This is NOT a new story of mine. I decided I wanted to put all 3 of my short stories featuring my Arrow/Avenger crossover together in one story and post on the Arrow page. I wanted to post all the ones I'd already written so that I can finish up Oliver/Natasha's story.

This story is for fans of Felicity more than Oliver. It does not ignore Olicity, but it focuses them in a completely different way. Now more than ever I do NOT think Oliver is the man Felicity deserves. When thinking of a man worthy of her, I thought of the most perfect man: Captain America. Die hard Olicity fans should give this a chance. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

This is set after Winter Solider and Iron Man 3 but before Avengers 2. Obviously, it's set after Arrow season 2 finale. In this AU crossover world, Pepper Potts is Felicity's cousin. I have not created any of these characters, but this crossover story is entirely mine. The story will be told mainly from Felicity's POV, but I will put in others including Oliver's from time to time. This is pure romance with some angst thrown in. I hope you like it!

Chapter 1: Felicity Finally Snaps

*****A Week After Slade is Imprisoned in the Island*****

"I just don't know how much more of this I can take! The scene is playing in my head like a frakking movie! I can't turn it off!" Felicity complained to her cousin Pepper. Pepper's empathetic image was displayed on her computer. Unable to handle the turmoil of the newest Oliver development, she'd called up her cousin and poured out her heart. Pepper was the lover and one time assistant of another billionaire playboy Tony Stark, now known to the world as Iron Man. She was probably the only person on the planet that knew what it was like to be in love with a billionaire who didn't see you. However, in Pepper's case, Tony had eventually. Unfortunately, it had taken literally years. Felicity wasn't sure she could deal with that when it came to Oliver. Unlike Felicity, Pepper knew that Tony's women were just distractions. He had never been in love with any woman but Pepper. Felicity had no such comforting knowledge when it came to Oliver. Felicity seemed to always be surrounded by women Oliver loved or cared deeply for. There seemed to be no escaping it.

"Well, I can't believe Oliver used you like that," Pepper said, frowning. At first, she had been happy that her often shy but quirky cousin had met a man that she could share her life with. However, it was becoming abundantly clear that Oliver Queen would never give Felicity the attention and love she deserved. "Would you like me to have Tony come teach him how to treat women? Tony has turned over a new leaf since getting his heart fixed. He even remembered our anniversary recently!" she bragged, a warm smile lighting up her face at the mention of the man she shared her life with.

Felicity smiled fondly. Oliver didn't know about her connection to Iron Man. She never knew how to bring it up. When she'd finished at MIT, she knew that Pepper would've gotten her a job working with Stark Industry, but Felicity hadn't relished the NYC winters. Then Queen Consolidated had made her an offer. Most days she was grateful for her choice. Lately, though, she'd begun wondering if it had been the best choice. While the rational part of her understood and even approved of Oliver using her as bait for Slade, she couldn't get past his declaration of loving her. Why did he have to take it that far? The only thing that had saved her from complete humiliation was that her shock had been so real she'd not said it back to him. God, just thinking about how she'd feel now if she had, kept her face a flame.

"No, I don't want Tony to talk to him. He doesn't even know I know Tony. I'm sure he'd freak. The fact that you both know his secret will send him over the edge," Felicity said, wincing at the thought.

"Well, it's not like you told us," Pepper reminded her. "It's not your fault Tony is one of the smartest people on the planet, and you have trouble lying to me." When Oliver had resumed his Arrow duties after he returned from the island a second time, Tony had called her up. Felicity still cringed when she thought of it.

Flashback

Felicity had just gotten home from her ordeal with the Dollmaker. When her phone rang, she only answered it because it said Pepper on her ID.

"Hey, Pep. What's up?" she asked as she put her laptop down and kicked off her shoes. She tried to keep the real pain she was feeling out of her voice.

"So did you know your boss is the Starling City Robin Hood?" a man's voice asked.

Shocked, Felicity asked, "Tony?" He was the only one she could picture using Pepper's phone.

"Oh, yeah, it's me. I stole Pepper's phone while she's in the shower," Tony confessed.

"What are you talking about? Robin Hood?" she inquired, her mind racing. Tony was too smart to fool for long. Felicity was just grateful he hadn't video called her. She wouldn't be able to deceive him if he was looking at her.

"Okay, so technically he doesn't rob the rich and give to the poor. But he goes around killing rich bad guys," Tony replied, the amusement evident in his tone.

"He hasn't killed anyone lately," Felicity replied automatically. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was revealing. "I mean, I haven't read about any deaths from him on the news."

"Felicity, you know I wouldn't have called you if I wasn't sure about this. Oliver Queen is the Hood or Arrow or whatever he goes by now. I know this. I just wanted to see if you knew," Tony said firmly. "I haven't told Pepper yet because I wanted to find out if you knew. Now I know that you do."

"What? I never said he was! That's ridiculous! Oliver a masked hero? He can't even make his own coffee!" she said lightly, hoping to deflect Tony. She knew it was a lost cause, however. Tenacious didn't even begin to describe Tony Stark.

"No woman with your qualifications accepts a job as his personal assistant without good cause," Tony said.

"It was a giant pay raise," she countered. That, at least, was the truth. Her wardrobe was still thanking Oliver for the bump.

"If you wanted to make money, you'd be working for me," Tony said dryly. He'd asked Pepper more than once to get her on his team, especially when he left the weapon making business. Felicity didn't have Tony's science background, but the things she could do with a computer were impressive. Few could hold their own with Tony when it came to technology, but Felicity could.

"Well, I heard you were a difficult employer," Felicity said, smiling.

"I'm reformed," Tony told her. "And Pepper runs the company now. You'd be dealing with her."

"True, but the weather is too cold in New York City," she replied, comfortable. This was a familiar argument.

"We have offices all over the world. Pick a place," Tony said.

"But you don't need me. Oliver does," Felicity said.

"Oh, it's Oliver, is it?" Tony asked in amusement. "I get it now. You have feelings for him. If he shared his secret with you, he must trust you. That's a good start."

"What?" Felicity said, trying to distract him. However, Tony went on like he didn't hear her.

"Just be careful. Pepper doesn't love or trust many people. But she does you. That means I do, too. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I don't have any family, so I consider all of Pepper's mine," Tony said. Then in typical Tony fashion, he'd ended the call without waiting for her reply.

End of Flashback

Felicity had eventually brought the subject up to Pepper, who admitted that Tony had mentioned his suspicions but hadn't confessed he'd called Felicity. Tony had made an offhand remark when she'd first been told about Felicity's new job and had shared Felicity's new job title with him. He didn't think it was coincidence that Oliver's reappearances had coincided with the vigilante's appearance. He'd put JARVIS on checking out Oliver's money trail and had found the purchase order for the arrows. Pepper hadn't been sure how to broach the topic. Felicity had been relieved to have someone to talk about her double life, however. Pepper had been the only close family she'd had most of her life since she had no family outside of her mother.

The few days surrounding the ordeal with Slade and his enhanced soldiers had kept her out of touch. The day she'd returned from the island with Oliver, she'd finally returned Pepper's calls. She knew Pepper and/or Tony would come to Starling City in a heartbeat to check on her if she stayed out of touch much longer. The city's outbreak of violence had made national news. If SHIELD hadn't been recently dismantled, Felicty had a feeling they would've came in. Super soldiers were kind of their area of expertise. Feeling too fragile and vulnerable, she hadn't believed she'd be able to hold it together if faced with her favorite cousin, but she needed to see a friendly face and used her computer to call her. She'd quickly filled Pepper in on the week's drama.

"I don't really have a right to be upset. I'm the one that told Oliver to do whatever it took to take Slade down. I told him to find another way. To out think him and to not do what the Lances were urging him to do. He did so. He did it for me, but it still hurts," she admitted to her cousin. In typical Oliver fashion, he'd just thought of his plan and executed it. He'd not bothered to fill her in on what he was going to do when he'd taken her to his family's mansion. For one wild moment, she'd actually believed he'd meant it.

"He took the wrong woman. Do you understand? I love you." Those words had been so much the words she'd secretly longed to hear that she'd been stunned speechless for the first time in her life. When she'd felt the syringe he'd slipped into her hand, though, she'd known immediately. Of course. It had just been part of his plan. Did she understand what he was doing? When the syringe hit her hand, it became clear. How could it have been anything else? Only in her fantasies would Oliver ever confess to loving her.

"He didn't have to take it that far," Pepper said flatly. A part of Pepper wondered if Oliver actually meant the words, but he was too broken to admit it. Pepper felt tremendous sympathy for the man. His life had been one nightmare after another. A lesser man would've broken. Pepper understood why Felicity loved him and why she wanted to stay with him and help him on his crusade. However, Pepper wasn't sure her younger cousin would retain the natural optimism that was a part of her if she kept letting her life revolve around Oliver Queen.

"I know," Felicity said at a near whisper. She took off her glasses and wiped her now wet eyes. "A part of me thought maybe he meant it but wasn't ready to confess his real feelings. But I don't think that anymore." There was a bitterness to her tone that Pepper hadn't ever heard before.

"Why is that? What happened?" she probed.

"Laurel Lance happened. It's bad enough Oliver's had this incestuous thing with both sisters. I could deal with Sara because I liked her and felt bad for her. She'd been through a lot like Oliver. She has the scars to prove it. Like literally. I thought Oliver needed someone like her that understood him. But she left him and went back with the League. Now that her and Laurel's father has been in the hospital, Oliver's hardly left her side. I just know it's a matter of time before they're together again. Now that she knows his secret, she'll be even more in love with him," Felicity said in disgust. It wasn't that she had anything personal against Laurel. Yeah, it had pissed her off when Laurel started her crusade against the Arrow, but Felicity knew that was only because she hadn't known who Oliver was. Since she'd found out, she'd been great. Felicity could see it in her face when she looked at Oliver. The love was still there. Now she knew Oliver was the man she always believed he could be. It was only a matter of time before it was Oliver and Laurel again. Olivurel or would it be Lauriver? The thought made her nauseous!

"It doesn't mean he'll feel the same way about her. People change and grow apart," Pepper said.

"Even Slade thought she was the one he loved because she was the one he focused on on the island for so long. Her picture he carried," Felicity said.

"But he loved another on the island and left Starling City with her sister. That's not love, Felicity," Pepper said.

Felicity sighed, nodding. She knew that. She knew that pre-island Oliver hadn't really loved Laurel Lance. If he had, Felicity couldn't imagine he'd be so unfaithful or betray her in such a manner. No one could change that much. He'd picked back up with Sara almost as soon as she'd arrived. If he'd still been in love with Laurel, Felicity didn't think he'd do that. He wasn't that guy anymore. "Yeah, I know. But I don't think he knows that. Laurel represents the life he almost had before everything went to hell. A part of him is still clinging to that dream," she said. She knew Oliver Queen better than he knew himself.

"Maybe so. But you shouldn't let him and his poor choices hurt you or make you bitter," Pepper replied. "Why don't you come see me and Tony? We know several eligible men we can introduce you to. Get your mind off of Oliver. It'll do you some good."

"I can't right now. We're working on getting QC back. I'm setting up our new lair. I barely have time to sleep," Felicity admitted.

"I think you should talk to Oliver and tell him how you feel. Sometimes men need a push," Pepper advised.

"I just don't want to make things more awkward than they already are," Felicity replied.

"Well, the offer stands. If it gets too much, you call. I'll send the jet to come get you," Pepper told her.

Felicity nodded. "I will. Thanks. I love you," she said. Saying goodbye, they ended the video chat. Felicity loosened her ponytail, rubbing the back of neck. She needed a massage in a bad way. The time she spent hunched over wasn't good for her. She shut down her computer and got up to pour herself a small glass of wine.

She believed in Oliver Queen. She knew he needed her, but she didn't know that he'd ever see her as more than his friend, his cheerleader. Felicity didn't know if that would be enough for her. If the incident with Slade hadn't occurred, she thought maybe she could go on pretending. Now she wasn't so sure.

*****Two Months Later*****

When Felicity entered their new lair and saw Laurel trying to get out of Oliver's hold, she snorted in disgust as Laurel gazed up at Oliver with adoring eyes. It looked like any moment they would start kissing. It was too much. She couldn't do this anymore. She'd been working practically night and day to get them back up and running. She'd traced all of Isabel's funds and wired them to what she called the Arrow fund. She'd worked tirelessly to get the ball rolling for Oliver's comeback with Queen Consolidated. However, every time she turned around Laurel Lance was there invading her space, mostly ignoring Felicity like she was furniture. When her father spent a few weeks in the hospital, Felicity had seen the writing on the wall. So far, she'd not caught them having sex or kissing, but she figured it was just a matter of time. Oliver hadn't even asked her or Diggle how they felt about him training Laurel or bringing her on to the team. Like so many other things, he'd just done it. He called Felicity his partner, but he kept doing things like this. If she didn't get some distance from him and Laurel, she didn't know if she continue working with him.

She slammed her bag down on the chair, finally ready to quit being invisible.

"That's it! I've had enough!" she called out. She walked toward them, anger coming off of her in waves. Oliver looked up, frowning.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked.

"What's wrong is her!" she replied, pointing at Laurel. "What's wrong is you! I've had it! It's bad enough you brought her in without even discussing it with me or Diggle, but I'm tired of feeling like an intruder in my own home! If Laurel wants to keep sharing you with her sister, that's her business, but I sure as heck don't want to see it!" She ignored Laurel's outraged look, focusing only on Oliver.

Oliver glanced at Laurel and said, "Will you give us a minute?"

Laurel nodded and left. She barely glanced at Felicity as she passed by. Felicity snorted. "Did you see that? She treats me like I'm not even here. I'm just furniture to her. She is not Sara, and she never will be. For one, I like Sara. Two, I think it's beyond disgusting that you keep going back and forth between those two sisters. Seriously, Oliver? Is nothing sacred?"

"Laurel and I are just friends," Oliver said calmly.

"Yeah, right. Like you can be just friends with a woman. Do you not see the way she looks at you? Now you're her hero. You're everything she knew you could be. Don't you get it? You will never simply be friends with that woman!" Felicity said with a snort.

Oliver gave her a hurt look. "I thought you and I were friends?" he stated in a question.

Felicity decided enough was enough already. "Yeah, well, I thought so, too. But here's the thing, Oliver. You don't use the feelings you have to know a person has for you as a weapon without even telling them. You don't keep giving them crumbs of affection and then parade your close relationships with other women around them. I can't do it anymore!" she exclaimed. She closed her eyes a moment as she felt her anger turning to tears. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep it together.

Oliver looked a bit sucker-punched. "I don't understand. How did I use you as a weapon?" he asked.

She started pacing, ignoring the question. "I need a break. That's it. A break. I'm going on vacation!"

"Vacation? You're not going anywhere until we talk about this!" Oliver insisted, trying not to panic at the thought of Felicity leaving. She was his rock. He hadn't spent more than a few day away from her in nearly a year. Now that his sister and mother were gone, she was like his only family. Her and Diggle, but Diggle couldn't replace the women he lost. Felicity filled that void. Without her, he didn't know how he'd manage to go on.

She stopped her pacing and turned to face him, a look of tired resignation on her face. "Do you remember when we came back from Russia after you'd had the poor judgment of sleeping with Isabel, and you told me that you couldn't be with someone you cared about because of the life you led?" she asked.

Without showing any emotion, he nodded.

"I foolishly thought maybe you meant that you didn't want to be with me because you didn't want to put me in danger because of your Arrow duties," Felicity said with a grimace. It was hard to face Oliver and be so vulnerable, but she knew that she couldn't continue unless she came clean. It would be the only way she could let go and move on.

"That is what I meant. I care about you, Felicity. I couldn't do any of this without you," Oliver said with feeling.

"Yeah, but you had no trouble moving on with Sara, and I know you cared about her. And you had no qualms about handing me over to Slade and putting me in danger," she said.

"That was your idea! You told me to out think him! To come up with something that didn't involve killing him!" he exclaimed defensively.

"Yeah, well, I never thought you'd tell me you love me and then take it back like it was just a joke," she said flatly, unable to hold his gaze.

Silence loomed between them for a minute. Finally, Oliver stepped forward. He reached for her, but she stepped back. He couldn't charm his way out of this one. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I know you're not responsible for how I feel. You can't help it that I'm in love with you," she said, finally looking up at him. The words were there between them. Oliver closed his eyes a moment. When he looked at her, she saw his compassion, she saw his affection. She didn't see his love. When he opened his mouth to speak, she held up her hand. "It's okay. I want something from you that you are unable or unwilling to give me. That's on me. I wanted you to be willing to take a risk with me because you thought I'm worth it. But the way you disrespect me by bringing in this revolving door of ex-girlfriends, tells me that you not only don't love me, you don't really even know I'm here either."

"What?" Oliver asked, stunned. "Not know you're here? That's ridiculous! This team doesn't function without you! I don't function without you!"

"Yeah, well, you're going to have to for a while. I need a break. I need to be able to look at you and not want to scream. I need to be able to see Laurel and not want to throw my tablet at her," she said passionately.

"Listen, if you don't want Laurel on the team or here, then we'll work it out. I don't need her the way I need you," Oliver said, trying not to panic at the thought of Felicity leaving him. He'd lost too much. He couldn't lose her.

Felicity finally smiled at him. "That means a lot, Oliver. But a part of you still needs her. You're not ready to let go of the life you had before the island. I know you're not in love with her. I don't think she knows it, though. Maybe you should tell her, but it's not my business. I just don't want to watch the two of you wrestling around in my space. Eventually, she'll make a move, and you'll not turn her away because you're lonely, and she matters. Just like with Sara," she said. "You have a hard time disappointing the women in your life."

Oliver looked a bit shocked that Felicity knew him so well. She understood what he'd not been able to put into words. "Felicity, I'm sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you," he said softly, hating himself. He knew how amazing she was. He knew that if he let her, she'd love him and make him happier than anyone ever had. However, he didn't know if he could ever be the man she needed. He could never quit holding back a part of himself. With her, he knew it had to be all or nothing. He wasn't prepared to lose her by going halfway and destroying things completely.

Felicity wiped a tear from her cheek. "I know, Oliver. I wish you'd let yourself be happy. I'd like to say I'd wait for you, but I can't. I'm too tired. It's one thing not being with you. It's another watching you grow closer to other women. Women who I know you've loved. A person can only deal with so much," she said. She turned around grabbed her phone out of her purse. She pushed #2 on her speed dial. "Pepper, I'm ready for that visit. Come get me?" Pepper happily agreed and asked when. "Tomorrow morning." She said goodbye and hung up.

"Where are you going?" Oliver asked quietly. He wanted to beg her not to go, but he couldn't. He wanted her to be not just safe but happy. If leaving will help her, he'll do his best to support her. It was the least he could do.

"I'm going to go visit my cousin Pepper in New York," she said. She sat down in her chair and began running a diagnostics. "Have Laurel meet me here in the morning, and I'll show her how to track you on the comms."

"Do you thing that's a good idea?" Oliver wondered.

"It's fine," she said with a shrug. "She wants to help you, and she's not really ready to go into the field with you. Look at it this way, if she has a knack for it, you won't even notice I'm gone." She tried to smile but failed.

"I'll notice," Oliver said, his eyes full of sorrow. He knew he was every kind of fool for not saying more, for letting her go. But too many things held him immobile and silent. A voice in his head told him he'd regret his silence the rest of his life. He ignored the voice. He didn't deserve Felicity. Oliver didn't believe he ever really would. And she—she deserved everything.

She gave him a small smile and turned back away. For twenty minutes, he watched her work in complete silence. Finally, she was done. Wanting to go home and pack, she stood and gathered her stuff. She looked surprised to see Oliver still standing there watching her.

"Oh, well, I'm going to go home and pack. I'll call Diggle," she said. "Tell Laurel to be here at seven tomorrow."

Oliver nodded. "We'll miss you," he said. "I'll miss you." He had to at least make that clear.

Felicity couldn't help it. She went up to him and gave him a hug; one he returned without hesitation for once. "I'll miss you, too, Oliver. I'll stay in touch," she said as she pulled away and stepped back.

"Are you still my girl?" he asked, wanting to know if he'd finally lost her forever.

She smiled sadly. "As much as you let me be, I suppose," she said. She turned away and began to walk toward the exit. Then she looked back, her eyes connecting with his. "Always," she added, hating herself for her weakness where he was concerned. Taking a deep breath, she took one step and then other. A part of her may always belong to Oliver, but Felicity was determined to find a way to be happy without him. She wanted more and she was going to get it. Somehow.

******Chapter End*****

I hope you're interested enough to read more. This is obviously completely AU. However, the characterizations should be on par with the show. This story explores Olicity going a different direction. Thanks for reading. Chapter 2 will be posted tomorrow.