HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! Okay, I know it's been AGES since I last updated - but I've been on holiday and work was a bitch and I didn't have time. I've finally written out what is kind of the start to the next chapter, which is gonna cover about six months/to a year of Team Arrow. I hope you guys like this (short, sorry) update, and I love you all! xo

"Oh good, you're back – I just figured out that –"

She stopped short when she realized that it wasn't Oliver entering the Foundry, but Roy.

"And you're not Oliver," she stated, hands out in front of her as the younger boy stood at the bottom of the stairs, face grim and jaw set. She didn't need to know him to recognize the tell-tale signs of anger.

Felicity squared her shoulders, ready for whatever was to come.

"So he's been the Hood all this time?"

Knowing that she couldn't avoid the question, especially when it was already a given that he knew, she nodded, eyes on him.

"I'm slightly shocked. I thought it was you."

"What?!"

"I thought it was you," he repeated, staring at her while she gaped, "It honestly made sense for the Hood to be you. But then I figured… Actually, I didn't."

Felicity nearly blanched when she realized that she had pretty much given up Oliver's secret.

"Are you okay? 'Cause you look like you're about three seconds from passing out, and as much as I'm angry with Oliver, I don't want an arrow in me for making his girlfriend faint."

She didn't faint, but she did sit back down.

Her knees didn't feel so steady.

When Oliver stepped into the Foundry two hours later, head ready to burst and hand over the cut on his arm, he had every intention of just convincing Felicity to drive him to her place and just stay there for a few days – or a week.

What he hadn't anticipated was to see Roy sitting by Felicity, eyes unreadable and fingers tapping against the sleek desk.

For a wild second, he thought of moving into the shadows, but it was too late – Felicity looked up, eyes locking with his own.

He tried to feel something other than exhaustion, but realized that it wasn't really happening.

Sighing, he dropped the bow in its designated spot, moving towards them.

"Harper," he acknowledged the boy, who didn't move from his seat. In fact, he got straight to the point.

"I want in."

Well, points for Harper – Oliver felt disbelief kicking in, along with traces of annoyance.

"Oh boy," Felicity muttered, dropping her head into her hands. This was happening. This was a thing right now. Of course the idiot had to try intimidating Oliver. As if there weren't a lot of sharp objects lying about.

"Excuse me?"

Apparently, Roy Harper had some sort of death wish. This was not what she advised him.

"Look, I just heard it all from your girlfriend – and I want in. We don't need to drag this out, there's no need for unnecessary theatrics or whatever. That's why I've been looking for the Hood, because I want to help. I originally thought it was Felicity –"

"Yeah, because I really do look like the kind of person who jumps from rooftops and gets all dramatic," Felicity muttered, head still in her hands.

"But now I know it's you, and after the whole 'holy shit, my girlfriend's brother is actually more than a rich intimidating jerk' reaction, I can understand why it is you. Let me help. I want to feel useful in this goddamn city, and – I can help," Roy faltered, looking at Felicity as if she could maybe help him.

God, he really did have a cute puppy face.

Not to mention he liked Person of Interest. If that didn't scream right choices concerning TV shows, nothing did.

"He can help."

"What?"

Felicity looked at the man she was in love with then, straightening in her seat as she decided that Roy Harper, the potential brother-in-law to said lover (because Thea was honest to God serious about him) could actually be part of Team Arrow.

Not that she would ever tell Oliver (or Diggle) that she referred to them as that.

"He can help. Don't give me that look; it doesn't work anymore," she scolded him when his eyes went carefully blank, "But I know he can be useful. He's pretty resourceful – considering he does know a lot of shady people in the shady parts."

"I did," Roy muttered, shooting her a narrowed look. He really didn't want his balls pierced with an arrow, considering he was with the man's sister.

"He has connections. That's one. He has moves – he did save Thea, after all."

"It was his fault that she was attacked in the first place," Oliver's cool voice didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Bigger picture, Queen, look at the bigger picture. So, I'm pretty sure he has moves that can rival yours. Also, he has a pretty good head on his shoulders – he watches POI," she couldn't help but shoot him a smile that nearly knocked Roy off his chair. He saw it, in that moment. He had wondered how the two worked, with the small pieces he had seen of them over the last year. Had asked Thea why she thought they were perfect when he had seen them argue, voices loud and clear. But there was no way he could miss the way Oliver's face softened, the way his eyes gave everything away in that moment when Felicity was smiling at Roy.

Oh yeah, he could definitely see why she was Oliver's world as much as she was part of the team.

"But beyond that, Roy missed out an important detail. I gave you away – he didn't figure out it was you, not when he stepped into here."

Well, so much for thinking he'd do her a favour by keeping that one quiet.

"And he's still sitting here, after I explained everything to him, with his only request being he joins us. He's trustworthy above everything else. He didn't go running to the cops, he didn't go to Thea; he didn't go to the media. He sat down and listened, even though he didn't have to. He doesn't have an ulterior motive behind his actions, Oliver. He just wants to help. And isn't that what we want?"

He was definitely joining Thea's 'We Love Blondicity' fan club.

She watched Oliver as he moved around her bedroom with ease, rolling his shoulder with slight discomfort. He hadn't let her tend to his wound, which had hurt slightly. She hadn't let the surprise show when he had eased away from her touch, but that was only because he had taught her how to school her features, how to draw her emotions in. It had felt wrong, fussing around the living room while he was in the bathroom.

For the first time since the beginning, she second-guessed what instinct had wanted her to do.

"I'm not angry at you."

Blinking, she met his gaze.

"I can read you well, Felicity. And I'm not angry at you – you didn't do anything wrong. I'm not happy with letting Roy in so quickly, but what you said was true."

He moved towards her, for the first time since he'd walked into the Foundry.

"It doesn't mean that I will trust him with everything. He can help – he can prove himself. Everyone has a story, and he obviously has one too. I just want to ask you one thing," he kneeled down in front of her, where she was seat on the bed. She looked down at him, placing her hands over his that rested on her knees.

"I want you safe, and I want you to be careful around him. Nothing matters to me more than the fact that I need you by my side," his voice didn't shake, his eyes didn't divert from hers.

Her heart sighed as she remembered his heart belonged to her so fiercely, so openly.

"He's been by Thea's side for months now. He's passed my checks with flying colours, even with his track record with the police," she grinned sheepishly at him, "But I understand what you want me to do. Nothing comes before my duty to keep you alive, Queen."

He chuckled, and she let instinct take over again.

She let her fingers lace behind his neck as she parted her legs, pulling him to her chest and drawing in his scent.

His arms came around her, anchoring them both into the moment as he listened to her heartbeat, so familiar – home, he thought as she sighed into his hair, this is home.

"I'm sorry I –"

"Don't apologize for that. Someone walks into the Foundry, you automatically think they know. It did more good than bad," he reassured her, letting his fingers play up and down her spine.

"I love you, Oliver."

He pressed a light kiss against her heartbeat, steady and strong like her words. She knew he needed them, but she didn't. She felt them through his touch. And it was more than enough.

They stayed like that for a little while.

The next day, Roy was waiting for them in the club when they walked in.

"I am deadly serious when I say that this is the last time, Oliver. Last time you ever pull off –"

"Are we really going to discuss this for the fourth time, Felicity? I don't want to deal with –"

"God, you are such a baby! It's not –"

They both stopped as they noticed him, smirking while leaning against the coded door.

"Good morning to you both too."

Felicity mumbled under her breath as Oliver ignored him, punching the code in and moving down the stairs without waiting for them.

"C'mon, let's get this over with. Don't touch my computers, by the way."

"Okay, mom."

Felicity laughed as she shouldered past him.