Oliver's POV

'Because you pushed me to it. To him… Because of the life you lead you don't want to be with someone you care about.'

It took me a long time to realize what Felicity meant. I didn't understand how the two fit together. And when I did I felt like the biggest asshole. Even worse than pre-island Ollie.

I finally filled in the blanks.

'Why him?'

'Because you pushed me to it. To him.'

'And what does that mean?'

'Because of the life you lead you don't want to be with someone you care about.'

I didn't want to be with someone I cared about, so she couldn't be with someone she cared about. By default she ended up with Ray. She couldn't be with someone she loved because I wouldn't let her near me in that way. I was the one keeping her from loving me, so I really couldn't be mad at her for something that's my fault entirely.

Her Ray was my Isabel.

Someone to pass the time with. Someone she had no intention of being with long term. Someone she didn't see a future with. Someone she can't ever really be happy with.

But Felicity deserved to be happy.

She deserved more than being a fling or her boss's sex outlet.

I can't give her that. Not yet, maybe not ever.

Felicity is strong, she doesn't need me. The city does.

Part of me knew I was being an ass. I was choosing a city over a person.

I needed to apologize to her. The drive to her house was a blur, I didn't know how to apologize to her. I went over every option, none seemed good enough. I sat looking at her house for a while not knowing if I should even go in.

Man up, I told myself, you're the damn Arrow and you're afraid to talk to a girl.

When the door opens I recoil slightly at the sight, she had been crying. "Are you okay, Felicity?" I ask softly and reach out for her arm.

"Don't! Just don't. I'm not in the mood for you to be here. And I'm certainly not in the mood for you to act like yesterday never happened," she snapped. "What do you want?"

"Felicity, I came to apologize. And I don't expect you to forgive me I just need you to understand that I am sorry. For all of it. For what happened in the elevator, how I acted, you don't deserve that from me. Anyone, actually. It's just its worse with Ray, he stole my company and-"

She gave me this hurt look that saw right through my bullshit excuse.

"And I'm not saying that's the reason I have a problem with Ray, because it's not. I have a problem with… with any man being able to give you what I can't. And that's selfish of me because I want you to be happy and I want so badly to be that person, but I can't. Not now, maybe not ever."

"Ray offered me a job today," she said disregarding my apology.

"As what? His personal sex outlet?" I growled.

She glared at me, "you know you make it really hard for me to forgive you?"

"I- Felicity, I'm sorry. I am. But I know what kind of man he is-"

"And what kind of man is that? Because I guarantee you fall under the same category."

I opened my mouth then close it. I wanted to argue that, but she was right. "You're right."

Her eyebrows rise in surprise, "what?" I

"You're right. Ray and I are-"

"I'm sorry too," she said abruptly.

It was my turn to be confused, "why?"

"Ray offered me a job and I almost accepted it. And even though everything between us is really shitty right now I shouldn't have considered it. But I did."

"What job?" If he asked her to be his office slut I would without a doubt kick his ass, regardless of what she said.

"Oliver, he's the Atom. He offered me a job to leave you and come help him instead. I considered it, Oliver. I really considered it and I'm supposed to be your friend. Partner. And I considered his offer."

That was not at all the answer I had expected to hear, yet it made perfect sense. "Well, thank you, for not leaving, I don't think me, dig and Roy could function without you." I paused and contemplated saying these next words, "But I know Ray makes you laugh and that, so I get it if you," I could hardly get the words out but when they came they burned, "I just won't interfere with your personal life, you deserve your privacy."

She looked relieved at what I said, which, I admit hurt. Her mouth opened and closed.

Good lord please don't say anything, I thought. And she didn't, so I smiled stiffly and left.

Felicity's POV

My next day back at work I realized I couldn't work for Mr. Palmer as his E.A. Partly because it would be weird and partly because I knew he had an effect on me and I didn't want to sleep with my boss, but I still wanted to sleep with him.

"I was just coming to find you," Palmer says smiling at his desk.

"Why?" I asked tentatively.

"I know this is going to be, weird, to say the least, but I need a date tonight," he says standing up and meeting my gaze. "What's that?" He asks furrowing his brow, referring to the papers in my hand.

"Transfer papers," I answer shifting uncomfortably, "I want to move back to the I.T. department."

He nodded and pursed his lips, "Does this correlate with the other job offer?"

"It does. I don't like being used, Mr. Palmer."

"I understand that. But, if you think that's really the only reason I slept with you, you're wrong, and if me asking you to be my date tonight doesn't make that obvious then I don't know what does."

"It was a reason though, you used me. Plain and simple," we already discussed this, hadn't we?

He stepped closer, really close, with a small secretive smile, "The first second I heard you talk I knew I was going to fuck you, regardless of your involvement with Mr. Queen. But if I could hit two birds with one stone, well, I was going to take advantage of that."

"More like take advantage of me," well to be fair I had been more than willing… still am…

He let out a shallow breath, "Did I take advantage of you?"

I want you to, I thought.

His eyes darkened ever so slightly, "You want me to?" And I realized that he repeated what I said which means I said that aloud, I winced. "Didn't mean to say that aloud, did you?" he said amused, "you really don't have to say anything for me to know what effect I have on you, Felicity. But is the reason you're moving to the I.T. department because you aren't comfortable with working with me after… that, or are you hoping we can make an arrangement to continue it?" His voice was suggestive to say the least.

"I don't like you Mr. Palmer," I clarified.

"See, I find that awfully hard to believe," he stepped even closer.

"I may like what you do, but I do not like you."

"Fair enough," he said with a smirk, "I asked you once if we could continue this and you said you hoped so. Does that still apply, no strings attached?"

Yes. "Sign the transfer papers, Mr. Palmer, and we'll see."

"I could do you one better, I can make you head of the I.T. department."

"I don't plan on sleeping my way to the top, and I guarantee you I'd be head of the I.T. department sooner rather than later."

He tried and failed to fight that stupid boyish smile of his, "You're right, you don't need my help; you're more than qualified to run the I.T. department."

I smiled, "So, you'll sign the papers?"

"Only if you agree to dinner tonight for this meeting, and another night, I want to start over with you."

This was far from my best chapter and took a fairly long time to update, I've been too preoccupied with finally reading Harry Potter, I'm obsessed and probably won't update till I'm done with the series. Anyway, a spoiler for 3x07 says Rays asks Felicity to be his date for a business meeting so I dunno.