My Faith In You Never Wavers

Rating: M

Synopsis: She knew exactly what he was going to say and quickly pressed her forefinger to his lips. "Tonight, you were there for me. You saved me from a madman. You could have gone after him, but you stayed with me to make sure I was okay. That's what matters, even if he got away. I know you'll catch him soon. I have faith in you. I've always had faith in you."

Pairing: Oliver & Felicity

Characters: Oliver & Felicity

Season/Episode: 2x03

Category: Romance, Hurt/Comfort

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

The panic had passed hours ago, replaced now with the simple need to be close to her. His arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her tight against his chest as they lay in her bed. Calloused fingers stroked over the bare skin of her back where her sweatshirt rode up. With her head nestled beneath his chin, he pressed soft kisses to her temple, reveling in the gentle sighs that would escape her lips with every touch.

"How's your head?"

"You really need to stop asking me that, Oliver." The annoyance was clear in her voice. "For the tenth time, it hurts a little but I'm okay."

He grabbed the ice pack off the nightstand and pressed it against the lump at the back of her head where it had hit the concrete block in the dark alley. She winced from the cold but didn't reach up to pull it away. "For one night, let me worry about you because I know how much you worry about me every other night," he replied, kissing her forehead.

"Fine." She didn't have the heart to argue. This was actually rather nice, wrapped in Oliver's arms after a rough night of almost being kidnapped by a serial killer. Although the fear still crept up every now and then when she thought about what could have happened, having him there helped to ease some of it away.

In hindsight, this probably hadn't been the best plan of action. Maybe someone should have been tailing her closer so it wouldn't have gone down the way it had, but it didn't matter because Oliver had been there to save her. Although their target had gotten away, he came back to carry her away from the scene swiftly before the police arrived.

After Diggle had cleaned up the abrasions on her palms where they'd hit the pavement and checked over the bump on her head, she was cleared to go home just so long as someone kept an eye on her. Oliver had obviously volunteered, and after some protest, she'd reluctantly allowed him to drive her home.

Once at her apartment, she'd gone and taken a shower. The shaking began as soon as she'd stepped into the hot water. She figured it was most likely the adrenaline wearing off, but once the flashbacks started to assault her mind, she knew it meant otherwise.

The fear of being taken and tortured physically and mentally had taken its toll. She'd curled up in a corner of the shower, sobbing uncontrollably for the next ten minutes until she heard him calling out to her from behind the door.

"Felicity!" It had been the third time Oliver yelled her name, but she still hadn't responded. The door opened a moment later and he stepped inside, uncertain of what he'd find. He'd heard the muffled sobs coming from inside the shower and gently pushed the curtain back to reveal her curled up form cowering in fear. Turning off the water, he'd grabbed a towel and wrapped her up in it then carried her into the bedroom and set her down on the bed.

"Felicity?" His voice had been soft and full of emotions ranging from concern to regret. He'd knelt down to her level, his hands on either side of her hips pressing into the mattress as he tried to reign in his feelings. When his hands had come up to cup her face, she'd nearly jumped back until her mind registered he wasn't a threat. "Hey, it's me. You're safe now. I'm not going anywhere."

"Oliver?" she'd asked before throwing her arms around his neck and burrowing her face into his grey hoodie. He'd held her for a good ten minutes before Felicity's tears had finally dried. "I'm sorry," she'd whispered, pulling away from him and tightening her grip around the towel draped over her body.

"No," Oliver had shushed by laying a finger across her lips. The little jolts of electricity from that tiny touch hadn't been lost on either of them. But he continued, "It's not your fault. I should have done a better job protecting you."

Felicity had shaken her head, replying, "Oliver, this isn't your fault either. Mathis is a sick and crafty son of a bitch. You did what you could and you saved me from him, so please don't beat yourself up over it."

"Okay," he'd softly answered. Her sudden shiver prompted him to ask, "Are you cold?"

"A little," Felicity had murmured, holding the towel a little closer to her body. Unzipping the hoodie he'd put on after changing out of his suit, Oliver peeled it off his shoulders then wrapped it around her. "Thank you," was all she could say as a smile touched the corners of her lips for the first time in several hours. He smiled back as his thumb ghosted over her cheek.

"I'll leave you to get dressed," he'd said before standing and heading towards the door. "Yell if you need anything."

Felicity had nodded, and once Oliver had left the room, she threw on a pair of simple white cotton panties and a pair of old track shorts, deciding to keep his hoodie wrapped around her for the warmth it provided. When she'd finished and combed out her hair, being extra careful where the lump was, she'd thrown it up into a messy ponytail as she stood in front of the mirror hung against her wall beside her closet.

The black and blue marks around her wrists had drawn her attention as her arms fell back to her sides. She'd held them up, inspecting each finger shaped bruise before her mind returned to that frightening scene and the tears sprang from her eyes. Unable to stop the sob that escaped her lips, she buried her face in her hands.

Within moments, the door had flown open and Oliver was there. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her to his chest as she continued to cry, all the while peppering her forehead with kisses as he whispered, "It's okay. You're okay." His hand pulled the band out of her hair, letting the wet tendrils fall across her back so his fingers could run through them in a soothing fashion. Lifting her from the floor, he laid her on the bed and climbed in beside her.

That was how they'd ended up wrapped up in each other, his arms around her waist as her head lay on his shoulder with her hand haphazardly thrown across his chest. The ice pack remained pressed to the back of her head for a moment longer before Oliver pulled it away and set it back on the towel on the nightstand. He'd gotten up to get it earlier when Felicity had complained about the pain.

"Oliver," she murmured into the black cotton t-shirt he wore.

"Hmmm?"

"How much longer do I have to stay awake?" Felicity asked. She yawned, making no attempt to hide her exhaustion.

"Just a couple more hours," Oliver said, running his hand through her hair. "It's better than me waking you up every twenty minutes to make sure you haven't slipped into a coma, right?"

"That's not funny," she scolded, sitting up on her elbow and glaring down at him.

He simply smiled up at her, his hand coming to rest against the back of her neck. It sent a shiver down her spine as his fingers stroked along her skin. The moan that inadvertently escaped her lips caused his eyes to darken slightly as he watched her.

"I think I've got an idea on how to keep you awake," Oliver said with a mischievous glint.

"What's that?" Felicity asked, the skepticism present in her voice.

His eyes flicked from hers to her lips and before she knew it, Oliver was pulling her gently towards him. When their lips met, Felicity sighed almost instantly as her fears and worries seeped out of her with that simple kiss. The hand that had been tracing circles into her skin now rode up along her spine, hiking the hoodie higher until his fingers splayed across the center of her back.

"Oliver, you know Dig said to stay away from anything strenuous for the next few days," Felicity scolded, but it sounded weak even to her ears. She knew once he laid his hands on her, it was over. Nothing she said or did would change the outcome of the evening. It had played out like this several times before. The moment he kissed her, whatever her plans had been were immediately thrown out the window.

The first time this had happened was the night they'd returned home from the island. She and Diggle had driven him home from the airport, and when he'd asked if they wanted to come in for a quick bite, Felicity had accepted. They'd ended up drinking two bottles of wine that night, and since she was too tipsy to go home, Oliver made her stay the night, in his bed no less. That had turned into several hours of making out followed by another hour of heavy touching before he'd finally ripped her clothes off and had his way with her.

The second time had been after her "promotion." Still seething from his obvious lack of respect for her talents, Felicity had stomped into his office that evening after everyone had gone to confront him. It had blown up in her face when Oliver turned on the charm and groveled at her feet, literally, before kissing his way up her thighs and taking her right there on his desk. Alright, so maybe it wasn't so bad because that was the best make up sex she'd ever had.

After that, there had been one more time. The rough week Oliver had been having wouldn't seem to let up. Felicity had taken pity on him the night after Alderman Blood hung him out to dry for not attending the party he'd set up as a charity event for the Glades. It hadn't been his fault, though. The city had needed it's resident vigilante to deal with the Triad, something he'd done without hesitation. He'd come back bruised and bloodied with several long lacerations along his arms and back. She'd tended to his wounds before bringing him a cup of coffee as a peace offering.

That night she'd taken him home with her. Diggle had left early since Oliver had a few things left to do for the company. Felicity had stayed, and when it came time to leave, he'd politely asked her for a ride. She was the one who had suggested they swing by her place for a nightcap that turned into something more.

Tonight proved to be no exception. With Oliver's fingers slowly creeping along her back pulling up the hoodie until it was bunched beneath her shoulders, Felicity reluctantly raised her arms to let him strip if off her body. His lips left hers only for a moment before finding the edge of her mouth and slowly nipping away from it towards the soft line of her jaw.

She mewled when he reached her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth, even more so the moment his hand came up to cup her bare breast. The calloused pad of his thumb flicked across her nipple causing her to arch her back until she filled his palm.

His arm banded around her waist, rolling her so she lay on her back beneath him. "Who said you'd be doing anything strenuous?" Oliver quipped before his lips descended to the hollow of her neck.

"Considering how much you enjoy rough sex…"

"Uh uh… Tonight I promise to be as gentle as possible," he vowed, his lips dragging across her skin until they reached her other nipple and sucked it between his teeth. Felicity hissed her approval before he let it go and whispered, "Just sit back, relax and enjoy. I'll do all the work, but you have to promise me if it gets to be too much for you, you'll tell me."

Running her fingers through his short dark hair, Felicity smiled and replied, "Of course." No longer tired, she nestled herself against the pillows and gave him free reign to do whatever he pleased. It felt good, his weight pressing her into the mattress as he kissed his way down her abdomen, his azure eyes glancing up to meet hers every once in a while as a smile curled on his lips.

When he reached the waistband of her crimson shorts, his fingers slipped under the elastic band at her hips to trace along the sharp lines of the bones beneath. Her breath hitched when he pulled down the cotton fabric slightly to reveal just a sliver more of her skin. Several feather light kisses were pressed along the newly exposed flesh until he reached the sensitive crease where her thigh met her apex.

A shuddering moan escaped Felicity's throat as she dug her fingers into his scalp and rolled her head back against her pillows. With gentle hands, Oliver slipped her shorts off the rest of the way leaving her in just the white cotton panties. They weren't even remotely sexy, but she'd learned a while back that he didn't care what she wore. He worshiped her body like it was his own personal temple.

"Oliver!" she keened as his kisses fell over the soft fabric. Once he reached the scalloped elastic band at the top, he took it between his teeth and dragged it down, revealing inch upon glorious inch of her delicate flesh that his fingers took immediate advantage of. They played over the smooth skin, mapping out each spot that made Felicity jerk in response for later reference.

Her thighs parted as if on their own accord once he'd stripped her of her underwear. With his head nestled between them, he began the slow process of driving her mad with soft kisses and flicks of his tongue along her slit. She cried out his name, over and over, until her voice was hoarse.

Never in her life had a lover been this thorough, giving her pleasure she never knew existed. Then Oliver Queen waltzed into her office and from that point on, her fantasies exploded. But none of them ever came close to the real thing. He was damn good in bed, the best she'd ever had in fact. It would be hard to go back to ordinary sex after everything he'd shown her. And tonight was proving to be another learning experience she'd cherish for the rest of her life.

When his tongue slipped between her slick folds and he tasted her for the first time, Felicity's hips bucked wildly at the sensation. It was just the tip of the iceberg, though. He dragged it up, swirling it around her clit and forcing another strangled cry from her already sore throat in response to the intense pleasure that made her thighs quiver in its wake. No man had ever done that to her before.

While his tongue did amazing things to her clit, his fingers found her breasts again and were gently rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Felicity clamped her hands over his forearms, dragging her nails across his skin the harder he pinched the sensitive little nubs.

He was building her up slowly, pushing her closer and closer to the edge with each flick of his tongue and twist of his fingers. Time became inconsequential. The only thing that mattered was the way Oliver made her feel, and right now she felt every bit the vixen she was in her mind.

What Felicity failed to notice, though, was when his right hand let go of her breast and trailed down along her side. It wasn't until it had replaced his tongue along her slit that her head jerked up and their eyes met. That mischievous glint had returned to those azure pools. She was about to say something when two of his fingers dipped into her hot core. The only sound that came from her mouth was a hoarse cry before her head tilted back and fell against the pillows once more.

It didn't take him much time to find the spot that made her hips buck off the mattress. She was already as receptive as possible. Whatever he did only seemed to heighten her arousal, and when he found her weakness, he exploited it mercilessly. With his mouth clamped onto her clit, his fingers pounded into her as she grabbed fistfuls of his hair.

The edge was looming. Just a few more strokes and he'd push her over. But he slowed down, his fingers resting inside her as she panted, her heart beating out a wild rhythm with only the blood rushing in her ears as the rest of the symphony. A soft whimper escaped her lips as he crawled back up her body placing open mouth kisses all along the way.

"Don't stop," she begged. "Please don't stop!" She ached to feel his fingers moving inside her again, pushing against her tight walls until he threw her off the edge. But he resisted her pleas, instead choosing to find her mouth and kiss her with abandon. Throwing her arms around his neck, she held him close, her teeth clamping down on his lower lip with such force she could taste blood.

Oliver returned the favor a moment later by dragging his mouth down her chin and sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. The strangled moan that escaped her throat echoed through the room as he sucked at the mark he'd left on her pale skin until it turned a deep shade of purple. Makeup was not going to cover that in the morning, she was sure of it. Thankfully the chill of autumn was in the air and a turtleneck would suffice.

But he didn't stop there. Another purple mark was left at her collarbone then over her right breast. She moaned and begged as he continued leaving more bruises across her skin in places only they would ever see. Something told her the bump on her head wasn't the only thing that would be hurting tomorrow. But she didn't care if it meant feeling amazing right now.

Running her fingers down his back, she realized he was still fully clothed. This needed to change immediately. She grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt and began yanking it up his torso until he was forced to stop his torturous ministrations and take it off. As she reached for the button of his jeans, he grabbed her wrists, pinning them to the mattress.

"Oliver," she whimpered, "please, I can't take this anymore. I need you." Desperation rang clear in her voice as she gazed up at him with pleading crystalline eyes. That was all it took for him to relent and give in to her.

With a sigh, Oliver crawled back up her body, his lips remaining on her skin until their mouths were pressed together for a kiss much softer than the previous one. It was gentle and exploratory in nature, just a light touch of lips against one another. When Felicity moaned, he took it as an opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth and explore some more as one hand became tangled in the golden mass of wet curls above her head while the other found its way to her hip.

Her fingers ghosted along the marred flesh of his back, mapping out each scar and committing it to memory before moving to the next until she reached the small of his back. The large burn that spanned its width always intrigued her, but she never dared to ask where it came from. In time, he'd tell her, just as he had with a few of his other scars already, but for now, her fingers would slowly run over it, tracing its raised edges before dipping lower to find the waistband of his jeans.

Small hands followed it along well toned hips until she reached the button at the front. With deft fingers, she popped it open then pulled the zipper down. A feral growl rumbled through his chest when she reached in and cupped him through his boxers. The teasing didn't end there. After all he'd put her through, she would do the same to him, at least until he decided he'd had enough.

She traced the hard line of his cock from tip to base, stroking firmly before releasing and starting the torture all over again. He groaned against her lips, nipping at them with each teasing touch. It wasn't long before the hand on her hip dug into her flesh. There would be yet another bruise there in the morning, but she liked the way he managed to bring out the pleasure in the pain.

"Felicity," he growled, biting the other side of her neck as he ground his hips against her palm. If this wasn't an indication that he was turned on, she had no idea what was. When she tightened her hold on his cock, the reaction was instant. His hips bucked as the hand in her hair pulled hard, exposing more of her neck to his teeth.

"What happened to needing me?" Oliver murmured against her ear before tracing the shell with his tongue.

"I still need you," Felicity replied, a sly grin appearing on her lips as she leaned closer and added, "Let me have my fun first."

"I thought I told you to relax."

"I would, but with the way you do things, it's kinda hard." She slipped her fingers beneath his boxers and wrapped them around the base of his cock. He let out a deep groan before dipping his head into the crook of her neck and lavishing it with kisses.

"Well, I'm kinda hard right now, and if you don't stop what you're doing, I'll be kinda soft and then what will you do?" he replied between kisses.

"I can't argue with that logic," Felicity said as she let him go and pulled her hands out from his pants. Oliver scrambled off the bed and she watched as he stripped the rest of his clothes off. "Do you have any idea how sexy it is when you do that?" she asked wistfully.

"Do what?" There was genuine confusion in his voice as he gazed at her while standing at the foot of her bed completely naked.

"Take your clothes off," Felicity answered. There wasn't a hint of bashfulness as her eyes traced the finely sculpted planes of his body. She didn't even try to hide the lustful gaze she pinned him with as she licked her lips. "I could watch you do that all day, just like I could watch you on the salmon ladder." The lopsided smile that crossed her lips made him grin in return.

"I'll remember that next time," Oliver said as he slid beside her, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her flush against his chest. Pressing soft kisses to the back of her neck, his hand roamed down her side until it reached her hip. That was when it dove south, cupping her apex before his fingers slipped between her wet folds.

"Have I told you how much I love it when you do that?" Felicity asked. A moan slipped from her lips when his thumb stroked across her clit while two fingers dipped into her hot core and began to push into her.

"Once or twice," he answered. She could feel the grin widen on his lips as he kissed his way down her shoulder.

"Are you going to keep teasing me all night or will you fuck me already?" she whined when his cock came to rest against the small of her back.

"Patience is a virtue," Oliver reminded her as his other hand reached up from beneath her body to cup her breast.

"Says the man who literally doesn't know what that means," Felicity teased.

"Then you'll have to teach me," he replied, pressing another wet kiss to her shoulder.

"You'll have to stop teasing me first." Now she was just annoyed that Oliver wasn't giving in. She would have continued, but the words became lost in her throat when he suddenly thrust into her without warning. She cried out as he pulled back and quickly thrust in again. The hand that had been playing with her clit now looped around her leg, bringing it up to her chest and holding it there.

With her hips angled up, she felt every throbbing inch of his cock delve into her hot, wet center hitting pleasure points she didn't even know existed until that moment. Her cries intensified. Tomorrow she would probably have no voice, but it would be worth it. Each thrust brought her closer to the edge.

Turning her head, she met his lips. His hand released her breast, coming instead to rest against her neck to hold her in place as they continued to kiss. Their lips never parted, even as he thrust deeper and harder, she wouldn't release her hold. Soft moans echoed between their mouths until she bit down on his lower lip again when he finally pushed her over the edge.

"Oliver!" she cried out as her walls tightened around him. His thrusts slowed to a stop until he was buried inside her, unmoving, with his arms tightly wrapped around her body holding her to his chest. "That… Wow," she panted, her head rolling into the crook of his neck as he kissed the top of her head right above the lump.

He released her leg, letting it drop back down as his hand came to rest against her abdomen. Ever so slowly it crept up, calloused fingers causing little bolts of pleasure to course through her until he was cupping her breast. "You really need to stop that," Felicity whispered, placing her hand over his.

"Stop what?" Oliver murmured against her ear before pressing a kiss just beneath it.

"Teasing me!" she giggled when his lips trailed down her neck and found a particularly sensitive spot where she was ticklish.

"You know you love it. Don't lie." To prove his point, he nipped at her neck again and felt the shiver that ran through her body.

"I never said I didn't," she shot back, her fingers crawling up his arm until the reached the crook of his elbow. He shuddered and she giggled again. "So, now what? Are you just going to stay hard inside me or do you wanna finish?" she asked, glancing up at him with mischievous eyes.

It was his turn to laugh. "You're so impatient."

"Only when it comes to sex." He pulled out of her and she whimpered before being rolled onto her back. His weight settled on top of her, arms out to either side of her head keeping the bulk of it from pinning her to the mattress.

"Well, you definitely have the patience of a saint outside the bedroom," Oliver remarked as he dropped down to his elbows so they were chest to chest, his lips hovering just above hers. "Why else would you still be around?"

"Oliver…" She knew his insecurities well, and this was definitely one of them. Ever since Felicity brought him back from that island again, he seemed a little more broken than he had been after his first return. Although he never made light of his fears, she could clearly see them written on his face in those unguarded moments when his mask would drop for just a few seconds to reveal the truth. He was scared of losing her like he'd lost so many other people in his life.

Reaching up, her palm pressed to his cheek so his gaze wouldn't drop as she said, "It's because I'm your friend, and that's what friends do. They're there for each other."

His face suddenly darkened. "But tonight…"

She knew exactly what he was going to say and quickly pressed her forefinger to his lips. "Tonight, you were there for me. You saved me from a madman. You could have gone after him, but you stayed with me to make sure I was okay. That's what matters, even if he got away. I know you'll catch him soon. I have faith in you. I've always had faith in you."

His head dropped to the crook of her neck, burrowing into it as her arms came around his shoulders. One hand fell to the center of his back while the other raked through his hair as she pressed kisses to his forehead. "You're remarkable," she heard him whisper against her skin.

A smile crept onto her lips. "Thank you for remarking on it, again," Felicity said as she raised his chin up so their eyes met. "You're pretty remarkable yourself." She was rewarded with one of his dazzling smiles that made her heart flutter in her chest. "Come here," she softly beckoned him to her lips so she could kiss him again.

Something between them changed in that moment, something neither one could put a finger on until much later, when Felicity would find herself in danger yet again. But for now, it was left to linger between their lips as he sank into her once more. She wrapped her legs around his thighs, holding him close as her arms banded around his back.

This wasn't their usual "friends with benefits" sex. No, tonight there was much more meaning behind each gaze, each kiss, each thrust. Even the way he stroked her hair away from her eyes felt different. This was no longer fucking; this was lovemaking, pure and simple. It wasn't about need or passion or lust; it was about two hearts connecting on a deeper level.

They rocked together, their rhythm slow and gentle as he'd promised earlier. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he kissed her managed to send her over the edge even faster than the first time. There was just something special about it. Her body reacted in ways she had never experienced before.

Their names spilled from each other's lips as they came together for the first time. Her back arched off the mattress as his hips slammed into hers one last time before the room filled with their cries of ecstasy. They came down together, two shaking bodies completely drained of energy yet so fully satisfied. He nuzzled her neck, softly kissing his way up to her lips before rolling them so they were on their sides.

Not another word was spoken as she nestled into his warm embrace and closed her eyes. His fingers ruffled through her hair a few times before finally settling on the back of her neck. Sleep came quickly and easily for both of them, and when she awoke the next morning, his arms were still wrapped around her.

Most mornings he would be gone by that point, but today he'd stayed. His kisses woke her in the best way possible. When she opened her eyes, he was smiling down at her as his fingers traced over the soft lines of her face. "Good morning," Oliver whispered before bending down to kiss the tip of her nose.

Felicity giggled. "Good morning," she replied, lifting up slightly to capture his lips.

"How's your head?" His hand came up to stroke through her hair, gently running over the bump to gauge her reaction.

She barely flinched. "Much better than it was last night."

The darkness returned to his face as he stared down at her and said, "Promise me you won't ever volunteer for another one of these missions again."

With a smile, she replied, "I promise," before tilting her head up to capture his swollen lips once more. Unfortunately, this was one promise she would find very hard to keep.