"Breaking news: Channel 52 can confirm the man known as the Arrow has returned to Starling City. He was spotted in the Glades fighting Danny 'Brick' Brickwell as well as dozens of others who were released by SCPD only a week ago due to all the evidence in their cases being stolen. The Arrow was seen with the Red Arrow, the Dark Archer, a woman dressed in black, and hundreds of citizens. The brawl ended with no deaths, but many injured who were brought to Starling General. We'll have more information on the nightly news at ten. Back to you, Marc."

Felicity had the news report on repeat for the past twenty minutes and still couldn't believe what she heard. That wasn't true. She believed it, she just couldn't accept it. "The Arrow Returns" was the headline going across the bottom of her screen, but she wasn't sure what to make of it.

Oliver was alive. Oliver, who she had been convinced had been gone forever, was back. But he wasn't, not really. He hadn't come back to her. He didn't go straight to the foundry and see her. He went to fight for the city. Because the city will always come first. Felicity knew that and she accepted it, but in that moment, she was furious. He had let her believe he was dead for weeks and she mourned him. She mourned her friend, her partner, her... whatever they were.

Felicity heard the door at the top of the stairs in the foundry open and knew he had finally come to see her. After saving the city. After choosing the Arrow before Oliver Queen.

At the sound of his footsteps reaching the bottom of the stairs, Felicity turned to look at him and gasped. She had expected to find him hunched over or dying or something, but he was standing tall, as if he hadn't been stabbed with a sword. But Felicity knew he had been stabbed – she had the sword and the blood test to prove it.

He was in his full Arrow gear with the hood down, encompassing everything he is to her. She didn't even hesitate when he crossed the room in four strides to pull her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed so hard she was sure he couldn't breathe. She felt his heartbeat, strong and steady; his breath warm on her shoulder; the warmth of his hand against her waist. He had completely taken over all of her senses. Everything in that moment was him. It was them.

But then, as always, reality came crashing back to Felicity. She remembered the pain she felt when he left, when he didn't come back, and when Malcolm Merlyn laid the sword with his blood on it in front of her. She pulled back from Oliver with tears in her eyes, and resentment in her heart.

Things could never go back to how they were before he left. They could never go back. She promised herself in that moment, staring into the blue orbs of his eyes that had always captivated her, that she wouldn't feel that pain again. That pain of losing the man she loved.

"Felicity." Oliver whispered, loosening his hold on her just to put her face between his hands. "I love you. I'm so sorry I left, but I promise that-"

"No." Felicity cut him off, removing his hands from her face. The tears were falling down her cheeks at a pace that could give Barry a run for his money. She stepped away from Oliver and wrapped her arms around herself, subconsciously protecting herself from the heartbreak she was about to cause. "I can't do this, Oliver. I don't want to be a woman you love. Not like this. You were dead, Oliver. Malcolm came and told us you were dead, but here you are. And that's great! I can't put into words how happy I am that you're alive, but I can't do this anymore. I love you, Oliver. I love every part of you. I love that you will put your city first and that you would die for your sister. But I need someone who doesn't have the weight of an entire city on his shoulders. I need to be with someone who doesn't come close to death every night. I wish that was you, but it's not. You're a hero, Oliver. I don't want you to give that up, because if your absence has proven anything, it's that this city needs you. It needs you more than I do."

Felicity wiped the tears from her cheeks before standing up straight, refusing to show that her heart had just shattered. She grabbed her purse and coat from the table of computers next to her, let her eyes linger on the man she loved for another moment, and walked out of the foundry. As the door swung open, she heard whispered words from deep in the foundry that sounded awfully close to "One day, Felicity Smoak. One day." Felicity convinced herself that her ears were playing tricks on her at the same time hoping it was a promise to her and closed the door, leaving her heart with the man inside.