. The nurse will be here soon with some papers for you to sign and then we can go home."

For a moment, Felicity was struck by her words. Going home with Oliver Queen had so many different connotations that she couldn't figure out why she suddenly didn't feel so strange saying it. They'd spent so much time together that the only moments they weren't near to one another were the moments he was off saving the city or while they were asleep in their own beds.

To her, Oliver truly was home. He'd become a place to run to, to feel safe, to feel accepted. The world they'd created not only in the lair but at Queen Consolidated as well had Felicity feeling and wanting things she never thought she'd ever feel or want with him. It just felt so natural now. He was such a big part of her life that to even think about separating herself from him felt strange.

"Is Dr. Douchebag gone?" Oliver muttered before cracking an eye open.

A giggle escaped Felicity's throat before she could stop it. "Yeah, he's gone," she said, glad he hadn't said anything about her previous comment. "The nurse should be here any minute with your papers then we can go."

"Mmm… Good," he softly replied as he threw the sheet that had been covering his body to the side and started to sit up. His hand flew to his head as he laid back down. Felicity was at his side within seconds, her arm wrapping around his neck to help him out of bed. "Thank you," Oliver whispered as his head fell to her shoulder. She had no choice but to stand there and lean into him, her body his crutch as they waited.

That was how the nurse found them a few minutes later. She didn't seem even remotely fazed as she held out the discharge papers so Oliver could sign them. She then gave them two orange containers, one filled with the antibiotic and the other with the pain medication, and explained how and when to take each.

On their way out of the ER, they passed the room Thea and Roy had been in to find they were gone. Felicity sighed in relief that she didn't have to deal with the younger Queen again that night. After their confrontation earlier, she still felt tense, but at least she'd stood her ground.

It was nice not having to stop by the pharmacy on the way home, Felicity thought to herself as she helped Oliver into the passenger's seat of her car, leaving the copies of his papers and the medications in his lap. As she got in behind the wheel, she could feel his hand wrap around hers when she reached for the gear shift.

Felicity glanced in his direction and found him staring at her, blue eyes warm and thoughtful. He gave her one of those soft smiles he seemed to reserve only for her and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. "Felicity?" Her name came out more as a question than anything else, as if he was trying to get her attention.

"Yeah, Oliver?" she replied, gracing him with a soft smile as she pulled out of the parking spot and began to make her way back to the main road.

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

The question was so unexpected it caught Felicity completely off guard. She slammed on the brakes, causing the car to lurch to a stop as she stared at him for several long moments. It was the blaring of a horn behind her that finally made her step on the gas and focus back on the road instead of him, but the question lingered between them.

"Uh… W… Well…" Felicity really didn't know what to say, then she remembered the vow she'd silently made to herself. If this was what Oliver wanted, then she'd honor his wishes and take him home with her. After all, it would be easier to keep an eye on him then, she thought. "Yeah, sure," she finally replied, making a right out of the hospital instead of a left.

"Thanks," Oliver mumbled.

The next time Felicity glanced over at him, he was fast asleep, his forehead propped up against the window as he snored softly. She shook her head and smiled. It still felt strange seeing him so relaxed. But it felt wonderful too. Pulling the car up to the curb in front of her apartment, she squeezed Oliver's hand.

"Hey, we're home," Felicity whispered softly before letting go and putting the car in park. Again, the words struck a chord in her that resonated with desire and longing. She quickly pushed it down, instead trying to focus on waking Oliver, who remained in a deep slumber on her passenger's seat. Reaching over, she gently shook his shoulder until he slowly opened his eyes.

In most cases, this would not be the way to wake a sleeping Oliver Queen. The one time someone had tried to wake him like that, Diggle had ended up in a death grip with Oliver's arm wrapped around his neck. Felicity had been there to witness the whole thing, her eyes wide with shock and sympathy. The island had really done a number on him. But since he'd been pumped full of drugs, she felt it would be okay to give it a shot.

"What?" Oliver replied, glancing around to see where he was. "Oh…" he added as he reached for the door handle.

Felicity was already out her door running towards his to make sure he didn't fall out of the car, but Oliver was surprisingly steady on his feet. She locked up before grabbing the medications and papers in his hands, stuffing them in her purse as they climbed the stairs into the building.

They reached her door moments later, but Felicity could already tell he was fading fast. With her arm wrapped around his waist, she led Oliver past the couch and straight into the bedroom. Relinquishing the bed tonight was her only option. She wasn't about to let him sleep on her crappy couch, not in his state. Slowly she eased him onto the soft mattress, pulling the sheets aside until his shoes were kicked off and he was curled into one of her pillows.

After tucking him in, Felicity started to make her way back to the living room when his hand reached out from under the covers and grabbed her wrist. She turned swiftly to face him, a little shocked and surprised. "Stay," Oliver murmured, tugging her into bed beside him.

This was far more than Felicity bargained for. Oliver Queen sleeping in her bed was one thing. Sleeping beside him in said bed was something else entirely. But his arm was already wrapping around her waist, pulling her back into his chest until he could bury his face in the loose waves of her blonde hair.

It was at that moment she stopped wrestling with her feelings and just relaxed into him. But a moment later Felicity remembered what the nurse had said back at the hospital about his medications. Oliver needed to take the first dose of the antibiotics the moment he got home. She grumbled her discontentment before plucking his arm from her waist and sitting up.

The whimper that escaped Oliver's mouth made her heart clench. He reached out for her again, this time grabbing her shirt as Felicity turned. Her hand came up to cup his cheek as she said, "You need to take your medicine. I promise I'll be right back." It seemed to do the trick and Oliver let her go.

Felicity scurried back to her front door where she'd thrown her purse on the small table and reached inside to grab the pill bottles she'd stashed there earlier. Grabbing a bottle of water from her fridge, she was back in the bedroom a few minutes later. She handed Oliver the water then shook one pill out of the bottle that held antibiotics. Since he'd already been administered a more concentrated pain reliever at the hospital, she decided to forego that medication until morning.

"Here," Felicity said, handing him the pill before sliding into bed beside him.

Oliver quickly downed it with the water before setting the bottle on her nightstand and settling back into his pillow. She placed the medications on her side then stood up to grab another blanket from her closet before laying down beside him. With her back to his chest, Felicity finally willed herself to relax as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his body.

"Thank you," Oliver murmured into the tangled tresses of her hair. "For looking after me… For making sure I was okay… For everything... You're remarkable, Felicity Smoak."

A smile crept onto her lips and she turned to face him. "You're welcome," Felicity whispered back, her hand coming up to stroke his cheek. Oliver let out a contented sigh and closed his eyes as he nuzzled her palm. "Go to sleep," she murmured. "You need your rest."

He nodded before huddling closer to Felicity until his head was resting beneath her chin. She wrapped her arms around Oliver's neck, pulling him close until his breaths fell across her neck. For the next half hour she listened to his breathing even out until he was fast asleep before closing her eyes to get some rest as well.

Felicity woke up the next morning around six to find Oliver still cuddled beside her, his cheek pressed to her neck and his arms tightly wrapped around her waist. She laid there for a long time, just staring at him as he slept, so peaceful and so relaxed. His fever had lessened; she could feel it when her lips brushed against his forehead.

This was something she could definitely get used to, and as the thought manifested in her head, she felt Oliver stir beside her. His eyes open, the lashes tickling her skin as they fluttered against it. Running her fingers through his hair, Felicity whispered, "Good morning."

Oliver replied with a hum. It quickly escalated into a cough that wouldn't let up. "Time for your meds," Felicity said as she sat up. She pushed back the covers before making a grab for the water from his side of the bed. Turning, she swiped the pills from hers, shaking one from each bottle into her hand before placing them in Oliver's palm.

He fell back into the pillows with a grunt, turning so he lay on his back. The pain was evident on his features as he raised a hand to his eyes. Felicity felt awful that she couldn't do much else aside from administer his medications and make him as comfortable as possible. At least they kicked in quickly and he fell back to sleep within the hour.

When she was sure he was out for good, Felicity made her way into the living room to grab her phone. There were several text messages from Diggle asking her what had happened to Oliver since he didn't show up at home that night. She called him before he had a minor heart attack and began looking for them. He simply told her to call him if they needed anything and hung up.

With one thing knocked off her list, Felicity called the office next to inform them neither she nor Oliver were in any shape to come into work that day, or the rest of the week for that matter. She knew she'd be getting several angry phone calls from Isabel Rochev at some point, by she didn't care. Oliver was her main concern that day, and if he managed to get the rest he needed, everything else would fall into place later.

The rest of the day was spent checking on Oliver as she tried to do some work on her laptop. But Felicity didn't get very far. She found herself slipping back into the bedroom around noon to hop into bed and wrap her arms around him. That was where she really wanted to be for the rest of the day, and when Oliver awoke again, she was right there ready with more antibiotics and pain meds.

This time, though, Felicity forced him to stay awake a little longer for a bowl of chicken noodle soup she'd made before slipping back into bed. When he finished his lunch, his arms found their way around her waist once again as his head fell to her chest.

"I like this," Oliver murmured from where he lay.

"Like what?" Felicity asked, her fingers filtering through his hair.

"Waking up in your arms."

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she tried to keep her breathing slow and steady when in reality it felt like she was going to hyperventilate. Was Oliver really saying what she thought he was saying, or was that the drugs talking?

"I just hope next time it's not because I'm sick," he added and her breath caught in her throat.

Felicity gazed down at him with wide eyes as he stared up at her, those soft blue pools letting her know he was serious. "Oliver…" she breathed, not knowing what else to say.

His hand fell to her cheek, thumb stroking circles against her skin and sending hot tendrils of desire and longing straight into her core. Felicity continued to stare at him, still unable to form a coherent thought as he rolled on top of her, his eyes never once straying from hers.

"I'm serious," Oliver said. "I want this, with you, every morning."

"Really?" Felicity whispered, unable to believe the sincerity she saw in his eyes.

"Really," he whispered back.

Before she knew what she was doing, Felicity leaned forward and pressed her lips to his for a quick, soft kiss. She pulled back instantly, remembering the reason why he was here in the first place and her eyes went wide. "Damn," she muttered.

But all Oliver did was smile. "Don't worry," he assured her, "if you get sick, I'll look after you." And she smiled, leaning forward again to press another kiss to his lips.

Everything Felicity ever wanted had just happened. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face even as she found herself coming down with a cold three days later. And just as Oliver had promised, he was there to take care of her just as she'd taken care of him.

With the rain pitter-pattering against her window, Felicity curled herself up beneath a blanket at Oliver's side, her head resting on his chest as his arms banded around her waist. He held her close, kissing her forehead until she fell asleep. This was exactly how she wanted to spend her sick days from now on.