It's a little sad that this is ending, I know, but I feel like this story is told, the plot is complete and stretching it wouldn't do it any good. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. It really was fun and I am very positive that we'll read each other again soon. ;-)

A huge and heartfelt thank you to everybody who took the time to support this story by following it, adding it as a favorite or leaving me a review. All of this meant a lot to me; and i was a huge pleasure to read your thoughts on the chapters. Thank you all so so much

I especially want to thank nrdhrd3 for the continuous support and being there from the beginning. Most faithful reader/reviewer, ever! And an huge hug to sakura-bossom62, Vickstik and Horsebot3000 for being awesome. I am very thankful for all your amazing comments and the review-love you sent me.

As always, Gin2a was nice enough to check this chapter, but after she did I felt like changing huge parts, so don't blame any mistakes on her - they are all mine.

Thanks again. You guys are amazing and now... Enjoy!

12. The Epilogue ( † † † Crosses)

When the Arrow brought somebody to your hospital you shouldn't ask for insurance details. It was a lesson the doctor who had been surprised by the Arrow had learned – painfully. The doctor, who had been smoking behind the hospital when the Arrow had laid an unmoving boy in a red hoodie at his feet and had told him that said boy needed the medicine they had developed for Oliver Queen, would never make this stupid mistake again.

The bruised lip was a perfect reminder.

It was also a sign that Oliver's restraint hadn't been all that after the fight with Crane and being exposed to the altered version of Vertigo, again.

And now said doctor was being thanked by Moira Queen for being a humanitarian, for helping without questioning and saving the life of somebody close to her family. It was the start of the new health program the Queen family donated for the un-insured of Starling City.

An election campaign was so much easier when you had money...

Just by the way Oliver held her hand Felicity knew how tense he was. The tension was leaking from him while he was sporting his professional face. But she could see right through the professionalism. She knew that Oliver wished he could hit the smug doctor again, who now took the praise for something he had needed to be threatened into doing. Felicity knew all this, because she just knew Oliver. She knew him even though he hadn't been her boyfriend for a long time. In fact, he had been her boyfriend for such a short time that the newness of thinking of him as her boyfriend still caused an excited tingle to spread all through her. It was a little bit childish, but she enjoyed the sound of it, of calling him "my boyfriend Oliver" even in the privacy of her own head. She knew it would never get old.

This press-outing was much the opposite. Felicity had tried to get out of it, but she had missed the meeting of the women's club Moira wanted her to join, because she had needed to track rocket launchers that had popped up in Starling back to the military base they had been stolen from. That must be the best reason for skipping an evening filled with small-talk and expensive champagne, but Felicity hadn't been able to give it to anyone. Instead, she had panicked, when Moira had asked why she had failed to show up to her introduction to the Starling City Women's Charity Association, and had told Moira she had fallen asleep.

Of course, Oliver's mother had believed that to be some kind of euphemism for sex.

The conversation that had followed had been so awkward that Felicity had simply agreed to get up on this stage today. It was the lesser of two evils – and it seemed to be finally ending right now. Moira's speech was over, the press had taken all their pictures, all hands had been shaken, all smiles had been smiled. A sigh of relief left Felicity's lips, when she was climbing down the improvised podium which had been placed in front of the hospital followed by Oliver. She would never get used to this, she hated that this was a part of being with Oliver – she hated this even more than the recurring lethal danger which was also a part of being with Oliver.

As she now turned to look at him, she saw undeniable proof of this in the form of fading bruises. The signs of his fight with Crane were still there all over his face, marking him. Officially, he had cited yet another motorcycle-accident. He really needed to come up with another excuse, if he didn't want to gain the image of the most reckless and worst driver ever. Dr. Frank Greyston, the medical director of the hospital, now stopped next to her and Oliver. "Mr. Queen, we are very grateful for your family's gracious donation."

Oliver was all business. "It was the least we could do."

"I am very pleased to hear that your recovery was a swift one. And it is very good news that your mother's polling numbers are as promising as they are," the hospital-boss said. "Your mother will be a wonderful major."

"There are still a few months 'til the election," Oliver reminded.

Greyston was about to say something to this, when Felicity felt her cell phone vibrate in her purse. Jumping on the opportunity to get away from this fake conversation, she sent the men a small smile, "Please, excuse me." She put a few steps between them and her, while she reached for her phone. When she glanced at the display the picture of her mother greeted her. Felicity knew that this wasn't the best time, but it gave her an excuse to avoid small-talk with an overly polite medical director. Plus, the Smoak women had promised each other to get better at keeping contact – this was a good moment to keep this promise and not ignore the call, "Hi, mom."

"Lizzy, I'm glad that you took my advice. Your hair looked beautiful on TV."

Felicity kept from sighing, "Thanks, mom."

"But the color of Moira's suit washed her out. Your aunt Gloria agrees."

Now Felicity really sighed. This was her mother's way of supporting her, she knew, but all this back-biting really wasn't necessary. Moira and Felicity had reached a mutual understanding while waiting for Oliver to wake up after his Vertigo-poisoning. They had agreed to call it a truce without actually saying anything. But Felicity was not in the mood to discuss that with her mother. Suddenly she remembered why it was so exhausting to talk to her, "I'm still at the hospital-thing, mom. I can't really talk right now."

Of course, Donna Smoak ignored her. "Who knew you could see Starling City News on the internet! Milo showed us, it was a steam."

"Stream," Felicity correctly automatically.

"Yeah, that. Who knew that dumbass son of your aunt was good for something! I mean, after all, he's too stupid to use a condom correctly. Can you believe he knocked his girlfriend up? And he wants this girl to move in with them! But Gloria has no intention to give up her room. You know how much she likes to paint."

Yes, her aunt loved arts. Sadly, arts didn't love her back. The clumsy drawings that hung framed all over her apartment were proof enough.

Her mother obviously wasn't really expecting an answer from Felicity. The older Smoak woman just kept talking, "I also saw on the Starling news that that reporter, who you thought recorded your conversation with Oliver, was arrested."

"Yes," Felicity fought to keep her voice even. "I heard that, too."

"Apparently, he was really into that eaves-dropping thing, huh? Bugged offices of politicians too."

That was true. "Still, all everybody talks about is that he also spied on Oliver and me," Felicity muttered before she could stop herself.

"Well, baby, a Smoak woman is always more interesting than any politician. Believe me, I've met enough." Donna Smoak was dead-serious about this, it was audible in her voice. As if it were an afterthought, she added, "I read that your local Robin Hood handed that reporter over to the police, complete with perfect proof to lock him up on a USB-stick. Good to know that guy is on your side."

"Yes," Felicity agreed and left it at that.

Donna didn't seem to mind, she was already on the next topic, "Oliver looked very handsome on the stream. Gloria said so, too."

Felicity glanced at Oliver, who had ended his talk with Greyston and was walking toward her. "Well, if Gloria said so..."

Donna ignored her daughter's snappiness. "Are things good between you and Oliver?"

"Yes, mom, they are."

"I just ask because things seemed tense when I left you."

"They were." Felicity admitted. "But we made up. All is well."

"You know I just want you to be happy."

"I know. And I am. More than ever." She smiled at Oliver, who now stopped next to her. "Mom, I'll call you back tomorrow, okay? I'm really can't talk more right now."

"You're all work and no play."

"You can tell me tomorrow. I promise."

"I will. Bye, baby."

"Bye, mom."

A small smile tugged on the corners of Oliver's mouth. "Everything okay in Vegas?"

"My aunt Gloria approves of your handsomeness." Felicity hesitated for a second. "I feel like I should apologize for this sentence, but then I think I don't have to. It's okay that I find you handsome, right? Even though, I probably shouldn't just say it like that. That's a little dorky... I wish I could just make up my mind, if it's okay to say something before I actually say it."

He stopped her right there with a kiss. Amusement was shining in his eyes when their lips parted again. He kept his face close to hers when he said, "It wouldn't be you, if you did." She felt like disagreeing with this, but he continued before she could say anything, "and you look beautiful yourself."

"It's the hair. My mom already complimented that I didn't pull it u-" She saw the way he looked at her and decided to stop right there and instead just go with a simple, "thank you."

They looked at each other for another moment, their eyes connected in silent communication, which caused a small smile to show on Felicity's face. She understood what he was telling her without actually saying it, and she enjoyed that a lot. Somehow after so many, many months of complicated dances around each other and around their true feelings, everything was just so easy suddenly. It was easy to just be with him, to go from friend to girlfriend, being with him was natural, it felt so right. She knew, ultimately, it couldn't be easy. Not with what they were doing, not with all the secrets they were keeping, not with all the danger he was facing regularly, not with his volatile temper and her big mouth – but they knew exactly what they were getting themselves into. Felicity felt very well prepared to deal with any difficulty that might show up as long as he would look at her like this 'til the end.

It was her breaking the silence, "Are we done here?"

"Thea and Roy are needed for more pictures, but we are free to leave." That seemed to remind him of something, "Thea told me to tell you that she would fetch you for lunch tomorrow."

"Great!" Felicity said and meant it, spending time with Thea was always good.

"Thea also asked if I started brushing up on my cultural references. I think it's time to watch this Red Wedding thing."

This stunned her. "Oliver, are you suggesting a quiet night in?"

"I am. What do you say: you, me, your couch and pizza?"

Okay, this was uncharted couple's territory for them, but she was willing to go there with him. She smirked, "You have yourself a date."

"Good. I'll come by after I'm done with Roy and bring the pizza."

Felicity kept from rolling her eyes. After Roy had been captured by Crane and nearly died from being exposed to Vertigo, Felicity had told Oliver about Thea's worries, and they just had to accept that there was no stopping Roy in his quest to be like the Arrow. But in the state he was in and with the level of skill he currently possessed, he was a danger to him as well as to others. The training sessions had started a week ago and until now things weren't going well, which meant that Oliver probably wouldn't be in the best mood when he showed up at her door tonight.

"I also promise to bring my best behavior." It was as if he had read her thoughts. This caused her to smile.

He was about to say more, when suddenly John Diggle popped up next to them. "I'll be waiting for you by the car in five minutes. We have to get going." Seeing the proverbial question mark on both their faces, he added, "A group of masked people stormed a movie theatre in Lamb Valley and barricaded themselves inside. They want ten million dollars."

Without saying another word, Oliver started walking toward where he knew Diggle had parked the car. Felicity was moving already, too, but she couldn't help but sigh. "There goes our quiet night in."

Oliver looked at her, "We'll have more than enough of those. I promise."

She would make sure of that.

The End