A/N: This is just a fluffy little one-shot with no plot, and no real time setting. It's slightly AU because Tommy is alive, but other than that it could literally be at any point in the series so far. It was inspired by Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me"; I was listening to it a few months ago and it just struck me how absolutely perfect it is as an Olicity song. Then the rest of the songs kind of snuck in there and the idea for this was born. This is also kind of a thank-you for the patience all my readers of The Retreat have exhibited. Hope you enjoy. :)

The first time he saw her dancing at Verdant, he was surprised that he'd never seen her do so before. She was a natural. He'd never really thought about it, never really thought about her in the context of doing something other than working for him, but then he found himself being ashamed of pigeonhole-ing her into the role of his employee and forgetting that she was a human being who had a life outside of Queen Consolidated and the lair. He had a life, despite his best efforts, so of course she would as well. She would have interests and hobbies and talents, aside from just being a whiz with a computer. Apparently dancing was a talent, possibly an interest. He watched her with new eyes, saw her body swaying and swiveling sensuously, and had to swallow hard when he realized that his own body felt an undeniable pull toward hers.

He stayed next to the bar, his back pressed against the sleek black glass of the wall behind the shelves of alcohol, and continued to watch her. The words weren't familiar to him, although the voice singing them sparked a note of recognition, but he knew it was a song made for dancing and Felicity was more than up to the challenge. He could see her lips moving and realized that she was very familiar with the song.

"Baby loves to dance in the dark

'Cause when he's looking she falls apart

Baby loves to dance, loves to dance in the dark"

He felt someone come up next to him and turned, prepared to brush off the socialite who saw him as a prize catch, and saw Tommy instead. "Go ask her to dance, Ollie," Tommy encouraged him, and Oliver frowned. "The hot blonde over there wearing the electric blue bandage? Because that's seriously all it is. That is a dress that proclaims to the world that she wants to get laid. Better you than some other random asshole."

Oliver gritted his teeth at Tommy's casual assessment of his friend, his teammate, his partner. "If Felicity wants to get laid, that's her decision," he said tightly, the muscle in his jaw ticking. "But it's certainly not going to be with me."

Tommy's eyebrows raised in confusion. "You know her?" he exclaimed incredulously. At Oliver's short nod, Tommy glanced over at the blonde consideringly. "I have no idea why you are not all over that, but since you've apparently lost all functioning brain cells, you mind if I go dance with her instead?"

Oliver's jaw almost cracked under the pressure, but Tommy was too busy appraising the gorgeous woman to see the strain on his friend's face. Without waiting for a reply, he strolled over casually to Felicity and her friend. Oliver could see the bright grin that broke out on Felicity's face, the way her lips opened wide as she let out a peal of laughter, the easy way she slid into Tommy's arms and how closely his friend held her to him. He watched Tommy's hands slide down to Felicity's hips and pull her tighter against him, and the way the color bloomed on Felicity's face.

"Run run

Her kiss is a vampire grin

The moon lights her way while she's howling at him

She looks good

But her boyfriend says she's a tramp

She's a tramp

She's a vamp

But she still does her dance

She's a tramp

She's a vamp

But she still kills the dance"

Oliver snatched their most expensive bottle of scotch from the wall along with a glass, and poured himself two fingers, which he downed almost instantly. The alcohol burned its way down his throat and into his belly, stoking the fire that raged within him. He watched as Felicity's arms slid around Tommy's neck, watched as Tommy whispered in her ear and led her off the dance floor until Oliver could no longer see them, and was only dimly aware when the glass shattered in his hand and blood began to drip from his clenched fist.

-Lady Gaga, "Dance In the Dark"

The second time he saw her dance, he was looking forward to some peace and quiet. He'd thought he was going to have the foundry to himself because he'd given Felicity and Digg the night off. Nothing was going on in Arrow-world and nights off were so rare that he liked to give them a break when he could, but he was antsy and being at home didn't actually feel like being home. He figured the only way to cure his restlessness was to get in a good workout, so he headed for the foundry without a second thought.

But then he opened the door and heard the music wafting up the stairs, and he grimaced a little. Not only had his plans for solitary quality time been dashed, but now he was going to have to listen to pseudo-sad pop music.

"Just don't give up

I'm working it out

Please don't give in

I won't let you down

It messed me up, need a second to breathe

Just keep coming around

Hey, whataya want from me

Whataya want from me

Whataya want from me"

He winced as the lyrics dug beneath his skin, and slowed his steps. Felicity apparently hadn't heard him yet and he didn't want to disturb her. He peered over the railing, watching as she slowly twisted and twirled around the foundry, her arms wrapped around her waist as if she was holding herself together, her eyes closed, her mouth curved slightly downward into a melancholy frown. It tore at him, wondering what had caused her that kind of sadness.

She came out of her reverie and sat down at the computer station, tapping at keys in her rapid-fire way, and the screens flashed and blinked so quickly he thought he might have a seizure. Satisfied, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes again, swiveling the chair from side to side as she lost herself in the music once more.

"Yeah, it's plain to see

That baby you're beautiful

And there's nothing wrong with you

It's me, I'm a freak

But thanks for loving me

'Cause you're doing it perfectly"

Oliver swore under his breath at the arrow-like precision with which the words landed in his heart. If he could sing he could have been singing this song directly to her, and he suspected that was why she knew it well enough to be lip-synching along with the singer. She knew he was damaged, knew he was so messed up that he could never be for her what she needed him to be. He wanted to be that man, although he fought every urge to show her how much he wanted it, but he knew that their futures weren't meant to be with each other. He'd accepted that reality, he just wished she could.

"There might have been a time

When I would let you slip away

I wouldn't even try

But I think you could save my life"

The song continued to twist the knife in his heart. She had already saved his life, in more ways than one, and he would never be able to give back to her what she'd given to him. He had been tempted to lay down his bow and ask her to leave Starling City with him, to let Walter take QC back over, or sell it, whatever, but just to escape and go someplace where they could be Oliver and Felicity, and not the Arrow and his Girl Wednesday.

It was a fanciful dream, he knew. He could never stop being the Arrow, not as long as the city needed him, and it appeared it would always need him. He also knew that Felicity would never let him turn away from Starling and her people for the sake of a relationship with her. As much as they cared about each other, Felicity wouldn't allow him to put their own selfish needs first. It was one of the reasons he couldn't be with her, but also the biggest reason he could never be with anyone who wasn't her, either.

Unfortunately he would have to let her slip away, no matter how much it hurt them both.

-Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"

They'd been to a dozen or more galas together, but this was the first time he could ever recall seeing her dance at one of them. Maybe it was because he was now aware of her penchant for dancing, or maybe it was simply because he was allowing himself to look at her. At any rate, he was seeing her dance now, and she was so fluid that every move mesmerized him.

He would just ignore the fact that she was dancing with Barry Allen and also that it bothered him immensely.

He could see the brilliant smile lighting up her face as she spoke animatedly with the young man, and he could see how captivated Barry was by her as she swayed in his arms. Of course he was, who wouldn't be? He wanted to go over there and cut in, make the kid go away and stop fawning over her, and have her look at him with that same sparkling grin. He restrained himself, though. There were already enough rumors going around because of how much time they spent together, the last thing he needed was to fuel the fire by jealously interrupting her dance with another guy.

Instead, he focused on how beautiful she looked that night. Her hair was a mass of curls that had been pulled straight back so the sides of her hair were sleek, but the curls fell riotously down her back. Her makeup was simple and understated, with the one exception of her ruby red lipstick. She was wearing a champagne-colored, trumpet-skirted gown with a sweetheart neckline and a single strap made of Swarovski crystals. The top half of the gown was ruched and one side was covered in the crystals, with several lines of them flowing across the gown to the other side. It was completed by a band of crystals wrapped right above her knees, with the rest of the skirt flowing loosely below it.

Oliver wasn't sure how she could even walk in it, let alone dance in it, but he'd long ago realized that she had a grace and class that none of the rest of his socialite acquaintances would ever be able to achieve. Being able to appear elegant and at ease in such a constricting dress wouldn't have been a challenge for her at all.

The song changed from something upbeat and fun to a little slower and more romantic. Oliver had to fight the urge to go over and tap on Barry's shoulder and ask-okay, tell-him to get the hell out of the way. That desire nearly overwhelmed him when Felicity took her gaze off Barry's face and glanced over at him.

"I set out on a narrow way

Many years ago

Hoping I would find true love

Along the broken road

But I got lost a time or two

Wiped my brow and kept pushing through

I couldn't see how every sign

Pointed straight to you"

Her gaze lasered right through him and he couldn't catch his breath. The pain in her eyes was clear, her soul wide open to him and uncaring who else could see. Oliver knew his face was reflecting his own misery, but he would suffer again all the torture he'd experienced on the island before putting that heartache into words. He wouldn't ruin her life. She had already given him most of it as it was; he'd leave her with this one thing, so that she could move on at some point and have a real relationship, a real life with somebody else someday.

"Every long lost dream

Led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart

They were like Northern stars

Pointing me on my way

Into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you"

It was a broken road that had led him to her, and it was a broken heart that would lead him away.

-Rascal Flatts, "Bless the Broken Road"

He felt like a creeper as he watched her through the window of her townhome. She was dancing around her living room, looking for all the world like Cinderella in the arms of her prince, except she was by herself. It had been her choice to come home alone, though; she'd had more than her fair share of admirers that night who would have begged for a scrap of her attention or affection.

Including him.

He could see the smile of pleasure on her face as she floated from one room to another, dancing out of view, only to reappear moments later. She weaved in and out of her living room, bedroom, kitchen, even her bathroom, spinning around as if her feet weren't even touching the ground. He had to admit he could understand why she looked like she was dancing on air; ironically enough, he'd been feeling that way himself ever since his knee had been shattered.

She hadn't hesitated to take advantage of his injury. He couldn't be the Arrow, not until he'd gone through extensive physical therapy, and she had used the time to worm her way into his heart until he couldn't have pushed her away to save his life. Or hers.

"I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight

I've never seen you shine so bright

You were amazing

I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side

And when you turned to me and smiled

It took my breath away

And I have never had such a feeling

Such a feeling of complete and utter love

As I do tonight"

He opened the door to her balcony and smiled at her as she whirled around in surprise, her hand hovering at her throat until she realized it was him. She flung herself at him and he caught her, his lips turning up as a laugh escaped him, and twirled her in mid-air.

"I didn't think you were coming," she said softly. Her words were further muffled against his chest but he had no problem understanding her.

"I couldn't have stayed away," he assured her, smoothing his hand over her hair.

"But it's your first night back on patrol, and you already had to take time out for the award ceremony," she pointed out.

"You will always be my priority, Felicity," he murmured, his lips brushing her forehead, skimming over her nose until they landed on her lips. She tilted her head up, her mouth opening under his as his tongue crashed into hers, and he clutched her to him even more tightly.

He had been prepared to give up on this possibility, this future for the both of them. Lucky for him, Tommy and Felicity had had other plans. He still remembered the relief he'd felt when Tommy had explained to him that he'd only sought Felicity out that night, the first time he saw her dance, to convince her not to give up on Oliver. He knew Oliver better than Oliver knew himself, and Tommy understood he had to have had serious feelings for Felicity to stay away from her the way he was. He also knew he couldn't let this woman escape while his friend pulled himself together, so he'd chosen to do as he usually did, and meddled in Oliver's affairs for his own good.

So Felicity waited, and understood, and withheld her pain, and Tommy had plotted. And then not long after Oliver's knee had been destroyed, Tommy told him in the simplest terms possible to not screw this up. And Oliver, for once in his life, had taken Tommy seriously.

"The lady in red is dancing with me

Cheek to cheek

There's nobody here

It's just you and me

It's where I want to be

But I hardly know

This beauty by my side

I'll never forget

The way you look tonight"

Oliver held Felicity close, feeling her chest rise and fall against his with every breath. He didn't know how they'd ended up here when he was so determined to keep her at a distance, but he was eternally grateful to Tommy for intervening and Felicity for not giving up on him.

"How is your knee?" she asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

He glanced down, flexing his knee experimentally. "It's good," he assured her. "I'm back to full strength, I promise."

She grinned mischievously and he waited to hear what she was going to say next, his own lips curving up in an anticipatory half-smile. "You think you're strong enough to carry me to bed?" she asked slyly.

Without hesitation, he swept her up in his arms and headed for her bedroom. "Does this answer your question?" he asked, his deep voice rumbling in her ear and sending chills down her spine.

She looped her arms around his neck and snuggled deeper into him. "Best answer ever."

-Chris De Burgh, "The Lady in Red"

A/N 2: Felicity's dress from the gala vignette is also the story's cover image.